The sermon series on hope continues as we move toward Thanksgiving and the beginning of the Advent season. Remember, hope is not the same as wishing – it is not about what we want to happen, it is about believing what God is doing and will do in, through, for, with, and to us, now and in the future.

Hope is that attitude of trust and confidence in God that says, all evidence to the contrary, our God reigns. Hope is an act of faith that says God loves us, watches over us, wants good things for us; will not spare us pain, but will not leave us to bear the pain alone. Hope believes that God will bring to us the peace that helps to heal our broken and bruised places. So, “it is always the case that the faithful live inescapably by hope” (New Interpreter’s Bible, volume IV, Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996, p.1170).

We need that sense of confidence because when we have hope, we are encouraged to go a little farther, work a little harder, pray a little more fervently, and laugh with unspeakable joy. The Ephesians were encouraged to maintain their hope as they were feeling their way as a new movement in the world, and at the same time, trying to maintain their faithfulness in Jesus Christ in the face of a hostile and sometimes evil world of Roman occupation. Paul wants them to be prepared to face and triumph over the world around them.

We don’t know conflict and hostility the way the Ephesians knew it. There are no tanks in our streets to create fear and maintain coerced order. There are no police officers or Federal agents listening to this service for evidence of anti-government speech, though there have been news reports in recent days of the IRS investigating churches for what is preached in their pulpits. No one is going to arrest us for worshiping here today. Still there is out there some blatantly hostile responses to the church of Jesus Christ. People hostile to the church will do their best to put all of the church into one exclusive, non-rational, politically conservative, or politically liberal, we all think the same way kind of box. They may think that when Pat Robertson disagrees with school board elections in Dover, Delaware, and declares that God will no longer hear the prayers of the people there, he is speaking for all Christians. He is not. People who believe that don’t know the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) like we know it. They don’t know Broad Street Christian Church where we really do value and celebrate our differences.

We do not know the hostility the Ephesians knew, but we do know it and if asked, I do not doubt we could produce a list of things that concern us and lead us to feel like our lives are not always our own, that they are too much controlled by forces that just might be evil. Too many families are fractured in all kinds of ways; every night when we watch news on television we see evidence of people abused in their homes, in their jobs, at school, in the street, wherever one human being feels free to violate another. Paul calls the evil forces that compel them principalities and powers. Whatever it is that causes one person to abuse another comes from someplace beyond what we know of humanity, and it will take something other worldly, even heavenly to bring about conversion and a restored sense of humanity.

The word to the Ephesians to them and to us in trying times is be strong. Have hope, trust that a loving God is here with us, and will be here with us. Because our trust is in Jesus Christ our hope, we can rely on God who has sent Jesus to us to be our strength and our hope.

How shall we stand in the power of God? We dress for sacred strength. Now most pastors who preach on this passage will call their sermons something like, “Dress for Success” or some such title. I did that myself a few years ago. But today these verses remind me of that question family and friends ask when they don’t like the clothes we have chosen for the day, but they are almost too polite to say so. They will not say, I do not like your outfit. Instead they will say, “is that what you’re wearing?”

What is it we are wearing? In the church, all of us bear the gospel in our lives. We are called to be and do the good news of Jesus Christ. I read the other day a quote by St. Francis of Assisi. He said that every Christian should “preach the gospel and if necessary, use words.” In other words, we are called to live our faith in a way that people will know by the way we carry ourselves that we are dressed in our spirits to stand on our hope and when we have done all we can, to stand some more.

The truth is our basic faith clothes are good. We are here at church, we pray for and love one another. We have had the nourishment of communion. Our spiritual clothes are OK, but we might need just a little more. There are some things we need to put on. The word from Ephesians is that we can dress ourselves to withstand the onslaughts to our faith, we might call that onslaught the devil; whatever you call it, dress well because you will need all of the protection you can you can get.

Wear spiritual clothes that speak to your hope and trust in God. Put on clothing that helps you protect yourself, and to project an image of confidence in God and in the power God has given you.

Let’s get dressed so we can go out and stand in the strength of God.

What shall we wear? Well that is up to you, while we may have some strong preferences about what people wear here on Sunday morning, I know that I do, we do not and will not have a dress code here. Clothes ought never be a barrier between someone and a community of faith. I believe we will know how to dress for particular situations. Firefighters and police officers know to dress to protect themselves against searing heat and life threatening bullets. Soldiers are outfitted with boots and pants, and back packs and weapons. Even judges and pastors dress in robes. We do not wear robes to protect ourselves, there is no danger here, but rather to project the idea that what we do is not about us, it is about the greater truth of justice and the gospel we are called to declare. And there are some things we need to put on as surely as we put on our clothes if our spirits are going to be dressed for hope. Dress like a Roman soldier.

But we are not Roman soldiers, we are the church of Jesus Christ. So what does all of this battle dress mean for us? The language is symbolic. “The items listed are taken from the model of the soldier at the place of duty and ready for battle. The belt is a sign of this preparedness, as the Romans spoke of a soldier on parade, with his belt fastened in the proper position.

“The breastplate is an image taken from the stories of the prophets, and it symbolizes a crusade against social evil and a call for redress. Feet need shoes for marching and for mission, as Paul has taught them. To cover all of his body, there was the “shield of faith”. The Roman shield was large and foursquare, designed to catch the barrage of ignited arrows hurled at it.

“Two other pieces of equipment make up the balance of the soldier’s dress. The helmet of salvation marks God’s mission to vindicate his people and to promote God’s “ cause on earth. The sword is wielded with cutting power when the “word of God” is uttered (Interpretation series. Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon. Ralph P. Martin. Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1991, p.76).

To keep hope alive in us, we are invited to dress ourselves with truth around our waists, wrapped around us, God’s truth at the center of us. We will not always agree with each other, but we can pledge to each other to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4.15). We can speak honestly out of our care for each other – in order to help us communicate better. And on the other hand, we can hold our piece if the only words we have to say are those that attack, manipulate, hurt, and humiliate – that is not a good look for Christians to wear.

We can put around our vital organs – our hearts and lungs, a sense of righteousness, right relationship so that we will be able to breathe deeply and be energized by our closeness to God.

We can move in ways that lead us to shalom – to well being, to peace. It does not matter if you preferred footwear is boots, sandals, spiked heels, sensible oxfords, or loafers – walk and move in peaceful ways. Carry yourself in a way worthy of the Prince of Peace.

We may not need a helmet, but we do need a hat. A hat can complete an outfit, it is a marvelous accessory that suggests a certain style and seriousness. Practically speaking hats protect our heads from sun and heat, cold and wind. Ephesians talked about a helmet of salvation. We can crown ourselves with thoughts and ideas that focus on Jesus Christ our savior and the source of our own spirits’ joy. When we focus on the One who lives for us, teaches us, helps us heal, helps us deal with the world around us, who feeds our hungry spirits, we can’t help but understand that God has prepared us to be God’s people in the world.

Even as we dress in ways that prepare us to live as faithful Christians, there will be some trials along the way. People might point and snicker and look at us sideways – “I can’t believe they are wearing those clothes. What’s up with this truth in love, this sense of right relationship with God and neighbor, this business of being peace makers? Don’t they know how old fashioned they are, those things that whole faith thing went out of style with ringer washing machines and 78 records?”

Don’t worry about it. Wear these faith clothes proudly. And know that there is something else we can put on. We can wrap ourselves in prayer as if it were a warm coat. We can talk to God and listen to God and we can feel the Spirit move through us like wind and breath, and as the Spirit of God moves in us we can pray for the church of Jesus Christ, and for the people important to us, and for the world.

Pray for the leaders here and know that we are praying for you. Dressed in the clothes of faith, pray for clarity of our mission, as we welcome all to our table. Pray that we will embrace and inhabit our vision, as we make this place a spiritual home; and pray that we will live up to and out of our core values as we come even more than we do already, to know God, build relationships, and do justice. Pray for growth and wholeness, for our life now and our lives in the months to come. Pray for boldness to share the good news in you wherever you are.

As we pray, people will see that we are wearing the clothes of faithfulness – they will see that we have cast into the old clothes pile all that is untrue, and out of right relationship. They will see that we have cast aside whatever is not committed to peace and wholeness, not faithful, and insecure about our faith in Jesus.

Let people talk, just hold up that shield of faith and deflect their words. Let those words bounce away harmlessly, you and I are called to praise and worship God and that is what we shall do. We will develop our own style, we will work and worship our own way, pray and praise God as we are led and if we are faithful and authentic people will look at us and says to us, “I love your style, I admire your spirit, where did you get those spiritual clothes?”

Then we can tell them about this place where we are as faithful as we can be and what God is doing in us here. And we can show them that the words of the Psalmist are true.

Those verses call on God to remember that God’s word, that word of support, of challenge, of peace, of joy, of encouragement, God’s word of love is the source of our hope. And we not only hope, but we find comfort as we stand on the promise of God to never leave us, or to separate us from God’s love. Let’s get dressed, and go out in the name of Jesus Christ.

Thanks be to God, and may Jesus Christ be praised. Amen.

Dr. LaTaunya M. Bynum
Senior Pastor