Memorial Day Weekend Sermon

With a year to go before it even touches the water, the Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS New York has already made history. It was built with 24 tons of scrap steel from the World Trade Center.

USS New York is about 45 percent complete and should be ready for launch in mid-2007. Katrina disrupted construction when it pounded the Gulf Coast last summer, but the 684-foot vessel escaped serious damage, and workers were back at the yard near New Orleans two weeks after the storm.

It is the fifth in a new class of warship designed for missions that include special operations against terrorists. It will carry a crew of 360 sailors and 700 combat-ready Marines to be delivered ashore by helicopters and assault craft.

It would be fitting if the first mission this ship would go on is to make sure that bin Laden is taken out, his terrorist organization is taken out, said Glenn Clement, a paint foreman. He came in through the back door and knocked our towers down and (the New York) is coming right through the front door, and we want them to know that.

Steel from the World Trade Center was melted down in a foundry in Amite, La., to cast the ships bow section. When it was poured into the molds on Sept. 9, 2003, those big rough steelworkers treated it with total reverence, recalled Navy Capt. Kevin Wensing, who was there. It was a spiritual moment for everybody there.

Junior Chavers, foundry operations manager, said that when the trade center steel first arrived, he touched it with his hand and the hair on my neck stood up.

It had a big meaning to it for all of us, he said. They knocked us down. They cant keep us down. Were going to be back.

The ships motto? - Never Forget

Some may take the motto Never Forget almost as holding a grudge, but I want to focus on the thought, If we forget our past of what has happened, then it is very likely that history will repeat itself. I for one never want to forget the blood that has been shed so I can enjoy the freedoms which I enjoy now. I never want to forget those who have lost sons, daughters, husbands, mothers, and fathers for the freedom in which we enjoy this morning. You may say, what freedom, well lets take a look, we have freedom of religion, freedom to worship how we want, and to worship what ever God we feel we need to worship. Our flag stands for the freedom that we each enjoy today. Our flag stands for those who have given their lives to sacrifice so you can stand to say, you disagree. Not only does the American flag stand for the freedom as a country, but the Christian flag stands for the freedom we enjoy as Christians.

As Auburn edu explains,

The Christian flag is the only free flag in the world. It is different from every other flag, religious or secular, ancient or modern. It is uncontrolled, independent, and universal. Unlike all national flags and all denominational flags of various churches, it has no earthly bonds or allegiances. Christ and Christ alone is its Master. Without limitation, it exists for all the world’s people regardless of sex, race, national boundary, economic condition, affluence, or poverty, politics, slavery or freedom. It cannot be restricted by any nation or denomination. This unique, universal quality makes it like the air we breathe, belonging to all and yet owned by none. For those who want it, wherever and whenever, it is freely theirs.

The Christian flag is one of the oldest unchanged flags in the world. It was conceived at Brighton Chapel, Coney Island, New York, Sunday, September 26, 1897, and was presented in its present form the following Sunday by its originator. On that day, the Christian flag was born.

The white on the flag represents purity and peace. The blue stands for faithfulness, truth, and sincerity. Red, of course, is the color of sacrifice, in this case calling to mind the blood shed by Christ on Calvary, represented by the cross.

The first pledge to the Christian flag was written by Methodist pastor Lynn Harold Hough in 1908.

"I pledge allegiance to the Christian Flag and to the Savior for whose kingdom it stands. One brotherhood, uniting all mankind, in service and love."

Ex 12:1 - 14 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,

Ex 12:2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.

Ex 12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house