July 30, 2000 - LESSON: Ephesians 6.10-13

SERMON TITLE: Armor All

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INTRODUCTION:

1. Nursing student Priscilla Wiggin recounts this story: ⁽¹⁾
1. While on vacation on the island of St. John's, my sister, her date and a groovy clergy couple went to an outdoor dance bar on a beach. Everyone was having a lovely time.
2. On the gravel road next to the dance area, an unattended cab suddenly rolled into a pickup truck, denting the truck's fender.
1. The truck's owner, a big, strong and drunk carpenter, saw what happened.
2. He shoved the skinny cabby to the sand.
3. The cabby apologized, promising to fix the dent.
3. The carpenter didn't care.
4. He hauled up the cabby and heaved him into a chair.
5. Snatching a beer bottle by its neck, the carpenter raised it, intending to smash it against the man's head.
6. As the carpenter began his swing, the dancing clergyguy leapt as quick as a gecko between them - startling the carpenter, who paused his attack.
7. The band stopped playing. No one danced. Everyone watched.
8. "Get outta my way," bellowed the carpenter.
9. "No," said the clergyguy. "To get to him, you'll have to come through me."
10. It was an odd scene. The carpenter outweighed the clergyguy by 80 pounds. The pastor stood shoulder first to the carpenter, head turned toward him, hands relaxed by his sides, eyes locked on his. He followed the carpenter, who swelled his chest with air and huffed and puffed, red-faced, as he angrily strutted back and forth.
11. "Get outta my way!"
12. "No."
13. Finally...frustrated, faced with a stand off and surely confused by the conduct of this smaller man who patiently stood his ground...the carpenter stomped off, then drove away.
14. The band played. People danced.
15. The cabby warmly shook his savior's hand and thanked him with a cold beer.
16. Priscilla Wiggin says her sister asked the clergyguy why he did it.
1. He answered, "I've had trouble with bullies, so I've practiced martial arts for three years, and if it came to it, if I had to, I'd have whipped his butt.
2. But I hoped and prayed to God I wouldn't have to."

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MAIN BODY:

1. We are not dealing with an intoxicated carpenter who is attempting to demonstrate his physical power.
1. The Christian is wrestling with something more sinister and much darker than a human being.
2. Although human beings are involved.
3. What are we wrestling with?
1. Ephesians 6:12
1. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh,
2. but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness,
3. against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
2. These are extremely powerful forces and beyond the capacity of any human being to successfully overcome.
2. What we need are the ingredients of giftedness provided by God to overcome.
1. Bill Rafuse, a colleague who pastors a Congregational Church in Rapid River, Michigan sent me the following story by e-mail.

Grandma and the Cake

A little boy is telling his Grandma how "everything" is going wrong. School, family problems, severe health problems, etc.

Meanwhile, Grandma is baking a cake.

She asks her grandson if he would like a snack, which of course he does.

"Here, have some cooking oil."

"Yuck" says the boy.

"How about a couple raw eggs? "

"Gross, Grandma!"

"Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?"

"Grandma, those are all yucky!"

To which Grandma replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!

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1. We need all the ingredients to create a wonderfully delicious life.
2. Remember that we are wrestling not with flesh and blood.
3. Ephesians 6:12: We are wrestling
1. against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness,
2. against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
1. In our personal lives?
2. In our corporate lives?
1. To deal with these dark and sinister forces we are offered armor.
1. Paul offers armor.
2. If you are going to make a cake you need all the ingredients.
3. If you are going to be successful in overcoming the forces of evil you need all the armor.
2. It is also important to note that these components are not defensive.
1. We are not to cower in a corner and complain of the difficulties or the conflicts.
2. We are not to run away and leave the conflict for the other.
3. The armor is offensive.
1. When Jesus was leaving he told his disciples to go out into all the world and proclaim the good news.
1. (Matthew 28:18-20 NRSV) And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
2. In the Gospel of John we are reminded that this would be a perilous situation.
3. (John 16:32-33 NRSV) The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. [33] I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!"

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1. When Jesus met Paul on the road to Damascus he told him that (Acts 9:4-6 NRSV) He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" [5] He asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The reply came, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. [6] But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do."
1. (Acts 9:10-22 NRSV) Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." He answered, "Here I am, Lord." [11] The Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, [12] and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight." [13] But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; [14] and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name." [15] But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; [16] I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." [17] So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." [18] And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, [19] and after taking some food, he regained his strength. For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, [20] and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God." [21] All who heard him were amazed and said, "Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?" [22] Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah.

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1. Paul knows about armor.
1. (Acts 9:23-25 NRSV) After some time had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, [24] but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night so that they might kill him; [25] but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
1. What armor is it possible for us to possess and use?
1. The armor and it use is outlined in Ephesians 6:10-13
1. 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power.
1. Strong in the Lord
2. Strength of his power
2. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
3. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
4. 14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and
5. put on the breastplate of righteousness.
6. 15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace.
7. 16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
8. 17 Take the helmet of salvation, and
9. the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
10. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication.

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1. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.
1. You need them all for satisfaction
2. You need them all for protection

CONCLUSION:

1. In Edith Hamilton's, Mythology ⁽²⁾ is a story that clearly illustrates the need to fully protect one's self from the dangers posed by the enemy.
1. "Balder was the most beloved of the gods, on earth as in heaven. His death was the first of the disasters which fell upon the gods. One night he was troubled with dreams which seemed to foretell some great danger to him. When his mother, Frigga, the wife of Odin, heard this she determined to protect him from the least chance of danger. She went through the world and exacted an oath from everything, all things with life and without life, never to do him harm. But Odin still feared. He rode down to 'Niflheim, the world of the dead, where he found the dwelling of HELA, or HEL, the Goddess of the Dead, all decked out in festal array. A Wise Woman told him for whom the house had been made ready: -

The mead has been brewed for Balder.

The hope of the high gods has gone.

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1. "Odin knew then that Balder must die, but the other gods believed that Frigga had made him safe.
2. They played a game 'accordingly which gave them much pleasure. They would try to hit Balder, to throw a stone at him or hurl a dart or shoot an arrow or strike him with a sword, but always the weapons fell short of him or rolled harmlessly away. Nothing would hurt Balder. He seemed raised above them by this strange exemption and all honored him for it, except one only, Loki.
3. Loki was not a god, but the son of a Giant, and wherever he came trouble followed. He continually involved the gods in difficulties and dangers, but he was allowed to come freely to Asgard because for some reason never explained 0din had sworn brotherhood with him. He always hated the good, and he was jealous of Balder.
4. Loki determined to do his best to find some way of injuring him. He went to Frigga disguised as a woman and entered into talk with her. Frigga told him of her journey to ensure Balder's safety and how everything bad sworn to do him no harm. Except for one little shrub, she said, the mistletoe, so insignificant she bad passed it by.
5. "That was enough for Loki. He got the mistletoe and went with it to where the gods were amusing themselves. Hoder, Balder's brother, who was blind, sat apart. 'Why not join in the game?' asked Loki. 'Blind as I am?' said Hoder. 'And with nothing to throw at Balder, either?' 'Oh, do your part,' Loki said. 'Here is a twig. Throw it and 1 will direct your aim.' Hoder took the mistletoe and hurled it with all his strength. Under Loki's guidance it sped to Balder and pierced his heart. Balder fell to the ground dead."
1. Without God's armor what chance does a mere mortal, human being have?
2. With it is possible to be fully protected