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Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17)

Interestingly, the word at the beginning of this sentence has less the meaning of \u201ctake\u201d and more the meaning of \u201cwelcome\u201d or \u201creceive,\u201d which is its usual translation. \xa0We take the helmet and sword, therefore, as an act of obediently receiving\u2014welcoming\u2014what God is giving to us. \xa0Namely, his own armor and gifts.

The sword of the Spirit which is the word of God is our focus today. \xa0If any of these armaments in Ephesians is an offensive weapon rather than a defensive one, surely this is it\u2014right? \xa0Not so fast. \xa0Our commander has not changed his command. \xa0It remains \u201cstand.\u201d \xa0

Jesus tells his disciples to buy real, literal swords as they leave the Upper Room for the Mount of Olives on the night Jesus was betrayed. \xa0As it turns out, the eager disciples already have two at hand. \xa0Jesus very quickly tamps down their enthusiasm with a terse reply of \u201cThat\u2019s enough!\u201d \xa0Why? \xa0The swords were not needed for attack or violence, they were only needed to fulfill the word of Isaiah, which says \u201che was numbered with the transgressors.\u201d \xa0For further proof, the story continues. \xa0When Jesus is about to be arrested, one of his sword-wielding disciples swings into action, lopping off the ear the servant of the high priest. \xa0Jesus\u2019 response is an immediate rebuke: \u201cNo more of this!\u201d he says, as he turns to heal the wounded enemy before surrendering himself to arrest. \xa0The disciple had asked Jesus \u201cshould we strike with our swords?\u201d but did not wait for the answer from Jesus before swinging. \xa0That\u2019s often how it goes, but one gets the impression from this scene that Jesus\u2019 answer would have been \u201cno\u201d (see Luke 22:35-51).

The best example of this \u201csword of the Spirit\u201d in action then, is when \u201cJesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil\u201d (Luke 4:1-2a). \xa0Three times over, the Spirit-filled Jesus uses the Word of God to defend himself against the temptations of the devil. \xa0He does not attack the devil, he does not run from the devil, nor does he scoff and ignore. \xa0Jesus stands his ground in the Spirit, and uses the Word to defend against the devil\u2019s temptations. \xa0This, more than anything, is our picture of the \u201csword of the Spirit\u201d in action as a weapon that allows us to \u201cstand\u201d our ground.

Pastor Michael will preach on this story from Matthew\u2019s gospel on Sunday, but hopefully this gives a taster of what it means to \u201creceive\u201d God\u2019s own armor. \xa0The armor which God himself has used and has shown us how to use. \xa0Neither the Spirit nor the Scriptures have been given to us to use as weapons of attack. \xa0They are sharp weapons though and they need to be respected\u2014used only for the purposes for which they have been given: as weapons which enable us to firmly stand our ground in the salvation Christ has won for us.

As the book of Hebrews says: \u201cthe 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\u201d (Heb. 4:12). \xa0In the larger context of this chapter, the writer of Hebrews uses this phrase to pivot between the two-edged reality of the scriptures: how they tell both of the failed obedience of God\u2019s people, and the perfect obedience of \u201cour great high priest\u201d who \u201chas been tempted in every way, just as we are\u2014yet did not sin.\u201d \xa0The writer of Hebrews uses Jesus\u2019 obedience to invite our own. \u201cHold firmly to the faith we profess,\u201d the writer urges, \u201cso that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.\u201d \xa0In this way, we enter into the promised Sabbath-rest of God\u2019s people, weak and temptation-prone though we be. \xa0

As with Jesus in the desert, so the devil still tempts us to flee from our post and chase after his sweet-sounding offers of salvation by a different means. \xa0It is the sword of the Spirit though\u2014the word of God\u2014that reminds us of Jesus\u2019 mercy and grace and which enables us to stand firm in his salvation.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:17-21).

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