The thief comes

We were in the middle of nowhere driving through the midwest one summer, heading to a cabin to meet family. Unexpectedly, my husband and my phone alarms sounded. There was a tornado warning. We looked around at the beautiful blue sky and figured the GPS location must have disconnected, so we continued on our way. But within minutes, we came up over a hill and looked out over the darkest sky we had ever seen. We knew – the tornado warning was ours.

However innocent, we were ignorantly cruising into danger, not heeding the warning, assuming it didn’t apply to us. The same idea seems present in discipleship. We start on a journey following Jesus, and it’s beautiful. We highlight verses about an abundant life but gloss over the parts that are warning us – a thief is coming. His only goal is to wreak havoc on our lives.

In an initial look at John 10, the warning seems misplaced, sandwiched between Jesus’ teachings about himself. He says, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd” [1]. But Jesus is emphasizing our need. We need shelter, we need him, because there is a thief. An enemy. He is real. And he is coming.

Three chapters into Genesis, Satan approaches Eve [2]. In the book of Job, Satan’s roaming the earth [3]. And in the book of Mark, he goes after Jesus himself [4]. Nevertheless, we tend to live as though Satan is distant. We entertain thoughts opposite scripture, justify “little sins” like they don’t need pardon, and look to tangible things to satisfy like only Christ can. We behave ignorant of the warning. But we’re foolish to believe he’ll leave us alone. 

Satan has a mission: ruin. He is never our partner, never a passive agent. He tricked Eve and got all of man cursed, destroyed everything in Job’s life, and attempted to have Jesus dethroned. Satan’s kingdom is opposite the kingdom of Christ, and there is never overlap. Our little compromises matter because they befriend the enemy who hates us. 

In the Hunger Games series, before Katniss goes out to battle players in the game, her mentor Haymitch warns her, “when you’re in the arena, remember who the real enemy is”. The real fight wasn’t against the other players, it was against the Capitol, the gamemakers. 

Paul essentially says the same thing to us in Ephesians 6. Remember who the real enemy is, Church! You’re not in this to battle each other, you’re in this to fight the ruler of darkness. 

Our fight isn’t against believers, it isn’t against non-believers, and it surely is never against God. Our battle is against Satan, and it is for God’s glory and all people to be welcomed into his kingdom.

When Satan tempted Jesus in the desert, he never succeeded. When he destroyed everything in Job’s life, God redeemed it all. And when Satan’s lie to Eve caused a curse over all humanity, God the Father already had a plan to absorb the consequence himself. 

Christ took on our death at the cross. But instead of a tragic ending, when he confessed, “it is finished” [5], it was because the enemy was defeated. Sin lost its power, and Christ would rise again. 

Continuing to the end of our Book, we see this victory sealed as the enemy is destroyed and the presence of sin extinguished. Death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire [7], and “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God” [8]. 

We drove into the darkness that hot summer day, unsure of what to do. But one thing was certain: we needed shelter. We found a place to pull over, protected the best we could, prayed and waited.

Trees cracked, branches flew. Minutes felt like hours as I waited terrified, no idea of what might happen. But eventually the storm passed. Our shelter held. We stayed safe. 

Our spiritual warnings and promises come through God’s word. We’ll get the beautiful blue skies. And we’re guaranteed the storms. Like a tornado shattering everything in its path, our enemy seeks to destroy everything he can. And one thing is certain: we need shelter. But instead of scrambling for a plan and sitting in terror, we have a gate and a confidence. Our shepherd is our refuge, and his shelter will hold. Our enemy will eventually pass, and we’ll stay safe with our savior. Forever. 

[1] John 10:9-11
[2] Genesis 3:1
[3] Job 1:7
[4] Mark 1:13
[5] John 19:30
[6] Luke 24:6
[7] Revelation 20:14
[8] Revelation 21:3

Sing: You’ve Already Won