The Shield of Faith

The Shield of Faith

Steve W. Reeves

steve@wschurch.net

stevesermons.blogspot.com

 

INTRODUCTION:

A. On August 1, 2013, Henry Allen, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, wrote an Op Ed
     in the Wall Street journal regarding changes in our culture.
 
    “For the first time in my 72 years, I have no idea what's going on. I doubt that
    anyone does. Is democracy turning into a power vacuum?  What will fill it? Will
    organized religion die? I was talking to a girl from an Episcopalian youth group in
    Missouri. ‘Episcopalianism is great’ she said. ‘You don’t have to believe anything.’
    Like most people I used to think the world would go on the way it was going with
    better medicine and the arrival of an occasional iPad or earthquake, but that was
    when I knew what was going on. I worry that reality itself is fading like the Cheshire
    cat leaving behind only a smile that grows ever more alarming.” (Henry Allen, The
    Disquiet of Ziggy Zeitgeist,” The Wall Street Journal, August 1, 2013).  
   
    1. Allen’s words reflect the reality that all of us are living in the midst of a changing
        culture.
    2. I am not talking about superficial changes such as fashion styles or music
        preferences or changes in technology.
    3. The changes I am talking about are much deeper. They are changes in the way 
        people think. Changes in the values that prompt our decisions. Changes in
        standards that have dominated the civilized world for the past two thousand
        years.
    4. This is not a slight tremor in the landscape. It is a major earthquake. It is not a
        ripple in the waves but a tsunami. It is not a wrinkle in the garment but a tearing of
        the very fabric of society.
B. Have you considered the impact these changes are having on people’s faith?
    1. The value of life itself is under attack as a result of crime, violence and abortion.
    2. Traditional sources of moral authority such as the Judeo/Christian ethic are being
        cast aside. This affects everything from sexual identity to marriage, families,
        morality and spirituality.
C. We should not be surprised by these things. Listen to Paul’s admonition in Ephesians
      6:10-12. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the
    whole armor of God that you may resist in the schemes of the devil. For our struggle
    is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the
    worldly powers of darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the
    heavenlies.”
    1.  Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase, The Message,” puts an interesting spin on these
         words (I emphasize this is a paraphrase). “This is no afternoon athletic contest
         that we walk away and forget in a couple of hours. This is for keeps. A life or death
         fight to the finish against the spiritual forces of evil. So be prepared. You are up
         against more than you can handle on your own.”
    2. Paul continued in verse 13-17, “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.
        ¹⁴ Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the
        breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of
        the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ 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. ¹⁷ And take the
        helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
D. Please note the importance of verse 16, “Taking the shield of faith with which you will
    be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”
    1. Paul lists six items in this passage. Four of them are articles of clothing. From a
        spiritual perspective we put these on when we are baptized.
    2. Two of these items, the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit must be
        consciously, deliberately carried and used.
    3. Why is the shield of faith so important?
 
I. FAITH CONNECTS US WITH THE MIGHT OF GOD.
    A. Across the country there are many places that generate electricity. In our state we
        have hydro-electric plants like the one at Greers Ferry, coal fired plants like the
        one at Newark and a nuclear plant at Russellville. Each of these plants generate
        an enormous amount of power. All of that energy would be useless if there were no
        way to carry it from the source to a destination. This is why we have transmission
        lines, substations, transformers and power lines.
        1. God is the source of power.
            a. 1 Chronicles 29:10 (David’s prayer upon receiving gifts for construction of the
                temple) – “Blessed are You, O Lord God of Israel our father, forever and
                ever. ¹¹ Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the
                victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the
                earth”
            b. Matthew 19:26 – “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are
                possible.”
            c. Ephesians 3:20 – “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond
                all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us.”
            d. 2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and
                love and discipline.”
        2. Faith is like the transmission line that enables us to connect with the source of  
            the power.
    B. You and I do not have the spiritual power within ourselves to wage the battle
        against the evil one. This is why Paul began this text with the words, “Finally, be
        strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.”
    C. Martin Luther reflected this idea in his famous hymn, “A Mighty Fortress” with
        these words. “Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would
        be losing. Were not the right Man on our side, the man of God’s own choosing.
        Just ask who that might be; Christ Jesus it is He. Lord Sabaoth His name; from
        age to age the same. And He shall win the battle.”
 
II. FAITH PROTECTS US FROM THE ARROWS OF THE DEVIL.
    A. Paul wrote that by taking up the shield of faith we might be able to extinguish the
        flaming arrows of the evil one (vs. 16).
        1. Perhaps you have seen movies or pictures depicting ancient warfare where an
            army would take their arrows, dip them in tar, set them aflame and launch a
            barrage of flaming arrows against their opponent.
        2. Such attacks alert us to the fierceness of our enemy. In 1 Peter 5:8 the devil is
             described as a “roaring lion seeking whom He might devour.”
        3. Satan is firing arrows at us every day as he seeks to weaken our spiritual
            defenses.  In his book, “The Pilgrim’s Progress,” John Bunyan described Satan  
            as a “foul fiend.” Christian had traveled just a little way until he met this foul fiend
            coming at him.
    B. Satan’s flaming arrows may include:
        1. Discontentment
        2. Disunity
        3. Doubt
        4. Discouragement
    C. A Roman shield was approximately four feet long by two and a half feet wide. The
        Greek word for this shield can be translated, “door.” It had a wooden frame,
        covered with layers of leather and mesh. The edges were covered with metal.
        Before entering battle, the shield would be soaked in water so arrows striking the
        shield would be extinguished.
        1. Taking up the shield meant to prepare it for battle.
        2. A lot of people who have professed faith in Christ have never prepared their faith
            for battle. A lot of people have let their shields fall into disrepair. Satan’s arrows
            are piercing their faith and destroying their lives.
        3. What type of condition is your shield in today?
 
III. FAITH AFFECTS THE OUTCOME OF OUR STRUGGLE
    A. One of the most unique features of the Roman shield was its dual purpose as a
        defensive and offensive weapon
        1. Soldiers could hide behind the shield. They could lock their shields together to
            form a barrier. In the movie “Gladiator” the soldiers banded together and
            crouched behind their shields in a maneuver they called, “the turtle.”
        2. Soldiers could also join their shields together and press their way through the
            enemy.
    B. Imagine the spiritual strength that is found when Christians join their shields of
        faith to defend and march against the enemy.
        1. The most vulnerable soldier is the one who has been separated from their outfit.
        2. The most vulnerable Christian is the one who is trying to wrestle with Satan by
            himself/herself. One of Satan’s most deadly flaming arrows is the one that seeks
            to divide and isolate Christians.
            a. If I were a teenager I would want to have Christian friends who would help me
                in my spiritual battles.
            b. If I were a college student I would want to have friends who would strengthen
                my faith and not tear it down.
            c. If I were a young couple engaged to be married I would  make sure my fiancé
                and I had shields of faith that were tightly interlocked.
            d. If I was a single adult I would want fellowship with others to keep my shield
                adequately prepared.
            e. If I were as parent raising children I would want to have regular fellowship
                with other Christian families to make sure our spiritual defenses were intact.
            f. If I were an older adult I would keep my faith, my shield and my spiritual
                stamina strong.
 
CONCLUSION:
. To conclude this message we will sing these words. “In heavenly armor we’ll enter
     the land, the battle belongs to the Lord. No weapon that’s fashioned against us can
     stand, the battle belongs to the Lord.
 
    (Chorus): “We sing glory, honor, power and strength to the Lord. We sing glory,
    honor, power and strength to the Lord…
 
    When the power of darkness comes in like a flood the battle belongs to the Lord. He’s
    raised up a standard the power of His blood, the battle belongs to the Lord.
 
   (Chorus).
 
B. Are you properly equipped for the battle? Take up your shield today!

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

 Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Steve W. Reeves 

steve@wschurch.net

stevesermons.blogspot.com 

INTRODUCTION:

A. A large, prominent city was reduced to ruins.   
    Stately buildings that reflected the most beautiful
    architecture in history and the most extravagant
    materials in the world were reduced to piles of
    smoldering rubble. Amid the ruins lay the mangled corpses of soldiers, men, women,
    children and babies. The stench of decaying flesh filled the air and a solitary figure
    made his way through the horror. Only a handful of his contemporaries had escaped
    and they had been taken captive…What was this man to do? What could he possibly
    say? This city had been God’s city, Jerusalem. Listen to the words of this man,
    Jeremiah, in Lamentations 3:1-23.
B. We hear the word “unfaithful” far more that we hear the word “faithful” in today’s
    world. Most of us know too well the feelings that come when someone breaks a
    promise to us.
    1. We know the hurt, betrayal, sadness and anger.
    2. Many people find it difficult to trust anyone, including God.  
        a. Someone has promised to keep an appointment and does not do so.  
        b. Someone has promised to deliver goods or services and does not do so.
        c. Someone promises faithfulness, loyalty and allegiance and betrays you.  
    3. These are experiences that affect everyone.
C. God stands in stark contrast to the broken promises of this world.
    1. Psalm 36: 5 – “Your lovingkindness, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
        Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.”
    2. Psalm 56:3 – “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.”
    3. Psalm 62:8 – “Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart
        before Him; God is a refuge for us.”
    4. Psalm 119:90 – “Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations; You
        established the earth, and it stands.”
    5. Proverbs 3:5-6- “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean
        on your own understanding. ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him,
       And He will make your paths straight.”
 D God never makes a promise He doesn’t keep. He never makes a covenant He does
     not honor. The question is “How do we understand God’s faithfulness in a world
     racked with pain and suffering?”    
     1. This was a question with which Jeremiah wrestled.
     2. This is what we need to learn about God’s faithfulness.
 
I. THE PRESENCE OF SUFFERING DOES NOT MEAN THE ABSENCE OF GOD.
    A. Almost 600 years before Christ was born the clouds of war overshadowed the
        kingdom of Judah and the city of Jerusalem. In 586 B.C. the brutal Babylonian king
        Nebuchadnezzar and his fierce army completely decimated Jerusalem.
        1. The book of Lamentations is the poetic record of Jeremiah, a prophet of God
            who suffered severely during the destruction of Jerusalem. Jeremiah was a first-
            hand witness to the horrendous conditions that existed during this time.
        2. In Lamentations 2:9-10 Jeremiah provided this description of Jerusalem’s
            condition. “Her gates have sunk into the ground, He has destroyed and broken
            her bars. Her king and her princes are among the nations; The law is no more,
            her prophets find no vision from the Lord. ¹⁰ The elders of the daughter of Zion
            sit on the ground, they are silent. They have thrown dust on their heads; They
            have girded themselves with sackcloth. The virgins of Jerusalem have bowed
            their heads to the ground.”
            a. This was complete destruction. The gates had been destroyed. The city’s
                defenses were in ruin.
            b. The Royal authorities were no more.
            c. The law had been forsaken and prophets abandoned. There was no
                revelation from God and the elders of the city had been silenced.  
        3. But, it gets worse. Chapter 2:12 describes the hunger that existed because there
            was nothing to eat or drink. People staggered and fell as wounded animals in
            the streets. Even the infants on their mother’s bosom were prey.         
    B. For Jeremiah the anguish was not merely physical. It was spiritual. Who was
         behind this curtain of suffering?  
        1. In the movie, “The Wizard of Oz” there is a scene where Dorothy, the
            Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion bring the broomstick of the Wicked Witch of the
            West to the Wizard of Oz. As they approach him in a room filled with smoke, fire
            and booming sound the little dog, Toto, discovered a man hiding behind a
            curtain. It turns out that he is actually the Wizard of Oz.
        2. Who is behind the curtain of Jerusalem? Was it Nebuchadnezzar or the evil
            one? They were both involved of course, but the one behind the curtain was
            God.
            a. God is not evil. However, He is sovereign. He had promised His people that
                their continued  rejection of Him would result in their destruction. He allowed
                the evil of Nebuchadnezzar and his forces to bring about that judgment.
            b. At the beginning of the book (1:5) Jeremiah said, “Her adversaries have
                become her masters, Her enemies prosper; For the Lord has caused her
                grief.”
            c. In 1:12 he cried, “Look and see if there is any pain like my pain which was
                severely dealt out to me, which the Lord inflicted on the day of His fierce
                anger.”
            d. In 2:17 – “The Lord has done what He purposed. He has accomplished His
                word which He commanded from days of old. He has thrown down without
                sparing, And He has caused the enemy to rejoice over you; He has exalted
                the might of your adversaries.”
    C. Let me re-iterate. God is not the source of evil.  He is not the source of pain,
         heartache and tears. However, He can use these things to accomplish His
         purposes. 
        1. William Cowper (1731-1800) wrote the hymn, God Moves In A Mysterious Way,
            in which he said, “He plants His footsteps in the sea.”
        2. We do not see His footsteps. We do not know all of the ways He moves behind
            the scenes but we can be assured of His presence.
 
II. TEMPORARY SITUATIONS DOES NOT NEGATE ETERNAL REALITY.
    A. An older woman, suffering from a serious illness, was asked about her favorite
        passage of scripture. She replied, “I like the passages that say, “It came to pass.”
        When asked why she liked these verses she said, “Because it doesn’t say, ‘It came
        to stay.”      
    B. In the midst of his agony and suffering, Jeremiah found comfort in the reality that
        God’s faithfulness endures in all situations.
        1. You cannot ignore or deny Jeremiah’s situation. It was serious, frightening,
            discouraging, heartbreaking, and threatening.        
        2. He describes his feelings in verses 19-20 - “Remember my affliction and my
            wandering, the wormwood and bitterness. Surely my soul remembers and is
            bowed down within me.”
        3. You may be facing a situation you cannot deny. It may be a health issue, a
            financial issue, a  family problem, a work-related matter or some other pressing
            crisis.
    C. In Lamentations 3:21 there is a noticeable shift in Jeremiah’s outlook. Surrounded
         by the  suffering and bitterness, He remembers a remarkable reality.
        1. Lamentations 3:21 – “This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.”
        2. Jeremiah said, “this I know.” He turned from feelings to facts.
            a. How did he feel? Bitter, depressed, lonely, discouraged.
            b. Here in verse 21 he says, “In the midst of these feelings I remembered a
                concrete, indisputable, unshakable fact that is beyond a shade of a shadow of
                an intimation of a doubt.
        3. Here it is. “The Lord’s lovingkindness indeed never ceases, For His compassion
         never fails. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” .
    D. The suffering was temporary. God promised Jeremiah it would be temporary. The
         benefit of the suffering was lasting and real. 
        1. The greatest lessons we learn in life are not the ones that come by avoiding
            suffering. They are the lessons we learn through suffering.
        2. A surgical procedure, like heart surgery, is not a pleasant experience. However,
            it produces benefits that far outweigh the discomfort of the procedure.
        3. Consider Hebrews 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our
            faith, who, for  the joy set before Him, endured the cross despising its shame
            and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
 
III. CHANGING TIMES NEED AN UNCHANGING GOD.
    A. The USS George H.W. Bush is the last of 10 Nimitz Class Nuclear powered
         aircraft carriers. The size of this vessel is staggering. It stands 20 stories above
         the waterline with a 4.5-acre flight deck. It is 1,092 feet long: nearly as long as the
         Empire State Building is tall. There are four bronze propellers, each 21 feet across
         and weighing more than 30 tons. Steering is accomplished by two rudders, each
         29 feet by 22 feet and weighing 50 tons. Each of the two anchors weighs 60,000
         pounds. Each link of anchor chain weighs 365 pounds. Each anchor and chain
         weighs a total of 735,000 pounds. A large ship needs substantial anchors.
    B. Jeremiah knew who his anchor was.
        1. As his world literally collapsed around him he held on to the only thing that he
            knew would never fail.
        2. This is why He said (vs. 23), “The Lord is my portion says my soul. Therefore I
            will hope in Him.”
    C. For the writer of Hebrews writing to beleaguered, persecuted Christians 650 years
         later the hope was the same. “Jesus Christ, the same, yesterday, today and
         forever” (Hebrews 13:8).     
 
CONCLUSION:
A. What is our greatest testimony to the world? Jeremiah teaches us that our greatest
    testimony to the world does not come in times of prosperity, wealth, ease and
    freedom from pain. Rather, it comes in times of hardship and suffering as we
    remember the faithfulness of God. When the world sees how we deal with suffering
    they have a clear picture of who we are.
B. The British composer Henry Lyte wrote, “Change and decay in all around I see. O,
     Thou who changes not, abide with me.” Does He abide with you and do you abide in
     Him?