April 1, 2007
Rev. Terry D. Campbell
Palm Sunday Communion

The Sign of Victory
Revelation 12:7-11

““And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. ⁸But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. ⁹The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. ¹⁰Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
‘Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. ¹¹They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.’”

We live in a world at war. Not the war you’re thinking about—but war with God. As we begin Holy Week, we are reminded that you and I are still players in the ancient drama—the battle of wills and ways. What began in the Garden of Eden will culminate in the Garden Tomb. In love, God gave us the ability to choose who we will follow—whether God our creator or our own desires. And we blew it—over and over and over throughout the centuries we choose self-will over God’s will.

I. Spiritual warfare defines our existence.

The spiritual warfare described in the text, begun so long ago, continues today. Spiritual warfare is the created against the will of the Creator. Because God is love, God allows free will and gives choice.

The ancient story is ever new—rehearsed over and over again as we assert our self-will versus God. It is the rebellion of self-elevation over God-allegiance. We have participated in the age-old war against God.

If we’re honest with ourselves we know it is true—self above God; me before God; my way over God’s way. We are all sinners and we do not deserve anything good from God.

The apostle Paul expressed it in Romans 7:21-25-“So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. ²²For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; ²³but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. ²⁴What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? ²⁵Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.”

People who control self-will with God-allegiance are assets to the community, teams, family, friendships, church.

We move down the road to victorious living when we begin with not just admit that spiritual warfare in general exists, but admit that it is specifically going on in YOUR heart and mind. Resolve to actively participate in winning the battle.

To properly prepare to receive the Lord’s Supper, we each need to pray and ask God where we are wrongly battling to keep control of our lives from God. This is a place you and I need to repent and seek the power of God’s grace.

II. God offers us the Key to victory in Jesus’ actions.

Holy Week is a microcosm of life—Jesus is made the King of kings, not because of our actions but in spite of our actions! Human effort of Palm Sunday fell short by Good Friday.

We can’t win the spiritual warfare by ourselves! None of us can completely overcome the force of “self” without God’s help. That is why God came in Jesus Christ—to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. Jesus paid our spiritual debt and presents us overcoming spiritual power if we will accept it. In fact, the text tells us that God’s gifts to us in Christ are—salvation, power, kingdom of God, authority.

III. Claim the blood of Jesus for salvation no matter what.

Claim the blood of Jesus for salvation no matter what and reject spiritual deception. Remember—Nothing but the blood of Jesus for salvation. New Age religion says stop thinking you have sinned—get your thinking straight, you are god. Islam says that Jesus did not die on the cross—you need something besides Jesus to save you. Humanism says that what you do or do not do will save or condemn you.

But God tells us in His written word . . . What can wash away our sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make us whole again? NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS!

Blood symbolizes the life—A life given for a life.

Leviticus 17:11-“For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.”

Hebrews 9:22-“In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

We’re not talking about magic blood but the symbol of Jesus’ salvation, power, kingdom and authority given us by God’s merciful grace. That is why we must repent of self-will and pray for God’s forgiveness and empower to enable us to seek and accomplish God’s will

As you receive by faith this precious gift of a saved and empowered life, let this life be proclaimed in all you are and do—no matter what the supposed cost. Do not just play Christian but giving whole self in God’s life and service so that your spirit is serving at God’s pleasure. And you will experience the full power of God in your life—because Jesus’ blood is the sign of our victory. Amen.