06 12th Sunday after Pentecost

            Ephesians 6:10-20.  What a great text, isn’t it?  It is really very cool.  So let’s take a little time to dig into it a bit.   As you read this or hear it, what stands out most?  What is it about this text that strikes you?  It is a text rich in imagery.  Kind of like an object lesson or a children’s sermon.  It wouldn’t have been hard for Paul to come up with this one, because he would most likely have been looking at guards as he was writing this letter from prison.  The picture Paul paints here really stands out for me.  But as I spent some time studying these verses I noticed something different.  Not only do they paint a picture of the armor of the Roman soldier, but they also draw for descriptions of the Messiah in the Scriptures.  So he is to be kept in mind as well, and that just fits, because we are told to be strong in God’s power.  That is we cannot do this on our own.  But through him, we can do all things. 

These  verses are about preparation.  What do you prepare for?  How do you do that?  This evening I have enlisted the help of my friend Travis.   He will be illustrating for me this evening.  Thanks Travis[CERJ1] . 

            So there are different things that we prepare for in our lives, and we prepare for them in different ways.  But we need not think of only those things that happen rarely.  Let’s think about a common ordinary thing.  How do you prepare for your day?  [CERJ2] Well Travis, usually people wait until we are further into the sermon to fall asleep[CERJ3] .  Right I got it, the illustration thing.  Ok.  So Travis is saying that first you have to wake up[CERJ4] ?  Well, how about you?  What are some things that you do as part of your preparation for your day?  [CERJ5]   How does it feel when you have to miss part of this routine, or it gets rushed?  It kind of throws you off, and then the rest of your day, just isn’t right.[CERJ6]   So it is important to properly prepare.  Would you all agree? 

            How much more so is this true then as we prepare ourselves to live as Christians?  I think this is a little bit different.  It can be part of our daily routine, but how often is it?  The fact is that it should be an important part of our day.  Luther said that every day we are to remember our baptisms.  “[Baptism] signifies that the old creature in us with all sins and evil desires is to be drowned and die through daily contrition and repentance, and on the other hand that daily a new person is to come forth and rise up to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.”  This is a good daily habit to have, remembering your baptism.  It is a good way to prepare yourself to live through your day as a Christian. 

            In this text in Ephesians, Paul addresses this topic as well.  “Be strong in the lord and in his mighty power” he writes.  Well how do we do that?  Paul answers that question.  Put on the full armor of God.  It is in the armor of God that we are strong in the Lord and mighty in his power.  What is the purpose, I mean why bother?  Because God’s armor enables us to stand against the devil’s schemes.  If you think that we struggle against flesh and blood you are mistaken, rather our struggle is against rulers, against authorities, against the power of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  We aren’t fighting people, we are fighting spiritual forces. 

            Now this is something to be approached with an appropriate amount of balance.  On the one had we don’t want to be quick to dismiss this as superstition that does not apply to our world today.  On the other hand we do not need to be so caught up in fear and paranoia that we cannot function.  Know that this is a reality but that it is also a reality that we are able to be strong in our God and in his mighty power so that we can stand against this.  So put on the full armor of God. 

            Travis, can you help me with this one?[CERJ7]  Good.  Thanks.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist[CERJ8] , with the breastplate of righteousness in place[CERJ9] .  That isn’t quite it Travis.  This belt is most likely something that would have been worn under the armor, more like a leather apron.  It would have secured the clothing under the armor.  So it is kind of the foundation of the armor.  Travis do you have anything better in that box?[CERJ10]   Yeah that is much better.  Listen to Isaiah 11, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse…The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him…and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.  He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth… Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.”  In Isaiah 59:17, God himself is symbolically described as putting on a breastplate of righteousness when he goes forth to bring about justice.  Jesus is the righteous one.  He is the one who makes us righteous.  That is, through him and for his sake, we have God’s approval. Not our works, but Jesus’ makes this possible, and this is the foundation of the armor of God.  It guards our hearts so that they may not become weak in the midst of the attacks.  Doubts can be raised about your righteousness, and my righteousness, but there are no doubts about the righteousness of Jesus.  And he gives that to you and me, so that our hearts may not be troubled.

            And with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace[CERJ11] .  This speaks to the foundation upon which we stand.  We do not stand on our own holiness, or piety.  We do not stand on our good works or how nice we are, but we stand on the gospel of peace.  The good news that says that God has reconciled us to himself in Jesus.  We have peace with God.  And if God is for us, who can be against us?  [CERJ12] That’s good Travis.  That is a good reminder of this point.  Jesus said that the one who builds their house on his teachings is like a person building a house on a rock.  Both stand on solid foundations.

            In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.[CERJ13]   Travis, do you think that will really protect you from flaming arrows[CERJ14] ?  I don’t think that will work either.  You see our faith works like a shield because it absorbs the attacks.  It stops the arrow from hitting you.  In Rome these were large wooden shields that were covered with leather that had been soaked in water.  So that the arrows would be extinguished.  Now I know that we often talk about our faith in terms of measurement.  If you have enough faith then… and you can fill in the blank.  If you have enough faith…  But if you read into that here, you can end up with an idea that says if I have enough faith than I won’t be touched by the arrows of the enemy.  And though that is true, it can be taken further so that you think, if I have enough faith I won’t be attacked by the enemy.  And then when the attack comes what are you left with?

            This is not how we want to understand faith.  Faith is the hand that holds on to the promises of our Lord.  Faith says that even when the rest of the world around me falls apart, I know that I still have God and his promises and nothing can take that from me.  Not even deat[CERJ15] h. Very good Travis.  The water is a reminder of baptism.  One of the ways that God gives us and strengthens our faith.  Excellent. 

            Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  This brings us back to Isaiah 59:17     where it pictures God putting on a helmet of salvation[CERJ16] .  I don’t think so.  The helmet protects the head.  Salvation is a fact.  So, even though I can’t prove this, I think that the helmet of salvation is knowing that we have that salvation.  It is a fact and a fact that applies to me.  God saved me through the death and resurrection of Jesus.  And knowing that sure changes what others say or think about me, how I think about myself.  Because I have this gift.  It really changes how I see the world and act toward the world, because not only am I saved from something, saved from death and separation from God, but I am saved for something, saved to be God’s love to the world around me.  Saved for service.  Served so that I can serve.  That’s a pretty good helmet.

            The sword of the Spirit[CERJ17] . Close 4, but not quite.  The sword of the spirit is the word of God.  And we use it, not to attack each other, although Scripture is useful for teachings, and correcting, it says nothing about attacking one another.  Rather we use it to ward off the attacks of our enemy.  Not in some magical mystical way, but in the same way Jesus did as he was tempted in the wilderness.  You know the story.  What happened?  Yet you can’t use God’s word for this if you don’t know God’s word.  That is why it is so important to be in it on a daily basis. 

            And having dawned the armor of God we are prepared to pray.  To be alert and to pray for God’s people.  Because we are in this together, and we need to be lifting up one another and caring for each other.

            Well, we’ve talk about this spiritual preparation and that we need to do, but I never did get around to saying just how we put the armor of God on.  So do you want to know how to do it?  It is easy.  You already have it.  God has placed all these things on you.  It is his armor, and he holds it in place.  Now we can choose how often we use it, but the fact is God has already given it to us in his grace. 

            So when the attacks of the enemy come, not if, but when, know that you have a powerful armor that surrounds you, so that you are able to stand firm and to stand in the power of our God.  That is his great love and mercy for you.  And may it be for you a source of comfort and strength.  Amen.

 [CERJ1]Travis gives a friendly wave.

 [CERJ2]Travis points one finger up, to show that he has an idea.  He goes over to couch and lays down, and pretends to sleep.

 [CERJ3]Travis gives a dirty look.

 [CERJ4]Travis stretches and yawns and gets up off the couch.

 [CERJ5]As the congregation shares items, Travis acts them out.  Expect things like showering, eating breakfast, praying, reading the news paper. 

 [CERJ6]Travis stumbles around a bit to show that he is a bit off.

 [CERJ7]Travis holds up box, without revealing the contents and while holding the box, he is nodding his head.

 [CERJ8]Travis pulls out a belt.

 [CERJ9]Travis pulls out a dinner plate.

 [CERJ10]Travis pulls out a cross.

 [CERJ11]Travis pulls out a pair of shoes.

 [CERJ12]Travis pulls out a picture of Jesus.

 [CERJ13]Travis pulls out a toy shield, and he holds it up.

 [CERJ14]Travis puts up finger as if to say, “Good point.”  Then he reaches back into the box and pulls out an umbrella and opens it.

 [CERJ15]Travis pulls out a jar of water and swishes the water around.

 [CERJ16]Travis pulls out a bicycle helmet.

 [CERJ17]Travis pulls out light saber.