YM and Spiritual War

INTRO TO YMthe spiritual context of ministry

1Sunday, April 13, 2008

Grading for the classAssignment Points

Outlines, Quizzes, etc. 15Youth Ministry Paper 20

Cultural Exegesis Project 20Mid Term Exam or Book

review15

Final Exam 15Four Views Exam 10

Class Participation 5


Youth Ministry Puzzle


Self Image

Pastor (shepherd)

or

Party Planner


Cultural Contextpostmodernism


Youth Culture


The Church


Adolescence


Spiritual Worldview

Life is War

Life is a blueprint

OR


Theological Convictions


Ministry Focus


Today :: What’s your Spiritual Worldview ?


Youth Ministry Discussion for the day

Imagine you were a youth pastor of a church in Virginia during the time when the students were killed at Virginia Tech. One of the kids in your youth group had a brother killed in the incident and now is asking you this question, “Where is God in a situation like this?” How would you respond?


Blueprint Model

Trace it back to Augustine

Everything is part of God’s plan

Mystery but everything will work out in the end

End of History we will be able to look back and see the purpose of the evil in our lives


Augustine’s quoteFor God would never have created any, I do not say angel, but even man, whose future wickedness He foreknew, unless He had equally known to what uses in behalf of the good He could turn him, thus embellishing, the course of the ages, as it were an exquisite poem set off with antitheses. For what are called antitheses are among the most elegant of the ornaments of speech... As, then, these oppositions of contraries lend beauty to the language, so the beauty of the course of this world is achieved by the opposition of contraries, arranged, as it were, by an eloquence not of words, but of things. City of God, 11.18


http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01476d.htm

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01476d.htm

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05649a.htm




Warfare ModelGod created spiritual beings called other gods in the Bible and Angels with freedom

They rebelled and are waging war against God

Evil’s ultimate cause is the rebellion of evil beings and humans aligned with the Devil and his angels

Evil is not “part of” God’s plan

God is responding to evil and at war with evil



ThesisWe have neglected in Western thought the reality of the real spiritual war going on in the heavens. Life is a cosmic battle. The bible from creation to the new creation presents God at war with the Devil and other heavenly beings. This is the story we find ourselves in.


Is the Devil real? or Is it a primitive way of thinking?



Images of the Devil


Mel Gibson’s image of SatanAnd Jesus’ Temptation


Points to MakeOT Cosmology :: World is surrounded by cosmic forces of evil fighting against God and God’s people

Monotheism :: One God or One Supreme God

The Role of the Devil in the OT

Jesus and the Spiritual Conflict

Christus Victor - Jesus’ death was meant to defeat the Devil

Spiritual Conflict in the Rest of the NT


Spiritual Beings in the OTLilith (Isaiah 34:14; Psalm 91:5) - demon known throughout the area as a spiritual being that terrorized people especially children at night

Demons of Pestilence & Destruction (Psalm 91:6)

Yamm (Canaanite God) - (Psalm 74:10,13; Job 7:12)

Leviathan (Job 3:8;41:9,25;41:2-14; Isaiah 27:1)

Rahab (Psalm 89:9-10)

Prince of Persia (Daniel 10:10-13)


The Heavenly CouncilOT & NT is clear :: Yahweh is the only eternal being (Deut. 6:4) and creator of all other beings

OT & NT is equally clear :: Yahweh is the supreme God in the heavenly council (Psalm 89:7; Psalm 82:1; Isaiah 6:8)

Created in the image of those in the heavenly council (Genesis 1:26)

Nations have angelic overseers (Deut. 32:7-9)


Devil or Satan in the OT

Part of the heavenly council (Job 1:6;2:1)

Genesis 3:1-6 (Satan is the Canaanite Baal-Deity)

Zechariah 3:1-10

1 Chronicles 21:1

Isaiah 14:1-23

Ezekiel 28


Jesus and Spiritual Conflict

Binding the Strong man - Mark 3:13-29

Healings, Exorcisms - Seen as Spiritual warfare (see Luke 4:14-44;

Storming the gates of Hell - Matthew 16:13-19

According to Jesus Satan is responsible for folks not producing fruit in their lives and thwarting Jesus’ ministry (Mark 4:13-15)


Christus VictorJesus came to destroy the works of the Devil (1 John 3:5)

Jesus came to disarm the powers and principalities (Col. 2:15)

Jesus came to destroy the one who has the power of death (Hebrews 2:14)

Jesus came to rescue us from the present evil age (Gal. 1:6)

Jesus came to fulfill Genesis 3:15 (see Romans 16:19-20)


Spiritual Conflict in the rest of the NT

We live in the present evil age (Galatians 1:6)

Prince of the power of air who seduces humans to follow after him (Ephesians 2:1-2)

“God of this world” has blinded the mind of unbelievers (2 Cor. 4:4)

Satan is bringing destruction on earth (Rev. 12:12; 1 Peter 5:8)

Battling spiritual forces (Ephesians 6:10-17)


YM & Spiritual Conflict

Young people are caught in the crossfire

Beware of quick rationalization of problems (i.e. psychological analysis)

Prayer is a real weapon

Methods and Philosophy are fine BUT ....


For Wednesday

Read Chapter 2 of “Starting Right” - TOPIC : Adolescence
