Leaving a Lasting Legacy of Strength (Father’s Day sermon: Eph. 6:10-17)
Father’s Day:
Leaving a Legacy of Strength
Ephesians 6:10-17
INTRODUCTION:
Philip Brooks wrote: “Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men! Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.”
Today is Father’s day and the role I enjoy in life after the role of being Rachel’s husband is the role of being a dad.
Dads, if our children are going to be successful in this life, we must leave them a legacy of strength - a strength that is not their own; it is supernatural and spiritual. It is the strength that comes from our Commander in Chief. Our children need to be supplied with God’s invincible battle equipment - the full armor of God.
We are sending our children into a world full of evil and they need to be equipped in God’s full battle fatigues if they are to escape unharmed. The bullets are real and it is only getting worse.
Jeremiah preached to his generation before they were invaded by the Babylonians and he commented that God’s people had forgotten how to blush! (6:15; 8:12) That’s the kind of society are children are entering right now.
If our children are going to escape this earthly experience undefiled, they need to put on God’s full armor. The wolf preys on the weakest lamb because they are the easiest to catch. It is imperative that our children are protected by the full armor of God.
As Paul writes Ephesians, he is in prison in Rome (recorded at the end of Acts) and he might even be chained to a Roman solder; perhaps he looks at the soldier as he writes these words we’re going to study.
DADS, RECOGNIZE THE WARFARE - 6:11-12:
“Schemes” is the Greek word methodia - “methods.” That suggests the idea of cunning, craftiness, and deception. The term was used to refer to an animal stalking its prey, like Satan (1 Peter 5:8).
Satan has picked up the scent of our children and he is hunting them down. He is lurking in the bushes as they walk to school, hiding behind cover as our children play in the backyard. He is ready to pounce and devour.
Spiritual warfare is not child’s play. Satan is not simply seeking to injure our children - he’s seeking to devour them!
Our struggle is not against flesh and blood (ver. 12). We fight an invisible battle, against the unseen powers of darkness. Dads, we need to see the temptations that are waiting to snare our children and then block them if we can. The lion is loose; where was he last seen?
He was seen at your children’s school. Our school curriculum is centered around the idea that man is the center of his own world. Our school curriculum is centered around the idea that whatever makes you feel good, you can do it. Our school curriculum is centered around the idea that man evolved from a primitive primate. Dads, we have to know what our children are facing because they are in the devil’s cross-hairs.
The lion was also last seen in our media. TV is relentless in its attempts to recruit our children into the enemy’s camp. Now, I love to watch good movies. But Hollywood is not a friend of Christians. From a theological perspective, Disney is not a friend of Christians. I’m thankful they still make movies that are appropriate for children but they will work their agenda into our children’s movies when they get a chance. I have learned that on the “paperwork” for “Loki,” the “god of mischief” who has stared in several Avengers movies, his gender is listed as “fluid.” Almost nobody will notice that point; but the desensitization is in full force. It is just culture’s way of breaking down the barrier that separates God from wickedness.
The lion was also seen in music. The music industry, like TV and movies, falls to new lows when it comes to morality and filthy language. Surely, dads, we are not ignorant of the influences that music has over our children’s hearts and minds?
Children are being devoured by Satan left and right and too many parents, even Christian parents, are either naive or ignorant about the methods Satan uses to lure our children into his den. We are in a spiritual battle for the souls of our children.
DADS, ALERT YOUR CHILDREN - 6:10, 13:
We have to communicate with our children to make sure they understand the battle they are facing. Obviously, they have to be old enough and mature enough to understand what we are even talking about.
Victory requires that they be “strong in the Lord” (ver. 10). “Stand firm” (ver. 11) is a military term, picturing a soldier holding a critical position while under attack. The army is under attack but the soldiers refuse to retreat. They refuse to back up. They choose to hold their ground. That’s how our children must stand firm against Satan.
The word “struggle” in ver. 12 pictures the idea of hand-to-hand combat which was the way many ancient warriors fought during that period of time. The word could also picture wrestling among gladiators. These were life and death struggles, fought in front of thousands of blood-thirsty spectators. The victor would walk away alive but his opponent would be left dead.
That’s the way spiritual warfare is. Our children need to understand - especially if they are teenagers or pre-teens - there is no neutral ground. You will not sign a peace treaty with Satan. There can be no conscientious objector. No spiritual pacifists can sit this one out. Our children need to understand the hand-to-hand combat with Satan in which they find themselves and choose to “resist in the evil day” (ver. 13).
We must keep alert; we must help our children to stay alert; we must be dressed and ready to resist in the evil day.
DAD’S EQUIP YOUR CHILDREN - 6:11-12:
“Put on the full armor of God” - ver. 11. “Take up the full armor” - ver. 13. Our children need to be equipped with the “full armor” (panoply) of God, not just 2-3 of them; all of them.
Can you imagine the Detroit Lions lining up to play the Cleveland Browns in the Super Bowl and the Lions offensive line runs out onto the field, dressed in their uniforms - except their helmets? Not only could they not win; they would not even try. There would be no point. Every piece of equipment is important.
Would the Cleveland Browns play barefooted? It would not matter how good they were or how committed they are. If they did not have their cleats, they would not win. They would be at a decided disadvantage.
Each piece of God’s armor is strategic and crucial for victory.
1. The belt of truth - ver. 14 - The Roman soldier wore a long tunic which, when he was running in battle, he would tuck into the belt around his waist. The picture here is readiness for battle.
Having on the “belt of truth” could refer to having a knowledge of doctrinal truth, the word of God, as Jesus did in the temptations from Satan in Matthew 4. Or, this could refer to an attitude of truthfulness, commitment to a readiness to fight. Either way, we’re talking about a commitment to Christ and to living His teachings in our lives. That calls for a whole-hearted readiness to stand for Christ and resist the devil. Our children cannot be spiritually lazy.
So, first, our children need to be fully devoted to Christ and to His teachings. They need to tuck in their tunic and be prepared for battle. You and I, as dads, need to help our children grow in their commitment to Christ, to the Lordship of Christ. We cannot take for granted obedience. Small acts of obedience lead to greater acts of obedience.
At some point, with spiritual maturity, our children will make their own commitment to follow Christ in every area of their lives.
2. The breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate covered the entire torso, protecting all the major organs. It was usually made of leather, with overlapping pieces of metal, animal hooves, or horns.
To live right is to live in a daily, moment by moment obedience to God. It is a life lived in conformity to the Word of God, the standards of God.
When our children allow sin to grow in their lives, unhindered, then it gives Satan a foothold in their hearts. It’s like an invading army that establishes a beachhead on foreign soil. When we sin, we give Satan a foxhole (to continue using a military metaphor) and he can become entrenched in our lives. The more we allow him access, the more advantage he will take of us.
Living a clean, pure, righteous life closes the door to our hearts and keeps Satan out.
An uncommitted life is an unguarded life.
3. The shoes of peace - These shoes were usually made of leather with pieces of metal or nails attached to the bottom like spikes or cleats. He needed traction when he fought, stability. His life depended on it.
“Peace” here refers to my relationship with God. I need to know that no matter what happens to me physically, I’ve got my relationship with God that cannot be taken away. Our children need to have that same peace of mind: if they do what is right in God’s eyes, things will work out alright in the end.
When you go into battle with Satan himself, it gives you a great peace in your mind to know that no matter what happens, your final destiny is going to be heaven. That gives you a strong sense of purpose and puts fire into your bones to live the gospel of Christ with courage and enthusiasm.
4. The shield of faith - ver. 16 - There were two shields which Roman soldiers would use. The first was a small shield, 2’ by 2’, strapped to a soldier’s forearm. It was used in close combat. The other shield was larger, 2 1/2’ by 4’ and was large enough to protect the whole body. If you had enough soldiers standing side by side behind these shields, you could form a wall against the flaming arrows of the enemy. Paul is referring to this second type of shield - the shield of faith.
Faith is the fundamental trust in Jehovah God. It is the confidence that God will provide everything we need (Eph. 3:20; Phil. 4:19) - physically, emotionally, spiritually, relationally, and financially.
Ancient soldiers would dip their arrows in pitch, set it afire, and shoot at the enemy. If the arrow itself did not kill or injure someone, the fire surely would.
It seems to me that one of the fundamental temptations of Satan, which he uses against us, is doubt. Satan wants us to doubt God, to doubt His love, to doubt His power, to doubt His wisdom. If he can get us to doubt the power of the gospel, he has emasculated us.
If we doubt God, then we put our trust into someone else - a teacher at school, a professor at coworker, a coworker, a spouse, a friend, a coach. But God is sufficient for everything.
Dads, our words are a powerful motivation that will encourage our children to trust God. Like Aaron and Hur who helped hold up Moses’ arms as he held his staff up while Joshua fought in the battle below, we must help our sons and daughters to hold high the shield of faith in their battles.
Dads, not only do we have to teach our children to trust God, we must show our children what it means to trust God. No lesson will be more important to our children’s spiritual battles (Prov. 3:5-6).
5. The helmet of salvation - Salvation comes in three parts - past, present, and future. First, we want our children to obey the gospel of Christ and be saved from their sins. Our example and our teachings need to emphasize that point. That’s past salvation.
But, present salvation means that we repent of our sins, as Christians, when we do wrong, and we live in the grace of God every day. Future salvation means we live so that we can enjoy heaven and the presence of Christ one day - that hope influences all the decisions we make now and in this life. God will never fail us and God will never disappoint us.
Roman soldiers wore heavy helmets to deflect the blow of a broadsword swung at one’s head. The sword (of the Spirit) is the small dagger. But the broadsword was 4’ long; it was often wielded with both hands.
If Satan can get us discouraged, questioning our past obedience to Christ or questioning our current salvation in Christ, or questioning our future hope in Christ, we lose hope and we get tired of fighting the battle. But with our minds protected by this helmet of salvation, we can defend ourselves from Satan’s advances.
6. Finally, we have the sword of the Spirit - ver. 17 - a small dagger carried on the belt of the Roman soldier. It was used in hand-to-hand combat. This smaller “sword” could be used with more precision than the broadsword.
We need to teach and train our children to use the Word of God carefully and accurately. Our children need a broad, general knowledge of the word of God, like the books of the Bible and where they are located, the names of the twelve apostles and the tribes of Israel. That’s all good, basic, general knowledge. It is a foundation.
But they also need a precise knowledge of the Word of God before they can use it accurately. As I mentioned, Jesus used the word of God against Satan in the temptations in the wilderness in Matthew 4.
To that end, we ought to immerse our whole family in the Word of God. Our children need to know specific truths from specific verses. They need to have some passages memorized; they ought to have other passages highlighted in their Bibles. When they are then confronted with choices in their lives, they will be governed by the Word of God and they will be more likely to make godly choices. This is the reason Jared, Michelle, Rachel, and I are putting together this family study of the book of Joshua. Joshua was a fighter; he was a military man. His book has a lot of truths and encouragement to offer us.
David taught that the way a young man can keep his way pure in the eyes of God is for him to treasure the word of God in his heart (Psa. 119:9, 11). If our children will study the word of God with their minds and love it in their hearts, and obey it with their will, they will be prepared for whatever Satan has in store for them.
We help our little children get dressed in the morning. As they grow and mature, we need to help them dress in God’s armor that He has prepared for us.
Take home message: We do not know how Satan is going to encircle our children to wage war against them. We must make certain the “troops” have on the full armor of God and are ready to resist the evil one. We are sending young warriors into battle.