Sermon Tone Analysis

| *Date:*2~/12~/04         *Location:* Word of Life Christian Church, Burbank        *File:* Armor of God |

| *Target Group:*  Mid-week Adult Bible StudyThis is a mixed group of both men and women.

Some are working adults and others are homemakers.

There are also a few unemployed and a few college students.

At least 90% have been saved for five years or more.

For the most part, they are mature Christians.

They need a teaching from the Bible that is relevant to their life that they can understand and put the practice.

|

| *Passage:* Ephesians 6:10-18 | *Cross-references:* 1 Th.

5:8, 2 Cor.

10:4-5 |

| *Exegetical Idea:*  The apostle Paul was writing to the church at Ephesus about the spiritual struggles and battles they would face.

He uses the armor of a Roman soldier to give them examples and illustrations of the spiritual armor they needed to put on so that they can continue to stand against the attacks of Satan.

|

| *Pedagogical Idea: ** *What Paul was writing to the Christian Church nearly 2000 years ago is just important for us today.

We too face spiritual battles every day and we can be overcome by these attacks where we would fall.

However, with the proper armor and with the right weapons, we can stand against the enemy’s attacks and even march into victory.

|

| *Lessons AIM:* *Cognitive (Head): * Each person should learn the principles found in Ephesians 6:10-20, which will make them stronger Christians and give them the tools needed to live a victorious life in Christ.

|

| *Affective (Heart):* Each person should begin to realize that many things do not just happen by coincidence.

Satan is very real and the Bible teaches us that we should not be ignorant of his devices 2 Cor 2:11.

Learning about these principles will then able us to live a life that is much more productive, producing fruit, and victorious in Christ.

|

| *Behavioral (Hands):* Each person will be able to take the principles laid out in this teaching and begin to apply these things to their lives; in turn, they will live a life with victory over sin and victory over the Devil.

When we put on the armor of God, we are becoming strong in the Lord.

|

| *Hook:* 1.

Questions and answers about the Roman armor2.

Story about the armor3.

PowerPoint presentation of the Roman soldier's armor4.

Questions about the armor of God (What is it?)

|

| *Book:               Content Outline* 1. Background to Text  2.

Explain the text and cross-references     3.

PowerPoint Presentation   4.

Discussion: (brief discussion of each point below)     a.

Why Waist Likened to Truth?     b.

Breastplate to Righteousness     c.

Feet to Preparation of the Gospel of Peace     d.

Shield to Faith which Quench Darts     e.

Helmet to Salvation     f.

Sword to the Word of God     g.

What about prayer?

(Eph 6:18) | *Methodology* Mini lecture: The apostle Paul wrote this letter to the church at Ephesus in approximately 60-62 A.D. from his first Roman imprisonment.Paul is not telling us that we should that we should pick up a physical armor.

Our battle is not with flesh and blood (people are circumstances), but rather a battle against spiritual wickedness.

Therefore, our battle and our weapons are spiritual in nature.Going through the armor, piece by piece as described in Ephesians 6:14 18.

Each picture of the armor has an explanation to its spiritual meaning.I would begin to ask the students, why Paul used armor and weapons to described our Christian disciplines~/virtues.

I would also bring up the topic to possible other meetings of “preparation of the Gospel of peace,” “fiery darts of the wicked one,” Topic (g) “What about prayer?”

Does not have any armor associated do it, why not?

Mini lecture: The importance of prayer in our spiritual battle |

| *Look:* 1.

Questions and answer: I would ask the question, “How does this apply to us today?”

I would then have the students respond in an open forum discussing what spiritual armor means to us.

Why is it important?

2.

Other insight: Additional insight to the topics we are discussing that the students did not bring up in our discussion, questions and answers 3.

Ending the discussion with a Rhetorical question: What could happen if we did not have the armor?

(Students do not respond) 4.

Examples: I teach through a mini lecture on different ways we can strengthen our spiritual armor  |

| *Took:* A handout is being distributed to each student describing the points and pictures we have discussed in the teaching session.

Each student is asked to find some spiritual truth(s) or armor that they need to better develop (work on) in their life.

They are asked to write the areas in which they need improvement on the last sheet of the handout.

Examples of ways to improve are also found on the last sheet of the handout.

|

*Passage:* Ephesians 6:10-18 *Cross-references:* 1 Th.

5:8, 2 Cor.

10:4-5

For the last few week we’ve been talking about our having a the qualities and character that will see us through.

All of us are going to face different battles, there is no avoiding that, but we don’t have to be overcome while going through these battles.

In fact, we can actually have victory while going through the different tests, trials, and tribulations that we all experience.

When the children of Israel entered into the Canaan land, it was the Promised Land, but there were battles along the way.

*Exegetical Idea:*

 

Paul was a prisoner at the time he wrote this letter Scholars differ on whether Paul wrote this letter while he was imprisoned in Caesarea or in Rome All things considered, the Roman imprisonment seems more likely.

Along with Ephesians, the Books of Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon are thought to have been written during the same time period and hence are called the “Prison Epistles.”

The detailed description of the armor (given in Eph.

6:14-17) may stem from Paul’s being tied to a Roman soldier while in prison awaiting trial.

[1]

The apostle Paul was writing to the church at Ephesus about the spiritual struggles and battles they would face.

He uses the armor of a Roman soldier to give them examples and illustrations of the spiritual armor they needed to put on so that they can continue to stand against the attacks of Satan.

*Pedagogical Idea: *

* *

What Paul was writing to the Christian Church nearly 2000 years ago is just important for us today.

We too face spiritual battles every day and we can be overcome by these attacks where we would fall.

However, with the proper armor and with the right weapons, we can stand against the enemy’s attacks and even march into victory.

*Lessons AIM:*

*Cognitive (Head): *

 

Each person should learn the principles found in Ephesians 6:10-20, which will make them stronger Christians and give them the tools needed to live a victorious life in Christ.

*Affective (Heart):*

 

Each person should begin to realize that many things do not just happen by coincidence.

Satan is very real and the Bible teaches us that we should not be ignorant of his devices 2 Cor 2:11.

Learning about these principles will then able us to live a life that is much more productive, producing fruit, and victorious in Christ.

*Behavioral (Hands):*

 

Each person will be able to take the principles laid out in this teaching and begin to apply these things to their lives; in turn, they will live a life with victory over sin and victory over the Devil.

When we put on the armor of God, we are becoming strong in the Lord.

Turn to *Passage:* *Ephesians 6:10-20* *Cross-references:* *1 Th. 5:8,* *2 Cor.

10:4-5*

 

! I.        Turn back to Eph 6:10.

The Amplified says, “In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides].”

!! A.  In our own strength we are no match for the devil.

So the first preparatory command is that we should be continually strengthened in the Lord and in the boundless resources of His might.

God’s best soldiers are those who are conscious of their own weakness and ineffectiveness, and who rely solely on Him.

“God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty” (1 Cor.

1:27b).

!!! 1.    Now you’re a soldier for God, able to put a stop to the enemy, but if we’re going to do battle you better have on the ARMOR OF GOD.

!! B.  Look at EPH 6:11

!!! 1.

The word “WILES” literally means “Cunning arts, deceit, craft, trickery.”

!!!! a)    The NIV says, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

!!! 2.     According to the Greek, this is a command that we put on the Armor of God, not just a request, with a sense of urgency.

!!! 3.    It is necessary to be completely armed; one or two pieces will not do.

Otherwise, we’ll be vulnerable.

The devil has various stratagems—discouragement, frustration, confusion, moral failure, and doctrinal error.

He knows our weakest point and aims for it.

If he cannot disable us by one method, he will try for another.