THE BACKBONE OF OUR FREEDOM
Text: 2 Samuel 23:8-23
The blessing on our nation has come through the many veterans who have sacrificed life & limb and given us the freedom to worship Jehovah God.
The Bible gives us many examples of heroes—the “Heroes of the Faith” are listed in Hebrews 11. Matthew 24:6
We owe our veterans a debt of gratitude because you were willing to go, serve, and give on behalf of the United States of America! God bless you!
1. THE PRICE OF FREEDOM. Vs. 8-12
Why do we fight today? We don’t fight for the sake of war – we fight for FREEDOM!
A. SOLDIERS WILL EXPERIENCE SCARS. Vs. 8-10
You cannot be a soldier and not have scars. Not all soldiers receive a Purple Heart, but all experience scars from the battlefront. II Timothy 2:3-4
B. SOLDIERS FIGHT FOR THE GREATER GOOD. Vs. 11-12
They fight for the future. They fight because they are needed.
- You can try to kill an American if you must. Adolf Hitler, Sadam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden, Stalin, Mao Tse-Tung, and every bloodthirsty tyrant in the history of the world has tried, but in doing so, you would just be killing yourself.
- Americans are not a particular people from a specific place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit everywhere is an American.
2. THE EXAMPLE OF FREEDOM. Vs. 13-17
As we look at II Sam. 23, we learn that we need to take a Stand and Stand Our Ground!
We don’t run to a fight, but we don’t run from a fight either. We see men here who take a stand.
A. MIGHTY MEN RISE TO THE CHALLENGE. Vs.16
A veteran’s life is not 2 days a week; being a Christian is not two days a week.
B. MIGHTY MEN AND WOMEN HAVE A POLICY OF NO RETREAT – NO RESERVE – NO REGRETS.
John Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but rather ask what we can do for our country.”
Our Veterans:
- 6,899 US troops have been killed in war since 2001.
- 4,492 US troops died in the Iraq War.
- 2,325 American soldiers have died in the war in and around Afghanistan.
- 82 American soldiers have died in other theaters of war.
- At least 2,300 private contractors working for the Pentagon have died in war since 2001
- Roughly 2 million U.S. troops have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan
3. THE FIGHT OF FREEDOM. Vs.18-23
Abishai, the brother of Joab, son of Zeruiah, was chief of the Mighty Men of David. He raised his spear against the three hundred men he killed, becoming as famous as the three.
- Notice the response to these veterans – they receive honor.
A. PERSONALLY THANK OUR VETERANS. Vs. 18-19
When you see a veteran, thank him or her. And yes, I say her because there are many women veterans as well as men, and they also deserve our honor, respect, and gratitude.
B. PERSONALLY PRAY FOR OUR VETERANS. Vs. 20-23
Psalm 144:5 David cries to God for help in war.
CONCLUSION:
Revelation 2:10; Ephesians 6:12
May we, as we reflect on war and peace today, remember the ideals of our democracy, and commit ourselves to being citizens, not subjects. May we pray that someday the words of the prophets will come true, and “swords will be beaten into plowshares, and justice shall roll down like waters and peace like a mighty stream.”
- May we be faithful to the words we sing each week and let the stirrings of compassion sing in our hearts for all those who suffer because we go to war.
II Timothy 4:7: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”