Living A Legacy
A Memorial Day Celebration
In a Change of Command Ceremony at Fort Riley, KS, on 2 June 2006, LTC Eric Wesley included these words in his speech.
[“…allow me to tell you about these men and the families of the men standing in front of you.
And I would start by telling you what they are NOT. Frankly, and I have to confess this, I fear our culture has a naïve, somewhat ignorant view of what Soldiers DO. Some think they are merely fighters. Men who go out, look for, and kill or capture bad guys. There are others who may see our Soldiers as the makers of the “good news stories” that everyone wants to see on TV – you know the stories - the guys who paint schools, pass out candy, and visit orphanages. Let me tell you. They do that stuff. All of it. But it doesn’t define WHO they are and nor does it come CLOSE to defining WHAT they are achieving.
William Bennett recently wrote this on Memorial Day. In paraphrasing President Lincoln he said “the American Soldier - his patriotism, fidelity, and valor - have made this land the last best hope on earth.
Now, why is that? Well the reason is because they aren’t merely painting schools. They aren’t just finding and killing bad guys. These men are ambassadors for cultural change. They are literally shaping a culture - physically lifting it out of the grasp of oppression and making a way for human dignity. They are agents of cultural change; they are on point in our nation’s role as the last best hope as ambassadors in a complex world.”]
Tomorrow is “Memorial Day”. It is a day that is more than a day off from work. It is more than a day that we can go to the lake and have a barbeque. It is a day set aside to remember those who have given their lives as "ambassadors for cultural change".
It is interesting to note that the words “remember”, “remembrance”, and “memorial” are found more than 230 times in the Bible. The Lord commanded his people in the Old Testament to observe certain days as days of “remembrance”. In the New Testament Jesus said these words:
“This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Luke 22:19 (NKJV)
This morning I want us to remember three agents of cultural change that have shaped our lives.
1. The Soldiers Who Have Died For Our FREEDOM.
Jesus said:
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:13 (NKJV)
In the Civil War, 365,000 Northern soldiers were killed, and 133,000 soldiers from the South died. In World War One, 116,000 American soldiers died. In World War Two, 407,000 American soldiers died. 54,000 American soldiers died in Korea, 58,000 died in Vietnam, 148 died during Desert Storm. As of May 24, 2007 there were 3,435 American Soldiers that have died in Iraq and 390 in Afghanistan.
More than a million Americans have died in wars fighting for the freedom that we enjoy. I can say that I have been to the Middle East as a United States Army Chaplain and I can tell you that not all countries enjoy the same freedoms that we in American enjoy. We are free today because of the service of our soldiers. We are free to pray or not pray. We are free to worship as we choose. We are free to speak our minds. We are free to vote for the leadership of this country. We need to remember the sacrifice of our American soldiers – ambassadors for culture change – who have gone before us, so that we can enjoy the freedoms that we enjoy. It has been said and rightly so: "freedom is not free". There are people who have paid for our freedom - we call them soldiers.
(Show Memorial Day Video.)
Secondly we need to remember:
2. The Saints Who Have Died For Our FAITH.
The building that we are worshiping in today was built in 1908. It is the third church building that was constructed on this location. There are names on some of the stained glass windows honoring those who were here before us. We sitting here don’t remember the people whose names on the windows nor do we even remember the families. But I can tell you - they had a major part in the construction of this building.
This building was erected and used as a Methodist church until 1948 when the Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian congregations in Burlingame came together to form one congregation. Their efforts became The Burlingame Federated Church. Three churches joining as one. Three different denominational groups with their own unique doctrines and heritage joining together to worship One God. How could they possibly join together? Ephesians chapter four tells us how:
"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." Ephesians 4:4-6 (NKJV)
They came together with one faith – believing in one Lord - the Lordship of Jesus Christ. They came together leaving behind there personal differences and practices so that Jesus could be glorified. We need to remember the sacrifices that they made. We need to remember the efforts that they took so that we could be standing here today. They gave their time and money so the building could be built. They had faith that they could be joined together in unity because of the blood of Christ and we need to remember them.
Was it easy? No way! It is not easy to be a Christian and in some parts of the world people are killed for their faith. According to The Voice of the Martyrs – there are currently 18 Christians in prison around the world today because of their faith. Ten of them are in China.
Last year a church at the corner of 17th and Gage in Topeka, KS was set on fire. Churches are regularly burned along with their Bibles and hymn books. When I was in Saudi Arabia there was a day when we could not leave our compound to go to the market. A public execution was taking place. A person had become a convert to Christianity and because of their faith – they were killed.
In Saudi Arabia there is no freedom of religion. No public worship is allowed unless it is Muslim. Anyone who converts to another religion is executed. Anyone who participates in trying to convert someone to another religion is subject to imprisonment or execution.
Christians around the world and at all times have been persecuted for their faith. That is our heritage and our legacy. Let us on this Memorial Day weekend remember those have gone before us and left us an example of their faith.
Third, we need to remember:
3. The Savior Who Died For Our FORGIVENESS.
I would like for us to do something very special this morning. I would like for us to celebrate communion together. I would like for us to have the Lord’s Supper.
I am aware that no elements have been prepared. There is no cup – there is no bread. But we will have communion just the same.
What I would like for you to do is to use your God given imagination for the next few minutes. Let us imagine that we are sitting in a prison cell. They came for you last night. They knocked on the door while you were still sleeping. When they arrested you all you had with you was the clothes on your back. They put you behind bars. They put you in jail. It was Saturday night when they had come for you. Now it is Sunday morning.
You are in a prison cell with the rest of us. All of us have been arrested for one reason – we believe in Jesus Christ. We are cold, we are hungry, we are frightened – but we are together and we will remember our savior who died for our forgiveness. We are not alone - we are together - and there is not just us - for where two or more are gathered - Jesus is there too.
[Have the ushers come forward and pass out the imaginary bread. Then say:]
“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
[Then have the ushers come and pass out the imaginary cup. Then say:]
"In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 (NKJV)
Prayer:
Father this day we remember. We remember those who have given their lives for our freedom. We remember those Christians who have gone before us in the faith. We remember Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior – in whom we have forgiveness. Thank you Father for the gift of memory. Amen.
