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BACKGROUND: The book of Ephesians was written by the Apostle Paul sometime around A.D. 63 while Paul was a prisoner in Rome. The theme of Ephesians is “the glorious church” and its purpose is to describe the redemptive grace of God toward his church.
The chapter themes of Ephesians are:
Chapter One: Spiritual blessings in heavenly places
Chapter Two: Unity in Christ
Chapter Three: Paul’s glorious ministry
Chapter Four: Unity of the body
Chapter Five: Christ in our home
Chapter Six: Full armor of God
The full armor of God in chapter six is where we are this morning.
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HOOK: Who has seen the 2004 movie "The Alamo," starring Dennis Quaid as Sam Houston, Billy Bob Thornton as Davy Crockett, and Patrick Wilson as William Travis? There’s a brilliant scene in this movie which some officers are complaining because it looks to them like General Sam Houston is fleeing from the army of Santa Anna.
(Show "The Alamo" Clip: DVD Chapter 16 Start Time: 1:56:31 End Time: 1:58:21)
We see in this scene a man’s brilliant strategy to win against the enemy. He sees the fierceness of his opponent and his desire to destroy his army. With this in mind, Houston presents the image of retreating from the enemy while on unfavorable ground. In fact, he has moved his men to a solid place in order to achieve victory over the enemy.
One of the taglines for the movie is “Stand your ground.” This is a very important message for us as Christians.
In 1 Peter 5:8 the apostle warns, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
We can learn a lesson from the movie The Alamo. We dare not fight Satan from a position of vulnerability and weakness. Rather, we need to know our enemy and be prepared to stand our ground and fight him by the strength and power of God!
On God’s terms.
On God’s holy ground.
With the weapons with which God equips us.
In our text we find that…
BIBLICAL PROBLEM: Satan was fighting the Ephesians with various tactics and deceptions.
BIBLICAL SOLUTION: In order to defeat Satan they needed to “put on the full armor of God.”
They needed to utilize the power that God had given them by the Holy Spirit.
CONTEMPORARY PROBLEM: Satan fights us using various tactics and deceptions.
The Greek word that Paul uses in verse 11 that is translated as “schemes” in the New International Version and the New American Standard Bible, and translated as “wiles” in the King James Version is methodeias. This Greek word is where we get our English word “method.”
It comes from two Greek words which mean “after” (meta) and “to journey” (hodeuo). This compound word describes how we achieve something-- we journey after it.
This word might also be translated as “investigations.” This shows us that Satan journeys after our weaknesses -- he investigates and goes after our vulnerabilities.
He shrewdly seeks out the points in our lives that are susceptible and open to attack, and then he launches his fierce assault.
And we are up against a formidable enemy. Whatever name he goes by: Satan, the devil, Lucifer, Beelzebub; the Bible says that he is:
1. a murderer (John 8:44)
2. a liar (John 8:44)
3. a thief (John 10:10)
4. a destroyer (John 14:30)
5. an accuser (Revelation 12:9-10)
6. a devourer (1 Peter 5:8)
7. a deceiver (2 Corinthians 11:13-14) and…
8. a masquerader of goodness (2 Corinthians 11:13-14)
(E. E. Elliott, A Study of the New Testament, Volume 2 [Newburgh, IN: Trinity Press, 1996], 174).
As we work here at Calvary Christian Church to the glory of God, Satan will surely attack. He does not want us to be successful for the cause of Christ. He does not want us to reach out into this community for the glory of God.
He is prowling. He is investigating our weaknesses-- he is going to go after our vulnerabilities. And we dare not let him win this battle!
Be warned, brothers and sisters in Christ, the further we go to bring the light of Christ into Burke and the surrounding area-- the more Satan is going
to lie and steal and destroy and accuse and devour and deceive.
By the power of God Almighty we must not let him overcome us!
THESIS: In order to stand up against and defeat Satan we need to “put on the full armor of God.”
In 2 Timothy 1:7 Paul writes, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”
The full armor of God is this power of God himself.
TRANSITIONAL STATEMENT: In verses 14 and 15 we find the first three pieces of God’s armor with which we need to be equipped in order to defeat the enemy.
I. The first piece of God’s armor with which we need to be equipped is: the Belt of Truth
The belt in ancient Roman armor was a defensive weapon. When the belt was worn tightly it indicated that the soldier was ready for battle. The belt was an essential part of the armor because:
It held the soldier’s tunic and breastplate in position and it held the case in which the sword was placed. The belt also “protected the pelvic area between the hip bones” (Elliott, Study of NT, 175). The belt helped make the soldier ready for battle!
The truth in the New Testament speaks of Jesus Christ. In John 14:6 Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” In John 17:17-18 Jesus comments, “If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.” In John 8:31-32 we see that “to the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”
The belt of truth, then, is allowing Jesus to cling firmly to us in order to hold everything in our lives together so that we will always be prepared for battle. Be prepared for battle against Satan’s lies. Be prepared for battle against Satan’s accusations. Be prepared for battle against Satan’s destruction and deception.
We have great things happening at Calvary Christian Church.We are on an amazing adventure of:
worship
discovery
exploration
love
evangelism
discipleship
Remember the movie The Blues Brothers with Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi? Remember how Dan Aykroyd’s character, Elwood, kept saying, “We’re on a mission from God”? Well, we at Calvary Christian Church really are “on a mission from God”! And our “belt of truth” must be firmly in place for this challenging mission: our mission of worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism.
TRANSITIONAL SENTENCE: But the “belt of truth” is just the beginning!
II. The second piece of God’s armor with which we need to be equipped is: the Breastplate of Righteousness
The breastplate in ancient Roman armor was a defensive weapon that "was worn from the neck to below the waist” (Elliott, Study of NT, 176). The primary purpose of the breastplate was to protect the lungs and heart. With a special emphasis on protecting the heart. The imagery of the breastplate which protected the heart is powerful. In ancient times the “heart” represented the seat of intellect and soul. The heart stood for the very essence of a person-- the very core of humanity. Who that person was. Where the source of thinking, feeling, and deciding lay. Why as person acted the way he or she did. What that person had the potential to be. The essence and core of the heart of the Christian is Jesus Christ.
Our identity is in Jesus.
Our very being is in Jesus.
Our heart is that of Jesus.
Righteousness in the New Testament speaks of living according to the will of God. The Greek word we translate as “righteousness” comes from a root word that means “straightness” or “uprightness.” Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary points out that righteousness “refers to a state that conforms to an authoritative standard. Righteousness is a moral concept. God’s character is the definition and source of all righteousness….Therefore, [humankind’s] righteousness is defined in terms of God’s.” The only way this righteousness is achieved is through Jesus Christ.
The breastplate of righteousness, then, is protecting us when we let the perfection and power of Jesus Christ allow us to stand before God with clean and moral deeds and conscience. We must allow the power of the Holy Spirit to protect our identity of righteousness in Christ. Satan is seeking to destroy us by plunging into our hearts such weapons as:
Envy
Worry
Doubt
Desperation
Hatred
Callousness
The breastplate of righteousness can stand up against those weapons through such practices as:
Bible study
Prayer
Commitment to Christian service
Giving tithes and offerings
Praising God
Encouraging one another
Trusting in God to do what is impossible for us.
We must allow the power of the Holy Spirit to guide our actions every day so that we will have a clean and clear conscience before the Living God.
Hebrews 10:22-24: “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”
We must allow the power of the Holy Spirit to protect our conscience by obeying the commands of Christ.
TRANSITIONAL SENTENCE: In addition to being prepared to fight in spiritual warfare with the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness…
III. The third piece of God’s armor with which we need to be equipped is: Shoes of Peace
The shoes in ancient Roman armor were defensive weapons. The shoes or boots of the soldier had cleats on them to allow for firm footing. The first century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus wrote that the shoes were “thickly studded with sharp nails.” We see from history that “the military successes both of Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar were due in large measure to their” soldiers wearing these types of shoes, therefore they were “able to undertake long marches at incredible speed over rough terrain” (A. Skevington Wood, “Ephesians,” The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, edited by Frank E. Geabelein, volume 11, Ephesians-Philemon [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1978], 88).
These boots were made for some serious walking. These shoes were not simple sandals or little pieces of leather strapped to their feet. These were weapons of war. Weapons of conquest. Weapons for firm footing to enable the wearers to stand their ground and advance forward!
Peace in the New Testament speaks of our hope and trust in God. The Greek word Paul uses that we translate as “peace” is eirenes. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon notes that this word can mean,
“the way that leads to…salvation” or “the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is.”
Does it seem strange that Paul would identify peace with such a weapon of war as sharply studded shoes equipped for conquest? Not really. The gospel of Christ by its very nature conquers the enemy. The very essence of God’s true peace destroyed the one who desires nothing but pain and chaos.
The shoes of peace, then, represent our ability to stand firm against Satan with the strength of our assurance of salvation in Jesus Christ. The spikes of hope dig firmly into the ground so that we will not be moved. When we equip ourselves with trust in God, Satan cannot force us back. When we trust in God to lead the battle, the devil cannot win. This is not our fight alone-- this is God’s fight and he is the victor!
In February 1966, almost 40 years before Jessica Simpson recorded her version, Nancy Sinatra recorded the song “These Boots Were Made for Walkin’.”
"These boots are made for walking, and that’s just what they’ll do one of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you."
Our boots-- our “shoes of peace”-- are made to walk all over Satan. He cannot stand up against them. We need to have the gospel of peace-- the good news of our salvation in Christ-- firmly imbedded in our lives so that we can stand up against the forces of spiritual warfare. It’s the peace of God that enables us to live each day to the fullest. This means we can have hope. We don’t have to despair. It’s when we lose hope and sink into despair that Satan can grab a foothold. But the gospel of peace allows us to have the foothold instead of Satan.
Pastor Jim Ladd of Grace Community Church has said that “it’s for our protection that we walk in a gospel of peace because that breathes life and freedom into the hearts of people we encounter and opens doors for us to share our life with others. That, in turn, encourages and strengthens us! Also, when we walk in peace, we deliver our own hearts from self-condemnation….“The Son of Man came not into the world to condemn it, but that the world might have life in His name.” (John 3:17) God is a life giver! He delights in renewal, redemption and revitalization! When we walk in [the shoes of] peace, we partner with the very heart and activity of God! That is a powerful and protective place to be, for sure!”
CONCLUSION: This is war! Sound the battle cry! Let’s be ready and able to fight by putting upon ourselves the “full armor of God.” Of which the first three components are:
1. The belt of truth-- letting Jesus firmly embrace us enabling us to be ready for battle.
2. The breastplate of righteousness-- living a life that enables us to have a clear and good conscience before God.
3. The shoes of peace-- standing firm against Satan with hope and trust in God.
So, let us know our enemy and be prepared to stand our ground and fight him by the strength and power of God!
Next week we’ll look at the rest of the armor of God. And see how we can experience this amazing power of God in our lives as we go head to head with the forces of evil and darkness in this world. So come ready to suit up for the victory that overcomes the world!
God is truth. God is righteousness. God is hope. God is the victor.
And we are the children of the one who is truth, righteousness, hope, and the victor. That is good news! That is news that enables us to “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10).
"Sound the battle cry! See, the foe is nigh;
Raise the standard high for the Lord;
Gird your armor on, stand firm every one;
Rest your cause upon His holy Word.
"Rouse, then, soldiers, rally round the banner,
Ready, steady, pass the word along;
Onward, forward, shout aloud Hosanna!
Christ is Captain of the mighty throng.
"Strong to meet the foe, marching on we go,
While our cause we know, must prevail;
Shield and banner bright, gleaming in the light,
Battling for the right we ne’er can fail.
"Rouse, then, soldiers, rally round the banner,
Ready, steady, pass the word along;
Onward, forward, shout aloud Hosanna!
Christ is Captain of the mighty throng.
"O! Thou God of all, hear us when we call,
Help us one and all by Thy grace;
When the battle’s done, and the vict’ry’s won,
May we wear the crown before Thy face.
"Rouse, then, soldiers, rally round the banner,
Ready, steady, pass the word along;
Onward, forward, shout aloud Hosanna!
Christ is Captain of the mighty throng"
(Words & Music: William F. Sherwin, Bright Jewels, 1869).
