5/29/11
Given by Sterling C. Franklin
@ Glorious King Jesus Christian Church (GKJ:CC)
Memorial Day: Reflecting on the Sacrifice, yet Looking to Hope
- Opening Prayer -
Is anyone here a vet? Please stand. I know it isn’t quite Veteran’s Day, but we would still like to honor you today.
Some facts on Memorial Day (see http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html):
- Originally called ’Decoration Day’: Memorial Day was a fixed date given for family and friends to decorate their war heroes’ graves with flowers: May 30.
- This was a holiday first made public by General John A. Logan in May 1868 for victims of the Civil War.
- The first state to recognize the holiday was New York in 1873.
- There was tension in the Southern states since it was seen as more of a holiday of the North, but it became much more popular as it became more of a day to remember any lost loved ones in any war.
- Through the National Holiday Act of 1971, Memorial Day was made the last Monday in May to give workers (even federal) a three-day weekend.
Many people end up casualties in war, and for various reasons. War rarely just takes soldiers. Even so, many brave men (and now women) put their lives on the line to preserve freedom for the people they serve. While people sometimes enter the military for mixed motives -- some need money, some want to develop as men, others would do nothing but sacrifice all for their country -- we look fondly on those who have risked so much to help preserve so much of what we have been blessed with, and I’d say most importantly, freedom to worship Jesus.
With any war, there’s always the debate --
Is this war justified?
What’s the point?
Who decided to go through with this one?
What are the potential costs and benefits?
Who are we really supporting?
Does war ever really end?
To many, Memorial Day is just a holiday, but in so many homes, it is a somber time to remember.
When we think of our loved ones lost this Memorial Day, there are some common things that are done.
We Remember their Lives,
and
We Reflect on the Sacrifice
and
For those who died in Christ, We Look to Hope.
I have a friend from High School who died very young as a soldier in Iraq. I haven’t even been to my 10-year reunion yet, so it’s really surreal and saddening in processing all the emotions involved in the loss of someone you know, and even someone you know who was so young.
Sgt. L.E.
- Growing up, we’d almost always sit together or within two chairs in homeroom and classes with assigned seating (note our last names). He was always a cheerful yet goofy-humored kid. He did have faithful parents who brought him up knowing the Lord, which was also a huge plus.
- I don’t claim to know him the best. The last I talked with him was the day we graduated high school. It’s interesting how we all go our separate ways. Sometimes, we reunite, and yet sometimes not. Each one of our lives is unique as well as precious, and yet God has given us the blessing of being interwoven with so many to enrich us all.
- L.E. served as soldier in Iraq with the US Army, and in April ’08, at age 25, he was killed in an IED explosion.
- Much of the war on Iraq focused on bringing various freedoms to the Iraqi people. Yet even so, in any case of major revolt, it would also put us at risk. Other nations were not fans of this movement, and yet it was what the president put us through at the time.
In remembering L.E.:
"May God bless, heal, comfort and protect the troops, and the families.
My heart is saddened and immensely grateful."
"I remember L. as the young boy I used to play with at church...I’m so saddened by his loss and yet pround at the same time of the hero he became. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family."
"I’m typing through tears. I will add these names to my personal prayer journal.
My son and his friends are deployed in Afghanistan and though I am a writer... I can’t find words. I offer up prayers from my heart to a mighty Lord."
So you think of this sacrifice of this man who grew up in this very area and was known and loved by many. Many remember his life -- all the good times and memories -- and they also think about the sacrifice he made. Even more, it seemed pretty clear that he knew the Lord.
Ultimately, God knows our destiny. Just as all of us, if L.E. accepted the sacrifice and Resurrection of Jesus Christ for his sins and for his redemption, then he is even with the Lord in spirit today.
Romans 10:9 - if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
2 Corinthians 5:8 - We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
Through faith in Jesus, we can also think in an eternal perspective. Regardless of what happens here, which is often unpredictable, we know that this life is preparation for one much greater to come. We are not to short-circuit this one -- God has us here to represent Him and to use us to bring people to Him, as we get to know Him better in all things, as well. But just as Paul was conflicted, the situation stands --
Philippians 1:19-24
19 For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.
23 For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.
24 Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.
So this weekend, one thing to do is to honor and remember those who gave their lives in defense of our freedom. But this weekend, we should also take with us that this remembrance should also take us to the Cross. We look to the life of Jesus, who gave Himself for our ultimate freedom from sin and death, and as a result, we can look to eternal Hope through Him. Let this time be a Memorial of Jesus, our ultimate example of sacrifice.
Jesus:
We Reflect on His Sacrifice
We Look to Hope only through Him
I want to take you to two passages as we reflect on Jesus’ Sacrifice and the Hope He provides. First, Philippians 2:5-11, and please turn there.
We have the ultimate remembrance of His Life -- He was Fully God, and yet He also became Fully Man. He did not force everyone to bow to His Kingship. He did not punish anyone who did not worship His every footstep. He came as a suffering servant to the people He longed to save. You may also ask, ’saved from what?’ -- Saved from the wrath of God that we deserve by our sinfulness. Let’s read this account of Jesus:
Philippians 2:5-11
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
What a humble Savior! Jesus also told us, "Greater love has no man than this -- than to lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). Do you know that Jesus did just this? He showed the Greatest Love to us in His death on the Cross. He did not deserve to die -- He was not guilty of sin or guilty of any unrighteousness before God. Yet what He did was amazing --
He took on our sin
so that
We could take on His righteousness
No matter where you are in life or what you have done, if you repent of your sin and humbly receive the forgiveness of Jesus Christ, God sees you as He sees His Son -- pure and spotless. If there is anything in your heart that is keeping you from Him today, repent. In fact, let’s pray now and take care of this. If anything is on your heart, we will take just a few moments of silent prayer so we can resolve this before we continue.
- Silent Prayer, Reflection, Repentance -
In reflecting on hope, we also have the passage, 1 Peter 1:3-5. Turn there with me if you will.
1 Peter 1:3-5
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
This "living hope" -- it’s active. It hasn’t ended, and it hasn’t passed away. We are blessed people through Jesus Christ.
Remember when we studied John, we covered John 14 and Jesus’ discourse on Heaven and the Way there. The Disciples felt a little lost -- how in the world would they know where to go without Jesus?
Jesus was the Way.
Jesus was also the Hope-Giver.
He promised mansions and utter blessings for the life to come. He wasn’t just speaking this out of good-will for the people who dropped their nets and tax collection schedules to follow Him. He was the Son of God, who has authority in judgment. He has GOOD THINGS for His children. Do you know this? Do you walk in this truth?
Even in Job’s case, God sustained him through a massive trial, and what does the end of Job show? Job 42:12 states very clearly, "The LORD blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first." We are never promised a rose garden in this life, but the one to come will be better than any of us could have imagined.
But we have hope only through Jesus.
So as we reflect on His Sacrifice and go to a time of Communion, in which we remember Him in a tangible way until He returns, we also look to the Hope which He has promised us.
Jesus Resurrected. Scripture promises that we will rise again with Him. Paul carefully calls those who have died in Christ as having "fallen asleep." This is Part I. To come is Part II. May we look on this in a fond Memorial this weekend and beyond, and may we grasp the hope which only comes through knowing Jesus Christ personally. Let’s close in prayer.
- Closing Prayer -
