¡ac\ \ Ci
T he W ord of G od states clearly: “ Thou shalt not fol low a multitude to do evil” (Exodus 23:2). Yet, “ Fol low the Crowd” seems to be the rule rather than the exception in modern-day thinking. It does not seem to make any difference whether it is a sin, or what damag ing results will follow, “ everybody’s doing it.” About every five years a new fad comes along, and multitudes follow right along. A number of years ago, college students were swal lowing gold fish. This craze swept the country. Multi tudes “followed the crowd.” Then came “ The Thing,” “Davey Crocket, Hula Hoops, crowding into phone booths and a dozen more weird acts. Now the latest craze to sweep our country is “The Beatles.” Four young fellows from England with “mop- head” hair styles and rock-and-roll music have caused more frustration and evil excitement among the teen agers (and many adults) than could have been imagined. Crowds have turned out everywhere in thousands just to get a glimpse of them. I have before me a number of newspaper headlines telling about them, two o f which report, “ They shouted, sobbed, moaned, shrieked, and danced in their seats.” This was the reaction of thou sands of teenagers in Washington, D.C. Another head line, telling of their visit to Miami, says, “Miami police unable to hold Beatle fans. More than 4,000 shrieking, screaming, hysterical teenagers battered down doors, smashed windows and swarmed through police lines Thursday in a riotous welcome for the Beatles.” Do you wonder that God says, “Thou shalt not follow a multi tude to do evil” ? These four boys have made millions of dollars with their performances and their records. What is back of this? Let me show you five things which I believe are back of this “ Beatle” craze: 1. The Spirit of Disobedience. In Ephesians 2:2 we read, “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power o f the air, the spirit that now worketh in the chil dren of disobedience.” That is the way Christians acted before they were saved — “ in time past.” This is brought out very clearly in the actions of the Beatle fans as they disobey every moral, physical, and commu nity law just to get a glimpse of their favorites. No doubt hundreds of young people disobeyed their parents in going to see the Beatles. 2. The Spirit of Satan. Ephesians 2:2 contains the phrase, “according to the prince of the power of the air,” and also in I John 5:19 we read, “ And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness” or “ lieth in the wicked one.” The Devil has control of this world right now, and this helps us to understand “ the multitudes.” The actions of the Beatles and the thousands who go to extremes to see them are Satanic in origin. 3. The Spirit of Blindness. “ In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image o f God, should shine unto them” (II Corinthians 4 :4 ). Why is Satan blinding the eyes o f thousands of teenagers with the “ Beatle craze” ? Because the Devil knows that if teenagers and adults hear the “ glorious gospel of Christ” that they will be saved and begin to live for Christ. So he blinds their minds with anything he can. You don’t read of thousands of teenagers trying to get into a Gospel service. 4. The Spirit of the World. The Bible says, “ Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (I John 2:15-16). The
16
THE KING'S BUSINESS
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker