-We’re in a war!
-I know that the people in the military get that – they’ve deployed to fight in it
-Their families know it – because they’ve missed their loved ones while they’ve been fighting
-If you are a retiree you know it – because you’ve been there before
-But I don’t think the American public gets it
-They don’t realize that our country is at war
-In past wars, everyone was a part of the fight
-One of my favorite movies, especially of the Holiday season is “It’s a Wonderful Life.” One of the things that I like about it is that it truly is historic fiction. It reflects the history that was going on during that time. You probably remember the scenes where it shows George Bailey contributing to the war effort by leading the recycling drive
-In our current war, only the military and their dependents are really fighting this war
-For the rest of America, it is life as usual
-Did you know that we are fighting a war?
-I don’t mean the one in Afghanistan or the one in Iraq
-This war is fought here at home
-It isn’t for the Presidency or Congress
-But it is a war of ideology
-It is a war of hearts and minds
-But it isn’t the war on terror
-It is the spiritual war that Christians fight in everyday, against the forces of evil – the devil and his minions
-Paul in his second letter to Timothy understood this war well – he had been on both sides
-At one time, he had fought along with the devil, trying to stamp out Jesus’ church
-Until Jesus Himself confronted him on the road to Damascus and after a quick reeducation program commissioned him as an officer in His army
-Paul fought and won many battles for Jesus’ army
-As Paul writes this letter to Timothy, he is sitting in the enemies’ prison as a POW
-Hardship is part of the military life
-There were many nights when I was out training and the rain just poured
-I did what I could to keep the water out and to dig a ditch around my tent but it always seemed like I’d wake up in the middle of the night with a river running down the middle of my tent or hooch
-Later, when I took over my mechanized infantry platoon I had the only vehicle in the platoon that didn’t have a heater and every time we went to the field it seemed like it was a major cold spell
-One time it was so cold that our vehicles literally froze to the ground
-I don’t know how much money I spent buying cold weather gear so that I wouldn’t freeze when we were doing our annual train-up for our National Training Center rotation
-I coined the phrase, “You can’t put a price on comfort” when I bought a then high-tech pair of gloves for $60
-Later, when I got my own HUMMWV and driver, I ended up having to sleep on the hood because my driver would normally go to bed before I did and he’d take the inside and there’s only room enough for one to stretch out
-Hardship is part of the military life
-We had a saying when things weren’t going according to plan or the conditions weren’t very much fun, “Soldier On.”
-It basically means, “That’s part of this gig. Live with it.”
-As Christians, we will have difficulty in life. It may not be as overt as in other countries. In some parts of the world, like in Sudan, if you are a Christian it means that you are a target to be tortured, raped, have your home burned down or be killed.
-It is illegal in some Middle Eastern countries to convert to Christianity and if you do you will most certainly endure being ostracized by your family if not killed
-In America, we have it relatively easy but we still face persecutions.
-We may face ridicule, lose “friends” or suffer lost job opportunities
-In some parts of the country if you don’t go to a certain church or aren’t a member of a certain church body you will probably lead a lonely life or miss out on the best jobs
-My brother-in-law is one of the youngest bullpen coaches in the major leagues right now. He took over as the pitching coach at the end of the season when his team let the old coach go. The owner is not a Christian and has made it known that he wants a pitching coach with grey hair. His chances of chances of progressing in that team are limited despite his extraordinary leadership and coaching abilities. {PAUSE}
-An issue that has faced many a government official, even soldiers is that of treason
-The enemy is always looking for unsuspecting government employees, especially those with access to inside information to help their cause
-Benedict Arnold was one of America’s most successful generals, he contributed greatly to our Independence. However, his inability to maneuver the political aspects to the military, he became embittered when he was passed over for promotion by the Continental Congress and was investigated by them for malfeasance
-In the summer of 1780, he sought and obtained command of West Point in order to surrender it to the British but his plan was discovered when British Major John Andre was captured with documents revealing the plan
-We too, as Christians are tempted by the devil to switch sides or surrender
-When the difficulties of this life mount, it may seem expedient to give up so our own comfort
-In our text today, it says, “if we disown Him (Jesus), He will also disown us; if we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown Himself.”
-There are potentially eternal consequences for turning away from the Lord but it says that He will remain faithful
-For God wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth
-Have you ever read the book or seen the news magazine special “Not without my daughter”?
-It is about the woman Betty Mahmoody and her daughter Mahtob who are taken to Betty’s husband’s homeland, Iran, to visit
-The visit turns into a permanent stay and she and her daughter are mistreated by her husband and his family
-Betty, because she is a U. S. citizen, would have been allowed to leave but in Iran, father’s have custody rights so she would have had to leave her daughter
-So she stays and gets the trust of her husband and his family so that she is finally able to make contact with some men who are willing to kidnap, hide and smuggle them out of the country
-Parents are willing to go to great lengths to care for, protect and win their children back
-God is willing to go to greater lengths for His children
-He sent His Son Jesus to suffer and die on a cross outside of Jerusalem 2000 years ago to free us from our hardships because of sin and the times that we disown Him
-SHOW Video – God Tube “Everything” by Lifehouse
-When General Douglas MacArthur left the Philippines on 11 March 1942, before the Japanese invaded, it was a difficult departure.
-Difficult for those he was leaving. The Filipino people had come to know and love the charismatic leader. Difficult for him too I’m sure. He had spent a lot of time in the Philippines. He had grown to love those people. He didn’t want to leave. But leave he did.
-When he departed, he departed with a promise, “I shall return.” While he was away, they longed for the joy of his return.
-On 20 October 1944, he returned. Some two and a half years after his departure, he reclaimed the Philippines from the tyranny it had endured. There was much joy for the Filipino people as they once again saw the American soldiers and especially their beloved MacArthur.
-So too with us. Our general, Jesus, who fought and defeated sin, death and the devil for us, ascended some two thousand years ago. It was a difficult departure. For us who wished that he could stay. For Him who loved us so much He came in the first place. But it was time to leave.
-He, too, left with a promise, “I shall return.” Not only that, He said that He would never really leave, “Lo, I am with you always. Even to the end of the age.” With these promises, Jesus shows us that He loves and cares for us.
-As the Filipino people were filled with expectation of General MacArthur’s return, holding fast to his promise, we too long for Jesus’ return. We hold fast to His promise. Then, we too may be filled with the joy of our blessed reunion.
-As we wait for this wonderful reunion, God calls us to soldier on, picking up our fellow soldiers along the way and getting them back on the right track
