The Shield of Faith
Audio Recording
Sermon Outline
Speaker: Rev. Scott Strickman
Sermon Series: Joined Together, Growing Together
Ephesians 6:13-18, Hebrews 11:1-3, 6 (ESV)
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Sermon Outline
Faith in God protects us, minimizing damage when evil comes into our lives.
1. Understanding
v3 “by faith we understand…”
v1 “faith is… the conviction of things not seen”
v3 “the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible”
2. Reactivity
v6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
3. Protection
vv1-2 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for… For by it the people of old received their commendation.”
Prayer of Confession
Our Father, good, wise and merciful: we are assembled to seek you. We are drawing near despite our unworthiness. We have failed to trust you. We have trusted in things that have failed us. We have been vulnerable to evil and its influences. Instead of resisting temptation, we have cooperated with it. We have helped spread damage instead of containing it. In our weakness we have done what we ought not do. We are guilty of sin. Forgive us. We look to Jesus who is faithful and trustworthy. We confess faith in you, our rock and our shield. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
What are your top 2-3 core beliefs/convictions? What do you most deeply believe, and how does that shape how you understand and interpret life?
What makes belief in the God of the Bible hard for you? What influences have shaped you so that you are evaluating all things, even God, by them?
What attitudes, thoughts or behaviors come out when you are not feeling well, when you have failed, when others have harmed you, when too much is going on, etc.? What patterns do you notice in your reactivity?
How do difficulties make wise/ethical choices and actions harder? What will help you do the right thing when you don’t want to, or it feels too hard?
What practices help you seek God? What beliefs do you need to hold on to for the on-going seeking of God and deepening with God?
What does Jesus reveal about the Father that makes clear God is good and trustworthy? How does standing firmly on the conviction of God’s goodness offer protection?
How can hope in God’s good promises protect you from falling away in the present?
What steps would help you become more confident in God? How does God become your rock, shield, strength?