No Soldier Left Behind
Genesis 14:13-16
In recent weeks one story has been at the forefront of the news. I am referring to the story of Bowe Bergdahl an American Soldier who has been “held captive” in Afghanistan for 5 years. This story has been filled with controversy. Many are furious about the fact that the U.S Government negotiated with terrorists and freed 5 men who WILL return to the only thing they know…TERRORISM. It has also been reported by members of Bergdahl’s own platoon that he was a deserter. In fact… it is documented that he had walked away from his platoon twice before. As I have been following this story, I couldn’t help but think of all the Christian soldiers who are imprisoned today.
It has often been said that “The Christian life is not a playground, it is a battlefield.”
We who are born again are soldiers in God’s Army. This is mentioned in Paul’s letter to Timothy:
2 Timothy 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.... No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Today, I would like to ask you to take a moment and look around. Do you see these empty seats? The empty seats that fill our sanctuary are not representative of lost people… they represent soldiers who are no longer on the battlefield. Too many times we are guilty of looking at our “inactive brethren” and saying “well... They are backslidden” or “they have turned from the Lord”. That very well may be true, but the issue goes much deeper than that. These men and women that I speak of today are our “fellow-soldiers”
Someone said that the “Christian Army is the only army that shoots its own wounded” We cannot look at our brethren who we often describe as “inactive” and assume they are all in the same condition.
1) SOME ARE A.W.O.L (Absent Without Leave) - A.W.O.L is defined as - “being away from military duties without permission, but with the intention of returning”.
There are some who were once in the heat of the battle… “fighting the good fight of faith” . But for some reason or another they decided that they needed to step away from the battle. Maybe they were weary from the fight. Maybe something enticed them to leave the battlefield and they put down their arms and walked away from the fight. They never intended to stay away, but they walked away without their “armor” and may be lying somewhere wounded.
Maybe they were captured and are now being held by the enemy. Either way, they are no longer fighting and they are in DANGER!
2) SOME ARE DESERTERS- this is “abandonment of duty or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning”.
When Paul was instructing Timothy about fighting battles for the Lord. He encouraged him to “cling to his faith in Christ” and to “keep his conscience clear” . He then tells Timothy about 2 men who has “deliberately violated their consciences”. Their names were “Hymenaeus and Alexander”. Paul says that they had shipwrecked their faith. Unfortunately, there are some who began to walk with the Lord and made the conscious decision to turn away from Him.
3) SOME ARE M.I.A (Missing In Action) - “this is a casualty classification for those who are reported missing during active service.”
They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted.There are many of our brothers and sisters who could be described as M.I.A. - They are gone and we really don’t know what happened. Do we just write them off, or should we go and look for them?
4) SOME ARE PRISONERS OF WAR - “one who is held captive by the enemy during or immediately after an armed conflict”.
Christian soldiers face an intense battle… Many times enemy surrounds them and overpowers them and they are taken captive and held as prisoners of war. We have brothers and sisters in Christ who were on the battle field “fighting the good fight” and have been captured. Perhaps they did not “put on the WHOLE armor of God”. Many are on the battlefield today and they forgot to take “the sword of the spirit”. Some may not have on all of the “defensive armour” and they have been wounded making it easier to capture them.
We must also address the fact that some of these P.O.W’s were outnumbered because they were left to fight alone! Whatever the situation, our fellow-soldiers are absent from the fight:
They are wounded
They have been captured
They are hurting
Some of them are dying
And it is our responsibility to do all that we can to retrieve them and see them restored to “full spiritual health” and then “return to the battlefield”. Not only should we desire to see them restored… we also NEED them on the battlefield fighting with us!
Inactive church members are not the enemy, they are our “brothers and sisters” in Christ. These men and women are more than our “fellow-soldiers”… let us not forget they are our family. We will never succeed in retrieving our fallen brothers and sister by negotiating with the enemy. So, what do we do? …How can we help our fallen comrades? I believe we can see the proper response in this account of the life of Abraham.
Join me in Genesis 14 as we consider the subject “No Soldier Left Behind”
Here we read that Lot was captured and his possessions were seized. We learned as children, the story of Abraham and Lot and how they separated from one another. Genesis 13:5 ¶And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. 6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. 7 And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle… 8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. 9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
Lot took a long look at the “well watered, fertile plains of the Jordan Valley” He then took his flocks and servants and moved to a place near “Sodom” and settled there. The place Lot chose was beautiful but it was a land of wickedness - v13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
Much could be said about Lot’s decision to move to Sodom. His decision illustrates a problem for many of our “fallen comrades” that we speak of today. They looked in a certain direction that was enticing, then began to walk that way. Now they have found themselves away from the Lord and living in a wicked land. Some time after Lot moved his family, his servants and his livestock to this region a war broke out. Several different Kings joined together and fought against others Kings in the region. (Genesis 14:1-9)
As a result of this battle those who were victorious plundered Sodom and Gomorrah. When they journeyed back to their home land they took all the spoils of war. In verse 12 we find that “Lot was captured and they seized all of his possessions”. One of Lot’s men escaped the aggressors and informed Abraham what had happened. (v13)
Now we arrive at the heart of the message. When Abram heard what had happened… HE RESPONDED!!! He did not sit back and say… “That is what he gets for going to that wicked land!” He gathered every asset at his disposal and was willing to do whatever was necessary to recover his imprisoned family member. In the next few verses we see how we should respond to ensure that there is “No Soldier Left Behind”
There are several things that we must grasp concerning our brethren who are captured or injured on the battlefield. Let’s begin with the fact that:
I. THE TIME FOR ACTION IS NOW - v14a and when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants…
We find in verse 13 that “there came one that had escaped, and told Abram {what had happened}”…Abram did not delay… there was not time to procrastinate. He gathered his men together and sought to retrieve his captive loved one.
Folks, there is no shortage of fallen and captured soldiers from God’s army. They are our brothers, sister, parents, spouses, children and friends. They are in the hands of the enemy and are facing great danger. The fact that they are imprisoned is bad enough… but the enemy seeks to torture those who are in captivity. While there is no shortage of fallen soldiers, there is often a shortage of those with the desire and ability to go in and rescue them. Consider:
II. AS SOLDIERS WE MUST BE PREPARED - v14b he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen,
Abram gathered a group of men together. There were 318 of them to be exact. There is something special about these men that Abram had… they were TRAINED AND READY TO GO! - “he armed his trained servants”
Here in the USA we have groups who are considered the “elite”. Groups such as the Navy Seals and the Army Rangers and Green Berets. These soldiers are highly trained to perform unconventional, often high-risk missions. As Christian soldiers we must be trained and ready to respond at a moments notice. We must have the knowledge to understand the enemy that we face. We must be familiar with the sound of the commander’s voice. We must have our weapons. We must have our defensive armor. We must have the knowledge and ability to properly use them
We always must be on guard for attack from the enemy - 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Notice that Abram’s men did not have to get ready… THEY WERE READY!!! Folks, these are our fellowsoldiers who have been wounded or captured on the battlefield, we don’t have time to spare. The time to act is now and we MUST BE PREPARED! Are you spending time training for warfare? If not, you may find yourself captured and imprisoned. Another factor we must comprehend is that:
III. DEVOTION TO THE MISSION IS ESSENTIAL - v14b {they} pursued them unto Dan.
These men had a mission… RESCUE THE PRISONER! They did not sit around and talk about how they should get him. They didn’t start out to get him and then turn back when they saw the enemy forces. They were steadfast in their mission and they fought with all they had until they reached their goal. Folks, we know the mission.
We know where they are and what needs to be done.
We don’t need to talk about what our fallen brethren need to do.
We don’t need to say that another group of soldiers should go and get them.
We need to see what we should do and DO IT!!
How many times do we look at someone who is backslidden and put them down? We talk about them like they are the enemy. As I mentioned before, many of them are in the shape they are in because they have been abandoned on the battlefield. They were then captured by the enemy and have become prisoners.
Some are prisoners of lust
Some are prisoners of addiction
Some are prisoners of greed
Some are prisoners of discouragement
Some are prisoners of depression
Some are prisoners of abuse
And many other issues that the enemy would use against them. We must grasp the fact that it is our duty to reach out to them!
Romans 15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Simply put we must SEE THE NEED…THEN MEET THE NEED!! Who should be ready to act and devoted to the mission? ALL OF US!! Notice:
IV. WE MUST WORK TOGETHER - v15 And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, v15b and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
Abram divided his men and attacked the enemy during the night. The enemy fled, but they continued to pursue them until they reach a town north of Damascus. In verse 13 someone came and told Abram that Lot had been captured.
I would like to think that this man who came and informed Abram of the problem saddled up and went to battle with him, but we don’t know for sure. You would think that someone who cared enough to escape and try to get a prisoner help would be willing to go to war to get him back. You would think that unless you have spent time in a Baptist church.. There is never a shortage of people who notice that numbers are down. And they will let you know about it. You will hear comments like:
“Sunday School numbers have been down for a while”
“Worship attendance isn’t what it once was”
“Preacher, the parking lot sure looked bare this morning”
“The financial report is getting discouraging”
It has been my experience that the ones who run to inform you of the negatives are usually the last ones willing to be a part of the solution. And there are many who see the empty pews around them and are quick to talk about that fact. But they always seem to be talking about what SOMEONE ELSE needs to do to get the people back. Folks, there is power in numbers! Abram had 318 men 319 if the informer went to battle with them.
We can do more together than we can apart - Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
One of the great benefits of the early church is that they were “together and in “one accord”. If we are going to have an impact… if we are going to successfully rescue or fellow-soldiers, WE MUST WORK TOGETHER!!
If we truly desire to see “No Solder Left Behind” then we must comprehend that:
i. The Time To Act Is Now
ii. As Soldiers We Must Be Prepared
iii. Devotion To The Mission Is Essential
iv. We Must Work Together
When we are prepared, devoted and working together we will see that:
V. VICTORY IS POSSIBLE - v16a And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot… and the women also, and the people.
Because Abram cared enough to act and because the men were trained and ready to go and because they went forward with passion and fervor…
1. The enemy fled
2. The goods were restored
3. Lot was rescued
4. The other people {the women} were delivered.
When we take those steps that are necessary to retrieve our fallen comrades we may see these same results. We may see our enemy flee… We can recover lost ground …We can rescue or brothers and sisters, who have been wounded, captured and imprisoned. Do you see what I see in this text? More was at stake than just Lot. Other lives were impacted by this rescue operation.
Let me close with a far too common story. - There was a man in a certain church who’s name was Bro. Smith. Bro. Smith was saved and radically changed 15 years ago. After he was saved he started bringing his whole family to church. Several months later his wife was saved. The Smiths had 5 children… 3 boys and 2 girls. Over the years and as a result of Awana and Sunday school all 5 of the children were saved. Brother Smith’s parents and in-laws began attending that church. He also brought with him several nieces and nephews. Bro. Smith grew spiritually and became very active in the church. Then as a result of the recession financial woes hit the Smith household. Bro. Smith began working overtime and every Saturday was spent at work. As a result of working on Saturdays, the family began to miss church every now and then for recreation. Then the Dad began to work on Sundays periodically.
The family still came to church but it wasn’t as regular as before. As time went on they began to miss more and more. Eventually Mr. & Ms Smith were out of church all together. The children were not old enough to drive so they were out of church too. The nieces and nephews lost their ride as well. Then the grandparents began to miss service in order to go and spend time with the children. When it was all said and done 2nd Baptist Church Littletown had 2 extra empty pews and 14 less “active members”.
As a result they lost:
A piano player
An usher
2 Sunday school teachers
A substantial amount of tithes
8 children in AWANA
Immediately the people in the church noticed their absence. They began to discuss this tragedy at lunch after services. Some of them even told the preacher that he should go and visit them. Others said “what a shame that a man would allow this to happen to his family”. Some said that “even if Mr. & Ms. Smith weren’t going to come, those grandparents should be responsible enough to bring all of those children to church.” Yes, there was no shortage of people who would criticize the Smith family for their backslidden condition.
But there were a couple of sweet ladies in the church who were very concerned. They made it a point to pray for the Smiths every day. They wrote them letters and periodically called on the phone. They went to the Smith’s home. As they sat at the Smith’s kitchen table and with tear filled eyes shared with them their burden for their spiritual condition. Bro. Smith was touched by her concern and he had already been under the conviction of the Holy Sprit. He began to weep and pray…he then rededicated his life and immediately resolved to take his family back to church and even more to be the spiritual leader in his household. The rest of the family followed the patriarch and God did an amazing work in that family. All because of a couple of Christian ladies:
1. That Realized that it was a time for action
2. They were prepared for battle
3. They were devoted to the mission
4. They were willing to work together
Once again I ask you to look around at the empty pews. They represent a problem that is much deeper. The people who should be in these pews are getting further and further away from the Lord.
They are hurting
They are wounded
They have been captured and imprisoned
They are in grave danger
And friend, one day it could be you!
Some of you have been there… Even though you are in the pews today some of you are there right now! Folks, our brothers and sisters are hurting! Are you willing to leave them behind? Does it even bother you that they are Prisoners of War, Missing In Action. A.W.O.L or in some cases they have deserted? The time for action is now…And you can begin by praying for them!
Let us come to a place where our motto is “No Soldier Left Behind”
