The Battle Ahead

Introduction

Let me tell you a little story as we begin the message today.

In 1916 on July 1st, thousands upon thousands of soldiers from the British army began marching towards enemy lines in the Battle of the Somme. Starting at 7:28 am that day these soldiers were ordered by their leadership above to walk forward and push through the enemy barrage to overtake them. The top leadership, failing to recognize a new battleground and progressive tactics, felt their old ways of movement and assault was going to suffice for the battle at hand. By the days end, just shy of 60 thousand British were killed of the 140 thousand soldiers who engaged and no significant ground was gained for the efforts, the British battalions that engaged this fateful day lost about 42 percent of their soldiers. Even at the 30 percent loss mark, military theory renders that combat force ineffective. After about four and half months of continued struggle and battle, the Allied forces were able to gain only 5 or 6 miles and the casualties for this battle breached 1 million. The reason for this story is many many many of these casualties, on both sides, were due to poorly enforced or out-dated tactics in a fast-changing war.

Body

As we continue I want to take a minute and read through some Scriptures as we delve deeper into the message today.

Read Joshua 6:1-6

Read Judges 7:4-22

Read 1 Samuel 4: 1-11

If the context and battle changes so should we

As we read in these passages and as I shared in the beginning story, time moves forward and so does everything else. Things do not remain the way they used and time does not move backwards or simply stop. It is our responsibility to know and understand the things that remain and the things that will change.

Much like the first story I shared about the Battle of the Somme, some parts of the battle were timeless, while others change in a very drastic and disastrous way. There was still two sides to the war, the allied and the axis forces. There were still guns that were used and heavy artillery. There was ground to be gained and ground to be defended. The war was fought with people using tools, and they it was necessary for them to be present.

That being said, there was also a ton of things that were different and that had changed as years progressed. War was now industrial, there were bigger guns that were capable of shooting faster and longer. The machine guns were better made to handle more heat. The strategies for building and defending bunkers were different. There was no longer two armies standing face to face across a field from one another taking turns shooting. There was eventually an introduction of tanks. There are more changes but this is just name a few.

Why force history into the mystery

As we continue on, I want to circle back now to the Bible and remain there for the rest of today. You see these battles fought in the Bible also have similarities and differences. Many times the Lord uses a few or even in some cases, one person, to win the battles he lays before Israel. Additionally, He seems to do it in a strange and unusual way. We observe in the first passage the Lord instructing the men to walk about and then make a sudden and ferocious noise. In the second instance, we see again the presence of sudden noise, but this time the positioning and timing was different. The third instance we see no use of noise, but there is also another very real and important piece missing. God seems to have been addressed and heard within the first two instances, while in the third instance, God is simply thought of as a tangible object that can be used at will. The similarities between these stories is the necessity of both God’s presence and guidance. The difference between these stories is the tools and the avenues God will get them to their goal.

What are we trying to achieve church? What battles are we trying to fight and are we following the guidance of the Lord or are we just charging in like we know best. Times are changing and the things that you worried about when you were a kid are different from when I was a kid, and things I worried about as a kid are different from what my kids will worry about. Bullying, for example, has changed from phsyical and geographical to now being emotional and constant. Kids now, because of the introduction of phones, have to worry about people judging and picking on them not just in certain areas or certain times but everywhere, all the time. Anxieties are heightened from the use of the electronics and the exclusion from them.

We can try and force them away, but without a plan, the efforts will not produce the outcome and result we are looking for. There has to be a way out and also a fulfillment once escaped. What is the purpose and the goal? What are we trying to achieve and what are we trying to preserve. Are we trying to preserve a sense of community and awareness of that which is around you? Are we trying to preserve a “simpler” life? Are we trying to return to ways that we better understand and find comfort in? Once we can answer these questions it will make it easier to diagnose the productiveness and feasibility of what we are trying to accomplish.

Life will continue to move forward and time will continue to move forward. Discoveries are going to continue and advancement must continue for the sake of our existence while in the flesh. Christians do not have a free pass to avoid the struggles and trials of life. We must live in the world while not being of the world. We need to discern and be aware of the things harmful to us and that which is simple advancement and adaptation to the world around us. The future is a mystery, the past is history. We must be careful to learn from history and preserve the history that is central to our lives, but we mustn’t force history into the mystery just for history’s sake.

Conclusion

As we begin to close and we wrap up February of 2021, I want us to take some time this week and think about what it is we want to achieve for the Kingdom of God. The Lord may come back before we see the finished product of our goals and ambitions, but that is no reason to refrain from setting and seeking them. Prepare for His coming, but plan for the wait. Everyone in this church has a purpose, talents, abilities, and the capability of success. No one in here is less than. No one in here is not good enough. No one in here is insignificant and unimportant. We all have jobs to do and we all have people who need us.

As we push forward into March I want us to start thinking and praying about hope. I want us to continue living purposefully and intentionally. I want us to live lives that share and demonstrate hope. There is hope church, there is reason to get up and get to work. There is reason to keep witnessing and there is reason to press on. People are waiting for you, men, women and children. The children are our future. The younger generations are our future. We must pour into them and we must find help them to find their place.

We mustn’t order them into battle using out-dated tactics and poor execution of strategy. As the times change, we must adapt. We must understand the newness of the world around and use it to our advantage before it get used against us. God is never-changing and will always remain as our constant. His message brings life and His words are true. The fundamentals of our faith will never change, but our presentation has to. Children nowadays learn to swipe and press before they learn to read and write. The dream of the removal or reduction of phones and gadgets is far-fetched and fictitious. While this is just one example of the changes the church has to face, use the advantages and conveniences around us to push forward the hope and message of Christ. We have more ability today to reach the lost and train the ignorant than ever before. Let us use those resources given to us and live with intention and purpose.

I love you all and hope you have a great week.