Strong in His Might The Armor is Christ Ephesians 6:10 Introduction Dad Strength you know what that is? It is the supernatural strength that all dad

Transcription

1 Strong in His Might The Armor is Christ Ephesians 6:10 Introduction Dad Strength you know what that is? It is the supernatural strength that all dad s remain stronger than their kids. My 70 year old dad still has it Loosening a bolt. Main Point: Many of us, even as Christians, get up and attempt to take on the day with the wrong perspective of things. Having no idea, or not considering what they precious hours we have been given are all about. Paul in Ephesians is making it clear that we are one with Christ, and as such His strength is our strength. His strength is our strength in and through the gospel. And as such His strength is our strength as we serve each other in the church, as we serve our marriages and families, and as we put on the Armor of God, the armor of God. That is what we are 1

2 going to be unpacking in the coming weeks. We are going to do a 4-week series on Ephesians 6: This morning we are going to look at the first verse, verse 10. Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. (ESV) Transition: The rest of this sermon series rests on this verse. I. The armor of God is being in Christ. (Repeat with emphasis) A. The armor of God is not standing in your own strength. B. It is not mustering up some internal strength and internal fortitude. C. It is walking in the strength that Christ provides it is dad strength. D. This is not you being the hero of your own story, but rather Jesus Christ is the hero. E. And the armor that God provides is Jesus Christ. 2

3 Transition: That sounds nebulous, so let s be unpack the idea of what it means to be in Christ, so that we know what it means to stand in the armor of God. The particulars of the armor, which we will get into in the coming weeks, all tie to this. II. Being in Christ? (Being in the Lord) Explain: To understand this we must have a clear understanding of the human condition before God. The message of the Bible is not I am ok, or you are ok. The message the Bible is not, we are a little sick and need a little help (In our standing before God). The message of the Bible is that we as humans love our sin, and apart from Christ, hate all that God is and God stands for. John 3:19-20 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does 3

4 wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. (ESV) Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. (ESV) Colossians 1:21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, (ESV) Main Point: In our plain old human condition we are at war with God, a war we are sure to lose. And if we are honest we know this too be true. Apart from God working on our hearts we love sin and unrighteousness and we don t want anyone to be our boss. We want to be in charge, and this puts as enemies to God s character, which is His holiness. God is perfect, and to go to heaven you need to be perfect, and anyone that is imperfect 4

5 will be justly condemned by God s Holy character. That s all of us. The message of the gospel is not be good, or try hard, or do your best, or hope your good deeds outweigh your bad deeds, you need something much bigger than that, you need to be saved. You need a savior. The message that Christ gave is this Mark 1:15 The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel. (ESV) Gospel means good news. I just gave you the bad news. And we are in Christ when we repent and believe in the good news. A. Repentance. 1. Understanding sin and acknowledging sin. a. Sin is missing the mark of God s Holiness. 5

6 BTW: We are so bound up in our sin we are not even able to determine right and wrong, sin and holiness. It must be determined for us, by the word of God. This is what is leaving the church and the culture at such odds right now. In fact, some churches are being swayed by culture and trying to redefine what the Bible calls sin. As such they cease to be churches at that time. b. Sin leaves us enslaved, powerless, joyless, in bondage, and on the path way to death. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death (ESV) c. We can t put on the armor while being enslaved to sin. Transition: The first step to repentance is to acknowledge sin, and secondly 2.Turn from sin. 6

7 1. Literally repentance is 180 degrees turn. 2. It is to grieve our sin, be sorry for our sin, be broken over our sin. 3. So much so that we call sin what it is sin. 4. And we hate it so much we are willing to leave it behind at all costs. Transition: But it is not just turning from but also turning too turn towards Christ. Remember the message of hope is repent and believe. 2 Timothy 2:1 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, (ESV) B. Believe in Christ he is our strength. Person of Jesus Son of God God in flesh Emmanuel. 7

8 Jesus is more than a prophet, or teacher, He is the God man. Tempted in all the ways we are tempted, yet without sin. Work of Jesus He was perfect perfectly righteous, never leaving a debt or vacuum of injustice with God or man. He died a substitutionary death where God poured out His wrath for sin, yours and mine (So that the vacuum of injustice could be filled sin is justly paid for Propitiation), on His son Jesus Christ. And then rose again, authenticating His claims, and vanquishing death. And he is coming again to finally vanquish all the enemies of God (World, flesh, Devil) Authority of Christ This is captured in the word Lord. 8

9 This word is used in verse 10 and throughout the NT to describe the superiority of Jesus. The superiority of His rule, reign, and word. Jesus is not a mere tack on in our lives, he is our all and all. He is our hero, our savior. Romans 10:9-10 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (ESV) Transition: The armor of God is Christ. When we put on Christ, when we are in Christ, we are putting on the armor of God. Next Paul encourages us to III. Live in the strength of His might. A. Apart from Christ we can do nothing. 9

10 1. We can t stand. 2. We can t fight. 3. We can t be strong. 4. We can t do anything of eternal value. John 15:4-5 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (ESV) 5. The armor is Christ!! Secondly B. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in us. Romans 8:11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to 10

11 your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. (ESV) 1. We have the joy, as Christians, of living our lives with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God. 2. Molding us and shaping us more and more into the image of Jesus. 3. Even the grave does not have final say over Christians because the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead is in us. 4. Church: The armor is Christ!! Finally: The strength of His might is to live with C. The perspective of Christ. ( And what was the perspective of Christ?) Hebrews 12:2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set 11

12 before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (ESV) Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (ESV) 1. The perspective of Christ is a heavenly, eternal perspective. 2. So, guess what: We can endure difficulty: Why? Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (ESV) We can view our difficulties as a temporary assignment. 2 Corinthians 4:

13 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (ESV) BTW: Just for fun, Paul later defines for us what those light and momentary afflictions a few chapters later when he says: 2 Corinthians 11:24-28 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold 13

14 and exposure. 28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. (ESV) Main point: Put on the perspective of Jesus Christ, because the armor is Christ. Conclusion Wrong way of thinking about David and Goliath Jesus is our David who defeats our enemies. Armor is Christ!! 14