It’s All About The Shoes! Series

We have spent the last few weeks taking some time to study the whole armour of God. This spiritual armour is given to us because we are in a battle. It is not a battle of flesh & blood, it is a spiritual battle therefore the equipment we need is not of aphysical, but a spiritual nature. Paul who is at the time of this writing a prisoner who would have had ample opportunity to study the roman soldiers who would have been gaurding him. He has seen the armour that the soldiers would use in battle and knew that others would recognize the picture that he was using to describe the equipment used as they prepared to do battle. Again the physical armour of the roman soldier is used to describe the spiritual armour the believers needs to be fully equipped for battle! We began by looking at the belt of truth and noted it was put on before anything else. Truth is what God’s word is! Jesus is the living word. He says I am the way, the truth and the life. Before we can be equipped for battle in the spirtual realm we must first have Christ.

We talked last week about the breastplate of righteousness. We asked and answered questions concerning what the breastplate was, what it represented, and why it came second in our equipment. We began by noting that this is something we have already. If we have Christ, the belt, then we have righteousness imputed to us by God. We noted that the breastplate gaurded the vital organs especially the heart. It is God’s righteousness that gaurds our hearts against the attacks of the devil. We noted that the breastplate would be tied to, anchored to the belt. Just as righteousness is tied to Christ! It is not self righteousness, but righteousness imputed and imparted from God. Imparted as God works through us by Christ in us! Ephesians 2:10 "10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

This week we will look at the third piece of equipment, the footware that is spoken of in verse 15. Lets read again verses 10-18, concentrating on the equipment we have already covered and adding this new piece in verse 15....

"10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"

This morning we are going to learn somthing that some women already know, It’s all about the shoes! Let’s look at this as we have with the other pieces. we will determine first what Paul is speaking about. What are these shoes that the soldier would wear? Secondly, what is Paul trying to tell us or show us? And last, Why is it, all about the shoes?

1. The Soldiers Footware

The KJV uses the word shod " And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;". I think the first thing we need to understand is what shod means. When you think of the days of Jesus and the apostle Paul, the days of the roman empire. What do you think of concerning shoes. I think of sandals. I think of the scripture where John the Baptist says in Mark chapter 1 "There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose." The NIV says untie the thong of His sandals. When we think of sandals we think of something like flip flops that we slip our foot into or onto. I think that is why Paul uses the word shod here, so we get a better understanding of what the roman soldiers footware is like. The word shod means "to bind on" it was not something they casually slipped their foot into. It was deliberately tied on. Now let me tell you a little about the kind of footware the soldier would have. The shoes of the Roman soldier were thick, reinforced, and had nail studded sole. The metal nail protrusions helped give the warrior greater stability and quickness of movement. The shoes covered from the middle of the leg down with wide strips of leather that securely fixed the shoes to the soles of feet. They were fitted securely to facilitate the rapid, non-slip foot movement necessary for hand-to-hand combat. The ability to stand firm without slipping or falling was a great help in battle. The soldier who lost his footing could lose his life. A soldier would "shod" tie on these shoes to be prepared for the battle. Think about it for a moment, one of the most valued pieces of a modern soldiers equipment are his boots. They never knew what kind of enviroment or terrain they would be fighting so they had to have confidence in their footware for protection as well as traction. Again a soldier that loses his footing could lose his life.