Sermon Tone Analysis

Our series theme verse is

This morning we will be looking at and paying close attention to verse 15:

Introduction:

How many of you love shoes?

How many of you enjoy shopping for shoes?

How many of you just enjoy shopping?

Well, Roman soldiers did not have to shop for their shoes.

From what I’ve read, footwear was specially made for each soldier.

Far from being a humble sandal, the shoe of a Roman soldier was one of the most high-tech and adaptable pieces of equipment he owned.

The soles where made from layers of metal and leather.

The sole also could have spikes of varying lengths attached to allow the soldier to grip.

Some even came with toe-spikes and spurs to allow the shoe to have offensive capability.

They had detachable greaves to protect the shin and knee.

Another metal covering protected the top of the foot.

The invincibility of the Roman Republic Army depended on their ability to engage in battle as well as to travel quickly.

Caligae

caligae

caligae

These shoes or boots were called caligae.

Those shoes that were worn by the ordinary soldiers were so essential that those soldiers came to be known as the caligati.

These shoes or boots were called caligae.

Those shoes that were worn by the ordinary soldiers were so essential that those soldiers came to be known as the caligati.

-Germanicus, was the adopted son of emperor Tiberius and one of Rome’s most beloved generals.

When he was among the soldiers he began to put the caligae on his young son, who was appropriately nicknamed “little boots”.

So when that boy later became emperor, he was known not by his formal name, but by his nickname, Caligula.

-So Paul uses this image of soldier shoes to talk about standing against the enemy.

When fighting, a soldier needed good footing.

If he slipped and fell, his enemy could finish him off.

So we are talking about having traction for action today.

A soldier is not ready for battle or prepared for action if his footwear gives him no traction or protection.

-Paul says that this foot-readiness, this traction and protection that helps you stay on your feet, comes from the good news of peace.

Transition: The main thought is simple today: How does the good news of peace protect you and keep you from slipping and falling in battle or losing ground to the enemy?

And what exactly is this “good news of peace?”

Let’s take a look at how Peace prepares you for battle!

As we begin our discussion on the 4 Progressions of Peace that will help us better understand what it means to be prepared by peace, let us first talk about the:

I. Peace with God

-Today there is a cry for peace from many.

You don’t have to look very far to see bumper stickers and signs that say, “War is not working.

Peace is the answer.”

And maybe you’ve heard or asked the question, “Why can’t we all just get along?”

-Well, that sounds good, but ignores the fact that human beings are not basically good.

Without the change of heart that comes from being at peace with God, we are basically selfish people who will go to great lengths to get what we want, regardless of who we hurt along the way.

-The Hebrew word for peace is shalom- completeness, wholeness, to be at rest.

The Greek word used by Paul is eirene: “to join together that which has been separated.”

-Paul has already spoken about his readers having been separated from God in the past.

In ,

,

The word for “preached” here is a special word that is used for proclaiming the gospel.

The Greek is euaggelizo which means to bring or announce good news.

Jesus came and announced the good news of peace to those who were at odds with God.

The good news was that through Jesus God was not going to hold their sins against them.

If they rejected that good news, they rejected its work in their lives- forgiveness and cleansing which brought them into God’s favor.

Paul says it well in when he says:

-Churches use several different words to describe what happens when a person finds peace with God.

Some call it salvation, getting saved, conversion, getting right with God, being born again, finding Christ, etc. Whatever you call it, every person in this world needs it – if they want to find the reason they were put on this planet – knowing God in a close and personal way.

We need to have peace with God if we want to have life that goes on and on even after our time on this earth.

-Churches use several different words to describe what happens when a person finds peace with God.

Some call it salvation, getting saved, conversion, getting right with God, being born again, finding Christ, etc. Whatever you call it, every person in this world needs it – if they want to find the reason they were put on this planet – knowing God in a close and personal way.

We need to have peace with God if we want to have life that goes on and on even after our time on this earth.

-Peace with God changes us.

Peace with God changes our standing, as we talked about last week.

It changes our character.

It changes our outlook/attitude.

Peace with God changes our motivation – we don’t live for God based on guilt, but based on gratitude.

We are at peace with Him.

We no longer need to appease Him to avoid His wrath.

Jesus appeased God’s wrath once and for all!

Peace with God changes our convictions – we don’t budge when the enemy attacks!

-The best thing about peace with God is that it is readily available to you now!

You don’t have to place an order or get on a waiting list.

No purchase necessary because the price has already been paid by Jesus Himself when He died for my sins and yours.

-Those who have peace with God know where they stand and they stand firm!

Peace with God allows you to dig in and keep fighting because greater is He who is in you than the enemy who is in this world!

I love the verse found just before the last book of the Bible.

says:

God has given us the shoes of peace so we can stand firm, knowing that He is standing with us.

He is able to keep us from falling!

Some people fall from discouragement, forgetting the blessings of peace with God.

Some fall from feelings of guilt and unworthiness, thinking that God is not at peace with them.

Others fall for various reasons, but they all have one thing in common – they lose their peace.

The God of peace is able to keep us from falling if we stand firm in His grace and stay connected with Him through prayer and trust.

God has given us the shoes of peace so we can stand firm, knowing that He is standing with us.

He is able to keep us from falling!

Some people fall from discouragement, forgetting the blessings of peace with God.

Some fall from feelings of guilt and unworthiness, thinking that God is not at peace with them.

Others fall for various reasons, but they all have one thing in common – they lose their peace.

The God of peace is able to keep us from falling if we stand firm in His grace and stay connected with Him through prayer and trust.

Transition: Well, let’s look at the next area of Peace that flows out of our Peace with God:

II.

The Peace of God

When we have peace with God and are no longer separated from Him because of our unclean lives and offenses against Him, then we will have a peace within our own hearts and minds.

God’s peace will help you be at peace with yourself.

When we have peace with God and are no longer separated from Him because of our unclean lives and offenses against Him, then we will have a peace within our own hearts and minds.

God’s peace will help you be at peace with yourself.

-So many ugly things can happen in this life.

Some of those ugly things happen to us through no fault of our own.

Due to someone else’s sin and selfishness we may be left with inner wounds and ugly scars that make us feel unloved and unvalued.

Or perhaps you’ve gone through deep sorrow or had a major disappointment that was not really anyone’s fault, but it still hurts!

Let me tell you that God’s heart aches for you in the midst of your pain – but not from a distance.

The only distance that exists between you and God is distance that we put there.

He cares how we feel and wants to bring His soothing, healing peace into our hearts.