Rick MarsdenWeb

Most of us who served in any branch of the armed forces probably remember basic training. Wasn’t that fun! Would you like to try it again…now…?

But in most cases it did its job to prepare us, equip us, and familiarize us with all we would need to fulfill our responsibilities as soldiers, airmen or sailors, ready for the job we were to do.

If you paid attention in history class you remember that America was a latecomer to the first World War. It had been going on for three years before America declared war on 4 April 1917.

The first American troops landed in France in June 1917. But it was on 28 May 1918, when the 1st infantry division attacked the Germans at Cantigny, that the Americans first demonstrated they were trained, organized and equipped well enough to lead offensive action as an independent American force.

And though the soldiers showed themselves to be brave and courageous, and ferocious fighters in all instances, according to German reports anyway, many if not most were ill prepared for this war.

The American army was almost nonexistent numbering about 200,000, including reserves and National Guard. Before the end of the war about a year and a half later, conscription would increase that roster to 2.7 million men.

Initially, there were not enough uniforms or boots. Soldiers trained with bed-boards or sticks because there were not enough rifles. Many soldiers never fired their rifles until they were actually in the trenches defending themselves.

Most did not know what to expect. They were not trained for trench warfare. They entered battle wearing British helmets and gasmasks, most carrying English rifles, or French machine guns, or firing French artillery, or flying French aircraft, or driving French tanks.

When war was declared, President Wilson and other political leaders actually believed that American soldiers would never have to fight—they believed that the mere fact that America declared war on the German allied army would cause them to sue for peace.

It was a stunning revelation for them to realize that declaring war, declaring them to be opposed to evil would have a cost, would require attentive preparation, particular training and specific equipping for a particular type of war.

Over the last few weeks I have been reading about WW1 as it is the 100th anniversary of that event, and it gave me cause to think about our Christian faith.

I think we sometimes forget as Christians we are in a battle. By our baptism we enter a life and death struggle of good against evil that begins in our own hearts, and expands from there to every part of life.

It is a spiritual battle that can be as brutal as any in human experience.

Scripture tells us that we struggle not against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities and against the forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

It encourages us to fight the good fight.

Jesus warns of this warfare: “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Many Christians sometimes may be just like President Wilson thinking that just because we declare war against the enemy, just because we profess ourselves Christians, we are baptized, that the enemy will immediately sue for peace, when in actuality it is the opposite.

When American soldiers entered the war, entered the trenches, the Germans intentionally went after them, to not only defeat them but to discourage them, to undermine their confidence, prove that they were powerless against them.

And so it is in the spiritual realm declaring war against the devil, puts the Christian in his crosshairs, thus the trials, the illnesses, the obstacles, the tragedies we experience in life; anything to drag us down, defeat us, sap our faith and hope.

But St. Paul calls us to be prepared for that spiritual warfare and tells us how to fight it. In Ephesians he writes:

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 stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of peace. 16 in addition to all this take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.

Everything we need for this battle God provides so we are fully prepared.
We are told to put on the armor of God.

Put on the belt of truth; truth holds it all together. To know the truth, to know what God has said and what he has done is key to our protection.

We learn the truth from God’s word. That is what should shape our reality. Our trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord is at the heart of this. He says I am the way, the truth, the life. If we have Jesus, then he has us.

He tells us to put on the breast plate of righteousness, guarding our heart. Remember Jesus’ words about the heart: Where your treasure is there will your heart be also. Blessed are the pure in heart. Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. Out of the heart come evil thoughts…..

How do we protect our heart? By loving the things that God loves, having the heart of God. We get that by prayer, and meditating on God’s word.

We combat the evil that tries to reside there. Get rid of jealousies by saying a good and encouraging word to the one you are jealous of.
Get rid of the hurts by forgiving those who have done you wrong. Beat greed by being generous. Hey! Here is an idea: Think, pray, invest. Does that sound familiar? Tithing puts a knife into the heart of greed.

We are told to have our feet fitted with readiness. Just where are your feet taking you in life? Are you hustling toward the battle or away?

What ministries might God be calling you to? There is something he wants you to do. What is it? Are you taking your place? Are you following the Lord as commander or wandering aimlessly where you want?

We need to go where he sends us, and do what he calls us to do.

We are to take up the shield of faith to deflect the enemy’s shots from whatever quarter.

Your faith is your trust in God. It is the heart of our relationship with him. He is in charge, Lord of all of it, even when you are going through hard times, frustrating times, painful times, when the arrows of doubt, fear, rejection and disappointment can pierce armor and sap strength and faith.

Either Jesus is Lord of all of it or he is Lord of none of it. Either what he says is true or not.

So we need to pray like we believe…worship like we believe, act like we believe, think like we believe.

And that leads us to our heads…put on the helmet of salvation. We are to guard our minds. Jesus said: Love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind.

Elsewhere, the scriptures say: “the mind governed by the spirit is life and peace.” And again we are told to set our minds on things above not on earthly things.

So what are we thinking about? Do we have the mind of Christ, do we think about the world like Christ thinks about the world? Do we have a Christian world view? Are our priorities God’s priorities?

We can train our brains by reading scripture, meditating on the things God promises us there, memorizing scripture that is particularly meaningful to us in our particular situation, learning to pray verbally or quietly in our minds, focusing our concerns on God’s provision and being thankful.

Finally we are given the sword of the spirit; the word of God.

Scripture asserts that: the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Do we wield that sword in our battles, confronting lies with truth? When loneliness or rejections thrust, do we parry with: I am with you always?
When fear thrusts do we parry with: Fear not…., for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
When guilt thrusts, do we parry with: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness?

As followers of Christ, never let us forget that we are in battle daily against an enemy who is constantly warring to defeat us.

We are better prepared for this war than the young Americans entering into battle in War 1. But we need to put on the armor of God. Don’t just shine it up and admire it, or drag it behind. Put it on and use it, so we can fight the good fight.

Sermon preached by the Rev. Richard C. Marsden
The Church of the Redeemer
Sarasota Florida
25th Sunday after Pentecost
November 15 2015

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