Assignment Understood - Ephesians 6:10-17

Introduction

The phrase “you understood the assignment, assignment understood” or some variation of that was originally posted on Twitter on March 12th, 2021. Four images were posted of the actress by the name of Uma Thurman in various roles she has played in the world of movies and theatre. The Twitter user wrote that “Uma Thurman will always understand the assignment.” He was speaking of her ability to play any role given from Kill Bill to Batman & Robin in an excellent manner doing the character in which she plays much justice. Since then the phrase has become ever so popular garnering millions of people using the term “you understood the assignment” or some variation to compliment someone who has overwhelmingly done something or worn an outfit to a function and posted a picture that simply was without flaw and could not be undone. This phrase has even been put made into a song by an artist I had not even heard of prior to studying for this sermon named Tay Money. The key phrase in her song is “I understood the assignment.” Now I am in no means endorsing this song or what it stands for - I actually encourage you not to go and listen to it!

Just a few weeks ago I had a personal experience in the contrary. I had an assignment due for a class and I have always prided myself on being a good and thoughtful writer. I wrote a paper where I was to evaluate a presupposition as it relates to Pastoring in light of a Christian Worldview. I chose a topic, wrote and submitted the paper. A few days later, I received a notification that the paper had been graded. I hold myself to high standards and so I am always eager to see I did well. I log in and see I have received an F on the paper. So I’m circling in my mind saying I know I wrote the paper and I know I submitted the paper on time. What could be the problem? I sent an email to the professor and come to find out I had misunderstood the assignment.

And the truth is sometimes in this life we fail not purposefully but we fail by not understanding the assignment.

Explanation

The apostle Paul in Ephesians 6 helps us to understand the assignment.

He begins in verse 10 as draws to a close of the book, finally, my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. He literally means there to be strengthened in the Lord. This signifies that the believer is united or yoked together with Christ. In other words I can’t be strong without Christ. In other words, God being the all-seeing and the all-knowing one knew that you would have things in your life that would try to overtake you and so He gave us His son Christ Jesus to be our strength and strength like no other. One of the things we don’t understand and often forget that the apostle Paul is trying to explain to us is when we become one of the saved, one who identifies as a Christian; we have become soldiers enlisted in a war! And some of us often have a flawed picture of what it means to be a Christian forgetting that among the emblems of Christianity involve a cross, a crown of thorns, nails, a pierced side, and blood! Meaning before there is a crown received their is a cross to bear. There is a war before there is victory. And the war will last until Jesus comes back!

How can we be strengthened in the Lord we must put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. It is important to know that God through Jesus Christ has already defeated satan. Satan is defeated foe. Yet satan kind of how Maxine Waters said “she’s reclaiming her time,” satan is on the job trying to throw the body of Christ off course to stop you from trusting and obeying what God has said. The hymn writer understood it best when he said trust and obey for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey. Satan is trying to keep you from obedience to and trust in what God has said! And the reason why Paul admonishes us to put on this armor is because as Genesis 3:1 told us the serpent is the more crafty than any living creature. And that same satan, Jesus told Peter in Luke 22:31 desires to sift us as wheat. But we don’t need to understand every plot and scheme of the enemy in order to be ready. When we have on our armour we are always ready! Paul here is in prison and he is likely chained to a Roman soldier. So in his confinement he has likened the garments of the Roman soldier to that of his life as a Christian soldier. And just as Paul is likely chained to that soldier so the people of God must be so chained to Christ.

Paul continues on here for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this present world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. These are all the places and positions where satan will come at the people of God - therefore we are warned and subsequently ready for battle. In other words, the enemy is going to do everything he can to tempt you and in tempting you he is really sifting you to pull things out of you that are not of God.

But the good news is when you are armored you’ve got divine protection against the plots and schemes of the enemy! It means that since I know that the enemy is going to come for me every chance he gets - I’ve daily got to understand not his assignment but I’ve got to understand my assignment and make sure I am covered!

Paul even says it again wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. In saying practically the same thing twice Paul is really trying to let us know trouble is going to come but if you’ve got on your armor you don’t have to worry!

Paul again in repetition for the third time admonishes the believer STAND. Signifying to us that while he is telling us we must put on armor the armor is to protect us, cover us, and help us to remain upright in posture… and while we understand we are in a war - we are not going on the defensive to attack the devil and his forces. Jesus did that once and for all that’s why this same Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:57 thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Christ Jesus. That means satan has already been defeated and as long as you understand the assignment you can stand, be grounded in the victory that Christ has one on our behalf.

So he tells us stand putting on the belt of truth. The Roman soldier wore a long garment under his armor and so the belt was to hold the long garment up to prevent the guard from stumbling. And I’ve got to pause to ask you a question this morning what is truth? We live in a world and generation that says you’ve got to live your truth. Meaning that truth has become relative. But if you live your truth you’ve got on the wrong belt and you have not understood the assignment and you’re bound to trip and fall! But when you can recognize that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life! Then you’ve got the belt on that will hold you together and keep you from falling. Jude backed Paul up when he said now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling! If your truth is not aligned with the truth in God’s word you will become your own idol and start trusting your own abilities and obeying your own desires! But when your truth is tied to the absolute truth of God you won’t be prone to stumble!

I could stay right there but I’ve got to move on. He said and put on the breastplate of righteousness. I thought it very interesting that Paul would mention the belt and the breastplate at the same time. But the breastplate covers the heart and the Psalmist said in Psalm 119:11 “thy word have I hid in my heart.” That means that truth must move beyond what I read in the word, beyond what I hear from the preacher and move to penetrate my heart. For as my heart is filled with the truth of God’s word the breastplate of righteousness will guard the truth that I have filled my heart with! The breastplate symbolizes that because I am in Christ and Christ is in me I have been declared righteous and that righteousness covers me! When God has declared me righteous, and I have filled my heart with the truth of God’s word righteous living can flow out of me! My righteousness is as filthy rags but God through Jesus Christ added the righteousness of Christ to be account and He will now guard what He has placed in me!

Then Paul says you’ve got to put your gospel shoes on. In the early days of World War II, the soldiers were said to be dealing with cold temperatures that were largely affecting the soldiers ability to stay healthy enough to fight. They were dealing with frostbite to the point that they could not walk. So the army had to quickly come up with a solution called the shoepac. The shoepac was designed to help ensure that perspiration vapor escaped to reduce the risk of frostbite. In other words, when you’re going into battle you’ve got to have on the right shoes. I love how Paul puts this he says the shoes of the preparation of the Gospel of peace. This says that when we put on the shoes we have a firm footing in peace. That means that in every situation regardless of how rough or tough it seems I can maintain peace that surpasses all understanding because my peace is not tied to who is in my life, it is not tied to my stuff. Because when that joker walks out on me or when the snatch man comes to get my stuff then I have no peace. But Ephesians 2:14 tells us He himself is our peace! And I’ve got to put on the shoes of peace to have a firm footing in peace to someone who won’t fail, who won’t leave me, who won’t forsake me, who won’t turn his back on me. And some of us struggle with a lack of peace today because we have sunken our feet and thus our peace into everything else but God.

I’ve got to move on I’m running out of time. Then Paul says take the shield of faith so that you’ll be able to quench fiery darts. When the Roman soldier would fight they were dealing with darts that were dipped in pitch and then set on fire. But the wooden shield of the soldier was covered in leather that would quickly quench the fire. Life is going to throw fiery darts at your faith. A bad report from the doctor will throw a fiery dart at your faith that seems like it will change the trajectory of your very life. But in all you go through you’ve got to hold your faith up and never lay it aside. Faith is your fire extinguisher to extinguish doubt, extinguish fear, extinguish worry, extinguish unbelief. Sometimes what we see is contrary to what God promised but we’ve got to learn to hold on to the promise in faith. You’ve got to hold unwaveringly to your faith for the One who has promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:23). I don’t care how bad the attack seems faith will remind you it may have formed but it won’t prosper!

If you’re going to understand the assignment you’ve got to take the helmet of salvation. I love that word take. I’m almost through. It means that you’ve got to receive it. Salvation is a free gift for every man, woman, boy and girl. You’ve got to take up the helmet of salvation to cover your mind! Upon a little research I discovered that in a state where there are no universal helmet laws, there are 10 times more fatalities than places that have helmet laws. So a state that has universal helmet laws may have 170 fatalities a year compared to one with no laws is likely to have 1700. Therefore it can be resolved it is worth wearing a helmet. The helmet stands to guard the head which is the epicenter of the human body other than the heart because of the mind that controls body functions. Interestingly enough that Paul ends with the mind. Because the enemy will try and get into your head and tell you your not saved, and try to blow you around with all wind of doctrine. But when I’ve got on the helmet of salvation I know that I am saved by His power divine. I am saved through new life sublime. My life now is sweet and my joy is complete because I’m saved, saved, saved! And I know you’re glad you got a good job with benefits. I know you’ve got a nice house, nice car, the latest tennis shoes, iPhone and everything else. And that’s all good but is anybody still glad to be saved? Oh yes, I was on my way to a burning hell but God reached down and he saved me. He put the helmet of salvation on me to protect and perfect what God has begun in me. If my head is not protected with the helmet of salvation then my mind might become susceptible to everything the enemy tries to throw at my mind! But I’ve been covered because I am saved! John 10:28, Jesus said And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. That means what God has transformed he has now safeguarded so no matter what the enemy throws my way I’m covered!

I can’t forget the sword of the spirit. Paul had to further explain that the sword of the Spirit is the word of God. This literally means that the word belongs to the Spirit. The sword of the Spirit in the hands of the soldier means that I’ve got the power to fight back. Not against flesh and blood… but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Since the Word belongs to the Spirit when something is trying to come up against me when I use the word against it I’m not fighting but the Word is fighting for me. The Bible says in John 14:26 that the Holy Spirit will bring the Word back to my remembrance. I’m reminded in Matthew 4:1-11 Jesus goes to the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And he just spoke the word. And the Holy Spirit will aid you and I to speak the word! You can’t cover your mind with the helmet of salvation without the Word that’s why I believe Paul had to put these two together. But when God puts the sword in your hand you’ve got to follow the instructions of 2 Timothy 2:15 and rightly divide the word of truth! You’ve got to get in your word and know what the Bible says from the author. That’s the only way you can be effective with the sword!

Closing

I’ve reached the close of my sermon and I’ve got to know now does anybody understand the assignment? Are you ready for battle? Do you have on your armor? I remember David in 1 Samuel 17 when he went up against Goliath - Saul the rejected king had offered David his armor and he said I cannot fight in armor I have not tested. If you understand the assignment then you’re not waiting until you get to battle to test out your armor. But you’ll be armored at all times because you understand the assignment. And when you’re armored at all times you don’t have to wait until the battle is over because you understand the assignment all in all is to stand! And so you don’t have to wait until the battle is over to praise Him. You can praise Him now because the battle has been fought and the victory has already been won!