Say;
- Let’s go back to our Roman soldier and look a bit more at our shield.
- For a Roman soldier, a shield was used as a form of protection. It was worn strapped to one’s arm and, at any time, it could be held up to deflect attacks. In addition, it could be used as an offensive weapon to knock enemies over with force.
- A Roman battle shield was called the scutum and it was long, square shaped and decorated, and it covered about three-quarters of a man’s body. It could serve as an emergency stretcher for the dead and wounded.
- Facts about a Roman soldier’s shield:
- Size – about 4 ft. tall & about 2 ½ ft. wide; size of a small door; could fully stand behind
- Made of sheets of wood covered with leather and then soaked in water before battle
- In combat the shields were always linked together, so the many soldiers in the lines had a wall of metal in front of them to resist the often disorganized barbarian enemy. A single shield was of some utility in knocking down a foe, but the shields’ real power was when they were used in unity with the corps.
- It is an interesting image for the faith of the church, for the church is more powerful when working in harmony than as individuals.
Review:
- The belt of truth helps us stand firm so that we don’t trip over Satan’s lies.
- The breastplate of righteousness protects our heart because knowing we are right with God through Jesus makes us confident to stand firm and keeps us from falling in to sin.
- Shoes prepared with the gospel of peace – God’s peace helps us stand firm even during the storms of life and moves us to share His peace with others!
Say:
- As Paul is writing this he is in prison in Rome and more than likely he is looking at a Roman soldier guarding him.
- What is faith? Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.” Faith believes God & acts on it. The result is fully trusting & obeying God.
- Even though we may not be able to see God or how things are going to work out, we can trust Him because He can see all and knows all and only wants what is best for us! That kind of trust or faith protects us from Satan’s fiery darts that can cause us to doubt or not trust God.
- So faith covers & protects us like a shield; our faith extinguishes fire because it has been soaked in the Living Water of Jesus!
- But also our shield of faith can protect us as we join with other Christians!
- Satan may use many flaming darts, but they all can be traced back to doubting God. When doubt hits its target, it spreads like fire!
- Satan’s first fiery dart at Eve in the Garden of Eden; Satan said “Did God really say…”Genesis 3:1 That doubt burned in Eve and then spread to Adam leading both to not trust God & disobey – sin.
Activity:
- Watch Max Lucado With You All the Way
- Answer
- Ask what weapon the Hopenots used? (they mimicked the King’s song)
- What helped Cassidon make it all the way back? (he trusted (had faith) in His companion and learned the King’s song so well he wasn’t fooled, but kept trusting his companion – the Prince.
- This is like us choosing first to invite Jesus to be our companion & Savior, but then also spending so much time with Him and learning God’s Word that our faith is strengthened and protects us against Satan’s lies and seeds of doubt.
Christ Integration Camp 
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