UNKNOWN SOLDIERS
2 SAMUEL 5:1-3 & 1 CHR 12:23-38
I. DAVID MADE KING OF ISRAEL
A. David is one of the greatest figures in the Bible
-we read of his many battles and victories
B. David became great because God anointed him but he also became great because he had a great army
-340,822 men of war
C. David did not single handedly win the battles and conquer enemies
-the unnamed, unknown soldiers on the battle field did all the work
D. I want to focus on the importance of the individual soldier
-sometimes we look at the numbers of an army and that army is seen as a single unit but that unit is made up of individual soldiers who are just doing their job
II. THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER
A. Every nation that became great did so at the cost of the individual soldier
B. History reminds us of Alexander the Great, Napoleon and Hitler
C. In our own nation we remember George Washington, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant and Douglas Macarthur
D. These men had the ability to command great armies but it was the individual soldier that made the difference on the battlefield
E. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery
III. UNKNOWN SOLDIERS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD
A. Throughout church history there have been many great leaders who’s names are remembered
-Martin Luther King, John and Charles Wesley, C. H. Spurgeon, D. L. Moody, Billy Graham, etc
B. There have been millions of people who have served in “Army of the Lord”
-the majority of them are unknown soldiers, people that history didn’t remember
C. Today the church is made up of millions of, “Unknown Soldiers”
D. The body of Christ
-1 Cor 12:14 For the body is not one member, but many....18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him....22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:...23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour;...
E. Its the millions of “Unknown Soldiers”, living their life for God, that has the greatest impact on the world
IV. GOD KNOWS HIS SOLDIERS
A. David cared about the individual soldier (example of the man who went to get him water)
B. There are no “Unknown Soldiers” or unimportant soldiers with God
-2 Tim 2:19 ...The Lord knows them that are his.
-John 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep,... 3...and the sheep hear his voice: and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.
C. God knows every detail of your life
-Ps 139:1-4 O LORD, you hast searched me, and known me. You know my down sitting and my uprising, you understand my thoughts afar off. You compass my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, you know it altogether.
C. God will reward each soldier
-1 Pet 1:17 ...who without respect of persons judges according to every man’s work,...
-Col 3:24-25 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
-1 Cor 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
-Heb 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
D. Christ will bring his soldiers back with him to earth to rule
-Rev 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
-Rev 19:8 ...the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
V. CONCLUSION
A. On earth you might feel like an, “Unknown Soldier”
B. In heaven your name and life are well known by God the Father
C. In this war between the kingdom of God and satan, it’s good to know you are a soldier in God’s army and you will never be forgotten
