PACIFIC AT THE MOVIES THE RITE Ephesians 6:10-20 In 2007, the Vatican announced a new initiative to educate clergy

in the rite of exorcism. In the Catholic Church there an estimated half-million exorcism requests annually so Roman Catholic officials stated they wanted priests in every diocese trained to expel demons. Matt Baglio, a reporter in Rome, was intrigued by the announcement and spent time with an American priest undergoing this training. The result was his nonfiction book The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist. And the movie that you have just seen the trailer from, The Rite, is "inspired by [the] true events" Baglio wrote about. This movie intrigued me. It approached the issue of exorcism and more broadly, evil from a very understanding perspective. I chose it for this summers series because I believe it raises such important issues for us as a church. For instance some of you know that Vancouver is one of the least churched cities in North America. Planting a gospel-centered church is extremely difficult as is sharing the gospel with our friends and neighbors. Why is it so difficult? When some people engage that question they actually talk about darkness. This is so tangible for some people that they say that just crossing the Bridges, which is very interesting metaphor, is like entering an entirely different spiritual realm. As an aside, this means that prayer against the darkness and evil is perhaps the most significant act that we engage in both to deliver our city and ourselves from evil. This movie therefore, speaks into our context where people will pursue almost every other option than the good news of Jesus. How do we explain, deal with and overcome

darkness and evil? I want you to think with me about THE SOURCE OF EVIL, THE INFLUENCE OF EVIL AND THE DEFENCE AGAINST EVIL. First, the SOURCE OF EVIL.The movie, The Rite, exposes us to things most of us dont spend a great deal of time thinking about. By and large were like Michael, the young seminar student and were skeptical. But the Bible assures that evil is very real and personal. This is very interesting in the movie because the main character, a young man attending seminary to be a priest, Michael, isnt entirely convinced in the existence of Evil or for that matter, God. But one of the great things that the older exorcist, Father Lucas says to Michael is "Choosing not to believe in the devil won't protect you from him." In other words hes real whether you believe him to be or not. The text from Gods Word that we read this morning says, 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devils schemes. 12 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. The Bible tells us that there is a literal devil and his followers who are demons. There are references throughout the Bible but just look with me at Isaiah 14. We read 12How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. 15 But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.

On one level this passage is addressing Babylon, but the evil that is personified through Babylon is exposed as this Being who is literally identified as Lucifer or as the passage says, morning star, son of the dawn. The fall or corruption of this angelic being, which we understand to be the most beautiful of angelic beings, is revealed in the words, 13 You said in your heart, I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. This is the Devil, or Satan or Lucifer and as we read from Ephesians 6 He is the One who leads the forces of evil. Hes real, Hes personal and for whatever reasons, God has allowed him a time to have influence and rule on this earth. The Question is WHAT IS HIS INFLUENCE? The Roman Catholic Church alone receives half a million requests for exorcisms every year. An exorcism is basically booting a demon out of someone. So thats just the Roman Catholic Church. But remember what the older priest and exorcist says in the movie,"Choosing not to believe in the devil won't protect you from him." The passage in Ephesians tells us, 12 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. Another passage in the Bible says, Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaringlion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8) The Bible leaves little doubt that not only is the Devil alive and well but that He is an enemy and He on the attack.

Now let me just say that doesnt necessarily mean that there is going to be the manifestations that we associate with demonic possession. Like it actually says in this movie we dont necessarily see spinning heads and pea soup. We may not even experience evil as being dark, at least in North America. In fact, in our culture and in our time, this may be a part of our greatest problem. For instance at one point in the movie Lucas, the older exorcist, says, "Does a thief or a burglar turn on the lights when he's robbing your house? No. He prefers you believe he's not there. Like the devil." One of the ways that New Testament describes the devil is that Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. (2 Cor 11:14) The problem isnt so much that whenever were exposed to demons or evil that the hair stands up on our neck. We live in a world that is engaged in warfare that we think is fantasy. We go about our lives totally oblivious to the fact that the war is going on and that we are actually under attack. For instance in Life Journaling this past week James 3 was one of the readings and it says, 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such wisdom does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. On one hand theres no picture of a red devil with horns, a pointed tail and a pitchfork. Its talking about envy and selfish ambition. Whats the passage say? Envy and selfish ambition are actually demonic and associated with disorder and every evil practice. Thats insidious.

I mean who never feels envy or selfish ambition in downtown Vancouver? Everything around us is almost oriented to making us envy what other people have. The market place is geared towards success being tightly entwined with selfish ambition. Such acceptable cultural values and the Bible tells us that its actually demonic. It makes you think doesnt it? Just ask yourself if what the Bible says about evil is true should I be worried about it and on guard against it? So lets talk about THE DEFENCE AGAINST EVIL. This movie is so well done in many ways. Watch the movie. Watch what happens in Michael as he faces his doubts and discovers what his ultimate defense against evil becomes. What is the defense? Because as soon we understand the cosmic and pervasive influence of evil we realize its formidable. As we turn back to Ephesians the Apostle tells us how to defend ourselves. He talks about putting on the full armor. The word full helps us to understand that its not protection enough to put on the armor occasionally or haphazardly. I mean just think about going out onto a battlefield and deciding that today you dont feel like armor because it slows you down. Or that today your hair really fell into place so theres no way youre putting it under a hat. What would happen if that was your attitude, your practice in a physical battle field? At the very least you would be extremely vulnerable. So Paul says put onthe belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit. As I read about this armor the picture I get is of a person getting up in the morning and daily putting on the

armor like you put on your clothes. This is just a part of dressing for the day. This is truly dressing for success. Now I have to tell you when I was preaching through Ephesians in the 90s I spend weeks teaching from this specific passage. Theres a lot here. But let me summarize it like this. What is this armor all about? There are two specific scenes in the movie that help us understand what the Apostle Paul is telling us. First,Father Lucas says that the efficacy of an exorcism has nothing to do with his power as a frail man, but on God's power. Second, Michael tries to conduct an exorcism of Father Lucas (when he's attacked) simply by reading the exorcism rite. But he concludes that reading the words alone isn't enough, and he ultimately cries out to God for help. Literally it is as Michael comes face to face with evil, with the demonic that he recognizes that if evil exists then so does God. In a sense its like the existence of evil proves the existence of God. And in that realization Michael discovers the only sure safeguard and defense against evil. The Apostle Paul says it like this in Ephesians. 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Pauls not talking about our mighty power to develop great skills in the defense against he dark arts to mix my movie metaphors for a moment. Hes saying your strength; your ability to overcome evil is in the Lord.

What Paul is ultimately talking about is experiencing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ so that his mighty power through the victory that He won through His Cross and Resurrection becomes the power of your life.The armor of God that is your defense, and with the sword of the Spirit, your offense, is actually the daily reminder of who you now are by virtue of what Jesus Christ has done for you and what He wants to do through you. Its not a technique. Its a relationship. A relationship where you daily remind yourself of whom you now belong to and how His strength, His might, His power is more than sufficient to enable you to overcome the enemys greatest assault. In the words of another New Testament passage 4You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4) Thats your new identity.