June 11, 2025 • 46 mins
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Memorial Day holds profound meaning beyond barbecues and beach trips, especially for those who've lost brothers and sisters in combat. This reflection explores the powerful connection between a soldier's sacrifice and Christ's ultimate demonstration of love.
The staggering toll of American military sacrifice throughout our history—over 1.3 million lives—demands our solemn gratitude. Yet for Christians who have lost comrades, there's a unique perspective. Unlike those without faith who face only darkness on this day, believers find hope in knowing that fallen heroes are in a better place, their sacrifice redeemed by the One who demonstrated the greatest love of all.
The parallels between a warrior's sacrifice and Christ's atonement run deep. Both willingly place themselves in harm's way for others—known and unknown. Both demonstrate substitutionary sacrifice, stepping into danger so others might live. This reflection challenges us to consider: What are we doing with the freedom others purchased at such cost?
We confront uncomfortable truths about the modern church's amnesia regarding sacrifice. Too many congregations enjoy comfortable worship while forgetting the blood-bought liberty that makes it possible. The call rings clear: instead of passive remembrance, actively engage in meaningful service. From daily family worship to teaching children about real heroes to embracing discomfort for growth—we honor the fallen by living purposefully.
We are all participants in the largest rescue mission in history. Christ won the victory at Calvary, and now tasks us with rescuing those still imprisoned by darkness. Will you remain comfortable, or will you pick up the mission to pull others from the filth of sin and onto the life raft of salvation?
This Memorial Day, let their earthly sacrifice spur us toward heavenly obedience. Fight the good fight of faith, advance the gospel, and defend the vulnerable—all in Jesus' name.
Christian Warrior Talk is Sponsored by Trident Shield, your trusted ally in violence preparedness. Trident Shield helps safeguard your loved ones with expert training and consulting. Trident Shield, defending faith through empowered preparedness because together, we save lives."
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, hello everyone, hope you guys had a
meaningful Memorial Day weekend.
We don't say happy Memorial Day.
Some veterans get prettyoffended at that.
I don't, because my MemorialDays are happy, because I
(00:20):
believe many of my brothers arein a far better place than we
are today and that theirsacrifices meant something,
because, as we're going to seetoday, love covers a multitude
of sins.
But for those of you who don'tknow, memorial Day is when we
remember those who didn't makeit home, those who paid the
ultimate sacrifice for ourfreedoms.
(00:42):
That is what Memorial Day isfor.
Veterans Day is for those whoare still here with us, those
who served in our life.
Okay, so Memorial Day for many,many veterans is one of the
darkest days of the year, right,particularly for nonbelievers,
where they think this is the end.
(01:03):
You know we still have massiveveteran suicide rates and many
on homeless and many on drugsand a million other things, and
a lot of that is due to the lossof so many friends and a loss
(01:25):
to so many friends by their ownhand, and it can be really hard
if you don't have Jesus to leanon.
But for those of us who do, weknow that love covers a
multitude of sin, and we alsoknow that no greater love is
(01:46):
there than this to lay downone's life for one's friends and
that veterans did.
Okay, so let's get into this.
This is going to be a start offas a solemn service and then
it's going to go into acelebratory, more uplifting
(02:12):
marching orders type service.
So part one will be justremembering all the veterans who
died and then part two will bewhat do we do with this freedom
that they bought us?
Okay?
So welcome to Christian WarriorMission.
A home church.
Yes, this is my home.
It looks far grander than it is.
(02:33):
This is a converted garage intoa sanctuary and office and so
on and so forth, but a homechurch, ministry farm forging
Christian warriors for today'schallenges.
So I'm not going to get into anyannouncements or any of that
stuff.
We're going to dive right in tothe text.
(02:57):
The text today is going to bethe shortest text I've ever
pulled from and it's going to betwo verses, so it's going to be
John 15, 12 through 13.
This is my commandment that youlove one another just as I have
loved you.
Greater love has no one thanthis that one lay down his life
(03:20):
for his friends, and Jesus spokethat to his disciples.
So let's go ahead and let's bowour head in prayer and let's
get into this, lord of hosts,supreme commander of heaven's
armies.
We assemble on this day toremember with solemn honor and
joyful gratitude every Americanwho fell in battle.
(03:42):
We celebrate their courage, wethank you for their sacrifice.
We confess that the freedoms weenjoy in this land you have
blessed us to call home werepurchased with their blood,
their lives and their futures.
Above all, we herald themassive demonstration of the
(04:03):
greatest love, your son layingdown his life for the world.
Comfort the believed, draw thebattle-worn to salvation and
unite this church to live livesworthy of such valor In Jesus'
conquering name.
Amen.
So part one solemn remembrance.
Okay, now I'm going to dosomething just a little
(04:24):
different.
Amen.
So part one solemn remembrance.
Okay, now I'm going to dosomething just a little
different.
You know I was thinking about abell or something like that to
do this, but I just wanted thisto be different, without or
meaningful, without.
Usually, I just read off abunch of numbers and I don't
find that to be as impactful oras solemn as it should be.
(04:45):
So I'm shuffling to the rightbecause I got this anvil here
and this hammer that I'm goingto use.
So I'm going to read off eachwar and there's going to be 15
lines of conflicts withcombatants killed.
(05:05):
I'm going to read them off andthen we're going to say we
remember.
And then I'm going to clang itand there's going to be a pause
and then I'm going to do thenext one and we're going to
repeat that 15 times.
Okay, so let's go ahead andlet's do that.
So we're going to do weremember after each response,
(05:26):
and then I'm going to strike theanvil once.
So the American RevolutionaryWar about 25,000 killed.
We remember Northwest IndianWar about 1,300 killed.
We remember War of 1812, about15,000 killed.
(05:55):
We remember Mexican-AmericanWar 13,283,.
We remember American-IndianWars these are all of them
combined about 1,000,.
We remember American Civil Warabout 655,000.
(06:25):
We remember Spanish-AmericanWar 2,446.
We remember Philippine-AmericanWar 4,196.
We remember World War I 116,516killed.
(06:53):
We remember World War II405,399.
We remember 38,399.
We remember Korean War 36,574killed.
(07:20):
We remember Vietnam War 58,209killed.
(07:41):
We remember Persian Gulf 4,492.
And other theaters 76.
Guild in action.
We remember Other operationssince 1975.
Beirut sorry.
Grenada, panama, somalia, haiti, bosnia, kosovo, et cetera,
(08:03):
about 400.
We remember Greater love is noone than this, that they lay
(08:24):
down their lives for us In God'sprovidence.
He planted us in a nation ofunique liberty, but that liberty
was bought at the price of1,354,664-plus American lives
and 2,852,901-plus wounded.
Their blood secured the rightswe exercise this very moment.
(08:49):
Make it count From grave silenceto gospel hope.
First, thessalonians, that'sone I will struggle with to the
(09:11):
end of my life, 4.13-14.
But we not want you to beuninformed brothers about those
who are asleep, dead, so thatyou will not grieve as do the
rest who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesusdied and rose again, even so,
god will bring with him thosewho have fallen asleep.
(09:31):
In Jesus Church we have stoodin sacred silence.
Now hear the thunder of theempty tomb.
The same Jesus who welcomed ourfallen heroes home promises
resurrection, life to all whotrust him.
Death is swallowed up invictory.
(09:53):
With that hope ringing in ourears, we move from remembering
their sacrifice to embracing theultimate sacrifice of our Lord
and Savior, jesus Christ, andthe call it issues to every
warrior, every woman, everychild.
(10:14):
Make it count.
Let what they died for drive usto the Savior who died for all,
the Savior who died for all InRomans 5, 6-8, and again I'm
reading out of the LegacyStandard Bible.
For while we were still weak,at the right time, christ died
(10:44):
for the ungodly, for one willhardly die for a righteous man
though perhaps for a good mansomeone would dare even die but
God demonstrates his own lovetowards us and that while we
were yet sinners, christ diedfor us.
This is important because thesoldier who goes overseas dies
(11:06):
for people he loves and he diesfor people he hates, dies for
people he doesn't even know.
Who does that sound like, right?
No, I believe few peopleunderstand Christ as much as the
(11:28):
warrior does, who risks it alland serves with such finality.
But if we look at Christ'ssacrifice, it was
substitutionary.
He died in our place.
What does the veteran do?
Or what does the soldier do?
Goes overseas to die in ourplace.
(11:50):
Initiatory Christ moved firstwhile we were still weak, right,
while we were still traitors.
Christ moved first to save us.
Well, we all are comfortablehere in our lives, doing our own
things, barbecuing, doingnothing whatever.
(12:10):
The soldier is in the desert.
The soldier is in the cold.
The soldier is in the wet.
The soldier is isolated andalone.
The soldier is in the wet.
The soldier is isolated andalone, demonstrative.
(12:37):
The cross is a public billboardof heaven's love.
God loved you so much that heturned the most horrific.
We know the cross is somethingtotally different now, but it
was a thing of shame.
It's where criminals of theworst sort were executed and
Christ turned something that wasthe most shameful into the
(12:59):
greatest symbol of love that hasever existed.
Now, not in trying to put oursoldiers on par with Christ, no
one is like that.
But they all sacrifice in theirown way.
They all demonstrate this whenthey raise their right hand and
they go off and they leave theirfamilies and many of their
marriages become shattered, eventhe ones who make it home, but
(13:23):
the ones who don't.
Those marriages are shattered.
There are widows, widowers,there are orphans, fatherless,
motherless children, and thenthere is the incalculable cost
of that bloodline, that familysnuffed out of the plan and of
(13:52):
the earth.
Forever the plan and of theearth, and you know, forever.
You know.
I think of a good friend ofmine, mario, who died.
Was a brilliant guy, great guy,handsome guy, and he would have
been a great dad and he nevergot a chance to be a dad.
(14:14):
I think of all the otherveterans that I know that died,
that didn't have families, andthe ones that did, whose kids
were still young and would neverknow their fathers.
The cost is just horrible,horrible.
Every American who stepped intothe kill zone for a neighbor and
nation struck a note in thesame thunderous chord of Calvary
(14:38):
where our Lord and Savior died.
Their blood preaches courage,bleeding before breaking,
shielding before retreating, andit mirrors the captain of our
salvation, because Christ's ownblood undergirds theirs.
That warrior love can drown amultitude of sins when grasped
(15:06):
by repentant faith.
Their warrior love can drown amultitude of sins when grasped
with repentant faith.
1 Peter 4 says above all, keepfervent in your love for one
another, because love covers amultitude of sins.
(15:28):
The gospel's invitation towarriors, vets, first responders
and every man and woman in thepew Matthew 11, 28 through 30.
Come to me all who are wearyand heavy laden, and I will give
you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learnfrom me, for I am gentle and
(15:51):
humble in heart and you willfind rest for your souls, for my
yoke is easy and my load islight.
A lot of people read that andthink, oh, when I become a
Christian, jesus said it's goingto be easy and light.
No, that's not what he's sayingthere.
(16:13):
And once you've lived a lie forforever, what's the most
exhausting thing when you're aliar, remembering all your lies?
When you walk in truth, youhave to remember nothing because
you walk in truth.
All the burdens we carry, thehate, anger, some feedback, hate
(16:34):
, anger, anger I got somefeedback, wow Okay.
Hate, anger and the poison thatwe inflict to ourself.
When we come to Christ, thatall goes away.
We lay it down and we becomelighter because it's ours not to
(16:55):
carry Our sin.
Once we give it down and webecome lighter because it's ours
not to carry Our sin.
Once we give it to, christ isgone and it's off our backs.
The mountain of guilt, themountain of suffering, the
mountain of self-loathing isgone.
Wipe clean as snow.
That's what he's talking about.
(17:19):
So whether you stacked on a doorin Fallujah, hauled broken
bodies from twisted metal as acop, filed reports behind a
glowing screen in a desk or satpolite in a church, pew Heaven's
After Action Report reads thesame, and it's in bold red All
(17:40):
have sinned and all have fellshort of the glory of God,
romans 3.23.
Rank ribbons and resumes cannotarmor the soul.
Sin coats.
Every man, woman, operator,medic, mechanic, wife everyone,
passive or warrior, like toxicdust.
(18:02):
The shrapnel shows up in ourvisible scars, our hidden
addictions, our silent shame.
Yet the deepest fragments haspierced the heart.
We stand condemned before aholy God and can only be saved
by the blood of Christ.
(18:25):
1 Corinthians, 15, 3 and 4.
For I've delivered to you, asthe first importance, what I
also received that Christ diedfor our sins, according to the
scriptures, and that he wasburied and he was raised on the
third day, according to thescriptures.
At Calvary, our warrior kingtook the IAD, the improvised
(18:53):
explosive device, the bullet forus, meant for us, absorbing
God's wrath, disarming death,and then walked out of the grave
with the keys of hell.
That is the greatest act ofvalor in cosmic history.
What do we have to do toreceive it?
(19:15):
Acts 3.19.
Therefore, repent and return sothat your sins may be wiped away
, in order that times ofrefreshing may come from the
presence of the Lord.
Salvation isn't earned bymedals or church attendance.
Lay down your weapons ofself-righteousness, turn from
(19:40):
sin and trust the living JesusChrist.
He'll swap your record offailure for his record of
perfect obedience and grant youa new call.
Sign Forgiven, forgiven,forgiven and grant you a new
call sign forgiven, forgiven.
What should we do with this?
(20:01):
We must go from passive towarrior in Christ.
Finally be strong in the Lordand in the might of his strength
.
Christ doesn't just forgive, heforges.
He hammers the passive man intoa vigilant protector, temples
(20:24):
the battle-scarred veteran intoa shepherd guard and retrains
their distracted dad into apriest of his household.
He purifies the sensual womaninto a covenant, loyal wife and
steals fragile daughters intoresolute shield maidens.
In Christ's ranks, warrior isnever toxic.
(20:47):
It is a sacrificial leadershippatterned after the lion lamb
who bled for his bride, thatbeing us.
Isaiah 53, 4 through 5 saysSurely, our griefs he himself
bore and our sorrows he carried.
Yet we ourselves esteemed him.
(21:08):
Stricken, smitten of God andafflicted, but he was pierced
through for our transgressions.
Afflicted, but he was piercedthrough for our transgressions.
He was crushed for ouriniquities.
The chastening for our peacefell upon him and by his wounds
(21:29):
we are healed.
Our call to action is simplemake it count.
Brothers and sisters, report tothe king's banner today.
Whether you see yourself as awarrior ready to lead or a
passive longing for courage,christ will forge you into a
warrior servant.
Lay down pride, lay down shame,take up the cross and rise a
(21:54):
new creation.
Make their sacrifice count,repent, believe, be baptized and
enlist in the greatestcommission ever.
We are on the largest prisonerof war POW rescue mission of all
time.
Jesus won the war when he rosefrom the dead and ascended into
(22:19):
heaven.
We are now tasked with rescuingthe POWs.
Do not sit at home and donothing.
You are on a mission to pull upthe next person.
Picture the blackest, mostfilthy, polluted sea, full of
(22:43):
sewage and oil and chemicals,and around you everyone is
drowning in it.
And you're floating on thispristine life raft, white,
glorious life raft, and you justgot pulled up onto the deck and
(23:04):
you're saved out of that filth.
Your job is to turn around andpull the next one up and the
next one up, and the next one upand the next one up.
It's that simple.
Now you can't save them byjumping back into the sin, like
(23:27):
so many do.
I'm going to go to the bar sceneand I'm going to try, or the
strip club or wherever it iswhere your crutch was.
I'm going to go hang out withall the drug addicts and I'm not
going to fall back into being adrug addict.
I'm going to hang out with allthe alcoholics.
I'm a former alcoholic.
It doesn't work that way.
You get pulled back into thesewage, stay on the life raft of
(23:56):
Christ, cling to it with allyou have and pull up the next
one.
The next thing I'm going tocover is I want to confront the
ungrateful church.
1 John, 3, 17 through 18.
But whoever has the world'sgoods and sees his brother in
(24:17):
need and closes his heartagainst him, how does the love
of God abide in him?
Little children, let us notlove with word or with tongue,
but not in deed and truth.
Our church should becourt-martialed.
They have three charges that Iwant to bring up against them
(24:41):
Historic amnesia.
Our church.
In America we treat liberty liketap water, always on no cost,
cost forgotten.
Every time I walk into a churchand I hear a pastor say I'm not
a citizen here, fine, go Getout.
Get out of my America.
(25:02):
Men died so you could get upthere and say that Get out.
If you're so bold and you're analien here on earth, go do it
in Yemen.
Go do it in Saudi Arabia, go doit in China.
It's really easy for you to actall tough and act like you're a
(25:22):
man of God in the mostcomfortable nation ever.
We must teach the nextgeneration names and numbers and
narratives of sacrifice.
You were blessed to be born inAmerica.
You were blessed to be born inthe greatest nation in the
(25:44):
history of this world.
You could have been bornanywhere.
You were born here, where youhave reach through the Internet
to reach anyone.
Nothing holds you back here.
You can do whatever you want ifyou work hard enough and make
good decisions.
You have been entrusted withgreat opportunity and great
(26:12):
power.
What are you going to do withit?
We have to teach our childrenthat there are girls, little
girls, overseas that have towalk around covered head to toe
in black, and I won't even gointo some of the things they
have to do as child brides andother horrific things around the
(26:36):
world.
Girls aren't allowed to read orbe educated.
No, our church dances on thedeaths of veterans and forgets
about the sacrifice in theirlives of comfort Church two
(26:58):
comfort, drunk worship.
We recline in padded pews withcoffee served in the foyer.
I've been to some of thesemegachurches where the welcoming
area is bigger than most100,000 feet of just welcoming
space and there's multiplecoffee bars While our warriors
(27:25):
bleed, in dust and snow and sand, we become too soft, the
slightest discomfort we go awayfrom.
We must embrace discomfort Fast.
Pray, do hard things, go to thegym, work out hard, get
(27:50):
uncomfortable, for only indiscomfort do we grow.
In no way, in no place,anywhere, do you get better
being comfortable, you don't.
You get softer by the minute.
You don't get smarter becauseyou're not working your brain
hard.
You get fatter and softer andlazier until that's all you have
(28:16):
.
You can't move anymore becauseyou stopped moving.
You can't do anything hardanymore because you've forgotten
how.
We have to start doing hardthings all the time.
Men's ministry Men don't needto be entertained anymore.
(28:36):
Women don't need to beentertained anymore.
When we look back in history,this time we're going to be like
the people in Wally who justfloated around in chairs, locked
onto their TVs or theircomputer games or their cell
phones or their whatever, anddid nothing.
We were distracted fromeverything.
(29:00):
Everything.
Rewarding is hard.
Building a house rewarding hard.
Being a good friendinconvenient is hard.
Building a house rewarding hard.
Being a good friendinconvenient hard.
Getting in shape uncomfortablehard.
Being a good father ultimatelyinconvenient hard.
(29:22):
Being a good mother even moreso.
Being a good husband, being agood wife, being a good friend,
being a good neighbor.
We all fail at those things allthe time.
But when we do get it right,what are we going to notice?
(29:43):
That we're uncomfortable doingit?
We could be sitting in thechair, we could be doing
whatever our brain-deadeningthing is to escape our lives,
instead of serving in the moment, rising to the occasion, making
it easier for somebody elseother than yourself, making it
(30:11):
easier for somebody else otherthan yourself.
George has forgotten that We'llsend people to Haiti for a
weekend or a week.
Meanwhile, those people don'tknow their neighbors, they don't
know anyone around them.
They haven't helped anyone intheir own hometown or own city
Nothing.
They get to go pretend to be aChristian for a week, where they
(30:33):
blackmail people with cleanwater and good food, and then
they leave and go back to beinga part-time Christian on Sunday.
The church will do that, whilegold star widows mow their own
lawn, while they sip theircaramel lattes in their lobbies.
(30:55):
We need to start making adifference here.
Yes, with gold star families,but our neighbors and our
communities.
My friend Mario died on July 3rd.
I think it was 1146 pm.
I remember saying that I wasgoing to live because he
(31:22):
couldn't.
I was going to try to be thebest man that I could be to
honor him and all my otherfriends that I've lost.
Since then I try to do good.
I probably don't do it as wellas he would have.
He was already a Christian then.
I wasn't even close, not evenclose.
(31:44):
But already a Christian then Iwasn't even close, not even
close.
But we've got to all make adifference.
People didn't die overseas,never to have children or to
leave shattered families behindso we could do nothing.
Christ didn't come down fromheaven to be murdered and
(32:09):
tortured and deal with theentire balance of the wrath of
God for you, for you to donothing.
Proverbs 22, 20, sorry, 20,.
28 says loving kindness andtruth.
Guard the king and he upholdshis throne by loving kindness
and truth.
Guard the king and he upholdshis throne by loving kindness.
Show loving kindness.
(32:32):
A church that preaches truthbut withholds covenant love is a
bunker with no ammo, sound butuseless in a fight.
We are called to the battleline.
Sound but useless in a fight.
We are called to the battleline Warriors.
(32:57):
If we will not shoulder theburdens of the bereaved, we are
spiritual deserters.
Repent, step up and make youcount.
Other men, passive men, as Iwould call you Christ can forge
you.
Start by doing something hard.
(33:19):
Today, it starts with doing onething hard.
Maybe it's getting up early.
Maybe it's going for a walk,maybe it's going for a run.
Maybe it's getting up early.
Maybe it's going for a walk.
Maybe it's going for a run.
Maybe it's hitting the gym,maybe it's beating a heavy bag.
Maybe it's not doing anythingthat you want to do and doing
something that everyone elsewants to do.
Start now.
(33:42):
Entire church needs to lead fromthe front and turn Memorial Day
gratitude into daily familylevel action.
Leading from the front.
Make it count.
Here's how you make it count bydoing daily family worship.
Tell the next generation thestories of faith and valor.
Read scripture, pray, singaround the table, open your
(34:10):
house for hospitality.
We form relationships aroundour tables.
It's always been that way.
But how often do we do it now?
It's rare.
Why?
Because you have to clean yourhouse before you get stranded in
your house, and it's theprocess and all these things.
We've got to open our own homesto non-Christians so they can
(34:34):
see how Christians live.
Be that light.
We need to teach our childrenand our families skills.
So, on Saturdays, teach yourchildren first aid, flag
etiquette and humble service.
(34:57):
Pair each lesson with amatching scripture text.
Let our kitchen tables andliving rooms preach louder than
any hashtag, cs Lewis said.
Since it is so likely thatchildren will meet cruel enemies
, let them at least have heardof brave knights and heroic
(35:20):
courage.
Otherwise you will be makingtheir destinies not brighter but
darker.
So often we look to superman,we look to aquaman, spider-man,
whatever wolverine, when thereality is in real life there
are real heroes.
Teach your children history,teach them the people who made a
(35:44):
difference.
Teach them about your localheroes, the police officers, the
firefighters, doctors, medicsand just kind people who do kind
things.
Celebrate them.
This house of God must be theforge where children hear brave
(36:10):
knights, ancient martyrs, modernsoldiers, and see the courage
in our deeds.
Romans 12, 1-2.
Therefore, I exhort you,brothers, by the mercies of God,
to present your bodies as asacrifice, living, holy and
(36:34):
pleasing to God, which is yourspiritual service of worship,
and do not be comforted to thisage or conformed to this age,
but be transformed by therenewing of your mind, spiritual
drills forging you intoChristlike leaders.
Discipline Warrior, rationaleDiscipline, family worship
(36:59):
Warrior starts at the dinnertable.
Lead prayers, read scriptureand sing Lord's Day loyalty.
Plant the family flag inworship every week.
Declare whose kingdom you serve.
We see this time and time again.
Where it's sports season, soyour family doesn't do church,
(37:20):
right, they don't even try.
It's baseball season, it'ssoccer season.
Do you think it's any surprisewhy kids don't know what their
parents believe and why they gooff into the buzzsaw of college
and come back devil-worshipingatheists?
People think that's acontradiction, but it's not.
(37:43):
You're serving the same thingcontradiction, but it's not
serving the same thing.
Spiritual memory and prayer Loadmental magazines these are your
mind with truth.
If you're not reading your word, you have nothing to stand on.
(38:03):
You don't know what's true.
This book is true.
Fight cultural amnesia at thedinner table.
Okay, you're sitting around thetable.
Your wife is labored, created amasterful feast.
Talk about godly things.
I know it's hard.
I know you want to do otherthings.
(38:24):
I know your mind is racing.
You want to see the news.
That's me.
You got work to do.
You got these things.
Whatever it is that you have,you got to check it and find the
moments to disciple your familyaround the table, and I'll
leave the other ones for anothertime.
(38:46):
Proverbs the horse is preparedfor the day of battle, but
salvation belongs to Yahweh.
Charles Spurgeon said if asoldier fights for his country,
he does well, but if a soldieron the cross fights for his Lord
, he does best.
We do not diminish the valor ofthe fallen.
(39:08):
They did well and we stand freebecause of it.
Spurgeon's challenge simplyreminds the living that temporal
courage finds its highestfulfillment in eternal
allegiance.
Let their earthly sacrificespur us to heavenly obedience,
to fight the good fight of faith, advance the gospel.
(39:28):
Let their earthly sacrificespur us to heavenly obedience,
to fight the good fight of faith, advance the gospel and defend
the vulnerable in Jesus' name.
They bought us time, oursoldiers fighting al-Qaeda, isis
, all these things.
They bought us time.
They bought us time.
Police officers here buy ustime by putting criminals off
the street.
(39:48):
What are you going to do withthat time?
Are you going to turn to Christ?
Now?
Anything can happen.
Now's the time.
Psalm 110.1.
Yahweh says to my Lord sit atmy right hand until I put your
(40:09):
enemies as a footstool for yourfeet, revelation 12.11,.
And they overcame him becauseof the blood of the Lamb,
because of the word of theirwitness and they did not love
their life even to death.
Love their life even to death.
Christ reigns now.
His gospel advances in everynation, often watered by the
(40:33):
blood of patriots and martyrs.
Memorial Day is not despair.
It is a forward lean intoIsaiah 2.4.
When swords become plowsharesbecause the world has been
discipled and there is no morewar, let's go to the Lord's
Supper.
1 Corinthians 11, 28.
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But a man must test himself,and in so doing he is to eat of
the bread and drink of the cup.
Before we partake, let us bowbefore the King of glory.
Warriors, veterans, firstresponders, families, search
your hearts, confess sin, laydown your burdens and prepare to
eat and drink in a mannerworthy of the Lord.
(41:14):
Go ahead and do that.
(41:50):
Almighty God, lord of hosts, weapproach your table not because
we are worthy, but because JesusChrist is worthy.
We come not trusting in our ownrighteousness, but clinging to
his alone.
We remember his body broken,his blood poured out for the new
covenant.
Sanctify this bread and thiscup and sanctify us as we
(42:11):
proclaim the death, resurrectionand coming kingdom of Jesus
Christ, our warrior king, amen.
1 Corinthians 11, 23, 24.
The Lord Jesus, in the night forwhich he was betrayed, took
bread and when he had giventhanks, he broke it and said
this is my body, which is foryou.
Do this in remembrance of me.
(42:32):
Remember his body pierced,beaten and sacrificed for you.
Brothers and sisters, let useat together in remembrance of
Christ's body broken for us.
Go ahead and eat In the sameway.
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He took his cup, also aftersupper, saying this cup is the
new covenant in my blood.
Do this as often as you drinkit in remembrance of me.
Do this as often as you drinkit in remembrance of me.
Remember this blood poured outpurchasing forgiveness and
sealing the everlasting covering.
Let us drink together inremembrance of Christ's blood
shed for us.
Go ahead and drink, for asoften as you eat this bread and
(43:29):
drink this cup, you proclaim thedeath of the Lord until he
comes.
Christ has died.
Christ has risen.
Christ will come again.
We are soldiers in hiseverlasting kingdom.
Let us pray, brothers andsisters, lock your shields and
go forth as soldiers of Christ,armed with faith, wrapped in
hope, blazing with love.
May the Lord of hosts go beforeyou to lead you, beside you to
(43:51):
guard you, beneath you tosustain you and with you to
strengthen you.
Remember every fallen warrior.
Honor their legacy by rescuingthe lost, discipling the passive
and forging warriors for Christ.
Advance the kingdom untilAmerica and every nation bows
gladly to our King.
Stand firm, hold the line,fight the good fight, finish the
(44:15):
race, keep the faith until westand before the King and hear
well done, good and faithfulservant.
Grace be with you all in themighty name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
All right, thank you everyone.
All right, hello everyone, hope you guys had a
meaningful Memorial Day weekend.
We don't say happy Memorial Day.
Some veterans get prettyoffended at that.
I don't, because my MemorialDays are happy, because I
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believe many of my brothers arein a far better place than we
are today and that theirsacrifices meant something,
because, as we're going to seetoday, love covers a multitude
of sins.
But for those of you who don'tknow, memorial Day is when we
remember those who didn't makeit home, those who paid the
ultimate sacrifice for ourfreedoms.
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That is what Memorial Day isfor.
Veterans Day is for those whoare still here with us, those
who served in our life.
Okay, so Memorial Day for many,many veterans is one of the
darkest days of the year, right,particularly for nonbelievers,
where they think this is the end.
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You know we still have massiveveteran suicide rates and many
on homeless and many on drugsand a million other things, and
a lot of that is due to the lossof so many friends and a loss
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to so many friends by their ownhand, and it can be really hard
if you don't have Jesus to leanon.
But for those of us who do, weknow that love covers a
multitude of sin, and we alsoknow that no greater love is
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there than this to lay downone's life for one's friends and
that veterans did.
Okay, so let's get into this.
This is going to be a start offas a solemn service and then
it's going to go into acelebratory, more uplifting
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marching orders type service.
So part one will be justremembering all the veterans who
died and then part two will bewhat do we do with this freedom
that they bought us?
Okay?
So welcome to Christian WarriorMission.
A home church.
Yes, this is my home.
It looks far grander than it is.
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This is a converted garage intoa sanctuary and office and so
on and so forth, but a homechurch, ministry farm forging
Christian warriors for today'schallenges.
So I'm not going to get into anyannouncements or any of that
stuff.
We're going to dive right in tothe text.
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The text today is going to bethe shortest text I've ever
pulled from and it's going to betwo verses, so it's going to be
John 15, 12 through 13.
This is my commandment that youlove one another just as I have
loved you.
Greater love has no one thanthis that one lay down his life
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for his friends, and Jesus spokethat to his disciples.
So let's go ahead and let's bowour head in prayer and let's
get into this, lord of hosts,supreme commander of heaven's
armies.
We assemble on this day toremember with solemn honor and
joyful gratitude every Americanwho fell in battle.
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We celebrate their courage, wethank you for their sacrifice.
We confess that the freedoms weenjoy in this land you have
blessed us to call home werepurchased with their blood,
their lives and their futures.
Above all, we herald themassive demonstration of the
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greatest love, your son layingdown his life for the world.
Comfort the believed, draw thebattle-worn to salvation and
unite this church to live livesworthy of such valor In Jesus'
conquering name.
Amen.
So part one solemn remembrance.
Okay, now I'm going to dosomething just a little
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different.
Amen.
So part one solemn remembrance.
Okay, now I'm going to dosomething just a little
different.
You know I was thinking about abell or something like that to
do this, but I just wanted thisto be different, without or
meaningful, without.
Usually, I just read off abunch of numbers and I don't
find that to be as impactful oras solemn as it should be.
(04:45):
So I'm shuffling to the rightbecause I got this anvil here
and this hammer that I'm goingto use.
So I'm going to read off eachwar and there's going to be 15
lines of conflicts withcombatants killed.
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I'm going to read them off andthen we're going to say we
remember.
And then I'm going to clang itand there's going to be a pause
and then I'm going to do thenext one and we're going to
repeat that 15 times.
Okay, so let's go ahead andlet's do that.
So we're going to do weremember after each response,
(05:26):
and then I'm going to strike theanvil once.
So the American RevolutionaryWar about 25,000 killed.
We remember Northwest IndianWar about 1,300 killed.
We remember War of 1812, about15,000 killed.
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We remember Mexican-AmericanWar 13,283,.
We remember American-IndianWars these are all of them
combined about 1,000,.
We remember American Civil Warabout 655,000.
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We remember Spanish-AmericanWar 2,446.
We remember Philippine-AmericanWar 4,196.
We remember World War I 116,516killed.
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We remember World War II405,399.
We remember 38,399.
We remember Korean War 36,574killed.
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We remember Vietnam War 58,209killed.
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We remember Persian Gulf 4,492.
And other theaters 76.
Guild in action.
We remember Other operationssince 1975.
Beirut sorry.
Grenada, panama, somalia, haiti, bosnia, kosovo, et cetera,
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about 400.
We remember Greater love is noone than this, that they lay
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down their lives for us In God'sprovidence.
He planted us in a nation ofunique liberty, but that liberty
was bought at the price of1,354,664-plus American lives
and 2,852,901-plus wounded.
Their blood secured the rightswe exercise this very moment.
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Make it count From grave silenceto gospel hope.
First, thessalonians, that'sone I will struggle with to the
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end of my life, 4.13-14.
But we not want you to beuninformed brothers about those
who are asleep, dead, so thatyou will not grieve as do the
rest who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesusdied and rose again, even so,
god will bring with him thosewho have fallen asleep.
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In Jesus Church we have stoodin sacred silence.
Now hear the thunder of theempty tomb.
The same Jesus who welcomed ourfallen heroes home promises
resurrection, life to all whotrust him.
Death is swallowed up invictory.
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With that hope ringing in ourears, we move from remembering
their sacrifice to embracing theultimate sacrifice of our Lord
and Savior, jesus Christ, andthe call it issues to every
warrior, every woman, everychild.
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Make it count.
Let what they died for drive usto the Savior who died for all,
the Savior who died for all InRomans 5, 6-8, and again I'm
reading out of the LegacyStandard Bible.
For while we were still weak,at the right time, christ died
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for the ungodly, for one willhardly die for a righteous man
though perhaps for a good mansomeone would dare even die but
God demonstrates his own lovetowards us and that while we
were yet sinners, christ diedfor us.
This is important because thesoldier who goes overseas dies
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for people he loves and he diesfor people he hates, dies for
people he doesn't even know.
Who does that sound like, right?
No, I believe few peopleunderstand Christ as much as the
(11:28):
warrior does, who risks it alland serves with such finality.
But if we look at Christ'ssacrifice, it was
substitutionary.
He died in our place.
What does the veteran do?
Or what does the soldier do?
Goes overseas to die in ourplace.
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Initiatory Christ moved firstwhile we were still weak, right,
while we were still traitors.
Christ moved first to save us.
Well, we all are comfortablehere in our lives, doing our own
things, barbecuing, doingnothing whatever.
(12:10):
The soldier is in the desert.
The soldier is in the cold.
The soldier is in the wet.
The soldier is isolated andalone.
The soldier is in the wet.
The soldier is isolated andalone, demonstrative.
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The cross is a public billboardof heaven's love.
God loved you so much that heturned the most horrific.
We know the cross is somethingtotally different now, but it
was a thing of shame.
It's where criminals of theworst sort were executed and
Christ turned something that wasthe most shameful into the
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greatest symbol of love that hasever existed.
Now, not in trying to put oursoldiers on par with Christ, no
one is like that.
But they all sacrifice in theirown way.
They all demonstrate this whenthey raise their right hand and
they go off and they leave theirfamilies and many of their
marriages become shattered, eventhe ones who make it home, but
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the ones who don't.
Those marriages are shattered.
There are widows, widowers,there are orphans, fatherless,
motherless children, and thenthere is the incalculable cost
of that bloodline, that familysnuffed out of the plan and of
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the earth.
Forever the plan and of theearth, and you know, forever.
You know.
I think of a good friend ofmine, mario, who died.
Was a brilliant guy, great guy,handsome guy, and he would have
been a great dad and he nevergot a chance to be a dad.
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I think of all the otherveterans that I know that died,
that didn't have families, andthe ones that did, whose kids
were still young and would neverknow their fathers.
The cost is just horrible,horrible.
Every American who stepped intothe kill zone for a neighbor and
nation struck a note in thesame thunderous chord of Calvary
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where our Lord and Savior died.
Their blood preaches courage,bleeding before breaking,
shielding before retreating, andit mirrors the captain of our
salvation, because Christ's ownblood undergirds theirs.
That warrior love can drown amultitude of sins when grasped
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by repentant faith.
Their warrior love can drown amultitude of sins when grasped
with repentant faith.
1 Peter 4 says above all, keepfervent in your love for one
another, because love covers amultitude of sins.
(15:28):
The gospel's invitation towarriors, vets, first responders
and every man and woman in thepew Matthew 11, 28 through 30.
Come to me all who are wearyand heavy laden, and I will give
you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learnfrom me, for I am gentle and
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humble in heart and you willfind rest for your souls, for my
yoke is easy and my load islight.
A lot of people read that andthink, oh, when I become a
Christian, jesus said it's goingto be easy and light.
No, that's not what he's sayingthere.
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And once you've lived a lie forforever, what's the most
exhausting thing when you're aliar, remembering all your lies?
When you walk in truth, youhave to remember nothing because
you walk in truth.
All the burdens we carry, thehate, anger, some feedback, hate
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, anger, anger I got somefeedback, wow Okay.
Hate, anger and the poison thatwe inflict to ourself.
When we come to Christ, thatall goes away.
We lay it down and we becomelighter because it's ours not to
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carry Our sin.
Once we give it down and webecome lighter because it's ours
not to carry Our sin.
Once we give it to, christ isgone and it's off our backs.
The mountain of guilt, themountain of suffering, the
mountain of self-loathing isgone.
Wipe clean as snow.
That's what he's talking about.
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So whether you stacked on a doorin Fallujah, hauled broken
bodies from twisted metal as acop, filed reports behind a
glowing screen in a desk or satpolite in a church, pew Heaven's
After Action Report reads thesame, and it's in bold red All
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have sinned and all have fellshort of the glory of God,
romans 3.23.
Rank ribbons and resumes cannotarmor the soul.
Sin coats.
Every man, woman, operator,medic, mechanic, wife everyone,
passive or warrior, like toxicdust.
(18:02):
The shrapnel shows up in ourvisible scars, our hidden
addictions, our silent shame.
Yet the deepest fragments haspierced the heart.
We stand condemned before aholy God and can only be saved
by the blood of Christ.
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1 Corinthians, 15, 3 and 4.
For I've delivered to you, asthe first importance, what I
also received that Christ diedfor our sins, according to the
scriptures, and that he wasburied and he was raised on the
third day, according to thescriptures.
At Calvary, our warrior kingtook the IAD, the improvised
(18:53):
explosive device, the bullet forus, meant for us, absorbing
God's wrath, disarming death,and then walked out of the grave
with the keys of hell.
That is the greatest act ofvalor in cosmic history.
What do we have to do toreceive it?
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Acts 3.19.
Therefore, repent and return sothat your sins may be wiped away
, in order that times ofrefreshing may come from the
presence of the Lord.
Salvation isn't earned bymedals or church attendance.
Lay down your weapons ofself-righteousness, turn from
(19:40):
sin and trust the living JesusChrist.
He'll swap your record offailure for his record of
perfect obedience and grant youa new call.
Sign Forgiven, forgiven,forgiven and grant you a new
call sign forgiven, forgiven.
What should we do with this?
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We must go from passive towarrior in Christ.
Finally be strong in the Lordand in the might of his strength
.
Christ doesn't just forgive, heforges.
He hammers the passive man intoa vigilant protector, temples
(20:24):
the battle-scarred veteran intoa shepherd guard and retrains
their distracted dad into apriest of his household.
He purifies the sensual womaninto a covenant, loyal wife and
steals fragile daughters intoresolute shield maidens.
In Christ's ranks, warrior isnever toxic.
(20:47):
It is a sacrificial leadershippatterned after the lion lamb
who bled for his bride, thatbeing us.
Isaiah 53, 4 through 5 saysSurely, our griefs he himself
bore and our sorrows he carried.
Yet we ourselves esteemed him.
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Stricken, smitten of God andafflicted, but he was pierced
through for our transgressions.
Afflicted, but he was piercedthrough for our transgressions.
He was crushed for ouriniquities.
The chastening for our peacefell upon him and by his wounds
(21:29):
we are healed.
Our call to action is simplemake it count.
Brothers and sisters, report tothe king's banner today.
Whether you see yourself as awarrior ready to lead or a
passive longing for courage,christ will forge you into a
warrior servant.
Lay down pride, lay down shame,take up the cross and rise a
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new creation.
Make their sacrifice count,repent, believe, be baptized and
enlist in the greatestcommission ever.
We are on the largest prisonerof war POW rescue mission of all
time.
Jesus won the war when he rosefrom the dead and ascended into
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heaven.
We are now tasked with rescuingthe POWs.
Do not sit at home and donothing.
You are on a mission to pull upthe next person.
Picture the blackest, mostfilthy, polluted sea, full of
(22:43):
sewage and oil and chemicals,and around you everyone is
drowning in it.
And you're floating on thispristine life raft, white,
glorious life raft, and you justgot pulled up onto the deck and
(23:04):
you're saved out of that filth.
Your job is to turn around andpull the next one up and the
next one up, and the next one upand the next one up.
It's that simple.
Now you can't save them byjumping back into the sin, like
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so many do.
I'm going to go to the bar sceneand I'm going to try, or the
strip club or wherever it iswhere your crutch was.
I'm going to go hang out withall the drug addicts and I'm not
going to fall back into being adrug addict.
I'm going to hang out with allthe alcoholics.
I'm a former alcoholic.
It doesn't work that way.
You get pulled back into thesewage, stay on the life raft of
(23:56):
Christ, cling to it with allyou have and pull up the next
one.
The next thing I'm going tocover is I want to confront the
ungrateful church.
1 John, 3, 17 through 18.
But whoever has the world'sgoods and sees his brother in
(24:17):
need and closes his heartagainst him, how does the love
of God abide in him?
Little children, let us notlove with word or with tongue,
but not in deed and truth.
Our church should becourt-martialed.
They have three charges that Iwant to bring up against them
(24:41):
Historic amnesia.
Our church.
In America we treat liberty liketap water, always on no cost,
cost forgotten.
Every time I walk into a churchand I hear a pastor say I'm not
a citizen here, fine, go Getout.
Get out of my America.
(25:02):
Men died so you could get upthere and say that Get out.
If you're so bold and you're analien here on earth, go do it
in Yemen.
Go do it in Saudi Arabia, go doit in China.
It's really easy for you to actall tough and act like you're a
(25:22):
man of God in the mostcomfortable nation ever.
We must teach the nextgeneration names and numbers and
narratives of sacrifice.
You were blessed to be born inAmerica.
You were blessed to be born inthe greatest nation in the
(25:44):
history of this world.
You could have been bornanywhere.
You were born here, where youhave reach through the Internet
to reach anyone.
Nothing holds you back here.
You can do whatever you want ifyou work hard enough and make
good decisions.
You have been entrusted withgreat opportunity and great
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power.
What are you going to do withit?
We have to teach our childrenthat there are girls, little
girls, overseas that have towalk around covered head to toe
in black, and I won't even gointo some of the things they
have to do as child brides andother horrific things around the
(26:36):
world.
Girls aren't allowed to read orbe educated.
No, our church dances on thedeaths of veterans and forgets
about the sacrifice in theirlives of comfort Church two
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comfort, drunk worship.
We recline in padded pews withcoffee served in the foyer.
I've been to some of thesemegachurches where the welcoming
area is bigger than most100,000 feet of just welcoming
space and there's multiplecoffee bars While our warriors
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bleed, in dust and snow and sand, we become too soft, the
slightest discomfort we go awayfrom.
We must embrace discomfort Fast.
Pray, do hard things, go to thegym, work out hard, get
(27:50):
uncomfortable, for only indiscomfort do we grow.
In no way, in no place,anywhere, do you get better
being comfortable, you don't.
You get softer by the minute.
You don't get smarter becauseyou're not working your brain
hard.
You get fatter and softer andlazier until that's all you have
(28:16):
.
You can't move anymore becauseyou stopped moving.
You can't do anything hardanymore because you've forgotten
how.
We have to start doing hardthings all the time.
Men's ministry Men don't needto be entertained anymore.
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Women don't need to beentertained anymore.
When we look back in history,this time we're going to be like
the people in Wally who justfloated around in chairs, locked
onto their TVs or theircomputer games or their cell
phones or their whatever, anddid nothing.
We were distracted fromeverything.
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Everything.
Rewarding is hard.
Building a house rewarding hard.
Being a good friendinconvenient is hard.
Building a house rewarding hard.
Being a good friendinconvenient hard.
Getting in shape uncomfortablehard.
Being a good father ultimatelyinconvenient hard.
(29:22):
Being a good mother even moreso.
Being a good husband, being agood wife, being a good friend,
being a good neighbor.
We all fail at those things allthe time.
But when we do get it right,what are we going to notice?
(29:43):
That we're uncomfortable doingit?
We could be sitting in thechair, we could be doing
whatever our brain-deadeningthing is to escape our lives,
instead of serving in the moment, rising to the occasion, making
it easier for somebody elseother than yourself, making it
(30:11):
easier for somebody else otherthan yourself.
George has forgotten that We'llsend people to Haiti for a
weekend or a week.
Meanwhile, those people don'tknow their neighbors, they don't
know anyone around them.
They haven't helped anyone intheir own hometown or own city
Nothing.
They get to go pretend to be aChristian for a week, where they
(30:33):
blackmail people with cleanwater and good food, and then
they leave and go back to beinga part-time Christian on Sunday.
The church will do that, whilegold star widows mow their own
lawn, while they sip theircaramel lattes in their lobbies.
(30:55):
We need to start making adifference here.
Yes, with gold star families,but our neighbors and our
communities.
My friend Mario died on July 3rd.
I think it was 1146 pm.
I remember saying that I wasgoing to live because he
(31:22):
couldn't.
I was going to try to be thebest man that I could be to
honor him and all my otherfriends that I've lost.
Since then I try to do good.
I probably don't do it as wellas he would have.
He was already a Christian then.
I wasn't even close, not evenclose.
(31:44):
But already a Christian then Iwasn't even close, not even
close.
But we've got to all make adifference.
People didn't die overseas,never to have children or to
leave shattered families behindso we could do nothing.
Christ didn't come down fromheaven to be murdered and
(32:09):
tortured and deal with theentire balance of the wrath of
God for you, for you to donothing.
Proverbs 22, 20, sorry, 20,.
28 says loving kindness andtruth.
Guard the king and he upholdshis throne by loving kindness
and truth.
Guard the king and he upholdshis throne by loving kindness.
Show loving kindness.
(32:32):
A church that preaches truthbut withholds covenant love is a
bunker with no ammo, sound butuseless in a fight.
We are called to the battleline.
Sound but useless in a fight.
We are called to the battleline Warriors.
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If we will not shoulder theburdens of the bereaved, we are
spiritual deserters.
Repent, step up and make youcount.
Other men, passive men, as Iwould call you Christ can forge
you.
Start by doing something hard.
(33:19):
Today, it starts with doing onething hard.
Maybe it's getting up early.
Maybe it's going for a walk,maybe it's going for a run.
Maybe it's getting up early.
Maybe it's going for a walk.
Maybe it's going for a run.
Maybe it's hitting the gym,maybe it's beating a heavy bag.
Maybe it's not doing anythingthat you want to do and doing
something that everyone elsewants to do.
Start now.
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Entire church needs to lead fromthe front and turn Memorial Day
gratitude into daily familylevel action.
Leading from the front.
Make it count.
Here's how you make it count bydoing daily family worship.
Tell the next generation thestories of faith and valor.
Read scripture, pray, singaround the table, open your
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house for hospitality.
We form relationships aroundour tables.
It's always been that way.
But how often do we do it now?
It's rare.
Why?
Because you have to clean yourhouse before you get stranded in
your house, and it's theprocess and all these things.
We've got to open our own homesto non-Christians so they can
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see how Christians live.
Be that light.
We need to teach our childrenand our families skills.
So, on Saturdays, teach yourchildren first aid, flag
etiquette and humble service.
(34:57):
Pair each lesson with amatching scripture text.
Let our kitchen tables andliving rooms preach louder than
any hashtag, cs Lewis said.
Since it is so likely thatchildren will meet cruel enemies
, let them at least have heardof brave knights and heroic
(35:20):
courage.
Otherwise you will be makingtheir destinies not brighter but
darker.
So often we look to superman,we look to aquaman, spider-man,
whatever wolverine, when thereality is in real life there
are real heroes.
Teach your children history,teach them the people who made a
(35:44):
difference.
Teach them about your localheroes, the police officers, the
firefighters, doctors, medicsand just kind people who do kind
things.
Celebrate them.
This house of God must be theforge where children hear brave
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knights, ancient martyrs, modernsoldiers, and see the courage
in our deeds.
Romans 12, 1-2.
Therefore, I exhort you,brothers, by the mercies of God,
to present your bodies as asacrifice, living, holy and
(36:34):
pleasing to God, which is yourspiritual service of worship,
and do not be comforted to thisage or conformed to this age,
but be transformed by therenewing of your mind, spiritual
drills forging you intoChristlike leaders.
Discipline Warrior, rationaleDiscipline, family worship
(36:59):
Warrior starts at the dinnertable.
Lead prayers, read scriptureand sing Lord's Day loyalty.
Plant the family flag inworship every week.
Declare whose kingdom you serve.
We see this time and time again.
Where it's sports season, soyour family doesn't do church,
(37:20):
right, they don't even try.
It's baseball season, it'ssoccer season.
Do you think it's any surprisewhy kids don't know what their
parents believe and why they gooff into the buzzsaw of college
and come back devil-worshipingatheists?
People think that's acontradiction, but it's not.
(37:43):
You're serving the same thingcontradiction, but it's not
serving the same thing.
Spiritual memory and prayer Loadmental magazines these are your
mind with truth.
If you're not reading your word, you have nothing to stand on.
(38:03):
You don't know what's true.
This book is true.
Fight cultural amnesia at thedinner table.
Okay, you're sitting around thetable.
Your wife is labored, created amasterful feast.
Talk about godly things.
I know it's hard.
I know you want to do otherthings.
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I know your mind is racing.
You want to see the news.
That's me.
You got work to do.
You got these things.
Whatever it is that you have,you got to check it and find the
moments to disciple your familyaround the table, and I'll
leave the other ones for anothertime.
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Proverbs the horse is preparedfor the day of battle, but
salvation belongs to Yahweh.
Charles Spurgeon said if asoldier fights for his country,
he does well, but if a soldieron the cross fights for his Lord
, he does best.
We do not diminish the valor ofthe fallen.
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They did well and we stand freebecause of it.
Spurgeon's challenge simplyreminds the living that temporal
courage finds its highestfulfillment in eternal
allegiance.
Let their earthly sacrificespur us to heavenly obedience,
to fight the good fight of faith, advance the gospel.
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Let their earthly sacrificespur us to heavenly obedience,
to fight the good fight of faith, advance the gospel and defend
the vulnerable in Jesus' name.
They bought us time, oursoldiers fighting al-Qaeda, isis
, all these things.
They bought us time.
They bought us time.
Police officers here buy ustime by putting criminals off
the street.
(39:48):
What are you going to do withthat time?
Are you going to turn to Christ?
Now?
Anything can happen.
Now's the time.
Psalm 110.1.
Yahweh says to my Lord sit atmy right hand until I put your
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enemies as a footstool for yourfeet, revelation 12.11,.
And they overcame him becauseof the blood of the Lamb,
because of the word of theirwitness and they did not love
their life even to death.
Love their life even to death.
Christ reigns now.
His gospel advances in everynation, often watered by the
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blood of patriots and martyrs.
Memorial Day is not despair.
It is a forward lean intoIsaiah 2.4.
When swords become plowsharesbecause the world has been
discipled and there is no morewar, let's go to the Lord's
Supper.
1 Corinthians 11, 28.
(40:54):
But a man must test himself,and in so doing he is to eat of
the bread and drink of the cup.
Before we partake, let us bowbefore the King of glory.
Warriors, veterans, firstresponders, families, search
your hearts, confess sin, laydown your burdens and prepare to
eat and drink in a mannerworthy of the Lord.
(41:14):
Go ahead and do that.
(41:50):
Almighty God, lord of hosts, weapproach your table not because
we are worthy, but because JesusChrist is worthy.
We come not trusting in our ownrighteousness, but clinging to
his alone.
We remember his body broken,his blood poured out for the new
covenant.
Sanctify this bread and thiscup and sanctify us as we
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proclaim the death, resurrectionand coming kingdom of Jesus
Christ, our warrior king, amen.
1 Corinthians 11, 23, 24.
The Lord Jesus, in the night forwhich he was betrayed, took
bread and when he had giventhanks, he broke it and said
this is my body, which is foryou.
Do this in remembrance of me.
(42:32):
Remember his body pierced,beaten and sacrificed for you.
Brothers and sisters, let useat together in remembrance of
Christ's body broken for us.
Go ahead and eat In the sameway.
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He took his cup, also aftersupper, saying this cup is the
new covenant in my blood.
Do this as often as you drinkit in remembrance of me.
Do this as often as you drinkit in remembrance of me.
Remember this blood poured outpurchasing forgiveness and
sealing the everlasting covering.
Let us drink together inremembrance of Christ's blood
shed for us.
Go ahead and drink, for asoften as you eat this bread and
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drink this cup, you proclaim thedeath of the Lord until he
comes.
Christ has died.
Christ has risen.
Christ will come again.
We are soldiers in hiseverlasting kingdom.
Let us pray, brothers andsisters, lock your shields and
go forth as soldiers of Christ,armed with faith, wrapped in
hope, blazing with love.
May the Lord of hosts go beforeyou to lead you, beside you to
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guard you, beneath you tosustain you and with you to
strengthen you.
Remember every fallen warrior.
Honor their legacy by rescuingthe lost, discipling the passive
and forging warriors for Christ.
Advance the kingdom untilAmerica and every nation bows
gladly to our King.
Stand firm, hold the line,fight the good fight, finish the
(44:15):
race, keep the faith until westand before the King and hear
well done, good and faithfulservant.
Grace be with you all in themighty name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
All right, thank you everyone.
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