Memorial Day
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Remember....
Remember....
Today is Memorial Day, this is the day that we remember those who have gone before us… those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom.
Let us be clear.... today is not about the Veteran....
No, today is about the fallen soldier… the ones made the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of freedom and justice...
(If you have had a loved one, a friend, a family member, who gave their life service to this country, please stand up)
Memorial Day was originally known as “Decoration Day.” It was established following the Civil War to remember… and commemorate.... those who had given their lives in the war — ON BOTH SIDES.
In 1971, “Decoration Day” officially became “Memorial Day,” and and official “National Holiday” remembering and commemorating those men and women who have given their lives in service to this country.
So.... We take a moment this morning to remember them.
(Prayer - for the fallen soldier)
Father, today we pause to reflect on the sacrifice made by those who paid the ultimate price on behalf of our nation. We pray that their sacrifices are never forgotten, nor is the pain of their families. We acknowledge that freedom comes at a cost and pray that we can pursue peace and someday celebrate Memorial Day as a long-ago memory of the time before we started living the peaceful existence you intended for us since the beginning of creation. Let us turn to you Lord, in our grief and in our remembrance of the fallen. Guide us toward a harmonious existence as we honor those who were willing to give up their lives that we may gather here today freely. On this Memorial Day, we pray for peace and for those who gave all. Lead us toward a world where no one must give their lives in pursuit of freedom - may we be receptive to your guidance and may we never forget the fallen.
Memorial Day is a day when we remember....
We remember the Fallen soldier....
The One who went before us…clearing the way…protecting our freedom…providing the privilege that we experience today.
It is the day that we remember…and are thankful for the sacrifices of so many....
But, Today is not only about the military.
Today is about remembering.... Remembering those who served both God and country...
Today.... I need to begin by asking you a question....
Do you understand that we are engaged in battle every day? That we are engaged in a war for our very souls… and the souls of those around us?
The Apostle Paul says this:
For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
You do understand that we have been enlisted in an army, right? (mom in law — song example)
Five times in scripture, Christ enlisted men and women to serve in Kingdom warfare.
Calling of the Disciples
and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.”
Jesus called them into the service of the Kingdom.
Now during those days he went out to the mountain to pray; and he spent the night in prayer to God.
And when day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles:
Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, and James, and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew,
and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Simon, who was called the Zealot,
and Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
These He made them commanders (if you will) in His army...
2. Sending out the 12.
Then Jesus called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases,
and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.
He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money—not even an extra tunic.
Whatever house you enter, stay there, and leave from there.
Wherever they do not welcome you, as you are leaving that town shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”
They departed and went through the villages, bringing the good news and curing diseases everywhere.
3. sending the seventy two — these did not include the twelve...
After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go.
He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves.
Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road.
Notice what He says to them — “The Harvest is FULL” I often wonder, do we see that?!
4. The Great Commission
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
This is the “JOB” of every Christian!
We do not have to be afraid of it, because Christ, as our commander in chief, promises to empower us to fulfill our mission.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
God commissioned and empowered the men and women in Christ’s time to serve in the kingdom, but He did not stop there!
5. Paul
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel;
I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
And He did not stop with Paul....
We cannot truly celebrate Memorial Day if we do not recognize and accept the war that is going on.
We have been called into the service of the Kingdom! Do you understand that?!
We have been called to stand and fight.... to represent, maintain, build and protect the Kingdom of God...... Not for our own glory… not for our own sake.... but for theirs!
For the people out there…who are where we once were...
So today.... Today… we remember those who have come before us.... Those who have been lost to the battle.....
“Does our church have battle casualties?” (Yes!)
Look at Luke 8:4-8
When a great crowd gathered and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable:
“A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up.
Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of moisture.
Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it.
Some fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold.” As he said this, he called out, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!”
This passage gives us 4 types of battle casualties within the Church. (they are found in Jesus’s explanation of this parable)
I. Killed in Action.
But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.
These are those men and women who have gone before us. They are the prayer warriors…the bold preachers…those who proclaimed the Word of God regardless of backlash.....
We all know at least one.... amen!
These are the Martyrs.... People like Stephen, who proclaim the Word of God and suffer for the sake of others....
While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died.
(You do understand that there are still martyrs today, right?)
These are the ones spoken of in Revelation 6
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given;
they cried out with a loud voice, “Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?”
They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number would be complete both of their fellow servants and of their brothers and sisters, who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed.
You see.... These are the men and women who heard the word of God, and believed!!!!
These are the ones who gave themselves completely to the Kingdom.... To Christ.... To our Great Commander… and to His Kingdom.... to His will and direction for their lives....
These are the ones who “counted the cost” of following Christ and deemed it “worthy.”
They are the ones who have stood…and are standing... on the “frontlines” of the Battle.....
These are the ones who are truly being “spent for the sake of the Kingdom!”
Some of them have been lost to “natural” death, having spent a lifetime in service to the kingdom, others....have been taken early by the enemy.... “killed in battle” (if you will).... but never having lost their faith!
I pray that we can all be this faithful!
II. Missing in Action — Presumed dead.
As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.
These are the people who hear the Word, get excited, get involved, serve for a while, but as life moves on the world around them soon recaptures them!
While they seem to be “on fire” at first, the world — with its distractions, and pursuit of material possessions and philosophies — soon chokes the spiritual life out of them....
You know who these people are.... They are on our roster, but we only see them on “special” occasions — Mother’s day, Father’s Day, Christmas, Easter.....
These people are not spiritually dead.... They are just lost!
This is why James says:
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror
and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
Because those things WILL choke the life out of us!!!
III. Missing in action — Presumed Prisoners of War
The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away.
I like the way “The Message” puts it:
“The seeds in the gravel are those who hear with enthusiasm, but the enthusiasm doesn’t go very deep. It’s only another fad, and the moment there’s trouble it’s gone.
These are people we believe to be prisoners.
They identify with the enemy. They avoid the church for a multitude reasons....
Some have been hurt..... Some have attempted to believe, but something happened in their life.....
Some have “seen” “Christians”, and chosen to not have anything to do with them....
Some have been exposed to “false teachings, false religions, false philosophies, and cults”.....
These are people who attempted to enlist....
They heard the Word.... They tried to believe, some even attempted to walk as disciples..... But something happened, and they turned the other way....
They may have “deserted” all together, or .... like many people.... they have been “captured” and rendered helpless by the enemies actions....
Whatever the reason is, the result is the same..... they have laid down their arms, and quit! They stopped fighting.... they gave up!
These are the people we should mourn the most.... because we cannot help them! It doesn’t matter what their beliefs and convictions are.... As far as the battle goes.... they are dead!
They once knew salvation, but have chosen to walk away from it!
(for those who think we can’t “lose” our salvation, we can!)
For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit,
and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come,
and then have fallen away, since on their own they are crucifying again the Son of God and are holding him up to contempt.
IV. Missing in Action
The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
These are people that we have absolutely no clue what happened to them.... They are still on our membership roles, but....
Noone has seen them for a long time.....
There is no report form the enemy.... They haven’t “left” the church, but noone knows where they are..... There are even some that we don’t even know “who” they are....
These are people who have just seemed to “disappear”.... We do not even know if they have a relationship with Christ or not....
Literally every church I have been to has had people like this....
Where are they?! Why don’t they come? Why are they missing? Where did they go?
Here’s the biggest question:
Why doesn’t anyone know?
No one from their own command — from their own church — has gone looking for them!
But, I know....I know.... its “ok”.... they know where the Church is.... They need to come to us..... After all, their members....their on the books…they were are one of us, and they should be here.
Church.... They aren’t here!!!!! And they’re not coming!!!!!!
So....what do we do?
Do we take them off the roster?
Do we remove them from membership?
Do we write them off as “lost”? Quit? MIA?
The truth is — while we may not have taken them off the physical roster — we have written them off!
We have marked them out of our lines!!!!
Even Paul fell pray to this....
for Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.
Church.... we should not write them off!!! We should mourn for them!
When we think about these people....these casualties of war.... Do our hearts ache for them?
Does our faith.... our remembrance — of them, and of what Christ did for us — drive us to pursue them?
Look at Lk 10:2 again:
He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
When we think about these casualties.... these lost souls… these people that were once a part of the kingdom....
Do we see the Harvest?
Do we see “ripe fields”… people who need healing....who need truth…who need to reconnect with God…with the Church…with Hope?!
What are we willing to do about it?
— Our Commander in Chief was so concerned about the one “missing in action” that He left the 99 others in order to seek out…find…and restore the “missing” one — no matter how long it took.
So he told them this parable:
“Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?
When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices.
And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’
Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Brothers and sisters.... Christ cares about the One!
Can I tell you this this morning?
If you are watching at home.... if you are sitting there listening to this this morning, and you feel like a “battle casualty”.... if you are one of these people we have described...
I want you to know..... You are not alone.... You have not been left....
God has not given up on you.... He is here..... He is waiting.... patiently.... for you to return....
God loves you… We love you.... You are one of us!
You belong here!
To those of us sitting here… listening today.... who are a part of this church.... who are fighting the battle....
What will you do?
Who is “the One” whom God has placed on your heart?
What will you do to find them?
(communion)
The Communion Table — The Lord’s Table — is a place for us to come.... to remember the price Christ paid for us… the path He walked before us…and the teachings He left us....
It is a place we can come and be reminded of our purpose..... to be reminded of those who came before us.... but most of all to be reminded of those who have been lost — those casualties of war.
Today, as we receive communion.... as we participate in the blessed receiving of Christ’s body and Blood.... Let us be reminded of what He did for us.... of how He lived… how He walked… how He served…as He led the way before us so long ago...
But let us also be reminded of those who came before us.... of the “casualties of war” around us.... and of the truth that it is no longer about us.... it is about them.
(receive the elements)