Transcript from Sunday, September 11, 2022
At our last Sunday Gathering we took a look at the second chapter of Ephesians and discussed the new identity that we have in Christ through the Holy Spirit. We are strangers, exiles, outcasts from relationship with God. Through the work of Jesus on the cross and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we who were far away, and those who were under the Old Covenant law have now been reconciled to God and to one another. Through the grace that we receive through the sacrifice of Jesus, we are now citizens of heaven and members of His family.
Our church, as part of the larger capital “C” Church, is being built on the foundation of all that went before and is formed – brick-by-brick – as each of us are filled with the Spirit. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we are the church that God is building through the Holy Spirit with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone – the thing that aligns us, provides stability, and gives us direction.
living in unity
This morning we’re focusing in on the second part of the letter to the Ephesians – chapters 4-6 and how the church is to behave based on the new identity discussed in chapters 1-3.
In Ephesians 4, Paul talks about the unity of the church. In verses 4-6, he says, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.”
He goes on in verse 15-16 to say that Christ is the head of this new body and “from him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (NIV)
Paul tells the church in Ephesus that they need to lay aside the old self – the old identity, culture, traditions, ways, and beliefs – and instead be “renewed in the spirit of their mind” and “put on the new self.”
Dress for the season
When I hear those phrases, “lay aside” and “put on,” it sounds like just switching out one type of garment for another. Like laying aside summer clothes for fall clothes that are more appropriate to the coming season.
Yesterday, we went to a wedding, and we were told to wear formal attire. If I would have shown up at the wedding in the pajama pants and worn-out sweatshirt I had on that morning, I would have received some very strange looks.
To prepare for the wedding, I needed to lay aside what was no longer appropriate (my pajama pants and sweatshirt) and put on new clothes that fit with the moment.
Was I more comfortable in my clothes I had on? Yes.
Would I have been comfortable in them when I got to the wedding? No, because the clothes I had one would not have fit with the situation, the environment, and who I am (a responsible adult who knows how to dress for a wedding and not a lazy, rude, individual who shows disrespect for the occasion).
When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, when we are baptized in water and by the Spirit, we set aside our old, individual selves and put on a new self that is joined and held together with others through Christ, the head.
What Paul is telling us is that as Christians, as Christ followers, we are now one with one another. Just as a man and woman leave their mother and father to become one in marriage, we have all left our old selves and everything that goes with it to be joined together with one another in a new self. It would be inappropriate at that point for us to continue to put on the things associated with the old self.
Finally, be strong.
Paul closes out the letter to the church in Ephesus with a final exhortation. In Ephesians 6:10-18 he says,
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and 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. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Finally, be strong in the Lord. Stand firm.
Paul knows that the enemy hates this new self – this body of believers joined together under the headship of Jesus. He will scheme against it and throw everything he can at it: rulers, powers, dark world forces, wicked spiritual forces, and flaming arrows.
a new type of armor
I am sure that you have heard sermons on the Armor of God before. We love to talk to children about the armor of God and bring in the toy swords, shields, helmets, and breastplates. We love to talk about the armor of God at men’s retreats, encouraging the men who attend to be warriors like Russel Crowe in Gladiator. I’ve preached those messages myself.
Typically, we approach the armor of God as something to memorize so we will remember to put on our “full armor of God” each day and stand firm on our own against the enemy.
I’m not sure that’s what Paul means.
Remember, he just spent the entire letter talking about unity and oneness. He encouraged the church in Ephesus to see itself as a temple being built up by the Spirit. As the body of Christ, bound together by ligament and sinew. Why would he close out his letter to them with an exhortation to be prepared to do battle against the enemy on their own?
The garments of the messiah
The original Hebrew readers of this section would have recognized the phrases Paul used to describe the armor:
- Breastplate of righteousness (Isaiah 59:17)
- Helmet of salvation (Isaiah 59:17)
- Belt of truth (Isaiah 11:5)
- Shield of faith
- Sword of the Spirit
These phrases and concepts are all associated with messianic prophecies found in Isaiah; garments and items the messiah will use. However, I believe that if we dig a little deeper we’ll discover something more.
The holy priest system in the Old Testament was a symbol or shadow for the work Jesus would come to do. The priests would go through the ritual of offering sacrifices or atonement for the sins of the people. An act Jesus did once for all, making it unnecessary to have a human priesthood from that moment forward.
The author of Hebrews spends multiple chapters highlighting how Jesus is the final high priest and how His work on the cross fulfilled everything previously required. Which means that we, as the body of Christ, are also now a holy priesthood.
This doesn’t mean we need to offer sacrifice to God on behalf of others. Instead, as a holy, royal priesthood we have all gained access into the holy of holies and can offer up sacrifices of praise, thanksgiving and gratitude to Him.
And we get new garments.
The garments of the priesthood
“You are to instruct all the skilled craftsmen, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make garments for Aaron’s consecration, so that he may serve Me as priest. 4These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make these holy garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so that they may serve Me as priests.”
armor of priesthood
Do these items sound familiar to you? What if Paul isn’t talking about a Roman style soldier? What if Paul is talking about the holy garments of the high priest of Israel?
What if the armor of God is the armor of the high priest who stands in the gap by intercessory prayer and stands firm against the spiritual attacks of the enemy – the accuser of the body.
Jesus says in John that He is the way, the truth and the life. Ephesians 4 says that we are bound together in Christ as His body. When Aaron put on his priestly garments, he tied a sash around himself to fasten it. The sash was made of the same material as the veil that separated the holy of holies from the rest of the temple.
Just as He is the cornerstone from which we get our direction, stability, and alignment, Jesus is the head of our body. He is our great high priest who ushers us into the holy of holies.
The enemy wants us to believe that we are separated from God and separated from one another. The priestly sash of truth reminds us that we are held together in Jesus and have access to the holiest of holies.
Whenever Aaron entered the Holy Place, he wore a breastpiece of judgment that had twelve stones on it. Each stone was engraved with the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Aaron would continually carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the Lord.
Through Jesus’ once for all atonement, we are renewed and have laid aside the old self for a new self that is built up in Jesus. We are now righteous as He is righteous. We no longer need to fear the judgement of the Lord.
When the accuser tries to shame us or make us feel guilty about the sins of our past or the ways we used to be divided, we as a church body can declare that we are righteous and holy and unified in Him.
The high priest had a robe made entirely of blue cloth that had alternating golden bells and pomegranates around the hem. The golden bells were an audible announcement of the high priest’s service, a beautiful sound, backed up by the beautiful fruits.
Paul told the Ephesians in chapter 2 that Jesus came to preach a gospel of peace.
Isaiah 52:7 NASB says, “How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace and brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation, and says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’”
When the devil attacks our church with division and chaos, we can stand firm in the gospel of peace that declares the good news of Jesus. Our God reigns and Jesus has been raised up to the right hand of God over every rule, dominion, and power.
The priestly garment included a multicolored ephod that covered the white tunic and blue robe. The ephod hung over the front and back of the priest and was joined at each shoulder by golden rings and chains. Upon each shoulder was a stone of onyx with six names of the sons of Israel on each stone. God called these memorial stones.
The memorial stones with the names of the sons of Israel would certainly have called to mind for the Israelites their ancestors time in the desert. There, the spirit of God went before them and behind them as a pillar of fire or a cloud. The Lord was a shield around them; protecting them from their enemies and guiding them to where they needed to go. They had to have faith that the Lord would save them and lead them.
As the church, as the body of Christ, we are surrounded by Him. We can trust that He is our shield and He will lead us to where we need to go.
The high priest wore a turban and crown headpiece when performing his priestly duties. The turban was white, fine linen. The crown was a golden plate on which Holy to the Lord was engraved. It was a seal of God.
Paul says we are renewed by the transforming of our minds as we put on the new self. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit, a gift we receive as a mark of our salvation.
As a church community, as the body of Christ, we are sealed in Him and transformed. We do not need to fear the attacks of the enemy, because He has already won and we are His.
The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. John talks about the Word in the beginning of his gospel.
In the beginning was the Word. The Word was God, the Word was with God. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The Word brought Light and new Life.
The sword of the Spirit is the voice of God. His Word brings life. His Word is Jesus, our High Priest. The high priest of Israel didn’t have a sword, but he did intercede for the people of Israel. He did for them what they couldn’t do for themselves.
As the body of Christ, we protect one another, serve one another, as Christ laid down His life for us. This is how we defeat the spiritual attacks of the enemy.
All times. all petition. all perseverance. all the saints.
Paul ends his letter by encouraging the church in Ephesus to pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and petition. To be alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints. All times. All petition. All perseverance. All the saints.
This is how we stand firm. This is how we stay strong. This is how we struggle against the spiritual elements that want to see us divided and separated as a church instead of functioning in connection to one another as a body. If our fight is against spiritual elements, what better type of warrior can we be than a priest?
May we, as a church body, lay aside our old selves and put on the high priestly garments of truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the Spirit. May we walk in the Light, as He is in the Light. Walking differently because of the garments we are clothed in.
