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Stand Firm, Feet First

September 28, 2025
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Passage: Ephesians 6:15

Lean In

  • When have you discovered that something you believed turned out to be only “half-true”? How did it affect your decisions or relationships?
  • What helps you tell the difference between a passing opinion and lasting truth?

Look Up

Read Ephesians 6:10-18 aloud as a group.

Observation — What does the text say?

  • What do you notice about the overall context of the Armor of God?
  • How does verse 15 fit into the flow of the passage?
  • What words or images stand out to you (e.g., “stand firm,” “shoes,” “readiness,” “peace”)?
  • Why might Paul use the imagery of shoes in describing the gospel of peace?

Questions for the group:

  • What role do shoes play in a soldier’s equipment?
  • What happens to a soldier—or to us spiritually—without good shoes?
  • Why do you think Paul connects “peace” with preparation and readiness?

Interpretation — What does the text mean?

  • Roman soldiers wore studded sandals to give them grip and stability. How might the gospel of peace give us similar footing in life?
  • Paul calls it the “gospel of peace.” What kind of peace is he talking about (peace with God, peace within ourselves, peace with others)?
  • How does the gospel of peace help us stand firm in a world full of conflict, chaos, and anxiety?
  • What’s the difference between peacekeeping (avoiding conflict) and peacemaking (entering into conflict with the love of Christ)?
  • Why does Paul say we must be “ready” when wearing these shoes? What does readiness look like in your life?

Application — How should we respond?

Personal Application:

  • Where do you need the peace of Christ in your life right now—internally, emotionally, spiritually?
  • What situations (work, family, relationships) are calling you to be a peacemaker?
  • How might you put on the shoes of peace this week in how you speak, respond, or move toward others?

Community Application:

  • Who in your life needs to hear the good news of Jesus as the source of peace?
  • Using the BLESS model, how could you take a practical step toward sharing the gospel of peace with them?
    • Begin with prayer
    • Listen with care
    • Eat together
    • Serve in love
    • Share your story & God’s story

Further Study

  • Romans 5:1 – Peace with God through Jesus.
  • Isaiah 52:7 – “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.”
  • Matthew 5:9 – “Blessed are the peacemakers…”
  • Romans 10:14–15 – The urgency of sharing the gospel of peace.

Final Reflection

Peace isn’t passive—it’s how we gain ground. Jesus doesn’t just call us to avoid conflict, He calls us to step into the brokenness of the world with His reconciling love. When we “wear the shoes of the gospel of peace,” we become steady, ready, and sent.