A Call to Arms (8 of 8)
Steve Jones
Ephesians 6:10-20
Introduction:
Who said each of the following lines:
'I have not yet begun to fight' John Paul Jones
'I shall return' - Douglas MacArthur'
December 7th, 1941 - A day that will live in infamy!' - Franklin Roosevelt
'We will fight them in the air, on the sea, on the beaches...' - Winston Churchill
All of the preceding were historical figures who gained fame for issuing a call to arms in a memorable manner. Now for one that is more recent and urgent:
'This will not stand' - George W. Bush
On September 11, 2001, the United States of America was attacked by terrorists and thousands were killed in the suicide bombings of the World Trade Center and the Washington Pentagon. Eight days later, on Wednesday night, September 19th, George W. Bush gave a televised speech to a joint session of congress in which, among other things, he called this nation to arms. All of a sudden, the lesser issues of the day paled in the face of a renewed understanding that we, as a nation, are engaged in a struggle for our life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
In Ephesians 6 Paul gives a SPIRITUAL call to arms for a similar purpose - to remind Christians that WE are engaged in a desperate struggle with our enemy for our spiritual life, liberty and happiness. In this call to arms Paul lays out a four-fold strategy for spiritual victory.
I. IDENTIFY THE ENEMY - 6:10-12A. Who the enemy is not - flesh and blood.
The enemy is not people. Remember the immediate context of this verse is Paul's teaching on submission.
1. Submit to one another. The enemy is not our brother or sister in the church. Sometimes we may feel like the sentiment expressed in this poem:
'I do not like Thee, Dr. Fehl.
The reason why I cannot tell.
But this one thing I know full well,
I do not like Thee, Dr. Fehl.'
Though we may disagree and not 'hit it off', we will never be enemies with fellow church members. Our struggle ...
Steve Jones
Ephesians 6:10-20
Introduction:
Who said each of the following lines:
'I have not yet begun to fight' John Paul Jones
'I shall return' - Douglas MacArthur'
December 7th, 1941 - A day that will live in infamy!' - Franklin Roosevelt
'We will fight them in the air, on the sea, on the beaches...' - Winston Churchill
All of the preceding were historical figures who gained fame for issuing a call to arms in a memorable manner. Now for one that is more recent and urgent:
'This will not stand' - George W. Bush
On September 11, 2001, the United States of America was attacked by terrorists and thousands were killed in the suicide bombings of the World Trade Center and the Washington Pentagon. Eight days later, on Wednesday night, September 19th, George W. Bush gave a televised speech to a joint session of congress in which, among other things, he called this nation to arms. All of a sudden, the lesser issues of the day paled in the face of a renewed understanding that we, as a nation, are engaged in a struggle for our life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
In Ephesians 6 Paul gives a SPIRITUAL call to arms for a similar purpose - to remind Christians that WE are engaged in a desperate struggle with our enemy for our spiritual life, liberty and happiness. In this call to arms Paul lays out a four-fold strategy for spiritual victory.
I. IDENTIFY THE ENEMY - 6:10-12A. Who the enemy is not - flesh and blood.
The enemy is not people. Remember the immediate context of this verse is Paul's teaching on submission.
1. Submit to one another. The enemy is not our brother or sister in the church. Sometimes we may feel like the sentiment expressed in this poem:
'I do not like Thee, Dr. Fehl.
The reason why I cannot tell.
But this one thing I know full well,
I do not like Thee, Dr. Fehl.'
Though we may disagree and not 'hit it off', we will never be enemies with fellow church members. Our struggle ...
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