“FRIENDLY FIRE!”
(Basic outline taken from a chapter in Gordon McDonald’s book: Retoring Your Spiritual Passion)
A. FRIENDLY FIRE
ILLUSTRATION:
Pat Tillman played safety for the Arizona Cardinals for four years and was offered a 3.6 million dollar contract to return in the fall of 2002 when he decided to LEAVE his LUCRATIVE FOOTBALL CAREER to join the ARMY in response to the 9/11 ATTACK on America. He was trained as an Army Ranger, an elite force EQUIPPED for SPECIAL OPERATIONS.
Tillman was sent to Afghanistan to fight in the WAR on TERROR in Operation Freedom. He was killed on April 22, 2004. Reports said that Tillman was killed while charging at the ENEMY up a hill after being fired upon in a mortar attack, allowing the rest of his PLATOON to escape alive. He was awarded the SILVER STAR for Combat Valor and the PURPLE HEART. Arizona Senator John McCain presented the metals to Tillman’s family at a special CEREMONY.
Within weeks of his death, however, other reports began to surface which revealed that Tillman was not KILLED by ENEMY FIRE after all, but by FRIENDLY FIRE. Apparently there was a MINE EXPLOSION that was mistaken for a MORTAR ATTACK. One group of Army Rangers began to FIRE upon Tillman’s GROUP who had mistaken four ALLY AFGHAN FIGHTERS who were with Tillman as being the ENEMY. After the smoke cleared, Pat Tillman was killed along with an Afghan Fighter and three other American soldiers were WOUNDED. There were no ENEMY FORCES around.
Since Operation Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom, dozens of American Soldiers have been KILLED by FRIENDLY FIRE. Undoubtedly, nothing HURTS military personnel more than to hear of their own COMRADES being KILLED by their FELLOW SOLDIERS.
B. Sadly FRIENDLY FIRE is not UNCOMMON among Christians.
1. We often enjoy SHOOTING our own people.
COMMENT:
We have all been GUILTY of ATTACKING our brethren in some way or another. It could be by the GOSSIP we spread, the CRITICISM we give, the FEELINGS we hurt. We WOUND our brothers and sisters by our LACK of LOVE, UNDERSTANDING, and CONCERN for them and their
PROBLEMS.
We turn our own GUNS on our CHURCH FAMILY when we JUDGE them without getting all of the FACTS, when we REFUSE to give them the BENEFIT of the DOUBT, when we QUESTION their SINCERITY as they come seeking our FORGIVENESS.
2. Satan doesn’t have to use the WORLD to DESTROY Christians—we do it for him- Galatians 5:13-15
(READ and COMMENT)
COMMENT:
Paul said that “the entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
FRIENDLY FIRE may very well be a HAZARD of WAR that is UNAVOIDABLE. But FRIENDLY FIRE in the Lord’s church must and can be AVOIDED.
MESSAGE:
ILLUSTRATION:
In Washington DC there is a MONUMENT erected in memory of the Vietnam War dead. Inscribed on those black granite walls are more than fifty-eight thousand names of men and women who gave their lives for their country. Families and friends still stand before those WALLS weeping as they brush their fingers across the IMBEDDED names of their LOVED ONES.
Just think what it would be like if there was a MONUMENT erected in memory of Christians DESTROYED by their brothers and sisters in Christ. How many names would be INSCRIBED on those walls? How many lives SHATTERED? How many souls LOST? Would you know
some of the NAMES? Would you be GUILTY of putting some of the NAMES there?
As I think of ways that Christians are guilty of “FRIENDLY FIRE,” I cannot help but CONVICT myself of pulling the TRIGGER at times. FRIENDLY FIRE comes in the form of many DEADLY SPIRITS—I want to focus on TWO of them this morning. .
I. THE COMPETITIVE SPIRIT
A. God has called us to work TOGETHER.
1. We are surrounded by people who are just as EXCITED about their service to Christ as we are.
COMMENT:
Who are these people? Either they can become our PARTNERS, our ENCOURAGERS, our FELLOW-WORKERS—or they become our COMPETITORS.
2. It was said of Diotrophes by Apostle John that “he loves to be first among the church”- III John 9.
COMMENT:
Apparently Diotrophes saw the apostle John as a COMPETITOR and intercepted all the COMMUNICATION that John sent to that congregation. Think about it! The people were denied INPUT from one of the beloved disciples of Jesus because one man REDUCED his
RELATIONSHIP with John to the level of COMPETITION.
3. Competitiveness is a desired TRAIT in our SCHOOLS, BUSINESSES, SPORTS, MILITARY, etc.
ILLUSTRATION:
Being Americans we grew up in a COMPETITIVE environment. We were raised with the NOTION that everyone around us had to be measured to see who was the BEST. So we compared our MUSCLES, our RUNNING SPEEDS, our SCHOOLS, our CARS, our DATES.
B. COMPETITION may be HEALTHY in some ARENAS, but when it comes to a VICIOUS COMPETITIVE SPIRIT among brethren, it’s WRONG. Yet, the COMPETITION CONTINUES.
1. There’s COMPETITION between CHURCHES.
ILLUSTRATION:
We compare MEMBERSHIPS: “We have MORE people than they do.” “The EDUCATED and WELL-TO-DO people attend our CONGREGATION.” “Our MEMBERS are better WORKERS than theirs.”
We compare PREACHERS: “Our preacher is a better speaker.” “Our preacher is WELL-KNOWN in the brotherhood.” “Our preacher is highly EDUCATED.” “Our preacher is BETTER LOOKING.” (It was my GOOD LOOKS that got me this WORK.)
We compare BUILDINGS: “Our building has a larger SEATING capacity.” “Our building is more MODERN.” “Our building has a Family Life Center.”
2. There’s COMPETITION among the MEMBERSHIP.
COMMENT:
There are Christians who ARGUE over who’s the better TEACHER, the better WORSHIP
LEADER, who has the greater KNOWLEDGE of SCRIPTURE.
3. There’s COMPETITION among CHURCH LEADERS.
ILLUSTRATION:
There are some ELDERSHIPS who don’t get along because you find two or more men with OVERBEARING personalities VYING for the UNSANCTIONED position of “HEAD ELDER.”
DEACONS or MINISTRY LEADERS sometimes COMPARE ministries as to which one is most IMPORTANT or more PRODUCTIVE.
4. MINISTERS are probably the most COMPETITIVE of all.
ILLUSTRATION:
Whenever a church has 2 or more ministers, JEALOUSY often occurs. Sometimes they COMPETE with each other as to which one has the greater FOLLOWING. I know of at least two congregations that split right down the middle—half of the group stayed with one minister and the other half left following the other minister. . . . Of course, this would never happen here because no one likes Andy anyway. (No, Andy and I have a good working relationship.)
When PREACHERS get together at CONVENTIONS and SEMINARS, it is almost as if someone says, “LET THE COMPETITION BEGIN!” Then it starts: “I preach for the LARGEST CONGREGATION in Illinois.” “I’m working towards my second DOCTORATE.” “I’ve CONVERTED 100 people last year.” “I’m scheduled to SPEAK at three SEMINARS within the next few months.”
And in all HONESTY, I find myself doing the same thing. I’ll get together with my PREACHER friends and we’ll start taking about our RESPECTIVE works. I’ll BRAG a little and talk about some of the things that we’re doing—and if we’re not doing it I’ll just MAKE IT UP! (By the way, if anybody asks, we are a congregation of about 1200 people!)
ILLUSTRATION:
Although preachers are very COMPETITIVE, there always seems to be somebody to bring
them BACK DOWN to earth.
A preacher RESIGNED from a large city church one Sunday morning. As he spoke to those leaving the SANCTUARY, one lady was openly SHEDDING tears. She told the PREACHER how sorry she was to hear about him LEAVING.
Trying to CONSOLE her, the PREACHER said “Don’t WORRY, the church will probably get a BETTER preacher.” “No they won’t,” she said WAILING even louder. “That’s what the last PREACHER said!”
C. Instead of being COMPETITIVE, Jesus wants us to be SERVANTS.
1. Luke 22:24-27 (READ and COMMENT) (In Matt. 18:2, Jesus called a child to Him.)
COMMENT:
After they ARGUED about who was the GREATEST, Jesus showed His disciples who was indeed the GREATEST becoming their SERVANT by “WASHING their FEET”- John 13.
2. Instead of being COMPETITIVE, Christians are to work TOGETHER fulfilling God’s PURPOSE for His church.
II. THE CALLOUS SPIRIT
A. This is the INSENSITIVE, sometimes UNCARING attitude we have toward our brethren who are
HURTING or STRUGGLING with sin.
1. Let’s face it, we Americans do not like “WIMPS!”
ILLUSTRATION:
We are of the STRONG and the BRAVE. We idolize the BOLD and COURAGEOUS. Our HEROES are John Wayne, Rambo, Swartzeneggar, and now Spider-Man. We despise those who are WEAK, those who can’t TAKE IT, those who STUMBLE.
2. Even in the CHURCH there are those who despise the WEAK.
ILLUSTRATION:
We don’t like to admit that Christians can have PROBLEMS. We don’t want to hear of Christian families who can’t get along. We don’t want to hear of any Christian’s STRUGGLE with sin. We don’t want to believe that Christians can SUFFER with DEPRESSION. We sure don’t want to admit that there are Christians who are ALCOHOLICS, recovering or otherwise
3. This INSENSITIVITY raises its UGLY HEAD in a number of WAYS.
ILLUSTRATION:
The preacher who tells a mother bereaved over a child she lost months before, “If you had a strong FAITH in God, you would have quit GRIEVING long ago!”
The church leader who tells the struggling Christian who comes for the third time CONFESSING the same sin, “If you are genuinely sincere about your REPENTANCE, that sin would no longer be a PROBLEM!” (Don’t worry, he won’t be back!)
The church youth group OSTRACIZING one of the TEENS for a problem she revealed during a SMALL GROUP SESSION.
The church that refuses to help a NEEDY family in the congregation because “they got into that FINANCIAL MESS by their own STUPIDITY.”
4. Often WOUNDED brethren come to their Christian family for HELP, but instead of TREATING their WOUNDS there are those who SHOOT them.
B. This was the same CALLOUSNESS that Jesus condemned.
1. Matthew 9:9-13 (READ and COMMENT)
ILLUSTRATION:
In a small town in south Georgia there was a preacher named Sam Tate. Also in this town they had a man known as the “TOWN DRUNK.” One morning he saw the PREACHER at a coffee shop and said, “Brother Tate, some high school boys from your church threw ROCKS at me last night.” The preacher replied, “Well, Bob, maybe they were trying to make a BETTER man out of you.” In response to that the old DRUNK said,
“Preacher, I never heard of Jesus THROWING ROCKS at anyone to make them BETTER.”
COMMENT:
The Jewish leaders were the ROCK THROWERS! Jesus, on the other hand, was a man of COMPASSION, UNDERSTANDING, and MERCY. He went to the WEAK, those who STUMBLE among FAULTS and MISTAKES, and offered them FORGIVENESS. He PATIENTLY helped them overcome the SIN in their lives that they DETESTED.
2. Instead of being CALLOUSED toward those who are HURTING or STRUGGLING with SIN, let’s do what we can to help STRENGTHEN them.
CONCLUSION:
A. It is impossible to determine how many “FRIENDLY FIRE” casualties there have been in the church over the CENTURIES.
1. It is DISHEARTENING to see brothers and sisters in Christ DESTROY each other.
a. Undoubtedly there have been times when we have found ourselves behind the TRIGGER.
COMMENT:
Our intention was never to cause one to LEAVE the FAITH. We never dreamed that we would DISCOURAGE a brother or sister in Christ from SERVING the Lord by the things we SAID or DID or by the ATTITUDE that we ADOPTED.
If we could take it back, we would. If we can only HEAL the HURT that we’ve INFLICTED, REVIVE the ENTHUSIASM that we’ve DEPLETED, MEND the HEART that we’ve BROKEN, we would.
ILLUSTRATION:
A few years ago my niece, Julie, died from BREAST CANCER just two days before her 35th birthday. She left behind three small children—the youngest was only 2 months old.
My niece and I had a special RELATIONSHIP. She lived with my parents the first five years of her life, so she was like a little sister to me. Every Summer she and her two brothers would spend one or two months with Brenda and me.
When she was engaged to be married, she asked if I would OFFICIATE her WEDDING. I was DELIGHTED. But then a few weeks before her WEDDING DAY, I SHOT her down. I found out that her FIANCÉE had been DIVORCED. The REASON for the DIVORCE didn’t matter to me, I CALLOUSLY told her that I would not OFFICIATE her WEDDING CEREMONY and if she MARRIED this man she was going to HELL! They went to a JUSTICE of the PEACE.
Two years later I was asked to OFFICIATE a WEDDING of another NIECE. Julie was the Matron of Honor. All through REHEARSAL I looked at Julie’s face and kept thinking about how I HURT her terribly. So the next day I wrote her a LETTER. I couldn’t find her after the WEDDING, so I gave the LETTER to Ted, her husband, to give to her. I told her in the letter that I was deeply sorry for my JUDGMENTAL ATTITUDE and that I have come to the CONCLUSION that God is a LOVING Father who delights in extending GRACE and MERCY to the SINFUL. “I am so THANKFUL He does,” I
wrote, “because what I did to you and Ted, even though out of IGNORANCE, I am the most SINFUL of ALL.”
Julie never mentioned receiving this letter. After her DEATH I asked Ted if he gave the LETTER to her. He told me that he had, and that she deeply appreciated what I wrote. But then he added, “Fred, Julie LOVED you very much, and she had FORGIVEN you long before you WROTE the LETTER.”
b. We may never be able to do anything to bring back the BROTHERS and SISTERS we have SHOT DOWN, but we can make DOUBLY sure that we don’t DESTROY any more of our FAMILY with our COMPETITIVE or CALLOUSED ATTITUDES.
HAS YOUR FINGER BEEN ON THE TRIGGER LATELY?
