One of my favorite movies is “The Godfather” by Mario Puzo. This movie, about a family involved in organized crime,contains some very powerful lessons about the twisted thinking of those whose lives are controlled by Satan. One memorable scene shows
a meeting called to make peace after a war caused by what the five crime families euphemistically call a “Business problem”. All sides suffered horrendous losses including the loss of some of their own sons. The leader, Don Veto, asks “How did things ever
get so far?” We might ask the same question ourselves. How did things ever get so far? Why is everything such a mess after such a perfect start? Our bulletin cover says “Keep the commands of the Lord
your God”. It sounds so simple -- but Adam and Eve, thanks to Satan, could not resist breaking the only rule that God gave them.
We get more decrees and laws from God that we have trouble keeping. We are cautioned not to add to them or subtract from them. God’s laws are righteous and fair but man is unable to follow them and against the command of God even makes “Substitute laws” which enable the Pharisees and the teachers of the law to achieve self satisfaction because they can navigate their way through the maze of complicated man made laws while creating exceptions to exempt themselves from some of God’s Law. We ask again, how did things ever get so far?
In Thursday’s issue of the New Castle News (Sept 21, 2000) John Leo talks about a procedure frequently done at CHRIST Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois. Nurses testified before a Judiciary Committee about using a drug that forces a woman’s cervix open causing the expulsion of a live premature baby that dies soon
afterward. One nurse, said she retrieved a 10 inch, 21 week Downs syndrome baby from the soiled laundry in a utility room and cradled and rocked him for the 45 minutes that he lived. I repeat, this procedure is done at Christ Hospital ---- named after our Lord and Savior. Somehow I do not think this is what Jesus
intended when he said “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them” (Matt 19:14). ----- When I read this I was hoping that the name Christ Hospital was a remnant from a former church affiliation and that they never got around to changing their name. Sadly, a phone call I made to the institution’s chaplain’s office revealed that the hospital is jointly affiliated with two main line Protestant Church Bodies.
How can this possibly be called simply choice? How
did things ever get so far?
We can find the answer in St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Paul sees the Christian, marked with the sign of the cross in baptism, , as a member of Christ’s army -- conscripted to do battle against the Devil’s schemes in spiritual warfare. We are not
contending against normal enemies -- we are not contending against mere flesh and blood. -------- We are contending against the authorities, against the powers of darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Eph 6:12). By being marked with the sign of the cross, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we are in fact in uniform so that Satan can easily identify us and launch his attacks. It is the same as going to an urban area and walking around dressed in the “wrong gang colors” or strolling down the streets of Bagdad wearing a US army uniform.
It is important that we understand that our enemies are not our fellow human beings............. Our enemies are not our fellow humans no matter how wicked they may be, -- even toward us. We are on the same level as they are. We are all sinners to the
core. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. Our hearts are as naturally warped inwards as anyone else’s. ------ Our enemies are the rulers, and authorities and powers of darkness, the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Our enemies are the Devil, unbelief, false teachings, and our own sinful flesh. ----- God became man and took on our flesh and blood
to die for flesh and blood human beings -- every last one of us. No,the enemy is not other people no matter how wicked their deeds.
St. Paul tells us to be strong in the lord and in his mighty power. He tells us to put on the full armor of God so that we can stand against Satan and his schemes. It is sometimes tempting to choose the wrong weapons, to try to fight the war of God’s
kingdom with the weapons of this world -- forgetting that Jesus’kingdom is not of this world. The Church of the middle ages mistakenly tried using military muscle. The Church of our day, especially in the United States, tries political power.
The battle is spiritual -- it is against the devil and, his hordes of demons, the powers of darkness and sin. We will all be tested -- everyone of us marked with the sign of the cross and confessing Jesus Christ as Lord are ENEMIES of the devil.
Satan doesn’t need to test those not marked ----- he has them already. ----- This is a spiritual struggle between life and death -- light and darkness -- faith and unbelief -- CHRIST and the Devil.
The Good News is that the war has already been won! CHRIST HAS DIED - CHRIST HAS RISEN - CHRIST NOW
REIGNS. The war is won but the losers have not yet
surrendered! The Devil and his demons still fight in a last desperate attempt to get us on the wrong side before Christ appears again to claim the victory. The Devil is still the master of deception and lies. Without the proper armor and weapons, we will be ripe for the picking.
St. Paul talks to us about the necessary weapons to stand against
the evil one.
First, there is the belt of TRUTH buckled around our waist. The Roman soldier wore three belts. One had a leather apron to protect his lower body. The other held his sword. The third showed his rank. Paul is referring to the belt that served as protection. We
are protected by the truth. "Sanctify them in the truth," Jesus prayed for his disciples. "Thy word is truth." Jesus is the Truth in human flesh and blood - the truth of God’s mercy and love for the world over and against the truth of our sin.
The truth of God’s Word is our protective belt against every false teaching, every phony gospel peddled by the so called enlightened people of our day, every attempt to get you to trust in your works instead of God’s work. We are vulnerable in this area. Whenever
people get religious, they try to bargain with God, to win Him over by their works. "Lord, if you get me out of this, I will change my ways, I will give my life to you, I will do whatever you ask." The truth of the Word guards us from our own man made religion. It says, there is nothing you can do.But God has done something for you. He sent His Son to die for you, and trusting in Him instead of yourself, you are pleasing to God.
There is the breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS. The average Roman soldier wore a piece of metal, bent to fit his frame. Those who could afford it wore chain mail that covered their entire upper bodies. The modern equivalent might be a bullet proof Kevlar vest.
The righteousness of Christ is our breastplate. God made Christ to be our sin, though He was sinless, so that in Him, baptized into Him, believing in Him, we might become the righteousness of Christ. "for as many of you as were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ." Christ is our righteousness, and in Baptism, we wear him like a coat of armor, a bullet-proof vest that the law cannot penetrate. Our hearts are protected.
Jesus kept the Law in our place. He kept every letter of the law,down to dotting i’s and crossing the t’s. He kept it perfectly in thought, in word, in deed. And he gives us, as a free gift, this righteousness of his, and says, "It’s yours. Wear it. This is your
protection against the Law and its judgments. It’s bullet proof. Nothing can penetrate it." Jesus has kept the Law so perfectly, that there isn’t a single weak link, not a single hole for the law to get
through. Even in the thick of battle, you couldn’t be better protected than you are covered with Jesus’ perfect righteousness which He died to win for you.
There is the swift readiness of the Gospel of peace strapped to our feet. "Blessed are the feet that bring good news." We are soldiers of peace. We are sent to bring peace. The peace that comes from sins forgiven for Jesus’ sake. Peace with God through Jesus Christ. This isn’t a peace negotiated around a table.
It is a peace won by the death of the Son of God. The peace of His wounds. Peace propels our feet out into the battlefield. Peace that moves us into the world to bring the Gospel of peace to those who are not at peace - our neighbors and coworkers and friends and
family.
There is the shield of FAITH. A Roman soldier carried a large shield, shaped like a door. The thick layers of leather were soaked in water before battle to quench the enemies fiery arrows. Faith, soaked in baptism’s water, shields us from the darts of the
devil, the hot arrows of lust, greed, anger, prejudice, hatred,drunkenness, jealousy, rage, foolishness, arrogance, idleness. Without the shield of faith in Christ, we are the devil’s pin cushion. But carrying baptism’s shield, we march confidently and
boldly to battle. Satan can not harm us.
There is the helmet of salvation. St. Paul has in view the heavy and costly helmet of burnished bronze, a helmet so strong that only an axe or hammer could pierce it. Our helmet is the sure hope of salvation, the knowledge that we have been rescued from
our death by the death of Jesus. It is knowing who we are and to whom we belong, that we are God’s children, that in baptism he has saved us from sin, from death, and from the devil through the death of Christ, that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus.
Into our hands God puts the sword of the Spirit. His Word,the two-edged sword of the Law and the Gospel. A word that kills --- yet makes us alive by the Holy Spirit. God’s Word is our weapon in this spiritual warfare. It’s our only offensive weapon. We have no other, and we need no other. Any other instrument - whether military or political or economic -whether force or petition or boycott will not turn a single person to Jesus Christ. Only
God’s Word can deliver sinners from eternal death to eternal life. Only the Word can kill a sinner and raise a saint. Only the Word can work repentance and faith. That humble Word may seem like five smooth stones and a slingshot before Goliath, but it is a
mighty weapon, greater than any rifle or missile or bomb we’ve ever invented. The Word is the power of God to seek and to save the lost from death. And that power is in our hands as soldiers of Christ, marked with His cross.
Finally, Paul says, "Pray. Pray in the Spirit always with all kinds of prayers and petitions. Keep on praying for all the saints, and for me." Troops in the battle field need to be in communication. They need to be in touch with their field commander. They need to support one another and back each other up. Prayer is the seventh and last piece of God’s equipment. It’s how we keep in touch with Him; it’s how we support one another.
If the apostle were writing directly to this congregation today, he might put it this way: "Pray for one other constantly, and for all Christians. Pray in corporate worship and in your own personal
prayers. Be aware of what’s going on and intercede for your fellow believers with all kinds of petitions. Be bold and persistent in praying for others. Pray for your pastor. Pray that whenever he opens his mouth, words would be given to him so that he would fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel to you and to others. Pray that he would declare it fearlessly, as he should."
He might also say --- and as you are praying, remember that you are engaged in spiritual warfare. The enemy is not people. Remember, too, that the victory has already been won. It was won
the day Jesus said, "It is finished," and died. The victory will be revealed the day Jesus appears again in glory. In between that day and the last day are days of battle. Days of evil and testing. Don’t
be afraid. The enemy cannot harm you if you are wearing God’s armor: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, the swift feet of the Gospel, the shield of faith. You
have the Word-sword of the Spirit in your hand. You have prayer. You have everything you need. Baptized, you are equipped in Christ to withstand the evil one. And in the end, to stand.
In the Name of Jesus.
Amen.
Note: This Sermon contains thouhts and ideas and expressions that I have gleaned from others too numerous to recall. I thank you and apologize for not documenting your names.
