Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Epistle Lesson just read, from Ephesians 6. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- In my younger days I had opportunity to consider the difficulty of human wars. America was still celebrating victory in WWII, struggling with the outcome of the Korean War, and engaged in the Viet Nam War. War was a common theme in movies and entertainment.
- As a young person, however, it is difficult to sort out the reality from the hoopla. Human wars are a fact of history, a very common occurrence in human affairs. When there is a draft, and your country is immersed in a war, one is required to think more personally and seriously. I had great empathy and respect for those who served, but was also glad the war was winding down when I turned 18.
- As we grow older we understand more completely what war involves – the horrors, the losses, the tragedies. And while we acknowledge that the evil that is in the world necessitates fierce reprisals – even war – we remain repulsed that it has to occur. This should cause sober reflection upon the reality and wretchedness of human sin.
- We consider the church a place of peace – and surely it should be so. After all our Lord and Savior Jesus said that “those who take up the sword shall perish with the sword.” [Matt. 26:52] It seems somewhat incongruous for Jesus to even speak of war – but He uses war in at least one of His parables.
- But Christian life – we think it should be nothing but peace, quietness, and pleasantness. But alas, Christian life is lived in a violent and martial world – and the same evil that causes violent and bloody warfare has aims on us, and especially since we belong to God. So we are confronted in our text with imagery of warfare and encouraged to prepare for battle – not with literal weaponry, but with “the whole armor of God.” And yes, an offensive weapon is included – the “sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.”
- All of this is troubling and perhaps even demoralizing – for we just want to find peace and safety and ease in at least one aspect of life. But just as I had to contemplate war as a young person, we too must contemplate the necessity for spiritual warfare in our life as Christians. And while there are certainly external threats, Jesus makes clear to us that:
I. The Enemy Is Also Within Each Of Us
Gospel Lesson: “There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him. . . . For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
Statement: It was utterly shocking to me when I first contemplated this. I could hardly believe it – that the cause of war, sin, violence, oppression, hatred, and all wickedness in the world – all of this existed within me. Further, I then had to begin thinking about how these evils came out of me and hurt others – and that these evils “defiled” me. I immediately began a life-long process of figuring out how to defend myself against such an accusation – so that I could excuse myself from the sinful “dung-heap” of humanity and distinguish myself as a “good” person. Every one of us does the same thing!
Application: These are not only the Words of God – the Word of Jesus – but these also are “the flaming darts of the evil one.” And the “shield” I was attempting to use was not “the belt of truth” but rather shabby and pathetic lies – self-deceit and hypocrisy. But I became adept at utilizing this human and demonic “armor” – as each of us has. But this armor actually forces the Word of God out of our hearts – and rejects truth, God’s righteousness, faith, and salvation. It panders to the evil of “deceit” that Jesus mentions in the long list of sins that “defile” a person. And there is no “peace” in this – for all who live this way continue to perpetuate and justify the evil violence that they inflict upon others – “evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.”
Transition: So we are called to repentance, and to God’s gracious mercy and forgiveness, and we are called to “change sides” – to be joined to God’s side, to His salvation, and to “war” for His purposes and cause, the cause of good. But this makes us a target for the evil one, and intensifies our “warfare” in this world, and so we need to understand that:
II. The Battle Is Essentially Demonic
Text: “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.”
Statement: Well, we also wrestle against the “flesh and blood” that has joined itself to the demonic forces and powers, but chiefly our warfare is against the enemies of God and good – the devil and his fallen demons.
Application: But we have no native or natural weapons to fight these demons. In fact, on our own – given the condition of our hearts – we can only join and contribute to his cause, the cause of evil. And so we cannot “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” and “stand against the schemes of the devil” on our own. We need the armor and weapons of God – the very things that He supplies to us in Christ Jesus! So God’s Word encourages us to:
III. Understand What We Need To Withstand The Forces Of Evil – The Whole Armor Of God
A. The Belt Of Truth
1. The truth in regard to our sinful hearts, the guilt of our sin defiling us, and our utter lack of good
2. The truth in regard to God’s gracious love, His mercy and forgiveness, His gift of redemption in Christ Jesus, the salvation and eternal life that He has provided for us – which is
B. The Breastplate Of Righteousness – the very righteousness of Christ which God has placed over us, which protects our hearts from all threats, and this is given to us along with
C. The Shoes Of Readiness Given By The Gospel Of Peace
1. Hearing the Word of God’s gracious love
2. Receiving the Sacrament of grace and peace given to us by Jesus, His body and blood for the forgiveness of sins, and this also gives us
D. The Shield Of Faith Which Extinguishes All the Flaming Darts Of The Evil One
1. Faith which grasps God’s clemency, mercy, forgiveness and cleansing of all our sins in Christ’s blood
2. Faith which grasps God’s promises to be with us with His grace, protecting and preserving us from all evil, and this gives us confidence to take
E. The Helmet Of Salvation – the assurance that God has taken us into His hand, and that nothing can separate us from His love in Christ Jesus, that we shall not come into condemnation but have eternal life through faith in Jesus – and
F. We Need The Sword Of The Spirit, Which Is The Word Of God – to attack all evil, and fend off the evil that comes after us; and
G. We Need Prayer – Reliance Upon God’s Help, so that
H. We Have The Spirit Of God Helping Us In All Of These Matters, And In All Aspects Of This Spiritual Warfare – And With His Help No One Can Overcome Us
Statement: Paul indicates that we need to “remain alert with all perseverance” in this warfare – also praying for all the saints. This is just what Moses encouraged the Children Of Israel to do – to listen and integrate God’s Word into their hearts, careful not to add to or take away from God’s Word. The antidote to what Jesus describes as coming out of our hearts is the Word of God which He injects into our hearts – which supplies us with the armor of God that Paul describes, and which we need to withstand evil!
Application: So let us take this seriously – the threat that exists within our hearts and out there in the spiritual cosmos, threats which seek our death and destruction! God has provided us with the armor we need – so that we can “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” So let us put it on each day – and learn to use it as skillfully and effectively as we have learned to use the deceit of our sinful nature. We will not master these skills fully in this life; but God will preserve us as we grow in our skill and will enable us to withstand the devil and His forces!
Conclusion: It still seems odd and out of place to speak of Christian faith and life in such martial and warriorly terms. Perhaps I am by nature a coward, but I would like peace and leisure. However, my sinful nature remains as violent and threatening as ever, as does the devil and his minions in the world. So war it must be!
But thanks and praise be to God that He has already secured the victory in this warfare – in the suffering, death, resurrection, and exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ, our dear Savior. And thanks and praise be to God that in this victory He has also provided us with the whole armor of God – all that we need to persevere and thrive in our spiritual warfare.
We cannot stand on our own – we must surely remember this. The danger is real – we will suffer if we let down our guard. God has given us the armor we need – we are wise to put it on and to learn the art of spiritual warfare. Let us remember that He is our instructor, and will be with us each step of the way on the battlefield of this earthly life! He is the ultimate warrior – and His victories are always good. May He grant each and every one of us plenty of them! Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.