Hidden Agenda, Revealed Savior
In September of 1914 world war one began, and with it one of the strangest encounters in modern warfare. Prowling the waters is the German navy cruiser Cap Trafalgar. That it was there was predictable, but what about to happen remarkable. You see she was patrolling and raiding the shipping lanes under the false flag of the ship HMS Carmania. It would work well…unless she was to run into the actual HMS Carmania…and that is exactly what happened. Despite the vastness of the ocean the real and the false Carmania came face to face off Trindade island near Brazil. The battle was vicious, and though it could have been a long-range skirmish, instead both ships sailed close to each other in a battle for supremacy. They understood that there could only be one. In the end the German pretender was sunk and the Carmania limped home with her bow in flames.
Imagine that.
A false flag exposed by confrontation with indisputable truth. As I read this I could not but help and think about the account of Christ’s temptations in the wilderness. Here Satan comes with all of his glory. He provides Jesus with opportunity for physical comfort, worldly approval, and earthly authority. Powerful lures, from a false flag.
A false flag that draws us in time and time again.
Who doesn’t want to be provide for and protected.
Who doesn’t want power and authority.
Yet the only one with the strength to confront the liar is the Light of the World. And as Paul writes to the Ephesians in 5:13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible. So Satan may prowl around like a roaring lion, and he comes with great power and threat, but he has been confronted by the authentic savior. A savior with a name that when spoken every knee will bow and every tongue confess. I say that to remind you that you will be ambushed this week. You will find prowling lions and hidden snares. So, I leave you with a great Lutheran hymn.
A Mighty Fortress, the third verse
And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God has willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo! his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.
Live saved my friends, you are
-Pastor Dan