March 25, 2017 - Church at Worship

Sermon: “The Unseen Battle" by Randy Roberts

Pastoral Welcome: Otis Coutsoumpos

Scripture Reading: Daniel 10:10-14, TNIV by Ian Hartwell and Duncan Hartwell

Children's Feature: Gisèle Roddy

Child Dedication: Tessa Liana Botimer

Sermon Notes:

 It’s so easy to think that our problems are the tangible ones we see right before us: the divisive person at the office, the spouse who disagrees with our perspective, our neighbors who cause disturbances late at night, and even our international foes (if we think of things on a global perspective). If we could only get them to change, our situation would improve, life would be better, and many of our problems would be solved. 

Without ignoring the fact that it’s often true that if someone else changed, things might get better for us, there is another truth at work—and that truth is suggested by Scripture: our struggles and battles consist of more than the realities that we can see. In other words, there is an unseen battle going on, a spiritual reality at work in our lives, invisible to the naked human eye, but, nevertheless, very real. 

One example of that comes in what Paul writes in Ephesians. After spending considerable time in the second half of the letter writing about how to deal with human relationships, communication, conflict, anger and so on, he then writes this: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12, TNIV). In other words, when you’re having that conflict with that other person in your life, the bigger battle may not be with that person but within yourself, as you seek to overcome the spiritual battles that you face. 

Today we encounter such a reality in the book of Daniel. There is a bigger battle going on, one beyond our ability to see. It is a spiritual battle. As Adventists, we have often called this the great controversy. Consider today some of the ways it affects our planet. 

Randy Roberts, senior pastor