June 30, 2024 | Zach Schlegel
Passage: Revelation 13:1-18
The saying, “we’re not in Kansas anymore” comes from Frank Baum’s “The Wizard of Oz.” While there are many interpretations to this children’s story, it’s said that Frank Baum had a serious problem with God, and he wrote the story to get past the idea that there is a great and powerful God in charge of everything. All we need to do to resolve our problems is to look within ourselves to find our hidden potential.
This kind of thinking emboldens people to listen to voices other than the voice of God when looking for life, fulfillment, security, peace, satisfaction, or salvation. A broken, chaotic world makes us feel like Dorothy - we are not home. So many people will follow the “yellow brick road” of self-reliance to find fulfillment. “The Wizard of Oz” is not a truth that you want to build your life on. The devil wants us to think that God is not good and that He doesn’t have our good in mind and is not to be trusted. Satan wants us to think that God is not really God. In case you have forgotten, the Devil is a liar. He is the deceiver of the world and not worthy of our trust. The Devil is leading and deceiving people to death and hell.
In Revelation 12 and 13, God pulls back the curtain to show what is going on. He pulls it back to expose the real fraud - Satan. This chapter equips us to stand up to the pressure that Satan puts on us. In Revelation 12, the focus is on Satan. His target is the church. Every time Satan tries to defeat the people of God, He fails. God steps in to deliver and protect His people. Does the Devil give up? No. (12:17) He is furious and about to call for reinforcements.
Sermon Outline
1. Don’t trust the false Christ of power. Vs. 1 - 10
2. Don’t trust a Christ-less religion. Vs. 11 - 18
Series Information
