Ephesians
“Armour of God”
The hassle about being sick – is the sense that I didn’t value being healthy enough.
That is, now that illness has hit – that I wasn’t aware enough, or grateful enough when I was well.
Lack of awareness of the very situation which you are living in can be catastrophic when you do become aware.
Two movies come to mind.
The Truman Show and The Matrix are both stories whereby the main characters are living lives yet utterly unaware that it is an illusion.
The Truman Show has the main character as part of a reality show; The Matrix has a futuristic setting whereby everyone is essentially asleep with computers running images through their minds to give them the impression that they are in fact living.
Sounds far fetched I suppose – until you begin to reflect on similar moments in Scripture.
David somehow lulling himself into an oblivious state in the aftermath of his adultery and murder of Uriah (2 Sam 11-12) before being roused from his “slumber” by Nathan the prophet.
The devastating pronouncement upon Israel – beginning with the women – demonstrates how unaware and indifferent they had become to the world around them:
[Read Amos 4:1-5.]
The sense is also there with the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk 15) when he “comes to his senses”; and at several levels in Gethsemane when the disciples literally fall asleep.
Reading Eph 6 “wakes” me up.
Eph 6 is a description of an ever-present and ongoing reality.
Yet I forget it.
Often.
Until either things begin to get especially weird and unusual; and/or I read Eph 6 again and am reminded of it all.
But I find that I live a lot like I am on the Truman Show; or in The Matrix, or sitting there oblivious to my sin and indifference (until a prophet stands before me) telling me “You are the man”; or a “Cow of Bashan” as the case may be; or the Prodigal finally coming to his senses; or being roused in Gethsemane as my Lord and Saviour continues to pour Himself out for this world.
And then I am once again reorientated by the exhortation of Eph 6 and its call to don the armour of God and wage spiritual warfare.
And much can be made of the spiritual forces described in Eph 6:12.
Suffice to say that they exist; they’re active; they’re mysterious; they’re powerful; and they war against the church.
And much is made of the features of the particular pieces of the armour of God.
As John Stott mentions (BST Ephesians, pg 276) – a Puritan pastor in 1655 wrote a treatise for his congregation about the armour of God from Ephesians.
It ran to three volumes, 261 chapters and 1472 pages.
All covering eleven verses of Scripture.
I find that the direction that Eph 6 points to – is not so much an obvious manifestation and demonic appearance of evil in the world – as much as a drowsiness, apathy and indifference of the church.
The direction and sincere counsel of Eph 6 is essentially “wake up”.
There is a battle and satan’s strategies are subtle and crafty.
Read the end of the story of which the church of Ephesus features in Rev 2-3.
Demonic resistance and presence often is in the guise of subtle deception and presence; an evil and active presence.
But subtle, and beguiling, and attractive.
When I read Eph 6, I hear the call to don the armour of God.
I take heed of the call to remember that our struggle is against spiritual forces; not people.
Yet – I wonder why it is we so quickly and consistently forget that.
And attack people.
Each other.
I read about all of this – but it is the punchline that is where the balance of power for this passage rests.
The call to pray at all times.
To keep alert and always persevere.
I wonder if we focus on the armour of God at the expense of what comes next; that is – this exhortation to pray.
That we ready ourselves for battle – but are still somewhat aimless in knowing exactly where to turn to fight.
Eph 6:18-20 is the arena for living in the light of the previous verses.
If there is a consistent message that comes through the Gospels (Luke especially) – and then in the letters of Paul to the early church – it is this:
“Wake up! Keep watch!”
What happens when we fail to do that?
I think we get drowsy.
And we locate the battle and struggle in arenas where it doesn’t belong.
So instead of recognising that the struggle of the church as against spiritual powers; we struggle against each other.
Tragically so.
Instead of praying for each other.
The Letter to the Ephesians begins with a celebration of the spiritual reality we enjoy in Christ.
“Blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Eph 1:3); it ends here with again calling our attention to the spiritual realms – but with particular attention to the work here on earth.
It is not an either/or – but is outlining the whole context.
I especially like how The Message puts it, because it does emphasise the totally of it all; the need to be vigilant at all times.
"Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out." (Ephesians 6:13-18, The Message).
The kind of life and forces which Ephesians speak of are not seasonal. They are constant.
And it is no accident that it is the final word in this letter about the life, shape and colour of the church.
Having celebrated and enlightened us about all that constitutes the church – the letter finishes somewhat open-ended.
It leaves us with a mandate.
A call of how we are to continue to live, grow and live in the presence of Christ in this world.
Read in and of itself – it can appear grim and intimidating.
Read (as it ought to be) – as the final comment of a letter – it makes sense and comes as no surprise.
We are empowered through our life together in Christ.
The specific aspects of the armour of God: truth, righteousness, gospel of peace, faith, salvation, Word of God – have all been covered and presented in Ephesians.
This final passage is saying – “So then – that being said and experienced – you are now equipped!”
We often read it as if we now need to scramble and quickly reach for these parts of the armour.
Yet maybe – if as a result of careful and prayerful engagement with Eph 1-5 – we are already standing in the power of God and aware of the world in ways which enable us to see clearly and live generously for the gospel.
Presented By: Rev Geoff New