[The following is a version of what I gave at the Memorial Day Service at the gravesite in Florida Ohio]
Grace mercy and Peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen The Text for the Sermon today is the Epistle reading, “Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2).
My wife and I are listening to this book Titled The President Is Dead! And you could probably guess: it’s all about how they all died. There is a lot of Good things about the book but my favorite was a quote from "Light-Horse Harry" Lee. [He is the Father of General Robert E Lee; and he was one of George Washington’s generals]. And when our First President, George Washington Died, he gave this Eulogy:
“First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.”
And when we consider the men who have died for our country that is usually how we think about them.
I want everyone here to think about a family member they have in the military. What was it like when you first heard they had served? Others of you have to think about the first time they told you they were going to serve. Do you remember what they looked like in their uniform? If you remember when they went off to war or to a conflict, where you concerned for their safety?
This Summer our county will celebrate its 250th Birthday. And we have been at war a lot of that TIME! We started fighting the British. Later we fought ourselves. Even later, Americans fought in World War 2. We fought in the Korean War. We fought in Vietnam. In the 90’s we fought in Iraq and in Yugoslavia. Recently, we have fought in the war on Terror. This very day Soldiers are deployed all over the world. And are even in Combat zones around IRAN As we speak.
We can look at the people who fought and died for this country and see them as Heroes. We can see the men and women who serve our country right now as heroes also.
Today is a day where we should think about our own sense of Patriotism. Today we should have a renewed sense of gratitude for those who served this country. Another quote I love is what Abraham Lincoln said about the men who died at Gettysburg:
We are met to dedicate a portion of it as the final resting-place of those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.
Today I ask you to be grateful for our country, which so many men and woman have died for. We should also be grateful for all the men and woman who serve in active duty. We should also be grateful for those members of our community and our Family who are veterans. Today is a National holiday. It is not a religious holiday pure-say, but today like every day we can give thanks to God.
After all we have a TIMELESS, Great and GRACE-Filled God. When we loss people in a war it might make us ask WHERE IS GOD? The answer is He is PRESENT IS with his people.
The resurrected Jesus in Matthew 28:20b [NIV] 20 And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” In other words, the son of God answers, “I am where and who I have always been, and will always be. I am almighty. And, I shall show my power on the last day.”
It’s true, we live in a broken world. Our own sins are proof that we live in a world that is broken. We can also see the wars and bloodshed that happens in this world and recognize that it is broken. But we should also remember that Jesus died for this world. He redeemed this world through the Cross. It’s easy to look at a century of warfare and think the world is unlovable. If you think even for a second that Jesus has left you or has stopped loving you, I invite you look at the Cross and the Empty Tomb.
We need to stop focusing on death and gravestones. Its easy for us to focus on such things, especially in a year full of War. We need instead to focus on a manager in Bethlehem. We need to focus on a Cross at Golgotha. And we need to focus on an empty tomb in Jerusalem.
Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, including yours. He even died for the sins of all of humanity. How awesome is the love of God, to send his son to do such a thing.
God’s perfect love can cast out our fear. It can even cast out our fear of death. It can cast out our fear of the unknown, of terrorism and even of Covid.
If you have family members who are deployed, they need to hear from you. They need to hear that you are praying for them. And if they can hear that God loves them, even in the midst of their deployment.
1 John 4:16 [NIV].
13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
I want to end with the words of Abraham Lincoln because I think it still applies to us today:
IT is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us, that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that the dead shall not have died in vain; that the nation shall, under God, have a new birth of freedom; and that Governments of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
May the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, guard and keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen
