Many, many, many years ago, back in 19, I was visiting here with my, oh, I see some
friends.
I was visiting here with my paternal grandpa, George and Myrtle Fuller, grandparents.
George and Myrtle Fuller liked to go around and help when churches were starting.
And I would many times go with my grandparents to various churches.
They helped start the Stand for Gap Church, and I would visit with them there.
They helped start the Appeson Church.
Now when I say that, I mean they just liked to support the churches that were getting
started financially and with their presence.
And my grandpa was a good Sabbath school teacher, and he would help out.
So I visited here, and they wanted me to play my violin.
And I had just started playing the violin.
It was a little bit somewhat embarrassing because I didn't know what I was doing.
This special music today was far, far superior than what I provided.
It was back when this church, now help me here, those of you that go back a ways, it
was meeting in a house.
Now was that on this property here, or was that?
Okay, over there.
Okay.
Anyway, it was a wonderful experience once my violin playing was over.
And everyone was very cordial and nice.
Pastor Hudson called and asked if I could cover the pulpit today, and it is indeed an
honor and a privilege.
Before we open God's Word, would you pray with me one more time?
Father in heaven, our hearts go out to you, asking for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
I pray that you will be the teacher today.
I pray that you will fill our hearts with the messages that we need.
In Jesus' precious name, amen.
My lovely wife Rose and I were at the Walmart yesterday in Ottawa.
By the way, I want to tell you something.
If you are a pastor in the area and you want to visit a whole lot of your church members,
go to Walmart on Friday afternoon.
You see a whole lot of people you know.
And I started doing something that's going to sound a little strange at first, but hear
me out.
Don't judge me quite yet.
I want you to understand where I'm coming from here.
I started looking at people and seeing how they were dressed.
Now I know you're ready to say, wait, that isn't proper for a pastor.
I'm talking in terms of what they were wearing to see if I could tell two things.
Number one, if I could tell what they do for a living.
And number two, if I could tell in any way at all, if they might be a Christian as opposed
to someone else.
There were a number of people in scrubs.
You know what that is?
And I could tell that they were obviously coming off of work and getting groceries and
stuff before they went home.
But they did something in the medical field, whether a dentist's office or they were nurses
or maybe they were physicians or whatever.
They were still in their scrubs.
So there was a category, I can kind of put it that way.
There were others that were obviously dressed like carpenters or manual laborers.
They had big hands that were rough and many of them had things in their front pocket and
pins like you would see that they would have.
Some of them had other things that gave you a little bit of clues of what they might be.
Some I guessed to be accountants or business type people.
On and on as we went through, I tired of the little thing that I was doing.
But I finally concluded with the other issue that I mentioned and that is I wondered if
anyone could tell if I was a Christian, much less a pastor.
I wondered if there were any indications by what they were wearing or what they were doing
or how they were acting that would give us a clue as to whether or not Jesus lived in
their hearts or if they could even tell if he lived in mine.
Today's message is entitled Yesterday's Coat.
And I want you to understand where I'm coming from with that title.
You see what happened was this.
A few years back I was going to the winter's minister's retreat at Cahutta Springs Camp
and on Sunday evening, which was the first meeting, I drove out.
It had been a unusually warm day.
I had a small coat, light coat that I was wearing and it was sufficient.
The next morning I got up, things looked pretty much like they were going to be the same and
you probably already know where I'm heading by what I've just told you.
I got that light jacket, I put it back on, I drove out.
Now the conference wants some of us who pastor in the immediate area, they want us to drive
out and then commute back.
They don't have enough room for every pastor in the conference over there at the conference
center at Cahutta Springs.
By the time we got through with the programming that evening, Monday night, a northern wind
started howling.
The temperatures dropped drastically and as I walked out, I realized that yesterday's
coat wasn't going to work.
I made a note of that and I decided later that I ought to write down, we pastors have
what we call a sermon garden.
Have you ever heard of that?
Sermon garden is one of those things where an illustration or something hits you.
You don't have all the text lined up, you don't have everything all set and ready for
the message, but it is a seed that the Holy Spirit has started in your heart as to a direction
you would want to go in a sermon.
I can't tell you how many times I've told Rose, I said, you know, that would be a really
good sermon.
And first thing she says, write it down.
And she's right.
I would write it down and had it.
If I didn't, two weeks, five weeks, two months later, I come back to her and say, what was
that I was saying that would be a good sermon?
And she says, did you write it down?
And we'll move on from there.
I thought to myself, yesterday's coat didn't work.
You have your Bibles, I invite you to turn to our text for today, Ephesians, the sixth
chapter.
And I'd like to suggest to you today that it might be Pastor Fred Fuller's substandard
translation, but I'm trying to tell you that I think that this is exactly what Paul was
trying to tell his church in Ephesus.
He was trying to tell them that much of the issues that you struggle with today has to
do with the fact that you're trying to stay warm in the Holy Spirit with yesterday's
coat.
All the way through, and I'm not going to leaf through the book of Ephesians, but he's
trying to tell them how to act and live in such a way that people would be able to know
and tell that Jesus is in your heart.
And he concludes this section right here at verse 10.
Finally, brethren, be strong in the Lord and the power of His might.
Now the illustration is going to be a little bit interesting back and forth here, but what
I'm trying to tell you, I'm trying to tell you a spiritual coat.
But he says, if you want to be successful, if you want others to know that Christ lives
in your heart, you're going to have to start by getting dressed first and right every day.
He says, first of all, you've got to recognize that it has got to be God's power and not
yours.
It's got to be God's choice as you put on your armor for the day.
As you prepare and as you get ready to go out in spiritual warfare, you've got to understand
that it's not by might and it's not by power, but by God's Holy Spirit.
And we need to start every day at the closet in prayer.
He says, you've got to put on the whole armor.
Part of the problem, folk, is that we don't get completely dressed.
Part of the problem as we struggle through life's challenges is that we haven't put
everything on.
And he makes it abundantly clear in verse 12 that he's not talking about our wardrobe.
He's talking about our mental wardrobe.
For we don't wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities and against powers
and against rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts, wickedness in heavenly
or high places.
It's amazing thought that we will be so very careful how we dress every day.
We make sure that everything matches.
We will be meticulous that everything's cleaned and ironed.
We make sure that everything is appropriate for what we are planning.
We are planning to do that day, but we will walk out many times, rush out, not recognizing
that we are walking disrobed in the land of the enemy.
So he says, take up the whole armor of God.
Verse 11 and verse 13 say the very same thing.
You know, when Bible authors repeat themselves, when Jesus repeated himself, take special
note, we have a tendency to forget and wander and where we are in the conversation.
Verse 11 says put on the whole armor.
Verse 13, therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in
the evil day, having done all to stand.
You won't be able to do everything.
We're going to need the Lord's help every step of the way, but we start by getting the
whole armor on.
Stand firm.
Verse 14, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
having shod your feet, the preparation of the gospel of peace.
My son-in-law has just retired from the Air Force.
Our oldest daughter, Rebecca, married a young man that went into the Air Force.
And when we would go and visit them and we would go to their church there on Sabbath
morning, we could tell by the way they acted and many times by the way they dressed who
were the servicemen and women.
They acted like their colleague.
They acted respectful but dignified.
Standing straight.
If you went to their Walmart, you could quickly tell.
You know, there are a lot of soldiers.
There's a lot of servicemen in this place.
They woke up with the understanding of what their work was to do that day.
They were in uniform.
They were prepared.
Their preparedness is worthy of a higher calling.
We belong to the army of God.
Did you ever sing the song, Onward Christian Soldiers, Going as to War?
We are in the army of the Lord.
We're to have all of these things on.
We wouldn't think of going into battle without shoes, boots on.
You wouldn't think of going into battle without your armor on.
On the context of putting the whole armor on, I'll just help you to get a visual of
it, okay?
Goliath was fully dressed.
The Bible talks about how he had a sword, he had a spear, he had a shield, he had mail
on.
He had everything.
But he left himself vulnerable in one area.
You follow me?
He left himself wide open and vulnerable.
And trust me, the devil, our adversary, walking about seeking whom he may devour, knows exactly
how well or how poorly dressed you are.
He'll send somebody.
It might be somebody cutting you off in traffic.
It might be somebody that said something terrible to you at the office.
It might be someone who maligned your character.
It might be someone who bullied your child or your grandchild.
It could be many things.
It could be the flirtatious eyes at the office.
There's all kinds of things that could happen if we're not dressed with the right armor.
So put it all on.
Don't ever be half dressed.
Above all, take up the shield of faith.
I'm going to suggest to you, and I can't prove this totally, but it's just as I walk through
this concept, as I put this message together, as I prayed about it, I think verse 16, if
there is anything more important than other, it is the shield of faith.
The shield of faith is how we defend ourselves.
There's others behind.
If the shield doesn't work, there's other protection to stop the darts.
But we have to know by faith that no matter what that other driver does, no matter what
that other person says, no matter what that other person suggests, no matter what happens
as we go through each day of life, we can by faith live in righteousness.
We can.
It's a wonderful thought.
Verse 17 says, take up the helmet of salvation.
Now in the middle of verse 17, Paul makes a dramatic shift.
You see it?
Hitherto for in the texts we have read, everything has been defensive.
Notice that?
Shield is for defense.
Helmets for defense.
Armor is for defense.
Nothing has been an offensive thing to wear.
But in verse 17, he shifts, he says, and also by the way, take up the sword of the spirit,
which is the word of God.
I'm going to repeat myself just quickly.
We go through all of everything to be dressed properly outwardly, but we take so little
time in the word of God.
I'd like to suggest to you today that if it were down to this, and I'm not suggesting
it, but if it got down to this, either spending time in the word in the morning or having
an iron shirt, spend time in the word of God.
You follow me?
I know what you're thinking.
You're thinking, well, pastor, I'm a professional.
I have to find.
Then get up early enough to spend time in the word of God before you iron the shirt.
If it was down to brushing our teeth or taking a shower or putting on deodorant or whatever
it does you do to prepare for your day, it would be better to spend time in the word
of God.
It would be better to have our hearts flavored with the mouthwash of God.
With the right priorities, we can have both.
Finally, pick up that sword.
Now, a sword is not something.
I actually have a sword.
Actually I have a couple of swords.
One of the things I always told my kids and I tell my grandchildren now is you don't just
pick up a sword, a real sword, and start flailing that thing around.
Ask Peter.
You can get real trouble if you start flailing the sword around with the right spirit in
the heart, with the wrong spirit in the heart.
Very important.
Notice he says you pick up the sword toward the end of the list.
When you have filled with the Holy Spirit, when you've had all of these other things
in your dressed and ready and you have been filled with the word of God that day, then
and only then with God's help do we pick up the sword.
I wish somebody had told me this when I was a young pastor.
When I was a young pastor, I went out.
I had had training from Southern Missionary College.
I had had training from the Seventh-day Adventist Seminary.
I went out and I knew that it was time to convert the world.
That was a noble cause, but I didn't fully understand how to get dressed and ready to
do it.
There were a few times, and I am so embarrassed to stand and say it, but you know what?
I rather suspect that Peter, in many testimony times and sermons years later, spoke of his
downfall.
But I went out there and there were times when I picked up the Bible.
When you have the truth, folks, it's easy to do this if you're not careful.
I picked up the Bible and I cut some people to ribbons.
Oh, I had the Bible right.
I had the right interpretation.
I had the right text.
I had the proof texts.
But folk, I walked away losing that war.
Brothers and sisters, you have a powerful sword at your side, but you be very careful
and it's going to take the next thing on the list for you to understand what I'm saying
fully.
I've spent most of my ministry working with young people and there were times when I spoke
very directly, and sometimes you do need to call sin by its right name.
Don't get me wrong.
But they need to know that you have the love of Christ in your heart.
You need to ask God for the wisdom out to use this powerful weapon.
Tuck a few seeds in.
Don't slash and burn.
He finally ends up with only the second offensive weapon, only two offensive weapons.
Verse 18, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful
to this end with all perseverance, supplication for all the saints.
Brothers and sisters, are we dressed?
Are we really prepared for battle?
At the beginning of World War II, the French remembered how in World War I, the Germans
overpowered them so easily.
So they had started preparing what is called the Maginot Line.
Now those of you that are history buffs, you know what I'm talking about.
On the border of France and Germany, where the Germans came so quickly across the line
and took over their country, they began preparing what was called the Maginot Line and what
it was.
Enormous concrete embuckments.
200 miles of state of the art defenses with gun turrets.
They had all kinds of land mines.
They were ready for the enemy, so they thought.
But at the beginning of World War II, Hitler's Panzer Division, his tank division, went through
the woods and went around the Maginot Line and drove straight in.
Their planes flew over and dropped bombs.
Maginot Line was nearly useless.
They were not ready because Hitler had new weapons.
Yesterday's defense doesn't work with new weapons.
Oh, it may be more or less the same concept, but a new direction.
Remember the story of David?
He was older.
Remember this story?
You can read it.
David was older and he was in battle and he was fighting.
There was another giant there.
His name was Ishbaibinab.
Ishbaibinab looked across the battlefield and he said, whoa, there's the giant killer.
David, remember the story?
He picked up his sword and he started slashing through.
The Bible says that he was armed with a new sword.
He had a new weapon, Ishbaibinab did.
And he's making his way, slashing through the lines and made his way to David.
And folks, read it.
If you don't remember this story, read it.
Our man David fainted.
Wait a minute.
We only hear about Goliath.
And if it wasn't for Abishai, his nephew standing next to him, one of his mighty men whirling
around at the last moment and getting the enemy, David would have died.
In fact, it was so intense that they came to David afterwards and said, you're not ever
going to battle with us again.
You weren't prepared and ready.
Folks, it is time that we wake up and see the signs of the times in which we live.
It is time that we be alert, that we be aware, that we be dressed, that we be ready.
It is time that we understand the importance of what really truly is important.
It is time that we turn to our neighbors and in loving kindness, listen to them.
They're wondering what's going on in this world now too.
I have a neighbor next door to me that I pray for every single day.
I walk my little dog down the neighborhood and I pray for that man.
I won't go into all the details, but he's in desperate need.
I said, Lord, help me at the right time, the right moment.
Help me to be ready.
Help me to sow the seeds now.
Help him to see that I am a Christian.
Help him to see the calmness in the midst of the storms, of the tornadoes, earthquakes,
and all that's going on, the terrible calamities from everywhere.
Help him to see where my heart is.
And I am confident that someday at the right time, at the right moment, under the unto
Holy Spirit, and it's coming very close with some of the things that are going in his home,
in his heart, in his world.
We need to be alert.
We need to be ready.
That golden opportunity may come not only to resist the devil, but to help someone else
resist him.
Help them to see as we walk through Walmart that we're a Christian.
Help them to see that what we do is showing by how we're dressed in our hearts and our
minds.
How many of you today, I'm a preacher, you invited a preacher to come.
How many of you today would like to respond and say, oh Lord, help me to be dressed and
ready this week?
Oh, Father in heaven, I pray that you'll take hold of our hands.
I pray that you'll give us courage.
Father, I pray that you'll help us to realize where we are.
Help us to put on those smiles every single day.
Help us to turn off the phones and listen to what our children are trying to say, our
spouse is trying to say.
Help us to be attentive.
Help us to know the word of God far better than the actors on some TV program.
Help us to be more interested in the things of heaven than what's happening in basketball
or football.
Help us to love our neighbor.
Help us to be kind and gentle to those in our church here.
Help us to be careful.
Help us to be listeners.
Take a hold of our hands, Father.
In Jesus' name, amen.