Living in Our Next Season: Stand

Sermon Quick Summary
As highlighted last week, in the bible verses “you” is not always individual action in doing something alone. Rather “you” is also plural referring to collective action of a community with the “you” meaning “you all.” There will be the times we are taken out of our comfort zones and stretched in all sorts of ways. Do not fight it, but grow with God. Ephesians 6:10-18 emphasizes unity and collective action for the Church despite diversity in language and culture. There are four things in the letter to the Ephesians that leads up to our scripture in Ephesians 6:8-10: God has a plan; God chose us to be part of God’s plan; God is still at work according to God’s plan; God’s plan is already accomplished, but it is not fully actualized. Paul has encouraging words for the Ephesians and for us today; God’s Holy Spirit works in us so that God can work through us. The Holy Spirit requires us to Stand! Stand morally in the Lord’s strength, the Lord’s power, and the full armor of God.  Stand Against Evil. Stand On the Word of God. The application to our life now is how we will respond and Stand!
                                     
“You” can refer to an individual or collective community.
            Individually acting alone refers to “my next season.” Collective action of the Church community refers to “our next season.” As highlighted last week, in the bible verses “you” is not always individual action in doing something alone. Rather “you” is also plural referring to collective action of a community with the “you” meaning “you all.”
            As a collective community, we are called to offer thanksgiving to God for all God has done, and sometimes in difficult circumstances we forget that God is always present with us. God is bigger than anything we can think of, and God loves us unconditionally. Collective action in our community facilitates guidance from God’s Spirit.

There will be the times we are taken out of our comfort zones and stretched in all sorts of ways. Do not fight it, but grow with God.
            God is in charge. We must not expect that when God is taking us into the next Chapter, we dictate to God the how, what, when and where of God’s work in us. God is doing a new thing; God is not bound by our concepts of what God should do. Sometimes we have erroneous expectations in putting God in a box on how God moves. There will be the times when we are taken out of our comfort zones and stretched. Do not fight it, but grow with God.

Ephesians 6:10-18 emphasizes unity and collective action for the Church despite diversity in language and culture.
            Ephesians 6:10-18 reads: “10-11Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14-15 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.16-17 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people” (Ephesians 6:8-10 NIV Translation).
            Ephesus was a city on the west coast of what is now Turkey. Like the Bay Area today, Ephesus was considered an academic, cultural, economic, and religious center of the ancient world. The Church in Ephesus had a diversity of language and culture, but was an example of collective unity in action.
            In Paul’s writing to Ephesus, you is plural for collective unity in action, not doing it alone. Looking at ourselves at this point in our history as a society, country, city, and family those themes are just as relevant to us today. Paul’s letter seeks to edify the church theologically and practically.

There are four things lead up to our scripture in Ephesians 6:8-10.
God has a plan.
Ephesians 1:9-11: “9 God made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ to fulfill God’s own good plan. 10 To be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment – to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. 11In him, we were also chosen, have been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will”
God chose us to be part of God’s plan.
Ephesians 1:4-5:“4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5He predestined us for adoption to son ship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.”
Ephesians 3:6 & 10: “6This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. 10His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.”
God is still at work according to God’s plan.
Ephesians 2:21-22: “21 in him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 and in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”
God’s plan is already accomplished, but it is not fully actualized.
Ephesians 3:17-19: “17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
            There are times in our lives we, whether individually or collectively as the Body of Christ, forget that God’s plan is already accomplished, but it is not fully actualized. We look at circumstances and situations and they trigger questions in our minds about God’s care and capacity. Like the psalmists and prophets in scripture, we wonder why and how long. We sometimes wonder if God really cares. If God does care, then we may wonder why we are facing difficulties and for how long. God can handle these questions and concerns.  In this moment, asking God why and for how long is the response of a significant number of people to the current state of the nation and its politics.
           
Paul has encouraging words for the Ephesians and for us today. God’s Holy Spirit works In us so that God can work through us.
            God chose us be God’s people and a part of God’s redemptive work. God in creation spoke the word and things came into being. God in redemption uses a different approach in grace (Eph. 2:8-10). God’s plan for us is working for the glory of God. God invites us to practice in the world God created. We are the critical element in the process and God has a lot of work to do in us so that God can work through us. When we do not respond to God’s invitation for us to care for creation, our lack of response is a problem.  
            God invites the Christian Church, to work with God, on God’s plans, and in God’s way. God did not choose us to correct, amend, or improve on God’s plan. Some things in God’s plan for me individually are different than God’s plan for the community of Christians. God told us to take care of creation and practice collective action in the world created by the divine God, the divine Son, and God’s Spirit. God chooses to work through us.

The Holy Spirit requires us to Stand!
            In Chapters 4-6 of his letter to the Ephesian Church, Paul outlines some of what God has done and is continuing to do in us through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Paul also identifies practical aspects of a lifestyle that is in keeping with who we are, whose we are, and what we are called to do in our times.
            Let’s bring into focus one of the imperatives Paul identifies in Paul’s letter for the Church. In scripture, the multiple repetition of a word or phrase is emphasizing its importance. Within the eight verses of Ephesians 6:10-18, there are multiple repetitions of the word Stand. There are 20 biblical words for the English translation of Stand. These 20 Greek words and their definitions translated Stand in the King James Version are in a reference book known as a Concordance. Stand is an action verb.

Stand is an action verb.
            Most often, the action verb for the English word of stand means to stand upon feet,. as an animal, not to sit, kneel, or lie down. Another definition of the action verb of the English word stand means to be erect, supported by the roots, like a tree or other plant. Paul starts with these basic definitions translated in the English as Stand. Paul then uses other definitions of the action word translated in English as Stand.

Stand morally in the Lord’s strength, the Lord’s power, and the full armor of God.  
In verses 10 and 11a, the word Stand means to be upright morally in putting on the full armor of God; “Finally, be strong in the lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so you can take your stand” (Ephesians 6:10-11a). In verse 13b, Paul calls for the Church to Stand In; “and after you have done everything, to stand” (Ephesians 13b). We, as the Church, stand in the Lord’s strength that has dominion and mighty deeds, the Lord’s power with force and ability, and the full armor of God. The Church needs to be careful about whose strength and power we function and where the Church gets our armor. This biblical principle is illustrated in the example of David, Saul, and Goliath in 1st Samuel 17:38-44. David refused to use Goliath’s armor because that would bring glory to Goliath rather than to God. Another example is the Seven Sons of Sceva in Acts 19:13-16.  Seven Sons of Sceva, a Jewish high priest, tried to cast our demons, but the sons of Sceva lacked relationship with God. Casting our demons requires a close relationship with God. The evil spirit responded, “Who are you?” The sons cannot stand in their father’s relationship with God; the sons needed to stand in their own intimate relationship with God. The sons could not cast out the evil spirit. The evil spirit overpowered all the sons of Sceva.
 
Stand Against Evil.
             In verses 11b -12, the Church is called to Stand against the devil’s schemes. “11b Stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:11b-12). We Stand Against the devil’s schemes, the rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world, and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm.
            Paul in his letters often makes use of illustrative words or metaphors such as soldiers; athletes; farmers that trigger images to add emphasis or provide clarity to the reader or hearer. In this letter Paul uses a picture evoking word that the Ephesian people were very familiar with. The word in Greek is pale’ (pal’-ay) a wrestling bout; struggle; fight. The Ephesians were well aware of the Greco-Roman style wrestling for which they built a 24 thousand seat stadium in which the wrestling posture is a very low to the ground posture to maintain resistance or defense. When we do not set up a posture of defense and resistance low to the ground, like in American football, there is inward weakness.
            There are a lot of times we feel inadequate and impotent when faced by circumstances and situations. That is one of the devil’s favorite schemes. Deception, distortion, and deflection are some of the common strategies. We must note the different arenas in which the adversary operates and in which we are to stand against him. Sometimes we may be resisting in the wrong arena. We fight in the flesh and against each other instead of the spiritual forces, authorities, and powers. The Church is not to wage war like the fallen world, but with divine power. God has given us the capacity to resist. God has also given us the weapons we need to overcome, gifts of grace and mercy, and gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Stand On the Word of God.
            Another action definition for the Church to stand is to be fixed or steady, not to vacillate, to be on its foundation, and not to be overthrown or demolished. “13aTherefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground…16-17. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6: 13a, 16-17).
            The place we are to Stand On is the word of God. There are three things that Paul instructs the Church to take up when we Stand. At first reading they may appear unrelated, but if you were to look a little closer a commonality between them can be seen.  The shield of faith as Paul describes in Romans 10:17 declares, “So then fiath comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” The helmet of salvation as Paul describes in Ephesians 2:8 declares, “So then faith comes by haring, and hearing by the Word of God.” The sword of the Spirit as Paul describes in Ephesians 6:17 declares, “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.”
            God’s word is living and active. The reason why South Bay Community Church made it to its 39th Anniversary and counting is that the Word of God has always been heard, acted upon, and shared. When Peter had faith in standing on the Word of God declared by Jesus, Peter was able to walk on water until he saw the storm and became afraid and lost his faith in the Word of God.
 
 Stand With the Body of believers in Prayer.
            In creation God showed that we were never meant to go it alone. We are called to be with other believers as part of the body and to wage war in and through prayer. It is not an afterthought or for the leftover time and energy; it’s the culmination of all the other activities. There’s a saying common among believers in the Church: Much Prayer, much power! Little Prayer, little power. No Prayer, no power!
             “14-15 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people” (Ephesians 6:14-15, 18). The people of Ephesus were familiar with warfare and its methods and techniques. The soldiers stood side by side with their shields forming what would look like an unbroken impenetrable wall.
            Essentials that allow us to stand are: to pray for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, to be enlightened to know, to be strengthened with power through the Holy Spirit, and for power together with all the Lord’s holy people.

The application to our life now is how we will respond and Stand.
Will we choose to declare, “Wake me up when it is over”, or will we Stand! Elder Thompson shared an example of how to Stand. In Trinidad in 1990, there was an attack on the Parliament in an attempt by members of a religious organization to overthrow the government. When the leader of one of the main political parties was contacted, his response was to say “wake me up when it is over.” We may identify with those sentiments given the politics in the United States and the lack of unity within the Church. However, God has a plan. God is still at work in accordance with God’s plan. God invites us to join God in God’s work and Stand on God’s Word.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS INCLUDING FAMILY GROUPS
Sermon Quick Summary
-For further explanation of any statement in the Quick Summary, review the discussion and questions under the heading for that statement.
There will be the times we are taken out of our comfort zones and stretched in all sorts of ways. Do not fight it, but grow with God.
-How can we as a community better embody the idea that “you” refers to collective action rather than individual action? What practical steps can we take to foster this unity in our church?
-The sermon mentions being taken out of our comfort zones. Can you share a personal experience where stepping out of your comfort zone led to growth in your faith or community involvement?
Ephesians 6:10-18 emphasizes unity and collective action for the Church despite diversity in language and culture.
- Given the diversity within our community, how can we ensure that we are maintaining unity while celebrating our differences? What are some challenges we might face in this endeavor?
There are four things lead up to our scripture in Ephesians 6:8-10
-In what ways do you think we can discern God’s plan for our lives and our community? How can we remain open to God’s guidance when we face uncertainty?
Paul has encouraging words for the Ephesians and for us today. God’s Holy Spirit works In us so that God can work Through us.
-The sermon emphasizes the Holy Spirit working in us and through us. How can we cultivate a deeper awareness of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives and community?
The Holy Spirit requires us to Stand!
-The most common meanings of to Stand are actions to stand erect and to be connected to others in the Church community, like tree roots that give strength to other trees. What challenges have you faced in standing erect and connecting with others in the Church rather than simply laying down alone in withdrawal from difficult circumstances?
Stand is an action verb
-In what ways do you feel called to stand in your personal life now? What challenges do you face in doing so?
Stand morally in the Lord’s strength, the Lord’s power, and the full armor of God.
-Reflecting on Ephesians 6:10-18, what does it mean to you to “put on the full armor of God”? How can we practically apply this in our daily lives?
Stand Against Evil.
-Stand is a military term for holding to one’s position to ward off attacks of the enemy and make a stand against the enemy. What tactics of the enemy can be used to the unity of the Church through false doctrine and fomenting of dissention?  What offensive and defensive armor does the Church community have in its stand against evil?
Stand On the Word of God.
-What are some “flaming arrows” or challenges you face that require the shield of faith?
Stand With the Body of believers in Prayer.
How can scripture and prayer be used as tools to stand firm in difficult times?
The application to our life now is how we will respond and Stand.
-How can we encourage each other to maintain spiritual readiness and resilience as a community?