Put Your War Clothes On (5 of 9) Objective… To arm believers with the tools needed in light of the spiritual battle we are engaged in.

Blessed Are the Balanced

Ephesians 6:15 NLT “For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.”

Introduction: The Roman army was successful in large part, because of their footwear. It allowed their soldiers to be both mobile and stable.

Transition/Definitons: In order to understand Paul’s exhortation, let’s study the key words of the text…

-Shod: to wear as an attachment

-Gospel: news too good to be true

-Peace: not because of but in-spite of

Exposition: Balance is a blessing in such an unbalanced world. What do we do to keep steady on our feet; holding ground in this good fight of faith?

1. Stop… Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

2. Study… Psalm 119:165 Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.

3. Share… Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Conclusion: It is because of these shoes that we have the peace of God (position) and peace with God (protection) Reference John 16:33 I have said this to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution, but take courage: I have conquered the world!

Put Your War Clothes On (4 of 9) Objective… To arm believers with the tools needed in light of the spiritual battle we are engaged in.

Silence the Accuser

Ephesians 6:14b NRSV “…and put on the breastplate of righteousness”

Introduction: There is an action expected to be taken by believers, which is “to put on”. This statement is a state we’re to continually be in.

Transition: Righteousness is God’s standard; right-side up living; our application of the truth.
The opposite of righteousness is wrongness, which is upside down living. It’s trashy and is an invitation to pests.

Exposition: The importance of the breastplate PROTECTION (during attacks), PREVENTION (of vital organ targeting), and PRESENTATION (as prepared for battle).

With the sole thought of securing victory/perfection in mortal combat, 70 pounds of armor is put on with most of the weight being the breastplate.

The armor is too weighty to carry so the truth lifts it from our shoulders giving relief. Since the standard is perfection and we can’t ascertain it on our own, Jesus’ righteousness is IMPUTED into our accounts!

Conclusion: Satan is the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10), meaning he steadily offers false accusations about us to God. However, because of Jesus/our elder brother we are presented right even though we are guilty of wrong. Jude 1:24 says “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy”.

Put Your War Clothes On (3 of 9) Objective… To arm believers with the tools needed in light of the spiritual battle we are engaged in.

Satan Hates Integrity!

Ephesians 6:14a NRSV “Stand, therefore, and belt your waist with truth…”

Introduction: To have the facts is to say you have information, but that isn’t necessarily the truth which is ultimately the base root.

Transition: We search the scriptures, studying them because the known truth is what sets us free! REFERENCE John 8:31-32

Exposition: Followers of Jesus must be committed to the truth, and that is what gives us integrity (The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. The state of being whole and undivided/ REFERENCE James 1:8.).

The belt of truth gives order (REFERENCE I Corinthians 14:40)…

–Holding things together… to prevent the armor from shifting

–Attaching things to it… to allow easy transport and access of the sword

–Freeing things up… tunics prevented swift movement

Conclusion: The armor begins with truth, because Satan (enemy/organizer of evil) is a liar! Truth disrupts Satan’s plot to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).

Put Your War Clothes On (2 of 9) Objective… To arm believers with the tools needed in light of the spiritual battle we are engaged in.

Do You Know Your Enemy?

Ephesians 6:12-13 NRSV …for our struggle is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on the evil day and, having prevailed against everything, to stand firm.

Introduction: Of their own will and volition, Christians enlist in the army of the Lord. Which means they should be willing to fight, are expected to fight, and must be ready to fight.

Transition: Paul is chained to a Roman soldier (Ephesians 6:20) while this letter to the church at Ephesus was being penned. He has used military terminology before in II Timothy 2:3-4, 4:7; I Timothy 6:12; and in II Corinthians 10:3-4.

Exposition: Understanding our enemy is key if we are to fight and win. Ephesians 2:1-3 helps us… You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 3 All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, doing the will of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else,…

Enemy 1 is the world (external) but Jesus overcame it according to John 16:33! -Society apart from God

Enemy 2 is our flesh (internal) but Jesus overcame it according to Romans 6:12-13! -Old nature inherited from Adam

Enemy 3 is the prince of this world (spiritual) but Jesus overcame him according to Ephesians 1:19-23! -Devil -Satan -Tempter -Murderer -Liar

Conclusion: Our preparation is for “the evil day”, which could be any day.

Put Your War Clothes On (1 of 9) Objective… To arm believers with the tools needed in light of the spiritual battle we are engaged in.

Take A Stand!

Ephesians 6:10-11 NRSV Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power; 11 put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil,…

Introduction: Jesus Christ has won and given us the victory, making it the job of every believer to hold our ground.

Transition: Paul is under house arrest, and is chained to and is under Roman guard.

Exposition:

–Why stand? Because the devil is shrewd. Reference II Corinthians 2:11 And we do this so that we may not be outwitted by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his designs.

–How to stand? Be smart. Reference I John 2:16 …for all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches—comes not from the Father but from the world.

–When to stand? Right now! Reference verse 12 …for our struggle is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Conclusion: In the face of our struggle, our God proves to be greater! Reference 46:1

Principles-4-Progress (3 of 3) Objective… To plant seeds of healthy spiritual rhythms, that create a rich and fulfilling relationship with God.

Listen: Hard Work That Pays Off

I Samuel 3:1-10 NLT  Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the LORD by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the LORD were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.
2 One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. 4 Suddenly the LORD called out, “Samuel!” “Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” 5 He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
“I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did.
6 Then the LORD called out again, “Samuel!” Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.”
7 Samuel did not yet know the LORD because he had never had a message from the LORD before. 8 So the LORD called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
Then Eli realized it was the LORD who was calling the boy. 9 So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, LORD, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed. 10 And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

Introduction: When there is a disregard for God, the things of God, a low moral standard, and a low social view of those we interact with, darkness is the result.

Transition: The great moral and social prophet Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that “…we don’t know each other because we don’t communicate with each other”. Which is why there is a need for us to embrace and employ deep listening skills…

–Be fully present: mind, body, and soul converge on the same place at the same time.

–Don’t dismiss feelings: people are allowed to be honest concerning their present.

-Keep anxiety low: things rattle us all, but the calmer we are the more rational we are.

–Listen to understand not to respond: so much tension and hostility exists because we forget that conversation is about learning instead of loud talking.

Exposition: Just when it seems that all hope was lost, God calls to Samuel in the night…

1… Listening for God demands proper placement (verses 2-4) Stay Close! Don’t play with you church time (Hebrews 10:25); Don’t allow life’s swift transitions to drive you away (Romans 8:38-39); Don’t fool yourself into thinking you’ve arrived (II Corinthians 12:17).

2… Coaching is key (verses 5-9) You need more than cheerleaders! Eli wasn’t perfect; he failed at being a father and as a priest, but he was able to eventually successfully coach Samuel on identifying the voice of God. Reference Proverbs 15:22

3… Your response is everything (verse 10) “Speak, your servant is listening”! When you serve God talks, and humility to his voice makes him your Lord whom you know, love, and obey.

Challenge: Make it a priority to practice deep listening this week, especially in prayer. Take note of how it makes you feel and how much more in sync you are in conversation.

Principles-4-Progress (2 of 3) Objective… To plant seeds of healthy spiritual rhythms, that create a rich and fulfilling relationship with God.

Service: It Pleases God

I Samuel 2:11-13a NLT Then Elkanah returned home to Ramah without Samuel. And the boy served the Lord by assisting Eli the priest. Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord ¹³ or for their duties as priests.

Introduction: There is an abrupt shift in the scenery. Praise is the precursor to perversion.

Hannah is praying again, but this time it’s not anguish but adoration. Her prayer is a song, similar to David’s song in II Samuel 22, and Mary’s song (The Magnificat) in Luke 1. Hannah’s song praises God for his providence; the Divine sovereign’s ability to cause a reversal of fortune.

Transition: Service is the paradigm that Jesus prescribed for us. Mark 10:43-45 “But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴ and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Overwhelming Observations from the example of Jesus:                                                                    

-Every member is a minister/servant

-The way up is down                                     

-The point of it all is people not power

Exposition: Notice how service bookends Samuel’s life…

Major Movements of the text:                                                                                                   

verse 11… Then Elkanah returned home to Ramah without Samuel. And the boy served the Lord by assisting Eli the priest.   Service is a way of life and it started with a commitment by his mother in 1:28.                                                                                                                      

verse 26… Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew taller and grew in favor with the Lord and with the people.   When you serve you grow physically, spiritually, and socially.

verse 35… Then I will raise up a faithful priest who will serve me and do what I desire. I will establish his family, and they will be priests to my anointed kings forever.   Our response to God’s selection is faithfulness (not until but unto).                                                               

chapter 3:1… Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.   The bottom line is stressed creating a bookend. In an era of darkness, let your light shine!

Challenge: Make it a priority to do something good this week that costs you. If you want to be great, then do something good! Don’t do it for what you could get, but for someone’s benefit in God’s name, because you were blessed to be a blessing!

Principles-4-Progress (1 of 3) Objective… To plant seeds of healthy spiritual rhythms, that create a rich and fulfilling relationship with God.

Prayer: Pouring Our Your Heart

1 Samuel 1:9-18 (verse 15) NLT… Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance of the Tabernacle. ¹⁰ Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord. ¹¹ And she made this vow: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.” ¹² As she was praying to the Lord, Eli watched her. ¹³ Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. ¹⁴ “Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!” ¹⁵ “Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord. ¹⁶ Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.” ¹⁷ “In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.” ¹⁸ “Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad.

Introduction: When we leave our pity parties, and learn to pray for our needs, God wants to and will provide.

Transition: Prayer works if you work it! What do you do when your back is against the wall, when you have no place to turn, and you’ve reached your extremity?

Exposition: Hannah’s prayer is composed of at least three facets…

Pain… verse 10 We pray from the posture of pain, because it is an unfortunate motivator.

Plea… verse 11 God honors covenants! References… 2 Chronicles 7:14; John 15:7; Revelation 3:20.

Peace… verses 17-18 Your peace isn’t found in an answer, but it’s found in the process!

Challenge: Whatever your heaviest weight is, for the next 5 days (because 5 is the number of grace/God’s goodness toward humanity) pray that God has mercy, promise to be committed to growing as a disciple and to kingdom development, and live confidently in God’s peace until there’s progress. Watch God change things!

Mark 1:16-20 (New Living Translation) One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 17 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 18 And they left their nets at once and followed him. 19 A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets. 20 He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men.

Introduction: What makes Toulminville-Warren Street worth Church worth being a part of? Without hesitation, the answer is because we’re family. *Your family is bigger than you think!

Transition: Jesus drafts four men/two sets of brothers to be his disciples (followers who are training on the job). Jewish custom called for three tiers to this process:

-Elementary… knowing the Torah/first five books of the bible.

-Intermediary… knowing the Old Testament.

-Intentionality… an invitation to follow a rabbi/teacher daily.

Exposition: Two sets of brothers who represent two families, have become one family because of their common bond in Jesus. It’s a family affair!

1) It’s not a family feud! Reference I Corinthians 14:33 “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people.”

2) It’s not a family secret! Reference Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.”

3) It’s not a family business! Reference Matthew 6:33 “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

Conclusion: Jesus offers an invitation to follow in verse 17, that doesn’t include directions or a destination. That means that we must stay tethered to teacher!