Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
What we mean when we speak about armor.
Modern day vs.
Biblical time.
Nowadays we might think of
Knight’s armor
Body armor (Kevlar is amazing)
In biblical writing we could refer to a number of things
In general, the clothing worn to protect a person in battle
A type of material (IE Scale or plate armor)
An armor bearer
An armory, which would include the offensive tools
Regardless of the picture we have in our mind, the apostle calls to mind a specific type of armor, that of the soldiers he sees every day while under roman captivity.
The armor of God is a description of the tools that are at our disposal to stand firm resist the temptation of the flesh.
The armor is something that must be put on daily.
There is another passage I encountered this week that deals with armor, though not exactly in the way we have been speaking
Exposition of 1 Sam 17:38-40
We see pieces of armor that we might recognize from Eph 6.
The helmet - When Pastor Austin returns from Nigeria he will finish the armor of God beginning with this vital piece of armor.
A coat of mail - This phrase may very well include the idea of the breastplate as well as the belt that cinches everything closed/together
The sword - A weapon common to this battlefield.
Another part of the armor that we haven’t fully discussed yet.
A few other things we should notice:
Do you remember why Saul was chosen as king?
You know, we are in the fullness of election season, and say what you will about our political system, at least we progressed beyond “tallest to smallest” for our power structure.
FIRST detail to notice: Saul’s armor would not be a good fit for David, and not for the vast majority of the members of his army.
SECOND detail to notice: David cannot move freely because he has not tested this armor.
Think about a new pair of shoes compared to how those same shoes feel once you’ve broken them in.
THIRD detail to notice: the equipment he does choose are far more fitted to a shepherd than to a soldier.
A staff and sling are not the tools of a battlefield but the tools of the sheep’s field.
Application of the Armor that Doesn’t Fit
Two reasons in this text that the armor doesn’t fit David
Armor that’s never worn, never fits
Have you ever had pants where the button just didn’t quite seem to easily reach and come together like you remember?
That doesn’t tend to happen with the clothing you wear every day.
But the weather cools off and your wardrobe changes slightly.
Then the holidays come around and you enjoy celebration and feasting with friends and family.
Eventually, you get that old clothing out and have a moment of, “I don’t remember this being so tight...”
The sons of Sceva tried to put on Paul’s armor, and it didn’t work!
This is why it can be so dangerous to “enforce” moral behavior.
Obviously we don’t tell our children, “go do what you want,” and skip pass the training that a parent is called to do.
But our evangelism isn’t saying, “Do you want to be saved?”
Then go to church.
Stop lying.
Stop stealing.
Stop lusting.
Stop indulging.
If that were our message, no one would be saved!
Do you see the difference between coercing the law and championing the law?
There are men and women who think they can never live up to fitting into the righteous armor of God, and they ignore the Gospel call to their own detriment.
But we:
Too many in this world are seeking righteousness and being “just good enough” for their salvation.
Seek salvation first, and let God do the rest.
Armor meant to fit someone else won’t fit you
Do you remember being a child and putting on your parent’s clothes?
Let me show you a picture.
You see, clothing that doesn’t fit you can look good in a picture, but what do you think happens when you try to really move?
The same is true of those areas in our faith that are going to be expressed in different ways due to culture or circumstance.
This is what I mean when I refer to conviction.
An example of what I mean by conviction
And
And conviction doesn’t just refer to what you abstain from.
It is also the driver of what we do with our faith.
We cannot say act as if because a brother or sister isn’t involved in the same ministry we are tied into that they are wrong or sinful.
The only path to proficiency is practice
I remember the first times I put on a suit and tie.
Even when it fit right, it felt awkward.
Every movement was unfamiliar, and it felt like all the extra clothing got in the way.
The awkwardness and the feeling of being an impostor only go away with time and practice.
Hear me: We are called to Christ not because of our righteousness, but while we are in the very depth of our sins.
When we receive our first suit of armor, it doesn’t feel real.
Can you imagine a life-long thief becoming a police officer?
The first day that uniform is on, that former thief would say, “the uniform shirt and pants are restricting, the hat is heavy, and this gear belongs to somebody else.
Could you imagine the thief looking in the mirror and his heart rate shooting up at the sight of a cop?
That’s not a strong enough image, because in this analogy, the thief is caught, and then the chief of police says, “I’m going to give my perfect record to you (that’s imputation) and make you an officer.”
Though it’s an imperfect analogy, how does the thief feel after a few months of on-the-job training?
How does he feel after making a few arrests?
How does he feel after helping citizens recover stolen goods instead of stealing them himself?
Well I imagine he’d feel like an officer because he’s living out the life of an officer.
He’s putting the uniform on every day.
We’re given a pathway here.
Pathways are not like following a map once and knowing where to go, pathways only happen after repeated use.
Imagine a field of tall grass you have to walk through?
Once doesn’t make a path.
Twice doesn’t.
What about every day you walk through the field and then come back home?
After a month you’ll notice the grass is a little thinner and flatter where you walk.
After three months you might see the semblance of a pathway.
After a year there isn’t a single blade of grass on your path and it has gone from being a hard path, to something that is smooth and easy.
If you don’t build pathways through these qualities, you are ineffective, blind, and will have no memory of being cleansed in salvation.
No memory because it probably never happened.
Practice the righteous works of God every day, not because they save you, because you have been saved.
Conclusion
My call to you this morning is the call to daily devotion to the God who created you.
The God who loves you.
The God who saves you.
The call is to trust God more than yourself.
To follow after Him with everything.
This is your God who will equip you to stand firm against the temptations of the flesh and the machinations of the enemy.
If this morning you recognize that this armor of God doesn’t fit because you’ve never been a soldier of Christ, or maybe you’ve only ever been wearing the costume armor of a good image:
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