Sabbath School lesson is one of the worldwide lessons studied by members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and we are in the third quarter of 2023. The adult Bible study lesson for this quarter was written by John K. McVay. We are currently studying the book of Ephesians, and the Sabbath School lesson for this week is titled “The Call to Stand” September 9-15. Join Pastor Mark Finely as he gives a short preview of this week’s lesson.

<p>Sabbath School lesson is one of the worldwide lessons studied by members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and we are in the third quarter of 2023. The adult Bible study lesson for this quarter was written by John K. McVay. We are currently studying the book of Ephesians, and the Sabbath School lesson for this week is titled “The Call to Stand” September 9-15. Join Pastor Mark Finely as he gives a short preview of this week’s lesson.</p>

<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

HopeLives365

3rd Quarter Sabbath School 2023: Ephesians

Mark Finley

01 Paul and the Ephesians

02 God’s Grand, Christ-Centered Plan

03 The Power of the Exalted Jesus

04 How God Rescues Us

05 Horizontal Atonement: The Cross and the Church

06 The Mystery of the Gospel

07 The Unified Body of Christ

08 Christ-Shaped Lives and Spirit-Inspired Speech

09 Living Wisely

10 Husbands and Wives: Together at the Cross

11 Practicing Supreme Loyalty to Christ

12 “The Call to Stand”

13 Waging Peace

14 Ephesians in the Heart


If there ever was a time that we needed the lessons taught in this week's Sabbath School lesson, it's now. The title of the lesson is called A Call to Stand. With moral compromise all around us, with ethical lapses taking place from the highest forms of government to the society in general. When we see the blatant immorality in our society. School shootings, store break-ins, when we see thievery and robbery all around us, we see children rebelling against their parents.

When we see the lack of moral values in a society that is drifted from God in many ways, the clarion call to stand comes echoing down the centuries to you and to me today. The memory verse, Ephesians 6, verse 10 and 11 says, "'Finally be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might, put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.'" The lesson opens this week with that wonderful story. You know, it's 1 of my favorite in all the Bible. It talks about this bleary-eyed servant of Elisha that leaves his lodging place and he goes out and he sees armies, chariots, troops surrounding them. And he comes in to Elisha and he says, Elisha, my master, what shall we do?

There are the armies. And Elisha prays that the servants eyes will be opened. And as they are, he sees angelic forces surrounding their tent, protecting them from the onslaught of the enemy. Now, what does that have to do with Ephesians, this story? It has this.

There was an unseen battle between good and evil going on in Elisha's day, it's going on in our day, and it went on in Paul's day. And in that unseen battle that's taking place beyond what our eyes can see or ears can hear in this cosmic conflict between good and evil, in this battle between principalities and powers and the rulers in dark places and heavenly beings. In this battle, Christ has been triumphant. He's triumphed over the principalities and powers of hell. And God calls us to stand with Christ in this final battle.

Now, there's a battle cry given in Ephesians 6, verse 10 to 20. And let's just kind of look at those verses just momentarily and hear this battle cry. Paul quotes from ancient battle cries from the Old Testament. We find them, for example, in Deuteronomy, Judges, Chronicles. But here Paul is using the language of these battle cries.

He says, finally, my brethren. He's coming to his conclusion. Conclusions in a book are often important. He says, finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God.

You know, in ancient times, they fought hand to hand with armor. And this is a powerful illustration. Be strong in the Lord and the power of his might. Now, Israel's success in battle was never determined by their strength, their power, their might. Israel's success in battle was always determined by the power of God working through them.

When Israel went out to battle in their own strength, they lost and were terribly defeated. So Paul is saying here, as we fight the battle In the principalities and powers of heaven, we have weapons, and the weapons for us are prayer, and Bible study, and faith, and trust in God. I like the way it's put at the last of Sunday's lesson. It says, Israel's success in battle does not depend on the superiority of its own weapons or an army that outnumbers its foes. Rather, victory results from depending on the presence and power of God.

The key to Israelite success was not confidence in themselves, but firm trust in God's power and his provision for their success. So Paul takes those themes to exhort believers to do 3 things. First, to be active in pursuing the church's mission by trusting in the power and might of God. Secondly, to be attentive to the unseen forces that are all around us, trying to entice us and allure us to evil. And thirdly, always be alert to the unity of Christ that enables us to be stronger as the people of God.

Now in Ephesians 6, verse 10 to 20, we see the reality of this great controversy. Daily we're battling against foes that are super union. You know that, you see it in your own life. There is that desire for righteousness, but there's that pull to evil. We see it in the temptations that come to us.

We desire to serve God, but yet there are powerful temptations given to us by the enemy that pull us in an opposite direction. At times we seem in the power of his might to be climbing Jacob's ladder toward heaven, But there are other times that we seem to be slipping off that ladder and falling back. Why? Because there is a cosmic conflict in the universe. There's a struggle between good and evil.

In the second paragraph down, right under the question that's asked, it says, Paul uses repetition in Ephesians 6.10, employing the synonyms power and might to underline his point. The power to be exhibited by the church is not inherent in believers, but is derived. In other words, it comes from God, comes from the Lord, from Christ. Paul summarizes here the important theme of the letter. God's power is shared with believers.

So the thing that is emphasized in this lesson is the power of the living God. Now you find this throughout scripture and throughout the writings of Paul. Let's look at some of the places we find it. First, Romans chapter 13, And listen to the admonition of Paul. Paul is pointing out that there's a battle between good and evil, a battle between Christ and Satan.

And here in Romans, the 13th chapter, we find that struggle taking place. We find that battle occurring. We're gonna look here at Romans chapter 13, if you have your Bible, verses 11 to 14. "'And do this, knowing the time that now is high time to wake out of sleep.'" What time is it? "'High time to wake out of sleep, For now our salvation is nearer than when we believed.

The night is at hand. Therefore, let us cast off--" notice, the works of darkness, let us put on the armor of light. So he says, cast off the works of darkness. There's this battle between light and darkness, between Christ and Satan. Paul says, put off in the strength of God those works of darkness.

You come to 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and verses 6 to 8. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verses 6 through 8. And again, we have this appeal, therefore let us not sleep as others, let us watch and be sober. Those that sleep, sleep at night, those that get drunk, get drunk at night, but let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith, the helmet of hope of salvation, for God didn't appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ." Again, there is a warfare, there is a battle, just like 2 armies approached 1 another in hand-to-hand combat in ancient times. You needed to have a helmet, you needed to have a breastplate.

So Paul says, put on The helmet of the hope of salvation, put on the breastplate of faith and love. Notice you got faith, love, and hope. These are strong, powerful weapons against the enemy. What weapon do we have against the enemy, Satan? We have the weapon of faith.

We believe that God's power is stronger than the enemy. We believe that God's power is sufficient to deliver us. We believe that there's no temptation taken on such as common to man, but God is faithful, who won't allow you to be tempted above what you're able. 1 Corinthians 10 verse 13. We believe what Paul says in Philippians 4 verse 13.

I can do all things through who? Through Christ who does what? Strengthens me. So we have faith and hope. Hope that there is a better day coming, hope that lifts us beyond what is to what will be, hope that grasps the inheritance that there is in Christ, and love, faith, hope, and love.

Right here in the passage itself where it says, let us, whoever of the day be sober, that is be thoughtful, be alert, be wide awake, put on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of hope, faith, hope and love. Love fills our hearts. Love brings us in unity with others, but the love of God is the strongest motivation possible to live a godly and obedient life. And then Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10, verses 3 through 6, 2 Corinthians 10, verses 3 through 6, 10, verses 3 through 6, 2 Corinthians, chapter 10, verses 3 through 6. And The Apostle Paul there puts it this way, for though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.

In other words, I'm a human being living in a fleshly body, but I don't war according to my own strength. What does he say? Verse 4, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty. The weapons of our warfare are what? Not carnal, they're not the earthly weapons, but they're mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge, bringing every thought into obedience, into captivity, to the obedience of Christ.

So here Paul says the weapons of your warfare are not carnal. What are those weapons? They are prayer, seeking God in prayer, finding strength. They are the Word of God absorbing it into our minds, allowing it to shape our conscience. They are, what are these weapons?

Prayer and the Word of God and Faith, reaching out to trust God. And that's the great appeal that is given here. And again, there's a wonderful statement from a book by Peter Mackey that the author of our Sabbath lesson quotes, called St. Paul's cosmic war myth a military version of the gospel. And it says, gathering up Paul's uses of military symbolism, we see that he understands the conflict between good and evil, a long running cosmic war battles, ebb and flow between 2 armies which face each other down through the ages until 1 wins the final confrontation.

So the battle, the angels of hell are fighting against the angels of heaven. There's this great battle. And that's what Paul has this allusion to. He sees the Greek armies and in his imagination fighting their battles and he sees these armies clashing and clashing, but he sees 1 victorious. And then he translates that into the battle between good and evil, between Christ and Satan.

And he sees Jesus as victorious over the principalities and powers of hell. Did you notice the emphasis on the word stand? You find that, and let's go back to Ephesians chapter 6 in your Bibles. Ephesians chapter 6, and you're going to notice the emphasis on the word stand in 6 verse 10, Ephesians 6 verse 10. It says, be strong in the Lord in the power of his might, put on the whole armor of God that you may able to do what?

Stand, stand against the wiles of the devil. Then you go down to chapter 6 and verse 13. Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to what? Withstand in the evil day, having done all to, what's the next word? Stand.

Verse 14, stand therefore having gird your weight with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, to stand. Now, battles in the ancient world could only be won if an army stood firm with its spears, shields, and swords, helmets and armor, against another army. So if that other army is attacking you and they're pushing you back, pushing you back, pushing you back, you're not going to stand, you're going to fall. Also if you're jabbed with a spear in your stomach or that spear gets through your armor and pierces it, you're going to fall, you're not going to stand. So Paul uses this illustration of standing, not yielding to temptation.

Standing, not yielding to the devil's attacks. Standing, not falling when the devil oppresses you, standing in the power of Jesus Christ and his might. You remember that old song, Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus? The soldiers of the cross hold high his royal banner. It has never suffered loss.

Paul invites us to stand. And then you come to the end of the lesson, wrestling against evil powers. And you can look at the fact that these spiritual powers are depicted in Ephesians 1, Ephesians 3 and Ephesians 6. In Ephesians 1, The Bible talks about Christ, the divine Redeemer, who enables us to stand against every ruler and every rule, against every authority, against every power, against every dominion, against every name named on earth. Christ enables us to stand in Ephesians 1.

You go to Ephesians 3 verse 10, Christ enables us to understand against the rulers and the authorities of this world. You go to Ephesians 6 verse 12, Christ enables us to understand against rulers, authorities, cosmic powers over the present darkness, the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places. I mean, that's a mouthful, isn't it? Let's look at Ephesians 6, verse 12. Ephesians 6, you're looking here at the 12th verse.

It says, for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against what principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this age, against the hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, because the battle is fierce and wages, take up the whole armor of God." We're gonna study more about this in next week's lesson. But this week, keep this divine truth in mind. Jesus has never lost a battle with Satan yet. You look at the war in heaven, you remember Revelation chapter 12, verse 7 to 9, and there was war in heaven.

And Satan and his evil angels fought against the dragon, Satan and his evil angels fought against Michael Christ and his angels, but they did not prevail. And Satan was cast out of heaven. Jesus has never lost a battle with Satan yet. When Jesus battled against Satan on earth, every demon Jesus ever confronted, he cast out. Every disease Jesus ever confronted, when men and women came to him by faith, they were delivered.

And every time Jesus confronted death, he was victorious. Jesus has not lost a battle with Satan yet. And although we battle against flesh and blood, against principalities and powers, when we say we battle against flesh and blood, that's evil influences in this life. But then the Ephesians says, we battle not against flesh and blood. What's it talking about there?

It's talking about the fact that we're battling against principalities and powers. We're battling against supernatural forces. There is no way that we can come overcome those in our own strength. No way possible. But in the might and strength of Jesus, the 1 who's never lost a battle with Satan, we can be victorious over the sins of the flesh, over the weakness of our human nature, over the temptations that come to us.

Trust Jesus. Cling to Jesus. Put on the helmet of salvation. Let The hope that you have as a child of God be your blessed breastplate of righteousness. Let the word of God be your sword of the spirit.

Let the truth of God be your gurtle around you. And in faith, hope, love through the word of God and the truth of God, you too will triumph over the principalities and powers of hell. Let this lesson this week on standing in the Lord, encourage your heart, inspire your spirit. Let's pray. Father in heaven, we thank you with all of our hearts that the armor of God is sufficient to enable us to defeat the principalities and powers of hell.

We thank you with all of our hearts that Jesus is on the throne. And we thank you that he's never lost a battle with Satan. By his strength and through his power, neither will we. We trust you and love you and have faith to believe that you are our victorious Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Series

3rd Quarter Sabbath School 2023: Ephesians

12 “The Call to Stand”

Description

Parent Series

Sponsor

Recorded

Other Teachings in Series

01 Paul and the Ephesians

18m

02 God’s Grand, Christ-Centered Plan

21m

03 The Power of the Exalted Jesus

18m

04 How God Rescues Us

17m

05 Horizontal Atonement: The Cross and the Church

20m

06 The Mystery of the Gospel

19m

07 The Unified Body of Christ

21m

08 Christ-Shaped Lives and Spirit-Inspired Speech

20m

09 Living Wisely

20m

10 Husbands and Wives: Together at the Cross

18m

11 Practicing Supreme Loyalty to Christ

21m

12 “The Call to Stand”

19m

13 Waging Peace

17m

14 Ephesians in the Heart

22m

Sound Doctrine