Shoes of Peace

Armed for Battle 3: Protection for Your Feet

I remember watching the 1977 Grey Cup Game, the first one held in, what was then, Montreal’s brand new Olympic Stadium. That was when the Grey Cup was a huge, huge deal. That particular game featured two very evenly matched teams: the Edmonton Eskimos represented the West and the Hometown Alouettes represented the East. Now, Olympic Stadium was designed to have a retractable roof - but if you know the story of that stadium, you know that not much went according to design … and there was no roof. That was significant - because the Grey Cup is held in late November and late November, in Montreal, can mean cold and snow.

Sure enough, before game time, the snow fell. That wasn’t a huge deal, because the ground crews had planned for that - they spread salt on the field to melt the snow. GOOD IDEA.

There was only one problem with that: between the time the snow melted and the game began - the temperature plummeted well below zero, and the melted snow turned into a sheet of ice, covering the field.

All week long, the players had been planning for cold weather and had been experimenting with all sorts of different footwear - from different types of cleats, to broomball shoes.

1977 was the first Grey Cup Game held in Montreal’s new Olympic Stadium, featuring two evenly matched teams – the hometown Allouettes and the Edmonton Eskimos. Now Olympic Stadium was designed to have a retractable roof, but if you know the story of that stadium – you know that not much went according to design and there was no roof. The Grey Cup is in late November and of course, late November in Montreal can have quite a bit of snow. Sure enough, before game time, the snow fell. The stadium crews planned for that, and they spread salt on the field to melt the snow. Good idea. The only problem with that was between the time the snow melted and game time – the temperature dropped well below zero, and the melted snow became a sheet of ice covering the field.

But during warmup, it became obvious that none of the different things were going to work on the sheet of ice. One player on the Montreal bench, noticed a worker from Bell Canada walking by with a staple gun in his hand. He stopped him, borrowed the staple gun - shot the staples in the shape of an ‘X’ onto his cleats - and by the start of the game, TWELVE ALOUETTE players had followed his lead. By halftime, most of the team had converted.

The Eskimos were wearing regular football cleats - and they were slipping around on the field of ice .... fumbling the ball, getting nowhere. But the Alouettes - with their stapled shoes - they were confidently moving the ball - - - they didnt’ give up a single tackle behind their own line of scrimmage .... and they ended up winning the game: 41 - 6.

All week long, the players had been planning for cold weather and had been experimenting with all sorts of different footwear, from different types of cleats, to broomball shoes.

The right shoes made the difference between victory and defeat. As our text tells us, (v. 13), “Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to STAND FIRM”. , “… and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.”

the staples in the shape of an ‘X’ onto his cleats and by the start of the game – 12 Allouette players had followed his lead. By halftime most of the team had converted – and while the Eskimos, wearing regular football cleats, were slipping around on the field of ice, fumbling the ball and getting nowhere, the Allouettes, with their stapled shoes, were confidently moving the ball, didn’t give up a single tackle behind their own line of scrimmage and ended up winning the game 41-6.

1 THE SHOES

During warmup, it became obvious that none of the different things were going to work on the sheet of ice. One player on the Montreal bench noticed a worker from Bell Canada walking by with a staple gun in his hand, he stopped him, borrowed the staple gun – shot the staples in the shape of an ‘X’ onto his cleats and by the start of the game – 12 Allouette players had followed his lead. By halftime most of the team had converted – and while the Eskimos, wearing regular football cleats, were slipping around on the field of ice, fumbling the ball and getting nowhere, the Allouettes, with their stapled shoes, were confidently moving the ball, didn’t give up a single tackle behind their own line of scrimmage and ended up winning the game 41-6.

Now the footwear that Paul has in mind, is the Roman soldier’s ‘war-boot’ - it is what a legionnaire would regularly wear while on duty. It was an open-toed, leather boot, with a sole that was heavily studded with nails - - and then it was tied to the ankles and shins with a series of straps.

We recognize that shoes are important. Our kids seem especially to understand how important shoes are. They have shoes for every different type of situation: running, dressing up, hipster-living … and they have different shoes for every outfit, as well.

Well, shoes were extremely important for a soldier, because good soldier shoes had to have THREE ESSENTIAL QUALITIES: First, they had to provide traction. Second, they had to provide protection. Third, they had to provide mobility.

I mentioned that these soldier shoes that Paul is describing are heavily studded with nails. They were the original cleats. They needed those nails on the sole. If you are a soldier, climbing, or running, or maneuvering, or fighting in combat … and you lose your footing and slip .... that’s not just, “Oops, I slipped - don’t I look silly!” It’s not even, “Oh no, I tore my ACL.”

… If you are a soldier and you lose your footing in battle - YOU’RE DEAD. These shoes have to be specially made to give you grip.

SECOND - these shoes have to be tough. In Paul’s world, enemies put spikes into the ground - metal or sharp, wooden spikes. They don’t stick up very high, out of the ground, but they are about an inch or two high, often hidden under leaves or other camoflage - - strategically placed so that when soldiers from the other army come, they would step on the spikes, and if your shoes are not extremely tough - strong enough to deflect or absorb the point of the spike - well, it’s not going to kill you - but it is going to debilitate you … and then you’ll be killed because you’re foot is hurt and you can’t run.

THIRD - the shoes have to be LIGHT. You say, “Ahh - I get that — just like my Nike’s”. Well, not exactly … but sort of.

Everyone knows the reputation of Alexander the Great - the conqueror. Led his armies through the known world of his day and conquered almost all of it. Well, you may not realize that one of the most important secrets to his success - was mobility. He was able to get his soldiers to march further and faster than anybody else. He surprised people all the time - with how fast his army moved. The opponent would set up its battle lines and Alexander the Great would lead his forces AROUND the side of the flanks.

From his time onward, everyone was trying to copy him - they were trying to come up with greater and greater footwear - shoes that were as gripping and tough and as light as possible.

That’s what the Roman boots were all about - specially made for marching long distances, to give traction and to keep the soldier’s foot from sliding - like a football or a soccer cleat. The whole boot was often covered with leather, to protect the feet along the journey.

These boots were specially made for marching long distances, to give traction and to keep the soldier’s foot from sliding - like a football or a soccer cleat. The whole boot was often covered with leather, to protect the feet along the journey.

The right shoes made the difference between victory and defeat.

Paul says, ‘You need effective shoes!”

“You can tighten the belt of truth around your waist - you are committed to the truth of the Message of Jesus Christ,

Paul says, “you need effective shoes!” “You can tighten the belt of truth around your waist – can be committed to the truth of the message of Jesus Christ, as it’s revealed in the Word of God.

Paul says, “you need effective shoes!” “You can tighten the belt of truth around your waist – committed to the truth of the message of Jesus Christ, revealed in the Word of God. You can put on your breastplate of righteousness – protect your mind and heart by living in the righteousness or holiness that has already been purchased for you – credited to your account.

You can put on your ‘breastplate of righteousness’ - protect your mind and heart by living in the righteousness or holiness that has already been purchased for you - credited to your account.

You need to put both pieces of armour. But you can do all of that, then run out onto the field of battle - and STILL fall down. UNLESS. Unless you have the proper shoes on your feet. If you are missing this - you will slip and fall. You will be defeated.

2 THE SPIRITUAL REALITY

So, what is the spiritual reality to which these shoes point? Look at v. 15 again: “As shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.”

What’s Paul talking about here?

There are some commentators who say, “These ‘Gospel shoes’ refer to evangelism - this is a reference to preaching the Good News of Jesus.” They get that because Paul writes something about feet in another famous place in his writings. If you look at , Paul writes these words there, “How beautiful are the feet of him who brings Good News.” That’s a quote from Isaiah 52:17, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes PEACE, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’”

How true that is - there is nothing more beautiful than someone who comes to share the eternity-transforming news that you can be put right with God, through His own Son. Oh, that we would all have BEAUTIFUL FEET!

But that’s not what Paul is talking about here, in . Verse 15 isn’t a complete sentence. It’s a clause that completes a thought that begins earlier. So, look back to the beginning of the sentence and you can see what verb is being described. The sentence begins in verse 14, “Stand therefore ...”. So, these shoes we are told to put on - the context for them is not ‘GOING OUT’ - to preach good news. The context has to do with being under attack, in the EVIL DAY, and when the STORM IS RAGING all around you - you are under constant attack by the Devil and his hateful hordes. He hates you and wants to destroy you … If you are a believer and belong to Jesus Christ - Satan cannot steal you away … but he will do all he can to steal away your joy.

.... UNDER THIS ATTACK - you find yourself in territory that you’ve never seen before - the footing is treacherous ...

Now, I have read several commentators who say that these “Gospel shoes” refer to evangelism – it is a readiness to preach the Good News of Jesus. They get that because Paul writes something about feet in : “How beautiful are the feet of him who brings Good News”. That is a quote from Isaiah 52:17, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who bring good news, who publishes PEACE, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God Reigns!’” We sing about that in “Our God Reigns”. And how true it is, that there is nothing more beautiful than someone who comes to share the eternity-transforming news that you can be put right with God, through His own Son.

“STAND” - Paul is talking about being ready to stand in the fierce battle. And v. 15 says that a readiness like that comes from the Gospel of Peace. Doesn’t that seem like quite a paradox? You get ready for war, by appropriating the Good News of Peace - - - - through Jesus Christ?!!

So how does the Good News of Peace with God through Jesus Christ prepare us to stand firm in joy - amid the assaults of our enemy? WE NEED TO GET THIS,

But that is not what Paul is talking about, here in . Verse 15 is a clause that describes an earlier verb in the text. The verb being described is at the beginning of v. 14, “Stand”.

So many people trying to figure out life - longing for peace. When we think of peace, we tend to think of SUBJECTIVE peace - We think, “I want that sense of calm … when all around is the dark chaos of confusion - when the storms rage … I want peace.”

That’s what Buddhism is selling. So much of eastern religious thought is focused on getting that kind of peace - centeredness. Some people say, “I don’t need religion for peace”, they go to counseling for it, or to meditation and relaxation techniques for it. Other people turn to chemicals to get that peace.

The Bible tells us that there is a peace that forms the foundation for every other type of peace. It is the OBJECTIVE peace with God that comes from the Gospel. The Good news of what Jesus Christ has done - means that if you are a Christian, you are at peace with God - - the war is over. And if you don’t have that OBJECTIVE peace with God - then nothing else matters - because you are missing the peace you need at the root of your being.

The context of the armor of God is NOT going out to preach good news. The context has to do, as we have been studying for the past few weeks, with standing right where you are – and NOT being overpowered by the enemy who has you under constant attack. If you are a believer and belong to Christ – the Devil CANNOT steal you away, but he will do all he can to steal away your joy.

Let’s look for a few minutes at what the gospel of peace means. And there is no better place to go for an explanation of , than to Paul’s letter to the Romans - and chapter 5.

says, “Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

So how does the Good News of Peace with God through Jesus Christ prepare us to stand firm in joy – amid the assaults of our enemy? We need to understand that, so let’s look for a few minutes at what the gospel of peace means. There is no better place to go for an explanation of , than to Paul’s letter to the Romans, and chapter 5.

“Since we have been justified by faith . . .” means that it was not always that way. It means that God was hostile toward us – v. 10 of speaks about what we used to be – “. . . while we were enemies . . .” We were enemies of God – there is no more dangerous position to be in. That is a frightening though – that you are at war with the Sovereign of the Universe - - that the anger of God is suspended over your head – and all that holds it up is His own mercy.

So how does the Good News of Peace with God through Jesus Christ prepare us to stand firm in joy – amid the assaults of our enemy? We need to understand that, so let’s look for a few minutes at what the gospel of peace means. There is no better place to go for an explanation of , than to Paul’s letter to the Romans, and chapter 5.

says, “Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

tells us that God did not leave His wrath as the last word: “But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” ..... (9) “Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God.”

“Since we have been justified by faith . . .” means that it was not always that way. It means that God was hostile toward us – v. 10 of speaks about what we used to be – “. . . while we were enemies . . .” We were enemies of God – there is no more dangerous position to be in. That is a frightening though – that the anger of God is suspended over your head – and all that holds it up is His own mercy.

That is Good News - that by faith - we can be saved from God’s anger.

Unfortunately, there are too many people whose understanding of peace stops right there - with the ABSENCE of wrath. They see peace with God in the same way we see peace between nations in the world .... as long as they lay down their weapons and stop killing each other … well, that’s peace. Doesn’t matter if they still hate each other - there is no killing, so it must be peace. Someone said that, “peace is the brief, glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading.”

There is so much more to the Biblical meaning of ‘PEACE’ than that. The Greek word Paul uses for peace in v. 15, is the word, ‘eirene’. And it means so much more than ‘Absence of warfare.’

That isn’t the whole story. The Greek word ‘eirene’ translated peace in English Bibles, means so much ore than negatively, the absence of warfare.

You’ve heard of the Hebrew word that is so often translated in the Old Testament by our English word ‘peace’ - the word ‘Shalom’ - the idea it carries is of ‘wholeness, perfection’.

You may have heard of the Hebrew Word that from the Old Testament that is translated by this Greek Word in the NT, and by Peace in English. The Hebrew word is ‘Shalom’ – and the idea it carries is of ‘wholeness, perfection.

On this Fathers’ Day, you know the different kinds of peace you experience at home. Kids, you know your dad isn’t perfect, just like he knows you aren’t perfect. And there are those times when the imperfections just break you down -

You have a disagreement with your dad - no, let’s be honest, it’s been a fight. But then the argument is over, words are no longer being thrown back and forth like hand-grenades. Now there is NOTHING being said. Stone cold silence.

Can you say there’s peace?? Well, nobody is arguing - - but there’s no peace. We all recognize that.

You may have heard of the Hebrew Word that from the Old Testament that is translated by this Greek Word in the NT, and by Peace in English. The Hebrew word is ‘Shalom’ – and the idea it carries is of ‘wholeness, perfection.

The Bible speaks of peace, not just as putting up with the other person - tolerating them. Peace with God doesn’t mean that, because Jesus shed His blood for you - now the Father begrudgingly credits His Son’s righteousness to your account - and .... puts up with you.

If you are married – living with your husband or wife – and you have had a disagreement – no, let’s be honest, it’s been a fight. But the argument is over – the words are no longer being thrown back and forth like hand-grenades. Now there is NOTHING being said – stone-cold silence fills the house. You both slide into bed, side by side, and you look straight up at the ceiling. Can you say you have peace? Well, nobody’s arguing. But there’s no peace. We all recognize that.

No, peace with God means that, not only is God NOT AGAINST US - that’s a negative. This peace means that, positively, He is 100 PERCENT FOR US. Let’s look at a few Old Testament texts that flesh out the fullness of what ‘peace’ means.

The Bible speaks of peace – not just as putting up with each other. Peace with God doesn’t simply mean that, because Jesus shed His blood for you – now the Father begrudgingly credits His Son’s righteousness to our account – and puts up with us.

, “Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people.”

No, Peace with God means that, not only negatively, is God NOT against us. It means that, positively, He is 100% for us. Let’s look at a few Old Testament texts that flesh out the fullness of what ‘peace’ means.

, “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” So, God’s people in exile, in a foreign nation, are supposed to seek the peace of the city - meaning, they are to seek its welfare - its good.”

, “For there shall be a sowing of peace. (Now comes what that peace looks like) .... The vine shall give its fruit and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.”

So peace with God means THAT - that God is on your side, He is committed, with His infinite wisdom and infinite power - to fill you with PROSPERITY.

7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

WHOAH!! PROSPERITY?!! You’ve heard preachers tell you that God wants you to PROSPER - and by that, they mean that He wants to fill your bank account with cash and your garage with Ferraris. That’s not what I mean – Money and stuff is too small a thing for God. He has engaged Himself to make you WHOLE - - - GOD IS ON YOUR SIDE - - - in EVERYTHING!

Zecharaiah 8:12 "For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things." (, ESV)

Peace with God means that – that God is on your side, committed, with His infinite wisdom and His infinite power – to fill you with prosperity.

PROSPERITY?!! You’ve heard preachers tell you that God wants you to PROSPER - and by that, they mean that He wants to fill your bank account with cash and your garage with Ferraris. That’s not what I mean – Money and stuff is too small a thing for God. He has engaged Himself to make you WHOLE - - - GOD IS ON YOUR SIDE - - - in EVERYTHING!

That’s where the shoes come in. Maybe you haven’t caught that yet. You ‘get’ that peace with God is important, but what does it have to do with shoes for your feet? Let me explain.

3 USING THE GEAR

When your foot slips, it isn’t just your foot that slides in the mud - - your whole body stumbles and falls. That’s because your WHOLE body is carried by your feet.

When your foot slips, it isn’t just your foot that slides – your whole body stumbles and falls. Your whole body is carried by your feet. We are talking about spiritual things here. What is the equivalent for your soul? William Gurnall spoke for the Puritans and many others in history – when he said that “the foot is to the body what the will is to the soul.” I think he is right. Your will – your mental determination carries your soul, similar to how your feet carry your body.

When your foot slips, it isn’t just your foot that slides – your whole body stumbles and falls. Your whole body is carried by your feet. What is the equivalent for your soul? William Gurnall spoke for the Puritans and many others in history – when he said that “the foot is to the body what the will is to the soul.” I think he is right. Your will – your mental determination carries your soul.

So how is your will supposed to carry your soul? Look at v. 15 again: “As shoes for your feet, having put on THE READINESS given by the gospel of peace.” Stop right there. The verb in that sentence is ‘put on’, but did you notice that the object of that verb isn’t actually shoes - - what is it?

“READINESS” - - it’s the Greek word ‘hetoimasia’ and it means ‘nimbleness’ - - A ‘nimbleness’ that comes from the Gospel of Peace. It’s the word that you would use to describe a dancer or an athlete - - I saw some of you running outside last Sunday at the picnic - - some of you are very ‘NIMBLE’ like this .... some … not so much.

This is someone who is sure-footed, quick-footed, confident on your feet. it is the opposite of ‘stumbling’ or ‘slow’ or ‘stuck’.

The Roman soldier, with his feet protected by his shoes, could confidently march through any terrain, stomping on brambles and thorns – pushing forward, QUICKLY, with determination and stability, adjusting to the ground that came their way. And Christian, if you cloth your mind with the knowledge that GOD IS ON YOUR SIDE - - YOU can face every single situation with the certainty that everything is FOR you.

“No matter what this

That’s huge. There is a gloom in our society – One of the reasons so many are so deep in debt - - - Don’t believe in a future – I need to get everything NOW.

Don’t believe in a future – so everything must be lived NOW

Peace with God changes everything. When your will or determination is driven by the conscious awareness that God is shaping every circumstance in your life for your benefit and joy – then the trials don’t crush you, the discouragements – they no longer make you slip into despair.

If you are a Christian, you have peace with God. PERIOD. NOTHING can change that fact. But let me ask you this morning - - “Are you wearing the shoes of readiness that comes from the Gospel of Peace?”

Sad thing – Even though every Christian has peace WITH God, many Christians don’t have the peace OF God. They push it away – by clinging to worry. That doesn’t fit.

You know what it is to see someone laughing in the grip of sin - - it is sickening. Laughing at the very wickedness that is going to destroy them.

But it’s JUST AS UNNERVING to see a Christian moping in the doldrums. William Gurnall – “To see a wicked man merry . . . or a Christian sad and dumpish is alike uncomely. I am sure God intended His people’s joy in the feast of the Gospel.”

Question: “Do your fellow warriors find you an oasis of confident joy in the wilderness battlefield – or do they find you to be a sauna?” Live day by day assaulted by such chaos and tension – and pessimism - crying for God’s messengers of soul-nourishing peace. Will we be those messengers - set the example?

You will die one day - and when you do, you WILL leave a legacy behind you. Long after people have forgotten the car you drove, the HOUSE you lived in, the POSITION you held in the church ..... they will remember .... with deep affection, or not … the IMPACT YOU MADE, by the way you handled the crises that came your way.

“As shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.” When you put on readiness as shoes for your feet - you get a toughness because you can deal with the problems of life. You don’t see them as all unfair. You get a certainty and a confidence because you know you belong to him now. You know it!

When that happens, you get a toughness because you can deal with the problems of life. You don’t see them as all unfair. You get a certainty and a confidence because you know you belong to him now. You know it!

As long as you feel, like a lot of people, “I’m not mad at God. I’m just trying to please him, but he never really does right by me.” When I say to a person like this, “Are you a Christian?” what do you say? You say, “Well, I’m trying, but I don’t know if I am.” There’s no confidence. There’s no certainty, but when you get a grasp on the gospel that Jesus has done it all for you, then you say, “I know I’m righteous in my Savior,” and that brings the readiness. That brings the traction.

For example, why is it back on October 16, 1555, two men were burned at the stake on Broad Street in Oxford for their faith, because they wouldn’t recant, they wouldn’t move away from their biblical faith and give in to the status quo? It was Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer. Some of you have heard this story. As the flames were coming up, Latimer turned to Ridley and said (and everybody knows this, because they wrote it down and it’s a famous statement), “Be of good comfort, Mr. Ridley, and play the man! We shall this day light such a candle by God’s grace, in England, as I trust never shall be put out.”

Six months later, Thomas Cranmer, same spot, March 21, 1556. Thomas Cranmer was the Archbishop. He wrote most of the Book of Common Prayer, the original one. He was asked to recant and to move away from his Protestant, biblical convictions. Originally he did because he was afraid he was going to put to death. He signed it with his right hand. Later on, he publically got up and said, “I was wrong. I was a traitor.” He took back his recantation, so he was put in prison and told if he didn’t recant he was going to be burned at the stake.

When they took him out to the stake and the fire came up, he took his right hand and he put it in the flame, because, he said, “The hand that betrayed Christ ought to be burned first.” A couple of months later, another man was burned at the stake, John Bradford. He turned to his secretary, who was being burned with him, and he said (his name was John Leaf), “Be of good comfort, brother, for we shall have a merry supper with the Lord this night.”

Where do you get that kind of traction? Where do you get that kind of steadfastness? It’s a certainty that comes from knowing, “I’m right with him because he has reconciled himself to me.” As long as you believe being a Christian really means just trying to appease an insatiable God, just trying to please a God whose standards are too high and unfair and you never get anything for it, if you have that view of God, which is basically a matter of anger and enmity …

Don’t you see you’ve been trying to be your own master and he has reconciled you to himself at the incredible and infinite cost of his Son? When you see that, when your heart is melted, when you see you deserve nothing but you’re getting everything … A Christian is somebody who knows you don’t deserve the least mercy but you claim and expect the greatest blessings, because in Christ you have as much confidence before God as if you were as a perfect as an angel, because he has paid all the price and debt for you. That’s your mindset. There’ll be a readiness.

How do you put on the shoes of readiness? Paul tells us in : 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive The Sandals of Peace—Part 1

Until you begin to think like that, you haven’t grasped you’re in rebellion against God and God has freely and undeservedly taken away the debt and reconciled you to himself. When that happens, you get a toughness because you can deal with the problems of life. You don’t see them as all unfair. You get a certainty and a confidence because you know you belong to him now. You know it!

As long as you feel, like a lot of people, “I’m not mad at God. I’m just trying to please him, but he never really does right by me.” When I say to a person like this, “Are you a Christian?” what do you say? You say, “Well, I’m trying, but I don’t know if I am.” There’s no confidence. There’s no certainty, but when you get a grasp on the gospel that Jesus has done it all for you, then you say, “I know I’m righteous in my Savior,” and that brings the readiness. That brings the traction.

For example, why is it back on October 16, 1555, two men were burned at the stake on Broad Street in Oxford for their faith, because they wouldn’t recant, they wouldn’t move away from their biblical faith and give in to the status quo? It was Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer. Some of you have heard this story. As the flames were coming up, Latimer turned to Ridley and said (and everybody knows this, because they wrote it down and it’s a famous statement), “Be of good comfort, Mr. Ridley, and play the man! We shall this day light such a candle by God’s grace, in England, as I trust never shall be put out.”

Six months later, Thomas Cranmer, same spot, March 21, 1556. Thomas Cranmer was the Archbishop. He wrote most of the Book of Common Prayer, the original one. He was asked to recant and to move away from his Protestant, biblical convictions. Originally he did because he was afraid he was going to put to death. He signed it with his right hand. Later on, he publically got up and said, “I was wrong. I was a traitor.” He took back his recantation, so he was put in prison and told if he didn’t recant he was going to be burned at the stake.

When they took him out to the stake and the fire came up, he took his right hand and he put it in the flame, because, he said, “The hand that betrayed Christ ought to be burned first.” A couple of months later, another man was burned at the stake, John Bradford. He turned to his secretary, who was being burned with him, and he said (his name was John Leaf), “Be of good comfort, brother, for we shall have a merry supper with the Lord this night.”

Where do you get that kind of traction? Where do you get that kind of steadfastness? It’s a certainty that comes from knowing, “I’m right with him because he has reconciled himself to me.” As long as you believe being a Christian really means just trying to appease an insatiable God, just trying to please a God whose standards are too high and unfair and you never get anything for it, if you have that view of God, which is basically a matter of anger and enmity …

Don’t you see you’ve been trying to be your own master and he has reconciled you to himself at the incredible and infinite cost of his Son? When you see that, when your heart is melted, when you see you deserve nothing but you’re getting everything … A Christian is somebody who knows you don’t deserve the least mercy but you claim and expect the greatest blessings, because in Christ you have as much confidence before God as if you were as a perfect as an angel, because he has paid all the price and debt for you. That’s your mindset. There’ll be a readiness.