Every great story needs a great villain.
Think about it. Star Wars without Darth Vader is just a movie about a farm boy. The Lion King without Scar is just a nature documentary. Batman without the Joker is just a man in a very expensive suit.
The villain is what makes the story matter. The villain is what raises the stakes. The villain is what forces the hero to dig deeper, choose harder, and become something more than they were.
And here is the thing: the Bible has some of the greatest villains ever written.
This summer, we are going to spend six weeks with them. We are calling the series Villains of the Bible, and I want to be honest with you about why I am really excited about it. It is not because I enjoy spending time with the bad guys. It is because of what happens when you do.
When you sit with a villain long enough, something uncomfortable happens. You start to see yourself in them.
Not in a dramatic, “I-am-secretly-evil” kind of way. But in a quiet, oh-I-know-that-feeling kind of way. You recognize the fear that drove Pharaoh to tighten his grip. You understand the silence that kept Adam standing there while everything went sideways. You feel the pull of the crowd that made a terrible choice because everyone else was making it too.
These villains are mirrors. And mirrors, if we are brave enough to look into them, are one of the most powerful tools God uses to change us.
Here is what I have come to believe about the villains of Scripture: they are not there to scare us. They are not there so we can feel superior. They are there because the Bible is ruthlessly honest…
- Honest about the human condition.
- Honest about our capacity for self-deception.
- Honest about how easily we reach for what cannot satisfy.
- And honest about how quickly fear can turn good people toward terrible choices.
And here is the grace in all of it. Every single week, right alongside the villain, God shows up. Searching. Looking. Rescuing. Restoring. And refusing to leave people alone in the mess they have made. The same God who walked through the garden asking, “Where are you?” is the same God working through a reluctant prophet, a burning bush, a manger, and an empty tomb.
The villain never gets the last word. Not in Scripture. Not in your story either.
So this summer, I invite you to come with an open mind and maybe just a little bit of courage. Come ready to meet some unforgettable characters. Come ready to see yourself in places you might not expect. And come ready to hear, again and again, that the God who sees all of it clearly is the same God who runs toward us anyway.
Six weeks. Six villains. One really, really good God.
We will save you a seat.
See you in worship!
Pastor Todd
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