“Holy Self-Defense” – Eph. 6:10-20 – August 23, 2009
My son works in the ferrous castings department for Honda Manufacturing. He operates vats of molten steel. To protect himself from the burning metal he wears protective clothing. He is covered from head to toe. Every part of his body is protected from the fiery sparks that come flying in all directions. Occasionally he gets burned, since there is no body covering that can keep him safe 100 percent of the time.
As people of the faith we occasionally get burned too. Unfortunately we live in a world where evil exists. There are mean spirited people. There are diseases and harsh weather conditions. There are forces beyond our control. There are systems and even governing bodies which impose rules and policies that are unfair or restrict our freedom.
I am part of our local Habitat for Humanity affiliate where we build homes for people who cannot qualify for a conventional mortgage. It is a good program. It not only creates new homes, it creates new citizens in the community. It also gives families a sense of pride in the home they helped to build. Currently I have been making phone calls and writing letters to the Habitat Headquarters in Americus, Georgia. Due to some technicalities they are withholding a large grant that was rewarded to our local chapter. We’re trying to do something good, but sometimes bureaucracy inhibits our efforts.
That has put our group on the defensive. We have to make sure that all our bases are covered. We have to dot every “I” and cross every “T” in order to keep our program strong and viable.
When Paul tells us to “put on the whole armor of God” he is saying that as people of faith we need to have a strong defense. We need a holy, self-defense. We need to protect ourselves from a cruel and sometimes hostile world that we live in. We need a strong faith, one that will help us to live in God’s love, be at peace about who we are and make our lives fulfilled and meaningful.
Just what are we defending ourselves against? It seems to be we are defending ourselves against those things that defeat our faith: selfishness, pride, hopelessness and infifference.
Paul used images from the armor of a Roman soldier to describe how we can defend ourselves and remain strong in our faith. The armor that the soldiers wore was “lightweight.” It wasn’t burdensome. It was practical and useful. We often have images of soldiers being weighted down with heavy gear. We can picture them, trudging along, like a Medieval knight ready for battle. But actually their armor was strictly for defensive purposes, not for offensive ones. It was designed to keep them alive.
Today’s soldier is clothed quite differently than the Roman soldiers in Paul’s time. First, they wear camouflaged uniforms. That enables them to blend in with their surroundings. Therefore their presence is more discreet. They don’t stand out. They are present but don’t call attention to themselves.
At my mother’s memorial service in July, a woman, who was a stranger to us, came and sat in the front row. Following the service she came up to me and she said she was a fairly new resident at the retirement center where my parents lived. She told me that every day my mother would greet her with a warm and friendly smile. She took the time to have a conversation. She said she treated her like a long time friend. It was because of those brief encounters that she felt it important to come to the memorial service.
I believe that Paul is saying to the faith community that it is the little acts of kindness we do wherever our daily lives may take us. We don’t have to wear our religion on our sleeves. He wants us to have a faith that is camouflaged, one that is present everywhere but blends in with society.
To be a person of faith in today’s society means we blend in with the people around us. It is what we do in the workplace, in the classroom, on the playing field or in our neighborhood that makes a difference. We insulate ourselves from the wrath of the world by treating others with kindness, compassion and unconditional love.
Secondly, today’s soldier is highly trained at what they do. They are well-equipped to do a particular assignment. They are taught by quality instructors. They are also trained with interactive multi-media systems. They are also highly trained in self-discipline.
To have self-discipline is to be people of the faith who are willing to learn, study and grow. The Christian faith begins at baptism and it doesn’t end with confirmation. It is a life-ling process of immersing ourselves in the scriptures, worshipping on a regular basis and praying humbly and constantly. As Paul says, “Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication.”
Earlier in the letter to the Ephesians (chapter 4) Paul said we need to “Equip the saints.” For me, that means using every available teaching tool at our disposal. It means we use our talents and resources to build people up, not tear them down.
Third, today’s soldier uses highly sophisticated technology and communication skills. In times past they used a compass to help them find their way. Now they use GPS. This is amazing technology which gives you a precise location via satellite. The soldier always knows where they are. But what about today’s church? We seem to be living in the past. We perpetuate old liturgies, music and styles of worship which are out of date. Although we are using technology here at St. Paul’s we still have a long way to go.
I recently received a letter from a cousin on mine who lives in northern Ohio. She sent me a family photo of my great-grandmother. I’m discovering that my children communicate with their cousins all the time. They do it via the Internet. They post pictures and notes on Facebook or My Space. They are much more aware of the lives of their cousins than I have ever been.
If the church wants to be relevant to the times, then to put on the armor of God means that we need to be more like the modern armed services and use every form of technology to our advantage. The better equipped we are the better our defense. The more open we are to new ideas and new people, the more inclusive we are as a church.
Today’s soldier is nothing like the Roman soldier of Paul’s day. One thing, however is the same. They are both part of a unit. They depend on their comrades to protect them. They do everything together. Each makes a contribution to the team. They are trained to look out for one another, especially in times of battle.
The most influential way the church can be effective in today’s world is to operate as a team. Paul also said in Ephesians, (chapter 4) “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all….and….speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.”
In other words, we armor ourselves with the love of Christ by being positive about our faith and sharing our love in all areas of our lives. We will sustain a holy self-defense by remaining open to new ideas and taking advantage of every opportunity to learn and grow. By being alert to the technology of the times we will remain in a position of strength and faithfulness.
When I first introduced power point presentations in worship I was certain that my congregation would resist the change. I was wrong. By the grace of God, video presentations are now an integral part of our worship. As the body of Christ, we are being a unit that embraces the talents of our youth who are skilled with modern technology.
As for my son, who has been wearing that protective clothing at Honda. He is now been promoted and training others to do the work that he did. Although the company experienced a temporary lay-off, the discipline of training and learning continues.
The community of faith experiences set backs too. There will be crises and forces that impede our ability to proclaim the word of God. By blending in and building relationships with those around us, by being disciplined and steadfast in our faith, by taking advantage of modern resources the good news will continue to be realized in a complex and difficult world. Most importantly, we can remain effective and relevant by being a team that is unified with the love of God.
Some would argue that the sword, mentioned in verse is an offensive weapon, not a defensive one. However, Paul talks about the “sword of the Spirit, which is word of God.” In that context a sword is one that pierces the soul, not the flesh. Better stated, the sword is symbolic of a message of peace.
If you talk with any soldier they will tell you their mission is to be “peacemakers.” Such was the case of Paul, who also tells us to “wear shoes that will help you proclaim a gospel of peace.” We are not called to do battle with anyone. This passage is not a justification for spiritual warfare. As Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you.” (John 14:14:27) We defend ourselves through reconciliation, negotiation and harmony. Armored with these we will be protected from the fiery sparks of pride, selfishness, hopelessness and indifference.
Dr. Keith Wagner