[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 26th of May, 2019, Memorial Day weekend, at Pilgrim Reformed Church. Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel: http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]
Tomorrow is Memorial Day, when we pay tribute to those who died in the service of our country, giving up their very lives for our freedom. This should also remind us of another day, long ago, when our Lord Jesus laid down His life for us, when He made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom from sin, saving us from everlasting death and torment.
The men and women of our armed forces are aware that they may have to give their lives in their service to this nation. Jesus knew, without a doubt, that He would indeed willingly give His life in service to God. He also knew that He would be able to take His life up again, showing us what is also in store for us if we just follow Him.
Jesus tried to explain this to the Pharisees and others, but they didn’t understand. So He gave them a parable, in more familiar terms. Listen and follow along to what the Apostle John recorded in his Gospel account, chapter 10, verses 11 through 18, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…
The men and women of our armed forces are aware that they may have to give their lives in their service to this nation. Jesus knew, without a doubt, that He would indeed willingly give His life in service to God. He also knew that He would be able to take His life up again, showing us what is also in store for us if we just follow Him.
Jesus tried to explain this to the Pharisees and others, but they didn’t understand. So He gave them a parable, in more familiar terms. Listen and follow along to what the Apostle John recorded in his Gospel account, chapter 10, verses 11 through 18, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hired man, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hired man flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”
--John 10:11-18 (NKJV)
Let us pray… Father God, You bless us with those in our life who are willing to give up their own lives so that we might be safe and remain a free people. Thank You, Father, for sending us Your Good Shepherd who did lay down His life so that we can be freed from our sin and safe from eternal damnation. Please bless all those who watch over us and stand between us and evil. Please help us to fully appreciate them and their efforts. And help us to never forget or take for granted the great sacrifice Jesus made for us. Please speak to us this morning, Father, that we may hear and better understand Your message this day. This we pray in the blessed name of Your Son Jesus. Amen.
Paul Harvey once told the story of an old man and the sea gulls. It all began in October of 1942. Captain Eddie Rickenbacker was on a mission in a B-17 Flying Fortress to deliver an important message to General Douglas MacArthur in New Guinea. Somewhere over the South Pacific they became hopelessly lost, beyond the reach of radio. The men ditched their plane in the ocean as its fuel ran dry. For nearly a month Rickenbacker and the crew would fight the water, the weather, and the scorching sun. They spent many sleepless nights recoiling as giant sharks rammed their rafts. But of all their enemies at sea, one proved most formidable: starvation. Eight days out, their rations were gone. Only a miracle could sustain them.
One afternoon, the plane’s pilot led a service of worship to God, which they finished with a prayer for deliverance and a hymn of praise. A little chatter followed, but it tapered off in the oppressive heat. Rickenbacker pulled his hat down over his eyes to keep out some of the glare and dozed off.
Suddenly, a sea gull landed on Rickenbacker’s head. He could see the others staring, but no one moved. That gull meant food, if he could only catch it. And catch it he did! The bird’s flesh was eaten and it’s intestines used for bait to catch fish. The men and their hopes were kept alive because a lone sea gull, hundreds of miles from land, offered itself as a sacrifice, in answer to prayer.
Every Friday until his death in 1973, on an old broken-down pier along a lonely stretch of Florida coastline, one could see the stooped figure of Eddie Rickenbacker carrying a bucket filled with shrimp. The gulls flocked around him as he fed them from that bucket. Every Friday he would feed the gulls, in remembrance of that one which long ago gave itself without a struggle -- God’s answer to a prayer.
That was a little longer than my usual illustrations, but I think it important for us to see the entire picture. These men were on the point of starvation, had nearly lost hope, but they still prayed to God and lifted a hymn of praise to Him. God heard that plea, and answered it, in the form of one lone seagull, so far from land.
But that story of survival would not be complete without seeing the gratitude and remembrance, the honor Rickenbacker paid to the memory of that seagull, and the answered prayer. God still works miracles, if we look for them.
Memorial Day is for honoring sacrifice. Jesus sacrificed Himself for us. He laid down His life for us, knowing He could take it up again, and promising to take ours up again as well. He gave His life – it wasn’t taken from Him. And by His resurrection, we are assured that if we truly believe in and follow Jesus, we too will be given life again.
There is a lot I could say about Memorial Day, but I thought I’d let God do most of the talking, so I’ll be reading a little more scripture than usual. And I’ll start off with a few excerpts from the first 8 verses of chapter 3 of the Book of Ecclesiastes that seem very appropriate this day…
Our soldiers serve in wartime and in peace. They are ready to kill, if need be, but also trained to heal. They can tear down barriers and obstacles, but they also help people build their societies back up. And sometimes they die in their service.
It should be noted that many, very many, of the folks in our armed forces are devoted Christians, following Jesus and serving Him even as they serve our nation. The psalmist notes Psalm 116 verse 15 that our God does not take the death of His saints lightly when he says…
Why are so many so willing to put their own lives on the line for us? I think Jesus said it best, when He spoke of sacrifice in terms of love, as recorded by John in chapter 15 verse 13 of his Gospel account…
Sometimes a sacrifice is necessary, and unavoidable. But just as Eddie Rickenbacker and his mates found out, God is watching over us, is always with us. Joshua reassures us of this in verse 9 of the 1st chapter of his book of prophecy, when He speaks for God saying…
The Apostle Paul echoes this, in 1st Corinthians chapter 16 verse 13, while telling us to be steadfast in our faith…
Then we can be fearless, as was King David, when in his 23rd Psalm, verse 4, he proclaimed…
God is with us, always, because we follow His Son. We are precious in His sight, so much so that He will lift us to new life once this life is over. He strengthens us, encourages us to face whatever comes our way, even if we have to walk among the shadows of death.
And God still works miracles, sometimes through the good people who are willing to sacrifice themselves for the sake of others, just as did His own Son Jesus. Let us remember all those who have done just that, and let us honor those still willing to do so. And especially let us remember and honor the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus, who gave His all out of love. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray… Father God, You still hear and answer prayers. You still work miracles throughout Your creation in this life. Thank You, Father, for watching over us. Thank you for listening for and answering our cries of help. Please forgive us when we just don’t see Your hand at work, or when we take Your blessings for granted. Forgive us when we are hesitant in our service to You and Jesus. Please help us to be more obedient to Your word.
Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, praying from our hearts, promising to turn from our sin, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…
Lord Jesus, You set the bar high when it comes to showing the greatest love. Because of Your love, You gave Your very life for us, to free us from the tyranny of sin, to save us from eternal torment. You set the example that so many have followed in our behalf, giving of their lives for our freedom. Please help us ever be mindful of the sacrifice You made, of the sacrifice others have made, and of the sacrifice many are willing to make, just so that we may be free. May we always honor You and them all.
This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord, our Master, our Savior. Amen.
Paul Harvey once told the story of an old man and the sea gulls. It all began in October of 1942. Captain Eddie Rickenbacker was on a mission in a B-17 Flying Fortress to deliver an important message to General Douglas MacArthur in New Guinea. Somewhere over the South Pacific they became hopelessly lost, beyond the reach of radio. The men ditched their plane in the ocean as its fuel ran dry. For nearly a month Rickenbacker and the crew would fight the water, the weather, and the scorching sun. They spent many sleepless nights recoiling as giant sharks rammed their rafts. But of all their enemies at sea, one proved most formidable: starvation. Eight days out, their rations were gone. Only a miracle could sustain them.
One afternoon, the plane’s pilot led a service of worship to God, which they finished with a prayer for deliverance and a hymn of praise. A little chatter followed, but it tapered off in the oppressive heat. Rickenbacker pulled his hat down over his eyes to keep out some of the glare and dozed off.
Suddenly, a sea gull landed on Rickenbacker’s head. He could see the others staring, but no one moved. That gull meant food, if he could only catch it. And catch it he did! The bird’s flesh was eaten and it’s intestines used for bait to catch fish. The men and their hopes were kept alive because a lone sea gull, hundreds of miles from land, offered itself as a sacrifice, in answer to prayer.
Every Friday until his death in 1973, on an old broken-down pier along a lonely stretch of Florida coastline, one could see the stooped figure of Eddie Rickenbacker carrying a bucket filled with shrimp. The gulls flocked around him as he fed them from that bucket. Every Friday he would feed the gulls, in remembrance of that one which long ago gave itself without a struggle -- God’s answer to a prayer.
That was a little longer than my usual illustrations, but I think it important for us to see the entire picture. These men were on the point of starvation, had nearly lost hope, but they still prayed to God and lifted a hymn of praise to Him. God heard that plea, and answered it, in the form of one lone seagull, so far from land.
But that story of survival would not be complete without seeing the gratitude and remembrance, the honor Rickenbacker paid to the memory of that seagull, and the answered prayer. God still works miracles, if we look for them.
Memorial Day is for honoring sacrifice. Jesus sacrificed Himself for us. He laid down His life for us, knowing He could take it up again, and promising to take ours up again as well. He gave His life – it wasn’t taken from Him. And by His resurrection, we are assured that if we truly believe in and follow Jesus, we too will be given life again.
There is a lot I could say about Memorial Day, but I thought I’d let God do most of the talking, so I’ll be reading a little more scripture than usual. And I’ll start off with a few excerpts from the first 8 verses of chapter 3 of the Book of Ecclesiastes that seem very appropriate this day…
To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.
--excerpts from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NKJV)
It should be noted that many, very many, of the folks in our armed forces are devoted Christians, following Jesus and serving Him even as they serve our nation. The psalmist notes Psalm 116 verse 15 that our God does not take the death of His saints lightly when he says…
15 Precious in the sight of the Lord
Is the death of His saints.
--Psalm 116:15 (NKJV)
13 “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
--John 15:13 (NKJV)
9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
--Joshua 1:9 (NKJV)
13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.
--1 Corinthians 16:13 (NKJV)
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.
--Psalm 23:4 (KJV)
And God still works miracles, sometimes through the good people who are willing to sacrifice themselves for the sake of others, just as did His own Son Jesus. Let us remember all those who have done just that, and let us honor those still willing to do so. And especially let us remember and honor the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus, who gave His all out of love. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray… Father God, You still hear and answer prayers. You still work miracles throughout Your creation in this life. Thank You, Father, for watching over us. Thank you for listening for and answering our cries of help. Please forgive us when we just don’t see Your hand at work, or when we take Your blessings for granted. Forgive us when we are hesitant in our service to You and Jesus. Please help us to be more obedient to Your word.
Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, praying from our hearts, promising to turn from our sin, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…
Lord Jesus, You set the bar high when it comes to showing the greatest love. Because of Your love, You gave Your very life for us, to free us from the tyranny of sin, to save us from eternal torment. You set the example that so many have followed in our behalf, giving of their lives for our freedom. Please help us ever be mindful of the sacrifice You made, of the sacrifice others have made, and of the sacrifice many are willing to make, just so that we may be free. May we always honor You and them all.
This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord, our Master, our Savior. Amen.
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