TITLE: Dress For Success
"Breastplate of Righteousness"
INTRO: Amazing how some people have the ability to succeed, rags to riches,Americans love stories of people that go from rags to riches.Cinderella (mean stepmother, marries Prince at the end)Thomas Edison. Henry Ford, Mr. Tee, Loretta Lynn,Ross Peroe. 1930 grew up in Texas, very poor during the depression, studied hard, appointment to the Naval Academy, tour service, work with IBM (International Business Machines), such a. good salesman that they made him a manager (making more than managers).
He thought why not start my own company E.D.S. (Electronade Systems), computer software company turned into a mega corporation, Peroe ended up selling it to General Motors for 2 billion dollars (one of the wealthiest men in America).
Don’t agree with his politics, you have to admire coming from rags to riches.
Today look at how we go from rags to riches
TEXT: Ephesians 6:10, 13-14 (Pray)
I. Review: Theme, main point be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. How: Putting on clothes Lord provides
Why: So we can stand against our adversary
Who: Devil and his clan
When: Day of evil comes
6 pieces of armor - first. 3 [belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, gospel shoes of peace] are in the past tense, meaning we already have these when we accept Christ.*
Paul, when writing this letter to church at Ephesus. writing from Rome, under house arrest. chained to a Roman soldier, as he is writing this letter he is illustrating each piece of armor, trying to help the church understand.
II. Breastplate of Righteousness - piece of metal running from the neck to the waist usually made of brass to protect the vital organs (heart. liver & major organs),
A. Righteousness - 6k language (integrity, virtue, purity of life, uprightness, correctness in thinking, feeling & acting).
1. Root word - being right, right with God.
2. Where does righteousness come from - own self-righteousness (being member of a church, tithing, teach Sunday School, being baptized, good deeds?) NO!
Isaiah 64:6B "And all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a. leaf and like the wind our sins swept us away." -No authority to stand against our enemy the devil. That’s why so many of
us are defeated, because we are not standing in God’s authority!
B. Righteousness Paul speaking about - God’s righteousness - it’s being right with God.
1. When we come to Christ, Father gives us Jesus Christ righteousness (Breastplate)
Paul writes in II Cor. 5:21 "God made Him who had no sin to he sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."
-Theologians call this the doctrine of imputed righteousness, our rags (sin, junk) and put them on Christ (past, present, future). *ALL sins, mt. just some sins!
2. Great exchange - My example, it driving brand mew 70 Cutlass Supreme, Air Force parking lot intersection - mashed into old steel car, totaled car (had nothing, learned to be careful.) Parents bought me another car.
-Great e. exchange (had nothing & got something I didn’t deserve)
-rags to riches doctrine
3. God sees us, He sees the righteousness of Jesus Christ
C. How dos this help me in my Christian walk?
1. Read Romans 8:1 (One of the most liberating verses in the Bible)
-Many Christian have come to church condemned, discouraged. defeated and you believe that’s a normal Christian life because you have been living this way for so long that you think it’s normal.
-Wrong! Christ does not. want us to live a defeated Christian life. "No condemnation of those who are in Christ Jesus".
John 5:24 tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes
Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed overfrom death to life".
-- Moment believe in Jesus Christ, we pass from death to life
2. Attitude sometimes - Christ died for my sins. know I’m a Christian, I have to pay for my sins from now on (most Christians feel this way) Christ died past. present_. future sinsJudged as sinners at the cross (God had us in mind) He knew we needed a SaviorWhen we except this, we are no longer judged as a sinner, judged as a son or daughter.
3. Yes, there are consequences when we sin. Law consequences (reap what you sow), not God’s condemnation, it’s spiritual law at work but God does not condemn you as a son/daughter.
4. Judgement seat (Bema) - II Cor. 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad".
-This does not determine your destiny (Heaven/Hell)
-Rewarded for your faithfulness/service
* Did we use talents God gave us, use it for God’s Glory (invest in eternity or things of this world).
- It’s our service, not our sins, that will be judged
III. Talk about 5 benefits of putting on Breastplate of Righteousness
A. God is for us - Romans 8:31 (read)
Climax, God’s wonderful grace, my goodness, if God for us who can stand against us?
- God is encouraging us - He is for us!
Jer. 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper
you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
B. Give us all things - Romans 8:32 (read)
1. In Christ we have all the resources of Heaven at our disposal.
2. God the father - gave up His son for us. Anyone who has lost a child, childbirth, accident worst pain a parent can feel in this life is to lose a child’ (Thank God most will never experience this!)
Parents that have lost children would do anything to get their children back, give arm and leg, even their own life.
Paul is saying here...If God the Father gives us His son for you
when we were at our worst, is there anything else in Heaven He is going to hold back?
- Hispanic people saying - "Me case. su case" my house is your house
- All of my Heaven is at your disposal
THOUGHT: What a rags to riches story (our rags & His riches)
3. II Peter 1:3 "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness."
-We have everything we need to live a godly life in Christ Jesus
C. Who can bring charges.- Ro. 8:33 (read)
1. Legal doctrine - law of double jeopardy (a person not to be subject to a. second trial and it’s penalty for the same crime if you’ve been acquitted
-Even if they find new evidence on you. They still can’t try you (if you already have been tried and been acquitted.)
This protects you from harassment
2. Spiritual law Paul is saying here, once declared righteous, you’ve been acquitted (that’s what justification means)
-No one can bring any additional charges to condemn us (Christ has taken it all)
D. Best Lawyer - Ro. 8:34 (read)
-Jesus is interceding for us
I John 2:1 "My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the father in our defense, Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.”
Next time the devil starts accusing you, telling you that you are no good, remember who your lawyer is!
E. No one can separate us from God – Ro. 8:35 (read)
-When we are wrapped with the breastplate of righteousness, who can touch us?
ILLUSTRATION - Courtroom, God the father (judge), prosecutor (satan), defense counsel (Jesus), defendant (us)
- trial begins, devil opens. Brings charges (hour. day, week, year) JC not making any objections, satan fishes “Soul that sins shall die(rest case).
- JC stands, approaches bench, I’ve already paid the pride (I’ve died on the cross)
- Case Dismissed!
CONCLUSION: Greatest rags to riches story is when we put on the Breastplate of Righteousness.
- Having Jesus take our junk, sin, and filth and give us His Pure and Holy righteousness. Then we can be blameless in the Father’s sight!
COMMUNION
