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This countdown clock is used to communicate the planned start time of the service for the series "Villain" to the audience.

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Format: MOV
Length: 1:04

This message opener was created to promote Ed Young’s series “Villain.”

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Format: MOV

Villain

The Plot

By Ed Young

October 18, 2015

To understand any story, we have to understand the background and setting. In other words, we need to understand the plot. Why? Because the plot determines so much of the rest of the story. It gives us insight to the characters and direction on where the story is headed.

In this message, Pastor Ed Young lays out the plot to the greatest story in history and background on our greatest villain.  And when we understand the plot of this story, we gain an insight into the fact that God has given us victory over the villain!

Transcripts

A villain.  What is a villain?  A villain is someone that opposes the hero.  A villain.  Villains are very popular these days.  There are movies written and produced about villains.  We’re sort of attracted to villains.  Yet whenever we read anything, whether it be a children’s book, a novel.  If we watch a movie, there’s always that villain.  Usually, the villain versus the hero.  You get the conflict and then after the conflict they live happily ever after.  That’s the way most of us like to watch or to read.  You know we want something to have a good ending.  We’re made to live happily ever after.  That’s why I like children’s books so much.  They live happily ever after.

Well today I want to talk to you a little bit about the villain.  I don't know about you but I’ve flown a lot in my life and whenever I fly I've never been ceased to be amazed at how when you get up to your cruising altitude, 30,000 feet or 35,000 feet, the perspective of everything changes.  You know, you’re up there and you’re seeing OK, there’s Dallas.  There’s Fort Worth.  There’s Miami.  There’s New York.  There’s Los Angeles and you’re thinking like, whoa!  Things seem to be so small.  You’ve just got to see everything laid out.  The freeways and the suburbs and the different malls.  And oh, there’s Fellowship Church or whatever.  It’s cool.  It’s a perspective that I really, really enjoy.

What kind of perspective to you have on life?  So often I’m so busy with doing this and doing that and I forget about taking a step back.  I forget about zooming out.  I forget about looking at my life from 30,000 feet.  Well, today we’re going to sort of do that.  We’re going to take a step back and look at life at 30,000 feet.  We’re gonna look at the plot of life.  We’re gonna look at the storyline of life.

The Bible is a fascinating book because there is a plot to it.  You’ll notice there’s one villain: the devil.  One hero: Jesus.  And one theme: Jesus saves.  Let me say that again.  What’s the Bible about?  You’ve got one villain: the devil.  One hero: Jesus.  And one theme: Jesus saves.  That’s it.  That’s the Bible.

We’re made for this and we see this.  Many times people ask the question and so do I.  Why is there evil in the world?  You know, if God’s such a good God, why evil?  I would argue, biblically speaking, theologically speaking, that we can’t understand the goodness of good unless we understand the badness of bad.  The goodness of good being God.  God is good.  He is the true definition of good.  We can’t understand righteousness without understanding unrighteousness.  We can’t.  We have to have an opposite.  How can we know what pleasure is without pain?

Villain

The Template of Temptation

By Ed Young

October 25, 2015

Temptation is one of the most difficult, and dangerous, issues we face in life. It’s something in life that can lead us down one of two roads. Either we turn from it to discover God’s purpose, or we give into it and find ourselves partnering with the villain.

In this message, Pastor Ed Young takes a look at the most difficult temptation anyone in history ever faced. By looking at how Jesus dealt with – and overcame – temptation, we discover the perfect template for our own lives as well.

Transcripts

Temptation.  We all deal with it, don’t we?  The ubiquitous nature of temptation.  Temptation crosses all socioeconomic lines, all racial lines.  It’s everywhere.  Temptation.  If I asked you this question about temptation, what would your answer be?  And don’t blurt this answer out.  You can say it to yourself.  What is the biggest temptation that you deal with?  What is that thing, that area that seems to always be in front of you?  That little thing or that big thing that trips you up?  Have you got that?

Now I want to ask you another question.  What do you do best?  This might help you with the answer.  Where are you gifted?  What sort of comes easy to you, effortless to you?  What?  What?  Because I’ll bet you cash money that you’re tempted around your greatest strength.  I’m tempted around my greatest ability.  It’s still interesting, isn’t it?  For example, if you’re a charming person, God has just given you that charm and people are like, oh man, you’ve got it!  We can use that charm for good, for the things of God, or we can use that charm to manipulate, to connive.  Maybe you’re a leader.  Maybe when you step out people follow.  It’s just a God-given thing.  Everybody is influential but you have that extra measure of influence.  And if you’re not careful you can use that leadership quotient for evil.  You can use that on one hand for good, on the other hand you can use that discernment to rip people apart, to belittle them.  Wherever you’re strongest is where you’re tempted the most.

Now at this time some of you might be saying, wow.  Temptation.  This is a doggie downer.  Temptation, this is kind of negative.  Temptation, wow, this is a serious subject and you’re right.  But I want you to think about the positive nature of temptation.  That’s right.  So often temptation gets a bad rap.  Let’s talk about the positive aspect of temptation.  Have you ever wondered that?  Have you ever thought about that?  Temptation is positive?  It’s positive because we’re creatures who have a freedom of choice.  If we have the opportunity to choose the goodness of good, which is God in Jesus Christ, we also have the opportunity to choose the badness of bad, which is the evil one.  With temptation it means, wow, I’ve got freedom.  I’m made in the image of God.  Love is a choice so when I’m tempted I just say God, thank you for the freedom!

Also, temptation tethers me to humility.  Whenever I think, oh yeah, I’ve got it down.  I really feel it!  I’m walking with the Lord and I’ve done this and I’ve done that.  Tempted again?  You mean the same area?  I’m still susceptible to that?  That should drive us to have the spirit of humility.  God, you’re so great.  God, you’re so awesome.  I’m fallen and fallible.  Thank you for your mercy.  Thank you for your magnificence.

Villain: Walk in Loop: Video (HD)