Ephesians - Helmet and Sword

Helmet and Sword

Question of the day: What are you confident about? (Or how would you finish this sentence, "One thing I know for sure is......!

Good morning class.  I hope you all had a Merry Christmas.  We won't be in class with you because we are headed up to Asheville for the baby dedication of Nolan, our grandson. One thing I know for sure is I sure do love my grandson and am so excited to be there!  

Today we are looking at one more verse. 

READ:  Ephesians 6:17

17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

 The helmet.

This Christmas we had 16 people at our home.  It was crazy wonderful!  After opening Christmas presents my nephew wanted to get out and try out a hover board his mom had given him for Christmas but he couldn't go out and try it without a helmet.  She hadn't thought about bringing his bike helmet with her.  He was so excited when Uncle Chris came to the rescue with a motorcycle helmet he had back in a closet some where.  What a site it was watching him tryout the hover board. 

What does a helmet do?
What is it's purpose?

Salvation, how is it a helmet?

Why is it Salvation that protects our head?

Salvation is an interesting topic. 

What did we learn about Salvation earlier in Ephesians?

Ephesians 2 reads...

2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 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. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

What are some truths we must know about about Salvation?

1. We are ______________________ without it.   ___________ In our transgressions and sins.

2.We are deserving of ______________________.

3.  Because of His _____________    __________________  for us..... made us ____________!

4.  For it is by ______________________ you have been saved!

5. IT IS the _______________of God!

Why is it then that we struggle with this so much.  Why do we constantly try to "do good works" in order to feel confident in our Salvation?

Salvation is a free gift.  We get that, we know that.  Perhaps the reason we struggle so much with the works is because we instinctively know that this gift doesn't leave us in the same place that we were before the gift.  Look at it this way.  Remember in chapter 1 of Ephesians that he adopted us.  Well if a child is adopted into a family that loves them and provides for them, they no longer have to live on the streets, they no longer have to wonder where there next meal comes from and they no longer need to be without shoes.  Adoption changes how they live.  Adoption changes what is available to them.

We know that Salvation is a free gift, but it also changes what we have available to us and how we live.  It isn't that he is keeping us, or restricting us, he is offering us and making possible for us to live a life that is beautiful and full. 

When my nephew put on the helmet it made it possible for him to go out and experience the hover board.  He gave him what he needed to freely go out and work on a new skill. 

What am I trying to say here.  Salvation is a free gift, and the reason we keep getting hung up on the works aspect is that we are supposed to work.  Not on gaining salvation but on LIVING this life that is new and glorious.

We don't work FOR salvation but BECAUSE of salvation!

How does your life change because you were adopted?

When we think about being His child adopted by Him and given the free gift of Salvation, how does that protect your head against the devil?

Let me ask it this way...

What are some of the lies that Salvation protects us against?

Lie:  I am nothing, worthless.

Truth:  I am a child of the KING OF KINGS.  He paid the highest price for me!

Lie:  I am unloved.

Truth:  For God so loved the world.... that He...

What are some other lies?

The brain is the organ that runs our entire being.  You could say Salvation and our KNOWING of what he has freely given us, makes it possible for us to function. Do the lies of Satan keep us from functioning as we should?

Sword

This is the only piece of the armor that can be used in the offensive.  It is not just a defensive protective piece.  

and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

So what is the sword? 

Is it the spirit or the word of God?

Why are both stated here?

Is this talking about using the bible as something to beat others with?

I see this as perhaps quite simple....

The word of God. 

It doesn't mean only the bible or written word.  This is God speaking to us.  God's words.  The spirit speaks to us, through his word and in other ways too. 

It is God speaking to us. 

A sword can only be used if within a certain proximity between us and the enemy.  We couldn't get there be in that space and able to use the sword if we didn't have all the other armor.  It is because of everything else that we are able to use a sword. 

In closing today I would like for you to once again read the entire passage about the armor of God. 

The Armor of God10 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, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

We aren't done yet.  We have two more weeks in Ephesians and then we will be on to a new book of the bible.