If you ask some why we observe this day as a national holiday, they know it has something to do with the military, but they do not understand the significance of it.
Illus: They remind me of a young man that took his girl friend to her first football game. They arrived at the game when the two teams met in the center of the field with the referee when he tossed the quarter to determine who would get the ball first.
• She sat there watching the game with him and it did not make a lot of sense.
• He asked her after the game if she liked the game and she said she did.
• But she went on to say that she thought it was a childish game.
• He said, “What do you mean it is childish game?” She said, “I just couldn't understand why they were killing each other for 25 cents."
• Dumbfounded, her date asked, "What on earth do you mean?"
• "Well, I saw them flip a coin and one team got it and then for the rest of the game, all they kept screaming was: ‘Get the quarter back! Get the quarter back!’”
Veteran’s day does not make a lot of sense to some folks, but it is a very important day in our nation.
• This holiday that we call Veterans Day was originally called Armistice Day.
• It was officially changed to Veterans Day in 1954.
• It is a time to remember all those who faithfully served their country in military service.
While we are enjoying ourselves here in the States, there are men and women around the world making this possible. All across this nation today:
• There are spouses today that are home alone
• There are children today without Mom or Dad
• There are parents today without their children
We need to pause today to honor these who are paying such a tremendous price so we can have the freedom we enjoy.
In Rom. 13:7, we read, “Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; HONOUR TO WHOM HONOUR.”
The Bible tells us to give honor to those who deserve it. And this is what we are doing today. Sometimes we wait until someone is gone to give them honor. Then it’s too late for them to appreciate our recognition of their accomplishments. But this is not always the case.
Illus: Imagine a funeral service. The preacher’s giving the eulogy, and suddenly, the "guest of honor" pops up out of the coffin!
It really happened. George Sogwe of South Africa decided to fake his death as a test. He said "I wanted to know what people would say about me when I’m dead,"
One friend said, "George says he’s gonna keep the coffin for his real funeral” Another friend that was there said, “Which may be held sooner than he thinks, if he keeps pulling stunts like this!"
Many times, people are dead and gone before we ever honor them. How sad! But Veterans Day honors those that served this country who are alive.
Let us now take a look at what is required to be a GOOD SOLDIER and thus become a TRUE VETERAN of the Lord’s service. Let’s look at-
I. THE SOLDIER’S CHOICE
God has never forced anyone to join His army. During the days of the draft, a young man would receive a letter from Uncle Sam in the mail telling him to report for service. He had no choice; if he did not show up, the government came to get him!
When the draft was in effect, many young men did all kinds of things to dodge the draft because they did not want to serve. Some actually fled the country. They had other plans for their life and they did not want Uncle Sam interfering.
Illus: Two military policemen were chasing a draftee fleeing from the military base. The draftee ran into the courtyard of a convent. He saw a nun seated on a round bench beneath a tree, quietly reading a book.
• He said to her, "Quick sister, please hide me I don't want to be drafted and the MP's are chasing me!"
• She said, “Get underneath this table and I will hide you from them!”
• The two military policemen came by and asked if she had seen anyone. She replied, "No."
• After they left the young man came out and said, “Wow! I thought they caught me!” The Nun pulled her robe off and the young man saw she was a man and he said, “Yea, I thought they got me too!”
Today we do not have the draft! We now have a VOLUNTARY ARMY! We no longer force young men to SERVE!
WHY DID WE CHANGE THE SYSTEM TO VOLUNTARY?
Illus: Just think about it. Suppose we had a vacancy in our Sunday School department and we could FORCE SOMEONE TO TEACH that class or someone could VOLUNTEER to teach class! Which one would make the best teacher? The teacher that volunteered, of course!
God looks for volunteers to enlist in the service of His Kingdom. Volunteers have been proven to be very effective. For example, we have volunteer fire departments.
Illus: A fire started on some grassland near a farm in Indiana. The fire department arrived with their new fire truck, but the fire was more then the local fire department could put out.
Someone suggested that a rural volunteer fire department be called to assist them with their volunteer fire department.
Though there was doubt that they would be of any assistance, the call was made.
The volunteer fire department arrived in a dilapidated old fire truck at break-neck speed. They drove straight towards the fire and stopped in the middle of the flames.
The volunteer firemen jumped off the truck and frantically started spraying water in all directions. Soon they had snuffed out the center of the fire, breaking the blaze into two easily controllable parts.
The farmer was so impressed with the volunteer fire department's work and so grateful that his farm had been spared, that he presented the volunteer fire department a check for $1000.
A local news reporter asked the volunteer fire captain what the department planned to do with the funds.
"That should be obvious," he responded, "the first thing we're gonna do is get the brakes fixed on that stupid fire truck."
Some of the best results come from men and women who VOLUNTEER TO SERVE. God has never forced anyone to serve Him. IT’S YOUR CHOICE! Perhaps the Holy Spirit of God is speaking to you today trying to recruit you into the service of God.
We see THE SOLDIER’S CHOICE and ...
II. THE SOLDIER’S CONFIDENCE
When a young man or young woman goes down and signs their name on the dotted line, they have CONFIDENCE that Uncle Sam will take care of them.
When you serve your country, you must have CONFIDENCE (FAITH) in the American government. You must believe that they will supply all your needs.
• The government provides your food
• The government provides your clothing
• The government provides your shelter
• The government provides your medical needs
• The government provides your transportation
• The government provides your ammunition
The same thing is true when it comes to becoming a “Spiritual Veteran.” We have to have CONFIDENCE that God will provide what we need.
Sometimes we forget, and we start thinking that this is OUR WAR! No, it is not our war, this is God’s War. This thing started between God almighty and Satan. This war started before we were ever born.
But we have been recruited to fight in this war and we have CONFIDENCE He will provide what we need to fight with.
Illus: A rather confident man walks into a party and takes a seat next to a very attractive woman. He gives her a quick glance, then casually looks at his watch for a moment.
• The woman notices this and asks, “Is your date running late?”
• '”No,” he replies, “I just bought this state-of-the-art watch and I was just testing it.”
• The intrigued woman says, “A state-of-the-art watch? What's so special about it?”
• “It uses alpha waves to telepathically talk to me,” he explains.
• “What's it telling you now?”
• “Well, it says you're are really crazy about me!”
• The woman giggles and replies, “Well it must be broken then because I am not crazy about you.”
• The man says, “Huummm! This thing must be an hour fast.”
The Bible makes it clear that God provides for those who VOLUNTEER TO SERVE, and we must have confidence in Him.
• Matt. 6:31 33, “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
• Phil. 4:19, “But my God shall supply ALL YOUR NEED according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
All your needs means ALL YOUR NEEDS!
We see THE SOLDIER’S CHOICE, THE SOLDIER’S CONFIDENCE and ...
III. THE SOLDIER’S COMMITMENT
Illus: The Marine 3-star general in charge of the joint office called his entire staff in for an indoctrination meeting. When they were all inside, the general had his aide close the door and said, "If you're going to work in this office, you need to have COMMITMENT, each and every one of you. Nothing is more important."
He then said to his aide, "Let him go." The aide opened up the door to a side office, and in ran a 7-foot long alligator, snarling and snapping.
The general looked straight at his new people and said "You're each going to have to demonstrate COMMITMENT."
He then held his arm out and the large alligator ran toward him and bit down on it. The general yelled in pain but instantly composed himself and shouted, "This is COMMITMENT!"
He waited several seconds more, then took two of his fingers and jabbed the alligator in both eyes.
The gator flipped over on his back, jumped up, and ran into the corner of the office, glaring angrily at the general.
"That, my friends, is COMMITMENT. Which one of you is ready to demonstrate his COMMITMENT?"
There was much shuffling of feet and murmuring. Finally an AF fighter pilot stepped forward and said, "I will sir, if you promise not to poke me in the eyes."
Listen, to serve in the Lord’s army requires SUPER BOWL COMMITMENT. WHAT IS SUPER BOWL COMMITMENT?
Illus: A young man was very excited because he just won a ticket to the Super Bowl. His excitement lessened as he realized his seat was in the back of the stadium. As he searched the rows ahead of him for a better seat, he found an empty one right next to the field.
• He approached the man sitting next to the empty seat and asked if it was taken. The man replied, "No."
• Amazed, the young man asked, "How could someone pass up a seat like this?"
• The older gentleman responded, "That's my wife's seat. We've been to every Super Bowl together since the day we were married, but she passed away."
• "Oh, how sad," the man said. "I'm sorry to hear that, but couldn't you find a friend or relative to come with you?"
• "No," the man said, "They're all at my wife’s funeral."
If you are serving in the military, you are expected to be completely committed to your country, allowing nothing to prevent you from performing your duties and serving faithfully.
As a Christian, you are also expected to be completely committed to Christ. When the Lord called those fishermen to serve Him, we read, in Luke 5:11, “And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.”
If you are going to serve the Lord, you must forsake all and follow His orders. Look at the example of Levi (Matthew) found in Luke’s Gospel.
Luke 5:27 28 says, “And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him.”
Jesus said this is to be true of ALL who follow Him.
In Luke 14:33, we read, “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”
Paul certainly understood the requirement of commitment as we can see in the Book of Philippians.
Phil. 3:8 says, “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,”
There is a real difference between those who are INVOLVED and those who are COMMITTED. We have a lot of Christians today who are INVOLVED, but they are not COMMITTED!
Illus: Once a chicken and a pig took a trip together.
After many miles and many hours on the road, they got hungry. Finally, the sharp eyed chicken spotted a restaurant.
Approaching the door they read a sign which said, "Ham and Eggs: Our Specialty!" "Hold it!" shouted the pig. "What's the matter?" asked the chicken.
"Plenty. All they want from you is a little involvement. They are asking me for total commitment!"
We see THE SOLDIER CHOICE, THE SOLDIER’S CONFIDENCE, THE SOLDIER’S COMMITMENT and ...
IV. THE SOLDIER’S CONCERN
Look at 1 John 3:22-24, we read, “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And HE THAT KEEPETH HIS COMMANDMENTS dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.”
Illus: John Newton, the writer of most popular hymn in history, "Amazing Grace" said: "… if two angels in heaven were given assignments by God at the same time, one of them to go and rule over the greatest nation on earth and the other to go sweep the streets of the dirtiest village, each angel would be completely indifferent as to which one got which assignment.”
Which job they were assigned simply wouldn’t matter to them. Why? Because the real joy lies in being obedient to God.
For a Christian, the important thing isn’t what God has us doing; the important thing is that we’re doing what God wants us to do.
Conclusion:
To be a good solider for the Lord we have looked at:
I. THE SOLDIER’S CHOICE
II. THE SOLDIER’S CONFIDENCE
III. THE SOLDIER’S COMMITMENT
IV. THE SOLDIER’S CONCERN
