Onward Christian Rescuers! Ephesians 6:10-18
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 9 viewsNotes
Transcript
1. Onward, Christian soldiers! Marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus Going on before. Christ, the royal Master, Leads against the foe; Forward into battle, See his banners go!
2. At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee; On, then, Christian soldiers, On to victory. Hell’s foundations quiver At the shout of praise; Brothers, lift your voices, Loud your anthems raise.
3. Like a mighty army Moves the Church of God; Brothers, we are treading Where the Saints have trod. We are not divided; All one body we: One in hope and doctrine, One in charity.
4. Onward, then, ye people; Join our happy throng. Blend with ours your voices In the triumph song: Glory, laud, and honor Unto Christ, the King. This through countless ages Men and angels sing.
What have we been called by God to do? How does the Bible describe what it is that Christians are to do in the world?
When you get up Monday morning. When you go to work. When you spend time with your children, go for groceries, go to the park, go to the doctor, visit with friends.
What does God want you to see as the purpose of your life?
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
We are in a battle and this battle requires a different strategy
How can I be strong in the Lord?
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
The whole armor of God, the whole fruit of the Spirit
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,
21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
That you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil
Resist the devil, escape the snare of the devil
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
wrestle - hand to hand combat
the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
We live in a pick and choose culture - take up the whole
Many popular songs say love God and imply that obedience and conformity to his will are not necessary
love God will all - the commands of scripture are the how. specific, precise, visibly pleasing to God
What about the person who says you can do this without meaning it - fine, that’s the Lord’s problem and he will deal with it. But I guarantee that’s a smokescreen that’s hiding your rebellion and refusal to completely surrender. Those who don’t have a true faith but outward behavior are like a ship with a leak below the water line. You can’t see it but that ship will sink
14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
Much has been done to illustrate the armor.
But let’s focus on truth, righteousness, readiness to share peace, faith, salvation, the Spirit and the word, prayer in verse 18.. (1 Peter 3:15)
15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
We are in a spiritual battle - not against flesh and blood
Where is the world in this.There was the hostile government, the persecutors, the false religions, the lost.
We are in hand to hand combat. We need defensive armor.
Satan’s arrow are raining down on us while we wrestle
We are going for the heart. We do this with the word of God
The fruit of the Spirit - where is the anger, where is the caustic language, where are the harsh and hateful words. These are the weapons of the enemy.
26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,
3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked.
4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.
8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.
12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart.
13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.
14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;
15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.