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My age is such that I had to endure Junior High School during the punk rock, parachute panted, pink hair days of the 1980s. Nowadays it seems that there is more metal in the average teenager than you get when you buy a new car, but back then studs and spikes and body piercing were a "new thing." Has there ever been a time where the fashions were worse than the 1980s? I don't even think the zoot suits of the 60s were as bad as feathered hair and tight, stone washed jeans. Every once in a while I see someone who seems to still be stuck in the 80s and I want to go up to them and scream "you're free, you don't have to dress like that anymore -- the 80s are over!"

Not that I didn't try to be in style back then. My parents let me "go with the flow" to a point. I had Guess brand stonewashed jeans that had legs that narrowed at the bottom. My hair -- yes, I had hair back then -- was spiked down the left side and combed over the front. Whatever color shirt that I had on, I wore solid, colored socks to match and folded my pants leg over and rolled it up so the socks were just visible. Often, I would have a matching, colored t-shirt under my outer shirt and I would roll the sleeves so just a hint of color was at the bottom of my sleeves. I was as "cool" as my parents would let me be.

But there were a couple of fashions that my dad drew the line on and wouldn't let me "go there." One area was "body piercing." That wasn't a big deal to me -- I've never seen much point in putting a hole where there wasn't a hole before. But the other area caused me much anguish at the time. My dad refused to let me wear my shoes loose. All of the other kids in my junior high school had several pair of Converse brand high-top "tenny shoes" and they would wear them -- often with two different colors on each foot -- with the laces just spiral knotted at the end of the string and the flaps folded over so that the shoe sort of flopped in place on the foot like a sandal. In the school, you could hear them coming down the hall long before you saw them: "flop, whap, shh, shh, shhh, flop whap." For whatever reason, this drove my dad crazy and he would make such comments as "no son of mine is going around with his shoes flopping off his feet as if he doesn't have the good sense to tie them." And so I was forced to try to do other things to be cool: fix my hair a certain way, wear matching colored suspenders, roll my sleeves up, or whatever -- all with my shoes firmly tied and fastened upon my feet.

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I mentioned my junior high fashion experiences because they bring to mind another shoe issue of the 80s -- not the 1980s but rather the 1380s B.C. It was about that time that we read in our text in Deuteronomy the words of Moses in declaring once again to Israel the laws of God for their time. And we read the first declaration of what to us seems like a very strange custom, the law of "he whose shoe is loosed."

When God gave Israel the Promised Land, it was first divided according to the twelve tribes with each tribe getting their own parcel of real estate. The land was then further divided among the clans of that tribes and then subdivided according to families and then to households so that each grown man had a sizeable inheritance of Canaan land. God had promised them that the land would belong to them for forever, so a law was passed that every fifty years, on what was called the "year of Jubilee," all land and houses reverted back to the original owners or their heirs. If you had a bad few years at farming and got into debt and had to sell your land or sell your house or sell yourself into slavery, then at the fiftieth year, the year of Jubilee, you were set free and your house and land was returned to you automatically. If your father lost the house and the farm, so to speak, and died, then you as the son or daughter would only have to wait until the next year of Jubilee and you would be given back the land that had originally been granted to your family in the beginning. The Year of Jubilee was a foreshadowing of God's grace and mercy and His willingness to redeem us from our faults and give us a second chance and a third chance, and we could preach a whole message on that, but it is just sufficient to say that the Year of Jubilee ensured that every Jewish family would always be represented in the land of promise and would never be without God's blessings. It made sure that God's promise to the children of Israel that they would be given the inheritance for "forever" would always be true!

The Year of Jubilee system worked great except in one case: when a man died without first having any children. With no heir for the land to be given to, such cases would have left parcels and plots with no owner to tend them and possess them and so to avoid this, the law of "raising seed up to your brother" was given. What it basically said was that if a man was married and died having had no children, then that man's brother or the nearest male, next-of-kin was to marry his widow -- even if he was already married -- and to produce children with her. The children born of the union of the brother of the dead man and his widow would take on the name of the deceased brother's name and -- as if they had actually been the dead man's children -- they would then grow up to possess the inheritance and the land that had been left empty. This process ensured that there would be an Israelite to always live in the Promised Places of God.

It sounds strange to us and even a little weird, but God was so intent that His promise that the land would be there's for forever continue that He brought fierce judgment upon those who played around with the rules. For example, a man named Onan decided that he didn't mind having a physical relationship with the widow of his brother, but took actions to ensure that he wouldn't have to put up with raising any kids from the relationship and that angered God so much that God slew Him (Genesis 38:8-10).

That little incident happened before Israel ever got to the Promised Land, and so after they were actually in the land, it became very important than in the cases where such action was needed, that the Israelites obey the law of "raising seed up unto their brothers." It was their personal responsibility in order to ensure that God's promises forever remained sure and true.

And yet, God gave the next-of-kin a choice. If the brother or male next-of-kin really didn't want to take on the responsibility that had befallen him and raise up more kids from his brother's widow, then he could pass the responsibility on to the next, next-of-kin. If the brother chose to do this -- to not fulfill his God-given responsibility to produce kids by his brother's widow -- then he had to go before the elders of the city with the widow present, and his brother's widow who had been shunned and neglected was to go up to him in the presence of the elders and loose the man's shoe from his foot and spit in his face and say "so shall it be done unto that man who will not build up his brother's house" and from that day forth, the scriptures say:

The man would forever be called this and a stigma would be forever attached to his name: "this is the man who shirked his responsibility." "This is the one who refused to do what God told him to do." "This is the one who chose convenience rather than obedience and sacrifice to God's commandment." It was a moniker that would follow the man to his grave: "here lies the body of someone who shoe was loosed."

Today in the world, it might have currently gone out of fashion to wear your shoes unfastened and flopping about your feet, but the "loose shoe attitude" is very much alive in the church of the living God. In order for God's promises to remain alive in this area, somebody has to take the responsibility to do the things that He has commanded. God's promises are often predicated on an "if." IF my people will do such and such, then I will move. IF you will obey this, then you will see me perform this. And so with each promise of God is a responsibility given to those who have received it.

God will fill people with the Holy Ghost, if they repent of their sins and yield themselves to Him in faith. God can heal broken homes, if people will apply the Word of God to their lives. God can heal the brokenhearted if someone takes them the message of peace and hope. God can cure the addict if they will turn to Him for help and power. God can wash your past away if you will believe and get baptized in His name. God will come and dwell in our midst, if we will praise Him and exalt Him above all else. God will add houses and land and possessions to our lives, if we will seek first the kingdom of God. He will pour us out blessing that we cannot contain and take care of our daily needs if we will prove Him by paying our tithes and our offerings. We will one day see Him face to face and live with Him for forever if we come out of the world and live differently than the world does and separate ourselves from the worldly lifestyle that is so common among the masses. We will be the light of truth, if we will get so on fire that our light cannot be hid. We will be exalted if we will become servants. We will see an Apostolic church raised up if we will obey the Apostolic doctrine and lifestyle of holiness. The promises of God are predicated on IF we will fulfill our responsibility to Him.

But too many times, people do not take the Word of God very seriously. They do not feel any real responsibility to obey the commandments of God, especially if to do so would mean great sacrifice and cost on their behalf. They would rather not take the trouble. They would rather live their life void of the promises of heaven, rather than have to work at obeying what God has said. They have a casual approach to the kingdom of God. They would claim to be still be believers and people of God, but they have adopted such a casual approach to obeying the Word of God that they simply don't bother to obey all of what God has commanded. They have adopted a "loose shoe attitude." And God says "such people are cursed." Rather than have the breath of the Holy Ghost blowing in their lives, God is fighting against them and "spitting in their face." Rather than being known as someone who has seen the power and workings of God demonstrated in their life, they are known as people who live under bondage and a curse despite being believers.

They don't even realize it, but their "loose shoe attitude" affects everything that they do because it keeps God from working as He wants to in their life. Their casualness to strict obedience to God's Word has placed them in a position of spiritual contempt and a lack of blessing from which no area of their life is exempt. They wonder why things never seem to work out for them as it does for other people. They wonder why everything always seems to fall apart. They wonder why they are always down and depressed. They wonder why they are always the ones needing encouraging rather than lifting someone else up. They wonder why they are always on the end of receiving the lifeline rather than being the one in the boat throwing it out. They often blame the devil and other people, but really all of that comes from their own actions; it comes from their lack of submission and obeying of what God has commanded them to do. And so they live under a spiritual curse. They are the modern day believers of who it could be said in the spirit: they are the household of whose shoe was loosed. By choosing to not obey God's Word, the blessings and anointings and inheritances that God meant for them, pass them over, and always go to someone else. God will not -- cannot -- bless a "loose shoe attitude" toward His Word and commandments!

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Let me preach to you a moment. In our other text, we read of John the Baptist's ministry and preaching. He was the forerunner of Jesus Christ and had come to pave the way for the Messiah' ministry by getting them ready for His coming. John began baptizing in the Jordon river and as the crowds came out to hear him, his preaching was so anointed and so powerful, that some of the crowd began to wonder whether or not he was actually the Messiah, himself. Our text in Luke read:

John answered by saying, "I am not the Messiah because I baptize you with water, but He is going to baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." And John also said this, "He is so much greater than me, that I'm not even worthy to untie and loose the straps of his shoes!" In John's day, the shoes were an assortment of ties and straps and it took quite a bit of work to loose the shoes from the feet, so in richer houses, the servants were given the job at the end of the day of undoing the various knots and straps to take the shoe off. What John was saying was "Jesus, when He gets here, is so much greater than I am, that I'm not even worthy to be His servant and do the must humblest things for Him." "I am not the Christ and not even in the same class as Christ!" John understood fully who Jesus was and is.

But could it be that such an obscure phrase was written in scripture to teach us something else about Jesus Christ? Could it be that as John spoke to the Jewish people who were very familiar with what the phrase "loosed shoe" meant in Old Testament times that he was telling them that Jesus Christ did not and never would have "a loose shoe attitude?"

I've come to remind you, if you don't already know, that Jesus has no such attitude and that nobody will ever be able to stoop and untie his sandals. John knew that "I will never have to do such a thing because Jesus Christ will do what He is supposed to do." And so I have hope for someone today that it seems you are in a dark situation: John wasn't worthy to unloose Jesus' shoes and neither will you ever be. Because Jesus will take care of His responsibilities. He will do what the Word of God said that He must do. He will perform what the Word of God obligates Him to perform. Even if it takes great sacrifice on His behalf. Even if it isn't comfortable for Him. Even if He has to go out of the way. John knew that even if it meant that Jesus had to come all the way from glory and endure a Roman whip and die a cruel death on a Roman cross and face death, and fear, and the grave, that He would do it to save His people just as the Word of God had said because no one will ever be able to loose the shoes from His feet because He will never shirk the responsibilities that the Word places on Him! Even if it meant making a servant of Himself and paying the steepest and ultimate price for a people whom He had no promise that they would serve Him. He will go to extremes to fulfill His Word, because that's the kind of Man that Jesus is! There has never and there will never be a loosed shoe upon His feet!

Somebody needs to receive hope right now! His Word promised that He would never leave you nor forsake you. His Word promised that if you passed through the fire, you would not be burnt, and that the flood would not sweep you away. His Word promised that He is a friend that sticks closer than any brother. His Word promises that He will not put more on you than you can bear. His Word promises that with every temptation and trial, there will be provided a way of escape for you. His Word promises that all things will eventually work for your good. His Word promised that no weapon formed against you would prosper or work. His Word promises that you are more than a overcomer through His power. His Word promises that if you will endure to the end, you shall be saved. His Word promises that He will come back one day for a bride that is ready to meet Him. His Word says that there is a new heaven and new earth and that if you make it there, the former things of this life and the hurts and the pains will be gone and the tears will be dried and there will be no sadness and that the redeemed will live there for eternity! His Word says that. He has a lot of responsibilities to you and I if we live for Him! But you can take it to the bank that He will keep up His end of the bargain, because there is not shoe loose attitude with Jesus Christ. He is up to the task. He will perform what His Word says that He must. He will do as it is written! He will not be unfaithful to the commandments of the Word of God! Receive hope today -- you are not alone! You are not forsaken! You are not hopeless! Your kinsman redeemer is standing right now to do what He has said He would do! He will come through for you -- that's just the kind of Man that He is!

What we must realize today is that a loose shoe attitude may be the style of the world but it will never be the style of the true church of Jesus Christ. If we are to be in His church, then we are to be like Him, and you will never be like Him with a casual, "loose shoe" attitude toward the commandments of God. In Isaiah, the prophet prophesied of the army of God that will one day sweep through the earth with Jehovah and reign with Him, and in the description of that army, the prophet said:

The people who will be a part of God's army will be those who refuse to take a "loose shoe" attitude towards the commandments of God. But rather it will be those people who say "I will do what God has commanded." "I will exactly obey every responsibility placed upon me by the promises of God."

And let me throw this in here, just to impress upon you your responsibility to obey God's Word. The gospel of Matthew records an enlightening event of Jesus' ministry:

The point is that Jesus considered His brothers to be -- not the siblings produced by Joseph and Mary -- but rather the people who "do the will of the Father." Those who obey the Word of God are who are the "brothers" of Christ.

If that is true, then does not the responsibility of the old law of Deuteronomy not rest upon you and I? If we are the brothers of Jesus Christ, then did He not die before ever bearing any children? If that is so, are we not to raise up a seed to our older brother!? Doesn't it fall our responsibility to see people "born again of the water and the Spirit" and yet when we win them, they don't take on our name, but rather the name of our older Brother that died? If we do no win others to Christ, then who will inherit His great inheritance? It falls our responsibility to raise up seed to Jesus Christ, or else we will come under the same curse of "he whose shoe is loosed!"

What I am trying to get you to see is that other people's salvation depends upon your actions. Other people's eternal future depends upon your attitude towards what the Word of God has commanded you to do. Your decision to submit or not affects not only your eternal destination, but the lives of countless others. They are watching you. They are waiting to see what you do. They are measuring your attitude, and they will either decide to follow Jesus Christ or not bother, dependent upon what how they see you respond. Somebody make up in your mind that "I cannot have a casual, loose-shoe attitude towards the things of God." Someone make up in your mind that I will be like Jesus and this morning I make up in my mind to not shirk my responsibilities in God. There is an entire revival resting upon your actions today. There is an entire series of promises that will only be loosed, by a lack of loosing of your spiritual shoes. Somebody make up in their mind that, "I will fast and pray until souls are won to the kingdom of God." Somebody determine that, "I will shine the light of truth and stand tall for God until someone hurting and lost comes to it!" Someone make up in your mind that, "I'm going to be like Jesus Christ and a part of His army and a part of His kingdom and His future for me!" Somebody make up in your mind that you will not be one who is known only for their lack of obeying God's Word!

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The scriptures are full of examples of both people who took a loose shoe attitude and those who refused to do so. In the story of Ruth, we find that she is widowed and goes to Boaz and reminds him of the law and of his responsibility. Boaz was a good man that feared God and he says that he will gladly marry her and perform his duty as kinsman redeemer, but that there was actually another man that was closer in kin than he and that it was actually that man's responsibility to perform the law. We forget that Boaz was second in line. We forget that he only got to marry Ruth because of the other man's refusal to do so. The scripture says in Ruth the fourth chapter that when the man was confronted with his responsibility he said:

It wasn't convenient for the man and would have cost him much to fulfill his obligation so he was willing to become known as "a man whose shoe was loosed" and to shirk his responsibility. We are never told that man's name, but we know Boaz, because when Boaz married Ruth, it turned out that there was destiny within her. She was appointed by God to become a great grandmother of the great King David, and a quick glance at Matthew chapter 1 will reveal that another King came from her lineage, the greatest King of all: Jesus Christ! It seemed to that man that day that it would cost him too much to obey the Word of God, but in the end, look at what his disobedience kept him from being apart of! May the lesson of Boaz forever ring in our minds: Even if it takes great sacrifice to obey God's Word, the blessings that our obedience is setting us up for will far outweigh any sacrifice in the end! Whatever you do, don't give into the trap of the "loose shoe attitude." Do what God has said and no matter what it costs initially, you will find yourself blessed!

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There are people under the sound of my voice today, that in times past, you have been such a person whose shoe was loosed. I am preaching to some people today that you have shirked some of the responsibilities of the Word of God and avoided submitting to some of His commandments. I want to finish this message today, by declaring to you today, that there is still hope for you!

The story of Moses and the burning bush is familiar to us enough that most of us can recall it. The scriptures say that Moses was tending sheep in the wilderness and God appeared to him in the form of a bush that was burning and yet not consumed. The scripture then reads:

We always preach that God commanded Moses to take off his shoes because of reverence and awe to the place where he stood, and that is true, but could there be a little more to the story? The reason that Moses was in the wilderness tending sheep in the first place is that he had fled Egypt after trying to do things his way. Moses had been saved as a child and marked for a purpose: to be the deliverer of God's people out of Egypt. He had only had to flee Egypt when he took himself out of God's plan by his own fleshly actions. Hear this preacher now: Moses was in the wilderness by himself when his God-given responsibility was to be in Egypt leading the people of God out and so when he approached God, God quickly said, "loose those shoes, Moses." The removal of his shoes was a symbol of the shirking of the plan of God in his life!

I bring this up only because of the ending of the story! Moses, may have fled from his responsibilities to God, but he got up and returned to fulfill them! It's not but a few chapters later that we see Moses instructing the children of Israel to "eat their Passover supper and make sure that you've got your bags packed and your shoes on your feet" because we are leaving this place and God is taking us to a better place (Exodus 12:11)! Despite not obeying God for forty years, Moses got himself back into the will of God, and now he is remembered as the man who led the people of God through the wilderness and out of Egypt and under whose commands, their shoes never wore out! Moses is proof that it's never too late to change a "loose shoe attitude!"

I close with this:

In Luke 15, we read of the parable of the prodigal son. Most of you know the story well: a younger son decides to leave the safety and submission of the father's house and takes his inheritance and wastes it on sin and rebellion. Finally the son comes to his senses in a pigpen and decides to go back and just offer to be a servant in his father's house. But to his surprise the father takes him back as a son and even elevates him to the highest position! I know you know this story fairly well, but let me remind you of exactly what the scriptures say that the father did when the son came home:

Notice that last part: "and shoes on his feet!" In going out and wasting his inheritance, the son had lost his shoes! In shirking his responsibility to his father, his shoes had been loosened and dropped away. Yet, the father says, "put the best robe on him, and give him that ring of authority, and put those shoes on his feet again!" The robe represented a renewal to sonship because it would identify him as a son again and not as a servant. The ring was not just jewelry for jewelry's sake but meant that he had the ensign to press into the wax and perform business decisions and spend money from the treasury of the Father. It meant that his father not only restored him to his position of younger son, but elevated him to rule as the first born should! But both of those were dependent upon "get those shoes back on his feet!" If he were to receive all of those other things, he had to lose the "loose shoe attitude!"

Hear this preacher today: you may have fallen away and disobeyed the things of God and made a royal mess of your life, but it's not too late! You can come back to the "Father's house!" You can come back and serve God and He will take you back into the fold. And not as a second-rate believer, but He is willing to restore to you everything that you left when you walked away and even give you more. He has the robes of sonship to place around your shoulders. He has the seal of authority to be able to possess the kingdom. But if you want those things, you must be willing to let go of the "loose shoe attitude" toward His Word. Someone start this year off today with a commitment to God to fulfill your responsibility to Him and His Word. Come completely submit to Him! Strap the shoes of submission and obedience on again and watch God bless you once more!