Sermon Tone Analysis

Put Your Helmet On

Ephesians 6:10–24 (NLT)

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil.

Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.

Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.

For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.

In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.

Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion.

Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

And pray for me, too.

Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike.

I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador.

So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.

To bring you up to date, Tychicus will give you a full report about what I am doing and how I am getting along.

He is a beloved brother and faithful helper in the Lord’s work.

I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you.

Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness.

May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.

About every two years I will rewatch Saving Private Ryan.

For anyone who lived in the 20th century at all, understanding the second world war is vital to understanding the world it shaped.

D-day was a culmination of 6 years of war across Europe and around the world....but the Americans landing on the beaches of Normandy had only been a part of the war for 2 and a half years.

Our country was sitting on the sidelines, supporting the allies with the lend-lease act and pretending that our moat of oceans around us would protect us from the war raging across 3 continents.....but pretending that the battle wasn’t happening, didn’t change the reality on the ground.

London was being bombed to smitherines.

France was no longer independent.

Italy was lost to German threats.

As much as we wanted to pretend that the war would not effect us....the Japanese foolishly woke up what admiral Yamamoto called: The Sleeping Giant.....

and if that is not a great metaphor for spiritual warfare, I don’t know what is.

The 2 realms:

-Physical

-Spiritual

We live in a materialistic world built on our scientific method of experientialism

and this is a great tactic for post enlightenment western world

-keep us on the sideline.

-rationalism keeps us in our heads not our hearts

-we ignore our bodies, our emotions, our spirits and use our eyes and brain as the only way of knowing.

But there is this other reality that we walk through every day....but we don’t see it....like fish in water.

And it is not neutral

The battle is real.

And Satan often overplays his hand....reaping so much destruction that it awakes God’s people to the battle raging around us.

lion circles its prey and waits until it is weak, slow or not paying attention.

Cats are opportunistic....lazy

This is our enemy.

But he springs into action when there is opportunity.

We don’t get many glimpses into the spiritual realm, when we do, we should pay attention:

Daniel, 21 day fast, waiting for God’s voice to come and explain this vision he had....and this is what was happening.

There is this spiritual battle raging around us in the multiverse that we can’t see.

Physics is giving us language to describe this parallel reality we swim through.

the stakes are high.

-lies keep us imprisoned

-you don’t matter

-you’re on your own

-This is natural

-There is no help coming

-God doesn’t care

-Confusion is normal

-You don’t deserve clarity.

There is an enemy that is silencing and blocking God’s messengers.

-today there is an enemy using our flesh against us

-distraction

-busyness

-pleasure

-fighting the wrong fights

-But we have a secret weapon

-The Holy Spirit’s presence with us (Paraclete)

-The armor is all about the Spirit (God’s Spirit’s) protection of HIs people

14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.

Truth is our essential piece of protection:

-holds us together

-holds our weapons

-We must speak truth

-learning circle constantly

15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.

What gives us freedom?

(movement is freedom)

-Shalom Eirene

-Serve the Good King

-Who will triumph

-Long arc of history bends toward Justice.

16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.

Faith is our defense: Where else can we turn but to God when we are under assault:

Ukraine has 2 options: resist or yield.

There is no middle ground.

You can either put your faith in the words of the Father or succomb to the rule of evil in your life, in our world.

Christian Fatalism....not what we’re talking about.

Life or Death…this is the choice.

Lean into the author of life or embrace the enemy who seeks to kill steal and destroy.

Our faith is Rational.

-Ebenezers....markers in history

-remember God’s faithfulness....stack some rocks....this is our protection from discouragement.

-My own battles with discouragement.

17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

These feel like throw aways at the end....like Paul was finishing the Ensemble....but they have something important to say:

Like first time in a Sumo suit, nothing can touch you.

Why helmets create more concussions in football than rugby without helmets?

-We can fight because we don’t have to fear.

Salvation (God’s ultimate victory is assured, resurrection as our ultimate +1 life)