Armed with Truth, Righteousness, Readiness, Faith, Salvation, and the Word of God

There’s something intriguing about swords and armour. Have you noticed what happens when children play with sticks? Before long sticks are swords and children are mighty warriors.

It’s not just kids. I wondered if the theme of this year’s Kids’ Bible Camp was a good excuse to buy Roman armour and a sword . . . as a teaching tool, of course.

But when God’s word uses imagery of swords, shields, and helmets, they aren’t toys. They are serious tools of war. Paul describes the best military technology of the day.

With this military hardware and strict discipline, the rulers of Rome conquered and ruled most of Europe and Middle East. It’s something to chew on: God’s Word uses Roman armour to talk seriously about the battles Chr. face.

This NT letter is written to Chr. in Ephesus. There’s a history of conflict b/t the Kingdom of God and the rulers and authorities of Ephesus. Last week, we read from the NT book of Revelation. John was banished by the authorities in Ephesus for preaching the gospel. That was yearsafter Paul wrote this letter to the Chr. in Ephesus. Conflict b/t Jesus’ followers and rulers in Ephesus began when the gospel first arrived.

Paul knew Ephesus well. He worked in Eph. for 2 years on his 3rd mission trip, planting the church of Ephesus. God used Paul’s preaching to bring many people to faith. The gospel sparked a movement in Ephesus and the Roman province of Asia. Convinced by the gospel, magicians burned their magic writing and professed faith in Jesus and Saviour and Healer.

The wave of people in Ephesus and surrounding area who pledged allegiance to Jesus Christ as Lord was bad for business at temples in Ephesus. It was bad for the shops and guilds that made and sold shrines for the gods and goddesses of the city. You can read in Acts 19 how Demetrius the silversmith roused the craftsmen, causing a riot in the theatre. For 2 hours they chanted, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.”

Paul saw the huge crowd as a great opportunity to preach about Jesus. But his coworkers and sympathetic officials restrained him. Instead they urged Paul to sail across the Aegean. Go visit Chr. in Macedonia.

Claiming Jesus Christ is Lord was a politically charged act b/c the Roman Empire proclaimed Caesar as Lord. City officials wanted to honour the Roman Emperor. Currying the Emperor’s favour led to power & profit. Ephesus had 6 Imperial temples:

1 for Roma & Julius Caesar

2 for Caesar Augustus

1 for Caesar Domitian

2 honouring Caesar Hadrian

Ephesus received the coveted title of Neokoros: “Keeper of the Imperial temple for province of Asia.” The temples and title brought prestige, pilgrimages, and business for Ephesus. With money and power at stake, the authorities protect their power and privileges fiercely.

Knowing all this, Paul identified the threats to the Chr. as they rallied together to stand firm in their faith.

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)

There is conflict b/t the Kingdom of God and anyone who does not profess allegiance to Jesus Christ as Lord, making our Creator and Redeemer #1 in their life. Claiming Jesus as Lord is still a radical act.

Truth be told, there is tension in the lives and hearts of every person, even citizens of the Kingdom of God. The sad truth is that our sinful nature keeps steering us away from God and into conflict with those around us. Along with Paul in the NT letter to the Romans, I’m forced to admit:

I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Romans 7:18b–19 (NIV)

Can you relate?

The tension b/t God’s good plans and rebellion against his authority is not just in culture, business, and politics, it’s inside us: in the choices we make, the words we use, and the attitudes we display. Evil spiritual forces are at work, tempting us to resist God’s guidance and accusing us being unworthy before God. Spiritual forces of evil always drive a wedge b/t God and his people.

Paul expresses the fierce internal battle in Romans 7:

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Romans 7:24 (NIV)

Not long ago I had this conversation with someone wrestling with temptation and feeling unworthy. Some days I get stuck there to. Who will rescue us? The answer is the good news that the church is founded upon:

Thanks be to God, who delivers me

through Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 7:25a (NIV)

That is the belt of truth that we wrap around our waist. It’s the gospel of peace that makes us ready to travel for God’s mission. It’s as simple as the song we teach children:

Jesus loves me this I know . . .

The gospel of peace tells us that Jesus loves you so much he left the perfection of heaven where he reigned in divine majesty. Jesus became human to fight this battle on behalf of all humanity. The Divine Warrior, who fought the battles for his people in the OT, came to conquer sin and death and to rise victorious from the tomb.

Paul describes Jesus’ victory in the letter to Chr. in Col., ch 2:

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Colossians 2:13–15 (NIV)

Jesus rose victorious over all powers and authorities, as he promised. In his resurrection, all who put their faith in Jesus are raised to life – you are raised to life w/ Jesus and life for Jesus. When you profess that Jesus Christ is Saviour and Lord, you are equipped for conflict with the rulers and authorities who persist in rebellion.

Your mission is to follow Christ, recognizing that his authority extends into all areas of life. Your faith is not supposed to be just a “Sunday thing.” Your faith in Jesus flavours every task, every errand, and every interaction throughout the week. Our goal as a congregation, is making more and better disciples who influence Tillsonburg and surrounding areas for the Kingdom of God.

Following Jesus is guaranteed to create conflict, not only inside yourselves, not just w/in the Chr. community as the HS transforms our minds and behaviour, following Jesus also causes conflict as we interact with those who don’t yet have faith in Jesus; people who have political goals, business goals, religious goals, and personal goals that conflict with the Kingdom of God. Of course, that’s going to cause friction!

How will God protect his people in conflict?

God provides each of you w/ the Armour of God.

All week, the leaders and participants in Kids’ Bible Camp are talking about the armour of God described in Eph. 6. The imagery of helmets, swords, and shields shouldn’t distract us from the stuff God has given to help us stand firm in faith during the struggle against “rulers, authorities, the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil.”

Sometimes I focus on the belt, breastplate, and shield more than the gifts of God they are intended to represent. To appreciate the powerful gifts that God has given to equip us for this struggle, we ought to unpack the metaphors:

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:14–17 (NIV)

Each piece of armour could provide a sermon of its own. Some get the opportunity to examine these one day at a time:

Belt of Truth – All truth is God’s truth.

Where do you find truth? God reveals the Truth in his creation and his Word – the Bible. That’s where we learn the truth about God, the world, our identity

Breastplate of Righteousness – accusation of evil powers: you aren’t worthy of God’s love. Some things are loved b/c they are worthy – powerful car or tractor. Some things are worthy b/c they are loved.

This breastplate of Righteousness protects your heart from accusations that you aren’t worthy of God’s love: Jesus loves you. He has covered you in his righteousness. You are worthy b/c you are loved.

Feet fitted with readiness that comes from the gospel of peace – We are on a mission. The church doesn’t have a mission, God’s mission has a church! The readiness to move at God’s command, explain the gospel. Gospel gives you wi-ings!

What are you ready to do to see the God’s Kingdom advance?

What are you ready to invest so the gospel of peace is proclaimed?

Shield of Faith – defends against the devils’ flaming arrows –Temptation “if you’ve strayed this far from God’s commands, a little more can’t hurt.”

Shielded by faith in Jesus, fixing our eyes on the author and perfecter of our faith.

Helmet of salvation – this is Jesus’ own armour. Isaiah’s vision:

[The Lord] saw that there was no one,

he was appalled that there was no one to intervene;

so his own arm achieved salvation for him,

and his own righteousness sustained him.

He put on righteousness as his breastplate,

and the helmet of salvation on his head;

he put on the garments of vengeance

and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. Isaiah 59:16–17 (NIV)

Sword of the Spirit – explained best in NT book of Hebrews:

The word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

Stand firm in faith. God has provided all that you need. In all trouble from rulers, authorities, or evil powers – stand firm!