Holy Covenant United Methodist Church - Ephesians 6:10-20 "A Fashion Statement"

Ephesians 6:10-20 "A Fashion Statement"

Written by Rev. Don Lee
Saturday, 26 August 2006
Do any of you like commercials? In my current favorite, a mother and daughter are locked in verbal combat! Goes something like this: “I’ve not had it up to here with you, young lady.” “Why do you insist on treating me like an adult?” (the daughter responds) “Because you insist on acting like one.” “Now you’re getting you this new phone.” It’s so small! I really like it! Why is it always what I want! (replies the teen) “Well, do you have any idea how much money this is not gonna `cost me?” “I love you,” the daughter shouts. “I know you really mean that,” the mom responds. “You never hated me and you never will,” says the daughter as she stomps off. “You are the most grateful little….” Granted, you almost have to be a parent of a teenager to truly appreciate the irony of this commercial in which love is the weapon of choice! The same can be said about our reading from the letter to the church at Ephesus, in which the Gospel of Jesus Christ is couched as fightin’ words! Our scripture reading comes from the letter to the Ephesians 6:10-20. I invite you to listen for Good News. 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11Put on the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For our struggle is not against enemies of 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. 13Therefore take up the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. 19Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak. In the words of a 13th century prayer: O most merciful Redeemer, friend, and brother, may we know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, for thine own sake. Amen. In the Roman province of Asia, Ephesus was one of the principal seaports of the Mediterranean. During the period known as Pax Romana, garrisons of Romans soldiers were stationed in Ephesus to ensure regional stability and to impose Roman law and rule. Rome was no friend to the church. Rome martyred the church’s founder, conscripted its men, and heavily taxed those inside, as well as outside the church to support the lavish lifestyle of Rome’s elite. Things went from bad to worse when Emperor Nero scapegoat-ed the church for the burning of Rome. Christians were arrested and turned into Lion treats (no joke). In fact, the letter to Ephesians, claims its author, was penned in prison. How ironic then to use the Roman foot soldier as a metaphor to describe the mission of the church and its battle with the forces at work in the world. It was a metaphor that must have been, at the some level deeply disturbing to the Church in Ephesus. The writer speaks of a “clear and present danger,” describes two worlds at war with one another: the kingdoms of darkness and light, and instructs readers to arm themselves for battle. Outnumbered and outgunned, we don’t stand a chance, except that, according to the biblical witness… our commander in chief is the Almighty, the Holy One. In the words of 1st John 4:4, “For the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (4:4) Jesus echoes this imagery when in the Garden of Gethsemane he says to Peter, “Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?” Matthew 26:52-53 According to historians, during the Pax Romana (27 BC to 180 AD) the total force available to a legion commander ranged from 8,000–12,000. Jesus’ claim? Twelve legions or upwards of 100,000! That’s a whole lot of ANJELS! The dark side? Spiritual forces of evil? Thousands of other worldly warriors? Sounds suspiciously “Stars Wars.” Too bad those early Christians weren’t privilege to our 21st century mind with its advanced technology and science. We’ve split the atom, cloned sheep, created the IPOD w/video and the Roomba! Why we’ve developed the technology to feed the world. To bad it’s not cost effective. We have the medical know-how to heal most diseases… if you can afford the insurance! We aspire to the highest levels of equality; unless you’re a female or a minority. Evil forces indeed!” Besides, how do you reconcile the Roman foot soldier as a metaphor for Christian life with Jesus’ gospel of: Turn the other cheek, love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, blessed are the peacemakers? No question, the writer is describing a different kind of warrior…clothed in justice, peace, and righteousness, and armed with love as the weapon of choice! What we have here in Ephesians 6 is a discussion of God’s basileia, or “the reign of God,” and what the author sees as God's great plan: filling the world with love. As one writer puts it, “[Jesus’] kingdom ministry launches an all-out attack on evil in all its manifestations. God’s reign arrives wherever Jesus overcomes the power of evil. Then, as it does now, evil took many forms: pain, sickness, death, demon-possession, personal sin and immortality, the loveless self-righteousness of those who claim to know God, the maintaining of special class privileges, the brokenness of human relationships. Jesus is, however, saying: If human distress takes many forms, the power of God does likewise.” P.32-34Transforming Mission Bosch. What we are talking about is a different kind of warrior engaged in a different kind of war. The 19th World Methodist Conference in Seoul, Korea drew to a close last month. One of our members, Melissa Marsh was there to represent our church and Conference. The Conference ended with the following resolution being approved: The WMC calls upon member churches and the 70 million Methodists of 132 countries to: Be mediators for peace and reconciliation and to support the efforts of governments and international organizations toward peace and reconciliation. Be advocates for the peaceful reunification of Korea and to participate in the ecumenical efforts of the WMC and the NCC-USA to facilitate the reunion of separated Korean families. It called upon the So. Korean and No. Korean governments to: -Welcome and support all efforts for the peaceful unification. -Continue all levels of exchange programs. -Increase the humanitarian programs -Consider mutual understandings and cooperation, which would lead toward peaceful unity. Further the statement urged North Korea to: -honor the principles of the UN’s guidelines -to find a resolution through peaceful cooperation -it denounced the development of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction -stated the desire for an immediate end to the development of such threats. Q. Why would the Church of Jesus Christ be involved in telling a government like North Korea how it ought to function? We are a different kind of warrior fighting a different kind of war! Still need convincing? Any graduate of a 12 step program dealing with addiction to drugs, alcohol, sex, or gambling can attest to the reality of being ruled by the powers of this world! A number of years ago, the words, “God, please don’t let me daddy hurt me anymore,” were found scrawled on the walls of our Covenant center. I think about that child’s prayer often. How I wished that child had never been given reason to make that prayer. It would be tempting to forget that prayer was ever made, but that would be a mistake! Like those families that bury a history of abuse believing that somehow it will just go away. As a church, we discovered a chink in our armor! The safe place we have tried to make this church was not necessarily a full reality. So while we do background checks, enforce two-on rules, and staff full time children’s and youth directors, we also commit ourselves to calling and challenging adults to confession, conversion, accountability, and compassion. The author of Ephesians writes Clothe yourself with justice, righteousness and peace. So… how are you clothed? As the church we are called into Holy Conversation with one another. Stephen Swecker writes, “An informed people –whether an entire nation or a neighborhood church- that is exposed to the rich diversity of its members is an intellectually healthy people. Without such exposure, many blessings of a free and democratic society wither: No cross-fertilization of ideas, no corrective to flawed thinking, no expanded horizons or stretched minds, no stimulating give-and-take leading to fresh creativity, no clearing-the-air debate…Indeed, a world lacking the free interplay of ideas and information not only would be boring, it would be dangerous-mired in lock-step sameness and susceptible to an authoritarian, freedom robbing mind control.” P.1 Zion’s Herald Progress Report July/August 2006 A new study in our church begins on September 10th at HC called Claiming the Promise. Sponsored by our Advocates of Justice and Peace, it’s a Bible Study intended to get people thinking and dialoguing on biblical, theological and practical understandings of sexual orientation. It is so incredibly important that the Church of Jesus Christ be able to enter into discussions on all issues, not just the ones we agree on. Family doesn’t have to agree to know its belongs together. We do have to love and respect one another to be truly Christian. Theologian Will Willimon writes, “Maybe we make a mistake in thinking that the Christian faith has got to get deep within you, got to become something that you really feel or deeply understand, deep within. … Maybe the Christian faith is external: a set of practices, a way of life, and some predictable motions that you go through, regardless of your inner disposition. Maybe your inner disposition is not all that big a deal. Perhaps you have to act your way into believing before you can believe. I find it interesting that Jesus does not say, "Close your eyes and think real deeply about me until you come to that self-awareness whereby you believe in me." Jesus says simply, "Follow me." I watched someone I love die this last week. Nurses waited until I arrived to disconnect the tubes and IV’s keeping her alive. Surrounded by three of her closet friends…her breath slowed, and then stopped. I prayed as Beattie Ann died. There was a nakedness about her. Laying there in nothing but a flimsy hospital gown, stripped of her make up, jewelry, and then finally, her soul. Job was quoted to say in his grief, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return.” (Job 1:21) We are born naked and return to God in the same way. What matters, of course, is what happens in between. “How will you clothe yourself?” Every night for the last several years, my 8 year old has prayed faithfully for Beattie Ann. This week I came home and told Chris that she had died. And then I told him how proud I was that he had prayed faithfully for her, and how happy it made her to know he was doing this for her. Chris sidled up next to me and rested his head on my shoulder. Suddenly Colossians 3:12 took on new meaning. “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” We are a different kind of warrior engaged a different kind of war. This war is about God’s basiliea…the reign of God. It’s about reconciliation and love. It celebrates the overcoming of powers at the point where barriers are dismantled (even religious ones) and people come together in peace and hope.” When it is seen as subversive, peace has a chance,” writes William Loader. Appropriately, our scripture reading ends with a call to prayer…So let us pray: O most merciful Redeemer, friend, and brother, may we know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, for thine own sake. Amen.