Of whom the world was not worthy
Operation Overlord
What would make 156,000 young men from 5 nations travel across a choppy, mine infested English Channel in vehicles which were as yet untested in combat to storm a heavily fortified shoreline — running across a 200 yard stretch of beach carrying an 80 pound pack and a rifle in an attempt to climb 100-170 foot cliffs in order to liberate a continent under siege? 37,000 would never see the next day. The battle of Normandy alone claimed 209,000 casualties, and 56,000 deaths. All to set strangers free.
- People have fought for great causes – only those made in Christ’s image wage on behalf of the oppressed of other nations. NO OTHER RELIGION calls for and empowers for, such self-sacrifice
- We honor those who died in war — who expressed the greatest love possible – for strangers
- We honor the fallen because it spurs us to maintain what they sacrificed for – freedom isn’t free
- We must also honor those who have laid down their lives for the eternal Kingdom in the earth – the ultimate cause of all causes
Romans 5:6-8
Our faith began with the sacrifice of one Man…It has endured through the ages and spread throughout the world by the sacrifice of hundreds of millions more who followed in His steps
Heb 11:32-38 …of whom the world was not worthy
First James, then every apostle save John
Acts 5:40-42
Paul – after all he endured…
2 Timothy 4:6-8
The 10 million who were martyred in the 1st three centuries to establish a beachhead in Europe (Rome)
The 50 million who died to preserve the faith during the dark ages
Inspired by Jan Hus They will roast a goose now (for ‘Huss’ means ‘a goose’), but after a hundred years they will hear a swan sing, and him they will endure –
MARTIN LUTHER
16th century 900,000 Waldensians martyred in just 40 years – after 300 years of secret meetings, martyred for keeping to simple NT beliefs being rediscovered with the bible being translated into common vernacular
William Tyndale: martyred in 1536 for English translation of the bible – “Lord, open the king’s eyes…” 1611 came the King James translation.
Inspired by the Bible… The revelation of the bible is that all men are born to have dominion over the earth as self-governed freeborn citizens of Heaven’s kingdom, not as mere pawns and subjects of earthly kings and priests. This is the revelation which inspired modern democracy.
Great Awakening: founding fathers died for freedom.
The purpose of freedom is for the Gospel of freedom to be preached without restraint…which only serves to brings more freedom where it yet does not exist.
In 250 Years, the Unites States has printed and sent 5 billion bibles, 10’s of millions of missionaries, spent trillions of dollars in relief and aid to poor nations, and has at least 629,380 casualties in foreign wars.
Christian revival (Second Awakening) brought a greater divide to the US over slavery
When revival fails to win the national war against principalities and powers, physical wars break out in their stead.
Abolitionists, and the 642,000 Union soldiers who died in the first war whose purpose was to FREE slaves – not take them!
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. 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
Missionaries who packed their belongings in coffins: The Student Volunteer Movement: Many early SVM missionaries traveling to areas with endemic tropical diseases left with their belongings packed in a coffin, aware that 80% of them would die within two years
Adoniram and Nancy Judson: In the first 12 years of his ministry in Burma, a land then called “impermeable to the gospel” — he (Judson) performed more funerals for family members and for colleagues than he did for baptisms for young believers (it was a death sentence to covert from Buddism there)…5 million believers in Burma today — and virtually all would trace their spiritual heritage to that one man and his wife
1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
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