23/09/2023
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐๐: ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ก: โ๐ผ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ โ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐กโ, ๐ค๐๐กโ ๐คโ๐๐โ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ก๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ โ ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐๐; ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ โ๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก, ๐คโ๐๐โ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐บ๐๐โ (๐ธ๐โ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ 6:16, 17, ๐ธ๐๐).
๐๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง: Our lesson this week is describing the armor of God as individual items (belt, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet, sword). Paul paints before our eyes Godโs glorious army of brave soldiers fully equipped for their mission. ๐ต๐ข๐ก ๐คโ๐๐ก ๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฆโ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐? Godโs soldiers are armored and ready to proclaim to the universe a message from Him, the message that God brings peace to the universe, to the people on earth, peace among the nations, peace in the communities, in the families, between generations and classes.
๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ฒ: ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ก: ๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐ฒ
โข In Bible times, Greeks and Romans won wars because all the soldiers in their armies supported and helped each other. The soldiers worked together to win.
When we understand this idea, we can better understand what Paul is talking about in Ephesians 6:10โ20.
โข Here, it doesnโt show us a picture of a warrior all by himself fighting alone against evil.
โข Paul talks to the church the same as a general talk to his army. Paul orders the church to put on Godโs battle suit and to go fight together as one army.
โข The bride of Christโthe Churchโis composed of different members fulfilling their specific roles within the body, different bricks forming the building/temple, and soldiers equipped to fight side by side until the glorious day when the Church can unite with her Bridegroom in eternal union.
โข ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐คโ๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐กโ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐กโ๐๐, ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ก ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐บ๐๐ โ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐โ ๐๐ ๐ข๐ .
๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ฒ: ๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐
โข ๐น๐๐๐ ๐ก, ๐ค๐ โ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ต๐๐๐ก ๐๐ ๐๐๐ข๐กโ. Just as a belt holds your clothes together and keeps everything at the right and appropriate level, the belt of truth is the foundation and centerpiece of the armor of God.
โข Because when we are anchored in the truth, we can determine what is false and fake. So the very first thing we need to do is be able to determine what is truth. How do we do that? By studying the word of God, the Bible.
โข ๐๐๐ฅ๐ก, ๐ค๐ โ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ต๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐
๐๐โ๐ก๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ which is perfectly centered right over your heart.
โข This body armor or breastplate protected the vital organs from the blows and thrusts of the enemy.
โข In an analogous way, believers are to experience the spiritual protection offered by Godโs protective gift of righteousness.
โข So, ๐ป๐๐ ๐
๐๐โ๐ก๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ (๐๐๐ก ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐โ๐ก๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ) which protects our hearts actually belongs to Jesus.
โข When we accept Jesus into our hearts and into our lives, we are no longer wearing our own Breastplates, but the one that belongs to Jesus and nothing can get through that.
๐๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ฒ: ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐ฌ: ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐๐
โข ๐โ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ โ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐โ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐บ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐. Let the Gospel of Peace be your guide and take you from place to place. Be ready to share the story of Jesus and your story of meeting Jesus.
โข Christians are messengers for Jesus. They announce Jesusโ peace and His win in the fight against sin.
โข That is what Paul means when he says that Christians put on shoes the same as peace. These shoes help Christians stand ready to fight.
โข At the same time, we must understand that Paul doesnโt want us to pick up real weapons and fight against our enemies. The shoes are only a word picture for the good news that fills hearts with Godโs peace.
โข Our feet must always be ready to share the gospel we have received, bringing peace to people's hearts. We should not "kill" or "defeat" our opponents. We should encourage them to switch sides and embrace the "gospel of peace."
๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ฒ: ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ฅ๐, ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐๐ญ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐
๐ผ. ๐โ๐ ๐ โ๐๐๐๐:
โข Made of wood covered with leather and adorned with metal, the shield could completely protect a crouching soldier and prevent arrows or sword strikes from harming him.
โข God is our shield (Psalm 3:3; 18:2). By faith, we face the conflict with complete trust in His protection. It is faith that will extinguish the darts of trials that the wicked one seeks to use against us.
๐ผ๐ผ. ๐โ๐ โ๐๐๐๐๐ก:
โข The Roman metal helmet had various pieces that protected the soldier's neck and cheeks, ensuring complete head protection.
โข Our thoughts must be focused on the salvation that God has secured for us and the hope that this salvation will soon materialize in an eternal life without sin (1 Thessalonians 5:8).
๐ผ๐ผ๐ผ. ๐โ๐ ๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก:
โข With a length of half a meter and a straight, double-edged blade, the Roman sword allowed the soldier to both defend against enemy blows and counterattack.
โข Paul speaks of the word of God as "sharper than any two-edged sword; it pierces to the division of soul and spirit" (Hebrews 4:12). This is the only weapon capable of turning the enemy into an ally.
๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฒ: ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ฅ๐๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฒ๐๐ซ
โข At the end of his war sermon, Paul asks his readers, as Godโs soldiers, to pray for all Christians everywhere (Ephesians 6:18).
โข In Roman times, armies prayed to their gods on the battlefield to help them win the war. In the face of the impending battle, Jehoshaphat called the people to bow in prayer before God (2 Chronicles 20:18).
โข Even more so in the spiritual struggle in which we are immersed, prayer plays a primary role. It allows us to connect with our General, presenting our perplexities and receiving His instructions.
โข ๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐:
(๐) ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฒ๐๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐:
(๐) "๐ด๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ ." We should never cease to pray, even when we do not see an immediate answer (Luke 18:1-8; 1 Thessalonians 5:17).
(๐) "๐ผ๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก." The Holy Spirit transforms our prayers with "groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26 NIV)
(๐) ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฆ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฒ๐๐ซ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฉ๐ฌ:
- We should supplicate "for all the saints." We are not alone in the fight; we must support one another through intercessory prayer.
(๐) ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐๐ข๐ ๐ซ๐๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ:
- "๐ด๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐." Those called to proclaim the gospel especially need the prayers of believers to boldly present the message ("with confidence" NIV).
๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
Our lesson this week reminds us that we are nearing the evil day (Ephesians 6:13) when Godโs people will fight the final war in the battle against evil. We are all soldiers in Jesusโ army. So, we need to be loyal to God and to each other. When we join Christโs army, we will be attacked by the devil and by all the other forces of evil that are working in us, as well. For this assault, we need the armor of God and the weapon of proclaiming His gospel of peace.
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