Remembering Their Sacrifice

James Smith

Memorial Day • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

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In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

loved and were loved, and now we lie

in Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from falling hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

This poem was written in 1915 by a military surgeon of an Allied artillery unit during the Second Battle of Ypres during World War I. The surgeon witnessed the carnage of battle, including the carnage left

behind after the first recorded use of chemical weapons in warfare.

Nearly 87,000 allied soldiers died, were missing, or were wounded during the battle. The surgeon was Lt Col (Dr) John McCrae, and he noticed, amongst the broken ground and bodies of the fallen, some little red flowers that dotted the landscape. Dr McCrae was also a poet…. And he wrote the poem to give voice to the soldiers that had fallen on the battlefield surrounded by those little red flowers that we know as poppies. It was that battle, that scene that caused a surgeon-poet to take notice and write a poem that directly led to the poppy being the symbol of remembrance for the fallen.

In the U.S. we remember our fallen military members on Memorial Day, which is the last Monday of May each year. Memorial Day was originally know as Decoration Day - the first Decoration Day took place on 30 May 1868 - and it was a day designated nationally to remember and

decorate the graves of the fallen Civil War soldiers. Decoration Day continued in that fashion until World War I. After World War I, it became a day to remember all U.S. military members that died in all

wars. The day became an official U.S. Federal Holiday in 1971 …… in order to give federal workers a 3-day holiday weekend……. Imagine that…. It became an official holiday to benefit the federal government …. They never do things to benefit themselves… do they….. anyways…..

Towns and cities all over this country hold parades and decorate the graves of our fallen military members, and the people have parties, and barbecues, or go camping, or take short trips, or head to the beach, and wear red plastic or clothe poppies. Or even draping the wire steam of the poppy around your car’s rearview mirror - like I remember my grandparents doing. The day also marks the unofficial start of the Summer since most school districts are closed by then.

Though I belittled the feds a little while ago…. One of the items originally included by the federal government is the lowering of the flag to half-staff until noon, then its raised to full-staff for the rest of the day. And in 2000, congress passed a law to encourage us to pause for a National Moment of Remembrance at 3pm locally - wherever you are.

Something to remember is this is not a day to acknowledge every one that has served in our military….. that is Veterans Day…. which is November 11th of each year. So - Thank your veterans on Veterans Day. Memorial Day is a day to remember those that died in uniform in battle in sacrificial service to this country……

One of those to remember is Air Force Pararescueman, Senior Airman Jason Cunningham. Airman Cunningham who died on 4 March 2002 during Operation Enduring Freedom in the Battle of Roberts Ridge. He gave his life in Afghanistan while saving 10 lives and making it possible for seven others who were killed to come home.

Jason Cunningham was from Carlsbad, New Mexico, and joined the Air Force’s elite combat rescue program and graduated pararescue technical training in June 2001. He was deployed to Southwest Asia in February 2002.

On March 4, 2002, Airman Cunningham was the primary Air Force combat search and rescue medic assigned to a quick reaction force in Afghanistan. The force was sent to rescue two American servicemen evading capture in austere terrain occupied by al-Qaida and Taliban forces.

Before landing, his MH-47E Chinook helicopter received rocket-propelled grenade and small-arms fire, disabling the aircraft and forcing it to crash-land. Crew members formed a hasty defense and immediately suffered three fatalities and five critical casualties.

The citation accompanying Airman Cunningham's medal reads, "Despite effective enemy fire, and at

great risk to his own life, Airman Cunningham remained in the burning fuselage of the aircraft in order to treat the wounds. As he moved his patients to a more secure location, mortar rounds began to impact within 50 feet of his position.

"Disregarding this extreme danger, he continued the movement and exposed himself to enemy fire on seven separate occasions. When the second casualty collection point was also compromised, in a display of uncommon valor and gallantry, Airman Cunningham braved an intense small arms and rocket-propelled grenade attack while repositioning the critically wounded to a third collection point.

The citation continues, "Even after he was mortally wounded and quickly deteriorating, he continued to direct patient movement and transferred care to another medic. In the end, his distinct efforts led to the successful delivery of 10 gravely wounded Americans to life-saving medical treatment."

Airman Cunningham was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross on 13 September 2002 for extraordinary heroism while engaged in action against an enemy of our nation. The Air Force is second only to the Medal Of Honor.

He was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery on March 11, 2002.

It is military members like SrA Jason Cunningham, and his sacrificial life, that we remember on each and every Memorial Day.

The bible tells us in John 15:13 “No greater love than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

Airman Cunningham and other fallen service members gave their lives for the love of this country. For the love they had for one another - for their brothers and sisters in arms. The love they had for their fellow Americans. Whether the love they had

was one as a believer in Christ Jesus or one as someone that did not know Jesus, which would be a sad proposition, love is an act of the will - its a demonstrated love - its not solely a feeling ….. yes its true that we have feelings of love for someone ….. but the love mentioned in John 15:13 is a demonstrated act of the will kind of love. It is love proved through action. The love mentioned in the verse is God’s unconditional, selfless love ….. and for us - a Christian kind of love. To put that love into context, let’s look at the surrounding verses.

Let’s go back to John chapter 15 and look at verses 12 to 17 ….. and this is Jesus speaking here in these verses …… starting in verse 12:

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing;

but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard

from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you so that you will love one another.

In verse 12 the New Commandment, the commandment to love other Christians as Jesus loved His disciples ….. as He loves us …. And how did He love …. Jesus loved by demonstrating that love through willful action ….. a willful action Jesus mentions in verse 13, which we have already read,

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

We read in Philippians 2:8 “and being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

And also in Hebrews 12:2 “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Jesus is that someone that died for His friends….. that is you, and me, that is all of us that are Jesus followers and do what He commands as He said in verse 14 ….. Yes - He did died for everyone …. Yes - for everyone that has ever existed on this planet….. to save them from their sins so He could call them His friends…..

In verse 15 He tells us why He calls us friends…. because He made it known why He was here and why He ascended back to heaven …. And in between those times He told us everything the Father gave Him to say…… and we have it in this book - the Bible…. Everything we need to know is in the Bible….. everything Jesus wanted us to know is in His word…… all of His commands are in the Bible

and we can follow what it says…. And if we follow, if you follow then we and you have the privilege to be called His friends….. isn’t that just awesome!!!!

In verse 16 Jesus tells us that He chose His disciples …. He chose us …. that He appointed us to go about this life sharing Him with the world …. Making disciples of those that were in the world ….. Sharing His love with the world ……. Doing things for others out of love for others …… willful actions rooted in His commands …… rooted in Christ’s love …… so if you ever asks something of the Father, He may be able to give it to you ….. it might not be at that second….. but He will give it to you are some

point according to His plans …. According to His will.

So at this point, at the end of this passage of scripture, Jesus tells us why He told us everything beforehand ….. and its simple …… He gave us these commands so that we will love one another….. that we will love and live sacrificially for

our brothers and sisters in Christ….

He gave us the command to love as He loved ….. to love unconditionally, selflessly, sacrificially …… to give of yourself to others for their benefit

….. like we read in Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”

…… to look at, think of, act as if others are more important than ourselves …… to give up your wants, needs, desires for others …… to give up your time for others……. To do what love demands of you ….. for we read in 1 Corinthians 13:7

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

And love demands we give up freedoms for others…..

…. our military members give up their freedoms for us while they serve in uniform …… and they do so even if it means their death ……

And Jesus commanded that we go and bear good fruit …. we have talked about abiding and bearing good fruit several times over the last few months ….. bearing fruit - like sharing the Good News with others…… and a great and simple illustration of the Gospel message is found in 1 Corinthians 15:3-7

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most

of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

……. the me listed there is the Apostle Paul …… whom Jesus appeared to on the road to Damascus as Paul went about persecuting the church …. Well after Jesus’ ascension to heaven.

Also included in the bearing of good fruit is taking care of the needs of anyone that has need …. Like sacrificially giving of your time to serve food to those in need …. like caring for a widow who just lost her husband that died in battle ….. like helping a church member get their car back on the road ….. or even paying a house payment for a church member that lost their job…… doing good for someone according to the need of that person…. And not for personal satisfaction ……

We read in Hebrews 13:15-16

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Our unconditional, selfless, sacrificial love and doing good for others is pleasing to God…… giving Him all the praise and glory while we’re doing it is a pleasing sacrifice to Him….. it’s all about Him and doing good for those He loves ….. those He died for …..

So why did Jesus die for us? …… to save us …. …. to seek and save that which is lost (Luke 19:10) …. because we are lost to our sins …. no one can work and do enough good deeds to get themselves into heaven automatically ….. because no one can save themselves from the penalty for their sins ….. …. and that penalty is eternal death and eternal separation from God …. which results in His perfect judgement against us causing the unsaved, unrepentant, unforgiven individual to be sent to that place called hell forever……

but Jesus provided a better way …… He died on the Cross, taking our penalty upon Himself …… sacrificially dying for each and every one of us…..

So here’s what an unsaved sinner must recognize…..

that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).”

That the “wages of sin is death but gift of God is eternal life with Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).”

That “God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).”

That “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9).”

Upon recognition of being a sinner, upon recognizing Jesus sacrificially died for you to save you from your sins, upon confession and seeking forgiveness of your sins, upon saying “Jesus is Lord” and believing in your heart that He was

resurrected …… simply upon all that … God forgives you and you belong to Jesus forever ….. your eternal destination changes from hell to heaven …… with Jesus forever

….. and then He calls on you to live sacrificially for Him and others and one another just as He has done for you …… Amen!

On Monday, we remember those that have sacrificially given of their lives and have died in battle, in military service to this awesome country! So at 3pm on Monday, stop in silence and remember their sacrifice for you - for your earthly freedom.

And every day, wholeheartedly thank God, and sing His praises, for the sacrifice He made for you - so you could live in freedom from your sins for eternity.