Veterans Honored

Veteran’s Honored

Friendship Baptist Church

November 12, 2023

Intro:

"We remember those who were called upon to give all a person can give, and we remember those who were prepared to make that sacrifice if it were demanded of them in the line of duty, though it never was. Most of all, we remember the devotion and gallantry with which all of them ennobled their nation as they became champions of a noble cause." -- Ronald Reagan

PRAYER

Message:

It is the desire of my hear that we gain a biblical understanding of honoring veteran’s.

Veteran- One who has been long exercised in any service or art, particularly in war; one who has grown old in service and has had much experience.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:11 to put on the full armor of God. Why does he tell us to put on armor if we are not in a war?

Church as we see the day approaching, we need to be careful not to get caught up in the things going on in front of us but as we will see in 2 Timothy 2, four things we ought to be doing.

We are in a time like no other and in a few years if the Lord terries it will be a time like no other. Thus, we need to stay ultra focused and stay on schedule.

Yesterday as I was watching Michigan play Penn State the commentators said over and over when talking about each team and following the gameplans each had set out before the game, that they had to stay on schedule, because when they got off schedule they fell behind and lost momentum. That’s what can happen to you and me if we get off schedule, we too can fall behind and lose momentum.

Turn with me to 2 Timothy chapter 2, it is here where we will see the 4 things that Paul instructed Timothy with that you and I can apply here today.

1. Be Strong in the Grace of God

We see in verse 1 Paul tells Timothy to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 2:1

1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

What is the grace that is in Christ Jesus. We can find that in:

2 Corinthians 12:9

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

You see Christian like a man or woman that signed up or was drafted into the arm forces, they agreed to be strong when the time came. The men and woman that have fought for the freedoms you and I enjoy today had to at one point in time be strong in their trainings. We see that Paul was in the struggle and he asked God to take the infirmity from him.

Dear friend being strong in the grace that is found in Jesus Christ is that ability to rest in the Lord knowing that HIS grace is sufficient. So, what does that look like? Paul answers that “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me”. Many times, we see the tough things that we are going through as hindrances instead of an opportunity to see God’s amazing grace.

2. Teach Others

2 Timothy 2:2

2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

This leads me to wonder what are we teaching? I grew up in a home that had a high emphasis on respect, respect for my elders, respect for those that had authority over me, and respect for others. That is something that I have also taught my children. But we also have the habit of teaching through our actions the wrong things. Look at the nation of Israel,

Joshua 24:13–23

13 And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.

14 Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.

15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

16 And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods;

17 For the Lord our God, he it isthat brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:

18 And the Lord drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: thereforewill we also serve the Lord; for he is our God.

19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the Lord: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.

20 If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.

21 And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the Lord.

22 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye arewitnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.

23 Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel.

Because of their fathers and past generations that they witnessed and watched they too had issues inclining their hearts to the Lord God. It is not enough friends for our children to go to church with us they need to see us love the Lord God and God’s people. The current generation and the generations to come need us veterans to be examples not only by word but by deed and serve God honorably.

Veterans day is for the men and woman that have served this country honorably, those that have failed to serve in an honorable fashion get a dishonorable discharge which takes them out of the fight. They lose the right to bear arms, civilian rights, veteran benefits like health, education, and loans. They also have a difficult time becoming gainfully employed in the civilian sector. You see in the military when someone is dishonorably discharged it has some very difficult consequences, but when a Christian goes through this life and serves God dishonorably it like what we seen with Israel the loss of generations as well as the lives of those being taught by them.

We veterans of God’s army need to live this life we have in an honorable manner because the one we are serving is worthy of our reasonable service which we are told in Romans is; Romans 12:1

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

3. Endure

2 Timothy 2:3

3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

Paul tells Timothy to endure hardness,

Endure- To bear with patience; to bear without opposition or sinking under the pressure.

How we endure often reflects in our teachings. There are many things our veterans have had to endure as they have served this country, many of them it is a difficult burden they carry, and most of them endure without sinking under the pressure. As we veterans for Christ we too need to endure as Paul states as a GOOD soldier of Jesus Christ. Paul tells us in; 1 Corinthians 16:13

13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Stand fast quit you like men and be strong.

4. Stay Focused

2 Timothy 2:4

4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

When the battles/wars come it is essential that we do not lose focus of what we have been trained and instructed to do. We spend a great deal of time creating a “successful” life here on this earth but Paul tells Timothy “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life” Warreth– to entangle with carnal inclinations.

Entangleth – to perplex or distract as with cares.

We are told throughout scripture to not get off course but stay straight ahead.

Proverbs 4:25–27

25 Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

26 Ponder the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established.

27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil.

Deuteronomy 5:32–33

32 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the Lord your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

33 Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may bewell with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.

Joshua 1:7

7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or tothe left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

Joshua 23:6

(6) Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;

CLOSING:

Dear friend this morning we are here honoring our Veterans and seeing how we as Veterans of God can honor Him by:

1. Being strong in the grace of God

2. Teaching others in word and in deed

3. Enduring

4. Staying focused

Are we open to doing that are we open to honoring our veterans whom have served this great nation and our great God.

Choose ye this day, oh church today is the day, will you honor? Will you serve? How will you serve?