SUIT UP: LACE UP YOUR BOOTS

Sermon Notes, October 21, 2018

Rev. Garry McGlinchy

Pastor Garry continued his sermon series about the armor of God, based on Ephesians 6:10-20.  The title of today’s sermon was “Suit Up: Lace up Your Boots.”  He reminded us of the armor we’ve already learned about: the Belt of Truth, that holds everything together; and the Breastplate of Righteousness that protects the heart. 

Today’s equipment is the shoes, the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace.  They enable you to go places you can’t go with bare feet.  A Roman soldier’s shoes had to be laced up tight.  His shoes had spikes on the bottom, much like football cleats, so he could stand firm and fight.

Paul knew everything about Jewish law.  He felt that his job was to make sure that everyone followed the Law properly.  In Acts, we read the story of how he condoned the death of Stephen, even holding the coats of the ones who stoned him.  We also read how God “photo-bombed” him, changing him from Saul the persecutor to Paul the missionary, who ended up writing much of the New Testament as he wrote letters to new churches.

The shoes of the Roman soldier had a dual purpose.  They were their combat boots; with the spikes, a soldier could dig in and stand firm to fight.  They were also ready for action.  They were ready to go.  The sound of a Roman army on the move struck fear into their potential enemies.    

Hemtoimosia is a Greek word meaning “ready, or prepared for action.”  Peter learned about being ready, or prepared for action in Acts 10 when the Lord taught him about dealing with his concept of “unclean.”  He told him to go to the home of Cornelius, the Roman centurion.  God told him to break some rules to go tell others about Jesus.  He wants us to get out of our comfort zones too.  When we get uncomfortable in our comfort zones, then we realize it’s not comfortable—we need to move.

Peter obeyed, and he went with Cornelius’s men.  When he arrived there, he realized the Holy Spirit had already been there, working on Cornelius.  The Holy Spirit is already working on people He puts on our hearts.  Sometimes, we don’t even need to speak; we just need to show them Jesus by the way we live.  Speak less, show more.  Are your shoes laced up tight, ready to go? 

Where are your shoes?  Have your armor on, shoes on, ready to go.  Jesus summed it up when He said to love God, and love others. (Matthew 22:37-39)  He also said in Matthew 24, where He’s talking about the end times, in verses 12 & 13, that the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.  Stand firm, ready for action.