Sunday Morning Worship Service August 30, 2020

Faith Baptist Church

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August 31, 2020

Sunday Morning Worship Service from Faith Baptist Church

01:17: Well, good morning good to see you on this beautiful Lord's Day. Thank the Lord for the wonderful opportunity he's given us today to gather together and to Worship him together to fellowship
01:30: Socially distancing from one another together as as the need has arisen a
01:36: Few things to share with you from your announce from your bulletin just to remind you of these things tonight in the evening service
01:43: We're doing these songs of the night saw different psalms for the last several weeks tonight
01:51: Psalm 22 The song of the suffering servant if you're familiar with Psalm 22, you remember how that begins my god my god
01:58: Why have you forsaken me? It's the psalm that the Lord quoted on the cross and a lot connected to Calvary and to what took place on the cross, but we'll be looking at that from the standpoint
02:14: Primarily of the author David who wrote it and what that how that impacted him
02:19: So that's tonight in the evening service. You can make it back at six o 'clock on Wednesdays, we've been going through going around the world looking for different artifacts related to church history and this this
02:33: Wednesday is the next to the last of those journeys and we'll be going to where is it
02:39: China the Philippines and South Korea and Then the last the last journey brings us back to the
02:45: United States So the last two Wednesdays for that now a couple things next Sunday you note that we're planning to resume
02:54: Sunday school classes, so that would be at 930 and We have we'll have things
03:00: Situated there so we don't have to worry about this the social distancing and all that But 930 next
03:07: Sunday and the the Sunday school let out a quarter after 10 so there'd be plenty of time to get from the different places in the building to the auditorium and Get situated for the morning service
03:20: Then after the service next Sunday We'll be having a special church family business meeting.
03:26: So that'll be just church members So one of those unfortunate kind of meetings where We have to take up a matter of distant church discipline
03:39: That's planned for now things could happen, you know Repentance and so forth, but that doesn't we expect to have to deal with that next
03:50: Sunday. So Please note that if you're a church member
03:56: I want to offer a couple of things of praise and congratulations So a couple of weeks almost a couple weeks ago now
04:05: Hendricks, we've been praying for Hendricks for a long time you remember for Months and months and months of this little boy's life.
04:13: He was in in hospital and I mean his life
04:18: Literally hung in the balance and was not expected really to live but Through the grace of God and his working in that little boy's life.
04:27: He is now home. He's with his Parents and family so that is a
04:34: Tremendous answer to prayer and a great blessing. So I know June is here this morning.
04:40: June's grandma and You wouldn't believe June's grandma. I know but nevertheless she is and I know that's a great blessing to her and To all of us as we've been praying for that little guy
04:53: Continue to pray for that family though. There's a lot of Just constant care that Hendricks needs
05:00: So we'll pray for him later. And then we also want to offer congratulations to Peter and Rene Coster had
05:08: Baby number four this past Tuesday. They're here with us this morning. So congratulations have a little baby girl
05:15: Carrie and Carrie and so congratulations you guys and may
05:20: God bless you as you're as he already has in the growth of your family Psalm 89 begins this way says
05:29: I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever with my mouth Will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations?
05:37: We open the service this morning with that great hymn of the faith Great is thy faithfulness singing of the faithfulness of the
05:45: Lord. So Jim, please come and lead us in our hymnals Thank you pastor again.
05:52: That's on page 109 109 Great as I faithfulness, let's stand together, please and sing verses 1 and 3 1 and 3 of 109
06:18: I Remain standing brother
08:22: Dan. Let's pray our father again.
08:31: We we thank you for your grace and your mercy this past week and And Father, we're so thankful for your faithfulness, your goodness, your mercy each and every day.
08:51: And Father, as we come to hear your word, Father, guide
08:56: Pastor as he brings your word, open our hearts,
09:02: Father. Help us as, help the spirit of God to just work in our hearts this day.
09:11: Help us as we hear your word to apply it to our lives.
09:18: We pray these things in Jesus name, amen. You may be seated. Back your bulletin is our psalm reading for the week,
09:31: Psalm 89. We began the service with verse one, speaking of singing of the
09:36: Lord's faithfulness. Verses 11 through 18, continuing on in this psalm.
09:47: Follow along in your bulletin as I read verses 11 to 18.
09:53: Psalmist writes, the heavens are thine, the earth also is thine. As for the world and the fullness thereof, thou hast founded them.
10:03: The north and the south, thou hast created them. Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.
10:10: Thou hast a mighty arm, strong is thy hand and high is thy right hand.
10:16: Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne. Mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
10:24: Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound. They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.
10:30: In thy name shall they rejoice all the day, and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
10:36: For thou art the glory of their strength, and in thy favor our horn shall be exalted.
10:43: For the Lord is our defense, and the Holy One of Israel is our
10:48: King. May the Lord add his blessing to our reading together of his word. This next hymn that we want to sing today goes along with the theme of our message, which is the next piece of the gospel armor, the gospel of peace.
11:06: The good news of peace, and that good news is that Christ is enough.
11:13: Christ is enough. Jim, come lead us, please. And that is in your blue books.
11:19: That is your supplements, song books, page 11, number 11. Christ is enough.
11:25: We're going to be singing verses 1, 2, and 4. We're going to skip verse 3. 1, 2, and 4 of number 11.
11:48: My good, goodness He reigns.
11:53: Then Jesus came, my sin He claimed, and cleansed me by His grace.
12:03: To Christ I fly, on Him rely, His grace is all
12:10: I need. Unmoved by doubts, my faith cries out,
12:18: Christ is enough for me. My crippling hope, so heavy,
12:28: I stumble on my way. Yet Jesus keeps, and never sleeps,
12:39: His right hand holds me high. To Christ I fly, on Him rely,
12:49: His grace is all I need. Unmoved by doubts, my faith cries out,
12:59: Christ is enough for me. And on the last, my feeble heart will not against the devil scheme.
13:14: But Jesus Christ, crush my foe, and live
13:20: His life in me. To Christ I fly, on Him rely,
13:29: His grace is all I need. My faith cries out,
13:39: Christ is enough for me. So as we pray together today, we want to continue to pray for Hendricks and his family as he continues to grow and get stronger, but does need a lot of care, round -the -clock care.
14:02: So pray for him and his family. Our missionary of the week this week is Scott Williquette.
14:07: And Scott, you remember, is leader of what's called the PEP ministry,
14:13: Pastoral Enrichment Program, through Baptist Midmissions, as well as the mission board has what they call a school of church planters.
14:22: A lot of his ministry has been kind of suspended. I mean, he hasn't been able to do any overseas trips, hopes to do one by the end of the year.
14:33: But that's where he does the focus of his ministry, in enriching and equipping pastors in third world countries for the work of the ministry.
14:44: But in the meantime, I talked to him not long ago, in the meantime, he's doing an awful lot of preparation work and revising of curriculum and so forth.
14:54: So I want to pray for that very important ministry. And continue to pray for the folks in our church that are recovering from some major surgeries and needing rehab,
15:05: Harold Smith and Bob Klein. Bob also with his cancer and chemotherapy.
15:12: And then Kathy McAllister, pray for them. And then, of course, we want to pray for our nation. And the ongoing unrest that will continue for an indefinite period of time may be determined by the outcome of the election, may not be, who knows, only
15:31: God knows. But the anger, the hatred, the hostility,
15:36: I don't know, I'm sure you saw the way that Rand Paul and his wife were accosted the other day, just walking from the
15:45: White House to get across the street and to get back to their hotel. And it was absolutely impossible for them to do so.
15:53: And Senator Paul's wife was sharing how she is trying to look at and talk to the people who, this angry mob that has just surrounded them.
16:09: And she said, it's like they didn't even see us as human beings.
16:15: There was just such a rage in the eyes. And, of course, the language, you've been hearing the language, just absolute vulgarity.
16:23: Total lack of restraint, hatred. Also, this past week, of course, the whole debacle in Kenosha, further rioting there, and that's been going on every night.
16:37: And then the 17 -year -old boy who's responsible for killing someone, and not because he was a rioter, but because he was trying to do some protecting.
16:50: And that kind of anarchy in the streets is unfortunate, and it's horrible.
16:57: It's absolutely horrible. And you wonder, you wake up wondering, do we get transported to another country?
17:07: Do we enter into a time machine and get warped into the future sometime, a dystopian future? What is going on?
17:15: We've been talking on Sunday mornings the last several weeks about the reality of the spiritual warfare.
17:24: And that's what's going on behind all of the mayhem you see in the streets, and the rioting, and the anger, and the hatred, and the vulgarity.
17:32: All of those things are expressions of the wicked one. And he is unrestrained in what's going on in a lot of these places.
17:44: And so what we want to pray is that God, in his grace and in his mercy, would send the restrainer, the one who restrains, to restrain the evil that seems to be so widespread.
17:55: And then, of course, pray for the elections, and pray for revival in our land. And there's much in our nation to be praying for.
18:04: I also want to pray for our brothers and sisters in other places, and fellow pastors in churches.
18:11: Thinking particularly in California, where there has been just an unprecedented pressure placed on pastors.
18:23: I was watching one pastor this morning who gave an update Friday regarding his church.
18:28: His church is meeting today, Sunday morning, Sunday evening. They're going to meet Wednesday evening. And they will be fined $5 ,000 for every occurrence of meeting.
18:41: And they also have a Christian school. And they were told they would be fined $5 ,000 for every day that they have school in place.
18:52: And that's just one of several instances of that kind of pressure placed upon churches.
19:01: So let's go to prayer. We have much to pray for today. Our Father, when we look around us, we watch the news, we read the newspaper.
19:11: If we do that, maybe for some of us, it is so discouraging and distressing that we have just taken a fast from all media.
19:23: Father, that would certainly be understandable. And maybe that would be commendable for many of us, for the sake of our own mental health and emotional health.
19:36: But Father, for those of us who are very much aware of what's going on in the cities of our land, the attitudes that are being expressed, the hostility, the anger, the hatred, the violence, all of this is very unnerving and very unsettling.
19:53: Father, we pray today that you would give us grace as your people to be able to look at all these things through the lens of our
20:02: Christian worldview and to see the spiritual warfare that's going on and to see the lack of restraint on the part of people as being a lack of restraint against the wicked one who is inciting all of this.
20:21: Our desire, our prayer, from our perspective, is that we would long for the
20:27: Holy Spirit and the restraining power and work of the Holy Spirit to hold back the evil.
20:34: And those in your army, Lord, would be powerfully effective at restraining the wicked one and his armies as they seek to wreak havoc in our land and so much destruction and heartache and misery and even loss of life.
20:56: And so, Father, we pray that you would be merciful to us as a people, as a nation. We pray that you would be gracious at the same time,
21:05: Father, that we pray that and long for that. We must also recognize our need as a nation for revival, for people, men and women, young people, boys and girls, to repent of sin and turn to Christ.
21:22: We do realize that ultimately the only hope of peace and joy is found in Christ.
21:32: It's found in the good news. It's found in the gospel. And so, Father, we pray that your word, the gospel message, would be amply clarified and communicated in our nation during these days.
21:47: And we also pray that by your grace, there would be a turning back to biblical principles,
21:55: Christian principles that have guided our nation for a couple centuries and more.
22:02: Father, how vital those principles are for a prosperous and healthy people, a healthy nation.
22:10: And yet we have forsaken those principles. We have accepted the murder of pre -born children as just a commonplace medical procedure.
22:26: Father, this is deplorable. It is reprehensible. It is immoral.
22:32: We have made it acceptable. Father, we need to repent of this sin and we need to turn from it.
22:39: And, Father, we need healing. We know this can only come from your gracious hand.
22:46: We plead for it. We also pray, Father, for the work of your servants in missions around the world.
22:56: You know, many of our missionaries are very restricted in what they're able to do in terms of their normal ministry.
23:04: Father, we cannot help but think that the wicked one's hand isn't involved in some of these things as well, the restricting of the gospel ministry.
23:14: Father, we pray that you would give wisdom to our missionaries and give them boldness and give them effectiveness wherever they may be laboring.
23:25: We think of Scott Williquette and the very important ministry of training pastors for the work of pastoral ministry, the preaching of the word, the teaching of the word in their home countries.
23:37: I pray that he might be able to get back to that training on foreign soil soon.
23:46: I pray in the meantime, give him wisdom in organizing and structuring material and lectures and classes that he may be even more effective.
23:58: Father, we pray for those in physical need today. We think of Harold and Bob and Kathy, and we pray that you would be gracious to them in strengthening their bodies and making the rehab process effective, may it be efficiently accomplished.
24:17: We also pray for Hendricks and that you continue to strengthen his little body and give him health, give patience and grace to his parents and those caring for this little boy.
24:30: And I pray that their care would be most effective. We also pray for Carrie Ann and thank you for this new life brought into the world this week.
24:41: I pray that you would bless this little one. She grow in strength and I pray for her family.
24:48: They would continue to bring up their children in the nurture and the admonition of the
24:53: Lord. And so our father and our God, we commit these things to you today.
24:58: And we pray that by your grace, you would meet each of these needs. And this we ask in Jesus name.
25:05: Amen. Jim. Before the morning message, and we have you turn again to your, in your blue books, the supplemental books to number 34, number 34.
25:22: How can I keep from singing? How can I keep from singing with the joy of Christ in our hearts?
25:29: Let's sing together. Let's stand together if we would on verses just one and four, verses one and four of number 34.
25:36: How can I keep from singing? Above earth's lamentation,
25:58: I catch the sweet thought of Him that calls a new creation.
26:07: No storm can shake my inmost calm, while to that refuge clinging,
26:16: Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth, how can
26:22: I keep from singing? The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart, a fountain ever springing.
26:35: All things are mine since I am His, how can
26:40: I keep from singing? No storm can shake my inmost calm, while to that refuge clinging,
26:53: Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth, how can
26:58: I keep from singing? Thank you.
27:04: You may be seated. The scripture reading this morning is
27:11: Ephesians chapter six. Ephesians chapter six, and I'll be reading verses 13 through 18 this morning again.
27:23: Ephesians six, verses 13 through 18. I encourage you to follow along in your copy of scripture as I read, beginning in verse 13.
27:35: Paul, in closing out this letter to the church at Ephesus, is reminding the church of, and the believer, the
27:43: Christian, in the first and in the 21st century, of the reality of spiritual warfare that we are involved in.
27:51: If you're a Christian, you're a follower of Christ, you're in this warfare. And because of that, he says in verse 13,
27:59: Wherefore, take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
28:08: Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
28:19: Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
28:26: And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. Praying always, with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto, with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
28:40: A brief prayer. So our Father and our God, as we consider this piece of armor that we need to put on our feet,
28:49: I pray that today we would be encouraged by what you have provided for us.
28:55: This we ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, several years ago, it's been 20 some years ago now, my first serious attempt at hiking was, in one respect, a dismal failure.
29:09: Oh, the goal was accomplished. It was to start out at this trailhead three miles, three miles from the summit of Camel's Hump in Vermont.
29:22: And so three miles up and three miles back. And so in one sense, it was a success because that was accomplished.
29:28: Got to the summit and got back down. But it was a miserable success in this way.
29:36: I had never done any serious hiking before, so I didn't have any of the right equipment to do it. But I knew this hike was coming up.
29:42: So I went out and bought myself a pair of hiking boots, hiking shoes. And I thought
29:48: I was getting the right stuff. I thought I was getting good material. Got this pair of boots.
29:54: They were on sale. I think I probably paid 25 bucks for it. If you've done any serious hiking and have purchased hiking boots, you know already there's a problem there.
30:06: I didn't realize there was a problem. The things were made of leather. They had soles on the bottom that had grooves in them like they would grip the side of a mountain if you were falling off.
30:18: But I put the things on and I started up the hike. And I realized, boy, my feet kind of slip around in these things in some places.
30:29: Then I started to realize my feet are being pinched in other places. So the whole trip, the whole hike, my feet were miserable.
30:43: They felt awful. They felt even worse the next day when all the blisters started to show up really badly and what happens to blisters and all the rest of that.
30:54: I learned a very critical lesson in that first hike. And that is proper footwear is critical.
31:03: It is critical. To a successful hike. Well, the same is true, the need for proper footwear.
31:11: It's also true for a foot soldier, a foot soldier. Now, in the letter that Paul has written to this church at Ephesus, he places a great deal of emphasis on the feet.
31:25: Let's trace this through the letter, all right? So go back to chapter 2 in verses 1 to 3.
31:32: I want you to notice, I want you to notice this emphasis. I think it's a, I think it's significant. Chapter 2 verses 1 to 3, he says,
31:39: You hath he quickened, that is God, as made alive. You who were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air.
31:53: We've been talking about him already this morning, right? The prince of the power of the air. The spirit that now is at work in the children of disobedience.
32:01: Among whom we also had our way of life in times past, in the lusts of the flesh and fulfilling the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
32:13: So what Paul says here in chapter 2 verses 1 to 3 is that you used to walk before you came to Christ, before you were made alive, you used to walk as you were directed by the world, the devil, and your flesh.
32:30: Look at verse 10, he says, But we are his, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which
32:37: God hath before ordained that we should, what? We should walk in them.
32:43: So whereas you used to walk according to the dictates of your flesh and the world and the devil, you now need to walk in good works consistent with Jesus.
32:57: Now turn over a chapter further to chapter 4 and the first verse.
33:03: Chapter 4 verse 1, he says, I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation or the calling wherewith you've been called.
33:14: You have been called. If you're a follower of Jesus, you've been called to be a Christian, a
33:20: Christ -like one. That's your calling. And you are to walk worthy of that Christ -like calling.
33:28: Now in verses 17 through 19, Paul continues discussing this walking as a
33:33: Christian. He says that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that you being rooted and grounded in love may be able to,
33:41: I'm sorry, chapter 4 verse 17. He says this, I say therefore and testify in the
33:46: Lord that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanity, the emptiness, the futility of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart, who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness.
34:08: So you're not to walk like that. You're not to walk like that. You're not to walk as unbelievers in the futility of that unconverted mind.
34:18: Chapter 5 verses 1 and 2. He says be therefore followers of God as dear children and walk in love.
34:27: This is stuff you do with your feet, right? Walking is what you do with your feet. It says walk in love as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor.
34:41: So we are to walk in sacrificial love. And in verses 8 through 10 he tells us we're to walk as children of light.
34:50: He says for you were sometimes darkness but now are you light in the
34:55: Lord. Walk as children of light for all the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.
35:02: Walk as children of light proving, demonstrating, showing what is acceptable unto the
35:10: Lord. You're to walk as children of light and walking and in doing so walk out of the darkness.
35:18: In verses 15 and 16 here of chapter 5. He says see then that you walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time because the days are evil.
35:32: We are to walk circumspectly that is with thoughtfulness, with care, with carefulness, with wisdom.
35:42: And then finally in chapter 6 more into our text and context for this morning.
35:48: He says put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
35:53: So so far he's been talking about different ways in which we walk and we need to walk. Where we in contrasting that with the way we used to walk but now still using the analogy of the feet he says you need to stand.
36:09: He says stand against the wiles or the schemes of the devil. And in verse 13 he says take unto the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand or to resist in the evil day and having done all to stand.
36:24: And then verse 14 excuse me verse 14 stand therefore stand therefore.
36:31: So with all of this emphasis on walking and now standing functions.
36:39: These are functions of course of the feet. It's no wonder that in the panoply of God the full orbit of equipment that God has provided for you as a
36:54: Christian soldier. That one of those pieces of equipment of armor has to do with your feet.
37:04: Verse 15 he says and your feet shod with a preparation of the gospel of peace.
37:13: The way the King James translates that it's a little vague and we'll say more about that in a few minutes. Let me read that for you as it's translated in the
37:20: ESV. He says and as shoes for your feet. As shoes for your feet having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
37:34: Explain that translation in a few minutes. But what one thing I want you to notice already with that.
37:41: With that statement in verse 15 is the way Paul so far has consistently been using.
37:48: Okay pardon the reference to English grammar here. But he's been using a participle a past participle.
37:59: And that participle is expressed well in the ESV where he writes having put on.
38:08: The readiness having put on it's the same form of a verb past participle that he uses when he writes having put on or fastened on the belt of truth.
38:24: And having put on the breastplate of righteousness. So the point is that when you face the foe.
38:33: This is equipment this is armor that you have already put on.
38:39: Having put on the belt of truth having put on the breastplate of righteousness. And having having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
38:51: Now these pieces of equipment are significantly important because of the battle that we are in.
39:01: Remember Paul exhorts us in verse 11 put on the whole armor of God. Including the belt of truth the breastplate of righteousness.
39:10: And your and and this this equipment for the feet. That you may be able to stand against the wiles the schemes the methods of the devil.
39:22: I want to kind of take a little side trail here for just a minute.
39:28: And talk about that schemes those schemes of the devil those. Tactics of the devil
39:33: I want to do so because just this morning in my reading. Every morning in my devotional reading
39:39: I read. One of the entries in this little book that Spurgeon. Wrote and several years ago obviously
39:49: Spurgeon lived in the late 1800s. Entitled flowers from a Puritan's garden and what
39:55: Spurgeon does in this book. Is he takes a quotation from the Puritan Thomas Manton.
40:01: And then he makes comments on that and so what I read this morning. Is from Thomas Manton first here's
40:08: Thomas Manton's quote. He says this he says until we see and until we sin.
40:15: Until we sin satan is a parasite. But when once we are in the devil's hands he turns tyrant.
40:26: As an angler when the fish hath swallowed the bait discovers himself.
40:32: Or as a hunter lies out of sight. Till the beast is gotten into the toils or into the snares of the nets.
40:39: And then he shouts and triumphs over his prey. So the evil one lets not his enmity be seen.
40:47: Until he has deceived his dupe. Now that's what the Puritan said. Listen to how listen to what
40:55: Spurgeon said and comment on that. He says how often have I seen this. A soul tempted by the pleasures of sin one day.
41:05: And driven to despair by remorse for it the next. Satan first acts as a deceiver.
41:13: Then as an accuser. While men can be made to suck down sin.
41:19: He will make it sweet in their mouths. But when the poison is down he makes it bitter in their bowels.
41:28: At the first he tells them that there is no punishment. And by and by that there is no mercy.
41:35: Do you get that significance? When he's tempting you he tells you. There's no punishment for this.
41:42: There's no just go ahead just go ahead do it. Take this bait it's enjoyable you'll like this.
41:48: You'll you'll you'll be glad you did. There's not going to be any punishment for this. Remember that's what he said to Eve right.
41:54: Thou shalt shalt thou surely die. Will you die? Will you really die? There's no punishment for this.
42:00: Ah but then you take the bait. You swallow it down. And then he tells you there is no mercy for what you have done.
42:10: You can't be forgiven for that sin. Spurgeon closes his comment with this prayer.
42:17: He says Lord teach us how to baffle sin's arts. And rescue men from his wiles.
42:24: No mere human wisdom can match his subtlety. Instruct us then by thy spirit that we may be as wise.
42:31: To win souls as he is crafty to destroy them. Satan is crafty.
42:39: We need his armor. The armor that God has provided for us.
42:45: Take it upon ourselves. And that armor includes that armor includes footwear.
42:52: The right kind of footwear. So just as you just as you need that belt of truth.
43:00: And just as you need the breastplate of righteousness. You need the right kind of footwear.
43:05: You need your feet shod with the as the King James translates it.
43:10: The preparation of the gospel of peace. Now to understand what this means. We have to first of all understand the imagery.
43:18: May seem pretty obvious why you got to wear shoes. Well obviously Paul is alluding to the armor of the
43:25: Roman soldier. As he goes into battle. And the footwear of the
43:31: Roman soldier had some unique features. It wasn't just a pair of any old pair of sandals that anybody would put on.
43:37: The footwear of the soldier had on the bottom of it. Cleats they were like nails that were that were driven through the bottom of the footwear.
43:48: I like it I like to think of it as like. Like the cleats that an athlete would wear a football player on a on a muddy field.
43:55: Or a baseball player the cleats of a baseball player or a pair of soccer cleats.
44:01: And you understand that imagery right. What's the purpose of the cleats on the bottom of that athletic footwear.
44:08: It's the same purpose that was on the the cleats were on the footwear of the Roman soldier.
44:14: They were to provide stability and traction. There was also a strong soul on the bottom of that military sandal.
44:25: So that the feet would be protected. Protected from what would ever be on what would be underneath.
44:32: And so one thing that enemies would often do. Knowing the route that the other side the other army was going to take.
44:42: They would they would put hidden spikes or. Gins are called or a little like little sharp little projectiles.
44:52: Just it just at the surface of the ground. And if the feet were not protected those spikes would would penetrate the feet.
45:02: And then of course you know greatly hinder the advancement of the enemy soldier.
45:07: So those strong souls on the bottom of that military sandal was very important.
45:14: And then also as part of that footwear. Were were these pieces of leather the greaves they would be called.
45:24: That were attached to the calves and then would protect the calves and the ankles of the soldier.
45:30: So with that imagery there are three basic functions that become clear. Those sandals as military sandals would provide stability mobility and security.
45:46: Stability mobility and security. All right so that's the imagery.
45:51: But what about the interpretation of this verse right. Having your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
46:02: I won't ask you to raise your hand but I would venture to say. That the vast majority of you have read that before and you've heard that verse before.
46:09: And you've really wondered what exactly does that mean.
46:15: Having your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
46:22: There are basically two interpretations and one of them. One of them sees the feet being equipped with the gospel of peace.
46:35: Being equipped with the gospel of peace. So that it's kind of like playing off of what
46:43: Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 52 verse 7. How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.
46:48: How beautiful on the mountain are the feet of those who bring good news. And so the application of this would be of this interpretation would be.
46:57: Listen you as a Christian soldier. You need to have your feet prepared with the gospel.
47:05: So that wherever you are whenever the opportunity presents itself to share the gospel.
47:11: You need to be ready to give a reason for the hope that is within you. You always need to be ready to communicate the gospel.
47:18: Now that may be true that is true. You know we're exhorted to be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in you.
47:28: But is that what this is saying? The other interpretation is to say that this is teaching that.
47:36: Our feet are to be equipped by the gospel of peace.
47:42: Feet being equipped by the gospel of peace. Now remember the imagery that the purpose of that Roman soldier's footwear.
47:52: Was primarily stability and security as well as mobility.
48:00: Stability and security and some mobility. So I venture to hold to this second interpretation.
48:09: That what Paul is telling us here is that our feet need to be equipped by the gospel of peace.
48:14: Now let me explain why because that may be new to you. You may have always heard the other interpretation.
48:20: That you know that this is telling us we need to have our feet prepared with. We always need to be ready to share the gospel with anybody.
48:28: But what this interpretation does is it sees that the gospel of peace.
48:35: Provides for us as followers of Christ. The essential benefits that we need so that we can stand.
48:46: What's the big exhortation in this text? Put on the whole armor of God so that you may what?
48:54: Stand and when the evil day comes. So that you may be able to stand.
49:00: And so to say that the gospel of peace equips you.
49:06: The gospel equips you to stand. It is consistent in the context with this whole notion of standing.
49:16: It's in other words this the context is not calling us to an aggressive advance.
49:22: As warriors of the as warriors of Christ as soldiers of Christ. It's exhorting us to stand.
49:30: Also to see that our feet need to be equipped by the gospel of peace. Is consistent with the context regarding the pieces of armor.
49:39: Look at those pieces of armor. And you realize that all but the last piece is defensive in nature.
49:50: Protective defensive in nature. Your feet having having girded up your loins with the gospel with the belt of truth.
50:03: Having the breastplate of righteousness is a defensive piece of armor.
50:08: What we're going to see next week Lord willing. Is the shield of faith to quench the fiery darts of the of the wicked.
50:18: And then the helmet of salvation. And the last piece of equipment here is the sword of the spirit.
50:24: Is the only offensive piece of weaponry that is mentioned. And of course a sword can also be defensive as well.
50:32: So the idea that our feet need to be equipped by the gospel of peace.
50:40: That gospel of peace serves as a defensive piece of armor. And we'll see why in just a few minutes.
50:48: It is it is consistent with our understanding of what the gospel of peace is.
50:53: So what is that gospel of peace? How should I understand this? How would
50:58: I then apply it? How would I apply this interpretation? That again as the
51:05: ESV translates it. As shoes for your feet. Listen carefully again to what he says.
51:11: Having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
51:20: How do I apply that interpretation? Well let me suggest a few things. You are as a follower of Jesus.
51:28: You are equipped to stand when you have put on the gospel of peace.
51:36: Let me say that again. As a follower of Jesus. You are equipped to stand against the schemes of the devil.
51:43: When you have put on the gospel of peace. How have you put on the gospel of peace? You've put on the gospel of peace in the first place.
51:52: When you heard it in the second place. When you believed it in the third place.
51:58: When you received it. So in other words it's talking about that point in your life.
52:04: Where you are converted. When God in his grace opened your eyes. To see your condition.
52:09: To see your need of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel of peace. And having seen that need.
52:17: You have seen the savior. You've seen that Jesus is the savior of your soul. And you see that the only way you can be saved for all eternity.
52:27: You can be rescued. Delivered from the penalty of your sin. Is through the work of Jesus on that cross.
52:33: And you saw that he died and paid the penalty of your sin. You saw this.
52:40: Your eyes were open to see this. Your mind received it and believed it. Your heart took it in to yourself.
52:49: Which led you to cry out. Oh Lord Jesus save me. You put on the gospel of peace.
52:59: And having put on that gospel of peace. You are now equipped with stability, security and mobility.
53:06: Let me explain. The gospel of peace in the first place. Secures your peace with God.
53:15: It secures your peace with God. And this is a peace with God.
53:20: That is secured and accomplished. Through the work of Christ on the cross. Listen to Colossians 1 verses 19 and following.
53:29: Colossians 1 verse 19 says. For in Christ Jesus. All the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.
53:36: For and through him. That is through Christ. To reconcile to himself.
53:41: God reconciling to himself through Christ. All things. Whether on earth or in heaven.
53:47: Listen. Making peace. By the blood of his cross. And you who were once alienated and hostile in mind.
53:57: Doing evil deeds. He has now reconciled in his body of flesh.
54:04: By his death. In order to present you. Holy and blameless and above reproach before him.
54:11: You see this work of Christ. When he died on that cross. And he shed his blood on that cross.
54:17: By that work. He made peace. Between you and God.
54:25: You have peace with God. Because of the work of Christ on that cross. Now here's the thing.
54:31: If you have not come to faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 5 tells us you are. You are still at enmity with God.
54:38: You are an enemy. Of God. And if you are still an enemy. Listen if you're still an enemy of God.
54:45: You cannot be at peace with God. You're totally vulnerable.
54:53: To the devil's manipulation. You can't have that feet. You can't have your feet.
54:59: Equipped with the gospel of peace. So the gospel of peace secures your peace with God.
55:05: Through the blood of the cross. Romans 5 verses 1 and 2. Tell us that that gospel of peace.
55:12: Guarantees your standing. And your joyful expectation. Romans 5 1 and 2.
55:19: You know it don't you? Therefore since we have been justified by faith. We have peace with God.
55:25: Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him also. Because of that peace that we have with God.
55:31: Through him. We have obtained access by faith. Into this grace in which we stand.
55:38: And we rejoice. In hope of the glory of God. Having peace with God.
55:46: Guarantees your standing. And it ensures you of a joyful expectation.
55:54: Being at peace with God furthermore. Assures the preservation of your soul.
56:00: 1 Thessalonians 5 23. Says now may the God of peace himself.
56:08: Sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit. And soul and body be kept blameless.
56:17: Do you hear that? What are you dealing with in spiritual warfare? What are you dealing with?
56:23: You're dealing with the efforts of the wicked one. To destroy your soul. To do everything he can to.
56:30: To make you full of blame. But what does the. What does the
56:35: God of peace do? When you are at peace with God. The God of peace will sanctify you completely.
56:43: And your whole spirit and soul and body. Will be kept blameless at the coming of our
56:49: Lord Jesus Christ. Because you have peace with God. That peace with God also ensures the defeat.
56:57: The ultimate defeat of your enemy. Romans 16 verse 20 says. And the God of peace shall bruise
57:05: Satan under your feet shortly. And the perspective of eternity.
57:12: When Satan is finally crushed under your feet. By the God of peace.
57:18: That will come soon. That will come shortly. The peace with God guarantees the ultimate defeat of your enemy.
57:27: And that gospel that secures your peace with God. Empowers you then to accomplish his purposes.
57:36: Listen to this. Great benediction in Hebrews chapter 13.
57:42: We'll close the service with it today. The writer of Hebrews says. Now may the
57:47: God of peace. Who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus. The great shepherd of the sheep.
57:53: By the blood of the eternal covenant. May that God of peace. Equip you with every good that you may do his will.
58:01: Working in us that which is pleasing in his sight. Through Jesus Christ. To whom be glory forever and ever.
58:10: The gospel secures. Listen it's the gospel of peace. That's how
58:15: Paul describes it right. Having your feet equipped with the benefits.
58:20: That come given by the gospel of peace. What are those benefits? Peace with God.
58:28: Peace with God. But that gospel of peace not only.
58:35: Not only secures your peace with God. It affords you the peace of God.
58:42: And I want you to think about this. In context of Ephesians 6. What are we involved in?
58:48: What are we engaged in? We are engaged in spiritual warfare. How many times have you been in some kind of conflict.
58:57: That you could say in the middle of that conflict. I'm completely at peace.
59:04: I have complete peace of mind. I have complete peace of heart. I am at peace. Well what the gospel of peace does.
59:12: Is it affords you the peace of God. So that all right now watch.
59:19: You can be confident and stable. Remember one of the purposes of that.
59:26: Roman soldiers spikes through his. His warrior sandals is stability.
59:37: With the gospel of peace you are afforded the peace of God. So that you can then be confident and stable.
59:45: In his sovereign providence. What does Romans 1 Romans 8 28 say.
59:51: I mean you know this from heart your heart right. And we know that all things work together.
59:57: For good to them who love God. To those who are the called according to his purpose.
01:00:02: All right we know that. You've memorized that probably at some point in your life. All right so what happens.
01:00:09: What happens when you're in the midst of some kind of turmoil. What does. How does
01:00:15: Satan. How does your enemy come at you in those times of turmoil. Does he not try to get.
01:00:22: Does he not distract you totally from Romans 8 28. Doesn't he completely undermine that in your thinking.
01:00:31: Well if you if you have received the gospel of peace. You have the peace of God that you can rely on.
01:00:40: That you can say wait a minute. No wicked one I'm going to stand right here. I know as difficult as this time may be.
01:00:50: That all things work together for good to those who love God. And I love God. And to those who are the called according to his purpose.
01:00:57: And I am called according to his purpose. He's made me one of his own. You can also be absolutely confident.
01:01:04: Because of this gospel of peace. You can be confident in your father's care.
01:01:11: Your heavenly father's care. Remember Philippians chapter 4 verses 6 and 7.
01:01:17: You probably memorize this too at some point along the way. Not a commended to you.
01:01:23: Be anxious or careful for nothing. Be anxious filled with anxiety about nothing.
01:01:29: But in everything. By prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Let your request be made known to God.
01:01:37: Why? And then what? And the peace of God which passes all understanding.
01:01:45: Shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace.
01:01:51: Whose mind is stayed on thee. Because he trusts in thee. And so again.
01:01:57: Satan wants to exploit your anxiety. He wants to exploit the burdens that weigh you down.
01:02:05: He wants to exploit the fears that are being generated in our society right now. He wants to exploit all of that.
01:02:13: And undermine your peace. But. But listen.
01:02:19: You have put on. Your feet. The gospel of peace.
01:02:26: And having put on your feet the gospel of peace. You can have the peace of God.
01:02:34: In the midst of all that. You can stand. You can stand. And the gospel.
01:02:40: Not only. Secures your peace with God. And affords you to have the peace of God.
01:02:48: This gospel of peace. Enables you to be at peace with others as well. Back at chapter 4 verse 1 in our letter to the
01:02:57: Ephesians. We read verse 1 earlier right? Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called.
01:03:05: What's that look like? With all lowliness and meekness. With long suffering. Forbearing one another in love.
01:03:12: Endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond. Of what? Of peace.
01:03:20: How can. A church. A body of believers. How can.
01:03:27: How can we walk in peace? We can walk in peace because of the gospel of peace.
01:03:35: When a church. This is why church membership needs to be comprised of believers. A believing church membership.
01:03:43: Because only believers in Christ can have their feet. Shod. With the gospel of peace that gives as one of its benefits.
01:03:53: Peace with others. Let me think about this. What happens.
01:03:58: What happens. What can happen in a church body. A family of of professing believers.
01:04:06: When there are differences of opinion. About non -biblically essential stuff.
01:04:14: When there are differences of taste. I mean even in the congregation of however many people here today.
01:04:20: I mean we all we all have our own individual tastes. And likes and dislikes. We have our opinions about various things.
01:04:27: We come from different backgrounds. And our backgrounds differ. Why is it that we're not always at war with one another.
01:04:33: Because of all those things. Because we've put on the gospel of peace.
01:04:39: Which then enables us and allows us. Instead of a satan exploiting those differences.
01:04:45: To tear us apart. The gospel of peace allows us to live. In a manner of lowliness and meekness and long suffering.
01:04:53: And forbearing of one another in love. And and and endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit.
01:04:59: In the bond. Of gospel peace. So the gospel enables our peace with others.
01:05:08: But also in enabling that peace with others. Provides us the gospel provides us.
01:05:13: With a framework for handling strife and conflict. What is that framework?
01:05:21: It's in Colossians 3 verse 13. If one has a complaint against another.
01:05:27: Forgiving each other. As the Lord has forgiven you. So also must you forgive.
01:05:34: So that gospel that gospel of peace. Forgiveness. Serves as a pattern as a framework.
01:05:42: For our handling of of complaints against one another. We learn how to forgive one another.
01:05:49: Now now summarizing this. Summarizing this gospel of peace.
01:05:56: In this interpretation. Listen to what John Owen said another Puritan. He said listen listen he said this.
01:06:02: He said let a soul. Exercise itself to a communion with Christ.
01:06:08: In the good things of the gospel. Pardon of sin. Fruits of holiness.
01:06:16: Hope of glory. Peace with God. Joy in the Holy Ghost. Dominion over sin.
01:06:24: And then listen to what he says. And he shall have a mighty preservative. Against all temptations.
01:06:32: Steep yourself. In the peace you have with God. In the peace that you have of God.
01:06:39: Steep yourself in the peace of the gospel. The gospel peace. Steep yourself in the gospel of peace.
01:06:47: And you will have a mighty preservative. Against all temptations. Here's the thing.
01:06:53: With the proper footwear. You can indeed stand. And you can withstand.
01:06:59: The right footwear. The right gospel footwear protects you. From the insecurity that comes.
01:07:07: When you can slip into unbelief. You slip into distrusting God. You slip into questioning
01:07:14: God's love. And you care. You can respond in times like that.
01:07:19: As Job did. How did Job respond? Though he slay me.
01:07:28: Yet will I trust him. That's gospel peace. That's the gospel of peace on his feet.
01:07:35: He can stand. Though he slay me. I'll still trust him. I'll trust him.
01:07:41: And with the feet shod with the gospel of peace. You can also be protected from the instability.
01:07:48: Of rough uneven terrain. I think it's three and three quarters years ago.
01:07:58: Almost four years ago now. We got the word that my mom was diagnosed. With stage four cancer.
01:08:05: It was not curable. Which of course meant we knew. She was eventually going to die.
01:08:14: And in the next several months. There were lots of ups and downs. Dealing with chemotherapy and so forth.
01:08:19: And finally telling us that the chemotherapy. Is not working anymore. And you've got those constant ups and downs.
01:08:27: And those constant ups and downs. On that kind of rough terrain. As you're going through something like that.
01:08:32: It can rob you of joy and hope. But with the gospel of peace.
01:08:42: On your feet. You can stand. And say. Even though I walk through the valley.
01:08:52: Of the shadow of death. I will fear no evil. For you are with me.
01:08:58: You are with me. And the feet shod with the. With the benefits of the gospel of peace.
01:09:06: Also protects you from the cruelty. Of painful assault. What do you do when.
01:09:12: A friend betrays you. A loved one. A spouse. Satan lies.
01:09:21: And he comes at you and tells you. This is your fault. You deserve this.
01:09:26: Etc, etc, etc. What do you do? With your feet shod.
01:09:32: With the benefits. The equipment of the gospel of peace. What do you do? You say.
01:09:37: You stand. And you say. The Lord is my light.
01:09:43: And my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life.
01:09:51: Of whom shall I be afraid? When evil doers assail me. To eat up my flesh.
01:09:57: My adversaries and foes. It is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me.
01:10:05: My heart shall not fear. Though war arise against me.
01:10:11: Yet I will be confident. You can say those things.
01:10:18: If your feet are shod. With the equipment. That is provided.
01:10:24: The benefits that are provided. By the gospel of peace. Now what are you wearing on your feet?
01:10:32: You're wearing on your feet. A lot of times you can tell. By looking. At where your feet are taking you.
01:10:41: Are they taking you into unbelief? Into despair? Into hopelessness?
01:10:49: Or are your feet firmly planted? Standing firm in the battle. Being at peace.
01:10:57: With God. Knowing and experiencing. The peace of God.
01:11:03: What's on your feet? So our father and our God. I pray this morning.
01:11:10: That by your grace. Those who are your children. Would rejoice in the gospel of peace.
01:11:19: And would put on that piece of gospel armor. And put it on. With great joy.
01:11:26: This we pray in Jesus name. Amen. Let's take your hymnals and turn to number 464.
01:11:37: 464 is the great hymn. How firm a foundation you saints of the Lord.
01:11:42: Is laid for your faith in his excellent word. 464.
01:11:49: I want to sing stanzas one, two, and four. And let's stand together as we sing, shall we?
01:11:57: 464. First, second, and last stanzas. How firm a foundation ye saints of the
01:12:13: Lord. Is laid for your faith. Say that to you he hath said.
01:12:26: To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled.
01:12:33: Fear not I am with thee. O be not dismayed.
01:12:39: For I am thy God. I will still give thee aid.
01:12:45: I'll strengthen thee. Help thee to stand.
01:12:51: Upheld by my righteous nippotent hand.
01:12:57: And alas the soul that I will expose.
01:13:10: That soul though all hell should endeavor to shake.
01:13:16: I'll never, never, no never forsake.
01:13:28: And now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus. That great shepherd of the sheep.
01:13:35: By the blood of the eternal covenant. May he equip you for everything good that you may do his will.
01:13:42: Working in us that which is pleasing in his sight. Through Jesus Christ.
01:13:49: To whom be glory forever and ever. Amen and amen.