Sermon on Ephesians, Chapter 6
Aug. 23, 2015
By Rev. Dr. Terri Driver-Bishop
Some people are shocked to learn that I am a Nascar fan. I have great admiration for the
men who drive 200 mph around a steeply banked track, inches away from other cars. They
race for at least 4 hours, demanding great mental concentration and physical stamina.
What gives them the courage to race each week? One reason is that each driver has
safety gear. They wear fireproof boots, gloves and suit. They have a Hans device helmet
which holds their head and shoulders in place during a crash. Their cars are constructed with
a roll cage and no glass windows. And the tracks have installed extra padding materials on
the walls to soften the impact of a crash.
These safety devices give the drivers and their families some sense of protection in the
race. The safety gear of Nascar drivers is like the armor of the Roman soldiers in Paul’s day.
Paul uses the analogy of armor to remind the church at Ephesus that God gives them the
ability to protect and defend themselves. The armor is not physical but spiritual. It is the armor
of faith. God gives the belt of Truth. Truth is found only in Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am
the way, the truth and the life.” Knowing the truth, sets us free.
God gives the breastplate of righteousness. Righteousness is a right relationship with
God. We are made right with God through our faith in Jesus Christ. As Paul says, “We are
save by grace through faith.” And this right relationship with God compels us to seek right
relationships with other people.
God gives shoes for sharing the good news of the gospel of peace. They have the ability to
share their faith with others and grow in their faith by doing so. God gives the shield of faith. Roman
soldiers shields were covered with leather and soaked in water so that when flaming arrows hit the
shield, the fire would extinguish quicker. Paul says that faith and prayer keeps us safe from the arrows
of evil.
God gives the helmet of salvation. Salvation is the gospel that Paul has been preaching in this
letter. Salvation is believing that Christ is with us now and always will be. Nothing can separate us
from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And finally the sword of the word of God. When we know God’s word in the Bible, and
believe the promises of God, then evil cannot overcome us.
Why does Paul think they need protective gear? Paul tells them they are in a battle that
is bigger than the opposition they perceive with their eyes. It is a battle of cosmic proportions –
“our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of
evil in the heavenly places.” He is saying to them – “You are in over your heads. You can’t
rely on your human powers. You must rely on God, on Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Are there days, weeks, years when everything goes wrong and you feel like the devil is out
to make your life miserable? Or do you get caught up and exhausted by the rat race of life –
racing to work, to school, shuttling kids to their activities, running errands – so that life seems
out of control? Maybe you are getting really frustrated by how long this transition process is
taking. You are not alone.
What the devil does is discourage us. He chips away at us a little bit at a time, saying “It
will never happen. It’s too hard, give up trying. Forget your dreams. You aren’t good enough.
God doesn’t care about you. God doesn’t even exist.” The devil is the source of
discouragement and lies.
A farmer once had a donkey that fell down into a dry well. The farmer tried and tried but
could not find a way to get the donkey out. Finally he gave up. Not wanting the donkey to
suffer long, he decided to give it a quick burial and started shoveling dirt down the well. The
donkey bellowed when the dirt hit it and shook off the dirt. Again and again, this happened.
After a while, the donkey was still making noises and the farmer looked down the well. He saw
that the donkey was shaking off the dirt and trampling on it. Instead of being buried, the
donkey was rising to the top and it finally got out of the well.
When the devil shovels dirt on our backs, we just have to shake it off. We need to find a
way to rise above it. The weapons of the Spirit help us do that.
In 1960, New Orleans public schools were forced to desegregate under federal court
order. Ruby Bridges was one of six black children who were selected to go to an integrated
school. Ruby’s parents argued about it and prayed about it. They knew they were asking for
trouble. Eventually they decided to take this step, not just for their own children, but for all
black children.
On Monday, November 14, 1960, federal marshals drove Ruby and her mother the five
blocks to William Frantz Public School, the only black child to go to that school. In the car one
of the men explained that when they arrived at the school two marshals would walk in front of
them and two behind, so they'd be protected on both sides.
As they pulled up to her new school, Ruby’s mother said, "Ruby Nell, don't be afraid.
There might be some people upset outside, but I'll be with you."
Sure enough, people shouted and shook their fist when they got out of the car. She held
her mother's hand and followed the marshals through the crowd, up the steps into the school.
She tried not to pay attention to the mob. Someone had a black doll in a coffin, and that scared
her more than anything.
After that, Ruby’s mother couldn't go to school with her. She had to work and look after her
brothers and sister. "The marshals will take good care of you, Ruby Nell," Mama assured her.
"Remember, if you get afraid, say your prayers. You can pray to God anytime, anywhere. He
will always hear you."
That was how she started praying on the way to school. She prayed to God, “Please be
with me, and be with those people too. Forgive them because they don't know what they're
doing.” The things people yelled at her didn't seem to touch her. Prayer was her protection.
Ruby knew how to use the weapons of the Spirit.
The Apostle Paul knows that bad things can happen to good people. In his missionary
travels, he was beaten up, arrested and thrown in jail, shipwrecked, chased out of town, and
experienced many hardships and disappointments.
But his faith in Christ grew stronger
through it all.
So he says to the people of Ephesus – when trouble comes your way, put on the armor of
God and be strong in the Lord.”
You are not alone. Christ is with you. Do not fear. Paul’s
faith grew stronger because he believed that Jesus already fought and won the battle for us.
He went through the worst the devil had to offer – humiliation, suffering, pain and death. But
the power of Christ’s love was greater than all these things. He rose from the grave to claim
victory over sin, death and the devil. He gives us the weapons of the Spirit: truth,
righteousness, peace, faith, prayer, the word of God, and assurance of salvation.
Let us not become discouraged. Let us place our faith in Christ and find our strength in
Him, and we will be God’s Extraordinary Church.
Amen.