Jesus is the better shield

I’m not sure if it’s obvious to everyone in the church, but there are trends that go through preachers and preaching. With the internet, they go around the Western world quickly. The trends usually come with subcultures attached. One of these trends was the use of the phrase ‘Jesus is the better...’ in sermons. I believe it was Mark Driscoll who popularised it in the early 2000’s. Driscoll would have said: “Jesus is the better High Priest” or “Jesus is the better King” or “Jesus is the better saviour (thinking about David and Goliath)”. The subculture that attached was pastors who described themselves as ‘reformed-charismatic’ while discussing Calvinism over a whiskey and a cigar (Not Cuban cigars because Cuba was still closed to the USA at the time). That’s a big deal when you consider the subculture came out of a largely Baptist (conservative) environment. However, Charles Spurgeon, the Baptistic ‘Prince of Preachers’ enjoyed both a little drink and smoke. Nevertheless, recently I was thinking about the ‘shield of faith’, which Paul speaks about in Ephesians 6, and I was reminded of the ‘Jesus is the better...’ type of typology.

It was while Jibb lead us into communion, and I was sans the whiskey and cigar when the thought crossed my mind – ‘Jesus is the better shield of faith’. The Roman shield was made of two or three pieces of wood. It would be 4 feet high and 2 feet wide. It was covered with animal hide that was dipped in water during battle to extinguish flaming darts. Each of the Roman soldiers could cover themselves behind their shield, and collectively they could protect their entire unit by banding their shields together. The enemy had flaming arrows that could scream terror through the skies as they came streaming down upon the soldiers. But the arrows made no inroads, and the flames were extinguished by the wet animal hides. So how is Jesus the better shield of faith?

The wooden cross upon which Jesus hung, is like the shield. It becomes a defensive weapon for the soldiers to hide behind. But the cross itself can’t do much. To give it actual strength in battle it must have an animal hide pulled over it. When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming towards him, he announced to his crowd: “Look, it’s the lamb that takes away the sins of the world.” The disciple John records a vision in which he saw thousands of angels, heavenly creatures, and the elders singing to Jesus saying: “Worthy is the lamb, who was slain...”. Jesus is the better animal hide, who himself was nailed to the shield... I mean cross. It is his body that made the wooden cross worth anything.

And what of the flaming darts. The devil is called the accuser of Christians, who prowls around like a lion, seeing who he can take out. That means he aims his darts of lies, temptations, doubts, fear, anxiety causing ideas and thoughts at those who believe in Jesus (and others too). You’re not good enough, lovely, worthy. God doesn’t exist, love, or care about you. You could have a better life if you did things your way. You have better things to do with your time than speak to a God who doesn’t answer, serve a God who doesn’t appreciate you, and submit to a God who is impotent. These are some of the flaming darts that come screaming through the skies at Christians (and others too). But we can shield ourselves through our faith in Jesus, by hiding in the shade of the cross. Jesus takes all the arrows that are aimed at us. And we can surround each other with Jesus too. When we see a brother or sister stumbling, with the devil’s darts whizzing past their heart and mind, we can shield them with Jesus. That is what the church does, we stand behind Jesus together and create an impenetrable shield against the devil and all his wicked plans to disrupt our relationship with God.

Hidden in Jesus, courage enters our lives. The evil screeching flaming arrows of the devil becoming a musical beat to which those hidden by Jesus can dance in victory. Whoosh, I dance. Zing, I will sing. Swish, the Lord has protected me. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, Jesus has rescued me eternally. Zing, I don’t understand it all, but he does, and he will help me. The church together begins to celebrate in battle, realising our shield is impenetrable, we are safe in Jesus. Together, we stand in the Lord’s strength. We are defended by the Lamb of God who can extinguish every flaming hot accusation and temptation that seeks to undermine and disrupt our faith. Faith in Jesus, a victory of His mercy and grace, a victory over sin and our redemption. Jesus is the better shield, let us hide ourselves in Him.

Three Suggested Actions:

1. Know the scriptures. Read the Bible so you have some truths to stand on.
2. Practice honest community. Share vulnerable things with other Christians. If someone shares with you, cover them with Christ, their shield. Together, stand in Jesus (not condemnation, shame, guilt, fear, anxiety etc.). Cover each other with grace and faith and mercy and hope and love and kindness and God’s goodness.
3. Prayerfully reflect. Stay alert to God and your life. Stand on the truth you know about God and don’t get caught under attack without your God given faith in Jesus. Keep coming to God over and over again.