trinity eleven

Last week we celebrated our patron, the Blessed Virgin Mary, John spoke to us of Mary’s life and faith. I found this deeply moving and challenging and have been pondering this week – how do we live a life of obedience and faith in Christ. In a response to this question, prompted by the spirit, I felt lead this morning to take a look together at our New Testament reading, Ephesians chapter 6:10-20.  A passage, many of us, may be familiar with. I’ve titled this sermon, “Am I ready?”  That is am I, are we battle ready? Ready to live a life of obedience and faith? And if I am, how am I doing?

On Palm Sunday, Glynn, the children and I joined you for worship here at St Mary’s for the very first time. On the way home, we were talking about the service and sharing our first impressions. The children were asked what they had enjoyed, without hesitation; my son Oscar replied “the best thing was the headless knight”!  Referring of course to the tomb of Sir Edward Aston in the North Transept, who incidentally, I understand on chatting to Father Michael, lost his head during some building work! Sir Edward, our own knight, dressed in armour, ready for battle. Well, we’re in this territory here, with Ephesians chapter 6. The Author of the text uses the metaphor of armoury to teach believers in Christ, to be ready for battle.

It is easy to imagine Paul the apostle (the traditional, though not undisputed author of the text), in prison, guarded by Roman soldiers, in fact verse 20 tells us he was chained to one! Whose armour may well have inspired the metaphor we have here. Paul writes this general letter to un-named Christians, without a specific event in mind, except that they were first century believers in Jesus Christ who were experiencing a radical transformation of their personal and social identity. They were being transformed from one society, in Ephesus, Asia into God’s family and purposes. Paul writes to encourage and strengthen their faith. So, this morning as we look more closely at the text, I pray that God will encourage us, as followers of Jesus Christ that are being transformed in God’s family. Our passage at the end of chapter 6 focus’ in on three specific issues of this new society to which all Christian believers are called: The first is that Christians have an enemy; the writer says “put on armour in order to be strong in the battle against the powers” v10-12.: they are powerful and have world wide rule, they are wicked, used destructively and cunningly. I am sure each of us can think of the powerful destructive and cunning lies of the evil one, both at an international, national, local or personal level. Whether it’s expressed in a war torn country, in famine or poverty, in our own nation, in injustices, in  excess and consumerism, and locally here in Stafford or our own doubt, anger lack of forgiveness or whatever our personal struggles might be. One trick is that these powers often succeed in making us think they don’t exist – though the power of God is stronger! They can make us think we don’t need God’s strength but we do! Just pause a moment, here with me: how do we view the powers Paul writes of? Where do I feel and see those most this morning?

Just as I was typing up my notes last night, a warning signal flashed up on my computer screen, apparently a weakness had been detected in my one line security system. And so it is says Paul for believers in Christ, without taking strength from God’s grace and without putting on God’s armour believers are fatally unprotected and exposed. Just like my computer, the security system is flawed. (vv13-17) Paul goes in to describe the armour we are to put on. Which he says we need “To stand against the wiles of the devil” The armour or panoplia, describes the full armour of a heavily armed Roman soldier. Paul uses the metaphor to describe how believers can be battle ready for God. Six items are named: the belt, breastplate, boots, shield, helmet and sword. The first 5 of which, are defensive; the sword being the only offensive item. How do these items of armour make us battle ready? Well let’s have a look. God has given us a call, a mission, a course to fulfill. The evil one does his best to stop it. Paul says when he attacks and intimidates, we are to stand firm.  We love and long for an energetic church that advances the Kingdom of God so vigorously that it shakes the councils of hell, we are to do God’s work and stand against every hint of spiritual opposition. We are to stand firm in the armory God has given us.

First, the belt, made of leather, essential to all soldiers to gather up their tunic, holding the sword in place, ensuring that they marched unimpeded, providing a sense of hidden strength and confidence – as indeed belts and braces do today! As believers we are called to put on the belt of truth. The translation means both the truth revealed by God in Jesus and truth in the sense of integrity and honesty. The truth we come to celebrate in the Eucharist this morning – God revealed to us in Jesus Christ. Secondly Paul calls us to put on a breastplate of righteousness. The purpose of the breastplate was to ensure that the soldier was well protected against enemy weapons. Our protection, our breastplate, Paul says, is righteousness or justification. That is; gracious God’s initiative, putting us right with himself through Christ Jesus. We stand before God not as those condemned but as those forgiven, as people accepted and loved by God. Righteousness –truly a strong breastplate, for us to defend Satan’s attacks.

The caliga was a half boot made of leather, worn by soldiers, equipping them to march for miles. Paul uses the metaphor to suggest that the believer’s boots are their equipment or preparation for peace.  We are encouraged to stand firm in peace and be ready to give peace to those we meet. I like to think of those Gospel boots – as peace boots – and imagine Gods people treading out in peace into the situations they face day by day. Taking a shield of faith, that would be a full length shield, about 1.2 metres and held at a soldier’s side with the purpose of holding off attack. For the believer, the shield holds off the flaming darts of the evil one: accusations, doubts, disobedience, rebellion, fear. The shield that quenches these is faith, the faith we heard of in our gospel reading this morning and which we come to celebrate together: those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me and I in them” (John 6.56). And taking the helmet of salvation: made of tough metal, of bronze or iron where nothing short of an axe or hammer could break it.  We are to take it and wear it says Paul. Both the measure of salvation we have already received (forgiveness and adoption into God’s family) and salvation to come (the resurrection glory) God’s saving power enables us to hold up our heads with joy knowing we are saved and look forward to a time of complete restoration with God. What a helmet to wear! Finally, we are to take up, the sword of the spirit. The sword worn by the Roman soldier was worn high on the right side of the body, ready to be drawn as needed. The only armour used for attack, the sword of the spirit, the word of God, being sharper than a two edged sword. (Hebrews 4.12)

So, the belt, the breastplate, the boots, the shield, the helmet and the sword together make up the armour of God. God supplies it, yet it is clearly our responsibility to take it up and putting it on daily against the powers of the evil one. Incidentally, did you get a feel for the number of imperatives in the passage? We’re to be strong, to put on, to stand against, to take up, to stand firm and to take!  We are encouraged to take all the armour up, not just some it, some of the time!

In the final verses (Vs 18-20), Paul gives the believers a closing instruction: He emphasises the need for constant prayer and watchfulness. Not because it’s a weapon, but because it is to permeate all the others. Wearing armour is not to be a mechanical operation but rather a spiritual one; hence we are encouraged to pray – to be totally dependent on God. Praying at all times, with all supplication, with perseverance and for all the saints, says Paul. Well, I find that very challenging: I manage to pray sometimes, with some prayers and to some degree of perseverance but the challenge here is to replace some by all –wouldn’t that be amazing!

So when we’re walking this week through town, with family or friends, in the workplace, with strangers, I invite you to ask yourself “Am I ready?”  That is am I, are we battle ready? Are we conscious of the powers and principalities around us? And are we taking up the full armour of God which in grace and love God has provided for us? And if we find ourselves struggling, then let’s encourage one another in praying for and with each other. Amen.