The Way Of The Jedi

“The Way of the Jedi”

Ephesians 6:10-20

I. Introduction:

a. Have you ever been at a place in your life that you didn’t know which way to go?

b. I have this week, we have been so busy with trying to get things ready to move that it seems like we’re getting no where fast.

c. As I started preparation this week it seemed to be difficult to find a place that God wanted me to go.

d. I started preparing a sermon on Wisdom and after a couple of hours studying that got trashed. Then I started one on “How much is enough?” and guess what I threw that away. Being disgusted I just got up and walked away.

e. As I was in despair of what to preach I felt as if I was a failure to God and to you. Then as a laid down in bed on Tuesday night and opened up my Bible God lead me over to Ephesians (probably my Favorite Book) I began reading and came to this section and it jumped out at me as if I was in some horror movie.

f. I realized that I had been at war all week and I didn’t even know it. Further more I forgot my combat gear.

g. What is one thing a soldier cannot do with out? Combat gear.

h. Folks we are at war. I don’t mean against terrorism. I mean against pure unadulterated evil.

i. The devil himself, and all of his cronies.

j. We as Christians who live the Spirit-controlled life can be absolutely sure that we are in a spiritual war.

k. In most every movie there is a good side and a bad side.

l. The one that I think most fits this spiritual warfare is Star Wars – there is the Force meaning spirit realm.

m. Obi Wan Kenobi – told Luke to use the force as he was a Jedi and he had special abilities through the force.

n. Dark Vader also used the force but he called it the dark side.

o. The Bible also talks about a Force that we as Christians can use that gives us special abilities. As well there is also a dark side known as evil and Dark Vader is Lucifer prince of darkness.

p. And believe me when I tell you that this war between good and evil is no movie. IT IS REAL.

II. READ TEXT:

III. This is the closing of a letter to the Christians at Ephesus in the first part of this letter chapter 1-3 Paul describes the true believer. Then in chap. 4 – 6:9 he teaches how to live that spirit controlled life. He is our Obi Wan today. Here he tells us of a war and the combat gear we need.

IV. “Know the Forces”

a. Read Vs. 10

b. Ultimately, Satan’s power over us has already been broken and the battle over good and evil has been won through the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ which conquered the power of sin and death.

c. However, in life on earth the battle is far from over.

d. We fight temptation everyday.

i. What temptations have you fought today?

e. The Lord’s power and strength along with the FORCE, the Holy Spirit and biblical truth are required for victory.

i. A man once told me that he fought with his flesh every day. He said it felt like 2 dogs fighting inside his body. One black the other white. I then asked him which one of the dogs won most often? He replied the one I feed the most.

f. Jedi lesson 1: Know that there are forces out there stronger than you.

V. “The Dark Side”

a. Read vs. 11-12

b. You cannot be an effective Jedi if you don’t live as a Jedi.

c. The words “put on” Greek from (en-duo) the sense of sinking into a garment); to invest with clothing (literal or figurative) :- array, clothe (with), endue, have (put) on.

i. This conveys the idea that we should as Christians wear this armor thought our time here on earth.

ii. In Fact while we are here is when we are most vulnerable.

iii. We are subject to everything the devil can throw at us and the only way to be ready for those flaming darts is to always be in our combat gear.

iv. Paul sues this analogy of a soldiers’ armor because this is what was necessary if he was to hold his position while under attack.

v. And we are certainly under attack!

d. “Wiles” the Greek word is (meth-o-dai) meaning to lie in wait, calculate, the idea of cleverness, cunning and deception.

e. Satan schemes are propagated through the evil world system over which he rules and are carried out by his demon host.