Memorial Day is Monday. It is a day set aside to honor the memory of
those in our military who gave their lives to protect our nation.
It
started my thinking about what we are supposed to do as Christians.
When I searched through the Bible for references to soldiers and battle,
I was surprised at how much was there.
We live in interesting times. Not the worst times; not the best times. Just interesting. Why?
Because
the bride of Christ is under attack more than it has been in hundreds
of years. And as cultured as we think we are, we as humans keep
repeating the same mistakes.
The parallel I see in our culture is
in the Old Testament Book of Judges. Judges 17:6 says, "All the people
did whatever seemed right in their own eyes" (NLT). Does that describe
the world we live in today?
Like it or not, as Christians, you
and I are in a spiritual battle for control of our country. This
nation was founded on Christian ideals. But those underpinnings are
being eroded faster than ever before.
It's tempting to stay
within the walls of our church. Holed up in "Fort God". Believing if
we just all stay together, everything will be OK.
Well, it won't be.
The
military has a term called "AWOL" which stands for Absent WithOut
Leave. A loose definition says that you are AWOL if you are NOT in the
right place at the right time in the proper uniform.
Does that
describe us? You might think the right place to be at all times is at
church. Yes and no. Think of the church building as base camp. It's a
great place to get nourishment and regroup and rest, but it's not where
the battle will be won. It will be won out there--where the fields are
ripe for harvest, but the workers are few.
When is the right time for spiritual battle? Is it when everything dies down and it looks "safe" to be a Christian? Uh, no.
And what is the proper uniform a Christian should wear? Great question. That is what our lesson will be about this week.
Instead of using our books for this week's lesson, we are going to look at what we should do as soldiers of Christ.
Here's the outline of what we'll discuss:
1. A soldier for Christ is equipped for spiritual battle.
2. A soldier for Christ constantly trains for battle.
3. A soldier for Christ goes where needed.
If
you are traveling for the Memorial Day holiday, be safe and have fun.
But if you are in town, join us at 9:50 am as we tackle some tough
issues.
Finish Friday strong. Enjoy Saturday with your family. See you Sunday!
Loyally yours,
Darren Bayne
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a
new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men
are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any
nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great
battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a
final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might
live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not
hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have
consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will
little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what
they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the
unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It
is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us --
that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for
which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve
that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall
have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people,
for the people, shall not perish from the earth." Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address
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