Veterans Of War

VETERANS OF WAR

Gen. 5:21-24

INTRO.- In Rom. 13:7 we are admonished to give honor to whom honor is due. Sometimes we wait until someone is gone to give them their due honor. Then it’s too late for them to appreciate our appreciation.

ILL.- A Tisket, a Tasket, I’m Comin’ Outta the Casket! Imagine a funeral. 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. "I wanted to know what people say about me when I’m dead," he said. "I’m satisfied they spoke the truth about me and not lies."

One friend said, "George says he’s gonna keep the coffin for his real funeral … which may be held sooner than he thinks, if he keeps pulling stunts like this!"

Most of the time, people are dead and gone before we ever honor them properly. How sad! The same thing is often true when it comes to honoring our Veterans of the armed services. Most are dead before we ever pay them any significant tribute. Sometimes, that’s unavoidable, of course. War is a killing field.

Listen to this story about a vet who kept a nearly 60-year-old promise to an army buddy.

ILL.- It’s the story of a friendship forged during one of the worst battles of World War II, and a promise made almost 60 years ago, a promise that was finally kept Thursday, Aug. 2, 2001. HAROLD HUGGINS, a veteran of 10 major campaigns in World War II and the last survivor of his battalion, traveled halfway across the country by train on one last mission in memory of his best buddy.

"I had this on my mind for 57 years, trying to locate his sister and loved ones out there in California," says Huggins. "Part of him lives in me."

Huggins, from Albany, Ill., and Mack McClain from Marysville, Calif., were best friends in the army. They wound up together at Anzio Beach, Italy, scene of one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. Mack had a premonition that he wouldn’t make it out of there alive, so he gave Harold some mementos, a belt, some photos, and said: "’Give this to my sister, tell her that I love her,’ Huggins recalls. ’You can even give her a kiss.’"

Harold promised if anything happened to Mack he would do what was asked. One day later, Mack was killed in an artillery barrage. After the war, Harold looked for Mack’s sister but he never found her until Harold’s daughter sent out e-mails to various veterans groups. Some California vets found Mack’s sister, Grace, whose last name changed when she married.

"We have always hoped and prayed that we would meet somebody that would tell us about Mack," says Grace.

Thursday, Aug. 2nd, at the place where his buddy’s name is engraved in marble at the veterans memorial in Marysville, Calif., Harold Huggins kept that promise he made 57 years ago, meeting Mack’s sister for the very first time and giving her that kiss that Mack asked Harold to deliver, turning over those mementos from his fallen friend.

For an old soldier who wouldn’t give up his search for a buddy’s long lost sister, there’s a feeling of mission accomplished. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. I like that.

Brothers and sisters, Harold Huggins’ story is the story of a true veteran. It’s the story of undying devotion, love, and commitment. It’s the kind of devotion that should be seen in the lives of those who commit themselves to their spiritual Commander-in-Chief, the Lord Jesus Christ!

It is also the kind of devotion and commitment that we should have to one another; to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Thank God for Harold Huggins and his dedication.

Today, we want to honor our Armed Service Veterans. All veterans, would you please stand and tell us the branch of service in which you served and what war, if any?

May God bless you for serving our country!

I want to talk about another kind of veteran. THE VETERAN IN GOD’S ARMY. And whether we realize this or not, we all are on "active duty" in the Lord’s Army.

PROP.- Today I want to take a look at one old grand veteran of the faith. Enoch. Remember him?

1- Enoch’s draft

2- Enoch’s devotion

3- Enoch’s duty

4- Enoch’s demise

I. ENOCH’S DRAFT

ILL.- A son said to his father, "Here’s my report, Dad, along with one of your old ones I found in the attic." His dad looked it over and said, "Well, son, you’re right. This old report card of mine doesn’t look any better than yours. I guess the only fair thing to do is give you what my father gave me."