“Where’s Your Sword?”
7/30/17 AM
Call to Worship: Acts 4:8-12
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 4:12-13
Introduction: The Sword of the Spirit is God’s WEAPONin our hands.
But for many of us, our sword is kept safely in its SHEATH. What is this sword of the Spirit?
“Take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Eph. 6:17; v. 14—the belt of truth)
“For the word of God is living 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. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Heb. 4:12-13)
The sword of the Roman soldier was a little more than two feet long, and was crafted from iron. Blacksmiths hardened the blade of the sword by covering the red-hot iron with coal dust; the coal dust formed a hard carbon coating on the blade. Sword handles could be made from iron, ivory, bone, or wood.
The Roman soldier carried his sword on his side so that he could easily draw his sword in a close-knit row of troops. In battle, rows of Roman soldiers pressed back their enemies one step at a time by forcing their shields forward, using their swords to advance against the enemy. In Ephesians 6, the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, is the only offensive weapon named.
So let’s share a few things about this sword of the Spirit.
A. The Sword of the Spirit—the Word of God—is our ONLY inspired authority.
2 Tim. 3:14-17; 4:1-4; 2 Peter 1:16-21
John 1:1-18; 8:31-32; 17:13-19; 18:36-38; Rom. 10:17; Heb. 5:11-6:3; 2 Peter 3:17-18
Psalms 19; 119; Deut. 13; Gal. 1:8-9;Rev. 22:18-19
“Modern intelligence won’t accept anything on authority. But it will accept anything without authority.” (G. K. Chesterton)
Some research on the Bible in America (Barna Group and American Bible Society, 2016)
- 81% of adults age 18 and older consider the Bible a holy book.
- 68% say it is the inspired word of God.
- 61% of Millennial adults (born 1984-1999; age 18 to 33) say the Bible is the inspired word of God.
- 54% of adults say the Bible has no errors.
- 40% read the Bible at least once/week, including 28% who read it “several times/week (14%--every day).
- 69% of teens personally own a Bible.
- 25% of teens say they read the Bible at least once/week, including 11% who read it several times a week.
- 61% of adults wish they read the Bible more—pretty consistent number since 2011.
file:///C:/Users/Bill%20Allen/Documents/1-West%20Erwin%20C%20of%20C%20Lessons--2017/Spiritual%20Armor%20for%20Spiritual%20Victory--Summer%202017%20AM%20and%20PM/The_Bible_in_America%20(1)--2017%20(1).pdf
Generations: Millennials were born between 1984 and 2002 (adults 18 and older only). Gen-Xers were born between 1965 and 1983. Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964. Elders were born prior to 1946. Teens were ages 13 to 17 in 2015, the year of the “State of the Bible: Teens” study.
“The big problem is not whether the Bible is true. The big problem is whether it is true in you.” (A. W. Tozer)
“A Roman soldier had to spend many hours to become familiar with his sword. When I served in the U.S Marine Corps, our weapons were frequently inspected. Woe to that man with a rusty rifle! Woe to that man who could not handle his weapon! We spent blistering days on the rifle range firing our weapons. Hours were spent in the classroom learning how to take care of the weapon. No one expected to snap off some spontaneous shot from the hip like a cinema cowboy.” (Bob Hendren, Chosen for Riches, 174)
B. The Sword of the Spirit—the Word of God—must be APPLIED to my LIFE.
Matt. 4:1-11; 7:21-27; John 13:13-17; James 1:22-25; 2:14-26; 1 John 3:16-18
Acts 17:11; Eph. 4:1-16 (v. 15); 1 Peter 3:15-16
“For the word to become truly effective we must apply it in real-life situations.” (Hendren, 174)
My desire and prayer is that we use this sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, humbly not arrogantly, and that we treat others with the love, consideration and respect that this Word of God says the Creator and Lord of the Universe has shown to each of us.
My desire and prayeris that we all greatly respect this sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. I pray that we study the Word of God, come to know the Word of God, live the Word of God, and share the Word of God.
Conclusion: I must take MY Sword of the Spirit—the Word of God—OUT of its sheath.
“A soldier must not expect his fellow warriors to do his sword work for him. We need to depend on our brothers and sisters in the Lord for help, but not as spiritual parasites. We must use our sword ourselves. Some of us have lived off the fat of other people’s studies too long. We cannot coast on other people’s power. Paul expects every believer to pick up his sword and do his part in the struggle.” (Hendren, 174)
And so for each of us the question today is, “Where’s my sword?”
The blessing is that this sword of the Spirit, this Word of God, these ancient words—they are ever new, and they are changing me, and changing you, into what God wants us to be. This sword of the Spirit, this Word of God, these ancient words will certainly guide us home to be with our heavenly Father forever.
And as the body of Christ, through this Sword of the Spirit, we share “a common love for each other,” and “a common joy in the truth of God’s Word.”
“Where’s Your Sword?”
Introduction: The Sword of the Spirit is God’s ______in our hands. But for many of us, our sword is kept safely in its ______. (Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12-13)
A. The Sword of the Spirit—the Word of God—is our ______inspired authority.
2 Tim. 3:14-17; 4:1-4; 2 Peter 1:16-21
John 1:1-18; 8:31-32; 17:13-19; 18:36-38; Rom. 10:17; Heb. 5:11-6:3; 2 Peter 3:17-18
Psalms 19; 119; Deut. 13; Gal. 1:8-9;Rev. 22:18-19
B. The Sword of the Spirit—the Word of God—must be ______to my ______.
Matt. 4:1-11; 7:21-27; John 13:13-17; James 1:22-25; 2:14-26; 1 John 3:16-18
Acts 17:11; Eph. 4:1-16; 1 Peter 3:15-16
Conclusion: I must take ______Sword of the Spirit—the Word of God—______of its sheath.