Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

We’re taking a few weeks to think about Spiritual warfare.

And most people fall in to the two categories when we start talking about Satan, the Devil, evil and it’s either, we don’t really want to appear weird or silly, so we just won’t talk much about the whole thing.

Or there’s almost an obsession with the subject of spiritual warfare.

We don’t want to fall in to either extreme, but we must acknowledge and understand that we are, every day involved in Spiritual warfare.

The problem is, we don’t always recognize spiritual warfare.

We’re not really sure how to discern when we’re in battle.

We might come to see it when there’s an avalanche of crisis.

Like, “The kid’s are out of control, the bills are stacking high, the hot water heater broke, my car is out of gas...Oh, is this what SW feels like?”

Well, yes and no.

That’s why we began this mini-series by taking an aerial view of the entire letter that Paul wrote to the Ephesians.

Because, if we ignore the battle, or we assume that we’re only in the battle when really bad stuff is happening, than we’re missing what Spiritual Warfare is and why it’s heightened for disciples of Jesus.

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And it’s in those segments that Paul reminds the church in Ephesus that:

Before they/we existed, God in three persons existed (so it’s not about them/us)

God chose a people and crafted a plan (God doesn’t have a plan for my life as much as we have a God-given role to play in God’s plan)

And God’s plan is to unite all things (in heaven and earth) together in Christ.

God’s plan is a restoration project.

God begins with the restoration of fallen human beings, who were dead in sin, who had no desire to follow God’s ways whatsoever, and if it were not for his wealth of mercy, would all still be following a self-centered course that leads straight to destruction.

But God in his mercy restores us by rescuing us from the plight of our own demise and surprisingly does what no one could ever have accomplished; he tore down the wall of hostility that stood between Jew and Gentile and He brought both races into one new race.

That family is what we call the Church — His body on earth.

And as his active body on earth, begin led by God’s Spirit, our task is to reveal the manifold wisdom of God to the authorities and rulers.

And we do that by accurately reflecting the nature and character of God to the rest of the world.

That’s where chapters four and five begin.

Walking in a manner worthy of the calling we have received — and what way is that?

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace...

So he begins with the “what” and continues with the “how” — “He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of the ministry...

And the ministry is - being imitators of God, as beloved children.

And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

The ministry is walking as children of light, speaking the truth in love, sharing the gospel with our neighbor, loving our enemy, making disciples, submitting one to another...

And if we even attempt to walk as a community and as individuals, as imitators of God, beware.

And

Our role in God’s plan is to reflect the triune God (that is, to glorify God) and if we’re mindful of being God’s ambassadors, and missionaries, we will make disciples and we as a family will be attacked.

Because that’s the Spiritual Battle.

Paul’s expectation in writing this section is that they’ve been tracking with his message, which is why I’ve taken the time to summarize it.

Spiritual warfare is not going to look Spiritual or warlike.

There will most likely be no visible demons or angelic beings bearing flaming swords.

Although I’ve heard stories of demonic oppression and have been in situations where I’ve felt a very dark presence, it’s been few and far between.

So, how will we know when we’re being attacked or in the battle?

The background helps us here:

First century Christians, whether in Ephesus or in Jerusalem or Corinth all faced a similar problem, whether Jew or Gentile (in most cases) following Christ meant that they were turning their backs on family, friends, and certain religious and social activities.

This new path they were on was not a welcome path.

And what happens when people around you begin to change the way things have always been?

Brother in law was on a sugar fast while we were on vacation.

The Ephesians had a real life struggle.

They wanted to follow Christ, but their family, friends, and neighbors that did not want to follow Christ were putting up a fight.

And just a glossary read of will give us a clue that the industry of “idol-making” was slowing down because some people were no longer worshiping Artemis, people were walking away from their job of being a temple prostitute, I mean the gospel of Christ was powerfully working in the hearts of sinful people and they were boldly following Christ.

And it was uncomfortable for folks.

And if you refuse to go along with the world’s ways, you’re going to make people uncomfortable.

And that uncomfortableness quickly turns in to hostility.

And if we get serious about making disciples the heat gets turned up.

And if we’re not careful, we declare war against the people that don’t follow Jesus.

Paul was teaching the Ephesians that although they were being poorly treated by their society, their battle was not against unbelievers...

What they needed was to see that their desire to follow Christ and make disciples was going to put them up against a fierce enemy, but the people who were attacking them, they were to take their cue from Jesus and in the face of persecution they would say, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

And Stephen, who in the face of persecution from his Jewish brothers, “LORD, do not hold this sin against them.”

And this is nearly impossible.

We can barely handle someone cutting us off on the freeway.

We can’t stand the neighbor’s dog leaving his mess on the yard.

So, it would do us well to understand that the Spiritual Warfare that Paul talks about is the daily struggle to play the role God has given us to play in HIS battle, fulfilling HIS plan.

And because of that, we’re not sure

Every morning we have got to recalibrate our minds to remember, this is not about me, this is not my battle, but I am a soldier, in HIS military, and by HIS strength I will battle...

Last week, I tried to answer the question “Why Christians must be prepared for and experience a heightened level of Spiritual warfare… it’s because our role as the Church is to reveal God’s manifold wisdom to the rulers and authorities in heavenly places.”

Today, I believe Paul answers the next question we might have in regards to SW, and that is, “What are we supposed to do about it?”

Next week we’re going to close out the discussion on SW and learn “How to fight like a Christian.”

And that’s the main imperative in this passage:

This unseen battle will not be fought on the shoulders of creativity, ability, wealth, or status of the King's soldiers.

The passive nature of the instruction turns this into a posture of submission rather than a command to be tough.

The literal translation reads, "Be made strong in the LORD" which is reiterated by the phrase "and in the strength of HIS might."

Holman Christian Standard translates it this way - “Be strengthened by the LORD and by His vast strength.”

That was Paul's prayer in chapter 3:16, "that you may be strengthened with power by his Spirit.”

When Jesus was preparing the disciples for his departure from this earth he used very similar language.

He taught about the coming of the Spirit—He actually said that it would be better for the disciples if he left so that the Comforter/Helper could come.

In Jesus tells them:

In the next conversation he instructs them that their only hope for living in this world is abiding in Him, because “if the world hated him, the world was going to hate them.

If the world persecuted him, they would persecute them.”

To which Jesus tells them that the Helper, the Spirit of Truth would bear witness about him and also they would bear witness and then Jesus gives them these sobering words:

we get powerful insight to the prayer that Jesus has for his people and for those not yet in the family:

BBC reported a story (15:17 to Paris) of a Moroccan man who opened fire in a speed train in Europe carrying more than 500 passengers.

His attack was not as successful as he had hoped as three Americans and two Europeans brought down the gunman early in the attack.

What struck me about the article was that one of the men who helped bring down the assailant noticed the train staffers barricading themselves in a cabin in hopes that they would not be shot.

Whether that part is true or not it reminded me of so many in the church.

Trying to barricade themselves from the spiritual warfare that is happening every day around us.

Instead of standing against the attack and reconciling relationships in the process, we are too often more concerned with self-preservation.

This should not be the case.

This is not simply the power of authority, but the supernatural power of God who raised up Jesus from the dead.

That's the power that we are to be made strong in.

That's the power that is available to us.

It’s the power that Jesus spoke of:

It doesn't matter how sharp or powerful the weapons of warfare are, if the operator of those weapons has no energy he is useless to fight.

The strength of the King is the grace that is given to His people.

And from a functional perspective, because I know I wrestle with the concept of grace as power or energy to obey, but from a functional perspective, you will not glow, you will not necessarily “feel” any different, there will almost be no sign that you’re “filled with the Spirit/filled with the Strength or power of God.”

So let me illustrate with a passage from Acts what one shade of being empowered with God’s strength looks like:

At the time of the Peter’s address to the Jewish leaders, was there any visible sign that He was filled with the Holy Spirit?

What did Luke see that convinced him that Peter was filled with the Spirit?

Acts 4

Acts 4

Don’t forget that this is the same Peter that 5 weeks before denied even knowing Jesus, three times.

In addition he’s speaking authoritatively to the religious leaders — but he’s uneducated???

But he’s just an ordinary guy???

I think this is precisely the point.