Jesus

The Grace of God Prepares Us to Fight: Ephesians 6:10-24

/ Neal Embry

We’ve come to the end of our time in Ephesians. I hope you’ve come to understand more of how God’s grace changes everything in our lives. Now, as we leave and move forward, we’ll see how God’s grace enables us and prepares us to fight the good fight of faith.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”–Eph. 6:10-12

If we’re going to fight, it’s important to know what and who we’re fighting. The fight of the Christian is not against other people. We do not seek to lay hands on non-Christians in order to save them. That’s not how the gospel works.

No, our fight is against anything that keeps us from glorifying God in this life, against anything that would keep us from being holy and obeying God. Paul says we make war against the devil and his schemes, against sin and evil that pervades our lives and this world.

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one, and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.”–Eph. 6:13-18

As a redeemed sinner, I often wonder why I struggle so much with the sin that remains. I often find myself asking, “What the heck is wrong with me?” We all struggle with besetting sins, and are all called to move forward in our pursuit of holiness. But praise God we are not alone. We cannot forget all of the gifts God has given us. Let’s look at those:

Belt of truth: A belt keeps you from being embarrassed. It keeps your clothes where they need to stay. As silly as that analogy may be, think about how truth is like a belt. Ever heard someone spout off something they thought was true, I mean, really thought was true, only to be told they were 100% wrong? It’s embarrassing, right? When you don’t know the truth, it leads to embarrassment. But in Christ, we know the truth. We have God’s Word. We don’t have to be embarrassed by lack of knowledge.

Breastplate of righteousness: We are righteous in Christ, and only because of what He’s done. But we are called to live out that righteousness and put off sin. When we live righteous lives, it stands as a critical piece of armor, protecting us from accusations of sin and immorality. There is much gain in godliness, while there is no gain in sin. Choose obedience.

Shoes outfitted with the gospel: Everywhere you go, share the gospel. The Great Commission says “Go make disciples.” Scholars have long understood that “go” in the original Greek means “as you go,” that is, whether we are on a “mission trip” or at the office, we are ready to share the hope of Jesus with everyone and anyone around us.

Shield of faith: Faith protects us from the “flaming darts” of Satan. He would accuse us of sin, but we have faith in the blood of Jesus. He would make us question God’s goodness, but we have seen and trust that the Lord is good. He would make us anxious, but we must trust that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him.

Helmet of salvation: Ever heard the expression “he/she’s got his/her head on straight?” We typically say that of someone who understands his or her responsibilities and is living a responsible, good life. When we know we are saved, when we’ve experienced the grace of God, we are able to move forward confidently in our lives, with our heads on straight, because we know we have Jesus forever, and nothing can take that away. The “helmet” of salvation allows us to think rightly about God, life and even death. Nothing can truly hurt us, not eternally, if we are in Christ.

Sword of the Spirit/Word of God: This is the only offensive weapon listed here. The Word of God is not to be hidden, but rather used to fight sin and point people to Jesus. Spurgeon once said of the idea of “defending” the Bible: “Defend the Bible? I would as soon defend a lion? Unchain it and it will defend itself!” The Bible is a tool meant to be used to help us fight sin and advance God’s kingdom by rightly understanding what it says.

Prayer: Prayer is not usually listed with the rest of these, but if we aren’t praying, the rest is pointless. Prayer connects us with God, who reminds us of all we have in Him. Prayer keeps us in connection with God.

“To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts. Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.”–Eph. 6:18-24

Lastly, we must pray for and encourage one another. There is no such thing as “lone ranger Christianity.” You are either connected to a church as a Christian, looking for a church, or you are dying spiritually.

Paul was in prison, and he coveted prayers, not for his release, but for his faithfulness. What a testimony! How often do we pray for the safety or release of persecuted brothers and sisters, instead of their faithfulness? While praying for those things may not be bad, we must remember that God is sovereign, and His purposes in persecution are not just for safety, but for His glory. We should pray for the faithfulness of those being persecuted.

We must encourage one another so that we all can grow to love Jesus with “love incorruptible.”

Lord, may we love you and love each other. May we use the weapons and tools that you give us. May we grow to be more and more like you, and may we keep fighting the good fight of faith until we see you face to face.

God bless,

Neal E.

“Who Do You Say That I Am?”

/ Neal Embry

Ask 10 baseball fans who the best player ever is, and you’ll likely get six or seven answers: Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Stan Musial, Ted Williams, or, the right answer of course…Hank Aaron (unashamed Braves bias here).

That same test could be applied to rock fans being asked who the greatest guitar player ever is, to fans of books, movies, superheroes…you name it, we all have different opinions on a wide variety of topics.

That truth extends even to Jesus Christ. From the Doobie Brothers to Joe Smith down the block, everyone has an opinion on who Jesus is. Even in Jesus’ day, people had a wide variety of views on who He was.

“And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Phillippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ And they told him, ‘John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.’ And he asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?'”–Mark 8:27-29

When He first starts His ministry, Jesus is taken by some to be a prophet, in the mold of John the Baptist, or, as shown in this passage, the reincarnation of John the Baptist after John the Baptist is beheaded.

Others thought Jesus fulfilled God’s promise in Malachi: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”–Malachi 4:5-6

Jesus asks His disciples what people are saying about Him, and as He hears the different answers, He turns the attention on them:

“Who do you say that I am?” He asks.

Jesus makes it clear that what matters is not knowing about Him, but knowing Him personally. What matters is not whether or not you know what your family, friends, textbooks, or favorite Internet sites say about Jesus. What matters, ultimately, eternally, is what you say about Jesus, and how that shapes your life.

You will not be saved because your parents know Jesus. You will not be saved because you know who Jesus is. You will not be saved because you can answer religious questions. If being saved is a test of theological knowledge, the devil would be first in line, because “even the demons believe, and shudder,” James tells us.

What makes the devil different from a believer is what the devil knows about Jesus causes him to cower in fear, because he refuses to repent and believe on Christ, while a believer not only understands, but rests and rejoices in all of who God is for us in Christ, and seeks to draw near to God instead of away from Him.

Jesus is the Alpha and Omega. He is the image of the invisible God. He is the Son of God, the Lion of Judah, the Savior of the World, the King of the universe, and the only hope for the nations.

But what does He mean to you? Does that impact your life on a daily basis? Does your life reflect, not just head knowledge of who Jesus is, but a love for the Lord and fellowship with Him? Who do you say that He is?

If you turn to Him, He will save you from your sins, give you eternal life, bring you as a spotless child before the Father who will adopt you, and will give you new life and holiness, and joy as never before. If you turn away from Him, you sign your own death sentence, choosing to reject God’s way of salvation from His wrath. If you turn away from Him, you refuse the embrace of the Savior who is also the King and the Judge.

Today, Jesus is asking us that same question He asked His disciples 2,000 years ago:

“Who do you say that I am?”

How will we respond?

Lord, may we trust you, embrace you, love you, and obey you as you have called us to. Lord, may we say that you are our Savior, our Lord, our joy, our satisfaction, our redemption, and all that you are for us. May we find our deepest hope and our identity in you. May we seek to glorify you, not just know more about you.

God bless,

Neal E.