Sermon: Together in Faith

Together in Faith

Ephesians 6:10-20

Lectionary Year B, Proper 16

Introduction

The lone hero, standing his ground against unending waves of foes coming at him, successfully battling every one of them: this is one of the most common archetypal motifs found in the history of humankind. These epics go back as far as the earliest civilizations and many ancient epics are retold in many ways in many stories today.

From action blockbusters of today, the successful science fiction movies, TV series, and books, to even the old television Westerns, the legends and mythologies of the lone hero make for great storytelling and for many authors and studios, money.

When we read and hear the passage about the armor of God from Ephesians chapter 6, our imaginations might naturally turn toward the staples of literature and movies with which we are familiar – the lone hero, facing impossible odds but successfully deflecting the many threats against her or him. We might imagine a superhero with their supernatural skills defending the world against cataclysmic threats.

It is easy to read the Ephesians text as an imperative being given to an individual Christian. The analogy certain uses the image of a single Roman soldier, putting on his armor and taking up a sword as he prepares to go into battle.

This text has been used to admonish individual Christians on the importance of individually putting on the armor of God as described, and that only through it can they stand up individually to the schemes of the devil and resist temptation and keep from sinning.

But, as you probably suspect where I’m heading with this, is the individual Christian and the battles he or she faces that primary concern of this passage?

Broad Message of Ephesians

Ephesians is written to a community of believers. Yes, a community is made up of individuals, but the concerns being addressed are those that face the community itself. One of the primary concerns has to do with the divide between Jews and Gentile believers who are now comprise this singular community. The part of the gospel that concerns this letter and its author is how Christ removed the boundaries of culture, ethnicity, and race so that peace might exist between groups that once were enemies. This mystery, or the secret, of the gospel and God’s plan for humankind is of foremost concern. It is in bringing together this diversity of individuals that the singular community becomes strong. A further elaboration of this secret of the gospel is that Christian journey and faith cannot be accomplished without this diversity that is brought to a community. Community is an inherent and necessary part of the Christian walk. There can be no Lone Ranger Christian going it alone. The mystery of the gospel is that each individual must depend on other members of the community.

Ephesians 1:9-12 reads:

9 God revealed his hidden design to us, which is according to his goodwill and the plan that he intended to accomplish through his Son. 10 This is what God planned for the climax of all times: to bring all things together in Christ, the things in heaven along with the things on earth. 11 We have also received an inheritance in Christ. We were destined by the plan of God, who accomplishes everything according to his design. 12 We are called to be an honor to God’s glory because we were the first to hope in Christ.

And 2:14-16 and 20-22 read:

14 Christ is our peace. He made both Jews and Gentiles into one group. With his body, he broke down the barrier of hatred that divided us. 15 He canceled the detailed rules of the Law so that he could create one new person out of the two groups, making peace. 16 He reconciled them both as one body to God by the cross, which ended the hostility to God…

20 As God’s household, you are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 The whole building is joined together in him, and it grows up into a temple that is dedicated to the Lord. 22 Christ is building you into a place where God lives through the Spirit.

And in 3:9-10:

9 God sent me to reveal the secret plan that had been hidden since the beginning of time by God, who created everything. 10 God’s purpose is now to show the rulers and powers in the heavens the many different varieties of his wisdom through the church.

The author of Ephesians writes about the former life of members of this community where they were driven by corruption, greed, and satisfying one’s own desires. This is the life that they have been delivered from. Instead, the new persons they are becoming is to practice selfless love, care, and compassion for one another. Those in Christ will not take advantage of another person. Those in Christ will understand that they cannot progress on their journey toward God without working to bring others on the same path.

The Armor of God

It is in this broad context that the armor of God metaphor is introduced as the conclusion to this letter. Thus, when this last part of the letter talks about “tricks of the devil” and “the gospel” we should understand these to refer to something in the earlier part of the letter and not something that might be correct in a broad sense, but not part of the letter specifically.

The concern is that some in the church at Ephesus might be tempted to revert to their old ways – self-seeking; divisions along racial, cultural, ethnic, and religious practice; to try to exclude some and go it alone or with a partial community.

The gospel is the good news of peace – the reconciliation and unity that Christ brought, and which God had planned for humanity since the beginning.

These are things that the world doesn’t understand and is often openly hostile to. It doesn’t require any searching to observe hate and division between races, cultures, ethnicities, and religions. Just opening a web browser to a news site quickly shows numerous instances of self-seeking and self-serving interests. Taking advantage of the vulnerable and weak is often seen as just good business practice in maximizing profits. To be a self-made person, who can handle everything alone is portrayed as an ideal. Conversely, to require others’ assistance is seen as a weakness.

This is the battle for which the armor of God equips us to fight. The Ephesians text mentions specific pieces of armor, but the specifics aren’t what is important. It’s what they represent together. The armor is truth and justice. It also includes the confidence of the completed work of Christ’s salvation for us. The purpose of the armor is to keep one’s spiritual condition safe while the gospel of peace is preached in this world. The weapon is God’s message of reconciliation and community.

The Shield of Faith

I left the shield of faith to the end because this is what triggered in my mind the thought that this armor metaphor isn’t about an individual Christian standing alone, but about the whole church working together. The shield mentioned here is a large body shield, crafted from two layers of wood and leather on the outside. The leather is soaked in water until it can extinguish flaming arrows that hit it. This shield would be too large and heavy to wield successfully in single combat. It was used by entire battalions to protect against the hundreds and thousands of flaming arrows shot toward them by an opposing army. The forward rank would set their shields on the ground, overlapping so that there would be no gap. The ranks behind them would raise their shields above them to create an impenetrable ceiling. Then they would advance slowly together toward the opposing army.

This is the picture that would have remained with the recipients of the letter to the Ephesians as its reading ended. The picture is one of standing their ground, but also of advancing together. The temptation of expediency and convenience must be resisted.

In Conclusion

Today’s text isn’t about a lone Christian standing their ground. It is about the necessity of a community of faith, standing together in faith that allows them to advance the gospel of peace. Working together, we can close the vulnerabilities and weaknesses that each individual possesses, and bound by the strength of God, present an impenetrable shield to extinguish the flaming arrows of the devil that are launched against us.

We would rather that these flaming arrows be obvious evils such as mocking, criticisms, and perhaps even persecution. But I think that they are more along the lines of complacency, desire for comfort, risk aversion, influence seeking, expediency, favoritism, and other such quiet and insidious, but quite acceptable evils.

As a community we must stand and advance together in faith. We must hold one another accountable to the highest ideals of truth and justice. We must let the gospel of peace and reconciliation in Jesus Christ be our guide and goal.

Christian faith is not a solo pursuit. It is a community effort. Let us come together and walk together in faith.