Change Movement Sermons Series

PARABLE OF THE BIRDS

This morning while out for my bike ride, I came upon a fascinating scene.  A group of ten or so black birds were in hot pursuit of a barn owl.  The owl was as large as all ten of his pursuers.  Taking them one at a time he could easily overpower, defeat and devour any one of them. But when faced with ten determined black birds, he could only flee, and that he did.  Owls are carnivores.  They like to raid the nests of other, weaker birds.  Left unchallenged, the nestlings will be his meal.  Parent birds have a natural instinct to protect their nest and its precious contents.  Those who do not, lose their little ones to the predator.

So it is in the kingdom of Christ.  Satan is the great predator.  Like a roaring lion he walks about seeking whom he may devour (I Pet. 5:8).  Look as you may, you won't  see an actual lion or the typical artist's image of Satan.  Peter uses a simile (as a roaring lion).  Today Satan is sending his agents into congregations of God's people across the land to capture them or at least to snatch out those they can (Matt. 7:15).

The preachers of the change movement are like the big birds that prey on the nestlings. Many of them occupy stations in large, wealthy and influential churches.  They use this advantage to influence and lead away those who are young, immature and untaught in the fundamentals of the faith.  Also professors in  those Christian universities that have embraced the change agenda are like the predator birds. They capture the hearts and minds of young students whom unsuspecting parents send their way.  They send them home to spread the change message in  the churches

The little birds are the hundreds of ordinary preachers who spend their days toiling in the vineyard of their local congregation.  They have neither wealth, power nor high credentials but they love the church and God's people.  They cannot sit idle and watch while the predators sweep in and snatch their brethren away from the simplicity and purity of the gospel (II Cor. 11:3).  Alone, one small preacher might not be able to accomplish much, but working together with others, they can have enough force and influence to put to flight those who would harm the church.

I urge every man among us, be he young or old, whether he be plain or polished, to rise up to defend the church of the Lord Jesus.  If we do nothing, great harm will surely follow. If we choose to act alone, we will find the odds insurmountable.  But working together with and with God's help we can put an army of aliens to flight (Heb. 11:34).

"Dear Lord in heaven, please help us to be as wise as the lowly blackbirds which you have made. Give us the courage to resist those who would harm the bride of your Son. In Jesus' name."