Niv Lesson 05-31-2009

Christ and Creation Unit 3: The Fruits of New Life (Lessons 10-14)

NEW ARMOR FOR BATILE

----mmmJr-------­ INTRODUCTION

DEVOTIONAL READING:

A. DRESSING FOR BATTLE

LUKE 11:14-23

One of the most popular spectator sports of the twenty-first century is American-style football. Although it is somewhat obscure outside the United States and Canada, this is one of the highest revenue-generating sports on the planet. High school football teams have rabid fans. The fans of football teams of major universities are no less passionate. The "identity" of a large city can be tied to its professional football franchise. At its core, football is a type of mock warfare. Points are scored by pushing the battle line into the opponent's end zone. Brutal, hand-to-hand combat occurs in the trenches, the line of scrimmage. The key player, the quarterback, is often referred to as the field general who directs his troops. Players with ex­ perience are veterans. A long pass is called a bomb. As the game of football has developed, there have been many improve­ ments in equipment. A fully dressed football player wears many items to protect himself from the physical pounding of the game. All players wear helmets with face masks. Each player wears a custom mouth guard to protect his teeth. Very prominent are the pads that allow players to use their shoul­ ders like battering rams. Some players wear flak jackets to protect their ribs. Football pants are equipped with hip pads, thigh pads, and knee pads to guard those body parts. Some players even use shoes with steel toes to pro­ tect their feet. While there are many injuries in football, this system of body armor is amazingly effective, given the speed of the game and the intensity of the hits. We can imagine how quickly a person wearing only a soccer player's gear would be injured on the full-contact football field. When we look at a depiction of a Roman soldier of Paul's day, the soldier may appear to us to have used strange equipment. But he was armed and ar­ mored using the finest equipment available at the time. If his armor kept him from becoming a casualty, he could fight the ne.xt battle too. The apostle Paul never served in the Roman army. But he had seen Roman soldiers up close on more than one occasion. Paul knew that there was a far more consequential war being waged outside the realm of earthly armies. Paul understood and taught that all believers would be called upon to engage in warfare against spiritual powers that would seek to destroy their faith. Their commander was not sending them into battle unannored, though. God has provided spiritual armor for each believer

B.

LESSON BACKGROUND

In writing Ephesians, Paul revealed a special concern for spiritual reali­ ties. He was acutely aware that there is a spiritual realm, unseen to us, where important things take place that affect us. Paul referred to this place as the

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BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: EPHESIANS 6:10-18 PRINTED TEXT: EPHESIANS 6:10-18

LESSON AIMS

After participating in this lesson, each student will be able to: 1. List the elements of the armor of God. 2. Explain the need for each piece of "annor" in more literal terminology. 3. Identify one element of the annor of God that he or she needs to don and make a plan to do so.

KEY VERSE Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and afteryou have done ev­ erything, to stand. ·-Ephesians 6: 13

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LESSON

14 NOTES

DAILY BIBLE READINGS

Monday, May 25-Truth (Psalm 25: 1-5) Tuesday, May 26-Righ­ teousness (Proverbs 11: 1-1 0) Wednesday, May 27­ The Good News of Peace (Isaiah 52: 7-12) Thursday, May 28­ Faith (Hebrews 10:35-11:3) Friday, May 29­ Salvation (Isaiah 12: 1-6) Saturday, May 3D-The Word of God (Psalm 119: 105-112) Sunday, May 31­ The Full Annor of God (Ephesians 6: 10-18)

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NEW ARMQREOR BAJTLE

"heavenly realms." This realm is the source of our spiritual blessings (Ephe­ sians 1:3). Yet this realm is also the habitation of "rulers and authorities," meaning the evil spiritual forces that seek to enslave humanity (Ephesians 3: 10). The New Testament teaches that all spiritual powers eventually will be brought to submission (l Corinthians 15:24; Philippians 2:10; 1 Peter 3:22), but that time has not yet come (Hebrews 2:8). There are two extremes to be avoided when considering the nature of the spiritual realm or the spirit world. Animism, on the one hand, is the belief that almost everything in nature has a spirit associated with it. There is a river god, a tree god, a monkey god, a mountain god, a storm god, etc. In this worldview, life is a matter of tiptoeing through the spheres of these little gods, pleasing and appeasing each as necessary. On the other end of the spectrum, secular materialism is based on the idea that there are no spiritual realities at all. In this worldview, gods and angels are no different from elves and leprechauns. At the end of the day, if there is no tooth fairy, then there are no gods, either. There are no hidden spiritual powers, good or bad, and humans are called to make their way boldly in a godless world. Paul taught neither the chaotic and fearful world of the animists nor the

lonely and even scarier world of the materialists. He personally had experi­

enced the spiritual world in dramatic, convincing ways (see 2 Corinthians

12: 1-4). Yet he understood that this realm was not a playground for compet­ ing deities of varying powers. Paul knew that there is one God. The spiritual world is delineated between those forces aligned with God and those forces : in rebellion against God. We do not understand why the all-powerful God continues to allow these evil spiritual forces to exist (nor did Paul). However, for as long as the spiri­ tual realm is populated with these rebellious powers, they will seek to bring men and woman under their thrall as co-rebels against God. This, then, is cosmic warfare of the most deadly type. Paul knew that . Christians must constantly be on guard against spiritual attacks, for their hearts and minds are the battleground. Paul also knew that God had not left believers \-vithout defenses. Such is the focus of this week's lesson.

1. THE PERIL OF BELIEVERS (EPHESIANS 6:10-13) A. SPIRITUAL RESOURCES (v. 10) 10. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Paul begins the final section of the letter by urging his readers to be strong. This has the sense of empowerment, of the unleashing of latent , strength. The source of this strength is nothing physical, however. It is not a mat­ ter of weight training or nutritional supplements. It does not come from an injection of steroids. Instead, spiritual strength comes from our relationship with God, from being in the Lord. Paul uses an unusual phrase to describe God's strength: his mighty power. This is similar to a common Bible description of God as the Almighty. There are no holes in God's power. He is strong everywhere. A repeated mistake for most Christians is to fall into the trap of trusting in their own inner strength in times of trial. If we spurn the spiritual as­ sistance and power of God, we will become casualties in life's battles. As

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Paul explains it elsewhere, when we understand our weakness and rely on God, then we are truly strong (2 Corinthians 12:10). SPIRITUAL WRESTLING CW. 11, 12) 11. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. Paul admonishes us to dress ourselves in the protective annor provided by God. The emphasis is on using all the gear, for none of it is optional. Paul's purpose for this is clear: to allow us to withstand the devil's attacks. One commentator noted that the most dangerous thing about Satan is his incon­ sistency. Satan will attack any weakness when least expected. (Ironically, we may say that he is very consistent in this regard!) His craftiness and trickery are a constant threat. We can neither predict nor anticipate these assaults, and thus we must be fully protected and on guard in order to resist him. 12. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the mIers, against the authorities, against the powers ofthis dark world and against the spiritual forces ofevil in the heavenly realms. The nature of our spiritual stmggle against evil is presented as a cosmic wrestling match. The object of a wrestling competition in the athletic games of the ancient world is to toss one's opponent to the ground and hold him down. Satan seeks to trip us up and to keep us from recovering. We sometimes are prone to think that the fight for righteousness, good­ ness, and holiness is a test of human wills and different philosophies. It is true that our fallen world produces some unimaginably evil and depraved human beings. But Paul knows that this is but an outcome produced by the spiritual warfare that is constantly being waged. Men and women (flesh and blood) are not our ultimate enemies. They are the fallen children of God. Our true adversaries are the powers of this darh world and spiritualforces ofevil in the heavenly realms. This is not a cryptic ref­ erence to world governments or conspiracy theories. It is a description of very real evil spiritual beings who are in league with Satan.

B.

SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Various doctrinal points of view divide today's Christians. One such divide concerns Christian pacifists and what might be called Christian militarists. Some \vith a pacifist bent believe we need to get rid of the war imagery when we talk about the faith. For example, the words of Sabine Baring-Gould's 1864 hymn are deeply troubling to some: "Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war ... forward into battle ... like a mighty anny moves the church of God," etc. After all, isn'tJesus the Prince of Peace? Didn't he command us to "tum the other cheek"? Then how can we use the imagery of warfare when praising him? Other Christians see ail of life as a continuous, "every incident" cosmic and! or physical battle against the forces of evil. Armies from supposedly Christian nations went on religious "crusades" in centuries past. Not many propose a return to that line of thinking. Yet some Christians see demons behind each and every incident that seems to be even the slightest bit troubling. To the fonner group we may ask, have you ever read Ephesians 6? To the latter group we can say that implements of war are not the only images Scripture uses to describe the Christian life. With study and prayer we can find between these -c. R. B. two perspectives the biblical view of the nature of our struggles.

Do You THINK? When we realize that the tme c0Y!fiict is with evil sphitual forces, how will this change our dealings with nonbelievers? How well are you doing in this regard? [Use Matthew 5:44 and Romans 12:14, 17, 20, 21 to set the tone foryour answer:] WHAT

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SPIRITUAL VICTORY (v. 13) 13. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day ofevil comes, animism. a-nuh-mi-zum you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to (a as in mat). stand. apocalyptic. uh-pock-uh-LIP­ The day ofevil that Paul foresees is not necessarily a time of apocalyptic tih. distress for all humanity. It is, rather, the day that each believer faces, the day Corinthians. Ko-RlN-thee­ when faith itself is sorely tested. It is the day when our trials wear us down, unz (th as in thin). and we are tempted to forsake our Savior for the life of sin and despair. This Ephesians. Ee-FEE-zhunz. day may be repeated many times in our lives. epistle. ee-PIS-ul. Paul's image here is of a soldier who is still standing when the battle is Isaiah. Eye-ZAY-uh. done. If the fight is over and we are standing, then we are not casualties. We Legionnaires. Lee-juh­ have not been thrown down and dominated in the spiritual wrestling match. NAIRS. As Paul says elsewhere, we are victors in the battle, "more than conquerors" medieval. mee-DEE-vul. (Romans 8:37). Philippians. Fih-LIP-ee-unz. This survival will not be from our own resources, but from the protective Thessalonians. THESS-uh­ full armor provided by God for our safety. God does not save us one day only LO-nee-unz (th as in

How TO SAY IT

to lose us later. He wants us to be safe, even on the most evil of days.

thin).

II. THE PROTECTION OF BELIEVERS (EPHESIANS 6:14-18) A. BATTLE DRESS (w. 14-17) 14a. Stand fimt then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, . The waist area is lightly armored for the Roman soldier so that he can

Do You THINK? Why do you think Paul picks truth to list first as a piece of the amlOr ofGod? [Explore John 4:24; 8:32, 44; and 14:6 as you frame your answer. ] WHAT

: maintain his maneuverability. Depictions of Roman soldiers show that they favor a shon, skin-like contraption made of broad strips of leather hanging from a heavy leather belt. Underneath could be a brightly colored cloth gar­ ment extending to the knees. Paul uses the image of a belt to describe the protective function of truth for the believer. The belt is tightened to the ready position when the battle is about to begin. Undermining or twisting the truth is one of Satan's favorite strategies (example: Matthew 4: 1-11). Yet truth can be an impenetrable defense. If we always tell the truth, we will not be caught in a tangle of our own lies. Lies-whether ones we tell or false philosophies we accept-bog us down. 1iuth keeps us mobile and active because relying on God's truth means that the devil won't be able to draw us into his quagmire of deceit.

14b. ... with the breastplate ofrighteousness in place, The Roman breastplate is made of leather covered with bronze. It is "mus­ cled" to make the warrior look strong and fearsome. This armor protects only the front of the soldier, for he is expected to face the battle. There is no pro­ tection for the back, no armor for the one who turns and runs. Protection of the torso is critical, for this pan of the body houses many vital organs. If a spear or arrow is not deflected by the breastplate, death can follow quickly Righteous behavior is a protection from attacks on one's personal integrity. . When a believer falls publicly, the entire church is damaged and its witness is compromised. This is why Paul calls for leaders who are "blameless" (Titus 1:6,7) and have a "good reputation" in the community (l Timothy 3:7). Ultimately, our righteousness is brought about through the atoning sacrifice of Christ. But our daily manifestation of this through right living is a protec­ tion against being ensnared in hidden sins and hypocrisy (compare Isaiah 59:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:8). I

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LESSON 14~

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15.... and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel

ofpeace. The Roman soldier's footwear is a half-sandal, half-boot apparatus with thick leather soles. It is not designed to protect the upper foot from sword slashes or arrows. Rather, its purpose is to guard the foot from rugged terrain so that the soldier can march and advance into battle without worrying about injury resulting from stepping on a sharp rock or a splintered piece of wood. Paul presents an image here of the gospel preacher who acts in order to proclaim the gospel ofpeace. The emphasis on peace would seem inconsistent with Paul's warrior analogy, but peace between]ews and Gentiles has been a major point of this epistle (see Ephesians 2: 14). The gospel of peace is the proclamation that the war between God and humanity is over; the two are now reconciled (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). In Romans, Paul uses this same image to emphasize the "beautiful feet" of the gospel preacher, the one who announces peace (Romans 10:15, quoting Isaiah 52:7). 16. In addition to all this, take up the shield offaith, with which you can extin­ guish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. The shield is the most important defensive implement in the Roman soldier's armor. Legionnaires use a rectangular shield that resembles a half cylinder. This curved surface causes arrows and spears to hit a glancing blow because of the angle. These shields are made of wood, with various types of leather and metal trim. The shields used by the foot soldiers of the legion are large, four feet in height. This allows a squadron of soldiers to take a formation in which the shields are placed together on all sides and above, making a movable fortifica­ tion structure that protects advancing troops from arrows, spears, or other missiles. This formation is known as the tortoise and is a key tactic that leads to the success of the Roman legions in battle. The Old Testament often pictures God as a shield for the faithful (exam:­ ple: Genesis 15: 1; Psalm 28:7; Proverbs 30:5). Thus Paul's analogy of a shield offaith is an apt one. When Satan is waging an all-out assault upon us, we may have no resources left except our faith. We can absorb tremendous hits if we believe that God loves us, that Christ died for us, and that our future in Heaven is secure. Satan's greatest tool is doubt. Our most effective defense is faith. 17a. Take the helmet ofsalvation The Roman soldier's helmet serves as both a protective device and an iden­ tifier. It is designed to protect the head and neck, particularly from blows that come from hand-to-hand combat. Most helmets have a head-covering bowl, an extended neck guard, side flashings to protect the cheeks and ears, and (sometimes) a metal face mask. Helmets also may hold a large, colorful crest on the top, undoubtedly the most eye-catching part of the soldier's dress. The helmet is not normally worn by the soldier unless battle is pending. No prudent Roman soldier neglects to don his helmet as he prepares for warfare, for a blow to the unprotected head is likely to be fatal. Likewise, our salvation is that which protects us from the threat of eternal death. Salvation is God's gracious gift, and we are foolish to neglect it (see Hebrews 2:3). 17b. ... and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The final part of Paul's "full armor" is the only offensive weapon in the list: the sword of the Spirit (compare Hebrews 4: 12). When do we stage a coun-

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PRAYER

God, our shield and pro­ tector, You are our rock, our strong tower, our mighty fortress. You are our annory. It is you who have provided all the equipment we need to . prevail. May we be wary of Satan and his schemes. But help us keep that wariness from becomingfear. We gain this victory when we focus on you and the power ofyour strength. We pray these things through the mighty name ofJesus. Amen. ·

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Visual for Lesson 14. Point to this visual as you ask, "What was a time when the helmet ofsalvation helped you the most?

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terattack against the devil? We do so whenever we proclaim the Word ofGod, Do You THINK? . when we communicate the truths of the Bible. We bring light to the dark­ What does good swords­ ness, and our active resistance to Satan causes him to flee Games 4:7). manship look like in a spiri­ The spiritual battle is not a matter of holding our position. It is our assault tual sense? How do Matthew on the strongholds of Satan (see 2 Corinthians 10:4). To make this assault re­ 4:1-11 and 2 Timothy 2:15

quires an offensive weapon.

help us answer this question?

WHAT

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WHAT DOESN'T CHANGE

A soldier's defensive body armor has not always been a top priority in war­ time. Its use has waxed and waned over the centuries. In the Roman army, body armor was important. Such armor became even more important by medieval times, when chain mail and suits of armor were common. However, these were so heavy and cumbersome that they eventually were dispensed with (compare 1 Samuel 17:38, 39). The advent of gunpowder hastened their demise. Soldiers in the American Revolution and the American Civil War had virtually no body armor. The twentieth century saw an interest in flak jackets develop. In the twenty-first century, this has evolved into advanced personal armor. Interceptor body armor became standard issue during the Iraq War. A newer type, called Dragon Skin®, takes its cue from medieval chain mail. At about 18 pounds, the weight problem has been solved. Yet one thing has never changed throughout the history of warfare: the need for an offensive weapon. If a soldier has all the best defensive armor available, but no offensive weapon, we may rightly ask, "What good is that soldier?" -C R. B.

B. BATTLE COMMUNICATION (v. 18) 18. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds ofprayers and re­ quests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on prayingfor all the saints.

Do You THINK? Practically speaking, how do we go about praying "jor all the saints"?

WHAT

Spiritual warfare is not waged in the streets or on the high seas. Rather, it is fought in the hearts and minds of men and women. This is why prayer is so important in this context. We will win the battle through prayer. This includes both prayers for ourselves and our prayers Jor all the saints. By saints, Paul means our fellow believers, our Christian brothers and sisters in battle. We will win these battles if we pray with perseverance, with the dogged per­ sistence that will not accept defeat.

CONCLUSION In real warfare, soldiers have long recognized the value of protective body armor. Although this can be expensive, military strategists know that shield­ ing a soldier from the enemy's attack allows that soldier to fight another day. No army has ever had an inexhaustible supply of troops, so wise command­ WHAT Do You THINK? ers always have sought to protect the ones they had. Which aspect oj the armor The truth is that many churches are littered with spiritual casualties. This oj God are you most lacking problem is traceable to a failure to put on the full armor of God. We have let right now? How will you cor­ , the cares of our materialistic world grow strong and choke us (Mark 4: 19). rect this problem ? We have not equipped ourselves with the many spiritual resources that God has provided for our protection. The first step to spiritual victory is to recognize the dangerous reality of the battle: Satan is real, and he wants to destroy us. The second step is to unite I I

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with other believers in resistance to Satan's methods and tricks. An army must fight as a team. ''An army of one" is a contradiction in terms. The third step is to attack our adversary with the truths of the gospel, with the love of the fellowship, with our prayers for the saints. May we be vigilant and bold in this battle!

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THOUGHT TO REMEMBER

God provides all the spiri­ tual annor we need.

Discovery Learning

The following is an alternative lesson plan emphasizing learning activities.

Classes desiring such student involvement will find these suggestions helpful. At the

back of this book are reproducible student pages to further enhance activity learning.

INTO THE LESSON Display or pass around pictures of modem battle gear as used by the individual soldier. (This means pictures of helmets, etc., not pictures of tanks and airplanes. Such pictures are easy to find on the In­ ternet.) Use the pictures to start a discussion about the specific purpose of each item. rransition to Bible study by saying, "Good equipment is important for any battle, whether it is fighting enemy soldiers, fighting crime, or fight­ ing fires. Good equipment is also important for Christians as we battle the evil one. Unfortunately, Christians often do not give their gear the attention or care that a good soldier should. Let's explore our gear and its use." INTO THE WORD Explain that Paul's illustration of our battle gear comes from his knowledge of the Roman soldier's gear. After reading today's printed text, assign the following tasks to study squads. (Call them squads to keep with the nature of the lesson.) Give each squad a poster board and a marker. Alpha Squad: Identify who the Christian's enemy is and isn't. Read the printed text, then list the terminology that describes the enemy. Be ready to explain the significance of each descriptive phrase or word. Bravo Squad: Identify expressions of Satan's work today. One of the other squads is doing a study of the text to identify the enemy, but you will identify current works of Satan. How is he attacking us through our values, thought processes, technol­ ogy, etc.? Remember, if we are to win the battle, we need to identify the enemy's strategies. List your thoughts on the poster board. (Option: Give this

squad copies of the reproducible activity "Battle­ fields Abound!" on page 384.) Charlie Squad: Identify the battle dress or spiri­ tual gear available to believers for this battle. Make a stick drawing of the battle armor mentioned in our printed text. Then label each piece with the metaphorical application to spiritual gear available to the Christian. Be ready to explain the signifi­ cance of each piece of offensive and defensive gear for spiritual warfare. Do not include verse 18 in your discussion. Delta Squad: Your task is to identify the gear for battle communication and the importance of such to Christians (v. 18). Answer these questions: 1. What gear is available for the Christian's battle communication? 2. With whom must we com­ municate ... and what must we communicate? 3. How well do Christians communicate with the commander? 4. What suggestions would you give to Christian warriors about battle communication? Be ready to read the questions and your conclu­ sions to the class. After each squad reports its findings and conclu­ sions, tell the class that it is exam time. Hand out a drawing of a Roman soldier in battle gear and ask each person to try to label from memory each piece of equipment with the appropriate metaphorical application to Christian armor. INTO LIFE Ask class members to examine their personal spiritual battles. Say, "What are you wrestling with in your spiritual life? biblical literacy? communication with your commander? disconnection from the rest of your team? temptations? faithfulness or desertion? perfectionism? failure to accept responsibilities?"