Empowered by God's Armor, Part 2...

This week, we are looking at a section of a letter in the Bible called the book of Ephesians, where we have discovered that living in light of our identity as a follower of Jesus empowers us to stand up against the schemes of our enemy. Wednesday, we began to look at how we are able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy as a result of God's activity in our lives, which Paul referred to as the armor of God. Today, we see Paul then reveal two additional pieces of armor in Ephesians 6:17:

 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

In the first part of verse 17, Paul explains to the members of the church at Ephesus that they needed to take the helmet of salvation. Now our head is the part of our body where our thinking and our vital senses originate from. The head also is the place where our brain translates the stimulus from our senses into action. And as a result of the importance of the head, a Roman Soldier would wear a helmet for protection.

But what does Paul mean when he uses the phrase the helmet of salvation?  Paul’s point here is that our salvation is based on the reality that we have victory over the penalty and power of sin as a result of believing, trusting, and following Jesus. And as a result of our identity in Christ, we put on the helmet of salvation by learning everything we can about what God has done for us through Jesus that results in our relationship with Jesus and living our lives in light of what God has done for us to rescue us.

And it is here that we see Paul reveal for us the reality that we are able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy by learning everything we can about what God has done for us through Jesus to rescue us and then living our lives in light of that reality. When we live out our identity as a follower of Jesus in a way that is learning everything we can about what God has done for us through Jesus that results in our relationship with Jesus and then living our lives in light of what God has done for us to rescue us, we are able to stand up against our enemy.

 So here is a question to consider: Are you living out your identity as a follower of Jesus in a way that is learning everything we can about what God has done for us through Jesus to rescue us? Are we living our lives in light of all that Jesus has done to rescue us? Because, we are able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy by learning everything we can about what God has done for us through Jesus to rescue us and then living our lives in light of that reality.

Then in the second part of verse 17, Paul explains to the members of the church at Ephesus that they needed to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. In the Roman military of the first century, a Roman sword was a small dagger that was used in hand to hand combat that had defensive and offensive purposes.

Paul here is painting a word picture of the Spirit of God using particular truths from the word of God as a defense against the attacks of the enemy that try to paint a false picture of our true identity. Paul’s point is that the Holy Spirit bringing to mind specific truths about our identity as a follower of Jesus is a powerful part of our armor as we engage in a challenging conflict against an intense foe.

And it is here that we see Paul reveal for us the reality that we are able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy by allowing the Holy Spirit to use the truths of the word of God as a defense against the attacks of the enemy. When we live out our identity as a follower of Jesus in a way that allows the Holy Spirit to bring to mind specific truths about our identity as a follower of Jesus from the message and teachings of Jesus, we are able to stand up against the enemy when he attacks our identity.

So here is a question to consider: Are you living out your identity as a follower of Jesus in a way that allows the Holy Spirit to bring to mind specific truths about our identity as a follower of Jesus from the message and teachings of Jesus? Because, we are able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy by allowing the Holy Spirit to use the truths of the word of God as a defense against the attacks of the enemy. Paul then reveals a seventh aspect of armor in verse 18:

 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Now verse 18, if communicated in the language we use in our culture today, would have sounded something like this: “In light of all that I have just commanded you, make sure that you are continually alert and concerned about other followers of Jesus so as to continually pray in the power of the Holy Spirit”.  When Paul uses the phrase pray in the Spirit, this phrase reveals for us the reality that, as followers of Jesus, we are to allow the Holy Spirit to lead and influence our prayer life.

We are to allow the Holy Spirit to lead and influence when we pray. And we are to allow the Holy Spirit to lead and influence who and what we pray for. Paul then urges the members of the church at Ephesus to pray specifically in two areas of life. First, Paul urges the members of the church at Ephesus to pray in the power of the Holy Spirit for other followers of Jesus to be morally strong against the crafty schemes of the devil.

Then, in verse 19 and 20, Paul urges the members of the church at Ephesus to pray that he would make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. In other words, Paul wanted the members of the church of Ephesus to pray that he would be empowered to freely and fearlessly proclaim the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel.

And it is here that we see Paul reveal for us the reality that we are able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy by praying in the power of the Holy Spirit. When we live out our identity as a follower of Jesus in a way prays in the power of the Holy Spirit, we are able to stand up against the schemes of the enemy. As followers of Jesus, we are to pray in the power of the Holy Spirit for other followers of Jesus to be morally strong and stand up against the crafty schemes of the enemy. And as followers of Jesus, we are to pray in the power of the Holy Spirit for other followers of Jesus to freely and fearlessly proclaim the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel.

So here is a question to consider: Are you living out your identity as a follower of Jesus in a way that prays in the power of the Holy Spirit? Do you pray in the power of the Holy Spirit for other followers of Jesus to be morally strong and stand up against the crafty schemes of the enemy? Do you pray in the power of the Holy Spirit for other followers of Jesus to freely and fearlessly proclaim the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel? Because, we are able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy by praying in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul then concludes his letter by explaining that he wanted the members of the church at Ephesus to know his desire that they be encouraged in their relationship with Jesus. Paul wanted the members of the church at Ephesus to know his current circumstances while he was in prison. Paul wanted the members of the church at Ephesus to experience a state of well being with God and one another.

Paul wanted the members of the church at Ephesus to experience a state of love for God and one another that was based on their confident trust in Jesus. And Paul wanted the members of the church at Ephesus to experience God’s divine favor in their lives as a result of their undying love for Jesus. Paul wanted the members of the church of Ephesus to experience all that they could experience as a result of living in light of their true identity as a follower of Jesus.

And part of that identity is that living in light of our identity as a follower of Jesus empowers us to stand up against the schemes of our enemy. So, here is a question to consider: Are you living in light of your identity as a follower of Jesus in a way that empowers you to stand up against the schemes of our enemy? Are you embracing and living in the truth of the message and teachings of Jesus.

Are you living a life the reveals and reflects the fact that we have been made right with God through Jesus. Are you embracing the peace that comes as a result of what Jesus, the prince of peace, has provided for us through His life, death, and resurrection? Are you trusting and relying upon the Holy Spirit to use the truth of God’s word to repel the temptations of our enemy?

 Are you learning everything we can about what God has done for us through Jesus to rescue us and then living our lives in light of that reality? Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to use the truths of the word of God as a defense against the attacks of the enemy? Are you praying in the power of the Holy Spirit?

Because living in light of our identity as a follower of Jesus empowers us to stand up against the schemes of our enemy.

Empowered by God's Armor, Part One....

This week, we are looking at the final section of a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to early followers of Jesus at the church at Ephesus. Yesterday, we saw the Apostle Paul reveal for us another timeless truth when it comes to our identity as a follower of Jesus in that living in light of our identity as a follower of Jesus empowers us to stand up against the schemes of our enemy.

We discovered that when we live in light of our identity as a follower of Jesus, we will live in such a way that we will become morally strong as a result Jesus activity in our lives. When we live in light of our identity as a follower of Jesus, we will put on the full armor of God was so that we will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. When we live in light of our identity as a follower of Jesus, we will live in such a way that recognizes that our ultimate enemy is not our fellow human beings around us, but is a supernatural spiritual being named the devil who opposes and hates us as a result of our identity as a follower of Jesus,. And when we live in light of our identity as a follower of Jesus, we will take up and carry the full armor of God so that we will be able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy

Today, we will see Paul reveal exactly what comprises the armor of God and how the full armor of God empowers us to stand up against the schemes of our enemy, beginning in Ephesians 6:14:

 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,

Paul begins to unpack the word picture of military armor that would empower the members of the church at Ephesus to stand up against the crafty schemes of the devil by revealing two of seven different pieces of armor. To understand the phrase “Having girded your loins with truth,” we need to first understand what it means to gird your loins. To gird one’s loins involved the fastening of clothing securely around one’s waist in preparation for intense activity.

Paul’s point here is that the members of the church at Ephesus needed to prepare themselves for this intense conflict. What they were to fasten securely around them in preparation for this challenging conflict was truth. Girding your loins with truth conveys the idea of learning, embracing, and responding appropriately to God’s truth. You see, when we embrace and respond to the truth of the message and teachings of Jesus, that truth frees us and that truth makes us more like Jesus.

And it is here that we see Paul reveal for us the reality that we are able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy by embracing and living in the truth of the message and teachings of Jesus. When we live out our identity as a follower of Jesus in a way that is embracing, and responding appropriately to the message and teachings of Jesus, that truth frees us and makes us more like Jesus in a way that empowers us to stand up against the schemes of the enemy.

So here is a question for us to consider: Are you living out your identity as a follower of Jesus in a way that is embracing, and responding appropriately to the message and teachings of Jesus? Do you spend time reading and pondering the message and teachings of Jesus on a consistent basis? Are you investing your time in a community group where you can engage in the message and teachings of Jesus in community with others? Because, we are able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy by embracing and living in the truth of the message and teachings of Jesus.

Paul then explains to the members of the church at Ephesus that they needed to put on the breastplate of righteousness. In the first century, the breastplate covered what was considered to be the center and core of one’s being. Paul’s point here is that the members of the church at Ephesus needed to protect the core of their being.

When Paul uses the phrase the breastplate of righteousness, this phrase means to come to grips with the realization that Jesus righteousness that has been given to us and that results in our identity as a follower of Jesus in a way that is revealed and reflected in a lifestyle that is lived out in a way this is right in God’s sight. And it is here that we see Paul reveal for us the reality that we are able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy by living a life the reveals and reflects the fact that we have been made right with God through Jesus.

When we live out our identity as a follower of Jesus in a way that realizes that Jesus’s righteousness has been given to us and has resulted in our identity as a follower of Jesus; When we respond to that reality by living a lifestyle that is right in God’s sight, we are empowered to stand up against the schemes of the enemy.

So here is a question for us to consider: Are you living out your identity as a follower of Jesus in a way that reveals and reflects the fact that we have been made right with God? Do you live in light of the reality that God sees you as though you lived Jesus perfect life? Because, we are able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy by living a life the reveals and reflects the fact that we have been made right with God through Jesus. Paul then reveals a third piece of armor in verse 15:

  and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;

Now to understand what Paul is communicating here, we first need to understand the role that shoes played in the life of someone who is in a challenging conflict. You see, shoes are important for a soldier because shoes provide protection, mobility, and secure footing. But what does Paul mean when he says we are to shod, or put on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace?

Now the phrase, gospel of peace, is not referring to the idea of evangelism. Instead the “shoes of the gospel of peace” is the good news that, as followers of Jesus, we are at peace with God. We shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace when we embrace what Jesus, the prince of peace, has provided for us through His life, death, and resurrection. Embracing these truths provides us the security and stability we need when we are attacked by the spiritual forces of evil.

And it is here that we see Paul reveal for us the reality that we are able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy by embracing the peace that comes as a result of what Jesus has provided for us through His life, death, and resurrection. When we live out our identity as a follower of Jesus in a way that embraces the reality that we have peace with God as a result of placing our confident trust in the fact that Jesus allowed Himself to be treated as though He lived our selfish and sinful life so that God the Father could treat us as though we lived Jesus perfect life, we will have the security and stability we need when we are attacked by the crafty schemes of the devil.

So, here is a question to consider: Have you embraced that peace with God that Jesus, the prince of peace, has provided for us through His life, death, and resurrection? Or do you still live your life in a way that thinks you have to perform for God in order to earn spiritual brownie points with God?

Because we are able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy by embracing the peace that comes as a result of what Jesus has provided for us through His life, death, and resurrection. Paul then reveals a fourth piece of armor in verse 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.

Now in the Roman military of the first century, a Roman shield was a large four foot by two foot shield that had a fireproof lining that would be dampened by water so that flaming arrows would be quickly extinguished. When Roman soldiers formed ranks, these shields would be used collectively to form a solid wall of resistance against the attack of an enemy. So when Paul explains to the members of the church at Ephesus that they needed to take up the shield of faith, this would be a defensive piece of armor.

But what is the shield of faith? Paul’s point here is that we take up the shield of faith when we trust and rely upon the Holy Spirit to use the truth of God’s word to repel the temptations and crafty schemes of the enemy the devil. You see, when we live out our day to day lives in a way that is controlled and influenced by the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit reminds us of the truth of our identity as a follower of Jesus in a way that extinguishes, or puts out, the attacking arrows and temptations that come from our enemy.

And it is here that we see Paul reveal for us the reality that we are able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy by trusting and relying upon the Holy Spirit to use the truth of God’s word to repel the temptations of the enemy. When we live out our identity as a follower of Jesus in a way that trusts and relies upon the Holy Spirit to use the truth of God’s word to repel the temptations and crafty schemes of the enemy the devil, we are able to stand up against those schemes and temptations.

So here is a question to consider: Are you living out your identity as a follower of Jesus in a way that trusts and relies upon the Holy Spirit to use the truth of God’s word to repel the temptations and crafty schemes of the enemy? Or do you find yourself saying “I know the Bible says, but” when facing temptation? Because, that we are able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy by trusting and relying upon the Holy Spirit to use the truth of God’s word to repel the temptations of the enemy.

Friday, we will see Paul reveal three additional pieces of armor....

Living in light of our identity as a follower of Jesus empowers us to stand up against the schemes of our enemy...

At the church where I serve we have been looking at a letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of our Bibles called the book of Ephesians. This week I would like for us to pick up where we left off last week. As we look at the final section of a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to the church of Ephesus, we will see God reveal to us another timeless truth that has the potential to powerfully impact how we see our true identity, the identity that God designed us to live in, so that we would live our day to day lives in light of our true identity. So let’s look at this last section of this letter together, beginning in Ephesians 6:10:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.

Paul begins this final section of his letter to the members of the church of Ephesus with a command: be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Now what is so interesting here is that this command in passive. In other words, Paul is commanding the members of the church at Ephesus to allow something to happen to them, which is that the Lord would make them strong. When Paul uses the word strong here, this word refers to a moral strength.

Paul then explains that how the members of the church at Ephesus would become morally strong is in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Now this phrase literally means be strong in the Lord and in His mighty strength. As we have seen throughout this series, when Paul uses the phrase “in Christ” or “in the Lord”, this phrase refers to God’s activity through Christ that results in our relationship with Christ.

You see, the Apostle Paul wanted the members of the church at Ephesus to live out their identity as a follower of Jesus in such a way that they would become morally strong as a result of Jesus activity in their lives. The Apostle Paul wanted the members of the church at Ephesus to live out their identity as a follower of Jesus in such a way that Jesus mighty strength in their lives would produce a moral strength as they lived out their lives. Paul then provides a second command to the members of the church at Ephesus in Ephesians 6:11-12:

 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

Here we see the Apostle Paul paint for us a powerful word picture in order to reveal for us a timeless reality when it comes to our day to day lives as a follower of Jesus. When Paul uses the phrase put on the full armor of God, this phrase refers to the complete set of equipment that a heavily armed Roman Soldier would take into battle. This would be a picture that the members of the church at Ephesus would be very familiar with, as the Roman Empire was the dominant military power in the world, with soldiers stationed throughout the known world.

Paul then explains that the reason why the members of the church at Ephesus needed to put on the full armor of God was so that they would be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. As we discovered earlier in the series, the devil, who Paul also referred to as the prince of the power of the air, is the archenemy of God.

Both Jesus and Paul teach us that the devil, or Satan, is a supernatural spiritual being who is the chief or a group of supernatural beings called demons. Demons are angels that were created by the Lord before the creation of the universe, who rebelled against God sometime before the fall of humanity that is recorded for us in the very first letter in the Bible in Genesis 3.

Prior to becoming followers of Jesus, there was a time when the members of the church at Ephesus chose to live out their day to day lives in a way that followed the influence of the devil. And as a result, there was a time when the members of the church at Ephesus were sons of disobedience that were following the footsteps of the “fatherly influence” of the devil.

But now, as a result of God’s activity through Christ, they had been made alive and in relationship with Christ. However, the while the members of the church at Ephesus were now sons and daughters of God through believing, trusting, and following Jesus, they had made a new enemy in the devil. And as their enemy, the devil was scheming against the members of the church at Ephesus.

So Paul here is commanding the members of the church at Ephesus to arm themselves so that they can stand up to the crafty schemes of the devil and his servants. We then see Paul provide a second reason why the members of the church at Ephesus needed to put on the full armor of God in verse 12:

 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

To fully understand what the Apostle Paul is communicating here, we first need to define some terms. When Paul uses the word struggle, this word is a word picture that was used to describe individuals who were engaged in a challenging wrestling contest or military conflict. When Paul refers to flesh and blood, he is referring to earthly human beings. Paul’s point was that the members of the church at Ephesus were not engaging an enemy that was an earthly human being.

Instead, the members of the church at Ephesus were engaging an enemy that was “the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Now all of these phrases refer to transcendent spiritual beings who have a position of power and prominence in the spiritual realm.

This phrase, if communicated in the language we use in our culture today, would have sounded something like this: “Our conflict is against the transcendent powers of the spiritual world who are the spiritual forces of evil that are ruling at this time over this fallen and sinful world but who reside in the spiritual realm and are led by the devil.”

You see, the Apostle Paul wanted the members of the church at Ephesus to clearly understand that their ultimate enemy that they were in conflict with was not other human beings or the things of this earth. Instead their ultimate enemy that they were in conflict with is a supernatural spiritual being named Satan, or the devil, and his minions called demons.

And in the same way today, our ultimate enemy is not the boss who mistreats you at work, or the neighbor down the street who yells at you as he closes his garage door, the class bully who makes your life miserable at school and on social media. While they may oppose you; while they mock what you believe; while they may make you miserable, it is important that you understand that they are not your enemy. They are simply living out their day to day lives in a way that follows the influence of the devil. They are simply living like we all used to live prior to being made alive through Jesus.

You see, our ultimate enemy is a supernatural spiritual being named the devil who opposes and hates us as a result of our identity as a follower of Jesus. And as a result of our identity as a follower of Jesus, the devil is craftily scheming how he can destroy us as we live out our identity as a follower of Jesus, which is why the Apostle Paul repeats his command to the members of the church at Ephesus in verse 13:

 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.

When Paul commands the members of the church at Ephesus to take up the full armor of God, the phrase literally means to take up in order to carry. Paul then provides two reasons why the members of the church at Ephesus were to take up the full armor of God. First, Paul explains that they were to take up the full armor of God so that you will be able to resist the devil in the evil day.

Now the word resist, in the language that this letter was originally written in conveys the sense of being able to stand one’s ground against something, in this case being the evil day, which literally means when the times are evil. You see, Paul commanded the members of the church at Ephesus to take up and carry the full armor of God so that they would be able to stand their ground when the times were evil.

Second, Paul explains that they were to take up the full armor of God so that you, having done everything, to stand firm. Now this phrase conveys the sense of being able to stand up against and resist. Paul wanted the members of the church at Ephesus to take up and carry the full armor of God so that they would be able to stand up against and resist the temptations that they would experience from their enemy the devil.

And it is here that we see the Apostle Paul reveal for us another timeless truth when it comes to our identity as a follower of Jesus. And that timeless truth is this: Living in light of our identity as a follower of Jesus empowers us to stand up against the schemes of our enemy. Just as it was for the members of the church at Ephesus; just as it has been for followers of Jesus throughout history, living in light of our identity as a follower of Jesus empowers us to stand up against the schemes of our enemy.

When we live in light of our identity as a follower of Jesus, we will live in such a way that we will become morally strong as a result Jesus activity in our lives. When we live in light of our identity as a follower of Jesus, we will put on the full armor of God was so that we will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

When we live in light of our identity as a follower of Jesus, we will live in such a way that recognizes that our ultimate enemy is not our fellow human beings around us, but is a supernatural spiritual being named the devil who opposes and hates us as a result of our identity as a follower of Jesus,. And when we live in light of our identity as a follower of Jesus, we will take up and carry the full armor of God so that we will be able to stand up against the schemes of our enemy

Now you might be thinking to yourself “Well Dave that sounds great, but what exactly is the armor of God anyways? I mean, where do I go to get the armor of God? How am I supposed to put on the armor of God? And how does the full armor of God empower me to stand up against the schemes of our enemy?”

If those questions are running through your mind, I want to let you know that those are great questions to be asking. And in the verses that follow, we see Paul being to answer those questions. Tomorrow, we will begin to discover the answers to those questions…

Making much of Jesus in the workplace as an employer...

This week, we have been looking at a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the Bible called the book of Ephesians. Wednesday, we saw the Apostle Paul reveal for us the many ways that we as employees are to make much of Jesus in the workplace as we willing place ourselves under our employer’s leadership. Today, Paul concludes this section of his letter by shifting his focus from the employee to the employer in Ephesians 6:9:

  And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.

This morning, did you catch that? Did you catch that Paul commanded those in the church at Ephesus who were masters to do the same things when it came to how they related to their slaves. Paul commanded those in the church at Ephesus who were masters to willingly place themselves in a position to put their slaves first.

Paul here is applying the principle of mutual submission that we looked at a few weeks ago to the relationships between master and slaves. In Ephesians 5:21, we discovered that we are to be subject to one another. In other words, we are to place ourselves under others by placing others first in a way that demonstrates respect toward one another based on the nature of our relationship. We discovered that when we willingly place ourselves under others by placing others first when it comes to our horizontal relationships, we reveal and reflect Jesus to those that we are in relationship with.

And here we see Paul command the members of the church at Ephesus who were masters to embrace their responsibility to serve their slaves. The members of the church at Ephesus who were masters were to no longer treat their slaves in a disrespectful and threatening manner.

Instead, the members of the church at Ephesus who were masters were to treat their slaves with respect. The members of the church at Ephesus who were masters were to treat their slaves with integrity in words and actions. And the members of the church at Ephesus who were masters were to treat their slaves in a way that recognized that Jesus was the One who is ultimately large and in charge.

While they may have been in a position of authority when it came to their slaves, Paul wanted them to remember that Jesus is ultimately the One who every human being will answer to when it comes to their actions. And Jesus will evaluate and reward their performance to the exact same standards.

And it is here that we see Paul reveal for us a timeless truth when it comes to how employers are to make much of Jesus in the workplace. And that timeless truth is that we make much of Jesus in the workplace when we embrace our responsibility as employers to serve our employees by treating them right.

We make much of Jesus as employers when we treat our employee’s right by not treating them in a disrespectful and threatening manner. We make much of Jesus as employers when we treat our employee’s right by treating them with respect. We make much of Jesus as employers when we treat our employee’s right by demonstrating integrity in our words and actions.

And we make much of Jesus as employers when we treat our employee’s right by recognizing that Jesus is in charge. Whether employer or employee, Jesus is ultimately the One who everyone will answer to when it comes to our actions in the workplace. And whether employer or employee, Jesus will evaluate and reward our performance to the exact same standards.

Now, if you do not buy the whole Jesus, Bible, church thing, what would happen if you were to put into practice the principles in your workplace? What would happen to your workplace experience? Would your workplace become a better place? Would your relationships improve at work?

And if you are a follower of Jesus, here is a question to consider: Are you making much of Jesus in your workplace? Are you making much of Jesus in the workplace by willing placing ourselves under our employer’s leadership? Is your effort in the workplace marked by respect, integrity, and a positive attitude that is committed to our employer's success?

Are you making much of Jesus in the workplace by embracing your responsibility as an employer to serve your employees by treating them right? Do you treat your employees with respect? Do you demonstrate integrity as an employer?

Do you recognize that whether employer or employee, Jesus is ultimately the One who everyone will answer to and who will evaluate and reward our performance to the exact same standards. Because our identity as a follower of Jesus should result in us making much of Jesus in the workplace.

Making much of Jesus in the workplace as an employee...

This week we are looking at a section of a letter in the Bible called the book of Ephesians. Yesterday, we saw the Apostle Paul reveal for us another timeless truth when it comes to our identity as a follower of Jesus in that our identity as a follower of Jesus should result in us making much of Jesus in the workplace.

In Ephesians 6:5, Paul began by focusing on the employee’s role and relationships within the workplace. As employees, we make much of Jesus in the workplace when we willing place ourselves under our employer’s leadership. As followers of Jesus, we make much of Jesus when we willingly place ourselves under our employer's leadership by placing our employer first.

We discovered that as followers of Jesus, we willingly place ourselves under our employer’s leadership when we serve our employers with reverence and respect. In addition, as followers of Jesus, we willingly place ourselves under our employer’s leadership when we serve our employers with the right motives. When we work with our employers who supervise and manage us with the right motives, we demonstrate our willingness to place ourselves under their leadership. And followers of Jesus, we should be motivated to work with our employers with integrity in our words and actions.

Today, we will see Paul reveal three aspects of our motivations that demonstrate our willingness to place ourselves under their leadership in Ephesians 6:6. Let's look at it together:

 not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.

When Paul uses the phrase “not by way of eyeservice" this phrase refers to service that is performed only to make an impression in the owner’s presence. Paul is basically saying "don't just work hard and do the right thing when your master is watching"? Now here is a question: how often are we tempted to do the exact same thing?

How often are we tempted to work in a way that makes one impression on our employer when they are watching, and then work in a way that makes an entirely different impression on those we work with when our employer is not watching?  Paul's point is that, as followers of Jesus, we should be motivated to serve our employers not simply to make a good impression only when our employer is watching.

Paul then hammers this point home with the phrase men-pleasers. In our culture today, we refer to such motivations as being a people pleaser. Paul here is calling followers of Jesus to not be motivated to focus their efforts on being a brownnosing people pleaser who does one thing when the boss is around and another thing when the boss is absent.

Instead, Paul commands the members of the church at Ephesus who were slaves to be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh as slaves of Christ. But what does that mean? Paul’s point here is that while the members of the church at Ephesus who were slaves had sold themselves into slavery in order to take care of their physical, material, and financial needs, they had also become a slave of Christ as a result of placing their confident trust in Jesus by believing, trusting, and following Jesus as Lord and Leader.

The members of the church of Ephesus had become slaves of Christ in order to have Jesus take care of their most profound and deepest need to experience the forgiveness and relationship with God that they were created for. And as a result, their relationship with Jesus should shape every aspect of their lives, including their lives in the workplace.

So Paul was calling the members of the church at Ephesus to recognize and remember that as slaves of Christ, Jesus was their ultimate employer. While the members of the church at Ephesus were working for their master, more importantly, they were working for Jesus, who was their ultimate master and Lord.

And in the same way today, as followers of Jesus, we should be motivated to serve our employers in a way that is focused on pleasing Jesus, who is our ultimate employer. You see, when work with our employers who supervise and manage us with a focus on pleasing Jesus, the result is that we will demonstrate our willingness to place ourselves under their leadership and please them. And as followers of Jesus, we should be motivated to serve our employers with a focus on pleasing Jesus, who is our ultimate employer.

Paul then further unpacks what it means to serve our employers with a focus on pleasing Jesus when he uses the phrase doing the will of God from the heart. When Paul uses the phrase will of God here, this word refers to God’s desires for our lives. When Paul refers to the heart, he is referring to the seat and center of our feelings and emotions. Paul is commanding the members of the church at Ephesus to be motivated to serve their masters in a way that was focused on fulfilling God's desires from the core of their beings when it came to how they lived out their lives in the workplace.

Paul wanted the members of the church of Ephesus to do whatever they did, in word and deed in a way that revealed and reflected Jesus to others, so that they would be the vehicle that God would use to reveal Jesus to those in their workplace. Here is something to consider: where do you have the most opportunities to engage those who are far from God on a day to day basis? Is it not in your workplace? Students, is it not at school, which is your job at this point in your life? While work is frankly work, it is important to remember that God created work to be good and as a means for us to engage others in a way that reveals and reflects Jesus to others.

And in the same way today, as followers of Jesus, we should be motivated to serve our employers with a focus on fulfilling God’s desires from the core of our beings. When we work with our employers who supervise and manage us with a focus on fulfilling God’s desires from the core of our beings, the result is that we will demonstrate our willingness to place ourselves under their leadership as we reveal and reflect Jesus to them.

And as followers of Jesus, when we are motivated to serve our employers with a focus on fulfilling God’s desires from the core of our beings, we will be perfectly positioned to engage in God's kingdom mission in the lives of those in our workplace who are far from God.

So here is a question for us to consider: Do you serve your employer with the right motives? Do you serve your employer with integrity in your words and actions? Do you work simply to make a good impression only when our employer is watching? Or do you work in a way that is focused on pleasing Jesus as your ultimate employer?

Do you work in way that is focused on fulfilling your desires? Or do you work in a way that is focused on fulfilling God’s desires from the core of your beings? Paul then reveals for us a third way that we are to willingly place ourselves under our employer's leadership in verse 7:

 With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.

Now to fully understand what Paul is communicating here, we first need to understand what Paul means when he uses the phrase “With good will render service". The phrase good will refers to a positive attitude that is exhibited in a relationship. In addition, to render service is to act or conduct oneself as one in total service to another.

So Paul here is commanding the members of the church at Ephesus who were slaves to, with a good attitude towards Jesus, place themselves in total service to their employer as though they were working for Jesus. You see, Paul wanted the members of the church at Ephesus to clearly understand that they were serving the Lord as they served their employer. And as a result, the members of the church at Ephesus were to serve their masters with a positive attitude that was committed to their success.

Paul then provides the reason why they were to serve their masters with a positive attitude that was committed to their success in verse 8: "knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.” Paul's point here is that the rewards that ultimately matter for all eternity will not come from our earthly employer. Instead, the rewards that ultimately matter for all eternity will come from God, who is our ultimate employer.

And it is here that we see Paul reveal for us the reality that, as followers of Jesus, we willingly place ourselves under our employer’s leadership when we serve our employers with a positive attitude that is committed to their success. As followers of Jesus, we are to serve the Lord with a positive attitude as we serve our employer. As followers of Jesus, we are to serve our employers in a way that is committed to their success. And as followers of Jesus, we are to recognize that God is the One who ultimately rewards us.

So here is a question for us to consider: Have I just described how you approach your workplace? Do you serve your employer with a positive attitude? Do you work with a focus on what you are going to get or on what you can give? Do you serve your employer in a way that is committed to their success? Do you serve your employer recognizing that our ultimate and eternal rewards come from God, who is our ultimate employer?

Friday, we will see Paul shift his focus from the employee to the employer...

Our identity as a follower of Jesus should result in us making much of Jesus in the workplace...

At the church where I serve, we are spending our time together looking at a letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of our Bibles called the book of Ephesians. And as we go through this letter, our hope and our prayer is that God would enable us to see our true identity, the identity that He designed us to live in, so that we would live our day to day lives in light of our true identity.

This week, I would like for us to pick up where we left off last week. And as we look at next section of a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to the church of Ephesus, we will see God reveal to us another timeless truth that has the potential to powerfully impact how we see our true identity, the identity that God designed us to live in, so that we would live our day to day lives in light of our true identity. So let’s look at this section of this letter together, beginning in Ephesians 6:5:

Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ;

Now to fully understand what the Apostle Paul is communicating here, we first need to understand what slavery looked like in the first century. You see, slavery in the first century was quite different from slavery in early American history. For one thing, Roman slaves were either taken as the spoils of war or were so because they sold themselves into slavery.

You see, in the first century, there was no such thing as bankruptcy or unemployment. So, if you lived in the first century and were unable to provide for yourself or pay your debts, you sold yourself into slavery as a means of paying off debt and providing for your family. As a matter of fact, the word used for "slave" in the New Testament is a term that in earlier centuries usually referred to one who sold himself into slavery or of those who became slaves as the spoils of war.

In addition, slaves could marry, accumulate wealth, purchase their own freedom, and even run a business. The Roman historian Cicero noted that a slave could usually be set free within seven years and  under Roman law a slave would normally be set free by age 30. As much as two thirds of the Roman Empire were slaves in the first century.

So when Paul is addressing the relationship between master and slaves here, this relationship was much more similar to what we experience today when it comes to our relationships with our employers in the workplace. And in Ephesians 6:5-9, we are going to see the Apostle Paul reveal for us another timeless truth when it comes to our identity as a follower of Jesus.

And that timeless truth is this: Our identity as a follower of Jesus should result in us making much of Jesus in the workplace. Just as it was for the members of the church at Ephesus, just as it has been for followers of Jesus throughout history, our identity as a follower of Jesus should result in us making much of Jesus in the workplace.

Now a natural question that arises here is "Well Dave, how exactly am I supposed to make much of Jesus in the workplace? What does that practically look like?" If those questions are running through your mind, I want to let you know that those are great questions to be asking. And whether you are an employer that supervises and manages employees under you, or whether you are an employee that works for an employer, we are going to see, in what Paul has to say next, exactly how we can make much of Jesus in the workplace.

Now, if you are not sure that you buy the whole Jesus, Bible, church thing, here's the thing: What the Apostle Paul is going to say here does not apply to you. In other words, you are off the hook when it comes to doing what the Apostle Paul is going to talk about. But if you do not consider yourself a Christian, here is a question that I would like you to consider; If you were to put into practice the principles that Paul is going to share with us this morning in your workplace, what would happen to your workplace experience? Would your workplace become a better place?

 

However, if you are a follower of Jesus, this is not a suggestion. Instead, this is a requirement for anyone who finds their identity as a follower of Jesus. Now with all that in mind, Paul begins this section of his letter by focusing on the employee’s role and relationships within the workplace. Paul commands the members of the church at Ephesus who were slaves to be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh.

Now what is so interesting is that this word obedient, in the language that this letter was originally written in, conveys the sense of following instructions in a way that subjects oneself to authority. In other words, Paul is commanding those who were slaves to willingly place themselves under the leadership of their masters in a way that follows their leadership.

And it is here that we see Paul reveal for us a timeless truth when it comes to how employees are to make much of Jesus in the workplace. And that timeless truth is that we make much of Jesus in the workplace when we willing place ourselves under our employer’s leadership. As followers of Jesus, we make much of Jesus when we willingly place ourselves under our employer's leadership by placing our employer first.

Now a natural question that arises here "Well Dave that sounds great, but how am I supposed to place myself under my employer's leadership?” We see Paul reveal the first way that we are to willingly place ourselves under our employer's leadership in the first part of verse 5. Paul commands the members of the church at Ephesus who were slaves to be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling. Now the phrase fear and trembling refers to having an attitude of reverence and respect.

Paul here is commanding those who were slaves to have an attitude of reverence and respect toward their earthly masters. And in the same way today, as followers of Jesus, we willingly place ourselves under our employer’s leadership when we serve our employers with reverence and respect. When treat our employers, who supervise and manage use with reverence and respect, we demonstrate our willingness to place ourselves under their leadership.

So here is a question for us to consider: Do you treat your boss, your supervisor, your manager with respect? Or are you disrespectful and irreverent when it comes to how you treat those who are in a position of authority over you at work?

Paul then reveals for us a second way that we are to willingly place ourselves under our employer's leadership in the second half of verse 5. Paul commands the members of the church at Ephesus who were slaves to be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ. When Paul uses this phrase "in sincerity of your heart" this phrase literally means with a sincere heart motivation. This phrase conveys the idea of personal integrity that is expressed in word and action.

If Paul was communicating this phrase in the language we use in our culture today, this phrase would have sounded something like this: make sure that you willingly place yourself under your employer’s leadership with integrity as though Jesus was your boss.” And it is here that we see Paul reveal for us the reality that, as followers of Jesus, we willingly place ourselves under our employer’s leadership when we serve our employers with the right motives. When we work with our employers who supervise and manage us with the right motives, we demonstrate our willingness to place ourselves under their leadership. And followers of Jesus, we should be motivated to work with our employers with integrity in our words and actions.

Tomorrow, we will see Paul reveal three aspects of our motivations that demonstrate our willingness to place ourselves under their leadership…

Embracing our identity as a follower of Jesus as a parent...

This week we are looking at a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible called the book of Ephesians. Yesterday, we looked on as the Apostle Paul revealed for us a timeless truth when it comes to how a child's unique identity as a follower of Jesus impacts their role and responsibility within a family relationship in that embracing our identity as a follower of Jesus as a child by following the leadership of your parents will influence how you will follow leadership in the future.

We talked about the reality that no matter how old you become, no matter how smart or strong you become, no matter how much money you make, there will always be someone who is in leadership and authority over you. There is always someone in our lives that we are responsible to report to and answer to when it comes to our attitude and actions. And a child's willingness to embrace their identity as a follower of Jesus as a child by placing themselves under the leadership of their parents will influence and impact their willingness to place themselves under the leadership and authority of teachers, employers, and other authority figures in the future.

Today, we will see Paul, as he concludes this section of his letter, turn his attention to the roles and responsibilities that parents have when it comes to their relationship with their children in Ephesians 6:4:

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Now when Paul uses the word fathers, he is not excluding mothers from what he is to say next. As we talked about earlier in this series, fathers are the first among equals in the marriage relationship and are expected to lead and model proper family relationships as an example to be followed by mothers. Paul then commands parents to not provoke their children to anger.

If Paul was writing this letter to us today in the language that we use in our culture, this command probably would sound something like this: Do not place your children in a position where they cannot win. Do not put your children in a no win situation. Parents, we all have the temptation to do this, don’t we? As parents we have all the power and we can pull almost all the strings. We have the strings to the checkbook; the car; the TV; to technology; to privileges; and to the freedom that children desire. We have a great deal of control over our children; we are bigger, stronger, and control all the levers.

And because we have all the power and control it is very easy to abuse our power and control in a way that our children feel like they are in a no win situation. And as children feel like they are in a no win situation, there is nothing that they can do to be right. And just like us adults, when children feel that they are in a no-win situation where nothing they do is right, they will lash out in a way that creates conflict, stress and strain in our family relationships.

But parents, here’s the thing; parenting, by very definition is the God-ordained loss of control. I mean, do we not want our children to grow up so that they would be able to navigate and function in society as a healthy functioning member of society. That is the point and goal of parenting, isn’t it?

And as our children get older we gradually begin to lose the power and control over our children that we once had. When our children are infants and small children, we have almost total control of their lives; we control what and when they eat and sleep. We control what they wear and watch. However, as children grow and mature physically, emotionally and spiritually, we gradually begin to lose control, don’t we? Children begin to have their own thoughts and desires. Children begin to question decisions with perspectives that show increasing maturity.

And as we sense that we are beginning to lose the control that we once had, parents are faced with a decision: do I attempt to parent and lead my children by means of control or by means of influence. And our tendency and temptation is to attempt to keep and maintain the same level of control that we have always had. But as we attempt to cling to that control, we begin to experience conflict with our children that strain our relationships. And it is those very conflicts that result in us as parents losing the very influence to speak into the lives of our children at the very time that they need our influence the most.

Instead of provoking our children to anger; instead of putting our children in no win situations, Paul commands parents to bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. What is so interesting here is that the phrase “bring them up” is the same phrase that we looked at last week in Ephesians 5:29 that described how husbands were to provide for the care and the comfort of their wives. And in a similar way, parents are to create a family environment where children are able to grow and mature into all that God has created and called them to be.

Paul then explains that how parents are to create a family environment that promotes the growth and good of children is through the discipline and instruction of the Lord. The word discipline, in the language that this letter was originally written in, refers to the act of providing guidance for responsible living. By contrast, when Paul uses the word instruction here, he is referring to a parents need to counsel their children about avoiding or stopping behavior that is improper or inappropriate.

In other words, parents are to guide and influence our children so that they would live in the relationship with God and in relationship with others that God designed them to live. Parents have been given the role and responsibility to guide and influence their children in a manner that they would live a life in the relationship with God and one another that they were created for. In addition, parents have been given the role and responsibility to guide and influence their children to avoid the landmines that selfishness, sin, and the devil place in their path.

And it is here that we see the Apostle Paul reveal for us a timeless truth when it comes to how a parent's unique identity as a follower of Jesus impacts their role and responsibility within a family relationship. And that timeless truth is this: Embracing our identity as a follower of Jesus as a parent will impact our ability to influence our children. As parents, our ability to influence our children is based on the depth of our relationship with our children. And this is why the issue of control and influence is so, so, so important when it comes to our role and responsibility as parents.

You see parents, here is the thing; we will be unable to be able to guide and influence our children as they grow and mature if we choose to cling to the concept of parenting by control. Now the reason why parenting by control results in a loss of influence is twofold. First, while parenting by control can produce external obedience, it does not result in heart transformation. While parenting by control addresses the “what” of a child’s behavior, it fails to address the “why” of a child’s behavior. And it is the “why” of a child’s behavior that reveals the heart attitudes and motivations.

Second, as your child grows, you no longer are able to exercise control because you are bigger and smarter. And because of that reality, we can find ourselves attempting to exercise control through manipulation, which children see right through and resent. And soon, children find themselves in the place of being in a no win situation that produces, conflict stress, and strife. And the result is a gradual destruction of the depth and quality of our relationship with our children.

At some point, as parents, we need to recognize that our children have come to place in their lives in terms of their physical, emotional, and spiritual maturity that requires a shift from parenting by control to parenting by influence. What makes this so difficult, however, is that no two children are the same. Children mature at different rates, so the decision as to when to shift from control to influence will be different for each and every child.

And parents just as God will not hold you responsible or accountable for how your children respond to the role and responsibility of leadership that you have been given, God will hold you 100% accountable for how you lead and influence your children. And our decision when it comes to choosing to parent by control or influence will impact the amount of influence we have with our children.

When we choose to parent strictly by control, we can find ourselves in a place where we gradually begin to erode the relationship we have with our children. A place where we so erode the relationship that we have with our children that we end up losing our ability to guide and lead our children at the very time in their lives when they need our guidance and influence the most. You see, the time in our children’s lives where they will be making the biggest decisions in their lives; decisions about colleges; decisions about careers; decisions about marriage and family; these are the times where we have the least control.

And these are the very times when we need to have the most influence in their lives. Yet when we fail to move from parenting by control to parenting by influence as our children grow we can so erode our relationship with our children that we end up having the least amount of influence when our children need it the most. And embracing our identity as a follower of Jesus as a parent will impact our ability to influence our children. Because as parents, our ability to influence our children is based on the depth of our relationship with our children.

So here are some questions to consider: students, children, how are you doing when it comes to willingly place yourselves under the leadership and authority of your parents?  Because children, embracing our identity as a follower of Jesus as a child by following the leadership of your parents will influence how you will follow leadership in the future. How you respond to your parents leadership and authority will influence and impact how you will respond to the leadership and authority of teachers, employers, and other authority figures in the future.

And parents, how well are you dealing with the tension that comes from parenting by control or influence? Are you provoking your children to anger? Are you placing your children in no win situations that result in conflict that is gradually eroding your relationship with them? Because embracing our identity as a follower of Jesus as a parent will impact our ability to influence our children. As parents, our ability to influence our children is based on the depth of our relationship with our children.