Sermon 8/23/2017
Wear Your Protection.
One week ago we worshiped at the Fair food stand and we had the joy joy joy down in our hearts. It was a fun morning. This morning, this week I have found to be a week and a world that is less joyful, less joy-filled in many ways. We have a president who is…speaking of nuclear responses. Stating that a stern response in what is called for in terms of our North Korea relations. While that might be an acceptable response and question, nuclear responses never have winners. To not acknowledge that any nuclear response or provocation will cost lives, from numerous countries, ages, and races is to seem short-sighted. I look around as I walk down the street or the mall, I look into people’s faces and I fear changes that we all would face if any country would make a choice to engage nuclear weapons. I am fearful.
Then we have news from Charlottesville, Virginia. A demonstration, a “Unite The Right” rally? Involving white supremacist. Friday night as counter protestors gathered behind closed doors in churches, there was a march with torch bearing white nationalists shouting “white lives matter”, “you will not replace us”, and the Nazi associated phrase “blood and soil”.
The tally is one woman dead, 19 injured, 5 critically from someone backing a car into them….intentionally….two state troopers killed, others injured.
Is anyone else uncomfortable today. I try to keep a low political profile.
But this week is not about politics…it is about hate.
I can not keep low about hate.
And then our text talked about armor. Sounds like military stuff and while the image is cute for a sweaty mouse, I get uncomfortable.
We have been in the book of Ephesians for four weeks now. Have you been reading the chapters? In the opening chapters Paul tells us about God’s grace, about Jesus coming for our redemption. Jesus came to love us, to adopt us, to share an inheritance with us….with the one who can do all things.
In Chapter four Paul makes a turn and lets us know that we have a response, a responsibility in all this also. We are to be unified, not all the same but all in unity that comes with maturity. We are not to be like children, tossed to and fro. We must grow up…in Christ.
This week, Paul speaks about our protection. This is so often a children’s text, with play knight’s swords and breast plate. Yet this week I am not feeling child-like and I stand in sore need of protection. Are you with me?
This is a reading that has an eschatological theme or taste. Way back in the book of Isaiah it speaks of God putting on similar implements to judge. Paul is speaking in the same vein-understanding that-it isn’t all that easy. We as graced, forgiven, blessed disciples of Christ still have a struggle before us. And it is not just a personal struggle, this is not a struggle to have a nice day or to get through your day.
It does not take our imagination, it just takes a look at the week’s news to see that when powers and countries, groups, organizations have greed and power as their requirements, there is a huge challenge of bringing justice in the face of such powers.
We are living in a time when objective truth has become completely devalued….it is time to put on the belt of truth.
In a time when might is mistaken for right,
I believe God’s righteous armor is essential.
In a time when aggression between nations and groups with communities is on the rise,
I believe it is time to slip on the shoes of peace.
In a time when so many struggle to see what the future might hold for them, especially our younger generation…
I believe the shield of faith is a necessity to see us through.
In a time when there are so many voices clamoring for our attention our money, and our time, may our assurance in the grace of God provide a helmet to protect our heave from being deceived…
and the Word of God be a sword to pierce the….crap, the pomposity, and the hollow promises that will never fulfill us.
We have protection! God gives us protection for our fight, for our battles, for our growing and loving.
Look at your card. It is a piece of armor.
How does it protect you?
Paul returns us to prayer….Quote
Paul means prayer to be our means to keep ourselves rooted….
To keep us rooted in the Way of Christ.
The world makes me fearful. But I don’t want to leave here today being afraid, for I believe that God does not call us for fear. God calls us to be protected, to be the protection for others who are without voice or voices are weakened or silenced.
What do we need to do to keep God’s protection near by?
Today, this morning, we will gather at Christ’s table. We will come to gather strength. Strength to go from here into the world prepared. Prepared to be the church, to be a disciple of Christ, to have a voice
I want to read this from The Message Version Ephesians 6:10-20
Wear your protection!