Heroes

Please note: This sermon was used during a service in which we invited the local fire department, EMT’s and Sheriff’s department to recognize their sacrifice and committment to our community. We gave them a certificate of appreciation and a lapel pin commemorating 9/11 and had a prayer of dedication for them during the service.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

6For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. (Romans 5:1-11)

September 11, 2001. It is a date in history that none of us will ever forget. I am sure, that everyone of us here can recount our activities that day, and how the events affected our lives.

Personally, I was in Silverthorne, Colorado on that day. I was attending our annual District Conference. I woke up about 6:30 mountain time and began getting ready for the day. At around 7:00, I turned on the news. I was watching Fox News. I could hear a sense of urgency in the reporter’s voice, so I sat down to see what was happening. He was reporting on a plane that had somehow crashed into the World Trade Center. At that time, no one was sure what had happened. They were speculating on whether or not it was an accident. For a couple of minutes, he spoke with someone who was an “expert” on air travel. They talked about an accident that had happened many years earlier to the Empire State Building. As they were talking, they were showing a live picture of the World Trade Center. As I was watching, suddenly the second plane came into the picture from the right and crashed into the second tower. It is something that is etched in my mind forever.

By the time the horror was over, another plane had crashed into the Pentagon and a fourth had crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.

Immediately after each crash, Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Crews were converging on the scenes. As thousands of people were attempting to flee these sights of terror, these men and women were rushing in to help protect the innocent and rescue those who were injured. In the hours that followed, our nation came to understand what the word "hero" really means.

It had been a long time since we had seen true heroism on such a broad scale, and I believe our nation had forgotten who the true heroes really are.

For some reason, we began putting that label on people who could play sports, sing songs or act on TV or in the movies.

But on September 11th, the true definition of heroism came shining through once again. On that day, we discovered that:

• True heroes aren’t the men rushing for touchdowns, they are the men and women who are rushing to the scene of a burning building, or an automobile accident – willing to risk their own lives to save the life of someone else.

• True heroes are not recognized because they wear baseball uniforms, they are recognized as the men and women in Police and Fire uniforms. They are the ones who are wearing scrubs in the Emergency room and at the operating tables.

• True heroes aren’t the people who take center stage at a concert, they are the ones taking classes in their spare time so that they are trained to the best of their ability when they come to your aid.

• True heroes aren’t the ones wearing gold medals on their chests, true heroes are the ones with the badges on their uniforms.

• True heroes aren’t the modern day pop stars driving around in their big limousines, they are the officers driving around in cars that promise to “protect and serve.”