I saw a really funny commercial yesterday for an online dating app. I don’t know much about dating apps, because Beth and I married when the internet was still in its infancy. But I know enough about it to know that you basically build a profile of yourself, along with some parameters concerning the kind of person you want to meet, and the program suggests possible matches.
Anyway, in this particular commercial, a cartoonish version of Satan gets a notification from his dating app, and meets a girl he hesitantly addresses as “two-zero-two zero?” She smiles shyly and replies, “Please, call me twenty-twenty.” The rest of the ad shows scenes of Satan and 2020 enjoying each others’ company in empty stadiums, empty theaters, even a scene where she tries to drag him into a church! Then it ends with them relaxing as flaming meteors scream through the atmosphere, with Satan saying, “I never want this year to end.” and 2020 answers, “who would?” Then fade to black with the words “make 2021 your year.”
Despite the irreverence and theological idiocy, it is a clever commercial. Time will tell how effective it is. But the hilarious thing about it is that its premise is, “okay, the devil had his way for long enough. Now it’s our turn for some fun.”
As I mentioned in this space not long ago, and in the pulpit the Sunday after Christmas, the mere fact of it being a new year does not cause circumstances and situations to change or disappear. But if we are not careful, we can slip into some measure of despair, with one crazy thing happening so quickly on the heels of another. If we begin with the premise that there is such a thing as supernatural agency (and we do), we can say confidently that when we witness manifestations of what even the secular world refers to as “hell on earth,” the devil is behind it.
Conversely, when things are pleasant, when life is sunshine, lollipops and rainbows, even unbelievers use the phrase “heaven on earth.” These phrases are useful as long as we don’t try to build a theology around them. They are even useful in introducing the concepts of heaven and hell into conversations. Because there really IS a heaven and a hell. Is hell a literal lake of fire where unbelievers are tortured for eternity? Is heaven literally made of jewels, gold, and mansions? Personally, I don’t think we can confidently say that is the case.
What I CAN confidently say is that what people call “hell on earth” is nothing compared to the horror of “hell in hell.” And what people call “heaven on earth” is nothing compared to the glory and pleasure of “heaven in heaven.” You and I have been given authority over the works of the devil. We cannot cast him into hell and bind him from influencing events in the world, but we absolutely can rebuke him and arrest his influence and destruction in our lives and households and churches.
And in the name of Jesus, we can lead others into this victorious life, introduce them to the Kingdom of God, and we and they can enjoy the benefits of citizenship in that kingdom right here and now. Life is not about ease vs hardship, pleasure vs pain, or abundance vs lack. Life is about relationships. We were MADE for relationship with God, and with each other. The brokenness of our relationship with God manifests itself in broken relationships with each other. That is the source of quarrels, war, murder and everything wrong with humanity and the world. Christianity is certainly concerned with addressing human brokenness and all it’s outworkings; so we do what we can to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and in general ease human suffering. But first and foremost we are about reconnecting people with God. When right relationship with our Creator is restored, the outworking of that is the restoration of right relationships with each other, and much of human suffering is alleviated when that is accomplished.
Meanwhile it’s a new year, and if Satan’s “fling” with 2020 is over, he’s not just going back to waiting for another “ping” on his phone. He wants 2021, too. His appetite for destruction is ravenous, and his hatred for God, and for you and me, is boundless. Some, doubtless, will be victimized by the enemy of our souls. But not us. Dig into God’s word with new vigor; commit to being in church as often as possible; connect with a small group; join us in the year-beginning fast; attend prayer meetings. There are a multitude of ways to shore up defenses, and we are not ignorant of the devil’s schemes, so we are without excuse.
Jesus is our perfect match; HE is our salvation, our protection, our reward, and our healing. He loves us more than we can imagine, and He is committed to our good. Let’s make 2021 our year!
Blessings,
