Every Sunday Is Memorial Day Series

Every Sunday is Memorial Day

“Does our Church Have Battle Casualties?”

Rev. Bruce A. Shields

First Baptist Church of Tawas City Michigan

www.TawasBaptist.org

SCRIPTURE READING

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." 25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

– This is a Memorial to Christ

PRAYER

Many people see Memorial Day as just a day off; a 3 day weekend.

But for those who have lost someone because of war or military action, it means much more than a day off.

In fact, every one of us should recognize this day and honor those who spilled their blood to make America what it is today--free, strong, a nation worth fighting for, and a nation worth dying for.

Because men & women have died for this country, we have the right to preach God’s word freely.

We have the right to live at peace in our own homes.

We have the right to pursue peace, prosperity and happiness.

Thank God for those who died to make us free because there are many who are not!

As we prepare to enter into a day to remember those who died for liberty, it is fitting to remember the one who died to set us free from spiritual tyranny.

Jesus fought the armies of Hell that we might have liberty in his holy name.

We celebrate Memorial Day once a year to remember those who died for freedom, but every week, on the day of rest, a celebration of the Memorial of Christ and a reflection of what He has done for us.

For the Christian every Sunday is a Memorial Day.

We spoke of our spiritual battles not too long ago.

Ephesians 6:10-12 tells us that our battle is Spiritual, we are at war!

And if you are a member of the body of Christ you are enlisted in the Lords army.

Knowing that we are at war, my question to you today is;

“DOES OUR CHURCH HAVE ANY BATTLE CASUALTIES?”

You may ask, “What kind of casualties are there in a spiritual battle?”

I. Some are killed In Action

Luke 8:4-15

“While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown."

When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

9His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,

" ’though seeing, they may not see;

though hearing, they may not understand.’[a]

11"This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”

Some are trampled on after hearing the word and devoured by the birds.

You may be trampled on by friends, family and such.

I remember when I first heard the word and ran to tell my friends and family about accepting Christ.

Strange though, for some reason they weren’t as excited about it as I was.

I remember telling my father that God had called me to the ministry, and I was enrolled into a Seminary and I was going to be a Pastor.