Sunday, August 10, 2014

Acts 10



Good morning everyone!

LAST WEEK’S RECAP

For those of you who might be new today, we have been preaching through the book of Acts. Last week we were in Acts 9. Two major themes were going on in Chapter Nine: the conversion of Saul, which gets the most attention in Christian circles, and the story of Peter healing Aeneas and raising Dorcas from the dead.
Saul, who became Paul, was a zealous Pharisee.

Acts 7:58 RSV: Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Acts 8:1-3 RSV: And Saul was consenting to his death. And on that day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the region of Judea and Samar′ia, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
Acts 9:1 RSV: Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

Paul was a zealous Christian; so much so that there were two plots to kill him.

Acts 9:22-25 RSV: But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ. When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night, to kill him; but his disciples took him by night and let him down over the wall, lowering him in a basket.

And then the Hellenistic Jews tried to kill him in Jerusalem because he was “preaching boldly in the name of the Lord” (Acts 9:28-29 RSV). Finally Christians took him to Caesarea and sent him back to Tarsus (Acts 9:30 RSV). Peace in the church & it grew stronger (Acts 9:31 RSV).
In Acts 9:32-43 RSV, we are told about Peter healing Aeneas and raising Dorcas (who was also called Tabitha).And Peter said to him, “Aene′as, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose”(Acts 9:34 RSV).  Acts 9:40-41 says:

But Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, rise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and lifted her up. Then calling the saints and widows he presented her alive.

Why do I tell you all this again? Because two major things were happening: 1) God was still in the business of dramatically changing lives and 2) God was still in the business of working miracles. What’s interesting is that this all happened after Pentecost. This was after Jesus had risen from the dead and ascended into Heaven and now things were going beyond the Apostles

THIS WEEK’S OVERVIEW

This week we’re going to look into Acts 10 and I want to do a quick overview before we get down to brass tacks and bare knuckles. Acts 10:1-8. We’re introduced to the Roman army officer, Cornelius.  He was the Captain of the Italian Regiment. He was a God-fearing man as was his entire household. He was a man who understood authority / service. God has also given him a vision. An angel told him that the Apostle Peter was going to be coming for a visit
Acts 10:9-16 tells us about Peter, who was on a rooftop and then falls into a trance. He too has a vision. His was a vision of sheet and various animals. Peter, still true to his character that was revealed throughout his time with Jesus, was stubborn. God tells him to rise, kill and eat but Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean” (Acts 10:13 RSV). God told Peter three times, “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean” (Acts 10:14 RSV). Acts 10:17-23 conveys what Cornelius had charged his servants to explain to Peter when he asked them to come to his house: who they were, under whose authority they came, and the expectation that Peter return with them to their master.
To make a long story short, Cornelius had sent men to Peter to bring him back to his house per the directive of God. Unlike Peter, it only took Cornelius once to execute a command given to him by God through the vision. Peter returns with the men and then Peter and Cornelius meet. This is what happens next.
Please stand for the reading of God’s Word …

READING OF GOD’S WORD

They arrived in Caesarea the following day. Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. As Peter entered his home, Cornelius fell at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter pulled him up and said, “Stand up! I’m a human being just like you!” So they talked together and went inside, where many others were assembled.

Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. So I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. Now tell me why you sent for me.”

Cornelius replied, “Four days ago I was praying in my house about this same time, three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly, a man in dazzling clothes was standing in front of me. He told me, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been noticed by God! Now send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.’ So I sent for you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here, waiting before God to hear the message the Lord has given you.”
Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel – that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.  You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee, after John began preaching his message of baptism. And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him to life on the third day. Then God allowed him to appear, not to the general public, but to us whom God had chosen in advance to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all – the living and the dead. He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.

Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God.

Then Peter asked, “Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days (Acts 10:24-48 RSV).

PRAYER

Heavenly Father … we come to you today with our hearts and minds completely fixed on you. We ask that you give us ears to hear and eyes to see. Lord, we thank you for your Word and we believe in our hearts that your Word has been with you since the beginning. The Word was with you and the Word is you. God, you created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. Father, we thank you that through your Word, your light shines in the darkness … and the darkness can never extinguish it. Amen.

THE SERMON

Does anyone remember the old Louis Armstrong / Ella Fitzgerald song, “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off?” If you’re like me, you might have a better memory of Christopher Walken and Jimmy Fallon performing this song as a sketch on Saturday Night Live.

You say either and I say either,
You say neither and I say neither
Either, either neither, neither
Let's call the whole thing off.

You like potato and I like potahto
You like tomato and I like tomahto
Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto.
Let's call the whole thing off[1]

Words - it’s all in how they’re said and the meaning behind each one. Scripture tells us quite often to choose our words wisely – the power of life and death are in the what? The tongue (Proverbs 18:21 NLT). Alistair Begg teaches, “Three things come not back: the spent arrow, the spoken word and the missed opportunity.” I bring this to your attention simply because I sometimes fall into the trap of preaching when I should be teaching and teaching when I should be preaching.

PREACHING vs. TEACHING

Merriam-Webster defines “preach” as “To make a speech about religion in a church or other public place : to deliver a sermon.”[2] That’s what we attempt to do here every Sunday to encourage you to live your faiths throughout the week. Merriam-Webster also says these about the definition of preach: “to write or speak in an annoying way about the right way to behave.” [3] That definition reminds me of that old Madonna song, “Papa Don’t Preach.”
Merriam-Webster defines “teach” as “To cause or help (someone) to learn about a subject by giving lessons.”[4] It’s clear what the Bible says about teaching in the church. “Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly” (James 3:1 NLT).
I want to preach this morning. Why? “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news … who proclaims peace … who brings glad tidings of good things … who proclaims salvation … who says to Zion, “Your God reigns” (Isaiah 52:7 NKJV; spacing mine). Paul refers to this scripture in Romans 10:8-15 NKJV when he’s explaining righteousness through faith … rather than by the Law.

But what does [Scripture] say? “The word is near you in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”(Romans 10:8-15 NKJV; emphasis mine).

So I pray … I pray… that you hear me as a preacher today.

REMEMBER THE SETTING

Remember where we were at in the story: Peter had just been brought to Cornelius’ house by two servants and one soldier who served Cornelius – men under authority. Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. As a matter of tracking things, at some point, Cornelius had become a believer. Remember, he was a Roman – a Gentile – who had claimed the name of Jesus. Now he and his household were gathered. Do you remember what the Bible says about the gathering of saints? “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20 NKJV). So God was already there … as He is here right now.
Let’s look at Acts 10:25-27. “As Peter entered his home, Cornelius fell at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter pulled him up and said, “Stand up! I’m a human being just like you!” (Acts 10:25-26 RSV). Peter had to do an on the spot correction. Reading this makes me wonder if Cornelius was a Young believer. Maybe he was a little over zealous. Maybe he was a little bit ignorant to this new “Christianese.” Maybe he wasn’t. In our world right now, ISIS is killing Christians in Iraq. It may have been that the culture in which this “new faith” was growing was one of violent persecution and they were fearful that too much of a good thing might draw undue attention from the persecutors. Either way, Peter may not have been the brightest light in the lamp but one thing is for certain … he knew that he wasn’t God. He may have denied Jesus three times before the rooster crowed … and maybe he was a bit aggressive (remember the ear incident in the Garden) … but he wasn’t going to say he was God.
Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. So I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. Now tell me why you sent for me” (Acts 10:28-29 RSV). Peter finally got it! We are all God’s children! It wasn’t about the law given through Moses and compounded by the religious hierarchy. It was about the grace given only through Jesus Christ. Think about this folks. Peter was living out what you and I and millions of others have been reading about for the last 2000 years. We have the advantage of hindsight. We have the advantage of generations of scholarly work to better understand the Bible. We have the luxury of being armchair quarterbacks – more so than any other time in history. But God doesn’t call us to be armchair quarterbacks, does he? God calls us to be starters; first string play makers. Peter lived this!
Paul gets all the accolades for taking the Gospel to the Gentiles but through Peter, God was about to blow his “children’s” minds and their whole belief system. This was absolutely radical. For centuries, the Israelites – the Hebrew children – had distanced themselves from “unclean” things and were now about to be blown out of the water! Verse 12 says, “Four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.” Peter had to be thinking, “Are you serious God?” Verse 14 says, “But Peter said, “No, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.”” Now if Peter was saying, “No,” imagine what the truly zealous Jews would have said!
But as much as this is about Peter receiving this kind of revelation … we have to recognize that ultimately, he was obedient to God’s commands. Folks, when God speaks to you … are you obedient? When you pray and are seeking his will … are you receptive to hearing God’s answer? What about when He gives you an answer you don’t want to hear? Do you debate what’s being said? Do you make excuses … or do you execute? Jesus said, “If you love me … obey my commandments” (John 14:15 NLT).

THE GENTILES HEAR THE GOOD NEWS

 Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism.  In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right” (Acts 10:34-35 RSV). Peter was finally getting it! If you jump back to John 10, Jesus was trying his best … to get his disciples to understand this … when he shared the parable of the Good Shepherd and his Sheep. Let’s start at John 10:6:

Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep (John 10:6-15 NLT).

Here’s the key …

 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.

That’s the key …

 The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded (John 10:16-18 NLT).

We continue in Acts.

This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel That there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee After John began preaching his message of baptism.  And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him to life on the third day. Then God allowed him to appear, not to the general public, but to us whom God had chosen in advance to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all … the living and the dead. He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name (Acts 10:36-43NLT).

Peter is basically telling this gathering of people that this is what the Gospel is all about: Jesus is alive – He is the Risen Messiah.  He is – I AM. I AM yesterday, today, and forever. “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God and the Word was God” (John 1:1 NLT). “Heaven and earth will disappear but my words will never disappear” (Matthews 24:35 NLT). “I am the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come – the Almighty One” (Revelation 1:8 NLT).
Remember … these people are gathered and they are hearing the Word of God and faith comes by what? Hearing. And hearing by what? The Word of God. And God was already present because believers were gathered … so what happened next?

THE GENTILES RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

 Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message” (Acts 10:44 RSV). And faith comes by what? Hearing. “The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too” (Acts 10:45 RSV). The Holy Spirit is not a Jewish thing … He is a God thing!

For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God. Then Peter asked, “Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 10:46-48 RSV).

So I ask you this dear Christian? What or who is the Holy Spirit? A second question might be: what are some of the attributes of the Holy Spirit? The Psalmist alludes to the Holy Spirit as that force that keeps him in God’s presence (Psalm 51:11). John lists him as the Advocate or Helper (John 14:26). Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20). Jesus was baptized by the Holy Spirit, led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit and walked in the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 4). Every sin can be forgiven except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31).
These people – first the Jew and then the Gentile – were experiencing the fullness of God’s manifestation of his Holy Spirit. On this particular occasion, speaking in tongues was the evidence that they had received the Holy Spirit. They had the power of God in them. They had the Spirit of Truth. They had the Advocate and they were GENTILES. They weren’t Jews. Again … this was radical in that day and age. God had chosen to manifest his presence outside the society of Jewish believers. God wanted and continues to want the world to know that He is I AM – that He is the Living God – that his power is freely given to those who believe. “Peter said: “Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him” (Acts 10:34-35 RSV). Whether Jew or Gentile, man or woman, slave or free man … anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. The Gospel is not bound by our limited idea of who God is. God is infinitely more than we can ever imagine.

My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT).

We have the Bible – his Word – that He has freely given us so that we might know him and his love story throughout the passage of time

SO WHAT?

What do we do with this now? Again, we have the luxury of 2000 years of studying this Word by experts. We’ve been guided by theologians who know how exegete and extrapolate truth based on source documents, presuppositions, and years of rigorous research. But the simple answer is this: “You will seek the Lord your God and you will find him if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 4:29 RSV). Because God is truth, try it this way too; you will seek the Truth and you will find it if you search after it with all your heart and with all your soul.

SEVEN TAKE AWAYS

God wants us together // the First Church
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:42-47 NKJV).

God wants us to know that He’s God and we’re not // The Rich Young Ruler
Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Matthew 19:16-17 NKJV).

God wants us to be obedient // Abraham & Jesus
Abraham
This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies (Genesis 22:16-17 NLT).

Jesus
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross (Philippians 2:7-8 NLT).

God wants us to be under authority // The Roman Centurion
I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it (Matthew 8:9 NLT).

God wants everyone // Longsuffering
But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:8-9 NJKV).

God wants to answer your prayers // the Psalmist
You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas (Psalm 65:5 NLT).

God wants you to be open to the movement of the Holy Spirit // Jesus’ Last Command & Paul’s encouragement
Jesus’ Last Command
And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven (Luke 24:49 NLT).

Paul’s encouragement
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13 NLT).

RECAP

1)      God wants us together; He wants us in fellowship
2)      God wants us to know that He’s God and we’re not
3)      God wants us to be obedient
4)      God wants us to be under authority
5)      God wants everyone
6)      God wants to answer your prayers
7)      God wants you to be open to the movement of the Holy Spirit

PRAYER

God … you brought us here today to share in the hearing of your Word. I pray that your Word did not fall on deaf ears or hard hearts. I pray that the Holy Spirit has stirred hearts this morning as I pray he does every day in the hearts of those who serve you. As we walk out of this sanctuary, I pray that your Spirit empowers us to be the church outside these walls. Encourage us so that we can encourage one another. Bless us so that we may be a blessing. In all these things, we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Memorial Day Message ~ May 25, 2014



INTRODUCTION

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you: Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your soul. The other died for your freedom.[1]
My name is Malcolm Rios and I am the Operations Officer for the Army’s Chaplain Recruiting Branch here at Fort Knox. I’m honored to have been invited by Bill Knott to come and speak here at Radcliff First Assembly on this Memorial Day Sunday. I brought my family with me: Amanda, Sophia, and Angus.
You don’t know me from Adam … so I’m compelled to give you a little background about myself … possibly shed some light on why Bill asked me to join you in worship today. I graduated from high school in 1988 and by the end of the summer was at Naval Station Great Lakes for Basic Training. I spent four glorious years in the Navy. Got to see a lot of the world, deployed once, and did a few tours at GTMO. After my tour, I went back home and enrolled in college. I had three inglorious years in college. I think the best thing I did in college was get involved in rugby. I just came off my 19th year playing. It was with Louisville Rugby Football Club.
Jump ahead and in May of 1997 I gave my life to Christ. I gave my life to Christ in an A/G church – Trinity Assembly in Algood, TN, to be exact. Eddie Turner was the Senior Pastor but Mike Campbell was preaching the day I gave my life to Jesus. As a new Christian, I was hungry and jumped in head first. I immediately plugged into Chi Alpha. In 1998, I plugged into Young Life ministry. In 2000, an evangelist shared about the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary (AGTS) in church. I applied and was accepted but deferred to pay off some loans I had taken out to start a landscaping business.
In 2001, 9/11 goes down. On 9/12, I was in a recruiting station trying to figure out how I could come in as a chaplain. The recruiters told me I needed to go to seminary and get a M.Div. so on January 1, 2002, I left home and went to AGTS to begin my pursuit of chaplaincy. I was not picked up by the Navy (because the Navy is where I started). In the summer of 2003, I came back to TN & enlisted in the Tennessee Army National Guard (TNARNG) as medic.
Early in 2004, our Regiment (278th ACR) was mobilized and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III. We returned from Iraq in 2005. In 2006, after six months of decompression and reintegration, I accepted a position as Associate Pastor / Youth Pastor of Livingston First United Methodist Church (LFUMC). That is where I met Amanda and we married almost a year later.
I ended my enlisted time with the TNARNG in November 2007 but always told Amanda that if the opportunity ever came up to be a chaplain, I would go for it. Our daughter, Sophia, was born in 2008. In 2009, I got a call from an old friend who I played rugby with in college and he asked me, “Do you want to be a chaplain?” He told me what I needed to do and who I needed to talk to so I enrolled online to complete the qualifications for a M.Div. through Liberty University. Angus was born in September.
I was commissioned as chaplain candidate in February 2010. Upon completion of my M.Div. in the summer of 2011, I was accessed as a Chaplain for the TNARNG. My heart’s intention was to be an Active Duty chaplain. I wanted to do it fulltime, full-bore. I applied and in 2012, was boarded and selected on an Order of Merit List. God opened doors and I sworn in on Active Duty in September of 2012; my first duty station being Fort Knox and my first position being Operations Officer in Charge, Chaplain Recruiting Branch. Folks … all of that was just a snapshot from 50000 feet of who I am and where I’ve come from … because of who God is and what He has done in my life.

OPENING PRAYER

Let us pray.

Lord … we come to you with open hearts and ask that you speak to our spirits with words of wisdom and direction, that we may know how you wish for us to pray. Help your humble servants to speak words of praise and adoration, for you are the King of kings and Lord of lords. Teach us, Lord, that we may know you and the power of your resurrection. Fill us with your presence and forgive our shortcomings. Lead us, O Lord, to a higher place, that you might be lifted up and draw all men to you. Amen.[2]

SCRIPTURE
1 And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying: “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’” 
Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe; and Joshua said to them: “Cross over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 
Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.” 
And the children of Israel did so, just as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan, as the Lord had spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. 
Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the Ark of the Covenant stood; and they are there to this day. (Joshua 4:4-9 NLT)

PRAYER

ALMIGHTY God, giver and sustainer of life and liberty … we bow our heads in honor and memory of all those who in past wars paid the ultimate sacrifice, that we might enjoy the blessings of governing our own land … according to our own laws … and by our own people. We remember not only those who left their homes never to come back again, but also the mothers in whose windows hangs a gold star; and the tens of thousands of wives who said good bye one last time; and for the children, whose daddies never got to hold their son or daughter again.Lord God of Hosts, be with us, lest we forget. Lest we forget the noble efforts of both the past and the present to free the enslaved, to maintain order in a world of unrest and chaos, to promote social justice, yes, and to preserve our land from terrorism and all who would take from us our freedom of thought … our freedom of expression … our freedom of worship … and our freedom of government.[3]May words of my mouth and the thoughts and meditations in our hearts be wholly and pleasing to you, Father. Amen.

SERMON

What comes to mind when you hear the word “memorial?” Before I prayed, we read about Joshua leading the Nation of Israel across the Jordan. They were headed where? To the Promised Land, right. And what did God ask Joshua to do when they were crossing? Pick twelve men – twelve leaders – to pick up 12 stones and erect a memorial. Why’d God do that? What did these stones mean? Joshua 4:7 says, “You shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.” A memorial to the children of Israel forever … that got me wondering, “What else does the Bible say about memorials.”

Exodus 3:14-15 NKJV
“And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’”

So God gave his name as a memorial to the children of Israel. Why? It was to remind them that He is the living God. He’s not just the God of their ancestors or the God of everyone’s future hope. He is the God of the here and now! I AM!

Exodus 12:13-14 NKJV
“Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. ‘So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.”

The Passover is a memorial. God’s work again on behalf of his people! Think about it … God sent “The Death Angel” to make a point to Pharaoh … and an example out of him … and He – God – made a way out for his people. Tell me Passover isn’t important to remember!

Mark 14:3-9 NKJV
And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply. But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

Do you see a pattern happening here? Somebody doing something for somebody else. A memorial – a remembrance – for someone who has given of themselves – sacrificed – for someone else.
As Christians, what do you think our greatest memorial is? It has to be the cross. Everything after the cross is what gives us hope … but it’s the cross … where Jesus bled and died and gave himself for us … that’s where the sacrifice happened.
Now let me ask you about Memorial Day? What does Memorial Day mean to you? Do you know the history of Memorial Day? There is some debate out there … and I got this off the internet … which only tells you the truth … but this is from the US Memorial Day website

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of the United States of America. Over two dozen cities and towns claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day. Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966.
Memorial Day was borne out of the Civil War and a desire to honor our dead. It was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11. “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land,” he proclaimed. The date of Decoration Day, as he called it, was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle.
On the first Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there.
The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war).
It is now celebrated in almost every state on the last Monday in May with Congressional passage of the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 – 363).[4]
So what do we glean from that? Memorial Day was borne out of a desire to honor our dead. It was done by decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country. The date was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle. So memorials are important because they help us … and future generations … remember the sacrifices that people before us have made so that we can enjoy what we enjoy today.
I gave you three biblical examples of memorials up front. But the Bible is filled with so many more because God wants us to remember the work He has done for us. That’s the whole message of the Gospel … the work God has done for us! That’s all it’s about. Let me share one more memorial with you from the New Testament. Turn to Matthew 17 … this is the story of the transfiguration. I love this story because it constantly reminds me of how zealous Peter was and how humble Jesus really was.

1 Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. 2 As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. 3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus. 4 Peter exclaimed, “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”5 But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” 6 The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground. 7 Then Jesus came over and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 And when they looked up, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus. 9 As they went back down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead” (Matthew 17:1-9 NLT).

Peter wanted everyone to know that he had just experienced something great! Why wouldn’t he? He just saw Jesus with Moses and Elijah … two guys who had been dead for hundreds of years! And then he heard the voice of God! Wouldn’t you be a little excited? He wanted others to know and remember as well but Jesus had other plans. The Bible says that a lot, you know …”But God” or “But Jesus” … and then it’s followed by Jesus doing something or saying something that makes me think, “Silly disciples” or “Stupid Pharisees” or mostly, “Silly Malcolm.”
Jesus didn’t want anybody else to know what Peter, James, and John had seen … until He did something even more incredible … get raised from the dead! But isn’t that the case for anyone you’ve ever met or seen that has done something of any real significance for someone else … they don’t want all the hype.
Now, we’re gonna talk military here but think about it … when was the last time you watched a Medal of Honor Ceremony for a living recipient? What is consistent about those ceremonies? The recipient always says it’s not about him … it’s about the real heroes … the ones who didn’t make it back. Every time! To the recipient … the Medal is a memorial to those men and women he took action to protect and serve. Now there are all kinds of awards that given as memorials to those who serve and have served: Purple Heart, Silver Star, Bronze Star … but let’s focus on the one that says, “This guy really laid it all out there.”

MEDAL OF HONOR

I’d like to share with you the criteria for being nominated / awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force which can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States. Generally, the Medal of Honor is presented to its recipient by the President of the United States of America.

The Medal of Honor is presented to the service member who distinguishes himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:
(1) while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;
(2) while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or
(3) while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

[Besides being given the individual award, the recipients are memorialized one step further.]  The Hall of Heroes is located inside the Pentagon and honors each and every Medal of Honor recipient. Inside the hall, three glass cases enclose the three versions of the Medal of Honor - the Army version; the sea-going version for the Navy, the Marine Corps and the Coast Guard; and the Air Force version. More than 3,100 thin silver metal strips, each engraved with a name of a Medal of Honor awardee, line the walls in long columns. The Hall of Heroes was opened and dedicated by President Lyndon B. Johnson on May 14, 1968.[5]

For all the Soldiers here, what are the Army Values?
·         Loyalty
·         Duty
·         Respect
·         Selfless Service
·         Honor
·         Integrity
·         Personal Courage

I want to talk about “Selfless Service.”
Put the welfare of the nation, the Army and your subordinates before your own. Selfless service is larger than just one person. In serving your country, you are doing your duty loyally without thought of recognition or gain. The basic building block of selfless service is the commitment of each team member to go a little further, endure a little longer, and look a little closer to see how he or she can add to the effort.[6]

Jesus wasn’t in the Army but isn’t that what he did? His mission was larger than himself Remember what Philippians 2:5-7 NKJV says? “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.” Jesus went a little further. He endured a little longer. He took it upon himself – literally – to be the game changer. That’s what He did for you, for you, and for me.
Aren’t those the very things that we really remember on Memorial Day? Not just their names but what their lives represent. We honor the dead because they lived lives worthy of remembrances. Whether they died on a lonely battlefield thousands of miles away from home or years later in the company of generations of their family … we honor the sacrifices they made so that we can lived blessed lives today. I’m going to close out with one more story. It’s about a guy named Murph.

MURPH
Michael P. Murphy, fondly referred to by friends and family as “Murph,” was born May 7, 1976 in Smithtown, N.Y. and grew up in the New York City commuter town of Patchogue, N.Y. on Long Island. Murphy grew up active in sports and attended Patchogue's Saxton Middle School. In high school, Murphy took a summer lifeguard job at the Brookhaven town beach in Lake Ronkonkoma -- a job he returned to each summer through his college years. Murphy graduated from Patchogue-Medford High School in 1994.
Murphy attended Penn State University, where he was an exceptional all-around athlete and student, excelling at ice hockey and graduating with honors. He was an avid reader; his reading tastes ranged from the Greek historian Herodotus to Tolstoy's "War and Peace." Murphy's favorite book was Steven Pressfield’s “Gates of Fire,” about the Spartan stand at Thermopylae. In 1998, he graduated with a pair of Bachelor of Arts degrees from Penn State -- in political science and psychology.
Following graduation, he was accepted to several law schools, but instead he changed course.  Slightly built at 5 feet 10 inches, Murphy decided to attend SEAL mentoring sessions at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point with his sights on becoming a U.S. Navy SEAL. Murphy accepted an appointment to the Navy's Officer Candidate School at Pensacola, Fla., in September, 2000.
Murphy was commissioned as an ensign in the Navy on Dec. 13, 2000, and began Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training in Coronado, Calif., in January 2001, graduating with Class 236. BUD/S is a six-month training course and the first step to becoming a Navy SEAL.
Upon graduation from BUD/S, he attended the Army Jump School, SEAL Qualification Training and SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) School. Lt. Murphy earned his SEAL Trident and checked on board SDV Team (SDVT) 1 in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in July of 2002. In October of 2002, he deployed with Foxtrot Platoon to Jordan as the liaison officer for Exercise Early Victor.
Following his tour with SDVT-1, Lt. Murphy was assigned to Special Operations Central Command in Florida and deployed to Qatar in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. After returning from Qatar, Lt. Murphy was deployed to the Horn of Africa, Djibouti, to assist in the operational planning of future SDV missions.
In early 2005, Murphy was assigned to SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1 as assistant officer in charge of ALFA Platoon and deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
On June 28, 2005, Lt. Murphy was the officer-in-charge of a four-man SEAL element in support of Operation Red Wing tasked with finding key anti-coalition militia commander near Asadabad, Afghanistan. Shortly after inserting into the objective area, the SEALs were spotted by three goat herders who were initially detained and then released. It is believed the goat herders immediately reported the SEALs’ presence to Taliban fighters.
A fierce gun battle ensued on the steep face of the mountain between the SEALs and a much larger enemy force. Despite the intensity of the firefight and suffering grave gunshot wounds himself, Murphy is credited with risking his own life to save the lives of his teammates. Murphy, intent on making contact with headquarters, but realizing this would be impossible in the extreme terrain where they were fighting, unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his own life moved into the open, where he could gain a better position to transmit a call to get help for his men.
Moving away from the protective mountain rocks, he knowingly exposed himself to increased enemy gunfire.  This deliberate and heroic act deprived him of cover and made him a target for the enemy.  While continuing to be fired upon, Murphy made contact with the SOF Quick Reaction Force at Bagram Air Base and requested assistance. He calmly provided his unit’s location and the size of the enemy force while requesting immediate support for his team. At one point, he was shot in the back causing him to drop the transmitter. Murphy picked it back up, completed the call and continued firing at the enemy who was closing in.  Severely wounded, Lt. Murphy returned to his cover position with his men and continued the battle.
As a result of Murphy’s call, an MH-47 Chinook helicopter, with eight additional SEALs and eight Army Night Stalkers aboard, was sent in as part of the QRF to extract the four embattled SEALs. As the Chinook drew nearer to the fight, a rocket-propelled grenade hit the helicopter, causing it to crash and killing all 16 men aboard.
On the ground and nearly out of ammunition, the four SEALs continued to fight.  By the end of a two-hour gunfight that careened through the hills and over cliffs, Murphy, Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Danny Dietz and Sonar Technician 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew Axelson had fallen. An estimated 35 Taliban were also dead.  The fourth SEAL, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (SEAL) Marcus Luttrell, was blasted over a ridge by a rocket-propelled grenade and knocked unconscious. Though severely wounded, the fourth SEAL and sole survivor, Luttrell, was able to evade the enemy for nearly a day; after which local nationals came to his aide, carrying him to a nearby village where they kept him for three more days. Luttrell was rescued by U.S. Forces on July 2, 2005.
By his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit and inspirational devotion to his men in the face of certain death, Lt. Murphy was able to relay the position of his unit, an act that ultimately led to the rescue of Luttrell and the recovery of the remains of the three who were killed in the battle.
Lt. Murphy was buried at Calverton National Cemetery less than 20 miles from his childhood home. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. His other personal awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Ribbon and National Defense Service Medal.[7]
Murph has been memorialized by his teammate, Marcus Luttrell, in the book Lone Survivor which is also now a major motion picture. His family and close friends have released a documentary titled, Murph, which honors him like nothing I’ve ever seen. I hope we all live lives worthy of being remembered on the scale that Murph continues to be remembered … because he gave all.
On this Memorial Day … remember the fallen. Honor the dead … for “only the dead have seen the end of war.”[8]

 And know this …
1 to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
A time to tear, and a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate;
A time of war, and a time of peace (Ecc. 3:1-8 NLT).

I pray this is your time of peace. I pray that if you have not picked up your memorial stone – come to the memorial of the cross – make this day your day – make this day your memorial. All gave some … some gave all.
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you: The American Soldier and Jesus Christ. One died for your freedom. The other died for your soul.

CLOSING PRAYER 

Let us pray the prayer of Francis of Assisi: “Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is darkness, light; where there is sickness, health; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be loved as to love; for it is in giving we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born to eternal life." This we pray in Jesus name. Amen


[1] Dennis Edward O'Brien, Sergeant, USMC.

[2] Jack Countryman, If My People …: A 40-Day Prayer Guide for Our Nation (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008), 36.
[5] http://www.navy.mil/moh/faq.html (Accessed May 23, 2014).
[8] Plato.