Larry Brincefield, larkayb@earthlink.net
Title: Veteran’s Day
Text: Exo 7:16, 8:1, 20; 9:1, 13; 10:3,
Introduction
1. In 1918,
A. on the eleventh hour
B. of the eleventh day
C. in the eleventh month,
D. the world rejoiced and celebrated.
2. After four years of bitter war,
A. the Allied powers a signed a cease-fire agreement
B. also known as an armistice
C. with Germany on November 11, 1918,
D. bringing World War I to a close.
E. The "war to end all wars" was over.
3. November 11, 1919 was set aside as Armistice Day in the United States,
A. to remember the sacrifices that men and women made during World War I in order
B. Armistice Day officially received its name in the United States in 1926 through a Congressional resolution.
C. It became a national holiday 12 years later.
D. Congress voted Armistice Day a federal holiday in 1938,
i. 20 years after the war ended.
E. But Americans realized that the previous war would not be the last one.
F. World War 2 began the following year
G. After the Second World War,
i. Armistice Day continued to be observed on November 11.
4. In 1953
A. the people in Emporia, Kansas called the holiday Veterans’ Day
B. they wanted to show gratitude to all Veterans...
C. not just those from WW1.
5. Soon after,
A. Congress passed a bill renaming the holiday to Veterans’ Day.
B. (source http://www.usis.usemb.se/Holidays/celebrate/Veterans.html)
6. Tomorrow is Veterans Day...
A. it is a day when we give thanks for our Veterans.
B. There will be ceremonies and speeches
C. and a time to remember those who fought for peace.
D. And be thankful for the freedoms that we enjoy.
7. As I was thinking about our Veterans and also thinking about our theme for November, Worship.
A. When you think about it...it is a perfect time to bring them both together.
8. Read Text: Exo 7:16, 8:1, 20; 9:1, 13; 10:3
Body 2 Cor 3:17
1. "Let My People Go"
A. People have always treasured their freedom.
B. The history of our country is the story of freedom.
i. When the Pilgrims first came to America,
ii. their motivation was to find freedom.
C. In some countries,
i. people don’t have the same freedoms that we enjoy.
ii. In some countries, women aren’t allowed to have an education.
iii. In some countries, people aren’t allowed to be Christians.
a. if they talk about Jesus...
b. they face prison,
c. or even worse.
D. You can go back even farther in history.
E. In Bible times, people wanted to be free.
F. The verses that we read this morning
i. refer to the Children of Israel.
ii. They were enslaved by the Egyptians.
iii. They were forced into slave labor...
iv. working for the Egyptians.
v. They were frequently beaten and mistreated.
vi. 6 places in Scripture it says, "Let my people go, so that they may worship me"
vii. 5 of those come from God Himself...
viii. and 1 of them from Moses at the direction of God.
G. God is saying, "let My people go"
i. God is a great advocate for freedom.
ii. He wants people to be free.
iii. 2 Cor 3:17 says "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom"
H. As you know, there are many types of freedom. There is the personal freedom.
i. This is the one that we fight so strongly for.
ii. We, as a country, will go to war to protect our personal freedom.
I. There is also freedom from sin
i. Just like there are many types of freedom...
a. there are many types of slavery.
b. And many people are a slave to sin.
c. They are in bondage to it.
ii. And God’s entire plan of salvation is for the purpose of providing freedom from sin.
a. I’m sure you are well familiar with the plan.
iii. When Adam and Eve sinned...
a. they destined the entire human race to a life of sin.
b. The Bible says, "The wages of sin is death" (Rom 6:23)
c. We had no hope...
d. we were guilty...
e. and the price for our sin had to be paid.
f. and the penalty for sin is death.
g. Each one of us should have paid the price for ourselves.
h. But Jesus, the Son of God,
a. stepped forward...
b. and paid the price for our sin...
c. by dying on the cross.
i. So now, we don’t have to die,
a. we just accept Jesus Christ
b. believe that He paid the price for our freedom...
c. and ask Him to forgive our sins
d. and live in our hearts.
2. "So that they may worship Me"
A. But there is another type of freedom...
i. the freedom to worship God.
B. God said, "let My people go, SO THAT THEY MAY WORSHIP ME"
i. The Children of Israel desired their personal freedom...
ii. and God wanted them to be free too.
iii. but free with a purpose...
iv. freedom to worship Him.
C. Philip Brooks said, "No man in this world attains freedom from any slavery except by entrance into some higher servitude. There is no such thing as an entirely free
i. Even though we have personal freedom...
ii. there are some things that we can do that might inhibit our freedom.
a. If we become a lawbreaker
b. and we are caught
c. there will be consequences.
iii. So we limit our personal freedom to a certain extent,
a. in order accept a higher servitude, becoming a servant to the law...so to speak.
b. Cicero said, "We are in bondage to the law in order that we may be free."
D. By the same token, we have spiritual freedom.
i. we are free to accept Christ...
ii. or reject Christ.
iii. Of course, there are consequences for rejecting Christ.
E. If we accept Christ, we willingly limit our freedom to accept a higher servitude...
i. the freedom to worship Him...
ii. we are free to praise Him....
iii. we are free to serve Him.
F. I’m sure you know what an oxymoron is...it is using 2 words or thoughts that seem to be opposite, but make sense when you put them together,
i. jumbo shrimp...
ii. deafening silence...
iii. recent history...
iv. postal service...
v. clearly confusing...
vi. honest politician...
vii. plastic glass...
viii. pretty ugly...
ix. freezer burn...
x. bitter sweet...
xi. city worker...
xii. rap music...
G. In Church, there are some oxymorons...
i. a brief meeting...
ii. volunteer waiting list...
iii. confidential prayer request...
iv. when a pastor says, "in conclusion"
H. In Christianity, there are some oxymorons too...
i. if we die to sin, we find life in Christ
ii. if we become a slave to Jesus Christ, we become free.
Conclusion
1. We are grateful for our Veterans.
A. We thank each of you who served...
B. we thank all those who died while serving...
C. let’s not take our freedoms for granted.
2. We are thankful for Jesus Christ, the Great Veteran,
A. who died while serving in the war with sin.
B. let’s not take our spiritual freedom for granted either.
3. The Children of Israel were enslaved...
A. and God said, "Let My people go, SO THAT THEY MAY WORSHIP ME"
4. Even today, God is saying, "Let My people go, so that they may worship Me"
A. freedom with a purpose...
B. we are freed, so that we can serve.
C. we are set free, so that we can worship
