Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost 9/2/12

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost 9/2/12 Text: Ephesians 6:10–20 Title: Together We Stand, Divided We Fall. Though most of the summer we have been going through Paul’s letter to the Christians at Ephesus. And while the Christians that Paul is writing to were living in a mostly pagan city this letter applies to us today just as much as it did to them, for while we are not living in a pagan city we are living in post Christian times when other religions, if any at all, take precedence over Christianity. Paul after stressing God’s grace in providing their salvation through Jesus in chapters 1–3, laid out a blueprint for how Christians are to live their lives in chapters 4–5, all the time reminding them that since Jesus is light they are the light of Jesus and thus not the same as those of darkness. He then begins our Epistle reading for this morning with the word “finally,” as he vividly depicts the formidable forces of evil, and the protection and power Christ provides for the redeemed. He does this because the Christian life is life of doing battle with the powers of Satan and he knows that without the armor of God we would fall in battle. You might not think that you are involved in spiritual warfare. If you do, you have already lost at least battle with Satan, for he knows that when you think that way, you have laid aside the armor of God that God has given to you to use in battling Satan in all of his sneaky ways; one of which is lie “once saved, always saved.” that so many Christians rely on. He loves Christians who rely on that belief, for he can generally sneak them away from God and his wonderful gift of salvation. “Go ahead and sin, you can always repent later.” he says. While there is truth in what he says what he leaves out is that in doing purposeful sin you might harden your heart so much that you will not repent. My dear fellow disciples of Jesus, we are in a spiritual war because the Christian belief that we are in need of salvation and that a person must love God above all things and love your neighbor as yourself is repugnant to those who don’t believe in Jesus. It is repugnant or it might be better to say foolishness to them because humans being the highest form of animal on earth answer to no one except themselves and loving others like yourself will make you a loser. The Christians’ life is therefore of necessity a life of battle with the powers of Satan. While we might see others as those we must do battle with, we need to always remember that it is Satan and his fellow demons that are our unseen and ever-present enemy. The battle is not just a defensive battle, but also an offensive battle, not to be fought with weapons of this earth, but with God’s powerful Word, as Martin Luther wrote, “It is not enough that we defend ourselves against the devil with faith and hope as our shield and helmet, but we must also draw the sword and go for him with such insistence that he must fall back and flee, and we thus obtain the victory over him; the Word of God is this weapon.” The problem is that many people I am afraid, even many that consider themselves to be Christians do not take this spiritual battle against Satan, or the devil, as most people know him, seriously. It is nothing new, for he wants us to think he is not real and thus we don’t have to take him seriously, for after all we are told that God has won the battle for us. I remember a television show staring Flip Wilson where the character he played would say when he got into trouble, “The devil made me do it.” It was funny, but unfortunately it led to people thinking that a real devil tempting humans to say or do bad things to be an old religious superstition. When the devil is thought of not being real, but is only thought of as way to explain evil, then the existence of God becomes only a way to explain good. But those who have read their Bible know that the devil is real, and very dangerous. God warns us to be alert, as we are told in 1 Peter 5:8-9, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.” We are in the midst of a real spiritual battle. The battle is for our souls and bodies. It is a matter of eternal life or death. Satan is deadly to our souls and bodies. Standing up to Satan on our own is foolishness, but standing up to Satan with the fellow people of God; standing side by side armed with shield of faith, the belt of truth, the breastplate of Jesus’ righteousness, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is God’s Word that correctly divides right and wrong. And last but not least putting on, just as shoes for our feet protect our feet from harm the readiness given by the gospel of peace gives us a firm foundation for doing spiritual battle, for we are told in Romans 10:15, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" Just as soldiers are rarely successful in doing battle alone Christians need to remember that battles are won when they are joined to other Christians who are willing and able with God’s help to do spiritual battle against Satan and his army of liars. Beware of trying to go alone, no matter how strong you think you are, or how much scripture you might know. God says to be strong in him and his might, for he works in ways we cannot see. God’s holy army of angels surround us ready to help in our spiritual battles when they are called upon. A great example of God’s invisible mighty force that surrounds us God had recorded for us in 2 Kings 6:14-17 where we see a mighty Syrian army surrounding the City of Dotham where Elisha was staying, so that he could capture him and have him killed. “When the servant of the man of God (Elisha) rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" Elisha said, "Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." Then Elisha prayed and said, "O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see." So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” The biblical account ends with the Syrian army being defeated after God struck them blind. God protected his people that day just as he protects those who remain faithful to him today. Remember it is not crafty humans with whom we contend. We’re confronted by spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm. That’s why we need to be alert to what this text teaches, aware of our need for the whole armor, and appreciative that God offers it to us. This war cost the life of God’s own Son. Jesus Christ died on the cross to defeat the devil and to be able to clothe us with the armor of his own righteousness. While Jesus has already won the war for us, battles will still rage until he returns again. In gratitude for his supreme sacrifice, we gladly fight on his side. God tells us to stand firm, together protected by the spiritual equipment he provides. When the boy David met with Saul before doing battle with Goliath Saul meant well in offering David the king’s ill-fitting armor, but that wasn’t what David needed. He was victorious because he trusted only in God’s protection. The spiritual armor which David relied on is the same spiritual armor we are to rely on for God’s armor is tailor-made and all-sufficient for every individual believer. Just as a soldier must be not only equipped with the proper armor and weapons he or she must be in communication with his commander. We too must be in direct contact with our commander God, lest we fall to a sudden attack by the spiritual forces that surround us. This prayer is not the frantic prayer of the soldier in the foxhole who is afraid of being killed, but the prayer that is in the Spirit, for effective, fervent prayer is impossible without the Spirit’s involvement, as we are told in verse eighteen, “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.” Let us leave this place today going forward together to do battle, as we are told in Ephesians 6:12, “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.” Prayerfully supporting each other in prayer clothed in the armor of Christ. Grateful to Jesus Christ, who promises that we will share in his victory, we daily fight on his side. And by his grace we will stand firm until God takes us out of this world, out of Satan’s reach, to be with him in glory forever. Amen