Sermon Tone Analysis
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The moral issues with which he deals are not simply matters of personal preference, as many within our contemporary and postmodern world contend.
On the contrary, they are essential elements in a larger struggle between the forces of good and evil.
Stand Firm
So, we’ve reached the end of Ephesians.
Book that displays the contrasts between those that deny Christ and are dead in Sin, and a church of Christ’s people made alive in Him.
Pray
Chapter 1 - looks at all the wonderful spiritual blessings we receive in Christ.
Christians made holy and blameless in God’s sight, chosen and adopted by God the Father.
All made possible not because we are special and deserve it, no quite the opposite, but Jesus, the son of God redeemed us by his blood.
He bought us with a price - his death on a cross.
A people who are will live for ever in glory with God himself, who have the Holy Spirit living in us now as a seal, marking us eternally as loved children of God.
Chapter 2 - unpacks how all this is made possible: not because we are special and deserve it, no quite the opposite, but Jesus, the son of God redeemed us by his blood.
He bought us with a price - his death on a cross.
We were dead, having rejected God - but we are his handiwork in Christ Jesus.
Saved according to his desires, and we are now a people designed for good works, not bad.
The end of chapter 2 and most of 3 discusses how far and wide this ‘good news’ needs to spread.
Both Jew and Gentile need the gospel.
In other words all people.
1 - The Devil’s schemes
And then Chapter 4, 5 and the start of 6 is a call to us to live lives worthy of that calling .
That is who we are!
And then Chapter 4, 5 and the start of 6 is a call to us to live lives worthy of that calling.
You are holy and blameless in God’s sight because of Jesus - so let’s strive to live like that!
Those that believe are told to be united under the good news of Jesus.
Put off falsehood and speak truthfully,
Do not let anger cause you to sin.
Work hard
the list goes on.
We even get specific instructions for Christian hoseholds, chidlren, wives, husbands, emplyers, employees.
All very practical and challenging stuff, and today we reach that big big word - Finally!
After all that, finally!
That’s what we’re going to learn today - how to be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
Or more simply put ‘STAND FIRM’
v11 - take your stand
v13 - stand your ground
v14 - stand firm.
v14 - stand firm.
This Final passage in Ephesians is a rousing call for the foot soldiers of Christ to live up to their calling.
Stand firm.
Yes, Jesus has done the work that is required for salavtion.
But while the victory is sure, the battle rages on until Jesus returns again.
and until that day, we must be aware that God’s people have a very real enemy against whom we must stand firm.
Grace Church Christians - do not be complacent about the life we live.
We must defend the position that the Jesus has won for us by standing firm.
The bible is very clear, we are at war.
While it may be fun to laugh about Donald Trump, we would not be laughing one bit if he actually triggered a 3rd world war.
And so it is today as a Christian.
If we are at war, then taking our faith lightheartedly, or not allowing it to affect our whole life is no laughing matter.
We ought to make absolutely sure we are prepared for battle.
So let’s do that now.
The first strategy then, in any war, is to gather intelligence - who is the enemy and how do they operate.
And Paul tells us that:
1 - The Devil’s schemes
We’ve just had a couple of chapters in Ephesians telling us how to live as Christians in our relationships, work situations and our general character and attitudes.
The moral issues with which he deals are not simply matters of personal preference, as many within our contemporary and postmodern world contend.
On the contrary, they are essential elements in a larger struggle between the forces of good and evil.
You’d expect Paul to finish by saying
Finally, remember our struggle is with flesh and blood.
But he actually says the opposite:
eph
So, hang on - I don’t need to really worry about how I behave as a husband, whether I lie to the tax man, whether I am lazy at work.
Doesn’t matter if I allow my anger to lead me into sin, or I waste my time with foolish talk.
dd
What really matters is how I stand against evil spiritual forces.
eph 6 11-
Well, no, not really.
Paul’s finale here is a reminder that the evil forces at work in this world have everything to do with everyday normal life.
You see, The devil is a schemer!
We must still strive to live just how we’ve been told.
We must try to live like the people we have already been made in Christ.
ddd
What’s going on here in this final passage is Paul wants us to be reminded of the reality of what’s going on.
The devil is a schemer!
d
He works his evil schemes in and out of our lives through seemingly insignificant things.
In 4:27, we were told that the devil tries to gain a foothold and exert influence over the lives of Christian’s through uncontrolled anger, as well as falsehood, stealing and unwholesome talk.
In 4:27, we’re told that the devil tries to gain a foothold and exert influence over the lives of Christian’s through uncontrolled anger, as well as falsehood, stealing and unwholesome talk.
It makes sense doesn’t it, that any time we conduct ourselves in a way that is characteristic of our ‘old way of life’ (before Christ) we are open to the devil’s schemes.
Infact,
The theologian Snodgrass - Yes, I said Snodgrass puts it like this:
Evil rarely looks evil until it accomplishes its goal; it gains entrance by appearing attractive, desirable, and perfectly legitimate.
It is a baited and camouflaged trap.
According to 4:27, Satan tries to gain a foothold and exert his influence over the lives of Christians through uncontrolled anger (v.
26) as well as falsehood (4:25), stealing (v.
28), unwholesome talk (v.
29), indeed any conduct that is characteristic of the ‘old way of life’ (v.
22).
Further, the evil one is committed to hindering the progress of the gospel and the fulfilment of the divine plan of summing up all things in Christ (1:10).
He will attempt by his ‘insidious wiles’ to turn believers aside from pursuing the cause of Christ and achieving this goal.
Mention of the “schemes” of the devil reminds us of the trickery and subterfuge by which evil and temptation present themselves in our lives.
Evil rarely looks evil until it accomplishes its goal; it gains entrance by appearing attractive, desirable, and perfectly legitimate.
It is a baited and camouflaged trap.
1 - The Devil’s schemes
You see, the moral issues that Paul has been instructing us about, are nor simply matters of personal preference.
No, they are the essence of a much larger battle between Christ’s church and the forces of evil.
The moral issues with which he deals are not simply matters of personal preference, as many within our contemporary and postmodern world contend.
On the contrary, they are essential elements in a larger struggle between the forces of good and evil.
The moral issues with which he deals are not simply matters of personal preference, as many within our contemporary and postmodern world contend.
On the contrary, they are essential elements in a larger struggle between the forces of good and evil.
O’Brien, P. T. (1999).
The letter to the Ephesians (p.
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