Sermon Tone Analysis

The Shoes of Peace

eph 6.

Intro: As we continue to study “the whole armor of God,” we continually need to be reminded why this is such an important topic.

SPIRIT-FILLED WARFARE - PART 2d

THE BOOTS OF PEACE

Intro: As we continue to study “the whole armor of God,” we continually need to be reminded why this is such an important topic.

Verses 10-13 introduce the subject of spiritual warfare.

We are told that the saints of God are engaged in a great cosmic battle against a powerful, relentless enemy.

Our enemy is called “the devil,” v 11.

Our enemy is said to employ “wiles,” v. 11.

This word refers to “the tricks, schemes, and methods” the devil uses to undermine the faith of the saints, and to attack the glory of God.

God’s command to His people is that they “stand” against the attacks of the enemy,

stand

eph 6.13

The word “stand” is a military term.

It means “to hold a critical position during a time of enemy attack.”

It is the image of “a soldier refusing to yield even one inch of ground to an attacking foe.”

Stand - Hold Your Ground.

It is not the image of someone on the offensive, but rather, it is the picture of a soldier on the defensive, protecting the ground that has already been won.

God had given His people some very precious possessions.

He has given us truth, His church, His Word, His grace, His salvation, His blessing, etc.

And, the devil wants all of it.

He will stop at nothing to take everything we have been given by the Lord.

If we are to keep what we have received from the Lord, we must “stand” and hold on to the critical ground we have received from the Lord.

To do that, God says we must “put on the whole armor of God.”

This passage tells us about the pieces which constitute this armor.

We have already discussed The Belt Of Truth, and The Breastplate Of Righteousness.

The Belt Of Truth refers to a life of total commitment to the Lord.

It refers to a life that is built upon faithfulness to the Word of God and to the God of the Word.

It speaks of truth in testimony and truth in living.

This “belt of truth” will provide the Christian soldier stability, and it also provides a place for the other pieces of the armor to rest.

Without the “belt of truth” the soldier of God will find the other pieces of the armor useless.

The Breastplate Of Righteousness refers to power of a holy life.

A holy life, that is, a life that is lived according to the teachings of God in His Word is a powerful defense against the attacks of the enemy.

When we allow sin to dwell in our lives, we give Satan a “beachhead” from which he can attack us and exploit us, .

Holiness closes the door to the devil, and it helps protect us from his attacks.

I. WHY THESE BOOTS ARE DESIRED

I.

The Need for Gospel Shoes

We take shoes for granted, but they are a very important part of our apparel.

We take shoes for granted, but they are a very important part of our apparel.

We have different shoes for nearly every kind of activity.

I have dress shoes, casual shoes, work shoes, and shoes that I wear when I go walking.

I have lots of shoes.

My wife has lots more shoes than I do.

What I plan to do on a given day determines the type of shoes I put on.

We have different shoes for nearly every kind of activity.

I have dress shoes, casual shoes, work shoes, and shoes that I wear when I go walking.

I have lots of shoes.

My wife has lots more shoes than I do.

What I plan to do on a given day determines the type of shoes I put on.

I don’t often think about my shoes, but I am grateful for them.

They protect my feet from the dangers of walking around barefooted.

Running shoes

Neutral

pronation

pronation - inward

sipernate - outward

cushion - low, medium, high

heel to drop - 14mm to flat

the shoes

Think about how important shoes are to certain professions.

Construction workers would be crazy to try and do their job without proper footwear.

Could you imagine a football player walking onto the field without his cleats.

Could you see a baseball player doing that?

What about a tennis player.

No, it doesn’t happen because athletes understand just howe important the right shoes are to what they do.

As important as shoes are to an athlete, a construction worker, a business man, a housewife, or even a toddler, they are even more important to a soldier.

• The soldier’s life could depend on his shoes.

• Soldiers are required to march long distances, fight battles in all types of environments, walk through jungles, over rocks, cross stream beds filled with sharp, jagged rocks, slog through the snow, and cross burning deserts.

• If a soldier’s feet become swollen, tender, cut, or blistered, that soldier would be greatly hindered in the day of battle.

• That soldier might not be able to stand and fight.

• He might not be able to march.

• He might not be able to properly handle his weapons.

• He certainly could not advance on the enemy.

• Sore feet would undermine the soldier’s ability to stand firm.

The Roman soldier, the image Paul is using to illustrate “the whole armor of God,” wore leather boots that protected the feet and ankles.

These boots, called the “caliga”, were a half boot that allowed the soldier to advance toward the enemy undistracted about what they might step on.

This piece of the armor was essential to the Roman soldier’s “preparation” for battle.

These boots usually had hobnailed soles, which means they had bits of metal, or nails, driven through them.

These hobnailed soles gave the Roman soldier great traction as he climbed hills, and fought on uneven terrain.

The boots worn by the Roman soldier gave him great stability as he engaged the enemy.

If we are going to stand against “the wiles of the devil,” we must have on the proper spiritual footwear.

We can be “girt about with the truth,” and we can have on “the breastplate of righteousness,” but if we neglect to have our “feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace,” we are destined to stumble and fall.

II The Gospel Shoes are Defensive

To be prepared with the boots of the gospel of peace, we must clearly understand the gospel so that we can defend it against attack.

1.

To be prepared with the boots of the gospel of peace, we must clearly understand the gospel so that we can defend it against attack.

The good news (that’s what gospel means) is that although we all have sinned against God and deserve His eternal judgment, because of His great love and mercy He sent His own Son to bear the penalty that we deserve.

We receive God’s gift of salvation by faith alone, apart from any merit or good works on our part.

is one of the simplest and most beloved verses explaining the gospel: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

Or, as Paul said to the Philippian jailer (), “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved….”

So, we’re ready to move on to the next point, right?

Well, not so fast!

For one thing, while the gospel is simple on one level, on another level, it is deep and profound.

It is like the ocean, where a toddler can play on its shore, but great whales cannot plumb its depths.

Over the years, I have come to appreciate that preaching the gospel well is not a simple matter!

Neither Jesus nor the apostles ever used a simple, formulaic method.

They never used the same approach twice.

And so there are ever-deepening levels for us to come to in our understanding of the gospel.

Satan hates the gospel and is always attacking it from various angles.