SATAN, THE GREAT
COUNTERFEITER
In the past, I have spoken about God’s forgiveness and God’s love. I made you aware of all the good gifts God has to offer you. Such gifts include happiness, joy, purpose, direction, and salvation.
However, I have not gone into great detail regarding God’s wrath. I have not spoken at great length concerning the impending judgment that will come upon those who reject Christ.
For this reason, tonight’s lesson will focus on the consequences and repercussions we will face if we choose to reject Jesus.
Most vacations include an
itinerary. You have an idea what you
will see and do before you arrive at your destination. The Bible has enough information to project
an itinerary for those whose destination is Hell. Let’s look at the first 6 days…
GENESIS 3:1-7
[Narrator] The snake was sneakier than any of the other wild animals God had made. One day, he came to the woman and asked,
[Snake] “Did God tell you not to eat
fruit from any tree in the garden?"
[Woman] “God said we could eat fruit from any tree in
the garden, except the one in the middle.
He told us not to eat fruit from that tree or even touch it. If we do, we will die."
[Snake] “No, you won't! God understands what will happen if you eat fruit from that
tree. You will know the difference
between good and evil, just as He does."
[Narrator] The woman stared at the fruit.
It looked beautiful and tasty.
She wanted the wisdom that it would give her, so she ate some of the
fruit. Then, she gave some to her husband
and he ate it too. Right
away they realized what they had done and they were ashamed at their sin.
* Movie Clip: Gracie’s Choice, 44 - 48
min.
Satan is the “Great
Counterfeiter.” He makes bad stuff look
like good stuff. Satan sugarcoats evil
to make it look pleasant. He tricks us
into thinking sin is the best option.
Of course, because we are all
imperfect human beings, we buy into Satan’s lie and think his way of doing
business is best for our lives.
However, we need to learn the difference between good and evil, right
and wrong, truth and counterfeit. In
Scripture, we’re told, “Resist
the devil and he will flee” (James 4:7). “No
temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be
tempted beyond what you can bear. But
when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up
under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
It is for this reason we need to stand strong when tempted by Satan.
Not too many people would opt for
Hell if they knew how bad of a place it was, but Satan will trick you into
thinking you do not need Jesus. He will
trick you into thinking rebellion is good, lying is good, cheating is good,
stealing is good, and disobedience is good, even though it is not. Do not buy into Satan’s lie!
In the Bible, Satan tricked Eve
into thinking she would not be punished for her wrongdoing. He tempted her to doubt God’s goodness and
implied God was selfish for not wanting her to know the difference between good
and evil. Satan persuaded Eve to forget
all the good things God had given her.
He did this so Eve would focus on the one thing she could not have:
fruit (knowledge) from the tree in the middle of the Garden.
Like Eve, we also have the choice
right in front of us. We can either eat
the cake and get fat or run on the treadmill and stay thin. The cake is like worldly desires. Satan tempts us with these desires and
deceives us into thinking they are good for us. He whispers in our ear and sends subliminal messages to
our brain, which taunt us to rebel against God. Satan will do everything in his power to persuade us to defy God.
The fact God
exists around you is not enough to save you from Satan. If you do not have a personal relationship
with Jesus Christ, you are in an extremely bad position: Satan has tricked you
into thinking you do not need Jesus!