The Ephesians Series Week #49 The Sword of the Spirit Ephesians 6:17b I. Introduction and review A. The fire arms have played an important role in the history of our country 1. It was of course a firearm that discharged the shot that was heard around the world 2. There has been for a long time, a debate over the owner of the moniker: The Gun that Won the West 3. There are some historians and weapons enthusiasts who claim that the Colt Single Action Revolver, known as the Peacemaker was the gun that won the West a. You see this hand gun in almost any western you watch b. Although it played an important part in American history, it not really the gun that won the West 4. That title goes to the Winchester repeating rifle, the Winchester 1873 a. Much of the fighting in the west was against Indians (1) They fought much of the time with a bow (2) They could shoot a great number of arrows by the time a Page 1 of 10
settler could fire his muzzle loader and then reload for a second shot (3) the same was true with the single shot Springfield rifles (4) They also were quite adept at firing their bows from a moving horse and reloading while still on horse back b. If you were fighting against an enemy using a single shot weapon, imagine the advantage you would have with an 7 to 10 shot rifle 5. This Winchester Rifle was the gun that won the West a. The worst defeat American military had in the Indian wars probably at Little Big Horn b. Custer s men were using Springfield Model 1873 single shot rifles c. There has been evidence discovered that a number of the Seventh Calvary s foes that day [Cheyenne, Lakota and Arapaho] were using Winchester Repeating Rifles 6. In the same way that the repeating rifle changed history, there was another significant development much earlier B. For a long period of human history, the primary weapon of men going to war was not the firearm but the sword 1. Advances in sword technology a. There was a sword that literally conquered the world b. The Roman armies made the switch from the Thracian broadsword to the Iberian short sword in the third or early second century B.C. the Romans Page 2 of 10
(1) The legionnaires called it the Spanish sword (2) It s blade was approximately 60 cm (20 in) long (3) It was double edged and pointed (4) This style of sword continued to be standard issue to the Roman legionnaire until the second century A.D. c. This became the sword that conquered the world (1) Display an example of this weapon (2) Explain its attributes (3) When wielded with one hand, the warrior could use his other arm to carry a shield d. This sword was both an offensive and defensive weapon, it was used to attack the enemy and to parry or block the attacks of the enemy e. This sword was so revolutionary and awesome that Paul, together with other New Testament writers used it to describe God s Holy Scriptures II. Eph 6:17b the sword of the Spirit A. The Greek word for this kind of sword is ma,caira machaira {makh'-aheerah} Meaning: 1) a large knife, used for killing animals and cutting up flesh 2) a small sword, as distinguished from a large sword 2a) curved sword, for a cutting stroke 2b) a straight sword, for thrusting 1. This word is a sword but one that is closer in appearance to a large dagger Page 3 of 10
than to the broad sword; 2. This sword is the sword of the Spirit a. The phrase of the Spirit is genitive of origin b. Initially that means that the Holy Spirit was the one who created the sword, that is that He is the master arms maker (1) See II Pet 1:21 (2) II Tim 3:16 c. But secondly that means that this sword is energized by the Holy Spirit, not just by the swordsman himself d. Thirdly, we should know that the Spirit trains us in its use, and e. Finally that He empowers us when we use this sword B. A good lesson can be learned to look everything up 1. pneu/ma pneuma {pnyoo'-mah} Meaning: 1) a movement of air (a gentle blast 1a) of the wind, hence the wind itself 1b) breath of nostrils or mouth 2) the spirit, i.e. the vital principal by which the body is animated 3) a spirit, i.e. a simple essence, devoid of all or at least all grosser matter, and possessed of the power of knowing, desiring, deciding, and acting 4) of God 4a) God's power and agency distinguishable in thought from his essence in itself considered 2. lo,goj logos {log'-os} Meaning: 1) of speech 1a) a word, uttered by a living voice, embodies a conception or idea 3. qeo,j theos {theh'-os} Meaning: 1) a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities 2) the Godhead, trinity 2a) God the Father, the first Page 4 of 10
person in the trinity 2b) Christ, the second person of the trinity 2c) Holy Spirit, the third person in the trinity C. The word used in this passage for word is not λογος but r`h/ma rhema {hray'- mah} Meaning: 1) that which is or has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken, word 1. What s the difference 2. λογος means the word as in everything to be said on the subject a. For example this word refers to the collection of words embodying the whole of the Scriptures b. It is also used to describe Christ as the embodiment of the Scriptures in the first chapter of John 3. ῥ μα to the contrary refers to an individual group of words or saying a. Consider Rom 10:17 4. The concept is this: when in spiritual battle we don t use the entire Bible, but instead only the relevant parts of it 5. We should consider the Bible as an armory containing a number of rooms, each of which would contain a number of swords 6. That is why the sword is suspended from the belt of truth, the belt is fashioned out of the truth of God s Word while the sword is just a small part of it D. Consider this sword elsewhere in the Scriptures 1. See Hebrews 4:12 Page 5 of 10
a. Here the writer describes this sword as living, life-changing, and dynamic b. It will penetrate the core of our moral and spiritual lives c. It cuts with precision and with accuracy 2. Comparisons between a physical sword and a spiritual sword: a. The physical sword must be powered by the swordsman, while the spiritual sword has its own separate vitality b. The physical sword cuts the body while the spiritual sword cuts the heart c. The physical sword cuts to maim or injure, while the spiritual sword can cut to injure or to heal d. The physical sword dulls as it is used, while the spiritual sword sharpens with use e. The physical sword cuts indiscriminately while the spiritual sword only cuts when it should 3. Examples of its use: a. Acts 2:37 [here the sword cuts to heal and save] b. Acts 5:32-33 [here the sword causes anger and wrong actions] III. Lets consider now the Master Swordsman [Matt 4] A. See first in Matt. 3:16-17 B. Jesus went to battle in this chapter C. Satan tempted Him in the same old way 1. The lust of the flesh; Page 6 of 10
2. The lust of the eyes; and 3. The pride of life D. First he sought to get our Lord to make bread out of stones [4:1-4] 1. Where s the temptation, Jesus was hungry, he d been fasting for 40 days, and was hungry, so what s the sin with making some bread 2. If he uses His divine powers to satisfy His own human needs, then He wouldn t be like us 3. If He used God s power to satisfy His own desires, He would be operating under a different set of rules than you or I. 4. He had to rely on God just like we do E. Jesus draws His sword 1. It is written a. The unsheathing of the sword b. Authority c. Finality 2. God is in control a. He determines who lives or dies, and He doesn t need bread to sustain me F. Second, Satan took Jesus to the top of the pinnacle of the temple [4:5-7] 1. That was about 450 feet from the floor below a. Equivalent to a 45 story building b. Josephus writes that those standing up there looking down would get dizzy from the extreme of the height alone Page 7 of 10
2. Rabbinic tradition was that the Messiah would land on or stand on the pinnacle of the temple a. Satan now urged Jesus to use God s power to prove who He really was, that is the Messiah, and thereby further God s agenda b. Not long after that time a man named Simon Magnus claimed to be the Messiah (1) He promised to prove his claim by jumping off the pinnacle of the temple (2) He looked good going down, but the landing proved a little too tricky for him c. Satan wanted Jesus to be presumptive with God, requiring Him to do what Jesus wanted, when He wanted it, not when God had planned it or how He had planned it. d. Do we ever presume upon God? [God I need this and I need it in ten days] G. Notice the swords being drawn this time 1. Satan draws this time, then Jesus 2. Consider how Satan quotes the Scripture 3. Satan can never stand in the face of Scripture being used by the Holy Spirit H. The third temptation was to offer Jesus the kingdoms of the world without the difficulty He was facing [4:8-11] 1. No spiritual battle, no crucifixion, no torture, no agony, it would be easy, Page 8 of 10
just bow down to the Devil 2. If Satan couldn t have made good on his offer it wouldn t have been a temptation I. Jesus draws a final time and Satan is finished 1. Satan was forced to leave the field IV. What does this sword fight between Jesus and Satan tell us A. Satan won t necessarily attack you when you have your Bible in hand or a concordance handy B. We must start searching the armory and finding where all the swords are 1. Some of you may have started reading the Bible systematically, but lost it around Leviticus or Deuteronomy 2. Go back and start again, asking the Lord for help in arming you 3. Jesus took all three of His swords from the book of Deuteronomy C. As I was growing up I had my favorite swordsmen: 1. Cireno de Bersurach a. The three musketeers b. but my personal favorite growing up, Zorro c. Even in the future Luke Skywalker carries a light saber 2. Zorro would always win by somehow loosening his opponents grip on his sword and causing him to lose his sword 3. The key to any sword fight is to keep a firm grip on your sword 4. How do we get a grip on our sword so that we won t lose it 5. Our grip: Page 9 of 10
a. Pinky finger: hear the Bible read and taught b. Ring finger: read the Bible for yourself c. Middle finger: study the Bible on your own and then with others d. Index : memorize the Bible and consistently review e. Thumb: meditate on key passages of the Bible regularly Page 10 of 10