"STAND FIRM!"

Pastor David Layman

August 27, 2000

John 6:66-71 Ephesians 6:10-17

Father Todd Riebe of the Richmond Catholic Community strikes me as a fine servant of Christ. I once heard Father Todd talk at a Kiwanis Club meeting. Once a year Kiwanis members invite their pastors for a free lunch, and a lot of pastors show up! Father Todd spoke about how his entering class of those preparing for the priesthood declined in numbers from year to year. A good friend of Todds was a great athlete, popular with kids, having a tremendous future before him as a priest. But one day he told Todd that he had decided to leave seminary, and follow Gods call elsewhere. Todd was stunned and troubled by his friends decision. He went into the chapel to pray. As Todd put it, he didnt often play "Biblical roulette", where he would just open a Bible at random and read the verse his eyes fell upon, but this day he did. Todds eyes fell upon our passage from John 6, where many of the early followers of Jesus are turning away. Jesus asked his closest followers, the 12, "DO YOU ALSO WISH TO GO AWAY?" Those words hit Todd Riebe with great force, as if Jesus himself was addressing him personally: "DO YOU ALSO WISH TO GO AWAY?"

One thing that strikes me about this verse is that it reveals that Jesus, while also the Son of God, was vulnerable to being hurt and disappointed by our response. I can hear the pain in Jesus voice as he asked the 12 this question. In fact, it was Jesus sharing that he must give his life, his body and blood, that led some fair weather followers to begin to depart. When Jesus started to talk about sacrifice and commitment, the number of his followers dwindled. As long as he was working miracles, and putting on a good show, the numbers were up.

Lots of people have proven they can "stand" prosperity. When life is going well, when the ball bounces our way, when family members are healthy, we can be faithful to God, and pleasant to be around. How do we respond when hardship and trials come our way?

The miracles Jesus performed drew large crowds early in his ministry. But then he began totalk of sacrifice, and giving his life for the world. The shadow of the cross was cast upon his ministry. And not only did the crowds diminish. One of the 12 closest disciples to Jesus, Judas, was losing enthusiasm for Christs cause. Judas was not always a snake in the grass. Judas was a man Jesus liked, trusted, called and placed great responsibility in.

The New Testament tells us that in different ways, the Christian life can be a real battle! As

Paul was concluding his letter to the Ephesians, he wrote "FINALLY, BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND IN THE STRENGTH OF HIS POWER. PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, SO THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF THE DEVIL....THEREFORE TAKE UP THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, SO THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND ON THAT EVIL DAY, AND HAVING DONE EVERYTHING, TO STAND FIRM." Paul went on to describe how Christian believers were to arm themselves like Roman soldiers, equipped with Christian truth, a bullet proof vest of righteousness, the shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God!

Frank, a friend of mine who is a pastor in northern Indiana, told of an experience he had earlier in his ministry. It was a Monday morning. School was in session, but as he entered the sanctuary, he saw a high school girl, and member of his church, not in school. Instead, she was kneeling in front of the communion table, sobbing and praying. He started to leave, thinking she desired privacy, but she wanted to talk. She told Frank of a party she had been at that weekend, at the home of a classmate whose parents were not there. There was a lot of drinking. Then, couples began to pair off and go to separate rooms of the

the house. This girl said to Frank "I'm the only one who didn't do this. Today in school, all these same kids are making fun of me. I couldn't take it so I left school and came here." This high school girl faced one of the most difficult assaults any of us can face: ridicule and abuse by our peers, if we dont go along.

Adults can face adversity and trials as well.. .often in the workplace. How many employees face the pressure, at one time or another, to cut corners to keep up with the competition, to go along to get along? Maybe life is going pretty well for us now. Are we seeking to strengthen our faith and prepare ourselves for possible future challenges, so that we wont get caught flat footed? Ive heard many say "I dont know that much about the Bible." What are we doing to learn more? What are we doing to strengthen our spiritual lives? Sooner or later, challenges will come our way in life. We or those we love will face health problems, ethical challenges, hard times. Are we wearing the helmet of Salvation that Paul speaks of? Is Gods word with us and in us as a sword to protect us? Do we wear a breastplate of righteousness, or are we going to wait until the arrows and bullets begin to fly before we start to equip ourselves?

Paul wrote that we arent struggling against flesh and blood, but against the 'THE COSMIC POWERS OF THIS PRESENT DARKNESS, AGAINST THE SPIRITUAL FORCES OF EVIL." Have we learned this lesson? That there arent just a few evil people out there, and if we eliminate them, well be ok! There are more people in American jail and prison cells than ever before, and do we feel safe? Havent we learned that its not just a few "bad guys" we need to be concerned about--its the "sin that clings so closely" even to the best of us, that is our greatest threat! The president of the United States, your pastors, even Billy Graham -- every one is vulnerable to temptation.

It all sounds pretty scary, doesnt it? Were not just up against a few bad people. In fact, no individual person or group of people are our true enemies. The world isnt going to become a wonderful place if we just get rid of all the communists, or if our political party wins the next election, or if Indiana could just beat Purdue in football and in basketball in the same year! Not that some of these things wouldnt be an improvement on the present human condition.... But the truth of the matter is that our greatest challenge is not another individual person. Its the forces of evil in our world, which can take many forms. But we have GOOD NEWS to share today. The power of Christ is greater than the powers of darkness that threaten us and all things good! Life isnt easy, but it can end in victory! Our side may appear to be losing today, but the battle is not over! When we put on the WHOLE armor of God, even though we may be the last one standing to fight while all others have fled, by Gods grace and power, we SHALL carry the day! If we strive for righteousness, if we stick with the truth of Christ, if the Word of God is our sword, our faith our shield, if, as Paul puts it in I Thessalonians 5:8, if we put on the helmet of the HOPE OF SALVATION, we shalt not be disappointed!

Being a pastor, I spend a lot of time with people that are disappointed. For some strange reason my phone doesnt ring off the hook with people that are outrageously happy, and want to tell me about it. But this is ok. Its good that people facing disappointment know they can turn in Gods direction! Because when we hope in God, and truly make a stand with God, instead of cutting and running when life becomes tough, we shall find victory in the end. Paul wrote, "HAVING DONE EVERYTHING...STAND FIRM".

It has been said that the true test of an army is how it fights when it is tired. That could be said of a ball team as well. How does this team play when its tired? When the ball bounces the wrong way? When an official makes a bad call? When the other team gets a the breaks in the early going? How do we respond when life begins to go against us?

The generation that fought and won World War II offers us many examples of what it means to "stand firm" in difficult and trying times. Teri Smith shared with me newspaper clippings a few years back about her father, Mal Prices brother, in World War II. Jesse Price and his battalion were battle fatigued from nearly a month of continuous fighting in the Philippines, when it received orders to advance through the mountains and throw a road block against enemy troops. The battalion had to fight through the mountains for 4 days to reach the road they were to block. They went periods of time without food, sometimes only having the rice packs they got from deceased enemy soldiers. They had to fight for food dropped by supply planes, fight for water from a mountain stream. Medicine and ammunition ran low. For four days, the American troops held the road block against enemy tanks, trucks, artillery, and determined charges. They didnt run when the enemy attacked. They didnt give up when tired, thirsty or hungry. They stood firm.

Jesus didnt run when they came and arrested him in Gethsemane. Jesus took his firm stand on the cross. He didnt come down when they mocked and tempted him. He didnt dodge Jerusalem when it would have been far safer to take a vacation. One of the 12 disciples, Judas, did disappoint and betray him. The other 11 ran, but following Christs death and resurrection, gave a better accounting of themselves. 10 were themselves martyred; the 11th, John, imprisoned but died faithful at an old age. Those with the name "Christian" written on their hearts dont cut and run when life becomes difficult.

The best test of an army, a team, or any believer, is how they perform when the chips are down, when theyre tired, when the battle is going against them. Jesus asked his disciples, "DO YOU ALSO WISH TO GO AWAY?". That is a question each one of us will face in a difficult time of testing. Will we be ready to follow Pauls admonition: "HAVING DONE EVERYTHING ... STAND FIRM!"?

David Layman

First Presbyterian Church

Richmond, Indiana