Sunday PM Worship
Teachers
Lesson Summary
The class began with a warm welcome to guest speaker Jonathan de la Cruz, who introduced a vivid illustration from Paul Harvey’s 1965 poem “If I Were the Devil.” Jonathan described the devil’s strategy of sowing division, false doctrine, persecution, apathy, and material temptation, emphasizing how these tactics erode church attendance and moral standards in contemporary society. He referenced recent Barna data showing a steep drop in Christian affiliation and highlighted the cultural shift toward relativism and inclusive speech. Jonathan then turned to Scripture to anchor his call for robust preaching. He cited Isaiah 5:20‑21 to condemn the inversion of good and evil, Romans 13:1‑7 to explain the divine order of civil authority, and Acts 5:29 to affirm obedience to God over men. He warned believers to stay vigilant, using 1 Peter 5:8‑9, and illustrated Christ’s triumph over temptation in Luke 4:1‑13. The central message was that the church must equip its members with solid biblical understanding and bold proclamation to counter the devil’s deceptive influence, urging unity, love, and steadfast faith in the face of cultural opposition.
Key Scriptures
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight.