Put On Your Armor (Ephesians 6:10-18)
I hope this scripture brings visions of medieval knights, maybe knights on the great crusades.
Can you see yourselves as the defenders of what is good and true? But, are you ready to stand
up against the attacks of the enemy. Do you think the attack will come out in the open like a
battle of knights on horseback, or on a battlefield like in lots of movies we’ve watched?
Maybe....but that’s probably not the way modern attacks from the enemy will come for us.
Do you know the word insidious? Google says it means proceeding in a gradual, subtle way,
but with harmful effects, and treacherous, or crafty. I’m afraid that’s the more likely way, I
think, in this time that the enemy will come for us. We may be getting barraged, or maybe
dripped on over time, with messages that make us angry. Messages that we don’t agree with.
Ideas that we attribute to others. If we let it in, it may make us mad at other people. Maybe
hearing these things might even make us not want to be around people, our family and friends,
we think might agree with those ideas. In extreme instances, maybe it could make some of us
want to hurt others who we believe want to impose their beliefs on us that we don’t agree
with. Put on your armor. Don’t let it in!
I bet almost everyone in this room, and listening online, knows someone who lost a friend, or
doesn’t speak to someone they used to, due to a previous election and the animosity that
surrounded it. If we just started thinking when I said that, this must be the fault of the people
in the opposing political party to what we believe, or the “other side of the proverbial aisle”, I
ask us to take a step back and think. You can go back to almost any election for hundreds of
years and some people thought the opposition were their enemies. They are not your enemies.
People believe in different ideas, and some issues are more important to other people than
they are to us. We must not demonize people who think differently than we do. I don’t know
why it seems like the media want to suggest the end to life as we know it if the other party wins
the election. That has not happened in all these years. Yes, there can be changes we don’t like
when the other party wins. To quote some dubious politicians of all colors, “elections have
consequences”. Well, the earth never stopped rotating the day after an election. The sun
never didn’t rise. In fact, for most of us, on the morning after the election the alarm went off
and we got up, went through our morning routine, and went to work just like we did the day
before.
We all think what we believe is what is right and true. Based on our background, life
experiences, surroundings, etc. we see the world through our unique perspective. Of course, so
does everyone else. Other folks have heard, seen and had things happen to them that shape
the way they think and what they believe. That does not make them our enemy. In fact, it may
make them someone we want to listen to and hear their views, even if we don’t agree. In my
opinion, we need to have more civil discourse among people with different ideas and views.
I wrote this sermon back in May and sent it to Jeff Farley for his input and suggestions. My
friend Andy Geraci who lives near Cincinnati, OH wrote this just before the Presidential debate
in June,
“Just remember as tonight’s events unfold that these two are not us. Us is the neighbor on your
street, the person you see at the grocery, the server that brings your wings and beer, the guy
that gets your trash on Thursday and the gal that brings your mail each day. The Amazon driver,
the crew that fixed your roof, just the humans you meet on a daily basis.
1) do something nice
2) learn something new
3) make someone laugh”
That’s true in Otisville, and Wurtsboro too.
Phil Yohe and I both remember this line from the movie “The Usual Suspects” that says "The
greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was to convince the world he didn't exist." An author named
Baudelaire used that phrase in his story “Le Joueur Généreux” [the Generous Gambler] in 1864.
However, the sentiment is even much older than that. Letting down your guard down is how
bad things happen. Does anything in history come to mind? There is evil in the world. I’m
sorry to have to stand up here and say that. It is our job to put on our armor and not let it in.
When we feel the temptation to pass on something we have heard, or when we hear
something about another person. Consider Socrates 3 tests:
Is it true?
Is it kind?
Is it useful or necessary?
Kindness Matters!
Our armor is to pray, to study, and to believe in God’s word. Listen to this scripture again.
10 Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. 11 Put on all the armor that God
gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil's tricks. 12 We are not fighting against
humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and
powers in the spiritual world. 13 So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil
day+ comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be
standing firm.
14 Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God's justice protect you like
armor. 15 Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. 16
Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 Let God's saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God's message that comes from
the Spirit.
18 Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert
and keep praying for God's people.
This is within our power to do. Thankfully we do not have to put on 65 pounds of armor and
pick up our sword and shield to do battle like one of King Arthur’s knights. If you like the
imagery, hold up Captain America’s shield to block the incoming shots. Surround yourself with
a force field like Susan Storm from the Fantastic 4 or Violet from the Incredibles, but our shield
will be of God’s word, and remember who you are and who you belong to.
Did you hear about the man who fell asleep in his armor? He woke up because he was having a knight-mare.