The apostle Paul starts his Letter to the Ephesians with an upbeat, almost euphoric message: – “In Jesus Christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, so that we might live for the praise of his glory.”

Five chapters later comes today’s epistle reading. The tone is different. Now it is all about being strong and armoring up and standing up to the wiles of the devil, the cosmic powers of darkness, and the forces of evil.

What in the world is all this?! We thought Jesus Christ won over all that. I am indebted to a priest named Amy Richter for jogging me to think about this, about how Paul and the Ephesians and all of us live in what she calls that strange in-between time, in an overlapping of an old and new age, when two different truths co-exist.

I think of it this way. In June, 1942, just six months after Pearl Harbor, was the Battle of Midway. The US had carriers Hornet and Enterprise and a damaged Yorktown. The Japanese had four carrier groups, lots of battle cruisers and destroyers and far more sailors and airmen and newer planes.

Yet in one day, the US sank all four of Japan’s carriers, and shot down almost all of its planes, while losing only Yorktown.

The world was stunned. It was impossible: how could a country’s navy devastated after Pearl Harbor have managed such a resurrection? In effect, six months into it, the US had won the war in the Pacific.
And yet that war in the Pacific ground on for another thirty-nine months before the Japanese surrender on the battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay in September 1945. In that in-between time, came appalling battles and death and destruction, right up until the dropping of the atomic bomb. The war in
the Pacific had been won more than three years before it was over.

We are living, like the Ephesians, in an in-between time. By his death and resurrection, Christ has won the victory over evil and death, and we are free. But there is still a long struggle ahead for us. We have to live in an overlapping age, when the victory is already won, but the battle with the devil is not over. The final glorification of Christ is still in the future.

So how do we live in this in-between time? One way is the way Paul recommended to the Ephesians. “Fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. Take the shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirit. Pray in the Spirit at all times.”

All good counsel, for sure. But it is particularly striking the way today’s gospel ends. It concludes with a story about Peter. Jesus asks the twelve if they are going to stick with him. Peter answers, “Lord, you have the words of eternal life. You are the Holy One of God.”

John is clearly praising Peter. Peter was a complicated man, so let’s talk about him, and see if he might be a model for us in the in-between time. Peter was the first disciple to recognize Jesus as Messiah. When Jesus asked, “Who do you say that I am,” and the other disciples said he was one of the prophets, Peter blurted out, “You are the Messiah.”

Our Lord reserved his harshest criticism for Peter. Once, when Jesus was telling his disciples what dreadful suffering lay ahead. Peter strenuously objected to that future for his Lord. Jesus told him, “Get behind me, Satan.”

Peter showed the most impulsive nature, which Our Lord loved. When Jesus walked on the water, Peter said. “Lord, command me to come to you on the water.” When he began to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Later, It was Peter who stoutly told his Lord, “I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”

Yet it was Peter who, having said, “Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you,” then denied his Lord three times. Then the cock crowed, and Peter went and wept bitterly.

Peter could show righteous anger, like his Lord. At Jesus’ arrest, Peter drew a sword, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear.  It was Peter whom Jesus most wanted to test for the strength of his love. Jesus asked Peter in particular three times, “Do you love me?” Twice Peter said yes, Lord, I love you. The third time, feeling hurt, he said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”

It was Peter that the risen Lord appeared to first of the disciples. When the women came from the empty tomb to tell the eleven what had happened, it was Peter who got up and ran to the tomb and stooped and looked in.

What was the formula for being Peter? What were the special qualities he possessed that made Our Lord name him in particular the rock on whom he would build his church? The qualities Jesus loved in Peter were his boldness, his impulsiveness, his love, and his imperfection. Bold, impulsive, loving, and imperfect.

That is how we can live in the in-between time: boldly and impulsively and lovingly and imperfectly. We are free to live this way because Christ has already won for us the victory. We are free. Our faith in His final triumph lets us stand firm in the Lord and in the strength of his power. We are free to live boldly and impulsively and lovingly and imperfectly.

God be praised. Love your neighbor. Amen.