Sermon Series
Week 8
Ephesians 6:10-24 | The Armor of God
Preaching Commentary
Discussion Questions
What does it mean to “put on the full armor of God” in daily life, and how does this help us face challenges?
How does the call to pray for all believers and for boldness in mission connect to the idea of submitting to one another out of reverence for…
Sermon Resources
Key Quotes
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Trying to do the Lord's work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you.
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God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible. What a pity that we plan only the things we can do by ourselves.
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God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply.
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Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.
Key Illustration
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Prayer for the Jeh
One of the main linguists that worked on Rosetta Stone, a computerized language-learning tool, moved to Vietnam in 1962… of his own free will!
He and a ministry partner went to translate the Bible into the language of a small tribal group. The language and people group were named the Jeh.
After only 18 months, these American missionaries had to leave the country and were not able to go back. In the short time they were there, they started the translation, trained locals to help with the work, and saw a handful of the Jeh become believers.
They then lost complete touch with the Jeh for 30 years – no letters, no emails, no visits, not any news from any source!
Not only did the missionaries clearly have to live in the strength of God while they were in Vietnam, their reliance on God continued after they left. One of the linguists said, “God gave us a burden of prayer for the Jeh for 30 years.” In the mid-1990s, they reconnected with the Jeh.
The people themselves had finished translating the entire Bible and over half of them were believers! Persistence in prayer can change the world!
Liturgical Resources
Opening Prayer or Prayer of Adoration
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Lord Jesus – You’ve come, are coming and will come again.
Whether we know it or not,
we live on the edge of Your coming every moment
of every day either with anticipation or with anxiety.
As if stumbling along a dark path in a thick forest,
with only a flashlight at our feet,
we see so little … while You see everything,
being Yourself the Light of the World.
That’s why we put our hands in Yours,
follow where You lead us and give to You all the people
and experiences that lay beyond our ability
to see clearly and our strength to act.
Call to Worship
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Pastor: Lord Jesus Christ, giver and perfecter of our faith, we thank and praise You for continuing among us the preaching of Your Gospel. Send Your blessing upon the Word, which has been spoken to us, and by Your Holy Spirit increase our saving knowledge of You, that day by day we may be strengthened in the divine truth and remain steadfast in Your grace.
People: Give us strength to fight the good fight and by faith to overcome all the temptations of Satan, the flesh, and the world.
Pastor: Mighty God, remind us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. For we do not go into battle alone or unarmed. You are present in our lives, in our world and in Your Word. Lead us to wield well the sword of the Spirit, Your very Word, which has the power to demolish strongholds, and is alive, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword.
People: May we learn the Word so thoroughly that we use it rightly to defeat the Enemy and to forward the plans of the Kingdom of God.
Pastor: Holy Father, where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation. Bring us in such faith to Your Holy Sacrament, that the blood of Christ, which atoned for our sins, may make us whole, strengthen us against every spiritual attack of the devil.
People: Turn us in love toward our neighbor, and preserve us in body and soul to life everlasting.
Pastor: All these things and whatever else You know that we need, grant us, Father, for the sake of Him who died and rose again and now lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever.
People: Amen.
Prayer of Confession
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Lord Jesus Christ, you have said to us “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” We admit those times when we fail to ask you for good things – that it can be easier to trust you with eternity than trust you with tomorrow.
We also admit that far too often we seek first our own kingdoms, and not yours. Too often the desires of our hearts mean that we ask in our own name, rather than yours. Too often we are content to do what is easy, rather than what is right.
Have mercy on us Lord. Pour out your Spirit on us and renew us, that we might live as people of your resurrection, even here and even now. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
- Adapted from John and EphesiansView
The Spirit of truth has been given to a people who lacked truth. The Advocate has been sent. We who were once without life have been given new life. For it is by grace we have been saved through faith, and this is not our own doing; it is the gift of God–not the result of works so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Adapted with minor modifications for liturgical use.
Bible Translation: ESV English Standard Version Crossway PublishingScripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.
Benedictions (Two Options)
- Ephesians 6:10-13View
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
Bible Translation: ESV English Standard Version Crossway PublishingScripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.
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Pastor: Take up the full armor of God, so that standing firm in your faith, you may go out into the world with joy and hope to make known the mystery of the Gospel, through the power of Almighty God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
People: Amen! We are strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.