Standing Against Cosmic Powers
a sermon based on Ephesians 6:10-20
by Rev. Randy Quinn

Before I begin, I'd like to read for you another passage of scripture.  This one comes from the 17^th chapter of 1 Samuel.

                                                    Read 1 Samuel 17:32-39

Of course, you know how the story ends:  David takes his sling-shot and with five little stones he approaches Goliath; it took just one of those five stones to bring the giant down.

The reason I read it for you today is because of the image of David wearing King Saul's armor.  It's comical to think of a little boy wearing the full armor of the King.  It was much too large, it was much too heavy, it was anything but helpful for the youth.

So why is it that Paul suggests we put on the "full armor of God"?  Don't you think it would be a little much for us to wear?  Wouldn't the breastplate drag on the ground as we walk?  Wouldn't we stub our toes on the shield as we struggle along down the road?  Wouldn't the helmet fall down over our eyes and make it impossible to see?

When I first joined the Navy, I saved money on my uniforms by recycling my dad's old ones.  We're close enough to the same size that I simply wore his until they wore out.

The price I paid was in the form of teasing from my peers who had crisp new uniforms.  Mine had wear spots on the knees and elbows, as well as frayed edges on the collars and sleeves.  But I stuck with it and wore them out com­pletely.

As I look back on it now, it's pretty clear that one of the reasons I wore his uniforms was because it gave me a sense of history and credibility; Dad's uniforms gave me a sense of authority -- a sense of authority that was recog­nized only by myself -- but a sense of authority, nonethe­less.

Perhaps Paul wants us to wear the armor of God for the same reason?

A couple of weeks ago I rented a video.  I was looking for a comedy but really didn't know what else I wanted.  I saw the movie Dave on the shelf.  It looked like a comedy so I brought it home to watch with Ronda.  I don't know if you've ever seen it, have you?

Dave is about a guy who looks just like the President of the United States who is hired by the CIA to fill in for the President when "emergencies" come up.  Dave, the Presidential look alike, is filling in for the real Presi­dent when the President has a stroke.

To cover for their ploy, Dave has to fill in more and more.  And it works.  No one is the wiser -- except the President's wife who seems to be happier with Dave as President than her own husband.  Pretty soon, we find Dave making decisions without the support of the cabinet and they begin to look for ways to 'fire' Dave.  I'll let you watch it to see how it ends.

There are some cute scenes and subtle humor throughout the film, but the point I want to make is that Dave dressed up like a President, was put in places where a President would be, and he began to act like a President.

As I thought about Paul's imagery in this text, I began to wonder how often we put on the characteristics of God and what effect that has on us.  When we begin to live and breathe truth, righteousness, and faith; when we celebrate the gospel of peace and our salvation, does that affect us?

You bet it does.

It's been interesting to watch and learn along with Melissa.  A significant aspect of her therapy involves repetition of motions until she learns how to do them herself.  Simple things like putting food in her mouth had to be taught to her by repetition.  A year ago, we knew that she had the strength to sit herself up, but we helped her do it time and again.  Time after time after time after time.

By acting it out with her, we helped her do it for herself.  Many of the skills she has developed in the past year have come the same way.  We move her through the motions and she begins to do it herself.

I think Paul is suggesting a similar therapy method for our spiritual lives.

I think that Paul wants us to begin to act like God by putting on the armor of God, by claiming the charact­eristics of God, by going through the motions enough times that God's ways become our ways.

Paul is saying that we can begin to act into our beliefs better and easier than we can believe into action.

When Paul tells us to "be strong in the strength of God's power" (v 10), he isn't telling us to exercise until we become strong.  He's telling us to rest in the power and strength of the God, whose armor we wear.  Like the words of the children's song, "I am weak, but he is strong," we are to allow the strength of God to work through us.  It's not something we do, but that God has done.  By taking on God's armor, the full and splendid armor of God, we are allowing God to work through us to bring great things to happen.  We, like Paul, become God's Ambassadors as we begin to carry the authority of the one who sent us into the world.

We can do this because we know that the victory has already been won.  The enemy has been defeated.  Death no longer has power over us.

As with the story of David and Goliath, we can be assured that the victory has already been given to us.  The battle has already been won.  Putting on the armor is more like preparing for the parade when the warriors return from battle than it is a preparation for battle.

Maybe it's like 'showing the flag' "in the presence of [our] enemies" (Ps 23:5).

It has amazed me throughout the years how often our country puts its military out on display, to 'show the flag,' with no intention of using our weapons.  Since the "Great White Fleet" of Teddy Roosevelt's day, we have made our presence known throughout the world -- a presence that is perceived by some as a threat and by others as a source of comfort.

To put on the armor of God is to show the flag.  It brings fear to the enemy and comfort to the followers of Christ.  It's a way of saying to the evil that lurks around us that the victory has been won.

We are saying to ourselves and to those around us -- both seen and unseen -- that nothing will change the fact that God has conquered death, that sin no longer has power over us.

So it is that we wear the armor of God for our own sake, as we begin to take on a new sense of authority and begin to act into our beliefs.  And we rest in the knowledge that the victory has already been granted.  We also wear the armor of God so that others may see the character of God living in and through us.

And finally, we wear the armor of God as a representa­tive of God, as God's Ambassadors.  We're servants of God who go where we've been sent and say what we've been told to say.

It's hard not to notice that the only offensive weapon Paul speaks about is the "sword of the spirit, the word of God" (v 17).  We carry this word with us and God brings the victory.

Some understand Paul to be referring to the scriptures here.  I stand with those who say, "no."  These (hold up Bible) may be the words of God, but the WORD of God is none other than Jesus (Jn 1:1).

When I say that we carry the word of God with us, I am reminding us that the power of Jesus Christ is within us; it goes with us wherever we go.  He is the only offensive weapon we need.  He has spoken and death has been conquered.

There is nothing else to say.

When we are wearing the "full armor of God," including the sword of the spirit, the word of God:  Jesus the Christ, we can stand against any enemy, against cosmic powers, against principalities and governments.  For the victory belongs to God.

Thanks be to God.  Amen.