Paul ends his letter to the Ephesians reminding us of our need of armor if we are Christians. And we are going to be reminded this morning that we need to take the helmet of salvation. Take the helmet of salvation. Some of these little treasures in the scriptures are so important, particularly the armour that we Christians need, and whatever generation we live in. One of the great 17th century preachers was named William Gurnall, and he lived in a beautiful town called Labanum. if you've ever been there, it's a delightful place. And he ministered there and he preached a series of sermons on this section. John Newton, the converted slave trader, was so enamoured with them that he said if he had to choose any other book to lay beside the Bible, he would choose that book about the Christian armour. And Spurgeon was one who greatly loved it. So what I'm really saying to you is these verses are very important because great Christian men and women have really loved these verses because they have proved them so helpful in every generation, whether it's the 17th century, the 18th century, or the 19th century, or now in the 21st century. And we are talking about the helmet. We've already seen pictures of a Roman helmet. This is a helmet that the Apostle Paul would have seen and he would have been talking about when he wrote this letter to the Christians at Ephesus. It was the standard kit for a Roman legionnaire. And as you saw, there were various parts of it to protect the top of the head, the ears, the neck, and it was so important that the head was protected. And very often there would be a head feather on top, as I said, to make it stand out. And of course this was vital for a soldier defending him against swords, arrows, spears and missiles because one injury to the head will almost certainly be fatal or at the least give concussion and so the Apostle is saying to us that this is something very important for us in our Christian warfare as well, to have the helmet of salvation. So let's again recap what's the helmet for? It's to protect the head. Now I used to live in a very old cottage, it was built in 1440 and all the doors were low. and I can remember coming down a bit bleary eyed sometimes at night and banging my head. And you may have been in houses where they have a notice that says, bind your head. It means look out or you're going to damage yourself. And a mind in your head gives us a form of security just as Dan Walker discovered when he crashed or when he and a car collided together. So when we travel around we see people with helmets because they are concerned to look after themselves. And we as Christians should be concerned to look after ourselves by God's help, by using the armour that protects us that he's given us, the helmet of salvation. And the head of course means symbolically the whole person. We sometimes talk about men being the head of the household. In other words, they are the ones that give guidance and direction to the home and to the family. And in the Bible, somebody who was being set apart to be perhaps a leader in the community or a king, others would lay their hand on that person's head symbolically saying this person is set apart for leadership. They are very important people. They are the ones that will direct what's going on. And when the Lord Jesus crushes Satan's head, it's a reference right back to the beginning of the book of Genesis. When after Satan had brought sin into the world, God gave a promise that one day there was one who was going to come into the world who was going to crush the serpent's head. That, of course, is the Lord Jesus. And when he crushes Satan's head, he's going to destroy his power and his influence over human beings in the world God has made. A helmet is to protect our head. Our head is so vital. what happens in our brain signals down into the limbs of our body and what happens in our thinking affects the whole of the way we act and speak and live but here the Apostle is referring to the helmet of salvation now salvation simply means deliverance from evil or danger If you were shipwrecked, you would want somebody to come and save you. Particularly if you're like me and you don't swim, you need a saviour. Salvation simply means deliverance or rescue. And in Bible terms, salvation means salvation or deliverance from the guilt of our sin and from the power of our sin in our lives. The Bible speaks of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to seek and to save what was lost. The Lord Jesus is the true saviour who brings salvation. Now we're very aware that in our world there are many times we need to be saved from suffering. There are many people we pray that are going through illness and difficult times and we pray for them in their suffering. But the worst kind of evil that we need to pray about is the sin that is in our thinking and in our desires. We sin in thought and in word and indeed by nature. And we have to face the fact that that's what's wrong with the world. that people are not right with God they don't submit to God's commandments they don't love and worship him and they don't love their neighbours themselves and the Bible says that God will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ now it's very easy to understand how God can be angry with murderers and criminals and rapists and we ourselves should be angry when we see people going on like that and we want to have justice being done but we don't always appreciate that God is against all sin and sinners because we all were born with a heart that resists God's commandments and his will for our lives and when God has sent his saviour the Lord Jesus Christ into the world and we don't accept the salvation that he's offered one can understand why God will be angry because the message of mercy has been refused and one day there is going to be that great tribunal a day of judgment when we must stand before God we've been created in the image of God we're spiritual beings we have a soul we have a conscience we have scripture we have the example of the Lord Jesus Christ and many of us have the example and the faith and life of Christians and if we don't know salvation it's entirely on our own head that we're not saved And that's why the Apostle Paul is saying here this morning, take the helmet of salvation. This is the only security for you now and hereafter in eternity. And that's why God sent the Lord Jesus Christ. You remember, that very often at Christmas we read that passage in Luke's Gospel where it is said that the Lord will give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of sins. An old Simeon had seen Jesus and he said, I can die in peace now because my eyes have seen your salvation. Simeon had been waiting for that all his life because he knew God had promised to send a Savior to bring salvation to his people and Luke in writing of Jesus ministry again quoted the Old Testament he said all mankind will see God's salvation and that's the wonderful thing when you think about the life of the Lord Jesus in the Bible lands. And then the Apostle Paul took the message around the Mediterranean world and the message has spread to Europe and all over the world and is still spreading. That there is salvation, there's forgiveness for all who come to Christ. The Apostle in Romans says, we will be saved from God's wrath through him. No salvation anywhere else. Only in Jesus Christ. And it means eternal life. It means union with God forever. And it will mean a renewed body and a resurrection. Because the Lord Jesus Christ has destroyed death. Our Saviour Christ Jesus has destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. So let me emphasise this morning, salvation is only found in Jesus. As the Apostle said in Acts 4, salvation is found nowhere else. There's no other name given under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. You see, other religions can make people feel a bit better. Other faiths may make people feel a little less guilty. They have nothing though that guarantees forgiveness and acceptance with God. It's only by trusting in the Lord Jesus, God's provision for our salvation, that we will have eternal life. But how do we get this salvation? Well, listen to this simple phrase. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. That is incredibly simple and yet it is very profound. Sometimes it's very hard for us to admit we've got a problem. Sometimes we find it's very hard to say, sorry, I was wrong. And sometimes we find it very hard to admit we need to pray. We need to turn to the Lord and trust him to save us. You see, it's a free gift. You know, in our modern world, in a world of advertising, we're often very sceptical about things that are free. What's the catch, we say? There's absolutely no catch with the free offer of salvation in the Lord Jesus. By grace you are saved through faith, it's not of yourselves, it's the gift of God. Now here is salvation this morning, being freely offered. The Lord Jesus has accomplished all that is needed to give us eternal life, to give us forgiveness, to bring us into the kingdom of heaven. And how are you going to enter? Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. From the youngest person to the person who's lived or been drifting away from the Lord. One moment of prayer, one turning to the Lord will express that there is humility, there is desire, there is a recognition of need. And it's our responsibility. The writer of the Hebrews was writing to Christian people with Jewish relatives who are putting pressure on them to go back to Judaism and turn back from the Lord Jesus Christ. And he uses many reasons as to why they should hold on to the Lord Jesus that they've learned about. And he writes in chapter 2 and verse 3, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation Can you imagine if you were shipwrecked or if you were messing around on the beach and the current was carrying away on your little dinghy and you could not swim. Under the flares went up and the lifeboat came out. and you refuse to get into the lifeboat. No, I'm going to paddle my way back. I'm hoping the current's going to turn. The tide's going to turn in an hour. You could have all kinds of excuses and all kinds of reasons not to humble yourself and admit you've been foolish in getting into danger yourself and accepting the offer of the lifeboat, the salvation that's freely available. Is it really possible today that there are people who know about the Lord Jesus and why he came and they know what the Bible says about sin and they know themselves somewhat is it really possible that some people will not call on the name of the Lord and be saved? God wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth God is not willing that any should perish. God's desire is that you would come to the Lord Jesus today. Whatever your past record, whatever you come into the place thinking today, call on the name of the Lord and be saved. But then, what is meant by putting on the helmet of salvation? Again, we've got to come back to this, the importance of having a hard helmet. Now, imagine that you've been given a new bike. You know, how it is, you keep growing out of little bikes and you get bigger ones as the years go by. And so mum and dad have got you a new bike. And you go out there and off you go and mum from the kitchen calls out, have you got your helmet on? What are you going to say? Are you going to say, I think I have? Are you going to say, oh I hope so? No, you're going to know whether you've got your helmet on or whether you've not got your helmet on. Paul says, put on the helmet of salvation. It's like a helmet, you know it's there or you know it's not there. You either know the Lord Jesus is your saviour or you know you are not saved from the consequences of your sin and separation from God. Have we really digested that? That we know what it is to put on the helmet of salvation? the Apostle says in Romans if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved but there's something else about this putting on the helmet when you ride down the road on your bike and you won't catch me doing that at my age other people will see whether you've got the helmet on. Now I said one of the reasons why Roman soldiers had a red plume in their helmet was so they were noticeable. So perhaps they looked a bit bigger and more important. They wanted others to see them. So somebody would notice if they got a Roman soldier in their street because he would be very stand out. And if you are a Christian, if you are saved, you will be different in ways that are noticeable. You may not suddenly dress differently, you may not do a lot of things differently, because if you had a good upbringing there won't be a dramatic change, but there will be noticeable changes to those who know you. I was very surprised when I was converted at 18 years old and hadn't said much to her family. And when I told my mum I was going to be baptised, she said, yeah, I've seen the change in you. I didn't know there'd been any changes in me, but there'd been the change. There was a peace in my heart, there was a joy, there was new interest. So I went to worship. I read books that I didn't read before. I hadn't really noticed a lot of changes but I was beginning to think differently and feel differently and mothers know their children. And if you are a Christian there will be a change. There's a lovely story about Spurgeon. His grandad was a pastor and when he was a little boy he used to go and stay with his grandad. And being like little boys are, they sometimes overhear things that we wish they didn't always hear. And he heard his grandad talking to somebody, saying how grieved he was about one of the men in his congregation. And Spurgeon heard his grandad saying, people have seen him down in the tavern drinking with the working men. He's not keeping very good company. So little old Spurgeon, he was six, he walked down to the tavern and he found this man sitting in the tavern and he used the words spoken to the prophet. He said, what dost thou hear Elijah? Six year old boy saying that to a grown man. because it wasn't quite the right place and I'm not saying that we shouldn't drink any alcohol I'm not saying that we shouldn't go to places where we can get a drink with our friends but it was an inappropriate lifestyle that this man had adopted and if we are Christians there will be certain things that we give up and certain things that are good that we do more of others will see if we've got the helmet on they will see the change. But it's important that we put on the salvation because our head determines how we think. This modern age is the information age, isn't it? I sometimes think, what do I answer first? The WhatsApp, the email, the message, the phone call? So much things coming into us all the time, isn't there? And then you see something on the news and you think, well, Google that. And the stuff coming in all the time into our heads. And some of the stuff is rubbish. It doesn't need to stay there. Some of the stuff should make an impression on us because it's important. And what is in our minds determines our outlook on life. And we're living in an age where there are people who say there is no such thing as absolute truth. There is no absolute right and wrong and moral principles. People are much more today governed by their feelings rather than careful thinking and evaluation. The Apostle in Romans 12 says renew your minds and we need a renewed mind so our mind is filled with scriptural thinking, a Christian outlook so that we are protected in a world where there are so many ideas swirling around that would lead us away from the truth. We need to develop what I call a Christian mind. I think we can get confused like one of these psalm writers. The writer of Psalm 73 tells us that he was living his life and he was seeing unbelieving people all around him having no regard for God and never having a good time. And he looked around and he saw other people who were seeking to please God and they were having trials in their life and disappointments and their prayers weren't always answered and he became quite confused. He couldn't lay it straight. Why doesn't God specially favour his people in wonderful ways? And then he went into what he called the sanctuary. He went to a place of worship. and he heard the word of God and that enabled him to think clearly about seeming injustice in life and he realised there was an accountability at the end of time when God would reward his faithful people and he would punish those who've rebelled against him and have hurt his people. He thought clearly about life and we've got to think clearly. Can you imagine if you're a Roman soldier and you are called to go to battle that you've always got confidence in the future that you're safe and well, you're saved by God's grace and God is for you and no one can be against you and overcome you if he's with you and he's given you the hope of salvation. whatever I lose in life I'm not going to lose my hope of God's salvation. It's a hope that really gives us confidence that enables us to hold up our head when people are losing their heads all around us and it provides us with security. The Apostle in Hebrews says we have this hope as an anchor for the soul Now you all know about anchors. A ship will drift away, lose its moorings, be at the mercy of wind and weather if it has no anchor. And the hope of salvation gives us security when life is uncertain, when there are changes going on all around us. when our different opinions being shared all around us. We have got this knowledge that we are secure and Christ has died for us and Christ's love will never be taken away from us throughout our lives. And then thirdly and lastly, the hope of salvation gives us something to look forward to. the Apostle in Romans says the hour has come for you to wake from your slumber because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed in other words what he's saying is that all of us are passing through time whether we like it or not we're all growing older every minute that passes is one minute less of our life on earth. And what he's saying to the Christians at Rome is that our salvation, our hope of being in heaven and being with Christ is nearer now than it was when we first became Christians. There was a point when we came to trust in Christ but as time has gone by We're getting nearer and nearer to the end of our life and nearer and nearer to spending eternity in a world of love and purity. And that's the helmet of salvation. And that will give us an eternal security and eternal significance. The helmet of salvation. Salvation is as relevant to all of us as individuals today as it's ever been. We all need to know that we've been saved and it's only through the Lord Jesus Christ and it is something we are conscious of. You can't say I don't know whether I've got the helmet on or not you are either wearing the helmet of salvation you've either experienced being forgiven and accepted by Christ or you've not and Paul is telling us again and again in the world we live in where there's so much evil and Satan is real and Satan is damaging and Satan is powerfully evil you so need to be saved And to be saved before it's too late. To be saved before you drift away from your anchor that holds you to Christ. To be saved and rejoice that you've got a great Saviour. There's none like Him. And He's to be trusted. My prayer is today. that you'll go home thinking about the helmet of salvation that protects your head, your thinking, and secures you safe now and forevermore.