Treading on the Wicked

  Last Saturday, I went to a fund-raising event for the new American Legion post in West Ashley, Post 208. There my son and I played a game of bean bag toss. He ended up beating me after we went into double over-time. After congratulating my son on a hard fought victory, the post commander remarked to me, “I loved it when my children beat me at something.” I don’t think I would ever enjoy losing. I’m much too competitive. I’m not a poor winner nor a sore loser. I just don’t like to lose and even when playing against my children, I still give it almost all, if not all, that I’ve got.

  The commander wasn’t saying that he enjoyed losing, but before I explain what he was saying, let me first talk about victory:

“And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, 
on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts” (Mal 4:3).

  I am competitive; so competitive that I can’t bring myself to the point of letting my children beat me at anything. That is not to say that they never beat me, but I can’t just let them win. I’m sure that most of you are the same: very competitive by nature.

  As competitive folks we should be pleased that we will tread down the wicked; that they will be ash under our feet. That is quite an expression for victory. And it is a victory that is guaranteed because it is accomplished by the Lord of hosts. He does it on the day when He acts.

  There is one of those rousing “old-timey” hymns that I’m sure is sung in many churches in our area titled Victory in Jesus. It is not in any of the hymnals on my shelf, but the title explains what God is declaring here in the book of Malachi. You have victory over the wicked through the death and resurrection of Jesus. His victory is your victory. Because death could not hold Him, you through faith are also victorious over death. Because Jesus proved too much for the devil and defeated him, you through faith are too much for the devil and you can trample him under foot. While Jesus became sin for us, sin could not claim Him, so through faith, you too are free from sin’s hold. That is victory in Jesus; a victory for you and me declared by the Lord Sabaoth.

  Now let me explain the American Legion commander’s statement. He said he enjoys when his children beat him at things. What he meant by that statement is that he enjoyed seeing his children mature and become capable of beating him at whatever the competition. It showed that he was doing his job as father well. He said he never let his children win. So, when they did beat him, it was because they were capable of beating him.

  Our victory over sin, death, and devil is always and only a victory in Jesus. But it is a victory that is only realized through faith. We struggle and we strive for victory against the wicked in this life and we find that there are times of small victory when we, by God’s grace, resist temptation and sin, when we snub the devil in his tracks. But there is the ever present reality, that true and complete victory is only in Jesus because death comes to each of us no matter how capable we may be at avoiding it.

  But victory is won and it is ours in Christ Jesus our Lord. Sunday will be the last Sunday in the Church Year. During these last couple of weeks, our readings focus on the end of time, when the victory won by Jesus is fully realized by us and all believers in Him.

  It is difficult for us to grasp the idea that victory is accomplished while we are still waiting for the Victor’s return. But that is what the cross and the empty tomb declare. Jesus has victory over sin, death, and devil and because you believe and have been baptized into Him, you share that victory. The devil is not your master. You are not a slave to sin. Death has no hold on you. All because the Lord of hosts has chosen to act for you.

  There is victory in Jesus and God the Father is pleased when you believe in His Son, because then you tread the wicked under foot as ashes and you show yourself  mature and capable of victory through faith in what God has done for you.

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