The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace

Introduction

Last time I counted, I have over 35 pairs of shoes…some of you may have way less than that while others have more. Shoes for us in our culture is more of a fashion statement than we think of shoes for protection.

In the Korean War, our military was one of if not the greatest formidable militarys ever to be seen. We had the best men, best weapons, strategists. You name it our military had it. But our military hospitals were receiving a lot of soldiers who were suffering from frostbite on their feet. The soldiers shoes were from WWII, and they were given extra socks because even the sweat on their feet was enough to get frostbite on their toes.

After this, some new shoes were fashioned called the “mickey mouse boot” which would replace what the soldiers were wearing called shoepacs.

Our military learned that day that you could have the best of everything, but if you did not have good shoes you were in trouble.

We have been provided in this fight against the evil forces of this world the armor of God. We are not called to go on attack, but we are called to withstand the schmes of the devil.

The Christian has been provided by God shoes for their feet.

You read in verse 15 “readiness”

Ephesians 6:15 ESV

15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

readiness. A good pair of shoes allowed a Roman solider to march, climb, fight, or do whatever was necessary at a moment’s notice. Christ calls for that same readiness of his people. We can put on the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness, but if we do not put on our shoes, we will stumble and fall in this war.

The original language, you actually do not read the word shoes, but its a saying “shod your feet.” We do not use this language except for horses when you shod a horse. When you are shodding shoes on a horse, but the shoes are not being added to the horse. They are now APART of the horse.

These shoes for the Christian are not just to be another thing to your life but to be apart of your life.

Roman soldiers could move with speed and then be mobile in warfare. Verse 12 tells us this war is a wrestle. We have to have proper shoes to march forward to be mobile, and to have stability in this wrestle with the enemy.

When a battle would happen, there would be messengers who would bring news about the battle at hand. It was their feet that brought them from the good news of the battle to other people.

We as Christians cannot bring the good news of the gospel of peace if we do not have it strapped to ourselves.

Verse 12

What is “the gospel of peace”

Its the good news that believers are at peace with God. Unbelievers are in rebellion with God and they are enemies with no true peace.

If you look before verse 15, there are many references to “be strong in the Lord”; “that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil”; “that you may be able to withstand in the evil day”

For a solider, they would march to and from different places and they would also stand strong where they are at in battle.

The shoes gave the soldiers mobility and stability.

The gospel of peace is to us be messengers of that peace, and to stand strong when under attack.

Satan will attack your faith, your obedience, and will do whatever he can to make you not stand on the good news.

Why is it good news to be reminded that it is your God who reigns?

When discussing peace, we talk about what in our life that does not let us have peace. One sin that comes to mind is idolatry. We go to anything and everything but God to find peace in our life.

What idols contest the fact of God’s reign in your life?

we have freedom from these false gods and idols. They do not reign in our lives. God reigns over our life.

Then we talk about Jesus who is responsible and made it possible for us to have peace in our lives.

he laid down his own life our sins so that we who were God’s natural enemies could become his friends through simple faith in Christ.

Now because of what Jesu has done, we have an unshakable with God. We are no longer guilty in God's sight; that poisonous pile of our personal sins has been removed from our record and chalked up onto Jesus’s record.

How does Jesus give us peace in our own flawed efforts to reach out with the good news?

When do we lack peace in our life?

Our eyes can be fixed on our own performance, as if we were the determining factor.

This present warfare is not all there is; our successes and failures do not define our existence.

The gospel peace enables us to rest, even when we fail in sharing the good news. Most of us are not great evangelists.

We are reminded that our God reigns even in evangelism.

Who do you know that would benefit from God’s peace? Make a list of three or four people with whom you would love to share this good news. Then ask God to create opportunities for that conversation