Readiness from the Gospel of Peace
Notes
Transcript
Handout
How are you doing on our memorization challenge. I’ve heard some wonderful stories of people working on it - printing out the scripture and placing it in various places around the house, in the car - keeping it available so that you’re ready at any time to work on it. Way to go!
I know that standing and reciting a passage can be intimidating - but if you’d like to recite it for your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ - now is the chance.
Let’s recite this together - Eph. 6:10-14
10 Finally, be strong(power arms)
in the Lord (point up with both hands)
and in the strength of his might (hit the fist of one hand into the palm of the other hand).
11 Put on the whole armor of God, (pretend to put on a shirt)
that you may be able to stand (hand on hips)
against the schemes of the devil. (wag your finger)
12 For we do not wrestle (shuffle fists)
against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, (place a crown on head)
against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, (hands over eyes)
against the spiritual forces of evil(wag your finger) in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, (pretend to put on a shirt)
that you may be able to withstand(hand on hips) in the evil day,
and having done all, (draw check mark in the air) to stand firm.
14 Stand therefore, (hand on hips)
having fastened on the belt of truth, (pretend to put on a belt)
and having put on the breastplate of righteousness (arm across your chest, fist on heart),
For this coming week, we’ll add in the verse we’re looking at today:
and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
(pretend to put on boots)
Memorizing scripture is a powerful and helpful tool in our spiritual growth and maturity and in the Real War We Wage. The Psalmist reminds us that he meditated and memorized God’s word so that he might not sin against God (Psalm 119:11). God’s word is a powerful tool in our lives - having it in our minds helps us to be ready for whatever God might have us encounter.
This readiness is what we’re talking about today. Not just readiness from have God’s word in our hearts and minds, but readiness that we get from the “gospel of peace.”
Getting Ready
Getting Ready
There are so many ways that we can prepare for things. A few weeks ago, in the men’s discussion group, the author of the book we’re discussing talked a bit about preparing for church - the day before - getting clothes out, going to be early, reading over the passage that will be covered, getting sunday school lessons set and so much more in order to be prepared.
In other parts of life - preparation is important - going on vacation - we need to make sure we have all of necessary things - thinking ahead to what we’ll encounter and what we’ll need.
At school - working in advance on the project or test so that you’re prepared on the due date.
But that’s preparation for the expected.
But what about the unexpected? How do you prepare for that?
Preparing for the unexpected can take a different form. Sometimes it’s resources, sometimes it’s a state of mind.
As we look at these “gospel shoes” today - or as the ESV says it -
and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
…we’re going to be consider this readiness - or preparedness - for both the expected and unexpected from defensive and offensive perspectives.
Before we get to that, let’s seek to gain a clearer...
Understanding the metaphor of shoes
Understanding the metaphor of shoes
We have shoes for so many different occasions. There are dress shoes, casual shoes, beach shoes, boat shoes, running shoes, walking shoes, hiking shoes and more. There are shoes with cleats and shoes that have a smooth slippery bottom. There are low shoes and high tops. Shoes that expose our toes and shoes that cover them and then still some that protect them with steel. We seem to have a shoe for ever occasion.
As Paul talks about this metaphor of the armor of God - he comes to the shoes.
One commentator noted that the Roman solders would frequently wear boots called a “caliga” - which is a sort of half-boot that would provide some protection in battle and comfort for long marches (O’Brien). Another commentator discussed that sometimes these boots would have cleats or short nails on the soles to help the soldier maintain footing (Spence).
The whole idea is that these boots would help the soldier be ready for every circumstance in which he might find himself.
For the believer - these are not shoes or boots that we wear, but rather a metaphorical “shoes” that illustrate the readiness that comes in the gospel.
The shoes that carry the messenger of the gospel was reflected in the book of Isaiah:
How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings good news,
who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,
who publishes salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
We talked a couple of weeks ago how the gospel is good news. It’s the good news of God, in his holiness, seeing us in our fallenness and doing something about it - through sending his son Jesus Christ to be the mediator, the perfect sacrifice to atone for our sins.
But as we consider this metaphor, we run into a couple of challenges. One significant challenge is fully understanding what Paul means by readiness? You see, this is the only time in the whole of the New Testament that we see this Greek word used in this way.
So does Paul intend for the believer to be ready to share the gospel or ready to stand firm?
Is the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace something intended to help us stand still or to move forward?
Let’s consider this from both perspectives.
First of all...
The gospel of peace provides defensive readiness.
The gospel of peace provides defensive readiness.
So much of what we’ve seen in the armor of God has the admonition to “stand firm.” The idea here is that we do not buckle under the attack. The breastplate of righteousness (living rightly) protects us from the dangers that lurk in every part of life. The belt of truth protects us by helping us discern truth from fiction - reminding us of what we have in Christ.
When we get to the other elements, we’ll consider these defensive elements as well with the helmet of salvation and the shield of faith.
From a defensive standpoint, the readiness or preparedness that comes from the gospel of peace helps us to navigate a performance based standard or legalism to our Christian walk.
Let’s be reminded of a couple of things.
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
When we received the message of the gospel - we were sealed with the the promise of the Holy Spirit. We could think of this seal as a securing until we finish the journey God has for us - kind of like a seal of an envelope or like a wax seal that a King might place on a message - God’s stamp, his seal is the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Holy Spirit guarantees the eternal inheritance that we have awaiting us in God.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
We’ve considered this several times, but from the defensive stand point - it’s helpful to have this fresh in our minds. We are saved by faith - not by works. Our salvation comes from God - it is all his doing, which means that we can’t lose it. We are created to do good works, but our salvation is not secured by our good works.
Let’s consider a broader part of the New Testament.
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Look at these things that we already have:
justification by faith - some have said that justified can mean “just as if I hadn’t sinned”
peace with God - Eph. 2 talks about the fact that we were by nature children of wrath. Elsewhere here in Romans Paul talks about the fact that we all have sinned at deserve death. Now that we have been justified - we have peace with God - no need to fear - no need to worry.
standing in his grace - there is that word stand again. We get to remain in his grace.
So, brother and sister in Christ, we sometimes think that the gospel is only good news for a transactional event - Jesus’ life for ours - his righteousness for ours. But we need to understand that the gospel is something that we get to live in for eternity. We get to rest in his grace - and no amount of performance, good deeds, attending church, sinning - will take that away from us.
The enemy will want to undermine that and cast doubts. Just as he did in the garden with Adam and Eve - he wants to question what we’ve heard and learned in the Bible about our relationship with God.
“You must not be a Christian if you’re going to talk like that”
“Do christians really do that?”
“If you were really a Christian then you would.... more.”
The readiness that comes from the gospel of peace is a readiness to stand firm in those attacks. It’s a readiness to be reminded that you have been justified and are secure in Christ.
(story of Grace and Team Gilbert) - October 8 was her “gotcha” day. - focus on her being chosen - just as we are, received by the family - just as we are in God; full heir - just as we are; permanently part of the family - just as we are with God.
Beloved - stand firm and confident in the eternal and saving work of the gospel. You have peace with God, you have already been justified, you are made righteous in Him! We can expect that the enemy will attack in unexpected ways and at unexpected times - so we must be ready to stand firm in the gospel of peace.
If you are not yet part of God’s family - let me encouraged you to consider the claims of the gospel. Without Christ - you are at odds with God - an object of his coming wrath - an enemy. But, because of God’s love for you, he has paid the price for you to be a part of His family. Receive his salvation today by confessing your sin to God and receiving His forgiveness through what Jesus did on the cross for you.
The gospel of peace prepares us to defend. But I think in reflecting on the good news...
The gospel of peace provides offensive readiness.
The gospel of peace provides offensive readiness.
The gospel of peace recognizes that we can be ready to share the gospel, to go into places of darkness, to speak into the fallenness of the world around us.
The great commission of Matthew 28 reminds us of our mandate to go - to be on the offensive - (not to be offensive). And yet - even as we discussed briefly last month - this initiative to make disciples carries with it the assumption that we will be on the move.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
In the beginning of the book of Acts, Luke seems to reframe the commission by saying...
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Some would say that this verse provides the outline for the book of Acts - and in many ways it does - but it also makes the assumption of going. We can’t be witnesses outside of our local area unless we go outside of our local area. We must be on the move. We must be willing to share the gospel.
But where? How, When?
I think this is where a bit of the preparedness comes into play.
We should expect to share the gospel intentionally !
We should expect to share the gospel intentionally !
Essentially, we need to work to be prepared to share the gospel and then intentionally do so. Pray for those opportunities and the courage to go.
This could be intentionally ...
going to neighbors and asking how we can pray for them.
inviting neighbor over for dinner and planning to talk about spiritual things.
use something like F.O.R.M:
Family
Occupation (work/school)
Recreation
Message
share your story of coming to Christ.
Walk people through the Romans Road:
Romans 3:23
Romans 6:23
Romans 5:8
Romans 10:9
Romans 10:13
Romans 5:1
Romans 8:38-39
One of the things I’ve done with the Romans road is that I wrote it on the top of my Bible. So, I write #1 and 3:23 on top of that page, then put an arrow to 6:23. On that page, I put #2 6:23 with an arrow to 5:8. Then on the page where 5:8 is I put, #3 and 5:8 with an arrow to 10:9. This technique came from a program called Sharing Jesus without Fear. The author of that resource actually recommends writing these passages upside down, so that you can read it from the top of your Bible and have your friend read the actual text. Having them hear the word can be a powerful help as we they read and we ask - what does that mean?
inviting a neighbor to come to church with you or help you fill an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox. - then talk about what the boxes do and how children are impacted by it. (Story of Armal?)
going on a mission trip to share the gospel - . The state convention - BCMD - is working on arranging some trips to Kenya for next year. Would you pray about going? We’re also looking for opportunities where we can come along side the missionaries that we support in order to be a part of what they are doing. Please pray that God would open up those opportunities.
doing at home what we would travel thousands of miles to another country to do - learn from those overseas experiences and then seek ways to duplicate that here.
moving to another context to expand the reach of the gospel. I was recently talking with Eric Bass and some of the ministry partners that he and Lynn have. They are working to bring dozens of families to the middle east over the next 10 years - in order to plant churches in several cities. I would love it if some of us could be apart of that!
The whole point is that we need to expect to share the gospel intentionally. We have nothing to be ashamed of.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
No only should we expect to share the gospel intentionally, ...
We should intentionally share the gospel when it’s unexpected !
We should intentionally share the gospel when it’s unexpected !
There are those times when we will have the opportunity to share the gospel at a moment’s notice.
The Apostle Peter was writing to some Jewish believers who were being persecuted for their faith. He charged them...
but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
For the people to whom Peter was writing, they were experiencing persecution. They were dispersed beyond their homes - because of persecution at home. Now, in these foreign lands they were under persecution as Jews and as followers of a forbidden religion.
For now, we don’t experience that same sort of persecution. There may be some risk of shaming or cancel by the cancel culture - but that shouldn’t change how we share the gospel.
There are opportunities that God will place before us at unexpected times. There is that line in the grocery store or on the bleachers at your children’s sports games (when they are allowed to have them) or those times at a restaurant or in the “water cooler” conversation about weekend plans. Or even when your neighbor swings by to say hello.
In the last three weeks, God has given me a few opportunities to talk to one of my neighbors. He had recently finished going through some difficult family things and was moving back home after a time of being away. He knew that we were new so he came over one Saturday while Danielle and I were working in the yard. We had a wonderful and pleasant conversation for probably close to an hour. In the conversation, he shared about his experience in town and his work. He learned that we were a part of this church - and learned my role (sometimes it’s hard to tell if people are intimidated by my role as pastor or not - I truly hope they are not - they shouldn’t be). We talked openly about church and life in general - but I never took the opportunity to go the next step - to invite him or to really ask about his spiritual background. On another occasion, I was walking our dog and we talked for a few minutes at his driveway. Again - I dropped the ball. It’s actually been on my mind to invite him to the men’s group. Will you pray for me? Pray that I would be prepared to intentionally share the gospel at unexpected times?
I wish I could tell you that I’m a great example of sharing the gospel at unexpected times. This is certainly something I need to work on - but it’s something we all need to be prepared to do.
Closing thoughts
Closing thoughts
The readiness that comes from the gospel of peace is a readiness to stand firm and, I think, a readiness to share the gospel.
Like a good soldier who is ready for anything - we too need to prepare ourselves. Prepare to be attacked and respond with grace - but stand firm. Prepare to expect to share the gospel at any time.
Keep in mind that Paul calls this the gospel of peace - we are helping people be a peace with God.
Benediction:
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Resources
O’Brien, Peter Thomas. The Letter to the Ephesians. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1999.
Spence-Jones, H. D. M., ed. Ephesians. The Pulpit Commentary. London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1909.