Tuesday, January 22, 2013

#175


Behind Enemy Lines

A movie in 2001 portrayed a Navy navigator – Lt. Christ Burnett played by Owen Wilson - being shot down behind enemy lines. The movie is the story of him working his way back to the point of rescue without being killed by Bosnian soldiers. His commanding officer has to go against politics to launch a rescue mission. He is ultimately rescued and renews his desire to continue to be a Navy pilot.

I know the story of another one who went behind enemy lines – a couple of differences here. He did it voluntarily, and He did it universally.

In this plot the enemy territory was death,
I Corinthians 15:26
26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

                                 and the enemy commander was the devil himself.
Hebrews 2:14
14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil

One risks much going into enemy territory. Perhaps the greatest risk of all is that those you are trying to save have no appreciation for the hazardous nature of the mission. You are meeting the enemy face to face. Jesus met his enemy head-on, and came out on the other side victorious!

Jesus had more power than death could handle.
Acts 2:24
24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
  
He considered you and me worth the risk. There was too much at stake to shrink back from this mission.
Romans 4:25
25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
II Timothy 1:10
10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus,  who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

And it was "mission accomplished." We can taunt the enemy with these questions and assurances  from Paul!

I Corinthians 15:55
55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
  
Romans 8:38-39
38 For I am convinced that neither death…, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Enemy lines have been breached!!!


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