17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:17
The helmet of salvation is necessary because……………………….
**Every human being is a sinner in need of rescue. (Romans 3:23)
**Every human being who refuses to repent and truth in Christ will be separated from God’s goodness and mercy forever. (Romans 6:23 & Revelation 20:15)
**Every human being who repents and trust’s Christ is saved eternally from their sin, their shame, and from their old self. (Romans 10:9-10, Ephesians 2:8-9)
**Every Believer is given the gift of the indwelling Spirit of God.
“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
This portion of Scripture was called the Shema by the Jewish rabbis. It was often quoted by Jewish worshipers in the synagogue meetings. The lessons it teaches are universal and important for Christian believers in our day. What are those lessons?
**There is only one God.
The great truth of this passage tells us that there is only one true, authentic God. In a society that trumpeted a multitude of gods and goddesses, Moses declares that the only true God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
We would do well to remember this truth in our time. Many idols still vie for our attention. Yet, for the Christian, there is only one God revealed in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
**We must pass the Christian faith on to the young.
The Hebrew people were commanded to continually teach the precepts and principles of the Law. They were to pass on their faith to the next generation. Failure to transfer these principles from God’s Word resulted in much pain and heartache for the nation of Israel. The people of God were to continue to faithfully teach the Word of God so that future generations would not forget the miracles, blessings, and provisions that God had provided for His people.
This principle still has great import for today’s Christian. If we don’t teach the truths of Scripture through word and deed to our children and young people, who will? The world system is contrary to the truths of the Scriptures. Therefore, we must teach the truth, preach it, and live it so that our children may grow in the faith.
**We must teach the truths of the Bible by utilizing every opportunity.
The Jewish people were commanded to teach the truths of the Law in the morning, throughout the day, and in the evening. The point was this; use every teachable moment to pass along the ways of God, the truth of God, and the greatness of God to the young.
As Christians today, our command and call is exactly the same. We should be taking advantage of every occasion we are given to teach the plain truths of Scripture. Let us point out God’s blessing and goodness. May we remind our children that God is with us at all times. Let us teach them of Christ’s died and rose again for the salvation of souls. Let us not hold onto our faith, let’s pass it on.
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-13
Pastors have a multifaceted calling. We are called upon to perform many tasks during the course of a week. Today, I would like to concentrate on one aspect of the pastoral task from Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church.
Mind you, what we will discuss in this article is not the only requirement of the pastorate. Many other duties are performed by those who lead in the church. But, what we will peruse in this post is the most central task of the pastor. What is that activity? The task of which we will speak is preparing the membership to minister to one another.
Paul speaks of this responsibility as a primary aspect of the pastoral calling. The “equipping of the saints”, as communicated in verse twelve, is central to work week of the minister. Pastors should teach and preach to prepare the Christian for ministry and to serve the body of Christ.
While the pastor should be involved in ministry and service to the membership, he should not be expected to do all of the ministry within the church. He is to raise up others and equip them through preaching, teaching, personal example, and training to do the work of the ministry as well.
Too often the pastor is expected to “do it all” as the church’s hired hand. This should not be! Ministers should train the membership and then release them to serve one another. The result of this service is spiritual growth, an increased knowledge of God, and Christian maturity.
As a believer, you have a calling to serve in the Church, the Body of Christ. Do not neglect that calling. Attend church, learn, and be equipped and encouraged to serve within the membership. From myself and pastors everywhere, let me make this closing statement. “We need you and we can’t do it without you. Help us!”
16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Ephesians 6:16
Christians should be equipped to fight Satan in every way. Paul teaches us about faith Ephesians 6:16. Faith is one of the spiritual armaments the Believer is given to live a holy life. Christians should take up the shield of faith for the following reasons:
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
Ephesians 6:14-15
Have your feet fitted for peace. What a powerful thought! Let’s offer 4 thoughts about spiritual peace from the Armor of God.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place.
Ephesians 6:13-14
The breastplate of righteousness is the second of God’s armaments for the Christian. Let us consider four truths about righteousness from the Word of God.
**The Lord Is Righteous
9 As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”
2 Corinthians 9:9
**Human Beings Need To Be Righteous
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Romans 14:17
**Human Beings Are Incapable of Godly Righteousness
“There is no one righteous, not even one.”
Romans 3:10
**We Need Christ’s Righteousness
30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place.
Ephesians 6:13-14
***Jesus Is Truth
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
***God’s Word Is Truth
17 Sanctify them bythe truth; your word is truth.
John 17:17
***Truth Doesn’t Fail
31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
1 Corinthians 3:5-9
Let’s think about three things these verses reveal to us.
1)We must plant for the harvest. As believers, we are called to spread the gospel seed far and wide. This happens in many different ways including preaching, teaching, witnessing, sharing our testimony and ministry through the church.
Not everyone is called to the specific preaching or teaching office. However, all Christians should be sharing their faith and inviting people to Jesus in their daily lives. The Great Commission to go and make disciples is given to all.
(Matthew 28:19-20)
2)We must prepare for the harvest. Apollos watered the seed after Paul planted it. We must prepare to receive the overflow in our churches and in our lives as we sow the good news into the lives of others. Preparation is needed when one “waters the seed” as being unprepared for the harvest is shameful and wasteful. Telling others that Christ died and rose again and that there is hope for reconciliation with God through the forgiveness of sin will result in salvations. Not everyone will receive the message, but, some will. Are we prepared to enjoy and accommodate the harvest?
3)We must pray for the harvest. Our task is to plant and prepare for harvest. However, God must bring the harvest. God must cause it to grow and mature. We ought to pray that God will bring the harvest and that He will send laborers into the field. (John 4:35 & Matthew 9:28)
Do you want to be holy? Believer, do you desire that your life would reflect the life of Christ? If so, consider the following.
**Abide in Christ
4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
John 15:4-5
**Glory in Christ
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,
Philippians 3:3
**Hope in Christ
To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Colossians 1:27
**Dwell in Christ
That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love.
Ephesians 3:17
**Rest in Christ
9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
We change and our world changes around us. God, however, is always the same and so shall He ever be. Consider these Scriptures……………….
God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
Numbers 23:19
The LORD of hosts has sworn saying, “Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have planned so it will stand.
Isaiah 14:24
“For I , the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
Malachi 3:6
For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.
They will perish, but You remain; And they all will become old like a garment, And like a mantle You will roll them up; Like a garment they will also be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end.”
Hebrews 1:11-2
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
mrtonyfrench 