The Lutheran Hour
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"The One Important Day"
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Text: Hebrews 9:24-28
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Christ is Risen, He is risen indeed! And He is coming again to judge the living and the dead, bringing salvation to all who trust in Him, Amen.
On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, November 11, 1918, World War I fighting ceased. The following year, President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11th to be the first commemoration of Armistice Day, a day set aside to honor military veterans who gave their service and their lives for freedom in America.
Over the years the day changed from honoring veterans of World War I to honoring all military veterans.
Well, on days like today in the United States, but all around the world, when you remember the sacrifice of those who make your freedoms possible, remembering that one day, that one important day can make all the difference in life.
Days like today remind us that the cost paid for freedom has been high down through history. At times, the cost of this sacrifice has been much higher than we could ever imagine or fathom. You may have heard of Admiral James Stockdale. On September 9, 1965, an explosion sent his jet plummeting to earth in North Vietnam. Stockdale ejected and parachuted into a small village in enemy territory. Immediately he was severely beaten and taken as a prisoner. In just one day, James Stockdale’s life took a dramatic and dangerous turn. He would remain a prisoner of war for the next seven years.
Confined to one of the most notorious prisons in North Vietnam, Stockdale was routinely tortured and beaten. He heroically resisted being used as propaganda by his captors. He suffered more agony than a person could imagine in an effort to prevail over those who imprisoned him.
In Jim Collins’ book, Good to Great, Stockdale recounted how he survived. He said, “I never lost faith in the end of the story, I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade.”
Stockdale was then asked who didn’t make it through the ordeal of captivity. He replied, “Oh, that’s easy, the optimists. They were the ones who said, ‘We’re going to be out by Christmas.’ And Christmas would come, and Christmas would go. Then they’d say, ‘We’re going to be out by Easter.’ And Easter would come, and Easter would go. And then Thanksgiving, and then it would be Christmas again. And they died of a broken heart.”
Stockdale emphasized a crucial point: “You must never confuse faith,” he said, “that you will prevail in the end-which you can never afford to lose-with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they may be.”
Jim Collins called this the “Stockdale Paradox,” confronting the brutal facts of the current situation, but having faith that you will prevail in the end.
For James Stockdale, the highest-ranking naval officer ever to be held in captivity, the facts were completely brutal. He was shackled in a 3’x 9′ solitary confinement cell, a single light bulb shining both day and night. By the time he was released in 1973, his shoulders had been pulled from their sockets from torture, his legs had been shattered, and his back had been broken. These were the brutal facts of the price he paid for our freedom. These were the brutal facts that had to be overcome for his freedom, too.
What brutal facts are you facing in your life? There are plenty of them, aren’t there? You may not be in a literal prison. You may not have captors tormenting you. But are you tortured by guilt? Are you harassed by grief? Are you imprisoned by hopelessness? Is a broken heart and a broken spirit holding you captive? Do you feel all alone, as if no one cares? Do you feel at times as if God doesn’t care or that He doesn’t hear your cries for help? Are you frustrated because life isn’t going where you thought it would, where you hoped it would?
Facing the brutal facts of life is so difficult, isn’t it? But today, my friend, I want you to know that I’m here to encourage you not to lose heart. You can have faith in the end of the story no matter what you’re facing today. Why? Because Jesus Himself paid freedom’s eternal price so that you and I might have life in Him no matter what. You see, Jesus was broken and shattered. He was taken captive and finally killed. But the story didn’t end there. Jesus rose from the dead. He conquered death and He did it all for you! He died and rose again so that the end of your story can be life, not death. He loved you and gave Himself for you so your story can be one of hope and not defeat. No matter how brutal the facts of your life today, dear listener, you can have hope. Because of God’s love for you in Jesus Christ and because of His grace for your life, you will prevail in the end with the forgiveness of your sins, the gift of salvation for you, and the enduring presence of Jesus who is with you always.
There are those days in life when things just seem to go awry, aren’t there? The Bible says that such things happen because there was a historic day like no other, one day when it all came crashing down. In the Garden of Eden, long ago, Adam and Eve disobeyed God. Filled with self-interest and rebellion against their Creator, they started a chain reaction of sin and brokenness. And we keep the chain reaction going, don’t we? How easy it is to slide into selfishness! How natural it is for us to rebel against God! How fragile we are as we slip into despondency and despair!
If that one day was all there was in life, then there would be no hope, no confidence that the “end of the story” for any of us would be anything but misery and despair. But the Bible declares that there was yet another day, a day when God acted on behalf of us all.
You see, there was a day, one day, the most important day, when everything changed. It was a day that reverberated into all of time and into your life! The Son of God entered into the pain and emptiness of this world broken by sin. The Stockdale Paradox was seeing victory at the end, no matter what the brutal facts of the moment. Well, no offence to the incredible heroism of Admiral Stockdale, but there is another Paradox that makes that true, eternally for us all.
It’s the Jesus Christ Paradox of the Scripture! Jesus, the Son of God, died that we might live! The Bible says in Hebrews 9:24 that, “Christ has entered, not into the holy place made with human hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. ” Oh, the Paradox of Jesus, the sinless Son of God, carrying the sin, the pain, and the brokenness of every person in the world before the Father in Heaven. Jesus facing a perfect and Holy God with your sin and mine on His shoulders. The brutal facts of our sin were heaped on Him. And He was punished in our place. He took the consequences for the brutal facts of life and was nailed to the cross, abandoned by God the Father.
On that day, that one day, Jesus paid the price for you. On that day, that one day, Jesus purchased your new life, your freedom from the sentence of death and the hopelessness of sin.
Once for all. One day, the ultimate sacrifice, for you! It’s true that wars continue to rage. Yes, pain and difficulty keep pounding each day. But Jesus’ sacrifice is complete! His work for you is accomplished once and for all!
Do you need some Good News today, then? I know I do. And isn’t it incredible that our God has News for us that not only blesses us, but gives us strength to live life boldly in His Name today? Do you need relief for your suffering or support in your weariness? The Jesus Christ Paradox means you can know the end of the story, the victory of His life for you. The good news is that your life in Him is brand new! You can have hope because of Him! By faith in Him, the Holy Spirit poured the forgiveness of sins and new life into your life and claimed you as God’s precious child.
So, right now, right now as you hear this living Word of God today, certain hope is being brought to the reality of all the challenges and heartaches you face. Jesus, your Savior, is alive and He is with you every step of the way.
You can confront the brutal facts of your current reality with the unwavering faith that you will prevail in the end because of the death and resurrection of Jesus for you. No enemy, no imprisonment, no torment can defeat your victorious Savior!
This is how the writer of the book of Hebrews put an exclamation point on the hope that you’ve been given in Jesus. He said, “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes the judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (verses 27-28).
So get to work; get to work and live the faith life as you wait to see Jesus face to face.
This Jesus is coming again. One day He will return. And what a day it will be! It is the day of salvation. It is the day when the eternal, end of the story for all will be realized. For believers, then, it’s not just a “Stockdale Paradox” come to fruition, but the final victory of Jesus Christ come true in your life. It is the day of restoration. It is the day of being reunited with those who have gone before us to their heavenly home.
But for now, we wait.
Now the word used for “wait” in the Bible reading for today paints the picture of not quite being there yet, but eagerly and confidently expecting what is promised. If you saw the Olympics this last summer, you’ll recall the final lap of those long distance races. The athletes were tired. Their energy was spent. But, the finish line was in sight. The end was real. They still had to race on. They waited; but not idly, but in action. Not bored or sluggish, but with energy and anticipation. Even the author of the book of Hebrews uses the analogy of a race to encourage us as we wait. In chapter 12 we hear, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV).
That is what James Stockdale did. It was the key element of his “Stockdale Paradox.” For seven years he waited–with faith, certainty, and expectation. And on February 12, 1973, he was released as a prisoner of war. It was a long wait. Sometimes it seemed hopeless. But the day of his release had come. And James Stockdale began a new life, even becoming a candidate for Vice President of the United States of America. In Christ, we can live life with even more of that eager expectation.
So, how is the waiting game going in your life? Does it feel like you’ve been waiting too long? Does the day of realizing your hopes and your answers to prayer seem too far off? Are you waiting for relief from illness? Are you waiting for an end to your loneliness? Are you waiting to meet the person who will be your husband or wife? Are you waiting to find a friend? Are you waiting to be hired for a job, for relief to your financial stress, for an end to your depression and pain?
How can you wait faithfully and successfully when waiting is so difficult? Well, our text shares that secret with us today, doesn’t it? It’s all about focusing on the one day.
As you wait, focus on the one day that Jesus gave His life for you. Yes, look to the cross and empty tomb. It’s the defining moment of God’s supreme love for you. You are not alone. You are not forsaken. You are not forgotten. Look back at that day as you worship your Savior, as you confess your sins, as you seek the assurance of God’s commitment to your life. The Psalmist declared in the Bible: “In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation” (Psalms 5:3 NIV).
As you wait, focus on the one day you’re living today in His Name. God is with you. Even if everything around you is crumbling, your Savior is speaking to you right now through His life-giving Word to bless and encourage you. He cares! He blesses! He holds us in His hands! Again, the Psalmist says in the Scripture to encourage us all: “Wait for the LORD; be strong, take heart and wait for the LORD” (Psalms 27:14 NIV).
As you wait, focus on the ultimate final day that is yet to come; the day you when you will see with your eyes what you know to be true today by faith. That day is coming for the One who has always fulfilled His promises for His people, He has told us that He is coming again to judge the living and the dead. May that promised end, empower your days today.
Never forget that by God’s grace, you will prevail in the end! You can have faith in the end of the story, for it is your Savior who has already written the ending. The Bible declares: “We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield” (Psalm 33:20 NIV). Even more: “Those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
Today’s that one day for you. Will you place your hope in your faithful Savior? Will you face the brutal facts of your life with an unwavering faith in Jesus Christ? Will you let His work on that one day on the cross empower your life every day as you learn to depend on the ultimate Veteran, the Savior who fought for you and earned the gift of life everlasting for you?
Will you wait upon the Lord in faith, with me, dear friend, so that one day we might celebrate together with Christ the victory that He has blessed us all with all the days of our life. Oh, I want to be with you on that day. God bless you. Amen!
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for November 11, 2012
Topic: It Okay For A Christian To Fight In A War?ANNOUNCER: Now, Pastor Gregory Seltz responds to questions. I’m Mark Eischer. Today a listener asks, “Is it okay for Christians to fight in war?”
SELTZ: Well Mark, this is a very appropriate question especially as we celebrate Veteran’s Day today. We do give thanks to God for all the men and women who have sacrificed for our freedom and who serve and have served in the armed forces. Today, we thank the Lord for their families, too. But, the question is a serious one for believers in Jesus because of the foundational teaching in the Bible regarding the value of all human life. A soldier is put in the position of possibly ending lives in the defense of freedom. It can cause an inner conflict, even a crisis, of faith.
ANNOUNCER: Right, because people will say, “The Bible does say, ‘Thou shalt not kill.'”
SELTZ: Well, actually, it’s even more definitive than that. It’s “You shall not murder.”
ANNOUNCER: So, then what is a Christian to do if you are put in the position of fighting a battle?
SELTZ: Well, put very succinctly, Mark, a Christian can fight. The answer is true for two reasons. First, in Romans 13, the Bible calls us to submit to the governing authorities. The government, the Bible says, is God’s instrument that bears the sword. So, Christian teaching has instructed that submitting to the government authorities is appropriate, even as a soldier, then, if the war is a “just war,” that is, a war that is fighting against tyranny or evil aggression in the world. God has granted governing authorities the right to do battle against evil just for that task. So many Christians have then not only fought, but lost their lives defending freedom and justice. When evil is thwarted, even temporarily or temporally, this is pleasing to God.
ANNOUNCER: Okay. Could you think of some exceptions, though?
SELTZ: Well, there can be, and this is where we always have to be careful and seek the counsel of godly leaders. If a government renounces God’s authority or abuses the responsibility given by God, it is a believer’s duty, then, to obey God rather than men. But, as I said, however, this must be done carefully. Fear of service, or the inconvenience of a life interrupted by military service, or even certain political motives must not be used as excuses to disobey. Such disobedience must always be an exceptional thing, exceptional circumstances that demands careful deliberation and advice.
ANNOUNCER: There has been a long history of Christians fighting in war. They are there fighting for us. What can we do to assist our veterans and their families?
SELTZ: My first answer is prayer. It is so important for Christians to pray for our men and women in uniform and their families. Military life exerts stress and strain, I’ve seen this; stress and strain that we can’t always understand. It is so important to remember all who serve in our prayers. My second answer would be support. Whether it is inviting a serviceperson to Thanksgiving dinner, supporting the chaplaincy ministries of the church, honoring service men and women in a worship service, sending cards or care packages, or befriending the family of a deployed soldier, it is so important that we don’t forget those who stand in harm’s way on our behalf. Especially these days, there is a greater need for God’s people to rally around veterans who are back home in need of community, employment, and spiritual nurture. I would venture to say that there aren’t too many communities in our nation where outreach to veterans isn’t needed.
ANNOUNCER: Right, but what about the guilt or the distress a soldier might feel after having been in battle? What can you do about that?
SELTZ: Well, it’s so important that soldiers make use of the military avenues for counseling and support. But, it’s also important for the local church to muster its resources to help bring the healing love of Jesus to people who have served. Coming back to “life as usual” can be very complex for a veteran. After experiencing military rigors, deployment, and perhaps battle, the adjustments are enormous. We need to be on the watch and be sure we heed St. Paul’s calling to bear each other’s burdens. Our soldiers need the Gospel, Mark. What a privilege we have to pass on this precious, life-restoring gift!
ANNOUNCER: Certainly. Thank you, Pastor Seltz. As we think of those who have served on our behalf, to defend our freedoms, to keep us safe; what a privilege, then, to serve them by sharing God’s love with them. This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
Music Selections for this program:
“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by Chris Bergmann. Used by permission.
“Since Our Great High Priest, Christ Jesus” From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)
“Prelude in G” by Nikolaus Bruhns. From Martinikerk Groningen by Wim van Beek (© 1990 Sound-Products Holland)