Joshua Shetter - Dec. 16th, 2018

Ephesians chapter 6 verse 10

finally be strong in the Lord in the strength of his might put on the full armor of God so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers against the powers against the world forces of this Darkness against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the Heavenly places. Therefore take up the full armor of God so that you will be able to resist in the evil day and having done everything to stand firm.

In 1546 Martin Luther was in his 60s. It was feeble he was sick. He was weak. But he traveled to the town of Islip in to help reconcile. These two noblemen brothers who are at odds, so he went over there to help mediate and counsel them it while he was there. He fell ill and he and he took his deathbed what end up being his deathbed his beloved wife. Katie couldn't be there cuz she's in Wittenberg, but I'm Luther had friends and isolated until they surrounded his bed. And he knew that death was coming and his friends that death was coming and so they gathered around him and comforted him, but Luther repeat it to himself over and over and over again for God so loved the world that he gave his only son for God so loved the world that he gave his only son for God so loved the world that he gave his only son. And then has the ezzat the time approached for him to die his friend who is a pastor a local Pastor leaned over and said, dr. Luther do you dye steadfast in Christ? And in the doctrine that you preached Luther said yes and died. Later, they found that he had written next to his bed. They found written these words. We are beggars. That is true. We are Beggars. That is true. And so those became kind of famous as some of the last words that Luther said or wrote We Are Beggars that is true. And I don't know if there's any other phrase or a couple of sentences that summarize what Luther taught in in expounded in the face of Catholic teaching in the 1500s. Is he Catholic teaching was that you weren't declared worthy, but you are you become worthy that the church through its the sacraments and through the Indulgence isn't through praying to Mary in through the Saints supererogation Works. They help you become worthy to enter Heaven loser said no. We are never going to be worthy to enter Heaven. The gospel the Cornerstone of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the scriptures begins with you cannot make yourself aware that you will not be worthy. Your worthiness is 100% in Jesus Christ as a Luther taught that he preached that he said we cannot become where the we are at. We are undone. We are beggars. And so our only hope rests in faith and trust in what Christ has done on the cross on our behalf that he is our substitute that our sins are taken on him on the cross and his righteousness is given to us we stand in his righteousness. And so it is not that we ever are worthy but he is worthy. We are declared worthy. We are declared righteous even in that we are not your righteous. So when he says at the end of his life, we are Beggars, this is true. That's the difference. Every other false gospel in the world begins with this error. We need help. We we have somewhere. That's what we need to do. We just need God's help to finish to to get us to that Mark. No. The Bible teaches we talked about it in the end in din Sunday school teachers over and over that we are dead. We are lost. We are wicked. We are depraved. There's nothing good in us. The only thing we bring to God is our sin. And so God had to do for us week what we cannot do ourselves. He had to make satisfaction for our sin because we can't and he put it on his son for us. So what does this have to do with verse 10 in chapter 6

finally be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might.

It begins with an imperative you be strong. But you noticed Paul one on get it wrong. What is your strength come from? It says the next phrase be strong in the Lord. I'm not stuck. I'm still not getting it Paul. Okay, let me help you out some more in the strength of his might you see the gospel as I said many times before and I feel like I preached the same song over and over and over again, but that's fine. This Paul's message throughout Ephesians. We do not just pass through the gospel and then move on you never move on from the gospel. You live in it you walk in and you breed it you eat it to think it you speak it. It's your life. You not pass through it and go to another stage. There is no second stage. The gospel is everything. So when so when we read these verses like if we if we didn't explain in the Lord in the strength of his might be strong. Okay. Now that I have the gospel, I'm going to going to just go on and be strong and if we're not in our own flesh Which we make that mistake and we try to save ourselves. Once you are a Christian and he calls you to walk as he says about a pigeon's to walk in a manner worthy of your calling. To to run the race with endurance to strive for Holiness to pursue peace. He says an in chapter 4 be kind to one are tenderhearted forgiving one another all these commands in the New Testament. If we're not careful. We'll say okay I passed through the gospel now, I need to keep these commands in the power of my flasher in my strength. That would be a grievous error.

Luther no doubt would have agreed

With how the Heidelberg Catechism puts it it says it was written over a decade after Luther died. And this is how they put I love this. I think this is one of the best catechism questions in existence. Here's a question. What is the only comfort in life and in death? Here's the answer listen to this answer that I with body and soul both in life and in death and not my own but belong to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ who with his precious blood has fully satisfied for all my sins and redeemed me from all the power of the devil and so preserves me that without the will of my Father in Heaven not a hair can fall from my head. Ye that all things must work together for my salvation where for By His holy spirit. He also assured me of eternal life and makes me hard Alee willing and ready henceforth to live on two. him Wow, and that beautiful?

If you are in Christ Jesus if your sins have been taken on himself on the tree and his righteousness is imputed to you. You can say this on your deathbed. What is my comfort? My comfort is only in my faithful Savior Jesus Christ was made satisfaction for my sins by his precious blood.

And here's the message from this passage today. We never get over that. If you are Christian, you never get over it. So many churches are built around this understanding that there's a second stage Christianity that you move on you never ever ever ever ever ever move on from it. You're not justified by the gospel and Sanctified by works or sink. If you're Justified your Sanctified your glorified, but the same gospel. over and over and so when we see Commandments like this, we need be so careful that we don't see that we don't click into this Physical Realm. Okay. I've been saved in the spiritual realm, but now he wants me to he wants me to obey him in this physical world. So I need to obey him like through physical means no. Your obedience comes out of the supernatural reality that God has ripped out Your Heart of Stone put in a heart of Flesh and his spirit is within you animating your physical life. So it will affect your physical life, but we need to be careful how we think about that. You do not ever move on to the gospel. The gospel is the means by which you live. Holy not only the means by which you are declared. Holy in Christ. So that's what Paul is saying all inverse tan. I love this person cuz he says you be strong. This is an imperative in the Greek. That's an imperative. It's a commandment. He's not saying it'd be good if you're strong as I can be strong. I'm ordering you to be strong, but make sure you understand that your strength is in the Lord and in the strength of his might is not the same as gospel. You're not saved by a mixture of his strength in your strength your say doll in history to all in his power All in His Grace and love shed on sinful men and women. So when you when he when your Christian your interesting Will County be strong in the Lord and Obey this command don't switch to anything other than the gospel you staying in the gospel you say his strength is what saves me his strength is what sanctifies me I rest in his strength. That's where my strength comes but he gives you another reason or actually verse 11. He says this is how you be strong in the Lord. And we saw the same teaching which I will go back to you in a second and chapter 4. This is your strength in the Lord. That you put on the full armor of God. So he's trying to make it very clear. Your strength is not anything that debt. It's not transactions we talked about before you go to the you go to the church. The pastor tells you the gospel. God gives you the gospel. You say thank you and you go back home. You put the gospel on your shelf.

You say I don't think that way 1l always that's how we live sometimes. Are you a Christian cannot see the gospel over there on the shelf right next to my Jesus statues my Bible Joe trophies. I'm a Christian know the gospel something that that covers you that infiltrate you that changes you that remakes you that build you that breaks you down and build you up and it changes you completely to where you live differently. The gospel is in you it's on you. It's around you. Put on the full armor of God his strength. So then verse 11 e we we see the first reason why so that You will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. What can we learn from this look at the negative. If you do not put on the full armor of God, you will not stand.

It's all there is to it. You will not stand. I don't really like going to Christian bookstores anymore. So you may be able to guess why you have to wait through so much bologna to find the good stuff the Joel Osteen. I don't want you know that then we just dig through here. And finally if you find a good solid Biblical theological defense of biblical truth or re exposition of scripture so much of the books in Christian bookstores. Our fleshly means to accomplish spiritual lens. I'm going to work. 7 Ways to be a better husband. 6 ways to balance your finances all these things and sermon series and entertaining Church events. The problem is the heart. It's a heart issue and you're using these fleshly means to to to change people's model modify their behavior so that they outwardly give the appearance of his good Christian family this Good Fortune couple description man, this man this woman so they have his outward show of a changed life. But if it's fleshly means if I'm just following Joel Osteen's wedding or if I'm following this person or that person that I just become a follower of that person. What Paul says over and over again? And that's why I in Ephesians. He begins in chapter one with the ology says this is the spiritual reality if you go back to chapter 1

sorry chapter 2 well chapter 1 he says Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ. Just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world. That would be holy and blameless before him. If you go to chapter 2, he says he has made us alive together with Christ by Grace you have been saved and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus. That is a spiritual reality. That is a spiritual truth your physical reality. Your physical actions should reflect that spiritual reality. So don't spend all your time thinking about if I just need strategies. I just need strategies. I just need to hear a good sermon. I just need a good idea to use. Could you study? I need to hear a good song and I'll get all excited and then boom I'm a super Christian. Paul says soak yourself in the spiritual truth of what the Gospel of Jesus Christ has done for you. Understand your place in the heavenlies with Christ understand who he is for you in front of the judgment-seat understand what the spirit of Christ is doing in you ripping out sin and putting in love of God and Holiness and truth and righteousness the fruit of the spirit sit in these trues meditate on these trues and you will walk in them. That's why the devil loves to distract you. Oh, look at all these bells and whistles look at fun and get you know games and and cutesies and you know these things he's jiggling Keys. You're a little baby and he's jiggling Keys you like no keys. When all along God is saying here is deep true truth. Soaking it look at it. Love it grab a hold of it and Brace it ignore those keys. That's what Paul is doing here. And is it to make his point even clear? Look at verse 12 for our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers against the powers against the world forces of this Darkness against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the Heavenly places what he's saying is you're not fighting flesh. You're not fighting people. You're not saying if we can just destroy all the Democrats. That's the southern American version we can just destroy all the Democrats. They will have a Christian Nation. No. Republicans are sinners, too. Hate to break it to you. Hurry up here. I guess is conservative and liberal.

God is Not accomplish during his kingdom through Conquest through a bigger Army. He's doing it in person by person in Hearts. He's he's there is conquest of the human heart. Yes. It's not through physical fleshly means shouldn't should Christians affect our government. Yes. Should we should we vote for the sanctity of human life? Yes. Should we stand for truth? Yes, but our battle is primarily against the spiritual forces of Darkness.

And who are you to stand in your flesh without the power of God against the forces of Satan? How long will you last? you want His point here is that if you were going to stand against the true forces of what's happening in this world. You have to have me. You have to put on me. You have to rest in my strength. Don't say okay. I believe the gospel. I'll take it from here God what? No.

I have caught a few good passes in football in my life. I've thrown a few good spirals perfect passes in my life to wear if I could if I can have that recorded and then never touch a football again. I can see like there's the highlight of my football career, but how stupid would it be for me to say I've caught a few passes a run a few good routes. I made a few good throws. I've drawn up a few good plays. I'm going to go help the Cowboys win the Superbowl.

I'm going to I'm going to going to send me in. I'll be I'll replace the quarterback for a few play. How dumb would that be you could put in any NFL team. But I have something to contribute to them.

I will get destroyed. The linebacker just demolish me. I'll be done. All right, I'm done. I'm out of shape and I've got the notice that so he's stupid. I believe the gospel. I'm going to show got a thing or two about sanctification.

We laughing that's how we operate. I'm going to I'm going to do this, do that. And it's all fleshly means I'm going to do this. Now. Let's be careful that the Bible does say it gives us command and it says striving to end to do all these things, but we must be careful that it is it is in the power of God. Now we're going to talk a little more specific. But let me just say this at this point that does not mean I'm not telling you to let go and let God know. No. What do I mean go back to chapter 6?

As we say the first 10 be strong in the Lord in the strength of his might what does that mean? So go back to your page and chapter 4 actually Ephesians chapter 4 look at verse 22

I'll start in verse 21 if indeed you have heard him and have been taught in him. Just as truth is in Jesus that in reference to your former mayor of life you lay aside the old self which is being corrupted in accordance with the lust of Deceit and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind and you put on the new self which in a likeness of God has been created in righteousness and Holiness of the truth. So, what is Paul saying in chapter 6 with his armor business he's saying the same thing that he said in chapter 4

Another way he puts it is in Galatians. I put no confidence in the flesh. I tried thing is Philippines don't put confidence in your flesh put off the flesh put off the old man. The old man has nothing to contribute. The old man is full of sin. And the old man is full of self-righteousness. And the old man is Phil of those filthy rags. There is nothing that he can say and this in this relationship with my savior.

And so you say well Josh isn't that isn't that relying on your own strength? But here's the thing the way you do that we put off your old self issue fix your eyes on the glory of God. And you say what in this glorious character of God and in his relationship and his love for me what does not fit That old man, those old habits those old simple habits. It's a continual reminder that I am a beggar. I have nothing to offer Christ, but sin. There is nothing that I can contribute. So I that needs to be laid aside and then as he says put on the new self put on the armor of God what that means is. I have nothing to offer. He is everything. And you beat that in your head and you come to church and you reminded of it and you read your Bible you reminded of anything you pray your mind having you surround yourself with Christians who say Josh remember the gospel remember that you were a beggar? You didn't quit being a beggar not a beggar to get saved now no longer a beggar. You're still a beggar your growth and Holiness your salvation is still all of God know because I'll just be careful that we don't say that. Okay, you're still a bigger. And so that means that you have to maintain you had your ear salvation. You have to keep if you don't keep that view, then you're going to lose that by not saying that I'm saying that your growth and Holiness your Saints vacation your walk with God is rooted in the same understanding of your beggarliness before God.

Not only might have I been reborn in him. Not only have I been resurrected in him, but my daily walk right now is empowered by him every second or I don't do it. This is true. I am a beggar. This is true. And so you hold fast to the truth of scripture. Paul says this. Many places to go to clash in chapter 3. This is how he puts it first one if you haven't raised up with Christ to keep seeking the things above.

Where Christ is seated at the right hand of God set your mind on the things above not on the things that are on the Earth. Set your mind on the truths of God set your mind on Christ and who he is such a mine on the glory of God not on the things of Earth. The fleshly things for you why for you have died? And your life is hidden with Christ in God when Christ and I love this who is our life is revealed. Then you also will be revealed with him and Glory there for Because of this wonderful truth that God Christ as your life consider the members of your Earthly body as dead to a morality impurity passion evil desire and greed which amounts to idolatry. So this putting off the old self is to remember that stuff is decaying rotting corpses. That stuff is gross. Makes me think of a new story. I heard a while back where this man who is a hoarder his wife died and he kept her body in their bedroom for weeks months and tried to put a bunch of candles and potpourri didn't help but he just didn't want to give her body up. She's not there man. This is a corpse now. This is a decaying corruption. And yet we do that sometimes. Well, I got to be me know you was terrible. Your only true goodness is in Christ. Well me is is it is my hobbies in my sinful. I have it. No, it's not lay those aside in your new man. The devil will try to distract you from these things with the spirit within you is pulling you toward Christ and pull you away from the old man. So that's what Paul says consider them is dead. So you can choose help Dad to these things were six orders because of these things at the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience. And then in them you also once walk when you were living in them, but now you also put them all aside. See there's that putting aside anger wrath malice slander in abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another since you laid aside the old cell with its evil practices and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the one who created him. That's what the armor of God. The armor of God is another phrase for putting on the new self putting on him. Galatians chapter 3 verse 27 says for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ. the clothes yourself with Christ So, how are you going to be strong? How are you going to be strong in the strength of his might you are only strong and so far as you are in him that you have been clothed in him that you have his armor on you. Because he is the only thing that could stand up against the forces of darkness in the evil places. Romans chapter 13

first 12

the night is almost gone. And the day is near therefore. Let us lay aside the Deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day not in carousing and drunkenness not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality not in strife and jealousy listen verse 14, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the Flesh and regard to its lust you see what he says in verse 12. He says put on the armor of light. What is the armor of light Paul? verse 14 the Lord Jesus Christ now we going to be clear. This is not your putting on Jesus again and again to be saved again again you I need to be saved again DB know you're saved. It's just in your salvation. The devil wants to come in and destroy your effect. And if she wants you to forget that you're saved. He wants you to forget what Christ has done for you. So we distract you with all these fleshly means here read this book. Is this latest Trend read this and so you're distracted from the truth of who you are in Christ.

And so your Christian walk becomes one about Josh and becomes about you. I need to do this I need to do that. I this I that and when you have us a particular spiritual thing that happens to you or like you feel the presence of God you talk about how it made you feel more than about God you if you're focused on yourself fall is saying put on him wrap your mind in him wrap your what you say in him your actions rap everything in him and you will walk like him be reminded of the truth of the gospel and you will be strong.

soak up examples 2nd Chronicles

10 Chronicles chapter 14

King Asa

King ISO was king of Judah. And he had an Army in verse a decision Chronicles chapter 14 verse 8. He had an army of 580,000 men. members 90 the Ethiopian came out against in with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots And so AC went out to meet him with his 580,000 and they drove in battle formation in verse 11. Then Ace a call to Lord his God and said Lord. There is no one beside you to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength. So help us O Lord Our God for we trust in you and in your name have come against this multitude. Oh Lord. You are our God let not man Prevail against you.

So Asa has 580,000 man, that sounds like a lot but then he has an r that comes against him with a million.

And he doesn't trust in tactics. He didn't trust in technology. He says you are the only one that could help in the battle between the powerful and the week.

Is that a good picture of what we are is as lost before God. We are weak. We are broken we are lost. And when the Devil Comes it with his forces is it to tint us into sin? Do we have put up any fight? It's a pitiful fight. I don't think I okay. So we are just beat up and and we're in bondage to sin and and we're broken and yes, we are Rebels against God and we have no hope of Salvation and God in his in his grace goes all the way to us. He doesn't stand halfway. It's a come on. Come on. You can do it. Come on. Come on boy. He comes all the way to us and says you are mine. I'm going to change you into a love of God and I hate her sin. Apart from my power you are lost. and so when we believe and we enter into that Covenant relationship with our savior that does not end. You don't suddenly become powerful. You still are weak and you still have to rely on the power of God say there's a million man army. God Is Bigger and only see that at first Samuel this is the perennial example first Samuel chapter 17 You may have heard of it David and Goliath. 1st Samuel chapter 17 verse 45 David is already heard the taunts. a Goliath

David says why doesn't somebody go out there and take this cake care of this guy so someone tell saw it hears this young kid talking about how he can take down the giant soy sauce says come on over here and put on my armor. And you remember the story? It's too big. It doesn't work. So he says I'm going to take off the armor. I'm going to take some Stones. I'm going to go out there and I'm going to face down this giant. He says in verse 45 David said to the Philistine you come to me with a sword or spear in a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts the god of the armies of Israel whom you have taunted. Notice she doesn't say it, but I come to you with a sling and some Stones. What do you do about that? In a deadly aim. I come at you in the name of the Lord of hosts. The verse 46 this day. Look at it. Look at language this day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands. I will strike you down and remove your head from you and I will give the dead bodies of the army the Philistines this stage of the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth that all the Earth may know that there is a God in his room and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear for the battle is the Lord's and he will give you into our hands. David was strong in the Lord. No, she says.

The Lord will deliver you into my hands and I will strike you down. Isabel Davis so I can guess he did but it was because of God's power the Lord delivered him. The battle is the Lord's. This is what Paul is saying you face that the enemies of all that is good you face is Satan and his is Devil's in his is forces of Darkness you faced spiritual warfare you faced Temptation and you so often turn to fleshly means If I just try harder. This is the example. I can be bold. I can stand tall not because of anything in here or hear or Here I Stand Tall because of my God. And he has put his spirit in me. Yes, but his he is the power he is the strength. I have nothing and so I am just having a front-row seat to the glory of God displayed in the power and might of God. I will not trust in anything else because to do so would be Folly. So here's the question. as we close What is your comfort in life and death? What are you trusting into Two-Face the powers of Darkness to stand in your stead when judgment comes?

Can you answer like the Heidelberg Catechism says my only comfort is Jesus Christ my faithful Savior whose blood takes washes away my sin. Is that your only comfort and is that your only Power? She may say. Oh, I'm a Believer but I don't I keep trusting to myself. I keep turning to flesh Lee means I just try harder and I try harder and try out or I'm not looking at the truth. Appreciate it. I'm not resting in the finished work of Christ on the cross. I'm not gospel saturated. I'm religion saturated or church saturated or culture saturated. I'm not soaked in the grace of God is displayed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

So as we transition to a timer for the Lord's Supper, those are some questions to ask yourself. Where is my hope? I see that I'm a sinner. I see that I'm in need of a savior. I see that I'm just lie condemned. But what are you trusting in? Are you trusting in trying to end why I tried are you trusting it ignorance while just claim ignorance at the throne? And why did Romans 1 makes it clear? You didn't know you know. Or are you trusting in only the blood of Jesus Christ shed on the cross for your sins the atoning substitutionary death for you in your place and two if you say I am a believer.

But I have been trusting to fleshly means and I have the sin in my life.

That I have I haven't repented of I have a secret sin.

Have something at the spirit is pulling me saying this is this is the old man. This is the old man. What are you doing? What are you doing? What are you doing? If you are harboring a sin if you have not subjected that send to the gospel to for its death. If you're not putting the sword of the spirit against it if you're not killing it if you are letting it take root in your life and you're protecting it I'm going to ask that you don't take the body in the blood. Cuz I don't want you to eat or drink judgment to say I proclaim the Lord's death until he comes except in this one area. I don't want you to do that. And further if you have not put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, if he is, not your hope your only hope of Salvation if you trust and other things being good or or come to church or your other certain lineage or something at your parents are Christians, if that if you're not trusting in Jesus Christ, I also asked if you don't take because again, you're proclaiming. This is my only means of Salvation. I proclaim the Lord's death. I claim the Lord's death as my only means of Salvation when you drink and when you eat that would also be drinking aiding judgment to yourself and then finally If you have Harvard animosity with your brothers and sisters in Christ.

If you hold grudges and you hold hatred for your brothers and sisters in Christ, if you look at 1st, Corinthians 11 where it talks about eating and drinking judgement to yourself the primary point, he's making his people who are eating selfishly and harboring resentment against their brothers and sisters and lording it over their brothers and sisters in rich and poor distinctions. So if you have animosity or hatred in your heart for a brother and sister in Christ, I'm going to ask that you do not take over lord supper to go to that brother and sister to that saying that you've been harboring. So use this Lord's Supper as a means of discipline. And of Grace in your life to examine your heart, where am I? Where is my hope? Where is my trust? Where is my how am I fighting against The Wiles of the devil? Am I doing it in his power my doing my own power. Am I trusting to fleshly means to accomplish spiritual ins? You battle not against flesh and blood.

So is piano playing softly we're going to give you an opportunity to repent?

I have trusted in anything and things other than Christ. I am lost. I don't know Jesus Oh, but I want to I heard you put all your faith in Christ. There is no other hope of Salvation you will stand condemned and be cast into hell. If you do not trust in Jesus Christ as your only means of salvation.

Don't wait another day. And I promise tomorrow.

Lord we thank you.