1 Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. The sermon text is from Ephesians 6:10-20 previously read. The Christian faith is spiritual warfare. Often in Paul s letters he is the general rallying God s Church Militant to Fight the good fight of the faith. As 2 Corinthians 10 says, Though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have Divine power to destroy strongholds. This week Paul says: 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 Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground. It s VJ Day. 73 years ago today, aboard the USS Missouri, the Japanese Foreign Minister signed the surrender officially ending the Second World War Our own Walter Walker and his shipmates gave thanks to God that they had been spared the invasion of the Japanese mainland and the war was brought to an end. Walter we are also thankful for your service. In God s good time, He answered the prayers of millions of moms and dad, wives and children for their sons, husbands and fathers, finally bringing that worst of all wars to an end. Yet, history reminds us long after that treaty was signed isolated pockets of resistance had to be defeated. Dear friends, on Easter morning, Jesus resurrection inscribed the treaty that brings us everlasting peace with God. Romans 5 says, Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The devil is
2 a defeated enemy and, yet, he wages his guerilla war prowling like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. So Paul admonishes us: Stand firm then, with the belt of truth about your waist. I ve never been what you d call fashionable, but one trend that I don t get is boys wearing their pants off their hind end. How do you keep from falling with your pants half off? How clumsy would it be for a soldier to have saggy, drooping armor! Put on the belt of truth and stand firm! The belt of truth that supports your Christian armor is God s Word. Thy Word is truth, John 17 says. Jesus said, If you hold to my teaching you are truly My disciples, then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. Every lie from the pit of hell is being directed against God s people in our day. Paul says, Wake up! Be on your guard. If good communications keep an army safe and strong, are you making certain that God s Word is heard loud and clear in your home. Are you going to your Heavenly Father in prayer, asking His help in time of need? Are games and practices and jobs and entertainments, the most important things in your life? Then Stand firm! Your armor is sagging! With God s belt of truth in place, next comes the breastplate of righteousness. This breastplate that covers your heart isn t your goodness and righteousness. Isaiah reminds us: All our righteous acts are as filthy rags. Filthy rags can t stop an arrow. Your works have no power to overcome Satan. The breastplate of righteousness that protects your heart and life from the onslaughts of the devil is the righteousness of Christ. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, 2 Corinthians 5 says, so that in Him
3 we might become the righteousness of God. Jesus righteousness is yours through faith. God s grace, His undeserved love, covers you in Jesus cross-won forgiveness. My brother served in the Marine Corps and, I m told foot care was a big deal in boot camp. Few things can cripple a soldier or Marine more than foot problems. So Paul goes on: Stand firm, with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of peace. The military sandal protected the ancient soldier and enabled him to move quickly over dusty, rocky roads. So the Christian must be ready, prepared to proclaim the Gospel of salvation in Christ. You don t have to retreat from the world. You march in God s peace. You can face life and death in peace, because Jesus sealed with His blood the treaty that gives you God s eternal peace. Ancient soldiers carried a big shield to cover the body from arrows and darts. So faith born of the Holy Spirit shields the believer from the fiery darts of the devil. The devil will fire his volleys at you. Several times our kids have remarked that one of the kids at school said they didn t believe in God. What a horrible tragedy! The fool says in his heart there is no God, the Psalmist wrote. How sad that the children of secular atheists proudly proclaim the foolishness of their parents. In another instance, I chuckled with one of our great members last week when his high school biology teacher taught them that bananas belong in our evolutionary ancestry. How ridiculous and pathetic lies straight from the pit of hell - but the teacher aimed those fiery darts, believing that foolishness was science. Atheistic evolution is nothing more than a false and demonic religion, certainly not science which deals with observation, but a false religion, because the devil doesn t want us to know that our lives are gifts and have purpose, that we are specially created,
4 specially loved and ultimately accountable to the God of heaven. And when there s a shooting the same folks will wring their hands and say, If only there s a law we could pass. But they ll never think of the eternal immutable Law of God, You shall not murder. Because it deprives life of all meaning, never let the evolutionary lie in textbook or tv go unchallenged. We ve probably all looked at our world and wondered why our victorious God lets Satan continue his attacks! So long as that be so, we must be sure of this, that even as the devil does his worst, it must serve God s purpose. From the greatest tragedy, God builds His Kingdom. Because all the volleys of hell fell on Jesus, you rest in Him. Satan can t pluck you from God s hand. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. The helmet protected the soldier s head against cuts and strokes from above. You received your helmet of salvation when in Baptism God marked you on the forehead and heart as one redeemed by Christ the crucified. Rest in Jesus and trust in Him. In Jesus, God has prepared for you the greatest homecoming of all when He returns to take His Church Militant into the Church Triumphant in heaven. Dear soldier of Christ. How sad when our confirmands feel the work is done. An army must be fed, and so Romans 10 says, Faith comes from hearing the Word of Christ. Whether you are 18 or 80 years old, you are so wrong if you think your drilling in God s Word is ever finished. God commands you to be in His Word. Join our Sunday Bible class or the new Bible Class Sept.11. With military discipline have your kids and yourselves in church and Sunday school, midweek and confirmation. Make an altar in your home where you gather God s baptized children to remind them His love. This is an
5 order from God not an option, because He loves you and wants to feed and forgive and sanctify you by the Holy Spirit through His Word. An army unfed by God s Word is useless and impotent to fight the good fight. Take up the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. One of the maxims of war is that an army moves on its stomach. No military advance is sustained when food and supplies can t keep up with the troops. Our Triune God feeds His army through His Word and the Lord s Supper. Gathered around God s Table, He provides the nourishment and sustenance that moves you from this place into your daily lives forgiven and strengthened with the very body and blood of Jesus Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit. 73 years ago, the Empire of Japan laid down the sword. In God s time, all nations and kingdoms, even our own, will rise and fall. Only one endures forever. In the predawn of Easter Jesus descended into hell to announce the devil s defeat. That victory is for you. That treaty inscribed in His blood can comfort you, even when life doesn t seem too peaceful. Jesus is coming soon. As the old hymn puts it, The golden evening brightens in the west; Soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest; Sweet is the calm of Paradise the blest. Alleluia! Alleluia! Jesus The Valiant One, holds the field forever, only don t wander from God s camp. In your hearts set apart God as Lord. Rest in the Lord. He never leaves His troops behind. In Jesus, one day He will bring you home. Amen. And now may the peace of God which surpasses human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.