Memorial Day

And thank you again, Mr. Horton, and greetings again, brethren. Happy Sabbath Day.

Well, we are embarking in what we call the United States, something we all look forward to.

We call it Memorial Day. On Monday, it's a federal holiday in the United States. It occurs every year on the first Monday of May. Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died serving in the United States Armed Forces. It was formerly known as Decoration Day. As a matter of fact, when I was a little boy, I could remember it being called Decoration Day. And I have very vague memories, I had to be quite small, of going to the cemetery with my grandmother and putting flowers on the graves of relatives who had served in the United States Armed Forces.

Again, it was formerly known as Decoration Day. It originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the soldiers who died during that war. But by the 20th century, it had been extended to honor all Americans who had died while serving in the military service. This Monday is Memorial Day. I'd like to discuss some of the things that we can learn from this day, because if you and I think about it, and we'll see even the phraseology that Paul uses, we are soldiers. Only we're not soldiers for a worldly nation, we're not soldiers for a worldly army.

We are the Christian soldiers of Jesus Christ. And some of the qualities that soldiers have are remarkable, something that we can learn from, something that we can emulate from. War is a terrible thing. All human wars are the tragic result of carnal human nature agitated by the prince of the power of the air. War is a terrible, tragic thing. In the United States recently, we've had two recent wars. Since 2001, 2,133 American soldiers have died in a war in Afghanistan.

And even though that war is winding down, those 2,133 soldiers all had families. They had brothers and sisters and moms and dads and cousins and aunts and uncles whose lives were impacted by that loss. Since 2003, 4,474 U.S. service members have died in Iraq. And again, that's terrible. It's a terrible loss of human life. But, you know, compared to our history, those numbers are rather mild. The war in which more Americans died than all other wars combined that we have fought in was the American Civil War.

It went on between 1861 and 1865. And during the American Civil War, 625,000 soldiers died. If you were to take the total who died and divide it by the length of the war, on an average, 599 soldiers died every day for four years. Two percent of the total American population died in the Civil War.

A phenomenal tragedy. The second is World War II, something that some of us sitting in this room can remember. It's a little bit before my time, but I know some of you were alive and around during the Second World War. That occurred from 1941 to 1945. And in that war, 405,399 Americans died in the Second World War, again averaging out to 416 every day.

Day after day after day for four years. The third war in which most Americans died in is World War I. That was 1917-1918. 116,516 Americans died. My mother was born a year after that during a pandemic of influenza. Right after the war, an influenza, what they called the Spanish Flu epidemic, went throughout the whole world and literally killed millions and millions of people right as that war was ending. Then the fourth most tragic war in our history is one that occurred in most of our lifetimes, the Vietnam War.

That actually, including the time when Americans were there as advisors, lasted from 1955 to 1975. And 58,209 individuals died, an average if you were to count it out, 26 soldiers every day for that 20-year period. I don't know about you, but I've been to Washington, D.C., and I've walked down the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, that black marble, and just felt those names in my fingertips as I've walked down those brave souls who gave their lives so that you and I can live in a nation of plenty and have freedom.

And then the fifth war was the Korean War that occurred from 1950 to 1953. It was wrapping up about the time that I was born, and 36,516 Americans died. And then last, but certainly not least, was the American Revolutionary War. From 1775 to 1783, 25,000 American soldiers died, an average of 11 per day. Soldiers! Soldiers! Think of the qualities that a good soldier must have. They're a soldier with honor. They are willing to die for what they believe in. Their banner, their nation, their kingdom. They have dignity. They have commitment.

So maybe it shouldn't shock us to find two significant positive examples in the New Testament were from individuals who were soldiers. Two very positive examples from the New Testament were from individuals who were soldiers. Let's go to Matthew 8 and beginning in verse 1, and we'll see the first example.

I think these are incredible examples because you would think, and this must have stunned the people in Jesus' day as they heard Jesus say this, who is probably the last person that you would think would believe in God?

Most people would say, if they looked at all the occupations that existed at that time, would probably say a Roman soldier, someone who worked for the hated and despised Roman Empire. That's what most people would have felt. But let's see this event here. Matthew 8 and verse 1.

And Jesus said to him, Moses commanded as the testimony to them. So Jesus didn't want to draw attention to himself. It was still early in his ministry. He was happy to help, but he said, don't tell anyone, just obey the law and you'll be welcomed back into society. And then verse 5. Now, when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, pleading to him.

So this is a soldier who was literally begging Jesus Christ to do something. Now, a centurion was typically a career officer in the Roman army. Nominally, they were in command of 100 soldiers, but the reality is sometimes they were in charge of 60 soldiers or 80 soldiers. They were still called the centurion. They formed the real backbone of the Roman military force.

They could be identified by the transverse horsehair crest on the top of their helmet. Have you ever seen a movie where they have this helmet that's shaped like this and it's horsehair straight up? That is how you could recognize a centurion. And also, they wore their sword on the left, like all Roman officers did, where the average legionary wore his sword on the right. So that's how you could tell a centurion from anyone else. They also received a much higher rate of pay than the average legionary, twice as much pay or more. So let's pick up the story here, verse 6.

So he's pleading with Jesus, and he says, Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented, and Jesus said to him, I will come and heal him. And the centurion answered and said, Lord, again, a sign of respect, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof, but only speak a word. Just say it. And my servant will be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me.

And I say to this one, Go, and he goes, and to another, Come, and he comes. And the my servant do this, and he does it. So he's basically telling Jesus Christ, I understand what authority is about. I acknowledge you as Lord. I acknowledge you as a great man from God. You can heal. Just say it.

And I believe that it will be done. You don't have to come to my home. You don't have to prove anything to me. Your word is as good as gold. I believe it. I accept it. So let's continue this story here. When Jesus heard it, verse 10, he marveled. This was in such a contrast to the Jewish leaders that he was rubbing elbows with all the time, because they're always asking questions. They're always making innuendos. They're always sarcastic. They're always trying to trap him. They're trying to belittle him and make him look bad. So in contrast to all of those so-called religious leaders that are around him here, of all people, this Gentile centurion, this soldier, comes and demonstrates something incredible.

It says, When Jesus heard it, he marveled and said to those who follow, assuredly I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel. And then he makes a prophecy. He says, And I say to you, that many will come from the east and the west.

He's speaking of other Gentiles, just like the centurion was. Many will come from the east and the west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. So they're going to come Gentiles who are going to banquet with the ancient patriarchs in the kingdom of God. He says, continuing, But, verse 12, the sons of the kingdom, the people that are here today, the Jewish leaders who should know better, who know that I can heal, because they've seen me heal.

They've heard my message. They know who I am. Continuing, he says, But the sons of the kingdom will be cast into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then Jesus said to the centurion, Go your way, and as you have believed, so let it be done for you. And his servant was healed that same hour. Wow! What an example for us, for this man who was just a Gentile soldier.

The centurion demonstrated an example of great discipline. He understood what authority is. He acknowledged Jesus Christ as his authority. Of great discipline and faith, his attitude was that he understood and he respected authority. He respectfully called Jesus Lord. He humbly felt that he wasn't worthy to have Christ come directly into his home. He believed in faith that all Jesus Christ had to do was say something and it was so. That was enough. Because of that, Jesus said that many Gentiles will come from all over the world to banquet with the ancient patriarchs in the kingdom of God.

So that's one remarkable example. Let's take a look at another remarkable example of a Gentile centurion, a soldier, and learn some of the qualities they have as Christian soldiers that would serve us well. Acts 10 and verse 1. It comes to the time in church history when God is going to call and offer his spirit to the first Gentile. Isn't it amazing that he does not choose a fisherman? He will not choose a tax collector. He will not even choose a used chariot salesman. He's going to call someone who at first impression would be the least likely to ever be called.

A man who was part of the despised Roman Empire, none other than a centurion himself. Acts 10, beginning in verse 1. There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what is called the Italian regiment. I think we can be pretty safe combining his Italian name with the regiment he was in that he was Italian. A devout man. Now we don't know for sure what brought this devotion in him.

We do know in history that the Pharisees sent out missionaries. And that's why Paul was just such a natural at doing missionary work because he was a former Pharisee. The Pharisees believed and had done even up until this time. They sent out missionaries to try to convert Gentiles to become believers in God. Unfortunately, they tried to literally transform them into being Jews, including cutting off delicate pieces of flesh.

But they were very missionary and perhaps his devotion was due to the fact that he had learned something about God's way of life from the Pharisees. We don't know. It just says he was a devout man who feared God with all his household. So we're not just talking about this man, we're talking about his household. And his household included his wife and his children and even his household servants, a pretty large group of people.

Here are some other qualities of this devout man who gave alms generously to the people. And he prayed to God always. And about the ninth hour of the day, he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, Cornelius. And when he had observed him, he was afraid and said, what is it, Lord? So he said to him, your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. He said, your heart, your attitude, much like Mr. Scapura was talking about, your attitude of loving other people by giving them alms, by taking time out to get to know God through prayer, by being a devout human being, God remembers that about you.

And God says it's time to do something about it. Now send men the Japa and send for Simon, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging with Simon a tanner whose house is by the sea. And he will tell you what you must do. He's going to tell you the next important step in your life. And that's one reason that we have these baptism group Bible studies, we call it baptism class, is people need to know what is the next important step they need to make in their life, to have a relationship with God.

And part of our commission is not only to preach the gospel and say goodbye, it's to make disciples. And that's why this is so necessary and so important. So obviously Cornelius, in his prayers, was saying, God, what am I supposed to do with all this? What's the next step for you in my life? What do you want me to do about this knowledge that I have? And so he had this vision, and God spoke to him.

And again, verse 7, when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually. So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa. So again, I want to emphasize that his prayers and his alms, that is love for others, his generosity for others, in God's nostrils was like a sweet incense. To God it was like a memorial, something just very pleasurable, the attitude that existed.

And of all people, a Roman soldier, a centurion. Now we know the story. Peter is told to visit Cornelius, and he sees a vision of a sheet of unclean animals that descends three times, and he's told to eat. And he's smart enough to know that they're unclean foods, and that doesn't make sense. So he's trying to figure out what does this vision really mean.

He's pondering what that vision means. We know that three is the number of finality, and he sees this vision three times, all of these unclean animals laying on a sheet, and the voice says, eat. And he says, nah, that just doesn't, there's got to be something more. I am not going to eat unclean foods. There's something deeper. There's something profound about this vision. So he's pondering it. He's thinking about it. And he's told to go and visit Cornelius. We'll pick it up here in verse 25. As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshipped him, and Peter lifted him up.

So Peter himself lifts him up and says, stand up. I'm nobody special. I myself am also a man. Verse 27, and as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. So again, it's just not Cornelius. He walks into Cornelius' home, and there's his family, there's his servants. It's like an instant mini-congregation that's already formed, waiting to hear a sermon by Peter so that they can be converted and begin their journey in God's way of life.

Verse 28, then he said to them, you know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or to go with one of another nation. Now, I might add that it wasn't God's law that said that's unlawful.

That was Jewish oral tradition. That was the kind of narcissism that we heard about in our sermon by a group of people who thought they were superior to everyone else on earth, because they had special knowledge. So he says, you know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company or to go with one of another nation.

But God has shown me now the purpose of those sheets and those unclean animals on those sheets. It all comes to him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. So it's not about those animals. They were symbolic of the fact that he had to get over his bigotry and his prejudice that Gentiles were just common or unclean.

Verse 29, Therefore, I came without objection as soon as I was sent for, he said, I asked them, for what reason have you sent for me? And Cornelius says, four days ago, I was fasting. Wow! So not only is he devoted, not only does he pray, not only does he give alms, but he's also fasting. What an incredible example! He says, four days ago, I was fasting until this hour, and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God.

Sent, therefore, to Joppa, and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter, he is lodging in the house of Simon a tanner by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you. So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now, therefore, we are all present before God. They hear the things commanded you by God.

So he says, enough of that story. Here we are. We're all gathered together. Shoot! The floor is yours, Peter. That's basically what Cornelius says. And as he's speaking, it dawns on Peter that God is actually calling, contrary to what Peter was brought up to believe, God is actually calling a Gentile of all things, and his household as disciples of Jesus Christ.

And Peter begins a short sermon, verse 34, or at least what we have recorded. And Peter opened his mouth and said in truth, I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation, whoever fears him and works righteousness is accepted by him. The word which God sent to the children of Israel preaching peace through Jesus Christ, he is Lord of all. You see, Jesus Christ came not to divide, but to build bridges.

Jesus Christ is the God of all, not just the God of Israelites or Jews. He is the Lord of all, as it says in verse 36, 37. That word, you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Remember what that Greek word is? Who went about doing good and hearing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Verse 39. And we are witnesses of all the things which he did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree.

Now, for you and I, this may be redundant, but Cornelius is just sitting on edge. This is all brand new information. He's learning about Jesus Christ, why Jesus Christ came to earth. I mean, Peter is building a case here about who and what Jesus Christ is. Verse 40.

Speaking of Jesus Christ.

And then something incredible happens in verse 44. And this does not happen very often. What we're about to see here, actually, the cart gets before the horse. Because the usual way that conversion occurs, including yours and mine, was that we were baptized and then we received the Holy Spirit. But on the day of Pentecost, something different happened. First, they received the Holy Spirit. This is a little mini-day of Pentecost, because God is calling the first Gentiles into his church. So while Peter's speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon those who heard the word.

And those of the circumcision, those who were along with Peter, who believed were astonished as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. Think about it. If you were brought up your whole life to think Gentiles were inferior, Gentiles were less than human. No one would want to talk or rub elbows with or have a meal with a disgusting Gentile. Just think what a revelation, what a shock this would be for your system. So again, the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also in the same day, by the way, as it was in the day of Pentecost.

Verse 46, Now again, this is a reverse order from the way it's normally done. The way that you and I were called is we came to repentance, we were baptized, and then we received the Holy Spirit. Why does God do it this way? Because He's God. He doesn't need our permission. He's God. He gets to do anything that He wants.

He did this way to make a statement, and He did this way to duplicate what was done in the day of Pentecost, so that they could see that God is in this, that this was God's will. So again, I want to mention that it's very interesting to notice that the profession of the very first Gentile convert was, of all things, a soldier.

So why do you think that this is? Someone whom you would think normally would be the last person to be called. Soldiers understand discipline. Soldiers live in a world of discipline. Soldiers learn to drill, to prepare for future stresses and problems and trials, don't they? Soldiers learn to respect authority. It's obvious, by His example, that Cornelius looked to God as His superior and was asking God for His marching orders. Brethren, do you and I have the discipline and the faith and the humility that these men had, these two powerful examples that we just saw?

Now, there's actually another powerful example. I don't have time to go to it today, but in Acts, Chapter 27, there is a third centurion in the Bible, and his name is Julius, and he was of the Augustine Regiment, and he was assigned the responsibility to escort Paul to Rome.

And if you read his characteristics, even though Paul was his prisoner, Julius treated him with great kindness. He gave him perks and benefits that he should not even allow the Apostle Paul to have. So why soldiers? You know, in our own faith, we understand, and certainly I've not joined the military. I have not taken arms. I don't believe that I should take a weapon and kill somebody.

That's against the truth that I have been taught. But I understand also, and I realize that during World War II, there were Sabbath keepers of our younger generation. They don't realize that at one time there was a draft. Today you volunteered to go into the military. At one time you were drafted to go into the military. You had no choice. And in World War II, there were a lot of Sabbath keepers who refused to bear arms to kill other people. But they were enlisted to serve as medics, and many of them did, because it was either do that or go to prison.

And many of them thought that saving a human life, that being there to save a life, to provide comfort, was an acceptable alternative to carrying a weapon and trying to kill someone across the battle lines. And by being medics, they learned qualities and characteristics that soldiers learned. By the way, it's just kind of interesting in reading up on medics, because a number of them were given medals by the government, Sabbath keepers, who were medics, that no longer do you wear a helmet with a red cross on it. No longer do you wear a jacket with a big cross on it. For some reason, Islamic terrorists are not impressed by someone running around with a cross on their head or on their chest.

So now medics look like anyone else. It's just that they carry a medical bag instead of a rifle. But my point is that even though I would not serve in the military and take up arms to kill another human being, I can recognize that it takes certain good qualities and characteristics to be a great soldier.

And as we're going to see, Paul understood that as well, because he talked about soldiering a lot. Let's begin by going to 2 Corinthians 10, beginning in verse 1. You'll turn there with me. While you're turning there, it's reminded in the Second World War, my physical, my biological father had a deferment because he was a skilled tool and die maker.

So even though he was of the right age and should have been draft bait back then, because of his technical skills in making dies, he was given a deferment. And many people were in the Second World War given deferments beyond just college or education, but because they had different skills to help the war effort. 2 Corinthians 10, beginning in verse 1. Now I, Paul, myself, am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent and bold towards you.

Paul was saying, you know, I acknowledge that I'm not much to look at. He said, face to face, people are not impressed with me. That's what Paul's admitting that. He says, but when I write, I can write pretty strongly when I have to. And if you've ever read 1 Corinthians, you realize that he could write extremely strong and pointed.

Verse 2, he says, but I beg that when I am present, that is, when I come to visit you again, I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. So he says, I'm going to confront a few people in the Corinthian congregation when I come to see you, he said, and I hope I don't have to do that with everyone.

Verse 3, for though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. I want you to notice that Paul likens the Christian journey that you and I have every day as a war. Not a cakewalk, not a picnic, not a party, but the journey that we have as disciples of Jesus Christ, he likens to as a war. He says in verse 4, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, it's not smooth-talking, it's not political, not being political, it's none of these things that you find in the world, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

He said, so what's his aim as a soldier? What is his game plan to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ? And let me assure you, that's a pretty tough mission. That's a battle that's going to be going on for a while in all of our lives, because that's a difficult thing to do.

Verse 6, and being made ready to punish disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. So we're destined for great things, we're destined to be judges in the kingdom of God, but first, we have to learn to be obedient.

We have to learn to bring every thought into captivity before we are prepared and have the credibility to correct others, the point of disobedience in others. So Paul mentions that we are engaged in spiritual warfare against satanic ideas and values, arguments and attitudes, and it just doesn't seem to end anymore, does it? Even the Boy Scouts can't make an intelligent decision. I mean, week after week, we are pounded with eroding values and standards of human conduct. It seems like we are in a tailspin down in our country into an abyss. But Paul says that our weapon is not fleshly, it's not carnal, it's not holding a gun, it's not a grenade, having a grenade on us.

Our weapon is actually conversion. It's having the power of God's Holy Spirit in us that helps us to learn to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. So what we saw in this scripture is it is Paul who likens our walk in life, our daily journey, as war, as if we are going to war. Now let's go to Ephesians 6, beginning in verse 10. Ephesians 6 and verse 10. Ephesians is one of those books that are called the prison epistles. Why? Because he's in prison when he's writing this.

That was pretty profound, wasn't it? I didn't even have to write that one down. Known as his prison epistles. And guess what's on his mind as he's sitting there and he sees these Roman soldiers walking, maybe he's got a little window if he's lucky, and he sees these Roman soldiers walking back and forth.

Maybe one comes in a couple of times a day and shovels food under the door or talks to him for a while. But anyway, he sees something that helps him to develop an analogy while he's in prison and he's seeing Roman soldiers in their armor.

Ephesians 6 and verse 10. Finally, my brethren, he says, Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. No, if only it were that easy.

He says, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places. So it's an awesome war that we are in. It's a difficult war. Now, we don't have to be fearful because God has not given us the spirit of fear. When we have Jesus Christ and his righteousness living in us through his Holy Spirit, we have nothing to fear, but we have to be on guard realizing that it's a struggle and that we are not wrestling with a human being and our issues and our own problems and the changes we need to make in our life.

We are wrestling against a dark spiritual force that permeates this world. Verse 13, So it's him while Paul is in the prison, uses this military analogy to tell us that we need to have an offensive and defensive protection against spiritual forces. If you read this, the only area that is not covered is our back sides.

That means don't turn around and flee because a big area of our anatomy is wide open to be swiftly kicked by the enemy. It's something on his mind again because he was imprisoned when he wrote this epistle. Verse 14, Therefore, stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and Jesus Christ is the righteousness of Christ, lives in our hearts and in our minds, and shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. We are willing to walk God's way of life every day and be peacemakers. Above all, he says, taking the shield of faith, which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

The Roman soldiers were noted for this shield that they had that gave them protection. And they were so trained that if arrows were coming at them, they literally could duck down and protect their entire body just by that shield. And though the shield might be hit with arrows, though some might go into the ground and over their head, they would not be wounded because they had this shield. He calls it the shield of faith. I want you to notice that he says, stand therefore.

We can't turn and run. That doesn't do us any good. We're vulnerable. We can't hide at home on the Sabbath day. That doesn't do us any good. That just makes us vulnerable. We need to have on the whole armor of God. And what did a good soldier have? A good soldier had honor. A good soldier believed in duty. A good soldier believed in commitment. So why is the shield of faith, he says, above all? Well, I'd like to give you an analogy of why that shield of faith is so important with a modern technological analogy we have today. The reason the shield of faith is so important is because all of us, every one of us in this room, no matter how long ago we were baptized, are still carnally connected to Satan's Wi-Fi network.

You know, we have Wi-Fi in this room. I probably shouldn't tell you that because half of you will open up your iPads and start searching the Internet. But we have Wi-Fi in this room, and if you know what the password is, and I'm not telling, in theory you could go and search the Internet, or you could check your email, or you could do any number of things. But Satan's Wi-Fi network is open, and it's instant access. And you and I have been connected to it by default since the day we were born.

It is the way that we all are because we're human and carnal. And what does that Wi-Fi send out? Well, it sends out foul attitudes. It sends out selfish desires. It sends out discouragement. It tries to discourage us and beat us down and make us angry with other people, or angry with God. And the shield of faith, that is the faith that we have knowing who and what Jesus Christ is, and that His promises are sure and that He lives in us through His Holy Spirit, the shield of faith is like a spiritual firewall against the influence of Satan and His Wi-Fi, His spiritual Wi-Fi network that we are constantly being bombarded with.

And we don't have the shield of faith. Verse 17, and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end, with all perseverance and supplication for the saints. What is another great quality that a soldier has? They persevere. They are committed. When they go into battle, a good soldier is determined that they're either going to win the battle or they're going to go down fighting.

And that's what they do. Perseverance. And he says here in verse 19, referring to his own imprisonment, And for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that in it I may speak boldly, so as I ought to speak. So again, as Paul is in chains in jail, he could literally see Roman soldiers walking around in their full armor for physical protection.

But he knew that the war that you and I fight every day is far more than a physical war. It's far more than needing physical protection. We need spiritual protection. Because Satan wants to bring us down. Satan does not want us to win the war. Satan wants us to turn around and become cowards. Satan wants us to become quitters. Satan wants us to become traitors to the faith of Jesus Christ and to be one of those who are on the outside.

Now, all over the internet, the church, the desert, the church, that. That's exactly what Satan wants. He wants traitors. He wants quitters.

And we have to persevere. Let's go to Philippians 2 and verse 14. Philippians 2 and verse 14. And it shouldn't surprise us that this is yet another prison epistle. Ephesians 2 and verse 14. I think Paul might have been listening to Mr. Perot's sermonette today. I don't know how Paul did that, considering he's been dead 1,800 years. Maybe it's the other way around. Okay, Philippians 2 and verse 14. Do all things without complaining and disputing. In other words, get disconnected from Satan's Wi-Fi.

That you may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. So let's reverse this. If we complain about things, if we dispute, then, if you're reversing this, then we are filled with blame. Then we are not harmless, we are harmful. Then, instead of being without fault, we have sin. And that's certainly not the way that we want to live. Verse 16. I'm sorry, let's back it up a little bit. That you may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. Verse 17. Here's what Paul was willing to do. How about us? Yes? And if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all for the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me. So Paul once again is confirming that you've been called, and I've been called, to be living sacrifices. So, when the incense of our prayers, when the incense of our lives leave this earth and they go up to the God in heaven, does he say, or does he say, P-U?

We've been called to be soldiers for Jesus Christ. Verse 19. But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I may also be encouraged when I know your state. He was anxious to know how the congregation was doing. He wanted to send Timothy there. He says, For I have no one like-minded who will sincerely care for your state, for all seek their own, not the things which are of Jesus Christ. Paul felt the sting of ministers that had fellow workers with him who betrayed him. 22. But you know his, speaking of Timothy, his proven character, that as a son with his father, he's referring to himself, he served with me in the Gospel. Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly. Verse 25. Yet I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier. Do we consider ourselves among ourselves fellow soldiers? Are we willing to take our marching orders from Jesus Christ? Are we willing to go to high command each and every day to find out what our orders are for that day? Are we willing to drill relentlessly every day through prayer and Bible study to prepare for the next battle that most surely will come?

Are we good soldiers in Jesus Christ? So he refers to Epaphroditus. He says, My brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need, since he was longing for you all and was distressed because you have heard that he was sick, for indeed he was sick almost unto death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. So Paul says, thankfully he didn't die. I have enough sorrow just being a prisoner of war. Being in prison, if he would have died, that would have been even greater sorrow on top of what I'm dealing with now. He calls Epaphroditus his fellow soldier. We are all Christian soldiers in a daily struggle against the God of this world, who has very powerful weapons and wants to destroy us, wants us to turn around and quit, wants us to betray Jesus Christ just like he got Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus Christ. Paul looked upon himself as a prisoner of war, and he was happy to be able to send out this letter to his family, his loved ones, his church. You know, when you were a prisoner of war, you were delighted in those rare times when you get to receive a letter from home, or when you get to send a letter to loved ones, which usually are opened after he leaves you and things are crossed out, and you know how it is, you've probably heard about that, what they do to prisoners of war. But he was a prisoner of war, and he was happy to send out this letter to his family, his loved ones. Now, let's go to 1 Timothy, chapter 1 and verse 18, and see again where Paul talks about this warfare that you and I are engaged in.

1 Timothy, chapter 1 and verse 18. 2 Timothy, chapter 18.

This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you. Now, I'm going to assume what Paul means here. We know that Timothy came into the church as a little boy because of the leadership example of his mom and his grandma, I might add. He came into the church as a boy, and I'm sure people in the congregation said, this little kid Timothy here, he's going to do great things. He's going to be a great servant of God, because Paul says that before there were prophecies previously made concerning you about what you'd be doing today.

That by them you may wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck. Have you known people who started out on this journey and went shipwreck? I'm sad to say I've known far too many who went shipwreck, and it's very sad. He says in verse 20, of whom are Jiminius and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan, that they may learn not the blaspheme.

But he tells him to wage the good warfare. What would the bad warfare be? Bad warfare. I give up! I quit! I compromise! Okay, whatever you want, just leave me alone! That would be bad warfare. What is good warfare? Well, every day when we go to the throne of grace and get our marching orders for that day, that's good warfare. When we prepare for the battles that lie ahead each day through prayer and Bible study, that's good warfare.

When we put on the armor of faith, believing that no matter what happens to me today, how ugly, how nasty, whether I get bad news for the doctor or whatever it is, that God is in charge of my life and not a hair of my head can fall, and there aren't that many left to fall, but not a hair of my head can fall without God knowing about it, that I'm just going to trust Him, no matter what the doctors say.

I'm going to trust God no matter what my neighbor says about me, no matter what gossip the person somewhere else is saying about me. It's not going to bother me. I'm not going to let it irritate me. I am in God's hands. The good warfare means that we live by the Father's code of justice. In the military, they have something called the military code of justice. It is the rules that you live by that are supposed to exemplify that you are a soldier of honor and dignity and respect, and you conform to those rules. We have the Father's code of justice. We call it the spiritual application of the Ten Commandments.

That's our good warfare. We communicate often with our commander during the day, especially when we're under stress. We're humble enough to ask for spiritual reinforcements when they are needed. We ask God to intervene. If we're being tempted, we call one of the brethren. We just talk to them for a while to get our mind off of whatever our temptation is or whatever we're struggling with.

We call in the reinforcements when we need them. We meet with our fellow soldiers for a debriefing every Sabbath day. We don't stay at home and just listen to DVDs or isolate ourselves from the flock of God. We believe that the commandment says that this is a holy convention. We get here every Sabbath day and we debrief and we detoxify from the cares and problems of this world when we walk through that door. We see all the smiles and the love, and we feel the energy of the people who are here to worship and to fellowship with us each and every Sabbath day.

Also, our good warfare means that we welcome and nurture the new recruits that are brought into God's army. We need to do that more and more. We encourage each other to be brave and strong no matter what enemy we are facing. This coming Monday is Memorial Day. Again, it's a secular holiday in which we honor all of those who died for freedom. Freedom is never free. Spiritually, our freedom was paid by the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

Someone else had to pay for our sins, and that was Jesus Christ. As physical human beings, our American freedoms that unfortunately we take for granted too often were paid for by other Americans who were willing to die to give the ultimate sacrifice so that we have the freedom to worship on the Sabbath, and no one can tell us we can't. So that we have the freedom to criticize our President, as I often hear, after services, and to criticize our worldly form of government, so that we have the protection from other strong nations who want to take away everything you've worked for all your life.

They made that sacrifice, and I think it's something that we should certainly respect. And draw the analogies from what a good soldier is, whether it's a good soldier today or a centurion who served at the time of Jesus Christ. You know, there are no statues dedicated to quitters or cowards. Ever seen a statue dedicated to a coward? Go to downtown Cleveland, I've been to Washington, D.C., went through the mall. I have never seen a statue. Coward! I never attended Benedict Arnold High School.

I didn't do a Google search, but I doubt if it wouldn't even exist. Benedict Arnold High School. There are no statues dedicated to quitters or cowards. Statues are dedicated to the brave and those who stood strong. There are no buildings who are named after traitors.

They named buildings and parks to honor those who were loyal to the cause and who gave the ultimate sacrifice. One of the things that kind of sparked me to think about this sermon today was what I saw on the day of Pentecost. I saw a number of spiritual heroes, saints. Those were, and are, faithful believers who went before my generation. They don't move very fast now. Some of them have white hair. Some of them have blue hair. Some are in wheelchairs and walkers and scooters. They don't get around much well anymore. But these were people who got up every day, got on their knees and got their marching orders for that day.

Sometimes it's been for some of them 50 years since God called them and gave them His Spirit. And they sacrificed. And they sacrificed. Most of them could have lived in much nicer homes than they lived in now because they had good jobs. But they were willing to obey God's command and they gave financially and in other ways and they lived in much smaller homes. Oh yeah, they could have bought new suits maybe once every six months instead of once every six years. But they chose to be a living sacrifice and they served the church faithfully as God's people.

And maybe they don't move around that fast anymore. But to me, they are the real heroes. And when I see them, I see the army of God. I see the humble people who gave their lives to serve the church. They never quit. They never went back. They never became traitors. They're still serving the church today and they will until the day that they expire their last human breath and then they'll wait for the resurrection. One final scripture, if you'll turn with me, to Revelation 5.

We may not have thought of this before, but we know from prophecy that Jesus Christ is the only one who is worthy to open the seven seals. But maybe, just maybe, we haven't thought about one of the things, the people, that inspires him to do that. Revelation 5, verse 1. John wrote, And I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the scroll and the lucid seals? And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look at it. So I wept much, says John. I just cried my eyes out. I wanted to see prophecy unraveled. I wanted to know what God says is going to happen. And I wept much because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, Do not weep. Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah of the root of David has prevailed. That better translation there is the Greek word, nik'a'om, which means conquered. He has conquered, it's a military term, to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals. So here in John's vision he's upset. He wants to see the unraveling of these end time events. And only the Lamb of God was worthy to do so. So let's finish the story. Verse 6, And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst the elders stood a lamb as though it had been slain. So there's Jesus Christ. What the scars, and this is a vision now, but the scars that he has from his crucifixion, the scars that he has from his beating and torture and being nailed into the stake or the cross, there he is. And John says having seven horns, meaning he's omnipotent, he's all powerful. Seven is the number of perfection. He has all power. That's why the horns are seven in number. And seven eyes, he's omnipresent. He sees everything. He knows everything that's going on in the universe. And that's why he has seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then he came and took the scroll out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne. Now when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, but they have something else, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

And as I stood there in the day of Pentecost and I saw these old soldiers, barely able to move anymore, some of them in their eighties, I thought of their prayers, fifty years of dedication, of loyalty, of faithfulness. And how impressed Jesus Christ is at this very moment in prophecy when this bowl of incense arises to him, which are their prayers. And he says, well pleased, faithful, dedicated soldiers, saints.

Verse 9, and they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals. You were slain and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And here's what their prayers say and confirm. And have made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on earth. You may remember earlier that we read about Cornelius, and the Scripture said there in Acts chapter 10, Cornelius was told, Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. So on this Memorial Day, let's remember those who paid the price, indeed. Let's respect and remember those American soldiers who paid the price for our national freedoms. But I'm also asking you more importantly to think about the generations of soldiers for Jesus Christ, who in each generation, including the one that's alive today before us, have been willing to be living sacrifices.

Who conforms to what God asked them to do? Duty, honor, dignity, commitment, perseverance, discipline.

Onward Christian soldiers.

Onward Christian soldiers.