SPEAKER_06: Uh it's gonna take a made some room everybody end up with a handout.
SPEAKER_02: Very well not to say that quick.
SPEAKER_06: Robin, thank you for your general mercies.
SPEAKER_08: I love it.
SPEAKER_08: And that's what we call discernment.
SPEAKER_06: Glad I got here before you today.
SPEAKER_06: Um I actually remembered to turn this on.
SPEAKER_06: I'm not saying, I'm not saying we went through like half the study in Acts when we were here with like me forgetting to hit record on this, but that like absolutely happened.
SPEAKER_06: Uh of turning it on freaking hit.
SPEAKER_06: Um uh a little just I think general housekeeping first, uh, just kind of future programming and and such things.
SPEAKER_06: So this is the last week of Ephesians and of the semester.
SPEAKER_06: Uh next week, I think the whole church, we're not having regular Sunday school, but up in the fellowship, Paul Kenny is doing his annual kind of state of the PCA um because he'll be out most of the week at PCA General Assembly.
SPEAKER_06: The week, the Sunday following, uh programming a little still to be determined.
SPEAKER_06: There may be a sort of uh patriotism kind of just prayer service for America up in the fellowship.
SPEAKER_06: I'm not, but that's kind of that that's still maybe to be determined because exactly who's doing it in the format is is kind of up.
SPEAKER_06: There may just be no Sunday school.
SPEAKER_06: Um the following Sunday, which is the 12th, we'll kind of start the next semester.
SPEAKER_06: Um, it's going to be Kenny will still be doing uh the Westminster um shorter catechism study.
SPEAKER_06: That will probably run through at least April.
SPEAKER_06: Um Al Williams and I are going to be doing a study on the book of Nehemiah.
SPEAKER_06: And where will that be?
SPEAKER_06: Don't know yet.
SPEAKER_06: And that's why I say it's kind of housekeeping.
SPEAKER_06: And then we are, I don't know, we're talking about some kind of practic another kind of practical focused class.
SPEAKER_06: And exactly what that is.
SPEAKER_06: That's why I say it's all kind of to be determined, and when we figure out where, who, and what interest, we'll figure out locations.
SPEAKER_06: But that's just kind of next three weeks what we got going on.
SPEAKER_04: And so we're gonna be doing Nehemiah though.
SPEAKER_06: We are yeah, Nehemiah, yeah, uh Al Williams and I will be doing it, and that that'll be either down here again or or up in the fellowship or up in the fellowship hall.
SPEAKER_02: And so um I'm gonna I've been wanting to do it.
SPEAKER_06: Honestly, it's a book that's meant a lot to me at several times over the years, and so I I've been wanting to do it, and I've I've never I I feel I learned things when I teach them.
SPEAKER_06: So sorry, that that's kind of how so um well I just noticed you're optional.
SPEAKER_04: That's what I read last night.
SPEAKER_06: Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_06: Well, we'll yeah, we'll dive into it a little at least at least one verse here, and so um, and I know there was I know because it's not so long ago that Jeremy did the class on Esther, which is roughly the same time period.
SPEAKER_06: I thought there may be some interest in kind of looking at the other end of the exile, not those who stayed behind, but those who, or at least uh Nehemiah's after Ezra's group.
SPEAKER_06: Anyway, more of that in a couple weeks.
SPEAKER_06: But um, it's definitely one on God's providence, it's one about leadership, um, and definitely one about I think daily just reliance on God.
SPEAKER_06: Um, and so, you know, and so I think for a lot of those things, it's a book that's meant like my Bible a lot to me.
SPEAKER_06: And so anyway, we'll start that the 12th of July.
SPEAKER_06: Um, we are finishing Ephesians today, and so that's we're in Ephesians uh chapter six, uh, verse 10, uh where we start off today.
SPEAKER_06: Um, okay.
SPEAKER_06: I I did want to ask, since this is the last week of Ephesians, um like uh and I know not all of us able to be here every single week of this, but things that have really stood out to you personally, um, you know, as a teacher, you should never you should always start with review, but never exactly like this.
SPEAKER_06: Uh, but whatever.
SPEAKER_06: Uh I'm I'm uh I'm the sub of the sub.
SPEAKER_06: So um uh like what are things that have stood out to you either about this book or how it's related to with you personally?
SPEAKER_06: I think kind of over the last sort of you know, really 11 weeks of this.
SPEAKER_06: Or if anyone asks you if if that's not like what was Ephesians about.
SPEAKER_06: I'll kick it off.
SPEAKER_06: Sure.
SPEAKER_10: Okay.
SPEAKER_10: To me, okay, a lot of some of you may know that I do my ABCs and I describe God with my ABCs.
SPEAKER_10: I go A and I end up with C.
SPEAKER_10: A is the armor of God, and so while I walk in the morning, I literally tell God, okay, God, you gave me the armor.
SPEAKER_10: I'm putting it on right now.
SPEAKER_10: I'm putting on the belt of truth.
SPEAKER_10: Help me always speak the truth, not even a little white one.
SPEAKER_10: Put on the breastplate of righteousness, and then I go through each one and I say, Guard my heart, guard my feet as I carry the word into the world.
SPEAKER_10: Put on the helmet, guard my thoughts, my mind, you know, my reactions, uh, my responses to people, and then hold before me the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit, which is your word.
SPEAKER_10: But anyway, I literally get dressed on my walk.
SPEAKER_10: That's what stands out in Ephesians to me, and we're about to cover that.
SPEAKER_10: So, but that's to me then, you know.
SPEAKER_06: Other thoughts, either personal reflections or what you feel Ephesians is about, what you feel you've gotten out of this.
SPEAKER_11: I think for me, just having just hit the tip of the iceberg, we weren't able to kind of came late to the class, but we're walking, as Robin was saying, we're walking in this life, and sometimes it's really easy to forget positionally where we are.
SPEAKER_11: You just just drive I just drive to work at six in the morning, just half half dazed.
SPEAKER_11: But um God has so many tools and resources, you know, putting his word.
SPEAKER_11: Like we're not we're living it, we're struggling, but here we are positionally.
SPEAKER_11: Don't forget about that.
SPEAKER_11: It just is a constant reminder, yeah.
SPEAKER_11: Don't don't do these things, don't become callous, you know, make sure you're speaking truthfully, and but we have the resources to do all that, all those things.
SPEAKER_11: So it's it's just very major encouragement, can I say Ephesians for encouragement?
SPEAKER_10: It helps us walk in unity with one another.
SPEAKER_06: Anybody else I think for me on a personal level, I think the verse in Ephesians 2 that we are his workmanship, created for doing good works, I think has been a central, I think for me, just sort of devotionally thinking about this study.
SPEAKER_06: Uh, because it even says that God goes so far, like He creates the works.
SPEAKER_06: Like I I think I uh I think I often in more my more sinful natures try to wake up.
SPEAKER_06: I always like, okay, what what am I doing for God today?
SPEAKER_06: Or I've not done this.
SPEAKER_06: And it's like I think I have to, it's like the answer's on a test.
SPEAKER_06: I have to figure it all out.
SPEAKER_06: And uh Ephesians is a reminder to me a lot more, I think, with Robin's walk, and I th and I think what Stacy was sort of pointing to towards identity, it's like God really, you know, we're adopted by him, but he's he's created us for the work.
SPEAKER_06: He's also created the work, he's creates the equipment for us to live this out.
SPEAKER_06: And uh the less I think I'm I'm in, I have to be in control of all of this, or I have to figure it out how to do it all.
SPEAKER_06: That's actually a lot more to sort of, I think, what we're gonna kind of read today.
SPEAKER_06: Um, you know, less Jason, more God, less thinking I have to figure this out, do it on my own strength, try to be perfect, try to look a certain way.
SPEAKER_06: Like that's that's really the opposite of where Ephesians is is is is pointing this.
SPEAKER_06: All right.
SPEAKER_06: Well, uh anybody else?
SPEAKER_06: And by all means, yeah.
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, go ahead.
SPEAKER_03: Apart from Christ, we're under the wrath of God.
SPEAKER_03: As it says in Ephesians 2, God doesn't accept us the way we are, we're under the wrath of God the way we are.
SPEAKER_03: But those of us in Christ were saved by God's grace, where we then are reconciled and we can be accepted.
SPEAKER_03: We are accepted by God.
SPEAKER_03: And I that's a pet P you mind in much of modern-day American evangelicalism that apart from Christ, we're hellbound sinners under the wrath of God.
SPEAKER_03: And uh, but God, in spite of our sin, for whatever reason, by his grace, he's saved us and given us good works to do.
SPEAKER_03: He doesn't need us, but he wants us to he wants us and a privilege to serve Christ and that we do these works that he's prepared for us before and to do.
SPEAKER_03: He could have allowed us under his wrath, given us what we deserve, but saved by God's grace through faith.
SPEAKER_06: Thank you, Don.
SPEAKER_06: I think there's a good bit of kind of what we get in today, not that he's he gets through this a lot in chapter five, but he, you know, because last week we looked at the the husbands, wives, the children parents, uh, the master servants or bondservants uh or slaves, depending on your translation.
SPEAKER_06: Uh, but I I think there's after that, there's a certain question of, okay, now what?
SPEAKER_06: And that's where I think the kind of back third of this book kind of goes.
SPEAKER_06: Like, like, what do we do with all of this?
SPEAKER_06: It's like Christ has done all this.
SPEAKER_06: What how do we kind of approach life?
SPEAKER_06: And so he Paul kind of reaches this sort of uh end of crescendo a climax, if you like, of it here and what we're about to read.
SPEAKER_06: Um, let's throw a little bible on this.
SPEAKER_06: Uh, so in Ephesians 6:10, um, if you've been in church for any length of time at all, you've probably heard a few a few sermons or lessons on the armor of God.
SPEAKER_06: Um, when I was in Sunday school, you know, they even had stock props for this, like when I was a little kid, that they had the armor, and then you get the kid to put up and they put the plastic helmet on it, the you know, the plastic breastplate, you know, the shield, you know, they had a sword, but but they always had the kid hold the Bible.
SPEAKER_06: You know, that they you know, they even had the little belt, the the little girdle on the girdle of truth, depending on on your translation.
SPEAKER_06: And uh, I still think of this.
SPEAKER_06: I think though, any anytime if if this is a passage with which you are incredibly familiar, and you may think like, okay, been there, done that.
SPEAKER_06: You know, it's like somebody did Genesis 1-1, you know.
SPEAKER_06: Uh I I think that there's always a risk of this saying, like, okay, like I, you know, I checked this off on my Christian uh checklist, you know, a really long time ago.
SPEAKER_06: Um the more the more I think there's dumbness, uh, I really just like want to challenge and say, you know, what is God telling you about your identity and kind of how to live, you know, just kind of as we go to this.
SPEAKER_06: Um so anyway, let's read a bit.
SPEAKER_06: All right.
SPEAKER_06: Ephesians 6.10.
SPEAKER_06: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
SPEAKER_06: Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
SPEAKER_06: 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.
SPEAKER_06: 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.
SPEAKER_06: 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.
SPEAKER_06: 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.
SPEAKER_06: 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.
SPEAKER_06: So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tichicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will tell you everything.
SPEAKER_06: I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts.
SPEAKER_06: Peace be to the brothers and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_06: Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love, incorruptible.
SPEAKER_06: All right.
SPEAKER_06: Okay, so uh I guess our opening question, and should be enough handouts for everybody.
SPEAKER_06: Uh in verses 10 through 13, Paul says we don't wrestle against flesh and blood.
SPEAKER_06: All right, so what really in the meaning of this, and how do we often mistake a spiritual battle for a flesh and blood?
SPEAKER_04: The battle is really for the soul, not the body.
SPEAKER_06: All right, so Mr.
SPEAKER_06: Travis, I gotta make this as I think as basic as possible.
SPEAKER_06: Nothing for me.
SPEAKER_06: When we say something in church like the battle is really for the soul, like what does that mean?
SPEAKER_04: The soul is actually your who you are.
SPEAKER_04: It's uh you know that's that's the only that's the only part of us that's gonna last forever.
SPEAKER_04: No, ultimately our bodies will too.
SPEAKER_04: Well, I hope this one ended up.
SPEAKER_03: No, it'll be glorified.
SPEAKER_03: So you read it in um 1 Thessalonians talks about how for those who are given Christ when Christ comes back, our physical bodies will be raised and resurrected, glorified, and perfected.
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
SPEAKER_03: So I think the body I'm after.
SPEAKER_03: So I think our physical bodies, eternally speaking, are just as much a part of our soul as our our inner spirit, our aura, whatever it is.
SPEAKER_04: Well, it says we're gonna recognize each other.
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
SPEAKER_09: So Satan wants our soul for eternity, and this is what we have to battle against.
SPEAKER_09: Yeah.
SPEAKER_10: Because he's he's gonna keep fighting throughout our lives.
SPEAKER_10: I take it to mean that when you speak of the soul, uh, our salvation.
SPEAKER_10: I mean, that's the whole kit and caboodle, our salvation.
SPEAKER_06: Flip back to Ephesians 2, 1.
SPEAKER_06: Um, Paul doesn't throw this in there, and I think one thing, if if we want to hit this kind of the spiritual sort of work right there, he's been pointing to this struggle, like really this entire book.
SPEAKER_06: It's never his major thesis, but he points to it.
SPEAKER_06: He's and he talks to the Ephesians, and you were dead in the transpasses of sins in which you once walked.
SPEAKER_06: You were following the course of this world, the prince of the power of the air, that spirit of the world.
SPEAKER_06: You know, you know, you know, that's that sort of satanic influence, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.
SPEAKER_06: And I think if uh if you remember Kenny's sort of Genesis series, he talked about sort of that double legacy of Cain and Abel.
SPEAKER_06: He says it says those people who follow, you know, they're not the elect, they're not those, yeah.
SPEAKER_06: Um among whom we all once lived in the passions of the flesh, carrying out the desires.
SPEAKER_06: I I do want to actually flip to one more because he points to this, and I if I didn't just lose my place with my finger here.
SPEAKER_06: Um yeah, Ephesians 3, uh eight and nine.
SPEAKER_06: He talks about himself to me, I though I am the very least of all saints, this grace was given to preach to the Gentiles and the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring the light for everyone, what is made planned of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that the church, uh the manifold wisdom of God, might be made to known to the rulers and authorities where in the heavenly places.
SPEAKER_06: This idea that what we do has not only sort of mortal significance, but also like there's a heavenly realm beyond us all, you know, and what we do matters.
SPEAKER_06: And he says, we once followed one side of that and now we're on the other.
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so to the question, how do we often mistake a spiritual battle for a flesh and blood one?
SPEAKER_00: I think sometimes, like for me, it can be easy to get caught up in, oh, you know, just the opposing sides that people find themselves on.
SPEAKER_00: Or if you look at wars and rumors of wars, it's like we think these are humans coming up against each other.
SPEAKER_00: If we could just fix this rule or fix that treaty or this agreement, then everything would be okay, but it's not a flesh and blood situation.
SPEAKER_00: This is spiritual powers that are stirring up these things in us.
SPEAKER_00: And it's easy to judge others and forget this is being, these are this is warfare that's happening in the spiritual level.
SPEAKER_06: Other thoughts on this?
SPEAKER_06: I mean, we'll get to the nature of the battle here in a minute.
SPEAKER_06: But uh what are the consequences when we try to fight spiritual battles with human fleshly weapons?
SPEAKER_07: Temporary at best.
SPEAKER_11: Yeah.
SPEAKER_11: I just the example that comes to mind is um just you know, everyday conflict.
SPEAKER_11: Or you know, yeah, marriage or it with people at work.
SPEAKER_11: Like, what is what has possessed this person?
SPEAKER_11: Don't you ever think that?
SPEAKER_11: Like, are you can we just do our work here?
SPEAKER_11: Like, I just don't want to really deal with the attitude or the anger.
SPEAKER_11: Like, are you why are you being like you know, it's like I don't know, this person is not saved, apparently.
SPEAKER_11: Or like I was like, I want to ask these people like, do you know Jesus?
SPEAKER_11: Let's talk.
SPEAKER_11: But yeah, but it's it is that like it's back down to it, like but they're not a believer, you know, they're not they're not you're not gonna you're not gonna fix it, or even if they are a believer, maybe not.
SPEAKER_11: Um but it's just like we just can't get saved, yeah, in a non-judgmental loving way, which is the last thing I feel so that's where it is.
SPEAKER_11: It's like that's a spiritual battle that I, you know, I am responsible to accept that this is this is a soul here, and I can't say the person's bad or good.
SPEAKER_11: Like God's got them one way or the other, and he's got me.
SPEAKER_11: But we just yeah, like there's he doesn't, yeah, he doesn't want, he wants there to be a fight.
SPEAKER_11: He wants to, you know, he wants there to be a few.
SPEAKER_11: You can hit him over the head with black one.
SPEAKER_11: As far as it depends on me, I want to be at peace with everybody.
SPEAKER_11: You're not making it easy right now.
SPEAKER_11: Uh that's what I want to say next time.
SPEAKER_11: That that it seems to be that that's yeah, that in the real world, that's what comes up to me more than certainly the more recent things, too.
SPEAKER_06: So I've I've been honestly for years trying to read a if you the title of this thing is called The Christian in Complete Armor.
SPEAKER_06: There's a book by a Puritan minister.
SPEAKER_06: His name is William Gurnall.
SPEAKER_06: Uh it's a two-volume book called The Christian in Complete Armor, and it's really him sermonizing and breaking down really just Ephesians 6, you know, 10 uh through 18.
SPEAKER_06: And uh it's it's weighty stuff.
SPEAKER_06: But he he talks about, particularly looking at verse 10, a metaphor.
SPEAKER_06: He calls uh he says, and I want to really focus on this as much as we think like a focus on the armor pieces today, we're gonna try to get there.
SPEAKER_06: But uh one thing that stands out for me, because he's is he says, to be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might.
SPEAKER_06: Um the idea he says that we are, and he uses his illustration, a glass or a goblet without a bottom.
SPEAKER_06: Now, now we all have very, those of us who brought cups today, uh like we all have very modern cups.
SPEAKER_06: Um, but his illustration for this is is the goblet, which has a stem which holds it up.
SPEAKER_06: And it says in the end, it's like we are, he see, he says, we are just the top of the glass.
SPEAKER_06: It's like without a base.
SPEAKER_06: And it's like we have to be strong in the Lord.
SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
SPEAKER_06: And it says, this is where our strength comes from.
SPEAKER_06: Because I think for a lot of these Ephesians and me, like, you know, we were we were at the church's marriage group last night, and you know, I I read something like Ephesians 5, and I have to love Sarah, you know, like Christ loves the church.
SPEAKER_06: And I'm like, oh, that's all.
SPEAKER_06: It's like it's like it's like that's all.
SPEAKER_06: It's like I gotta figure out, okay, like, like, how do you know I you do that?
SPEAKER_06: Or you know, uh, how do you do this with children and parents?
SPEAKER_06: You know, what if your parents aren't believers?
SPEAKER_06: You know, and and they're it's like it's like how do we do any of this stuff?
SPEAKER_06: And it's like, it's like I can't do that it it's it it's like my mouth gets me in trouble with her you know more often than not for for you know for all my shady sarcasm it's it's like how do I how do I love her like Christ you know you know loves the church and and and I wonder if a lot of things like uh the Ephesians you're reading all this and he he says okay and he's like all right and you slaves or you bond servants it's like you obey your masters and and a lot of people in the Roman world were slaves and and it's like he's like how do you do that in some strength and he says well it's not your own strength and he says this idea of you you need the bottom to your glass it's like without that you can't stand upright um and and that's also the problem like if we try to you know if I try to be a husband out of my own strength a son out of my own strength you know a church member anything out of my own strength like it's not really I'm going to get exhausted I'm going to get frustrated no not that good Christians still don't get those things operating with God's souls like but it's it it's just not going to work it's like I'm not clever enough I I'm not smooth talking enough I'm not loving enough I'm going to come up short and and so he basically tells him like this type of thing you've been the workmanship of God he's created the works now just be strong it's like you've got to depend on him and Gernal talks a lot about it's like the armor it's like you didn't even come up with the armor.
SPEAKER_06: It's like as you can close those battles like you bring nothing to this it's it's like it's God who equips you it's not Ephesians go out there and be perfect.
SPEAKER_06: It's it's not done it's like you're gonna get up every day and you've got to depend on God to equip you for this that's how you do some of this Bible stuff.
SPEAKER_06: And if you feel you can't do it yeah you basically got the point you can't you you might fake it for a while you might dress up a nice come to church you may bring enough things for the pot luck that people think oh that Jason he's really got this together.
SPEAKER_06: Beautiful salad today Sarah made it all and um you know but in the end it's like God's got to equip you and I love this phrase 11 it says you put on the armor of God.
SPEAKER_06: Yeah you know yeah you Mr.
SPEAKER_10: Travis you want to say something about it no that's yeah I will I used to pray like on my walks you know I would say Lord help me get dressed help me put this on but then I read a devotion one time and it said because of free will he gives you the option you have to choose to put on the armor of God.
SPEAKER_06: Yeah William Gernal like Perthy he he'd agree with you he says you've got to decide if you have one choice in this it's when you wake up you got to decide are you going are are are you gonna wear the equipment of God or are you gonna go out there as naked as can be and be like I got this.
SPEAKER_08: And I think part of that decision too right with we have to acknowledge we're in a battle I mean there's no need for armor if we don't acknowledge that there's a battle and I think a lot of people walk around thinking that there is no spiritual battle and I I know you teach right I've taught this is for adults obviously too but I just have seen it so clearly in the lives of the kids that I've taught over the years just the battle for the hearts and the minds of children.
SPEAKER_08: It's just so clear.
SPEAKER_08: Mine too 100% but we don't put on armor if we don't think we're in a battle and when we're in a battle we're on one side or the other so that's something we've talked a lot about over the years like you there's no neutral ground you're you're on one team or the other you better know what team you're on like that's really important.
SPEAKER_08: So it's email to Rhizome so we can't just walk around I mean when we walk around with no armor we're saying we don't really have a need for protection and we're wrong.
SPEAKER_06: And that leaves us wide open 100% yeah if you live out in a Christian way there's gonna be people who don't like you.
SPEAKER_06: Yeah yeah you're going to have opposition that that opposition may not always come directly and somebody doesn't like you but it's uh there's going to be troubles like like and this is idea the spiritual battle like like there are spiritual powers that do not like you trying to live out Ephesians that doesn't mean every problem you have is always necessarily a spiritual one I have certainly created many many messes of my own yeah I can't I can't say the devil made it like like that was me building this you know the problem but uh um and I think there's a lot of ways to misuse this section of Ephesians.
SPEAKER_06: It's it's like we got to take Paul in context of the whole thing.
SPEAKER_06: And no it's all good.
SPEAKER_06: And you know but I think it's just like we've got to put on the armor and kind of see this somewhat in our our daily life is not always just about us.
SPEAKER_06: It's also about how we live with God and what we do with that.
SPEAKER_06: And we're going to have opposition and if you're not having any kind of opposition I'm well either one tell me your secret or two you know what are you doing for God?
SPEAKER_06: Maybe the devil doesn't need to fight you that much um so any case a little more on this now question two now we could spend a lot of time I I think and maybe we'll we'll give a little bit diving into you know what they would do if if I was in Sunday school with this throwing the armor on each piece you know I'm not really sure if that if that's sort of our best time I would love to kind of get to kind of what Paul's doing kind of the end of this here a bit.
SPEAKER_06: But first of all now Mr.
SPEAKER_06: Travis you said you read Isaiah 59 yesterday can you quote verse 17?
SPEAKER_06: I'm curious I cannot I well let's all go ahead and flip there then all right I can't quote it from heart either I read it three times yesterday I find this interesting I only read it once yeah where are you what I uh it's on the it's Isaiah 5917 um Paul doesn't come up with this idea of armor just out of nowhere and almost none of his references do um this is Isaiah 5917 uh Jill would you be uh willing to read it he put on righteousness as a breastplate and a helmet of salvation on his head he put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak and so I meant it's like Paul has a lot of direct and often if you can a lot of what he does is paraphrase the Old Testament but but he's citing this and he's saying you know God himself basically you're putting on very similar things to what I you know uh the prophecy of Isaiah describes God wearing it's like put on your God nature when when you when you get up it's like it's like it's like it's like God himself has right God wears righteousness.
SPEAKER_06: Now how can you do this you know you're in unity with Christ you have the Holy Spirit in you.
SPEAKER_06: It's like walk in such a way that when God looks at you and this is true because the Holy Spirit is in you like that God sees Jesus He says you are really just when you get up morning you are just covering yourself with the Holy Spirit Jesus that's already in you which is the nature of what God himself sort of uh metaphorically describes himself as wearing here and I I find that encouraging me like Paul just didn't come up with this as a a cute metaphor yeah yeah um and so anyway I just wanted to note that I I found that kind of very interesting interesting I was kind of diving into this um the metaphor in question too is I took this straight again from William Gurnal why is this equipment the only way to become a and he calls this a white liveried soldier um who flies from his course and be when trials begin to shoot like enemies through hedges at him never heard that term never heard that term white livery soldier yeah uh you're wearing white so like like like you're dressed in white you're wearing the clothes of surrender and you run away from your flag your colors of your troop with the minute when the enemy starts shooting at you in battle.
SPEAKER_10: Okay is this equipment the only way to avoid running away when it starts getting hard well because of uh Ephesians 16 be strong in the Lord we can't be strong without you without his strength and his strength is through the armor if you're in battle and you just stand there while people are shooting at you and you don't have any armor you're dead.
SPEAKER_06: Yeah all right people who've been in church a long time I'm sure some of you have heard this one this would be usually the first thing my old pastors growing up would say about the armor of God where does the armor not cover oh does this not go through through a lot of reform traditions I swear there is no armor for the back in Roman very bad Sunday school well yeah I in Roman military there in ancient culture their backs were covered by the breastplate you put it on it cover the front and back and you strap it in that's in military terms that's how it worked but um the ancient Egyptians I mean the ancient Hebrews wouldn't have had back armor and maybe I'm and I'm telling probably only the rich Romans had back armor.
SPEAKER_06: Paul describes nothing here that covers your back.
SPEAKER_10: Well that's yeah okay that makes the white livered soldier more in in mind because you don't turn and run or you get shot in the back.
SPEAKER_06: Yes yeah a white livered soldier that's the same as a sunshine patriot fair weather friend yeah Thomas Paine never mind yeah yeah I don't know but it seemed like a thing I always kept saying Lord what'd you get me into he's like and I equipped you for it and you can decide whether you're you know it it's it's that friend who's only around like like when you have food for them you know you're basically that that white livered soldier um yeah then you call them when you need some advice you're in trouble and they're like uh you know uh uh who's this new phone and you're like you know you know who I am um it's you know that's the the run it you know that's the running away that's living through your own all right things that are represented uh by them all all right let's let's walk through the pieces real quick what is the first piece of armor this would be verse 14 not the breastplate no the trelt of truth yeah the belt of truth anybody got the King James in front of them anybody have a good solid girdle here okay no I don't know I have the new King James version and it says waist the waist the waist okay um the the waist of truth and that was because everything was attached to the waist yes yeah just like one around it yeah there you go exactly so okay everything's attached to the belt now uh uh some of you may have better hips than mine but you know if I don't have my belt on I'm running a high risk of a problem um yeah and uh so everything else just could fall off and and and and that was true true for armor as well you gotta have it all buckled and cinched in and so you start with the belts you start with the belts and um and and I I think that that was really uh striking me so like you've fastened this on okay and and the truth it's like you start with the truth you know the truth um don't be surprised that Jesus says the truth shall set you free in this case the truth shall keep you not naked um well which yeah you know which is which is basically if you don't know the scripture if you don't know God you don't have any armor you got nothing yeah all right and so to this you fasten the breastplate of righteousness okay and who also has a breastplate of righteousness Jesus Jesus read that in Isaiah from Isaiah okay yeah okay good Isaiah I was like okay all right all right well we could go back if we need it like God is himself is described as wearing a breastplate of righteousness put on your God nature and I think to Don we get this from Jesus it's like how where do we get our righteousness from from Christ yeah he's saying put on Christ here know the truth fasten Christ onto yourself I mean he's already in you he's he's like he's like but put it on he's he's like wear your Christ nature now uh beyond that and okay so we got most of the body covered what's next verse 15 shoes given by the gospel of peace why do we think it's interesting the shoes are peace let's have a little ideas thoughts well because of our Bible studies that we've been through uh well Jill and I have been I don't know about everybody else but we did study uh in ancient times those shoes were not really shoes but they had cleats they had not just cleats they had like spikes and it kept them solid solidly fixed so you stood firm so we're so I think that is a uh a real strong picture of us standing firm in Christ and not easily pushed over um all right so Robin I'm I'll push back just a bit and in fact pushback is probably too strong a word I I don't think a modern contemporary culture would would describe what you just said I'm going to stand firm and use the word peace so how reconcile that to I just had the thought that when you said did I hear you say shoes of peace yes okay um I'm thinking of uh you know we like to stand our ground on the one hand we like to stand our ground like if we're having a political discussion or whatever any kind of discussion yeah where we have different views we like to stand our ground whereas on the other hand if we're a nation needing to make peace we send someone as an emissary who goes who walks toward the other party to make peace so would that be the shoes of peace I I think so I mean Paul doesn't really expound on this I think we have to kind of point to the rest of the Ephesians stuff.
SPEAKER_06: But the more reason I just said back to Robin I just I think it's it's a wonderful countercultural idea like we can be peaceful because one we're standing in God but this is all ultimately what we're doing here.
SPEAKER_11: It's it's like yeah there's a country song that we're going there for and spreading the gospel the gospel is peace.
SPEAKER_10: You know you go you don't there's a country song if you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything.
SPEAKER_10: So this is more of a um I don't know if it's offensive I think it's defensive also in that you you're not going to be easily pushed over or swayed by the evil one.
SPEAKER_10: And so you stand firm and that doesn't necessarily mean against peace.
SPEAKER_06: I mean I think you can stand strongly for peace yeah the shoes for your feet you've put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace it was it was like you are ready and but it comes from a peaceful gospel.
SPEAKER_04: We are not as Jesus you know as Peter cuts off the ear of the high priest Jesus is like uh this is not what we're about but you can also but you're also ready um yeah I don't know any more thoughts on on this particular verse you you could do a whole word study on peace in the gospel yeah but you're standing for it but peace it's gonna keep you from being the white liver soldier who runs away you should remember during the Korean War the Canadians were next to us and they're they had cleans on the belt of their shoes too and when they they got shipped out before we did and a lot of our guys got their boots in the formation we got all Canadian boots on like that all right uh okay left hand what are we holding a shield a shield of faith yeah you you would not be equipped on defense if you didn't have a shield yeah and it's like what's the role of faith here extinguish the flaming guard so that you don't we're going to be attacked we'll have negative voices come at us it's like but because of our faith we stand firm in this peace because we know the truth it was like without our faith we have no defense really it's like like we're still fairly open to attack.
SPEAKER_06: If somebody comes at you with a sword it's like you gotta have your shield.
SPEAKER_10: And another thing I question about the fiery darts and I'm thinking no he slings arrows and and those javelins but the thing is the devil doesn't always do that he throws darts that will stick but they won't kill you and he you know and that makes it easier for him or it always recognize you're being attacked I I love you said that Robin because he could he could have used the word arrows he almost potentially uses a diminutive for it here.
SPEAKER_06: That does use the word arrows it does use the word arrows I'm I'll admit I didn't do a big kind of Greek dive into this word here.
SPEAKER_06: But your shield is going to stop it it's like it's like that's your face um all right um verse 17 this is also an echo back to Isaiah what what's going on your head of salvation helmet of salvation it's like Jesus protects your head we need to protect the knowledge that's there the the knowledge he gives us you know it's the Holy Spirit that tells us these things it's like yeah well if you don't have salvation you don't have any of this other stuff if you don't have salvation you don't you already belong to Satan so Satan doesn't have to go after such people he already has them yeah right all right and also just note Isaiah 5917 this is what you know God is also pictured wearing a helmet you know other this is what he does all right what is our only offensive weapon sword of the spirit the sword of the spirit which is the word of God this is this is your weapon right here yeah it's it's like how you how you and and I find it's like it's God's word it's like you don't even you don't bring anything defensive to this battle you also don't bring anything offensive to this battle it was like it's like the words of the God are what you use against attack not an actual sword um it's it says the word of God is ultimately like this is how you use your faith use your truth it's like the great tool we have for dealing in spiritual battle is the word of God and and I find that's also telling for me it's like well what what do I use I go about the day it's like I I have the Bible it's like for dealing with these spiritual battles.
SPEAKER_06: You know God doesn't necessarily tell me okay go vote for the right people um seize control uh you know that may be in some ways part of living out my Christian walk it's like but ultimately it's like you have the word of God like that's what's going to stand firm and and so I have to know it I have to be knowing the truth I have to have Jesus is righteous over me.
SPEAKER_06: It's like but that's the picture of the Christian soldier except we're gonna get to prayer here in a minute like you're You're saved, you have Jesus' righteous over you, you have faith, you know the truth, you're walking but and standing firm, but also in peace.
SPEAKER_06: It's like that's who you are.
SPEAKER_06: And I I counteract that with sort of the caricature of the Christian, however, the world wants to look at it.
SPEAKER_06: It's it's like be faithful, know the truth.
SPEAKER_06: It's like, you know, be righteous, don't act like the rest of the world, but get this strength of God.
SPEAKER_06: It's like that's ultimately what it says that's what you should appear to be as to the world in your own walk.
SPEAKER_06: And is that the caricature of the Christian?
SPEAKER_06: No.
SPEAKER_06: Um, it's it's like, but you're going to be authentically in Christ if this is what you're looking like you put on.
SPEAKER_10: Growing up in Mississippi, Laurie and I, as children, we had sword drills.
SPEAKER_10: And I never really understood until I was a little bit older.
SPEAKER_10: Uh, sword drill, and that's where they holler out someone speaks out a particular scripture and the first one to find it.
SPEAKER_10: And that helped children find you know learn the books of the Bible and everything.
SPEAKER_10: But uh the sword of the spirit is the word, and so that's what it connected with me.
SPEAKER_10: I guess I was sort of anyway.
SPEAKER_10: Yeah, I didn't know if y'all knew about sword drills because they did that with the road, yeah.
SPEAKER_10: A couple of uh Thanksgivings, two Thanksgivings in a row with uh Laura conducted uh sword drills.
SPEAKER_06: Now I had the kind of Christian teachers, they'd make up a name from the Bible that sounded really authentic, and they'd yell out Hezekiah 7-1, just in the class scrambling for it.
SPEAKER_06: And and the only way to win, like we'd all be going to table concerts, they'd be like, Oh my god, where is that?
SPEAKER_06: And someone have to say up and like, there's now Hezekiah, and I'd be like, Yeah.
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, all right.
SPEAKER_06: Um, so the role of prayer here, and I I don't think we have a lot of time to dive in this, but Gurnaw makes a big thing, which I actually like.
SPEAKER_06: Prayer here, he says, pray at all times in the spirit with prayer and supplication.
SPEAKER_06: And the idea he would say that because armor had to be taken care of.
SPEAKER_06: Um, which the idea that prayer is almost the oil, because you would have to oil your armor that keeps everything together.
SPEAKER_06: It says, You pray at all times with the spirit and to keep alert with perseverance, making supplication, prayers for the saints and also for me.
SPEAKER_06: He says, What do I really want you to do?
SPEAKER_06: He says, and now when you got all that on, pray.
SPEAKER_06: Pray.
SPEAKER_06: And the idea is that prayer itself is not listed as part of the armor, it's something you should be doing, it's something you should be doing in your armor.
SPEAKER_06: To this idea that prayer is what keeps your armor fitting.
SPEAKER_09: We're praying for each other, too.
SPEAKER_09: Yes, as all of our fellow saints are in this battle, too.
SPEAKER_06: So you put all this on, what do you do?
SPEAKER_06: Pray.
SPEAKER_06: It's like you don't know, you don't wake up in the morning, you don't know what God has called you to do, you you feel your life is insignificant, pray.
SPEAKER_06: It's as it says when when Paul gets through all this with wise husbands, children, parents, bondserver, masters.
SPEAKER_06: Okay, so what do you do with all this?
SPEAKER_06: Well, put on a guard and then pray.
SPEAKER_06: He says, that's what you do, pray.
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, it's like God's really doing everything, anyways.
SPEAKER_06: He's like, pray.
SPEAKER_06: And he's like, and pray for me.
SPEAKER_04: Um almost as if you don't if you're not praying, the armor's not gonna be any good.
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, right.
unknown: Yeah.
SPEAKER_06: If you feel your armor's not fitting, like when's the last time you prayed?
SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
SPEAKER_06: Um, when's the last time you really just he says that tells me what you're doing?
SPEAKER_06: He says, pray.
SPEAKER_06: Okay, you got it on, you can stand firm in the in the in the in the boots of peace.
SPEAKER_06: Oh, okay, get on your knees now and pray.
SPEAKER_06: Pray at all times.
SPEAKER_06: He's like, pray for other people.
SPEAKER_06: He says, pray for other saints.
SPEAKER_06: He says, he says, pray for me.
SPEAKER_06: Pray for yourself, pray in the spirit, pray.
SPEAKER_06: That's that's the actual mandate.
SPEAKER_06: You know, it's you may think like, I don't know, it's like he may send me to do, you know, ministry over in Ethiopia.
SPEAKER_06: Yeah, whatever.
SPEAKER_06: Pray.
SPEAKER_06: Maybe it's to be a mom.
SPEAKER_06: Pray.
SPEAKER_06: To be a son, pray.
SPEAKER_06: To be a husband, pray.
SPEAKER_06: Um, maybe it's just, you know, to be nice to somebody at work who could use a kind word.
SPEAKER_06: Pray.
SPEAKER_06: And and I I love that it says, and then pray for me.
SPEAKER_06: Um, Paul has listed question three.
SPEAKER_06: This is the ambassador.
SPEAKER_06: We are partly, uh, I may have to stop a minute or two early here.
SPEAKER_06: Um, it's just this amazing thing.
SPEAKER_06: Uh, like he's an ambassador in chains.
SPEAKER_06: And and Don, as you said about like you send an ambassador, he's like, You're not supposed to put an ambassador in chains, but that's what he describes himself as.
SPEAKER_06: Um, the and he says he asks them to pray and what to pray for, that he just opens his mouth to proclaim boldly.
SPEAKER_06: That's Paul's.
SPEAKER_06: He says, This is why would you pray for me?
SPEAKER_06: He's already in chains for the gospel, and it says, It says, just pray for me that I'm still able to boldly say the word of God, his sword.
SPEAKER_06: It's fine to me, he doesn't pray for release, he doesn't pray, he says, pray for me for this.
SPEAKER_06: And it's um, he's proud of his chains.
SPEAKER_06: He says, I ought to speak boldly about what God has done for me and why I am in chains.
SPEAKER_06: And I I find that like just amazing.
SPEAKER_06: Like he was I've said this reference back from the act study, like Paul was often called Mercury, he was seen as the chief speaker, one of the Greek communities.
SPEAKER_06: He I associates him with being, you know, Zeus or Jupiter's messenger.
SPEAKER_06: And he says, just pray for me that I would speak boldly.
SPEAKER_06: Uh, to question four.
SPEAKER_06: Um so he's sending Titicus, and and Titicus, in this case, probably would have delivered this letter to the church in Ephesus.
SPEAKER_06: He probably would have come with it.
SPEAKER_06: Um basically says, I'm going to tell you what about the rest of Paul.
SPEAKER_06: He says, Titicus will tell you the rest.
SPEAKER_06: Um he says, I've sent you for this purpose, that it may encourage your hearts, and then he leaves with this benediction that they will have peace, love, and faith.
SPEAKER_06: And so so peace be to the brothers, love with faith, and grace be to all.
SPEAKER_06: Um, how does that sort of fit as sort of the kind of the conclusion to all of this?
SPEAKER_06: Um, associated with the armor of God, it's like it's like, how does that serve as sort of an ultimate kind of conclusion to things related to kind of spiritual warfare?
SPEAKER_04: I know I know that's kind of a rush through it all, but we're here, we're here in kind of the end of time, but well, Paul is in prison, and the only way he can get word out is by having someone go.
SPEAKER_04: And there's type.
SPEAKER_07: He's obviously just completely given himself over to God.
SPEAKER_07: Yeah.
SPEAKER_07: He has no regard for his physical self at this point.
SPEAKER_07: He's more concerned about spreading the gospel and getting the word out than anything else.
SPEAKER_07: He has completely given himself over to God.
SPEAKER_06: That's his sword.
SPEAKER_06: He's like, really just pray that I do the sword well.
SPEAKER_06: Right.
SPEAKER_06: That I do it confidently as I should.
SPEAKER_06: And why confidently?
SPEAKER_06: I'm in the armor of God.
SPEAKER_12: He's walking the walk.
SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
SPEAKER_06: And so Alton says, for you all, he says, so peace to you.
SPEAKER_06: Because you could be really concerned for me.
SPEAKER_06: I mean, Tituskis is going to tell you, he says, but you all who've been fighting, in fighting, peace.
SPEAKER_06: Have love in faith.
SPEAKER_06: You're all together, you're all soldiers in the same battle.
SPEAKER_06: And so grace be with you all and his love.
SPEAKER_06: And it says ultimately, it's like that's the goal of spiritual battle.
SPEAKER_06: It's like we are to spread peace.
SPEAKER_06: Not peace by killing our enemy.
SPEAKER_06: It says, because they are all adopted.
SPEAKER_06: As Paul himself was a murderer.
SPEAKER_06: He says, ultimately, he says, we live with people in peace and love.
SPEAKER_06: That's the power of the word of God.
SPEAKER_06: And he says, that's what I want you to pray.
SPEAKER_06: It says for me that you help me speak it more.
SPEAKER_06: And I think it's worth some reflection, like how many of the battles we fight are really about creating peace, creating love.
SPEAKER_06: Not that we can control all these circumstances, but it says the outcome of true Christian duty should be making more brothers.
SPEAKER_06: It should be operating with love with each other.
SPEAKER_06: And as he's writing this in chains, that's simply what he asks for more of.
SPEAKER_06: We are all his workmanship, created for doing good works.
SPEAKER_06: Well, you do have to go, but closing thoughts.
SPEAKER_07: Oliver Cromwell, um, during the New Parliament Army, this was something that they this was central to his entire military campaign, this particular of these passages, and he really, really preached this to his troops, using that as a metaphor before they went to battle.
SPEAKER_07: It's really fascinating too after it.
SPEAKER_06: Thank you.
SPEAKER_06: All right, let's close in prayer.
SPEAKER_06: Heavenly Father, we are grateful for Ephesians.
SPEAKER_06: We are grateful for your righteousness, Lord.
SPEAKER_06: Let us put you on every morning and always be praying.
SPEAKER_06: Let us speak boldly your truth, Lord, not just so that we may be seen as being right or for our own glory, uh, but for yours.
SPEAKER_06: Let us take confidence in the fact that you fight the battles, Lord.
SPEAKER_06: And we just need uh to look for you for our equipment for our work, Lord.
SPEAKER_06: So equip us for your workmanship today and here day with after it.
SPEAKER_06: Let us often be called this week to you in prayer until we are back again together as a fellowship.
SPEAKER_06: Uh, let us celebrate you all more through praise here in church.
SPEAKER_06: In your name we pray.
SPEAKER_06: Amen.
SPEAKER_06: Thank you.
SPEAKER_06: Thank you so much.
SPEAKER_06: No, well, I'm just having a good thing.