The soldier walks 21 steps. On the 21st step he turns and faces the tomb he is guarding. He does this for 21 seconds. The soldier then turns to head back the other direction. He moves his rifle to his outside shoulder away from the tomb. After 21 seconds he walks 21 steps and repeats the process again and again.
Since July 1, 1937 a relatively small number of hand picked soldiers have stood guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The tough duty is not for everyone. Over 80% of the soldiers who tryout for guard duty at the Tomb do not make it. Each soldier must have strong military bearing, discipline, stamina, and present an outstanding soldierly appearance. Each Sentinel must be able to flawlessly perform seven different types of walks, honors, and ceremonies. They must retain vast amounts of knowledge concerning the Tomb, Arlington National Cemetery, the United States Army, and their unit. They can have no military or civilian convictions for violating the law. They must score a minimum of 250 on the Army Physical Fitness Test. Their height must be within 5’11” – 6’4.” They need a 30-inch waist and be able to present a soldierly appearance in the Army Blue Uniform.
The Tomb Guards make personal sacrifices to have the honor of serving in their special role. They work on a team rotation similar to firemen at a firehouse. Those soldiers who serve well for at least nine months are rewarded with a special badge to wear on their uniforms that acknowledges their service at the Tomb of the Unknowns. If they ever bring shame on the tomb that they guard or otherwise fail in their duty they are stripped of the badge and the honor that goes with it.
Although the comparison may be a stretch in some ways, I believe we can find a few parallels between our lives as Christians and the lives of the soldiers who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It is a great honor to serve our Savior and live our lives for him. But our Lord, Jesus has given us a very precise code of conduct. He has high expectations of us. If we fail to live up to what he asks of us we bring shame on his Name. In our sermon this morning we will be challenged by the Apostle Paul’s inspired words to the Colossians. Here we are called to sacred duty. We will focus on the last half of our second Scripture lesson. (Read text on front covert.) Through the instruction of the Holy Spirit found in these Words may we take the Apostle Paul’s encouragement to heart. He says to you and me:
“LIVE YOUR LIFE WORTHY OF THE LORD”
I. Directed by His will
II. Strengthened by His power
III. Motivated by His grace
The Christians in the city of Colosse were in need of guidance and encouragement. False teachers had been leading the congregation astray. The Colossians were confused about what it meant to live as Christians. As he did in a number of his other inspired letters the Apostle Paul directed his readers back to the basics of the faith. He reviewed the undeserved love that God showed the world by sending his Son as the substitute for sinners. Then he reapplied the commands and demands that God sets out in his Word. This simple approach outlined the life of a Christian. God’s Word still gives us direction on how we are to live our lives worthy of the Lord. God’s Word also gives us the strength to live that life. And God’s Word gives us the motivation to do so by reminding us of the underserved love—the grace—that God has given us.
I.
The guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier have very detailed instructions about what they are to do. Every step they take and every movement they make is covered by an army regulation. In verse 9 of Colossians chapter one the Apostle Paul tells us where we find the plan and pattern for our life as a Christian. “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” Living a life worthy of the LORD means our life must be directed by God’s will. And that will of God is revealed through spiritual wisdom and understanding that come only from God.
But some have said that knowing God’s will is impossible. “How can I know what he wants me to do?” they complain. May we never fall for such a silly lie! God’s code of conduct is very clear. In the Old Testament lesson for this Sunday we heard God say through Moses,
“No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.” God’s Commandments require that we love him above all things and that we love others as we love our self. God’s person, God’s Name, and God’s Word are all to be kept holy by us every moment of our life. Our loyalty to God is to be unwavering, our use of his Holy Name honorable, and our love of his Word unchallenged. In all our interaction with others we are to show selfless love. God expects that we will honor those in authority in our home, in the church, and in the government. We are to always defend and treasure the gift of life. In all our thoughts, words, and actions we are to abide by his commands concerning marriage. God expects us to only speak the truth in love to others. He also commands us to be content with the material blessings he has given us. No, God’s will is not unclear! To live our life worthy of a child of God we are to be as holy as he is.
There is a tradition among the guards who serve at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Whenever they salute a commissioned officer they say in a loud voice. “Line six, sir!” That is a reference to line six of the Sentinel’s Creed. In 99 words this creed captures what it means to be a guard at the Tomb. It states, “My dedication to this sacred duty is total and whole-hearted.
In the responsibility bestowed on me never will I falter. And with dignity and perseverance my standard will remain perfection. Through the years of diligence and praise and the discomfort of the elements, I will walk my tour in humble reverence to the best of my ability.
It is he who commands the respect I protect, his bravery that made us so proud. Surrounded by well meaning crowds by day, alone in the thoughtful peace of night, this soldier will in honored glory rest under my eternal vigilance.” Line six of that creed is, “my standard will remain perfection.” Perfection is to be our standard as we serve the living God. That is what he lays out for us in the Bible. To live our life worthy of Him we live our life guided by his will.
Historians tell us that prior to the establishment of around the clock guards at the Tomb of the Unknowns tourists used the original monument as a picnic table when they visited Arlington National Cemetery. It is centrally located and gives a great view of the rest of the park. Obviously those who did this were showing a lack of respect for the unknown soldiers who died for their country. But now since the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier do their job faithfully the honor of the Tomb is preserved. Since 1937 I guarantee you no one has used the tomb for a picnic table! The memory of the soldiers buried there has been honored.
So what are the results when we live our life worthy of the Lord as directed by his will? In verse 10 the Apostle Paul tells us, “And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.” If we serve God with honorable behavior we please him and bear the fruit of faith. God’s honor and his Name are kept holy among us. And of course those who see our lives may also be led to honor God. As we live our life worthy of the Lord we will also be growing in our knowledge of God.
II.
So do we deserve to be counted among the soldiers in God’s army? No! We have not kept his code of conduct perfectly. Through our sins we have brought shame on our Heavenly Commander. All too often our conduct has been “unbecoming” a Christian. We have let ourselves become distracted from our first priority in life and left the post God assigned to us. And think of how our sins have stained the holy uniform that God gave us. Our minds have entertained thoughts that God cannot stomach. Like traitors to God’s cause we have walked down paths that the children of God have no business walking. Time and time again we have been AWOL from our service to God.
Then why have we not been eternally court-martialed and separated from God forever? Why are we not stripped of the honor of being in God’s army? Because we have an awesome Savior! He went on a great rescue mission to save us. Jesus obeyed his Father’s code of conduct perfectly. He threw himself on the hand grenade of our sins and let them take his life instead of ours. Now as a gift to us he keeps us in a right standing with God. This means our commission to serve God isn’t dependent on us. It is not because of our abilities that we are given the honor of living our life worthy of the Lord. Verses 11-12 point us to the source of power to live our life worthy of the Lord. The Apostle Paul continues, “being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.” To answer the call to live our life worthy of the Lord we return again and again to God for strength.
Although I am sure that there are more Viking Fans here than Green Bay Packer fans all fans of professional football were amazed by something Brett Favre did a few years ago. Just a day after he learned that his father died he played in a Monday Night Football game. Favre’s athletic performance was outstanding—it was unbelievable. Dr. Stephen Taylor, a clinical psychologist wrote about what he saw. “Besides the human-interest story of Favre is the understanding of the skill sets of an elite athlete. One skill set we know he has is the ability to focus and play through pain; an ability to block all things out and have the focus of a laser beam.” “That level of focus is contagious,” Taylor said of the rousing play of Favre’s teammates. It’s a Michael Jordan effect. One thing he used to do was make others around him better. Brett Favre did that, too.” Hmmm. The “Michael Jordan effect.” In another setting—a non-sports setting—where life and eternity are at stake, we might call it the Jesus effect. He raises our level of service to God. He inspires us to live our life worthy of the Lord. He strengthens us for that task with his power in the Word and Sacrament.
On average the servicemen who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier spend about 8 hours to prepare for duty. Their uniform must be meticulously prepared. What preparation do we put into our life of service to God? We need the power of God’s Word to give us the strength required for our duty. In his letter to the Ephesians the Apostle Paul described the effort we are to put in as we prepare to serve God every day. The military theme he used fits well with this sermon, “13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” To live our life worthy of Lord may we continually find our strength in him through his Word.
III.
A logical question that someone might ask of the soldiers who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Solider is why they do it. Why go through such rigorous training? The work of the guards is tedious and demanding. In snowstorms and rainstorms, in the heat of summer and in the cold of winter, the guards at the Tomb faithfully do their duty. What motivates these soldiers to do such a task? I imagine that for some it is the challenge of doing something few men are able to do that draws them to it. For others it may be the honor, pride, and tradition that go with being a guard at such a sacred memorial. But over all I am sure that in each soldier there is a love for their country and appreciation for those who died in service to our country.
What is that motivates you and me to live our lives worthy of the Lord? Why face the challenges of being a follower of Jesus? Why choose the narrow and difficult path of obedience over the wide and easy path of sin? The Apostle Paul goes on to tells us in these words, “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” When we realize that it was God’s undeserved love that brought us out of Satan’s prisoner of war camp into Christ’s royal army we are filled with the desire to live our lives worthy of the Lord. We want to honor him for the honor he has given us. We want to love him because he first loved us.
This past July 1st marked the 70th year that soldiers have stood guard at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. They are meticulous in all that they do. They prepare for their duty thoroughly. They train for hours and hours. Their public and private lives reflect the honor that they have been given. Line six from the Sentinel’s Creed expresses the devotion and duty of a guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns. It says, “my standard will remain perfection.” So dedicated are these soldiers that even during Hurricane Isabel in 2003 they refused to leave their post. For the past 70 years the Tomb guards have never failed in their responsibility.
Friends in Christ, may we take our duty to Christ just as seriously. As followers of Jesus may our standard be perfection. And may our dedication to Christ be total. May we always live our life worthy of the Lord. God’s Word is clear about the perfection God expects in our thoughts, words, and actions. May we take up the sacred honor and duty that are ours. Directed by God’s will, strengthened by his power, and motivated by his forgiveness, grace, and love may we give him our best until that day when we are transferred to eternal Kingdom of our Commanding officer. Amen.
