September 4 - Ephesians 6:10-24 - "Armour"

MPC 4th September 2016.

Phil Campbell

Nine days after the attack on the Twin Towers on September 20 2001, President George W Bush declared a war on terror.

Eight years later in his inaugural address in January 2009, Barak Obama said, "Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred."

It's a war that's still going on. City by city; attack by attack. A war that in a sense I'm not sure we're winning. A war that we're fighting at great cost against an almost undefined enemy, a network of violence and hatred. That the media and the police and our government won't even call by name. Because of the threat to our social cohesion.

How do you win a war like that? Because it seems you can't just bomb violence and hatred into submission.

I've you're going to win, you want to somehow replace violence and hatred with a better option like gentleness and love. Or you haven't defeated it at all. And yet all we can seem to send against it is another wave of jet fighters. And yet more violence.

And in the end, it's profoundly disturbing.

UNSEEN ENEMY

Now that's bad enough. But Paul reminds us in this final section of Ephesians that there's another war on; on a deeper unseen level. That's even more disturbing. Or should be.

It's the behind the scenes war that underlies in a sense every war that's ever been; every word and act of hatred and violence. Every episode of lust or greed or murder; every thought and act that's been anti good and anti God.

It's a spiritual war. You can pretend it's not happening. You can block your ears and you can cover your eyes. But in the end it's very real. And you're caught up in it - whether you like it or not. And no matter how comfortable you want to make your bunker, we're living in a war zone.

If you ask the question, "Is the world basically a good place full of good people doing good things - with the occasional glitch? Or is it the other way round?" - what's your answer? I think if you asked the question 20 years ago, you might have got answer number 1. I mean, there are plenty of people who might still say the same. The optimistic view of human nature. We're all basically good; except when circumstances push us otherwise.

But I reckon there's a growing tinge of doubt. If you're a secular person and you're prepared to stretch your categories just a little bit, there seems, arguably, to so often be an evil undertone; a kind of cultural death wish; maybe in the name of freedom of choice. Which is actually a freedom to do all kinds of soul destroying and culture destroying wrongs without limit.

I want you to notice though there's been a thread running right through Paul's letter. And you'll see where we're heading on the outline. Because Paul says we're living in a deeply divided world caught up in an invisible battle.

With one who Paul calls back in Ephesians 2 verse 1 and 2, the ruler of the kingdom of the air. The spirit world. Jesus uses exactly the same term. And calls him Satan. The adversary.

Now you might not believe that. That there's any such thing as evil. That there's a source of it, that there's a ruler of it. That there's some kind of active agency of evil. And yet so often in all the wrongs that are done in any place and time, it seems there's a common dark thread. That's recognisable. As to its origin.

Ephesians 2. Here's Paul's picture. "As for you;" - all of us - "you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient."

That's our world. A world with an opponent at work... who paints bad as good. And good as bad. And Satan is the prince of this world. Paul calls him the ruler of the Kingdom of the air, the spirit world. The motivating force behind every act of evil.

Turn the page. Chapter 4 verse 17. Because the fact is, the Devil has got lots of willing conscripts. And again, it's a picture of what the world looks like. What people look like. What by nature you and I look like. Again, it's a verse we've seen before.

It's a dark world. Darkened in understanding. It's a world that prefers darkness to light. A world where you turn on the lights, and the cockroaches scurry for cover.

Here it is. Ephesians 4 verse 17.

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

There's a debate going on at the moment. One of many. Debating euthanasia. Whether doctors should be licensed and ultimately like in Canada required to kill terminally ill patients. Andrew Denton's leading a campaign. He says, the church should be excluded from the debate. Because the opinion of Christians shouldn't be taken into account. Because of our bias. In other words, don't even listen to the life side; listen to the death side.

There was a new licence being handed out in the UK for a television operator. The choice was between a Christian channel. And a porn channel. Which do you think won the rights to operate?

Don't listen to the light side. Listen to the dark side.

Paul says, that's our world. Constantly lusting, never satisfied. Hungry for any kind of impurity they can find. Tony Abbot says there's a death cult doing battle across Syria and Iraq; Paul says, look a little bit closer to home. It's in the air we breathe. And the ruler of the air, the dark master is always looking for a foothold. Looking for a way in.

Like Chapter 4 verse 26. Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, and don't give the devil a foothold.

Even in how you handle your anger... there's an opponent looking for chinks... opportunities to bring division. And dissension. And discord.

Verse 15 in chapter 5 Paul says, be very careful then how you live... not as unwise but as wise... making the most of every opportunity... because the days are evil.

That's the sort of world it is. A dark world. With a battle going on, whether you like it or not.

GOD'S GRAND PLAN

And yet in the midst of it all, God has a grand plan.

And the grand plan is devastatingly simple.

That into the kingdom of the prince of this world comes Jesus the Christ. Who calls together a people. Out of the darkness, into the light.

And we first saw it spelt out in chapter 1 verse 9 and 10.

And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment... to bring all things in heaven and earth under one head.. even Christ.

And in his death and his resurrection, chapter 1 verse 20, Christ has been raised and been seated... at the right hand of God in the heavenly realms. To rule. Over all the forces of darkness. Far above, verse 21, all rule and authority and power and dominion and every title that can be given... Putting all things under his feet. For and on behalf of his people... the church.

That's us!

And so when we looked at chapter 3 verse 10 there was that great reminder that through his church God is making a huge advertisement to the spiritual powers... that the forces of evil are undone. That the forces of division and dissension and of spite are overcome. By this great coming together of all kinds of people, of Jews and Gentiles, across ethnic boundaries you could never have imagined. In love.

Chapter 3 verse 10. His intent was that now through the church the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms according to his eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ.

Now there's the incredible thought... that through us and the way we love one another, God's actually demonstrating something to the spiritual world. To Satan and his mates. And that is, the evil will not prevail. Through us and the way we love and forgive and even manage our anger, in our integrity and our honesty and our sexual purity, through the way we put off the old ways and put on the new ways, there's a cosmic announcement going out. And a picture of what the age to come is going to look like. Through the church... God's wisdom is being broadcast to places and entities we can't even begin to imagine.

ARMED FOR THE BATTLE

So, who do you think you are? You're a key player. In God's grand solution. You're a soldier. In that cosmic battle. So you'd better get your armour on.

I mean, that's what it boils down to. And that's how Paul's going to bring the letter to a close.

So let's come back to chapter 6. And take heart. Verse 10.

Finally, says Paul... and it's more literally, for the remainder, for whatever time that's left, keep going. If you're thinking things are tough, you're right. We're in a war zone. If you think there's lots of darkness around, you're seeing things as they are.

But for the time that's left, be strong in the Lord, and in his mighty power. Don't think it's up to you. Call in the big guns. And put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

Because as we've seen, there's more to our struggle than meets the eye. Paul says it's not just a struggle against flesh and blood... verse 12... but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Which isn't usually our perspective at all; if you're a modernist. And yet I think it maybe the easiest spiritual reality to see evidence of. In the sense that there's so much un-necessary evil around. Is there? That just doesn't make any kind of sense. So much evil just for the sake of evil.

So what do you do? I mean, given that he's said we're in this dark place and we're up against the forces of the devil, it's got the makings of the ultimate horror movie. And yet as you read what Paul's saying, there's a confidence in it. And no fear at all.

They're evil days. But you'll be amazed. At how little you need to worry about it. Because we Christians have got all the armour we need. Just make sure you put it on. Which brings us to Paul's famous imagery of a Roman soldier in armour. It starts in verse 13.

He says, "Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."

Because the real question is, when Satan does his worst to tempt you, when the dark days of trial come, are you going to be left standing... or not? And Paul says, you can be. You will be.

Just keep your armour on.

It's tragic, isn't it, when you see Christians fall. Usually subtle at first. Different life goals maybe. Somehow the materialism just sets in and before you know it, it's the greed that becomes idolatry. Or there's an anger. That you just won't let go. And gives the devil a foothold.

Paul says the goal is to stand firm. And so be left standing. Here's the armour that will guarantee you do that. Read from verse 14.

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

Now if you were a Sunday School kid in years gone by, just about every Sunday School class in the 60s and 70s did the thing with tin foil armour. And you dress yourselves up with a cardboard shield and a tinfoil helmet.

But without getting you all to do that in case you missed out in your childhood, can I make the point that there's nothing childish about this stuff; and yet at the same time, it's not particularly advanced level either. Because when you look at it, the armour Paul's talking about here is the armour of absolutely basic stock-standard entry-level no-frills Christianity.

And it's important to see that. Because it seems to me there's so much superstition and fear going round when it comes to the devil; even among Christians. And in a sense the greatest goal of the enemy is to draw our confidence away from basics of trusting the Lord Jesus and being confident in the gospel.

You know, apparently the reason we say bless you when somebody sneezes is that back in the middle ages sometime they figured when you sneezed you sneezed out some demons. And if someone didn't say bless you, they'd come right on back in.

Chinese restaurants, you'll often notice two stone lions guarding the front door. They're there... to keep away demons.

Throw salt over your shoulder. Apparently that keeps away evil spirits as well.

People will try anything. Except the obvious.

Some churches maybe they want to slay you in the spirit. Make you fall over backwards. To drive out the devil. They'll say if you're sick or you're struggling it's a demon; they'll say special prayers said special ways, special techniques in special books.

Look, if you're confused by that kind of stuff or if your kids are hearing it, can I recommend you talk to our pastor Kim Jaeger about it, because he's had a lifetime of experience in that world. And it doesn't work. Because the reality is far more simple.

Because in the end Paul's saying this. He says, Yes, it is a dark world. Yes, Satan's at work to undermine God's church. But you've been given the armour you need already. And it's the basic stuff. The salvation that came to you in the gospel.

Can you see the words in bold on the screen? It's the Christian basics. It's truth. It's the righteousness that comes by faith in Jesus. That's our shield. It's the gospel. It's our salvation that comes from that same faith in Jesus. It's the Spirit at work through the word of God. It's our prayers about all kinds of stuff. It's the basic mundane week by week walk of the Christian life of trusting Jesus. That's our armour plating.

Because in the end, it's not your battle. But God's battle.

It's not your armour. It's his. And it's just the basic stuff of the basic Christian faith. Keeping it on.

Are you doing that?

It's often been noticed that the only offensive weapon we've got is the word of the gospel. The Sword of the Spirit. And that's in a sense Paul's final thought for the letter.

Paul says, pray for me. And keep on praying. That I'll battle on.

Pray for me that whenever I open my mouth, that'll be what comes out. The message of the gospel.

Pray also for me that whenever I speak, words may be given to me so that I will fearlessly make known the words of the gospel.

Because that, and that alone, is how the kingdom of darkness is pushed back. That and that alone. Is the way people are brought into the family of God. Reconciled to one another.

PRAY

Pray. For gospel opportunities. Opportunities to say a timely word about Jesus. Day by day. Knowing that it's the key part of the spiritual battle.

Pray. For this coming Thursday night. That as Brad speaks about his faith at our food for thought dinner there'd be people there ready to hear. And to change their minds about Jesus. And step out of the darkness and into the light.

Pray for boldness. To make that last minute invitation to your friends. Look, if you've got the kind of friends who haven't even given Jesus a passing thought... it'll be a fantastic night to bring them along to, because it just won't make sense to them that a big tough footy guy finds his hope in trusting Jesus. And it'll make them think.

There's a war zone out there. And who do you think you are? You're a soldier in the battle. But Paul says, don't fear. Put your armour on and stand firm. And let's together keep at the challenge of being light to a dark world. Hope in the hopelessness. At peace with God and one another while we hold firm against every challenge.

It's been a great journey through Ephesians these past few weeks. Thanks for tagging along with it. It's good to wrap up with Paul's final blessing in verse 23 because it's exactly for people like us: a prayer for peace and love in the middle of the battle:

Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.

Table of Contents

UNSEEN ENEMY

GOD'S GRAND PLAN

ARMED FOR THE BATTLE

PRAY