21ST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY-2
Text: Ephesians 6:10-17
Source from Back to Luther with German archive reference. Back to Walther's Epistle Sermons.
Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. Amen.
Dear friends in Christ Jesus.
The moment one becomes a true Christian he makes many enemies for himself. Christ has already predicted this. He says in Matthew 10 to his disciples: "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household." Mt 10:34-36. How can this be? Does he who becomes a true Christian become proud, unsociable, and quarrelsome, and thus by his own fault, yes, at Christ's command, makes enemies? Far be it! Christ does not mean to say that with hi s Gospel he intends to disturb the peace and sow the seeds of discord among men; rather, he means to say that people are so corrupt that nothing else can happen but that wherever his Gospel is preached and accepted by a few, hatred and hostility will arise.
If upon hearing the Word of Christ preached a person is moved in his heart, if he is convinced that he is a lost sinner who can receive forgiveness of sins, God's grace, peace of conscience, peace of soul, and some day salvation only in Christ the Savior of the world; therefore, if he who has been seized by God's Word turns in faith to Christ as his only refuge; if with his whole heart he relies upon him and finds in Christ his joy, his happiness, his hope, his salvation, then he has become a Christian in the true meaning of the word. But when one becomes such a true Christian, a great change also takes place in his heart and life. He can no longer live as he had lived before he became a Christian; he has lost not only pleasure in the joys of the world but has a horror of them as well, and everything which the world considers a small sin which makes no difference he now considers a great sin which he hates and detests as he does all sins.
He, therefore, forsakes the way which the world, the great majority, goes; he forsakes not only the taverns, dance halls, theaters, and other pair aces of pleasure of the frivolous children of the world, but he also does not want to use the sinful means which the whole world uses to enrich himself; he no longer wants to practice usury, nor acquire his neighbor's money and goods by false ware or dealing or with a show of right; in short, he renounces and frees himself from all the ungodly ways in which most people live, and frankly and freely reproves sin whenever he is called upon to do so. See, that is the first, the real reason why he who becomes a true Christian has from that moment on so many people, yes, the whole world, as his enemy. The world is offended that the Christian no longer goes the way of the great host with it but wants to go another way, that he reproves and condemns its way; they are offended that a Christian, as they think, wants to be something better than they. Therefore, the Apostle Peter in his First Epistle says to true Christians: "Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you." 1 Pet 4:4.
However, true Christians forsake not only the ways and habits of the great majority of the world, but they also walk in a new life according to God's Word. They are conscientious and faithful in their dealings, attentive in public worship and family altar, zealous in prayer and pondering God's Word, candid in the confession of their faith, diligent in all the works of love and piety, upright and friendly toward everyone, faithful toward their friends, forgiving toward their enemy, charitable toward those suffering want, in short, they show
458 21st Sunday after Trinity-2
in their deeds that through God's Word a person can indeed so walk as God's Word demands
When the children of the world see this, they are reprimanded in their conscience; they try to convince themselves that Christians are not pious but bigots, not holy but hypocrites, not those inspired only by zeal for God's honor but hateful, ambitious fanatics, or at least not those enlightened by God but blind and feeble-minded enthusiasts who deceive themselves. Christians are, therefore, as far as the world is concerned the subject of its deepest contempt, their mockery and ridicule, often also real persecution. If he who previously clung to the world makes motions of becoming a Christian they immediately say: Do you also want to become one of those pious ones? And if he carries out his intention in spite of all persuasion and sarcastic remarks, in spite of all flattery and threats, publicly swears allegiance to that despised crucified Christ, to the despised Bible, to that despised Gospel, to those despised Christians, then woe to him! His former friends turn into his bitterest enemies; father, mother, wife, husband, son, daughter, in short, his closest relatives and family, are often his most violent opponents. Christ, therefore, says: "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." Jn 16:19.
Alas, only too many who wanted to become Christians have let themselves be restrained even in this first struggle which they must endure; they could not bear to be despised by the world for the sake of Christianity and themselves deemed fools by their own, ridiculed as hypocrites, and hated and persecuted as unfriendly people. Christ, therefore, adds this warning: "He that loveth father or mother, son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." This is the time to conquer one's own heart and separate completely from the world, or be forever conquered and separated from Christ.
But, my friends, those who want to become true Christians make still more enemies and even more dangerous enemies, not only visible but also invisible ones against whom he must fight, if some day he wants to receive the crown. And of this struggle of the Christian against his invisible enemies permit me now to speak to you.
The Text. Ephesians 6:10-17.
On the basis of this apostolic admonition which Luther very fittingly called "a martial sermon for Christians" let me now speak to you on:
THE CONFLICT OF THE CHRISTIAN AGAINST HIS INVISIBLE FOES
I will describe to you:
1. The Christian's Invisible Foes And The Dangers With Which They Threaten Him, and
2. The Christian's Arms With Which He Can Victoriously Fight Against These Foes.
Lord Jesus Christ, you have appointed for us all a great earnest conflict before we will receive the crown; reveal to us through your Word our foes, their power and cunning, their bulwarks and counsels, and show us how we can conquer them and thus receive the crown. Above all, awaken and kindle in us a holy zeal to follow you valiantly in the struggle and never to rest until you place upon our head the crown of victory. Oh Savior of all sinners, you know our weakness, our helplessness, our complete corruption; therefore, come to our help, be thou our strength, and do thou conquer in us; then we will eternally praise you on the day of triumph. Amen.
I.
My friends, if the Christian had only the world and his own corrupt heart as his enemies, he would in fact have enough to fight against. However, as the apostle says in our today's Epistle, a Christian has other and even more fearful enemies. He says: " Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Vv. 11.12
In order to understand these words correctly, we must know the following.
When God created the world, he created not only the earth with its visible firmament and the people dwelling on it, but also an invisible world with its countless myriads of angels. Before the angels or men were to be confirmed in the state of perfect glory, they had to stand a test. The first ones who could not pass this test and fell from God were the angels; not all but only a certain large number of them unknown to us at whose head stood one who formerly was the greatest angel, who now became a devil, that is, a slanderer, or Satan, that is, adversary. And the moment they had fallen they were all rejected from seeing God's glory, robbed of their heavenly principalities and cast out of their dwelling place, and especially out of the heaven of light and blessedness down to hell in the chains of darkness, as Peter and Jude clearly describe this.
What happened ? Satan with all the angels who fell with him now founded a kingdom, a kingdom of darkness and sin, from which he resolved to storm.God's kingdom, the kingdom of light and righteousness, constantly and if possible to destroy it. The first step he undertook for this purpose was to try to seduce mankind which had just been created in God's image to fall from God. And behold! his plan succeeded; man fell from God and fell into sin and enmity against God, and through sin Satan now became the lord of man and the whole world of men a part of his great fearful kingdom; that is why in Holy Writ Satan is often called a prince and god of this world, and that is why we read in our text of " spiritual wickedness in high places;" they are the " rulers of the darkness of this world."
After his blessed kingdom on earth was destroyed through the fall of man, first through promise, then through the sending of his only begotten Son into the world, God founded by his Son's life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension a new kingdom, a kingdom of grace, in which all fallen mankind was to be accepted again through faith in the Son of God sent for him, and from which they were to enter some day into the kingdom of perfect glory; however, even though all who return to Christ's kingdom of grace in order to escape the dominion of Satan, the ruler of darkness, nevertheless Satan has the power to tempt, assail, and persecute Christians as long as they still live in this world, in this hostel of Satan.
Therefore, the danger to their soul and salvation which threatens Christians is great and terrible, and this is true because first of all these foes are invisible. If Christians could see how Satan lies in wait for them everywhere, they could be easily on guard; but without Christians being able to notice it, he sneaks after them; invisibly he causes the whole mob of hell to surround them and accompany them, lays invisible nets and snares for them, lies unseen in wait for them, digs invisible pits, and sets unseen traps for them. As dangerous as it is for the physical life of man to walk in the dark of night through a region where one cannot see abysses, deep water, rock lying in the way,
and ravening animals in the brush threatening on every hand, just so dangerous are our wanderings through the world for the spiritual life and the soul of Christians, because the evil foe and his associates are invisible.
However, the danger which threatens Christians from these invisible foes is so great and terrible because, secondly, Satan is much more desirous to harm Christians than non-Christians. The non-Christian Satan already has in his power; he, therefore, is glad to let them rest, yes, he tries most of all to convince them that there is absolutely no devil, so that they do not fight against him and without suspecting it let themselves be blinded, driven, and ruled by him. But because the Christian has escaped his traps, he hates them as his enemy and traitor and plots day and night how he might get them back into his power. He, therefore, does not forsake them but is near them at every place; he greets them in the morning, he goes with them to work, he is at their side at the table, he goes with them to social gatherings, he goes with them into church, he creeps after them into the chamber, he is at their side even when they pray and when they read God's Word, when they are happy and when they weep, and burns with eagerness to tempt and seduce them.
And still more ! The danger which threatens Christians from these invisible enemies is so great and terrible, because, thirdly, they are so mighty and powerful; for the apostle says: We Christians " wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of this world." The apostle means to say: Our invisible foes are not weak men but hellish princes who already have subjected the entire world. He means to say: Though human emperors and kings with fleshly weapons fight against us Christians, this is nothing in comparison to the fight in which we must enter against him to whom all unconverted emperors and kings with their unconverted people are subject; his might far surpasses all the power of mortal men.
Yet another reason the apostle mentions why the danger threatening Christians from their invisible foes is so great and terrible; it is this: For the overthrow of the Christian they use so many different " wiles." Because Satan is so sly and crafty, he does not use one and the same means to seduce Christians; no, as a true conjurer he in all his attacks accommodates himself exactly according to the nature of him against whom they are directed; sometimes he tries this, sometimes that; he changes his form a thousand times; often he transforms himself into an angel of light and tirelessly carries on until he fells the Christian or he has finally left the world through a blessed death.
Above all, Satan tries to lead Christians from the Word of God and hurl them into doubt, false faith, and unbelief. To that end he employs not only false teachers but stirs up even in the very heart of Christians thoughts which are against God's Word. For that even Christians often think: Did God really say this or this? and that they often in spite of all proof persevere in their false thoughts and finally found heresies and sects, that is always the work of Satan. However, if Satan cannot bring a Christian to the point that he lets God's Word be falsified, he tries to seduce him to satiety, loathing, and weariness of it and get him to think that he already knows everything. If Satan cannot attain this goal in him, he often lets him hear add read God's Word diligently but he makes him lazy and sleepy in praying and watching, so that in spite of the diligent use of God's Word he does not understand it and does not let it enter hi s heart. If Satan cannot prevent even this, he thinks of other ways of robbing the Christian of the blessing of God's Word.
If a Christian is inclined by nature to worry about temporal things, he prevents him from getting food, smites him with sicknesses, let him be robbed of his property by his tools, and fills him with the spirit of dejection and sadness, and does not rest until he has sunk the Christian into it and thus again robbed
him of faith, soul, and salvation. On the other hand, if a Christian is inclined by nature to lust, or greed, or ambition, Satan above all attacks him from this weakest side. That is, he provides for the one an opportunity to appease his evil lust, for the second the acquiring of earthly treasures, for the third the attainment of a high degree of honor and respect; in so doing he pictures to them all that the sinful thing is so small and of such little consequence, on the other hand, the enjoyment which they expect and the glory of the world and its children so great, so glorious, yes, like a heaven on earth, that poor Christians are often at last as though intoxicated and bewitched to serve one or the other idol of the world and turn their hearts away from God.
If by nature the Christian is inclined to be frivolous, Satan points out every day how unnecessary it is to apply his Christianity with such great earnestness and zeal; how many thousands also hoped to be saved who were not serious about it; how Christ has already done everything for us; how everything is grace; how a person cannot merit anything before God anyhow; how great God's love, forbearance, and patience is, and the like; and with such inspirations Satan continues until he has sunk the Christian into his old fleshly security and thus into death and ruin. If by nature a Christian is inclined to be fearful, Satan incites the children of the world against him; they have to ridicule, threaten, persecute him until from fear he forsakes and denies the Savior.
On the other hand, if none of these things avail and do not lead Satan to his goal, he at times even tries to stir up in the Christian's heart the fires of despair; he magnifies the greatness and seriousness of his sins; he shoots disgraceful, blasphemous thoughts like fiery arrows into the Christian's heart and then cries to him: See, what a scoundrel you are! How dare you hope for grace? You are not a member of the body of Christ; you are mine, and nothing, nothing can deliver you out of my hand; you have only one way of redeeming and freeing yourself from your torment: Take your life! Fearfully Satan then struggles against the despairing Christian for whom it often is as though the army of hell is already rejoicing over his certain damnation.
Oh, it cannot be expressed how manifold the cunning wiles of the devil are by which he tries to fell the Christian! Everything must serve his fearful purposes: Sometimes the world, sometimes other Christians, sometimes the Christian's own heart, reason, remembrance, illusion, conscience, senses, and all members. All this Satan uses to open windows through which he can climb into the Christian's soul in order to murder faith, this birth from God. And alas 1, how often he has done this! Did not our first parents fall through sin, when he said to them: "Yea, hath God said?" Did not David fall when Satan suggested that out of pride he take a census of the people? Did not Judas fall when Satan proposed to him to deny Christ for the sake of a few dollars? Did not Peter fall when Satan si fted him as wheat, attacked him with fear of men, and suggested to him to save his life by denying Christ? Did not Ananias and Sapphira fall when Satan filled their heart so that they lied to the Holy Ghost in order thus to keep some of their earthly goods?
II.
My dear hearers, should not Christians be excused, if they fall, since they have such embittered, powerful, and cunning invisible foes, who cause them to fall? No! For no matter how great the conflict against such foes is, and no matter how great the dangers are with which they threaten Christians, there is armor which the Christian should and can put on and with which he also should and can be victorious against these foes. Secondly, permit me to speak to you of these.
Two things are we told in our Epistle of the Christian's correct weapons, first, their general nature, and secondly, their individual pieces.
At the beginning of our text the apostle says: " Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Vv. 10.11. Further on the apostle continues: " Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." V.13. The first thing, which the apostle says in general of the weapons of the Christians, is that they are the armor of God and not of men. You see, my friends, it naturally would be completely impossible for a poor, weak Christian to win the victory in the conflict against his invisible foes, if he had to conquer through his own power, wisdom, works, perseverance, and the like. One could more easily oppose a whole corp of well-armed soldiers with a wooden sword and armor of straw than for a Christian to oppose a spirit of darkness in his own power. If the Christian were directed to his own ability, then he would have to despair in advance, lay down his arms, and surrender his soul a captive to his foes.
But blessed are all Christians ! Not in themselves but " in the Lord, and in the power of his might " are they to be strong, not in the armor of their own power but in the " armor of God " are they to fight, be victorious, and daily triumph. That is, therefore, the first thing which is demanded of all who want to fight under Christ's banner and with him hold the field; they are to despair of themselves completely, of their wisdom and prudence, of their righteousness and piety, of their faithfulness and constancy, of their reason and power, and rely alone upon Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of hosts, upon the Prince of their salvation, their heavenly Prince of Peace Jesus Christ. Whoever builds upon himself, whoever trusts somewhat in himself, whoever considers himself strong and unconquerable, can not only be easily conquered by the invisible foe, he is already conquered by them, he has already fallen; for self-trust, pride, and arrogance comes before the fall.
However, our Epistle also names the individual pieces of the armor of God which a Christian is to put on and with which he can and should conquer all his invisible foes. According to our Epistle there are boots for the feet, the girdle for the loins, the breastplate for the chest, the shield for the entire body in the left hand, and the sword in the right hand, and finally the helmet for the head.
" Stand therefore." says the apostle first of all, " stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth." The apostle means to say: As the soldier must wear a girdle about his loins in order to shorten his garment and take a solid, unhampered stance, so must the Christian also be girded; his girdle, however, is truth. Without it he will be like a reed which the wind blows hither and yon; without it he could not successfully resist doubt which Satan wants to stir up in him; therefore, in the end he would have to fall in the conflict. But if he is girded about with truth, then he will not be blinded by any seeming sound appearance of false doctrine but stand firmly in the conflict, even though thousands fall at his right hand and ten thousand at his left.
The apostle continues: " And having on the breastplate of righteousness." He means to say: As the soldier must have a strong breastplate so that that portion of his body is covered where the heart,the seat of life, is, so must also the Christian wear a breastplate upon his chest; however, his armor is righteousness, that is, Christ's righteousness which is given him through faith in Christ. Without the comfort of this righteousness of grace a Christian simply cannot live, without it he must despair; however, if he knows and can say:
" Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth," Rom 8:33, he can confidently enter the conflict with Satan and the whole hellish army; nothing can overcome him.
The apostle says further: " And your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace." The apostle means to say: As a soldier must be shod so that he can make the difficult marches over unbeaten roads, through thickets and swamps, and over mountains and steep rocks, and even over snakes and scorpions, so must also a Christian be shod; however, his shoes are the he is ready " with the preparation of the Gospel of peace." Without this constant spreading of the Gospel, without this constant clinging to the peace of God which is preached in it, the Christian cannot proceed over the rough road through this world; but if the Gospel is the light unto his feet and the lamp for his way, then he will never despair no matter where his heavenly general leads him; confidently he will follow him; for says David; "I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart." Ps 119,32.
The apostle continues: " Above all, taking the shield of faith, where with ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." V.16 He wants to say: As a soldier needs a shield above all in order to catch and extinguish the arrows of the foe which often were kindled with fire, so also the Christian needs above all a spiritual shield, and that is his " faith ". that is, faith in Christ. Without this faith the Christian is lost, but having it he can resist all the temptations of Satan. Even though the ''evil foe shoots the most shameful thoughts into his heart, the moment he says from his heart: "I believe ! " he has conquered; for where faith is, there is grace, forgiveness, life, and salvation.
The apostle says also: " And take the helmet of salvation." He wants to say: As a soldier needs a helmet in order to protect his head, so also the Christian needs a helmet; however his helmet is " salvation." salvation in Christ. If the Christian clings to this, then he despises all the enticements of the world with its glory and says: I have a better treasure, I have salvation. Then in even the greatest suffering he is confident and undaunted and says: "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Rom 8:18.
Finally, the apostle says: " And take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." He means to say: As a soldier dare not let go of his sword, so neither the Christian; however, his sword is " the Word of God." With this trustworthy sword the Christian is invincible. Though the most plausible lies may approach him ever so coaxingly, with the Word of God he defends himself against them; though his faith may become ever so weak, with the Word of God he strengthens it again; though sorrow may increase in him ever so greatly, through God’8 Word he can again become confident and happy; though he himself may have already stumbled and fallen, by the Word of God he rises again; though in the hour of death all the devils may press in upon the Christian, with the Word of God he conquers them and goes as the victor from the battlefield of this world to his eternal victory feast.
There you see, my friends, the glorious armament which the Christian has and in which he puts all his invisible foes to flight. Therefore, do not feel secure for the devil as a roaring lion goes about seeking whom he may devour; do not despair but seize the armor of God, take as your girdle truth, as your breastplate righteousness, as your shoes the Gospel of peace, as your shield faith, as your helmet salvation in Christ, and as your sword the Word of God; then you will also " be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to
464 21st Sunday after Trinity-2
stand." May Jesus Christ grant this to us all! Amen.