Shoes of the Gospel of Peace

Armour of God

What do you use armour for?

Stand firm

We stand together … it’s not something we do on our own, we do it together

Interestingly, most of the armour is defensive … the only thing that is for the offensive is the sword, maybe the shield a bit

“and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace”

Before you go into battle, you get ready … and you put on your armour

It’s like sports … you get ready

Example … football … how would you get ready?

Or if the weather is a particular way … you get ready

Example … If it is snowing … how would you get ready?

This morning we’re thinking about our feet being fitted … wearing shoes that make us ready

That readiness comes from the gospel of peace

The message of the good news of Jesus - is a good news that brings peace … it brings peace to situations … it brings comfort and calm to our own lives, it restores relationships, it brings wholeness and wellbeing, it brings goodness to situations

Can anyone think of situations where they would love to see more of God’s comfort, calm, wholeness, wellbeing and goodness?

Story of Rahab

We heard the story of Rahab

She came to believe in the God of the Israelites … and she believed that he was the real God and that she should follow him. I think she also believed that her own people were doing things that were wrong.

So when the Israelite spies came, she had a decision to make … did she help her own people, who she knew well, but who were not loving the one true God and doing right things … OR … did she make a stand for God

She longed to see the peace and goodness of God in her city of Jericho and in her land, so she risked been punished by her own people, and she protected the spies … she made her stand … because she understood the good news of God that brings goodness, wholeness and wellbeing … the good news that brings peace

Us

It can sometimes be difficult to follow God when other people want us to do other things … it’s easy to be persuaded by others

But the thing that can guide us and ground us … on which we can take our stand … is the good news of Jesus … the message that brings peace, wholeness, goodness and wellbeing

What do we do before we go out of the house each day? … What do we put on? … Shoes

Maybe, this week, when we’re putting our shoes on, we can pray for ourselves … and for those we’re with this morning: ‘Lord Jesus, help us to remember your message of good news that brings peace today. Help us to love peace today and to find it in different situations.’