Series: The Fight of Your Life - A Study of Ephesians
Sermon Recap
Ephesians 6:14 and Zechariah 3:1–4 reveal
that Satan accuses believers based on their sin and failures, but Jesus stands
as our advocate and clothes us in His righteousness. On our own, we stand
guilty and are unable to defend ourselves. But through the gospel, Christ
removes our filthy garments and gives us His perfect righteousness instead. The
breastplate of righteousness enables believers to stand firm with confidence,
knowing they are accepted before God because of Jesus, not by their own merit.
Ephesians 6:14
The Whole Armor of God
“Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt
of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,”
Zechariah 3:1-4
A Vision of Joshua the High Priest
“Then he showed me Joshua the high priest
standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to
accuse him. And the LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, O Satan! The LORD
who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the
fire?” Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments.
And the angel said to those who were standing
before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold,
I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure
vestments.”
The
Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001
by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Ephesians
6:14 and Zechariah 3:1-4.
Closing Thoughts
Spiritual warfare often targets identity,
seeking to convince believers they are disqualified, condemned, or beyond
grace. As a group, we should remind one another of the gospel, speak truth over
one another, and point each other back to Jesus, our advocate. When believers
live in the confidence of Christ’s righteousness, they become people marked by
freedom, humility, assurance, and worship rather than fear and insecurity.
END
Teacher Notes:
On July 4th across America, there will be
parades, fireworks, concerts, and family gatherings as we celebrate the
freedoms we enjoy as Americans.
July 4th across America, is also a reminder
that freedom has never been free.
For 250 years, countless men and women have
sacrificed — and many have given their lives — to preserve the liberties we
enjoy today.
Their courage and sacrifice deserve our
gratitude and our remembrance.
Click Play to Watch
What moves you the most about this movie
scene?
Why do you think Ryan needed someone else to
tell him he was a good man after all those years?
Because deep down, none of us can fully
justify ourselves.
For decades, he had tried to live a life
worthy of Captain Miller's sacrifice. He had built a family, worked hard, and
apparently lived honorably. Yet standing at that grave, all his accomplishments
could not answer the question that haunted him: "Was it enough?"
He turns to his wife and asks: "Tell me
I've led a good life. Tell me I'm a good man." Why? Because we all long
for a verdict from outside ourselves.
We Were Created to Seek Approval
From childhood, we seek affirmation from
parents, teachers, spouses, and friends. Ultimately, every human being longs to
hear: "You are accepted." Ryan's question reveals that after all
those years, he still wasn't sure.
Our Own Verdict Is Never Enough
Even when we tell ourselves we're doing well,
there is often a lingering uncertainty. Have I done enough? Have I mattered? Have
I lived well? Have I measured up? That uncertainty is one reason people work so
hard, strive for success, seek recognition, and fear failure. The human heart
craves justification.
This Is Why the Gospel Is Such Good News
The gospel tells us that the verdict
believers need has already been given. Romans 8:33 says: "Who will bring
any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies."
In other words: The highest court has already
spoken. The Judge has rendered His verdict. And because of Christ, that verdict
is: "Righteous."
Ryan's Question Is Really Everyone's Question
At the end of life, most people are not
asking: "Was I successful enough?" They're asking: "Was my life
enough?" The world offers no certain answer. The gospel does. Not because
we've earned it, but because Christ has.
Private Ryan spent his life wondering if he
had lived a life worthy of the sacrifice that was made for him?
If we're honest, when we think about standing
before God at the end of our lives, many of us instinctively will ask a similar
question:
Have I done enough?
Zechariah 3:1-4
Then He showed me Joshua the high priest
standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to
accuse him. The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who
has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from
the fire?” Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the
angel. The angel said to those who were standing before Him, “Take off his
filthy clothes.” Then He said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and
I will put fine garments on you.”
Why do you think guilt and shame can have
such a powerful effect on people spiritually?
It's Helpful to Distinguish Between
Guilt and Shame
Guilt says: "I did something
wrong."
Shame says: "There is something wrong
with me."
Guilt focuses on an action. Shame focuses on
identity.
The gospel addresses both, but shame is often the deeper wound.
Guilt and Shame Make Us Want to Hide
The first response to sin in Scripture was
not anger or blame — it was hiding. After Adam and Eve sinned, they hid from
God. Many people still do the same thing. When guilt and shame overwhelm us, we
often: Avoid prayer, church, Christian friends, and honest conversations with
God. The very place where healing is found becomes the place we avoid.
They Attack Our Identity
One reason shame is so powerful is that it
changes the conversation.
Instead of: "I failed." It becomes:
"I am a failure."
Instead of: "I sinned." It becomes:
"God could never love someone like me."
That's exactly where Satan wants the battle
to move. Because if he can distort your identity, he can weaken your confidence
in God.
What is the difference between conviction
from God and condemnation from Satan?
Many Christians confuse the two. Both
conviction and condemnation can make us feel sorrow over sin, but they have
completely different purposes and outcomes.
Conviction Points to a Sin; Condemnation Attacks the Sinner
The Holy Spirit says: "That action was
wrong."
Satan says: "You are wrong."
Conviction focuses on behavior that needs to
change.
Condemnation focuses on identity and worth.
Conviction Draws Us Toward God; Condemnation Drives
Us Away
When the Holy Spirit convicts us, He is
inviting us back into fellowship with God. The message is: "Come to the
Father." Satan's message is: "Hide from the Father." Think about
Adam and Eve after they sinned. They hid. That has been Satan's strategy ever
since.
Conviction Comes with Hope; Condemnation Comes with Hopelessness
The Holy Spirit always points to a solution. Confess.
Repent. Receive forgiveness. Walk in obedience.
Satan offers no solution. His goal is simply
to keep us trapped in shame.
Conviction says: "You need Jesus."
Condemnation says: "Even Jesus can't
help you."
Conviction Is Temporary; Condemnation Is Relentless
The Holy Spirit puts His finger on a specific
issue and deals with it. Once confessed, the matter is settled.
Satan keeps bringing it up. Even years later.
Many believers have experienced this. A
forgiven sin from twenty years ago suddenly resurfaces in their mind,
accompanied by feelings of shame and defeat.
That's not how God operates.
God forgives and restores. The accuser
rehearses and revisits.
Conviction Produces Repentance; Condemnation Produces Shame
Repentance says: "I did wrong." Shame
says: "I am wrong."
Repentance leads to freedom. Shame leads to
hiding.
Peter and Judas are powerful examples.
Both sinned. Peter ran back to Jesus and was
restored. Judas isolated himself and was destroyed by despair. The difference
wasn't the size of the sin; it was where their sorrow led them.
What does it mean that Jesus gives us His
righteousness?
When we say, "Jesus gives us His
righteousness," we mean that God credits Christ's perfect record to our
account. It's often called "the great exchange."
The Great Exchange
Jesus took what belonged to us: Our sin, Our
guilt, Our condemnation. And He gives us what belongs to Him: His righteousness,
His acceptance before the Father, His perfect standing before God.
Imagine owing millions of dollars in debt.
Forgiveness would be someone paying off the
debt.
That would be wonderful. But righteousness
goes further.
Imagine the person who paid your debt then
deposits millions into your account and makes you a full heir to their estate.
That's closer to what God has done.
Many Christians think salvation means: "God
erased my failures."
The gospel says: "God erased your
failures and credited Christ's perfection to your account."
Think About How God Sees You
This is where many believers struggle. When
God looks at you, He does not merely see a sinner who barely made it into
heaven. He sees someone clothed in the righteousness of His Son. That doesn't
mean you're sinless in daily practice. It means you’re standing before God is
based on Christ's perfection, not your performance.
Ephesians 6:14
Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
Why is assurance of salvation important in
spiritual warfare?
Assurance of salvation is not just a comfort
for believers — it is a weapon in spiritual warfare. If Satan can make a
believer doubt their standing with God, he can weaken their confidence, joy,
witness, and effectiveness. That's one reason the breastplate of righteousness
is so important.
Assurance Silences the Accuser
Satan is called "the accuser." His
goal is to convince believers that they don't belong to God, aren't forgiven,
or have somehow fallen beyond God's grace. Without assurance, every failure
becomes a crisis. With assurance, we can say: "Yes, I failed. But Christ
is my righteousness." Notice that Joshua's confidence in Zechariah 3 was
not in himself. His confidence came from what God had done for him.
Assurance Gives Us Confidence to Approach God
One of Satan's favorite strategies is to make
believers withdraw from God after they sin. He whispers: "You should be
ashamed." "God doesn't want to hear from you right now." But
assurance reminds us that because of Christ, we can come boldly to God's throne
of grace. A soldier separated from his commander is vulnerable. Likewise, a
believer who pulls away from God becomes spiritually exposed.
Assurance Produces Stability During Temptation
When people are unsure of who they are, they
are easier to deceive. When believers know: "I belong to Christ" it
becomes easier to resist temptations that contradict that identity. The enemy
often tempts us by getting us to forget who we are. The breastplate of
righteousness reminds us: "This is not who I am anymore."
Assurance Keeps Us Focused on Christ Instead of Ourselves
Without assurance, much of the Christian life becomes self-focused. We constantly ask: Am I doing enough? Am I sincere enough? Am I strong enough? Assurance shifts our focus from our performance to Christ's performance. Spiritual warfare is won by looking to Christ, not by obsessing over ourselves.
The difference between the movie scene and
the Bible scene is that Ryan spent his life wondering whether he had earned
that rescue.
Joshua never had to earn his rescue.
Neither do we.
Conclusion
Captain John Miller's last words to James
Ryan were:
"Earn this."
Jesus' last words from the cross were very
different:
"It is finished."
At the cross, Jesus did for us what we could
never
do for ourselves.
He paid the debt we could never pay. He lived
the perfect life we could never live. He gave us the righteousness we could
never earn.
We don't strive to become worthy of Christ's
sacrifice — that would be impossible.
We strive to honor the One who gave Himself
for us.
