SO WHICH SIDE OF THE FORCE ARE YOU ON???
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is coming soon to a theatre near you. I as a young man enjoyed the original three movies in the series. I always wished they would bring back the original characters and put them in the new ones. I didn’t think that would ever happen; but it finally did. My granddaughter, Samantha loves the series. I love watching her watch it.
Remember these guys? Yoda-cute little green guy with those pointy ears-who was always talking about “The Force.” R2D2 and C3PO-always entertaining. Chewy-Big and Hairy and had his own style of communicating. You didn’t know what he was saying unless it was interpreted by Han Solo; but just the sound was kind of comforting in its own. Way. Of course, there was Han Solo and Princess Leia and Obe Wan Kenobi and a host of other characters that made Star Wars great and kept your interest and made you want to watch the next one. Finally, you have Darth Vader-who was the embodiment of evil-the Dark Side of the Force. Then, at last my personal favorite Luke Skywalker. are these movies so popular in our culture? They are at the base level a demonstration of one of the oldest themes known to mankind: Good versus Evil.
I did some research and found out that the reason George Lucas made them was during the 70’s when they first came out there was this huge void in the cinema. Westerns were dead, and if you think back to their basic theme it was: the good guys versus the bad guys or good versus evil. So, he took this Western theme and put into a Science Fiction setting. It has universal appeal because it really applies to so many areas in life: the legal system; religion; and so on.
I remember my first year of Bible School at North Central University in Minneapolis, MN. It happened to be the year of the first release of the Star Wars movies. It was called “Star Wars; A New Hope.” I remember one of my professors saying that he felt that this movie was a good take on “good versus evil.” I agreed with him completely.
If you think about it the movies were very clean. They were mainly about teaming up and winning a battle over evil. The characters were odd; some were repulsive-Jabba the Hut; some were so lovable Ewoks. Sex and Romance were at most a kiss. How refreshing. The acting was intense. The humor was present through Han Solo or one of the Robotic Type Creature like C3PO that seemed more human than machine.
Now you and I realize that this is a work of fiction, but it represents something as old as time itself. It is back to that Good Versus Evil.
There was man in the Bible, a leader named Joshua, who issued an ultimatum from God he said:
1. Choose this Day: who you will serve
Joshua 24:15
“choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served, (these were false Gods) But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (the One and Only True God)
To this day that Ultimatum is just as real as it was then. You see since the beginning of Creation, there has been a great battle going on. The battle for your soul.
2. There are 2 sides in Star Wars in Conflict:
On the one side are the Forces of Evil: The Empire
On the other side is the Good Guys: The Rebel Alliance
3. The Same is True Today
There is a battle going on today in our world right this very moment for the souls of men and women. You may not be able to physically see the powers behind it; but you can see it raging. It is ramping up at meteoric pace. All we have to do is watch the news and realize how things have change so drastically it makes our heads spin. Do you realize that 70 years ago the biggest problems in High Schools were chewing gum and talking? Today, there are metal detectors; lock-downs and school shootings. We came to this country for freedom of religion; now Evil Religion have come to our country to take not only our freedoms away but our very lives. This is a world -wide phenomenon with innocent people being mowed down by snipers and vehicles and bombs. Who would have believed that?
4. On the One Side: is the Forces of Darkness
Satan goes around tempting and tricking mankind He is kind of a Darth Vader Character-except he is not fiction- he is real) He tells people indulge your dark side? You are no match for the dark side of the force with all sorts of sins and vices: sexual sins; greed; power; pride. He tells you to take revenge yourself; the justice is system is broken. Shall I go on? (Give in to your dark side-Luke)
1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
-Sounds a lot like Darth Vader to me
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (ESV)
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,
10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
Think how many people now believe that you can be a homosexual and go to heaven; including religious leaders and groups. You can’t. Why because it is against the very nature of God’s creature. I don’t have time to teach on this again tonight but read Romans 1 with an open heart and mind and God’s Word will show you. This has changed because people don’t read the Word of God and believe what’s in it; so, they become deceived.
5. On the other side: The Forces of Good
God has laid out a plan and created a way out of this darkness. You don’t have to be on the dark side of the force you can be on the Good side: the GOD SIDE
John 3:16-21 (ESV)
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
6. The message is spread by his followers: called Christians.
There are those who have accepted the King-The Lord Jesus and those who choose to risk it all and become true disciples-the Jedi’s of the Christian world. Modern day counterparts of the early church who chose to witness, believe God for the miraculous and accept nothing less than total victory. They do this even to the sacrifice of their own lives. They are completely sold-out to the cause and to their King.
Mark 16:15-20 (ESV)
15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.
No light sabers; just preaching the Light of the Good News with all Heaven’s Power behind you. Sounds Good to me!!!
7. So, why should I turn from the Dark side of the force to the Good side? What benefit is it to me?
I am not saying that there isn’t some pleasure in sin. There is! But it only lasts for a season and its kind of like drugs what started with a high now has crashed your life to an all-time low. After years of bondage, you are empty and broken. I have tried both sides to the max: I highly recommend the Good Side!!!
Compare that with
-Abundant Life
-Eternal Life
Psalm 103:2-5 (ESV)
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
8. If you are a truly Born-Again Christian: you need to Decide if you are going to:
--Just get by
(or become a)
-Sold-out disciple for Jesus (A Jedi Christian)
Hebrews 5:11-14 (ESV)
11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,
13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.
14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
I was one of those milk drinkers for decades, until I became disillusioned with where I was at and cried out to God, and in my case through a mighty 10-year trial; ten years in hell- he changed me into a meat eater-A Christian Jedi-if you will; someone who refuses to quit. That’s what he wants for you minus the 10 years of suffering! I give him all the glory and credit. But I did have to cooperate. I had to seek him wholeheartedly and not quit. It took time, but my life is so fulfilling now! There aren’t words to say how great it is!
9. Why should I become a sold-out Disciple for Jesus?
(in Star Wars terminology: a Jedi- a leader of men and women? A meat-eater instead of just getting by as a milk drinker?)
Mark 10:29-30 (ESV)
28 Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.
You will never regret this decision. It may not be easy but the benefits so out way the so-called sacrifices:
1. Hundredfold Return (IN THIS LIFE)
a. Houses (Needs)
b. Brothers/Sisters/Mothers (IN THE LORD)
c. Lands (PROSPERITY)
2. Eternal Life (HEAVEN-FOREVER)
3. Persecutions (PRICE-SOME PEOPLE WON’T LIKE YOU IF YOU TELL THEM ABOUT JESUS) (GOES WITH THE TERRITORTY)
Remember this you may be the last Jedi (True Christian Disciple) that can save someone’s life by telling them the truth about Jesus before they are defeated by the forces of darkness
10. You need to make sure you truly born-again Christian and not just a good person or a religious person?
Satan can appear as an angel of light and deceive you. Remember Eve in the Garden of Eden=”wouldn’t God want you to enjoy yourself. I am sure he wouldn’t mind”
2 Corinthians 11:14 (ESV)
14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
11. You need to Realize Some Essential Things!
Because of the fall of mankind in the Garden due to original sin we are all born on the Dark Side
Romans 3:23 (KJV)
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
-Yah but I am basically a good person:
Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
John 3:16
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
2 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV)
5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
PRAYER:
Do you realize that Christianity has something that no other religion has? It allows you an intimate relationship with God of the Universe. It allows you to have to many benefits.
Remember this, God sent his son to die on a cruel cross for us (all of us) so he could reestablish a Highway back to Heaven. He didn’t have to do that. But he did.
· SO WHICH SIDE OF GOD’S FORCE ARE YOUR ON???
1. Salvation:
***If you haven’t asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior But something is tugging at your insides that the Holy Spirt. You can do that tonight. Yield yourself to him! Let him take control of your life. You’ve done it your way and it hasn’t worked. Now do it his way and see your life blossom. You can move to the Good side of the Force-to God’s side of the Force-Because he is the Force and the only True Force in all of the Galaxies Combined
PRAY (ONLY IF YOU MEAN IT):
Lord Jesus
Please Forgive me off all my sins
I confess them before you now
I invite you in my heart
I ask you to be my Lord and Savior. Amen
***2. RADICAL SOLD OUT DISCIPLE
-YOU DON’T WANT TO BE JUST ONE OF THE CROWD DO YOU?
-YOU WANT TO BE A JEDI CHRISTIAN?
-RADICALLY SAVED DISICPLE OF JESUS
-BUT YOU MUST CHOOSE
If you just get by as a run-of-the mill-milk drinking Christian, you will never find that eep satisfaction in your faith and relationship with God on this earth. It doesn’t work that way (Jeremiah 29:11-13) (God says I know that the plans I have for you in verse 11 but in verse 13 is the condition to receive that- You Must Seek with all your heart)
Pray this: (ONLY IF YOU MEAN IT):
Dear Lord,
I am tired of my Christian Walk being just going to church on Sunday and a prayer and a devotional the rest of the week: I want more; I want THE REAL DEAL
Please soften my heart
I deny self and take up the Cross
I choose to seek you with all my heart
Show me what that is and help me to live it out
In Jesus Name, Amen
Remember these guys? Yoda-cute little green guy with those pointy ears-who was always talking about “The Force.” R2D2 and C3PO-always entertaining. Chewy-Big and Hairy and had his own style of communicating. You didn’t know what he was saying unless it was interpreted by Han Solo; but just the sound was kind of comforting in its own. Way. Of course, there was Han Solo and Princess Leia and Obe Wan Kenobi and a host of other characters that made Star Wars great and kept your interest and made you want to watch the next one. Finally, you have Darth Vader-who was the embodiment of evil-the Dark Side of the Force. Then, at last my personal favorite Luke Skywalker. are these movies so popular in our culture? They are at the base level a demonstration of one of the oldest themes known to mankind: Good versus Evil.
I did some research and found out that the reason George Lucas made them was during the 70’s when they first came out there was this huge void in the cinema. Westerns were dead, and if you think back to their basic theme it was: the good guys versus the bad guys or good versus evil. So, he took this Western theme and put into a Science Fiction setting. It has universal appeal because it really applies to so many areas in life: the legal system; religion; and so on.
I remember my first year of Bible School at North Central University in Minneapolis, MN. It happened to be the year of the first release of the Star Wars movies. It was called “Star Wars; A New Hope.” I remember one of my professors saying that he felt that this movie was a good take on “good versus evil.” I agreed with him completely.
If you think about it the movies were very clean. They were mainly about teaming up and winning a battle over evil. The characters were odd; some were repulsive-Jabba the Hut; some were so lovable Ewoks. Sex and Romance were at most a kiss. How refreshing. The acting was intense. The humor was present through Han Solo or one of the Robotic Type Creature like C3PO that seemed more human than machine.
Now you and I realize that this is a work of fiction, but it represents something as old as time itself. It is back to that Good Versus Evil.
There was man in the Bible, a leader named Joshua, who issued an ultimatum from God he said:
1. Choose this Day: who you will serve
Joshua 24:15
“choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served, (these were false Gods) But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (the One and Only True God)
To this day that Ultimatum is just as real as it was then. You see since the beginning of Creation, there has been a great battle going on. The battle for your soul.
2. There are 2 sides in Star Wars in Conflict:
On the one side are the Forces of Evil: The Empire
On the other side is the Good Guys: The Rebel Alliance
3. The Same is True Today
There is a battle going on today in our world right this very moment for the souls of men and women. You may not be able to physically see the powers behind it; but you can see it raging. It is ramping up at meteoric pace. All we have to do is watch the news and realize how things have change so drastically it makes our heads spin. Do you realize that 70 years ago the biggest problems in High Schools were chewing gum and talking? Today, there are metal detectors; lock-downs and school shootings. We came to this country for freedom of religion; now Evil Religion have come to our country to take not only our freedoms away but our very lives. This is a world -wide phenomenon with innocent people being mowed down by snipers and vehicles and bombs. Who would have believed that?
4. On the One Side: is the Forces of Darkness
Satan goes around tempting and tricking mankind He is kind of a Darth Vader Character-except he is not fiction- he is real) He tells people indulge your dark side? You are no match for the dark side of the force with all sorts of sins and vices: sexual sins; greed; power; pride. He tells you to take revenge yourself; the justice is system is broken. Shall I go on? (Give in to your dark side-Luke)
1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
-Sounds a lot like Darth Vader to me
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (ESV)
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,
10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
Think how many people now believe that you can be a homosexual and go to heaven; including religious leaders and groups. You can’t. Why because it is against the very nature of God’s creature. I don’t have time to teach on this again tonight but read Romans 1 with an open heart and mind and God’s Word will show you. This has changed because people don’t read the Word of God and believe what’s in it; so, they become deceived.
5. On the other side: The Forces of Good
God has laid out a plan and created a way out of this darkness. You don’t have to be on the dark side of the force you can be on the Good side: the GOD SIDE
John 3:16-21 (ESV)
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
6. The message is spread by his followers: called Christians.
There are those who have accepted the King-The Lord Jesus and those who choose to risk it all and become true disciples-the Jedi’s of the Christian world. Modern day counterparts of the early church who chose to witness, believe God for the miraculous and accept nothing less than total victory. They do this even to the sacrifice of their own lives. They are completely sold-out to the cause and to their King.
Mark 16:15-20 (ESV)
15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.
No light sabers; just preaching the Light of the Good News with all Heaven’s Power behind you. Sounds Good to me!!!
7. So, why should I turn from the Dark side of the force to the Good side? What benefit is it to me?
I am not saying that there isn’t some pleasure in sin. There is! But it only lasts for a season and its kind of like drugs what started with a high now has crashed your life to an all-time low. After years of bondage, you are empty and broken. I have tried both sides to the max: I highly recommend the Good Side!!!
Compare that with
-Abundant Life
-Eternal Life
Psalm 103:2-5 (ESV)
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
8. If you are a truly Born-Again Christian: you need to Decide if you are going to:
--Just get by
(or become a)
-Sold-out disciple for Jesus (A Jedi Christian)
Hebrews 5:11-14 (ESV)
11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,
13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.
14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
I was one of those milk drinkers for decades, until I became disillusioned with where I was at and cried out to God, and in my case through a mighty 10-year trial; ten years in hell- he changed me into a meat eater-A Christian Jedi-if you will; someone who refuses to quit. That’s what he wants for you minus the 10 years of suffering! I give him all the glory and credit. But I did have to cooperate. I had to seek him wholeheartedly and not quit. It took time, but my life is so fulfilling now! There aren’t words to say how great it is!
9. Why should I become a sold-out Disciple for Jesus?
(in Star Wars terminology: a Jedi- a leader of men and women? A meat-eater instead of just getting by as a milk drinker?)
Mark 10:29-30 (ESV)
28 Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.
You will never regret this decision. It may not be easy but the benefits so out way the so-called sacrifices:
1. Hundredfold Return (IN THIS LIFE)
a. Houses (Needs)
b. Brothers/Sisters/Mothers (IN THE LORD)
c. Lands (PROSPERITY)
2. Eternal Life (HEAVEN-FOREVER)
3. Persecutions (PRICE-SOME PEOPLE WON’T LIKE YOU IF YOU TELL THEM ABOUT JESUS) (GOES WITH THE TERRITORTY)
Remember this you may be the last Jedi (True Christian Disciple) that can save someone’s life by telling them the truth about Jesus before they are defeated by the forces of darkness
10. You need to make sure you truly born-again Christian and not just a good person or a religious person?
Satan can appear as an angel of light and deceive you. Remember Eve in the Garden of Eden=”wouldn’t God want you to enjoy yourself. I am sure he wouldn’t mind”
2 Corinthians 11:14 (ESV)
14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
11. You need to Realize Some Essential Things!
Because of the fall of mankind in the Garden due to original sin we are all born on the Dark Side
Romans 3:23 (KJV)
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
-Yah but I am basically a good person:
Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
John 3:16
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
2 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV)
5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
PRAYER:
Do you realize that Christianity has something that no other religion has? It allows you an intimate relationship with God of the Universe. It allows you to have to many benefits.
Remember this, God sent his son to die on a cruel cross for us (all of us) so he could reestablish a Highway back to Heaven. He didn’t have to do that. But he did.
· SO WHICH SIDE OF GOD’S FORCE ARE YOUR ON???
1. Salvation:
***If you haven’t asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior But something is tugging at your insides that the Holy Spirt. You can do that tonight. Yield yourself to him! Let him take control of your life. You’ve done it your way and it hasn’t worked. Now do it his way and see your life blossom. You can move to the Good side of the Force-to God’s side of the Force-Because he is the Force and the only True Force in all of the Galaxies Combined
PRAY (ONLY IF YOU MEAN IT):
Lord Jesus
Please Forgive me off all my sins
I confess them before you now
I invite you in my heart
I ask you to be my Lord and Savior. Amen
***2. RADICAL SOLD OUT DISCIPLE
-YOU DON’T WANT TO BE JUST ONE OF THE CROWD DO YOU?
-YOU WANT TO BE A JEDI CHRISTIAN?
-RADICALLY SAVED DISICPLE OF JESUS
-BUT YOU MUST CHOOSE
If you just get by as a run-of-the mill-milk drinking Christian, you will never find that eep satisfaction in your faith and relationship with God on this earth. It doesn’t work that way (Jeremiah 29:11-13) (God says I know that the plans I have for you in verse 11 but in verse 13 is the condition to receive that- You Must Seek with all your heart)
Pray this: (ONLY IF YOU MEAN IT):
Dear Lord,
I am tired of my Christian Walk being just going to church on Sunday and a prayer and a devotional the rest of the week: I want more; I want THE REAL DEAL
Please soften my heart
I deny self and take up the Cross
I choose to seek you with all my heart
Show me what that is and help me to live it out
In Jesus Name, Amen