The Rebel Alliance

The year was 1977. I was a sophomore at Triton Regional High School in Byfield, Massachusetts. A peanut farmer from Georgia, Jimmy Carter, was sworn in as the 39th President of the United States. The first Apple II series computers went on sale. Elvis Presley dies, and 75,000 fans line the streets of Memphis, Tennessee, for his funeral. Atari, Inc. released its Video Computer System in North America, and Star Wars opened in cinemas and was the highest-grossing film for the next five years.

I always found this George Lucas story familiar. I mean, if we were to experience a nuclear holocaust and no books survived except Star Wars, one could create a religion out of it. You have a “Christ-like” figure in Luke Skywalker. A “devil” in Darth Vader. In fact, we later learn that he could even be considered a “fallen angel” just like Lucifer. There are “priests” – the Jedi masters – and demon stormtroopers. The other major theme in the story is the concept of “the force.” One could see this as something similar to the Holy Spirit. A presence that cannot be seen but whose power cannot be denied. Do you see the parallels or is it just me?

Ultimately, the Star Wars story is a classic battle between good and evil. The Rebel Alliance (let’s say they are the “Christians”) are fighting against the Galactic Empire (the army of Satan’s demons).

Perhaps that’s why Star Wars was such a big hit. It struck a chord familiar to us all. There is evil in this world. That goes without saying. All we have to do is turn on the television, read a newspaper, search the internet. Just last week we read about the man who stabbed a mom from Queens more than fifty-five times and then stuffed her body in a duffel bag. Police in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, a town smaller than twelve square miles and less than 15,000 people found a missing 10-year-old girl murdered in the woods near the famed Leinenkugel brewery.

Yes, there is evil in this world, and we have to be ready to fight it. Near the end of his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul writes, “A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:10-12). 

We need to be part of the Rebel Alliance. Put on all of our armor and battle the Galactic Empire of Satan whose purpose, Jesus tells us in John 10:10, “…is to steal and kill and destroy.” How? Ephesians 6 tells us to put on, “the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:14-17).

So, lets hold up our shield of faith. Put on our helmet of salvation and draw our sword of truth (God’s Word) and be ready for battle. And…May the 4th be with you.      

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