Finally
Question of the day: Other than the bible, what is the most personally impactful book you have read recently.
Today we are in one of the most famous passages in Ephesians. Entire books or even entire bible studies are based on this small passage that we will look at today. I am not sure if we will get through this lesson this week. We may take our time and go through it slowly. This may be a lesson we look at for the next couple weeks. We will not try to get through it but will just take our time and go with the flow!
READ: Ephesians 6: 10-14
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
Did anything new stand out to you in this passage this morning?
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I want us to not look at this passage as a stand alone passage. We often do. This passage is a book all on its own, or a sermon series, but today I want us to remember what it is coming after.
Take a moment and review.
God's great love for you.
He chose you.
Died for you.
Lavishes abundant grace on you.
Is bringing ALL together as ONE!
Calling us to a life without gossip, but full of uplifting kind words that build each other up.
Calling us to serve one another and submit to one another.
It is a radical crazy ask!
Now this....
This is Paul acknowledging that we are in a sinful world where you are going to be in a battle, a war. However, he doesn't just give us an out because of the war, he gives us the HOW!
What I love so much about this book, is that it is so completely and beautifully balanced. Or maybe balanced isn't the right word, maybe complete, or full. It lets us know that we can't do anything on our own, (Ephesians 2:8- "8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast."
So it isn't us and yet he is asking or telling us how we need to live... So now the FINALLY.
Finally, this may seem impossible but.... here is how.
This is sooooo important. When we say know Love, live Love, share Love, we often think about the first part, the "not by works," part, but the God has a remarkable RIGHT HERE AND NOW way of living that will bring unexplainable joy and peace no matter how challenging the battle is. God wants more for you than just a "someday." He wants your life now to be one of victory and healing, transformation and joy, LOVE! Paul makes it all so beautifully clear and now gives us the how!
STAND: Did you notice stand?
What does it mean to stand?
How important is standing?
In basketball there is a strategy that involves standing, planting yourself and drawing a foul. (I will let you guys explain and run with that analogy.)
Is that what this is saying?
STRUGGLE: How important is it for us to realize what we are struggling against?
In the movie the war room, it highlighted the fact that often we think about fighting with our spouse, or our boss, or our church, but really what are we struggling with?
If we are going to concur the enemy or win the battle we have to know who we are fighting, right?
HIS: I think it is vital to note that we are putting on HIS armor. That it is HIS power that will defeat the enemy not us.
HIS armor.
What does armor do?
What is the point?
Why is this such a great illustration?
BELT: Look, I don't wear belts. I actually hate them, and as a woman, they are primarily used as a fashion statement to accentuate a waist that I don't have, so I avoid them at all cost. So I had to really contemplate this one.
So instead of the fashion belts we often think of and wear, I want you to think of the back support belts that people wear when weight lifting or while working at Home Depot. The belts that were part of the armor that Paul is using as an illustration here, were more like a girdle. It was intended to give the core strength. So ladies think of Spanx on steroids and men the weight lifting belt.
Andrew, our son who is a physical therapist, concludes that without fail, if you are having an issue it all goes back to not having a strong core. Have an issue with your ankles, strengthen you core! Have an issue with your shoulders, strengthen your core... and on and on.
The Belt is there to give a strong core. To give a strong foundation for everything else! Without the core you have nothing!
BREASTPLATE: The breastplate is often what one thinks of when they think of Armor. It is the metal plate that covers the entire mid section. It protects the vital organs most importantly the heart.
The breastplate or righteousness.
What does this word righteousness mean?
- In a broad sense: state of him who is as he out to be, righteousness, the condition acceptable to God.
- the doctrine concerning the way in which man may attain a state approved of God.
- integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking feeling , and acting
- In a narrower sense, justice or the virtue which gives each his due
How is righteousness the breastplate that protects us?
Are we righteous?
How do we have any righteousness?
How can I ever be in a condition that is acceptable to God?
Remember Paul starts this by making it clear this is HIS Armor. So this is HIS plate of Righteousness, right?
What does that protect?
Do we have a part in this?
What does it mean to put on the breastplate of righteousness? What is the putting it on look like?
Do our actions play a part here?
The armor is supposed to ultimately do what?
This is part of the armor that makes it possible for us to live in a way that honors God. It isn't our works that is the armor but HIS. HOWEVER it is HIS armor ALL of it that makes it possible for us to LIVE in a way that honors and glorifies HIM! That keeps us from boasting and gives him all the glory!
We will finish this section next week.
I want to challenge you this week to bath yourself in truth and daily moment by moment accept HIS righteousness.
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