Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:1 - 4
Title: A. W. O. L. (Absent Without Leave)
Introduction: From 1496 B.C. to A.D. 1861,the world knew 2,130 years of war and 227 years of peace.
In the last four hundred years European nations have signed more than eight thousand peace treaties.
In this century 37.5 million died in World War I, and 45.4 million died in World War II.
In the Vietnam conflict 57,605 U.S. lives were lost and 304,000 U.S. military personnel were injured.
I remember when the Vietnam War began to cause the drafting of young men into the military. I was the right age for the draft and I was terribly scarred. I just knew if I had to go to Vietnam I would not survive. Almost with every waking moment my heart pounded with the fear of having to go to war. The television was full of reports of causalities. This amplified my fear to the point I didn’t know what I would do if I had to go to war.
War has the tendency to bring fear into most people’s hearts! And if you are in the midst of a WAR it is much worse.
Christians are also in a WAR. But our war is not with guns and bombs. The WAR we’re fighting is a spiritual battle for the souls of men, women, boys, and girls.
Unfortunately, soldiers often go A.W.O.L. during their time in the military.
God’s people are also in a SPIRITUAL WAR. This war also experiences the same problems that the military experiences during War.
We are having people to go A.W.O.L. from the ranks of Christianity. (The are ABSENT from their POSITION without PERMISSION!)
Preachers are out of their PULPITS - Singers are not singing in the CHOIR, Teachers are not TEACHING, Soul-winners are not out in the HIGHWAYS and HEDGES - Christians are not WITNESSING to the LOST WORLD about their SALVATION - Parents are not spending TIME with their CHILDREN - Husbands and Wives are not spending TIME with each other to strengthen their marriages. (And so much more!)
I. REASONS FOR GOING A.W.O.L.
a. (2 Timothy 2:4 KJV) "No man that wareth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier." A good soldier doesn’t involve himself with the enemy, or his affairs.
b. During PEACETIME some soldiers will go A.W.O.L. because of BOREDOM, INACTIVITY. (Many Christians have dropped out of the ranks of Christianity because of being in too many BORING services - Some have left the ranks of Christianity because of not becoming ACTIVE in the WORK of the Lord)
c. Some go A.W.O.L. because of CONFINEMENT. (They don’t like the DICIPLINE of being in the army of the Lord!)
d. Some go A.W.O.L. because of not being able to submit to AUTHORITY!
e. Some can’t accept the CHALLENGE of a New Lifestyle. (They can’t turn loose of the PAST - Back Home - Doing things “My Way!”)
f. Some go A.W.O.L. when the REAL WAR breaks out! (They go over the hill because of FEAR!)
g. Some go A.W.O.L. because they’re WORN OUT! (Burned Out!) This happens when there is no TEAMWORK! - Teamwork makes the DREAM WORK!
II. A.W.O.L. PREVENTION. (To Prevent Boredom - Fear!)
a. “Basic Training” - Many soldiers have gone A.W.O.L. or gotten injured or even killed simply because they didn’t learn the BASICS!
b. Reading the TRAINING MANUEL (The Bible - The Word of God) will give you the needed INFORMATION that you need to keep you from being DEFEATED!
c. Staying in CONTACT with the COMMANDER and CHIEF! (We must pray and stay in contact with the Lord Jesus Christ if you and I are to survive!)
d. Exercising and Staying in SHAPE! (“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,” (Jude 1:20)
e. OBEDIENCE to every COMMAND! (Recognition of the SUPREME AUTHORITY - God!)
f. Knowing what your WEAPONS are and knowing how to USE them! (“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” 2 Cor. 10:4-5)
g. DEVOTION to the COMMANDER. - When you love your leader you will not forsake him.
h. Any soldier knows he must work with the rest of the soldiers! TEAMWORK makes the DREAM work! - Whether we like it or not we are DEPENDENT on each other for our welfare.
i. Getting ENOUGH REST! “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him:” (Ps. 37:7) don’t try to do it ALL by YOURSELF!
III. VACANT POSITIONS. (No one gave a Christian Permission to leave
their POSITION!)
a. PRAYER CLOSETS are Vacant - “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” (Mt. 6:6)
b. HIGHWAYS and HEDGES are Vacant - “And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” (Luke 14:23)
c. The FATHER’S position is Vacant too many times because the LURE of the world had captured his TIME and ATTENTION!
d. The MOTHER’S position is Vacant too many times because her desires have taken precedence over her motherly duties.
e. Singers have left their positions in the CHOIR - Empty chairs are crying for the singers to fill them!
f. Church pews are also CRYING for the Soldiers of Christianity to fill them!
g. PULPITS have been vacated because the STRESS and PRESSURE of the MINISTRY has become UNBEARABLE at times!
h. HANDS are empty that used to HOLD the Sword of the Spirit (The Word of God) Too many times the Bible lays idly on the dash of the car or left stuck in one of the song book racks of the church pew!
i. CHILDREN’S hearts are EMPTY of the LOVE that should be in them from their FAMILY!
CONCLUSION: WE’RE IN A BATTLE - A WARFARE!
Jonah was a prophet who became A.W.O.L. when God sent him to Nineveh.
a. He tried to skip out and go to Tarshish.
b. He wound up in the belly of great fish.
c. He finally repented and finished his course.
Elijah became A.W.O.L. because of a combination of exhaustion, loneliness,
and fear (1 Kings 19).
a. He sat up under a juniper tree and gave up.
b. He complained that he was the only one doing anything for God.
John Mark was A.W.O.L. who later returned to his task and became a profitable and efficient servant of the Lord (Acts & 2 Tim. 4:11).
We’ve had too many INCIDENTS such as the Titanic - Someone who failed to be in their place. Over 1500 people died as the result.
Would you classify yourself as a good soldier of the Lord?
If there had not been good soldiers that came before us we would be speaking another language this morning and I’m sure everything would be different!
Now we need more soldiers, more workers if you will. The Lord has chosen not to draft anyone into spiritual service. He wants us to volunteer to get into the battle, to get into the work because the need is great.
If you are like me, you probably recognize areas where you could be a better soldier. If so, then I challenge you to come to the Lord right now and let Him make things as they should be.
If you have never joined the army of the Lord, then today would be a good time to make that a reality.
When you pass from the scene, will it be said that you were a good soldier of the Lord? It can be! But, that is up to you!
www.jhcarver@excite.com
