A COMRADE HAS FALLEN

Yesterday, our Church Mission Statement and motto for the year was unveiled; “SHARE, SERVE, SEND!”  A condensed version of the Great Commission,  Matthew 28:19, Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  The ministry team did such a beautiful job of laying out the vision of “SHARE, SERVE, SEND,” but one line from Pastor Chipman caught my attention.  “When you committed your life to God, you signed up to be a soldier in His Army.”  This quote went along with last week’s message about being on the offensive and storming the Gates of Hell.  We are in a fight for souls and we cannot passively sit by or we will lose ground. The Church is not just DEFENDING territory we are marching forth to CONQUER and POSSESS territory.  THIS IS WAR!!!

Our country has been fighting the war against terror on foreign soil for over 10 years.  During that time we have sustained many casualties. Men and women have come home wounded and some have lost their life, defending our desire to live in a land free from terrorist attacks.  When a comrade has fallen, our elite military forces live by the motto, “Leave No Man Behind!”   The unit will do everything possible to rescue the injured or recover the body of their fellow soldier.  As one of these brave men stated, “American soldiers do not abandon their dead and wounded on the battlefield.”

WHAT ABOUT OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE LORD’S ARMY?  I enlisted in this army 46 years ago.  During that time I have been involved in many battles.  Every battle has not been successful but as I look back at the territory we’ve gained, I can say we are WINNING THE WAR!!!  I ask the next question with sadness and tears falling down my face, “What about our comrades that have fallen?”  So many have fallen, been wounded and left to die on the battlefield.  What have I done?  Have I watched them fall as I fought on, mourned their passing as I nursed my own wounds?  Have I callously just called them a “casualty of war,” judging that they should have been stronger, better equipped, or fought just a little harder?  How many could have been saved if I had risked all, in the heat of the battle, to reach down, take them by the hand and pull that brother or sister back to safety?  I think of the many times in my life, when a fellow soldier has wrapped their arms around me, given me a shoulder to lean on or an encouraging word in the middle of my heaviest battle; can I do any less?

We are led by a General who shed His precious blood; gave His life, that we might win the war. The Church must be brave, we must fight valiantly, but we cannot leave our own on the enemy’s battlefield.   There are brothers and sisters who have fallen, some have grown weary in the battle, others are wounded and dying; will you; will I risk my own comfort, position, even reputation to bring them home?   Our motto must be, “God’s soldiers do not abandon their dead and wounded on the battlefield.”

PRESS THROUGH THE CROWD

The sermon ended and worshippers gathered around the altar at the close of Sunday Morning service.  Sitting in the pew that morning with Caleb, Nathan and Maicie, I leaned forward to pick up a pencil for Nathan.  I turned just in time to see her blond curls disappear into the crowd.  2 year old Maicie had suddenly caught a glimpse of Grandpa and she was determined to make her way to him.  I watched as her little arms nudged a small opening to squeeze through, she pressed her way through the sea of adults, until finally her tiny hand patted his leg; Maicie had Grandpa’s full attention.  Her little arms tight around his neck and a look of satisfaction shining on her face, Maicie was exactly where heart desired to be, lifted high above the crowd, safe in Grandpa’s arms.  

In Mark 5, we read of a woman who had been sick for 12 long years.  She had spent all she had going from doctor to doctor trying to get relief.  I’m sure there were many who offered home remedies and concoctions, prayed for her and probably even tried to drive away evil spirits, but to no avail.  Verse 26 says that no matter which doctor she sought or what remedy they prescribed, “she was no better, but grew worse.”  I’m not sure why she happened to be in the crowd that day, perhaps someone had mentioned that Jesus was coming; but on this day, she was determined.  It might not have been the proper thing to do and was actually forbidden by the law to touch Him in her condition, but once her eyes caught a glimpse of Jesus, hope began rising and she started to press toward her goal.  She nudged her way through the crowd, squeezing through any opening, until finally with her last ounce of strength; she reached out and touched the hem of His garment.  For one moment all of Heaven stood still, she had Jesus’ full attention.  Mark 5:30 says, “ And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”  The little woman came and fell at His feet, her joy was complete and she was healed.

There are times in our life when we just need to be in His presence but it seems that there are too many distractions, issues and responsibilities crowding in; hiding His face from view.  DON’T GIVE UP; LOOK UP!!! If you can catch a glimpse of Jesus, determination will take over.  As you squeeze your way past the issues and nudge the distractions out of your path, you may get jostled a bit and even pick up a bruise or two, but keep pressing.  Finally, you are at His feet. Reach out one last time; from somewhere deep inside, find the strength to offer one more sacrifice of praise. Suddenly, you have His full attention; you’ve touched Him.  Let the loving arms of the Savior hold you close, wipe away your tears and calm your fears.  He is everything your heart desires; you are right where you belong.

YOUR GREATEST AGGRAVATION

We all have that special person in our life that drives us absolutely crazy.  You can be floating along on Cloud 9 when suddenly their whiney voice brings you back to earth with a thud.  They will pop up at the most inopportune time; around the corner at Wal-Mart, the center table at your favorite restaurant or beside you at the stop light.  No matter how hard you try to avoid their usual haunts, they are always somewhere in your line of sight.  You begin to wonder if you are being followed.  Maybe you are and maybe they don’t even realize why they feel compelled to constantly seek after you.  Is it possible that you may be a God-ordained lifeline to the greatest aggravation in your life?

In Acts 16, Paul relates one of his experiences.  He had been traveling, preaching the gospel when he was asked to go to Philippi in Macedonia.  A lady, named Lydia along with her entire household, obeyed the gospel and persuaded Paul’s ministry team to stay at her home in Thyatira.  What a blessing to this traveling evangelist but it wasn’t time to relax just yet.

Acts 16:16-18 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.”

As Paul and his group made their way to go pray, an “Aggravation” began to follow them.  Not only did she follow after them but constantly hollered at them, declaring them “Servants of the Most High God”.  Instead of being excited about the free publicity, this girl became an irritant to Paul.  The Bible tells us that she kept following them for days.  Perhaps they decided to take a different route but around the corner, there she stood.  Maybe they tried leaving just a little earlier or later one day; seemingly oblivious to the clock she would appear.  Finally, Paul had taken all he could take.  In fact, verse 18 says Paul was “greatly annoyed.”  NOT THE GREAT APOSTLE PAUL!!!!  Yes, the one and only…GREATLY ANNOYED.  Stopping suddenly, Paul turned around and spoke Words of Life to his “Greatest Aggravation.”

 ¹⁸ And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.

Stop for just a minute; consider once again your “Greatest Aggravation.”  Perhaps it is not just coincidence that this person is always appearing right in your path.  Remember in your prayer time, how you have been asking God to use you?  Think about how you long to have a testimony to share alongside your Heroes of the Faith.  Do you think those testimonies just happen?  What if a testimony is born because God sends an aggravation into your life?  Now to the “Aggravation;” you may have the answer to the questions they have been asking.  If you will turn around; under the power of the Holy Spirit, you may be the key that helps to unlock the chains that have held them bound for so long.  Take a second look, through God’s eyes.  You may be a God-ordained lifeline to the “Greatest Aggravation” in your life.