The Lutheran Hour
-
"Remember, Don’t Forget"
- Download MP3 No bonus material MP3
-
Text: Ezekiel 37:3
-
Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Although our sinful human condition often causes us to forget that which is important, today we ask the Lord to help us remember. Help us remember those who have given their lives so we might be free. Above all let us remember the crucified and risen Redeemer whose sacrifice has given us eternal life. God grant such a grateful heart and memory be given to us all. Amen.
At Gettysburg, Lincoln said it: “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here… 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 gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain.” In one of the most profound declarations to which the English language has been applied, Lincoln said to his fellow countrymen: “Remember, don’t forget.”
Almost 40 years ago I conducted my first Memorial Day service. The bugler played Taps, and in spite of the fact he couldn’t hit the high notes well, it was incredibly moving. Wearing uniforms which had noticeably shrunk since they had been worn in service, the Color Guard shot their volleys to honor their fallen comrades. The older folk jumped at the loud report of the guns and the children scrambled for the brass casings which they would keep as a memento of the day. For me the most memorable part of that service was seeing the nine chairs the local VFW had set up for the nine old men who were veterans of World War I. By the time I left that farming community little more than a decade later, the number of folding chairs was down to three; today there are none. Historians say that on February 4th of this year, Florence Green, the last veteran of World War I, passed away. She was 110 years old. 65,000,000 soldiers fought in that War which had hopefully, and wrongly, been labeled as the “War To End All Wars.” 65,000,000 soldiers and all of them are gone.
Knowing that, I would like to ask you a question, a question which ought to be simple. Can you tell me: what was the cause for which World War I was fought? What was the reason which mobilized these 65,000,000 soldiers? What was the motivation which was so powerful that 10,000,000 uniformed individuals gave…how did Lincoln say it, “the last full measure of devotion”? Yes, I know the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was the match which ignited the fire which became World War I. Still, the murder of an Archduke is not reason enough, justification enough to mobilize 65 million soldiers, to justify the deaths of 10 million military personnel and 7 million civilians.
I am compelled to confess, I don’t have the answer to that question. And that, my friends, is surprising. It is surprising because, less than 100 years ago the propaganda machines of those countries came up with catchy slogans to rally support for the home forces and put out posters vilifying the enemy. Less than 100 years ago the governments of more than 100 countries encouraged their young people to leave their families, their spouses, their children, their friends, all which was familiar, and enlist and fight in a great global conflict. Less than 100 years ago the people who were left at home were called upon to make great sacrifices for the war effort… limit this, give up that…those were the orders for the home front. Less than 100 years ago patriotism promised that the reason for the fighting would always be remembered and every commitment made to the cause would be recalled eternally.
But we haven’t remembered, have we? We have forgotten. You have to look hard to find folks who believe this weekend is more than a three-day holiday during which we watch the Indy 500; get the boat out of storage, have a barbecue, and put together a foursome for the golf course. We have forgotten. What else could explain why, in 2009, a homeowner’s association from a community in Virginia, a community whose name I won’t share, ordered Van Barfoot (died March 2, 2012) to remove the flagpole in his yard. The association’s bylaws didn’t forbid flagpoles, but the association decided the pole which flew the American flag was aesthetically unpleasing. Oh, did I mention that 90-year-old Van Barfoot was the recipient of the Medal of Honor? Did I share that he not only fought in World War II, but he was also there in Korea and Vietnam? Yes, we have forgotten.
Understand, it no longer bothers the veterans of World War I that the generations who have come after them no longer remember their cause or that they weren’t going to come back until it was over over there. They aren’t bothered, for they are all gone now. Nor does World War II’s Van Barfoot mind. The man who had singlehandedly taken out three German machine gun nests, who captured numerous enemy soldiers; who bazookaed a tank which was mounting a counteroffensive; who entered enemy territory to destroy a German artillery piece, who carried some of his wounded comrades to safety; this seemingly indestructible soldier no longer minds that many in his country have forgotten. Van Barfoot doesn’t mind because even a Medal of Honor winner can’t win when death comes calling. Van Barfoot left us on March 2nd of this year.
It is a sad thing when people forget important things like that. Understand, I am no lover of war and bloodshed. I’m not, nor is any sane individual. War remains an admission that civilization’s veneer is paper thin. War is an admittance that nations can still be swept away by a charismatic leader whose thoughts are dark and his heart still darker. War remains because some have an unslakeable lust for power, a desire to dominate others whom they consider lesser, smaller, insignificant, and inconsequential. War remains as an acknowledgment that in the human heart and mind and soul there is a monstrous malevolence, a sordid sinfulness, a great evil which sweeps aside all which ought to be good and honorable and peace loving in the human race.
War is a bloody opportunity for humanity to learn from its failures, even as it can be a temporary check of a growing evil. It can be these things, but only if the failures and the evils are remembered. And the truth is, people don’t remember. We forget. Our generation, like every generation before us, has managed to forget the good and the evil; we forget the selfishness and the sacrifice; we forget the hope and the horror; we forget the resolve and the resignation; we forget the courage and the commitment and the cowardice.
And if we forget long enough, we eventually end up convincing ourselves that who we are, the bounties and blessings we have is a common thing, a totally natural thing, a thing far removed from the blood which was shed by someone else as an investment in us and for our future. Most of all we forget that there are some things, not many, but a few things which are so wrong, so evil, so horrible that it is worth a man’s life to stop them and there are things, a few things so good that a man will give a last, full measure of devotion to win them.
Without ever having heard that paragraph, Mike Monsoor understood what I’ve just said. Mike believed there were things worth dying for. On September 29, 2006 Mike and two of his fellow Seals were on the roof of a house in enemy held Ar Ramadi, Iraq. A grenade was thrown at them and Mike called out a warning to his comrades. Now you should know, of the three, Mike was the only one who was in a position to make a safe exit. Mike didn’t make use of that opportunity. Instead he threw himself on that grenade. He took the full force of that explosion so his comrades might be saved.
When that grenade landed, Mike had less than three seconds to decide what he was going to do. Less than three seconds is not enough time to enter into a long, drawn out analysis of options; it is not enough time to carefully consider the pros and cons of what ought to be done. An immediate decision had to be made and in a micro-second Mike knew that saving his friends was something for which he was willing to give that last, full measure of devotion. The Summary of Action describing how Mike’s death should be remembered reads: “he saved the lives of his two fellow SEALS and he is the most deserving of the special recognition afforded by awarding the Medal of Honor.”
Scripture would describe Mike’s death differently. The fifteenth chapter of John (v.13) says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” Most folks would say that day Mike showed courage, bravery, commitment, esprit de corps. Describing his sacrifice a hundred powerful, positive words come to mind. Scripture takes all those words and replaces them with one: love. That’s it: Mike showed self-sacrificing love to his comrades.
Understand this kind of love is incredibly rare. It’s not a wimpy, weak soap opera kind of love. It’s not a love which is here today and gone tomorrow; a kind of love which ebbs and flows with situation and circumstance. We are talking about a love which is strong enough to withstand the hardest of tests, love which doesn’t cringe before the shrapnel of an enemy’s hand grenade. That kind of love is what we should remember about Mike Monsoor. That’s the attribute which our country should exhibit if we are to play our part on the world stage with pride and not just power. It is the quality which ought to be shared with our children so they might understand there are things so important they are worth dying for. Truly, greater love has no man than this.
This is Memorial Day weekend. It is a time set aside to remember our brothers and sisters who have given their all for us, our liberty, our future. But today is also the Lord’s Day, a time set aside to remember our Savior; to recall the work of the Christ who showed to this world a love greater than anything the most noble of human hearts can conceive or comprehend, a love which overshadows even that which was shown in Iraq by Mike Monsoor. You see, the best exhibition of love we sinners can offer is to die for those whom we love and hopefully love us in return; but the love of Jesus is better than our best.
In the fifth chapter of Romans, Paul tried to give us some insight into the mind and soul of the Savior. Amplifying the Apostle’s words, this is what he said: “Folks, look as hard as you want, look as far as you can, and you won’t find many examples of someone who is ready to offer his life up for someone else.” To that rather general statement Paul adds an exception. He says, “Well, I suppose you might be able to come up with a rare individual who would make the supreme sacrifice for another, if that person was exceptional enough, extraordinary enough. But Jesus was different; His love most different. You see, while we were still sinners; when we were still God’s enemies; when our thoughts, words, and actions showed our disregard, disrespect, and disobedience to the Creator, Jesus came into this world and loved us.”
If he had applied his thoughts to our Medal of Honor winner, Paul would have said: “Mike Monsoor was willing to die for his friends, his comrades in arms. But do you think Mike would have been willing to give up his life for the fellow who threw that hand grenade at him? Of course not, that idea is absolutely ridiculous. The fellow with the hand grenade was Mike’s enemy and Mike would have, if he had been given the chance, eliminated him before that hand grenade ever was tossed. Mike’s entire training was geared toward that goal. That’s the way such things work with us humans. An enemy is an enemy.”
But that’s not the way things worked for Jesus. Jesus entered this world to save His enemies; to give up His life to save those whose hatred called for His crucifixion. That’s why, from the cross, He called out, “Father forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.” Indeed, almost from the moment He was born, Jesus was visibly showing His love toward those who hated Him. It was not long after His birth that King Herod tried to have Jesus murdered. Jesus came to save King Herod. The Pharisees were almost always trying to trip Jesus up, to make Him into a blasphemer, to find a charge which would stick and enable them to eliminate Him. Jesus came to save the Pharisees. Then there were the High Priests and Sanhedrin who managed to have Him murdered. Jesus died for them. And for Pontius Pilate who knew Jesus was innocent but still found it politically expedient to let Him die. Jesus died for Pilate, and the man who whipped Him, and the fellow who spit in His face, and the man who slapped a crown of thorns on His head, and the man who pounded the nails, and the ones who hoisted His cross, and the ones who laughed at Him. Jesus came to save them all.
And, yes, Jesus came to save you. In this message we have said there are things, a few, special things for which a person might die. You, my friend, are one of the persons for whom Jesus died. Understand, He did this not because you are so wonderful, so perfect, so handsome, so rich, so smart, so beautiful, so anything else. Jesus loved you because that is who He is. Looking at your future in hell, knowing the eternal suffering which was your ultimate and final destiny, Jesus loved you and then He did something about it.
This is Memorial Day weekend and we remember those who died in war to save us. That is why it is right this weekend, every weekend, for us to remember the Savior. As God’s Son, He could have been a non-combatant… at most a neutral observer in the sad and sorry affairs of humankind. But Jesus declined to remain on the sidelines; for reasons that we cannot comprehend, He became an army of One; an army dedicated to winning the battles which would save our souls.
And there were battles. Ever since he had introduced sin into the world, Satan had never experienced defeat. In small skirmish and great battle, he had emerged victorious. If one temptation failed, he would try another. If one attack was rebuffed he would patiently wait for a more opportune moment to try again. His persistence paid off. Sooner or later all of us, even God’s great heroes of faith, faltered and failed. Except for Jesus. Jesus resisted those temptations and gave Satan his first and only defeat.
Yes, there were battles. Satan’s success was generally due to his flexible approach; the same could not be said of God’s holy and perfect Law. Strict, stringent, inflexible, and severe, the Law waited for us to make a mistake, to violate God’s commandments. Break a commandment, any commandment and the Law would criticize and condemn. Before the law there were no second chances, no living to fight another day. You would win or you would lose, and we had all lost… until Jesus. As God’s sinless Son, Jesus took our place and successfully faced the law on our behalf.
Yes, there were battles, and the last, the hardest was the Savior’s battle with death. It would have been natural if Jesus had tried to avoid the painful ending which awaited Him. Any of us would have done just that. But Jesus voluntarily embraced the demise which should have been ours. He embraced it. While we were yet sinners Jesus died for us… and then, three days after His lifeless body had been put into a borrowed tomb, Jesus rose for us. Now, having defeated death, by God’s decree and promise, the Savior’s successes have become ours, His victories ours.
Remember, don’t forget. On January 11, 2002, Joe Foss, Medal of Honor winner, was held up by airport security when he tried to board a plane. Part of the reason was nobody was able to identify his Medal for what it was: the highest award the United States can give a member of the military. No matter the medal’s engraving explained it had been awarded by President Roosevelt in World War II. No matter Foss was going to show it to the cadets at West Point where he was to make a speech. The medal wasn’t recognizable to the security personnel. If he had been carrying an Oscar, it would have caused no problem. It is time for us as a nation to remember and not forget.
And it is time for us as sinners to remember. Remember the Son of God who gave His life in the war to save your soul. Remember His life, His suffering, His death, His glorious resurrection. Remember and then offer your thanks for what He has done. This Sunday, every Sunday you can come together at church and express your gratitude. You can remember and not forget.
To that end, if we can help you, please call us at The Lutheran Hour. Amen.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions and Answers) for May 27, 2012
Topic: DebtsAnnouncer: And we are here once again with our Speaker Emeritus, Pastor Ken Klaus. I’m Mark Eischer.
Klaus: Hi, Mark.
Announcer: Well, as you know, we live in troubling financial times.
Klaus: Indeed. During these last few years I’ve met a lot of people who have told me that they are at the end of their financial rope. Some of them have lost their jobs, others are afraid of losing their homes, more than a few folks living on a fixed income are afraid they could lose absolutely everything. Quite a few folks are depressed and desperate.
Announcer: And I believe that’s the context for this letter. Our listener writes, “My children have all borrowed money to buy their homes. They’ve also been using credit cards. All of this debt concerns me. Isn’t there a Bible passage that says we should not be borrowers or lenders?”
Klaus: I think she’s referring to that passage which says, “Neither a borrower nor a lender be.”
Announcer: Right, and where is that found?
Klaus: It’s not found in the Bible. It actually comes from Shakespeare. … Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 2 or 3, I don’t remember which.
Announcer: But does God say anything about borrowing and lending?
Klaus: The passage that’s usually cited about borrowing is Romans 13:8 – It says: “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.”
Announcer: Okay, well, that would seem pretty cut and dried, then.
Klaus: Indeed it would. Truth is I have known more than one individual who has lived by that rule. All in all, they seem to have been quite content doing so.
Announcer: But should we take that as a general rule for all of us? Is God commanding us not to borrow or lend money?
Klaus: Okay. Mark, I think we need to take a look at that passage in a wider context. In the verses before, it talks about how we are supposed to fulfill and complete our obligations. That’s all obligations. Now, if I read things correctly, God is not forbidding all borrowing… He’s instead encouraging His people to fulfill their duties to others.
Announcer: Okay. And how do we know that God isn’t dead-set against borrowing and lending money?
Klaus: A person could go back to the Old Testament. The Children of Israel had borrowing and lending, but the Lord regulated the thing. He made sure that His people weren’t going to be taking advantage of each other.
Announcer: All right. Anything else?
Klaus: In the book of Proverbs (22:7) it speaks about one of the downsides of borrowing/lending. It says that the rich rule over the poor and the borrower is the servant of the lender.
Announcer: Well, that seems pretty serious.
Klaus: It certainly is. But you will note that the Lord, in spite of recognizing the seriousness of the obligations of indebtedness, He doesn’t prohibit it.
Announcer: Well, what can you say to our listener then?
Klaus: First, we can say once again that it was Shakespeare and not God who said, “Neither a borrower nor a lender be.”
Announcer: Okay. Next?
Klaus: Well, we can tell her the Lord does not prohibit borrowing and all lending.
Announcer: Very good. Anything else?
Klaus: Yes, I think it would probably be the heart of the matter.
Announcer: And what would that be?
Klaus: That Christians should endeavor to fulfill their obligations. In the last couple of minutes, we’ve been talking about financial obligations, and understandably because of economic times, that really is the forefront of people’s thinking. But there also are a great many other obligations, obligations of relationships. A husband should love his wife as Christ loved the Church; a wife should love her husband. We are talking about commitments to the church, our family, our employer, our government. There are a great many areas where we need to fulfill our job, our obligations.
Announcer: And when we fulfill these obligations, it brings honor to the Savior and it also benefits our neighbor.
Klaus: And we go back on those commitments when Christians walk away from those obligations, it tarnishes the Savior’s Name in the eyes of others. It doesn’t make Christians look so good, either.
Announcer: And would you say that this is also true when it comes to the area of credit card debt?
Klaus: Yeah, especially credit card debt. With interest rates so high on credit cards it’s easy to get in over your head, and I really think that is what our writer is all worried about in the first place and for her children. She wants them to be careful of any and all contracts including the amounts they borrow.
Announcer: Very good. Thank you, Pastor Klaus. This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
Music Selections
“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by Chris Bergmann. Used by permission.
“Love Divine, All Love Excelling” arr. Henry Gerike. Used by permission.
“Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord” From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)
“Chorale varie sur ‘Veni Creator'” by Maurice Durufle. From Organ Dedicatory Concert by Charles Ore (© 1999 Charles Ore)