07-26-20 THE BE-HAPPY-ATTITUDES “Meekness isn’t Weakness”

Scripture   Matthew 5:1, 2, 5

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, (Not the 5000 – just his disciples – meant for his followers to be distinct from those who follow the ways of the world.)  2 and he began to teach them, saying: 5 Blessed (Happy) are the who meek, for they will inherit the earth.

People who hate Christianity are clueless to its truths. People who love Christianity are often clueless to its truths. Here is a truth about Christianity – Followers of Jesus ought to be the meekest people on earth! WHAT? Once again, Jesus turns the world’s view of life on its head.

          The world says: Go for the gusto! Winning isn’t everything – It’s the only thing! Climb to the top, no matter who you have to step on to get there!

          Jesus says, “Happy are the meek!” And if we look at the contemporary understanding of that word, no wonder people would rather skip right over this beatitude.  Who wants to be labeled as “meek”? NO ONE! Why? Because if you google it, the first definition you see is the world’s common misconception about what Jesus was saying:

DICTIONARY DEFINITIONS MEEK:

Internet dictionary-

adjective: meek; comparative adjective: meeker; superlative adjective: meekest

quiet, gentle, and easily imposed on; submissive.

Meriam-Webster gets a little closer = enduring injury with patience and without resentment.

Vocabulary.com really misses the mark when it says = The adjective meek describes a person who is willing to go along with whatever other people want to do, like a meek classmate who won't speak up, even when he or she is treated unfairly.

Webster 1828    MEEK, adjective

1. Mild of temper; soft; gentle; not easily provoked or irritated; yielding; given to forbearance under injuries.

 

2. Appropriately, humble, in an evangelical sense; submissive to the divine will; not proud, self-sufficient or refractory; not peevish and apt to complain of divine dispensations. Christ says, 'Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls.' Matthew 11:29.  Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5.

praus = meek – gentle. The humble and gentle attitude that expresses itself in a patient submissiveness to offence, free from malice and desire for revenge.

It is interesting that the Beatitudes of Jesus, in some way reflect the 10 commandments of God – not parallel content but in style.

The first of the 10 commandments are individual, about your personal relationship with God.

The last and larger portion of them are about your relationship with others.

The first 2 Beatitudes are individual, about your relationship with God.

The 3^rd and some others of them are about your relationship with others

Happy are the “poor in spirit” & happy are “those who mourn” are individual experiences with God – Happy are “the meek” can only be carried out in relationship to others.

The bible is consistent – Jesus said, all the law and the prophets can be summed up in these two laws: 1) love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. 2) Love your neighbor as you love yourself.

SCRIPTURES DESCRIBING WHAT MEEK LOOKS LIKE:

Proverbs 16:32

Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.

2 Corinthians 10:1   By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you…

Matthew 11:29-30

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Matthew 21:5

"Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'"

UNDERSTANDING MEEKNESS

Being MEEK is not being WEAK! In fact, it is the opposite. Meekness is strength under control. Let’s look at a couple popular superheroes to help us understand.

SPIDERMAN: “With great power comes great responsibility.”

SUPERMAN: the best contemporary metaphor for biblical meekness is Superman – well no – actually it is Clark Kent. Meekness is power restrained. Clark Kent could take out anyone who ever bothers him – but he doesn’t. He knows his strength knows no bounds, but he does not use it to abuse others. Who has power they use to abuse others?

There are Pastors, Politicians, Police, Celebrities, Employers, Teachers, Coaches, and many of them Christians, who are not meek but abuse their power to bully others. The biggest outlet for this in recent years has been social media because weak people hide behind the internet to spew their hate and bullying.  Think about it, why does anyone put down or bully another person? In some twisted way, they think it will somehow raise themselves up. It may work for a moment, but is always fleeting. But we also can’t blame social media because this lack of meekness has always existed – I will read a paragraph again form Billy Graham’s book published in 1955 and see if much has changed: “This reversion to barbarism now affects whole areas of our social life. Neighbors quarrel with neighbors. Fighting is a major problem in our schools, and gang wars of the teenagers have come to present a serious menace in our cities. Fathers and mothers wrangle and bicker. Homes are disintegrating. High government officials engage in name-calling and in heated disputes not at all in keeping with the dignity of their office.”

DAVID

Jesus, as he so often does is not saying anything new – in this third beatitude is quoting King David in Psalm 37:11 who said; But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.

David who was a mighty warrior 1 Sam 18:7 As they danced, they sang: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands. He became the greatest king Israel has ever known. And he said the meek will inherit the earth and enjoy great peace.

David – the giant killer, was not naturally meek, God gave David the gift of meekness and eventually, David developed it; When Jonathan’s son came to David with great needs because he had a club foot; David not only took in Mephibosheth but had him eat his meals at the king's table and gave him the land from his grandfather King Saul who had tried to kill David. Remember too that David had been a shepherd who knew how to care for his sheep. Shepherds were not naturally meek; they were strong tough men who could defend their flocks against wild animals and thieves. Yet, the good shepherds did not use that strength to abuse their sheep. God gave them the gift of being meek – power, influence, authority…under control.

MOSES

Moses was not naturally meek; he killed an Egyptian when he saw him mistreating a Hebrew. Moses was THE leader of the entire Hebrew people. Moses stood before Pharaoh – King of Egypt and 10 times demanded he let God’s people go. Yet, Moses also learned how to lead and care for sheep.  Moses was not naturally meek – he thought he had to handle every judgment among the Hebrew people till his father-in-law instructed him how to be meek and let others lead. Moses was not naturally meek – it was a gift from God that Moses then developed.   Numbers 12:3 Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.

JESUS

          Jesus, more than even Moses exemplified meekness. If Jesus is meek, how can we not seek to attain to that as well and receive the gift of meekness and work to develop it?

          Jesus was meek – him who cursed the fig tree, who verbally put the Pharisees in their place on multiple occasions, who turned over the money changers in the temple, who shouted at Peter, “Get behind me Satan”, and this same Jesus who was beating, spat upon, mocked, had thorns crushed into his brow and nails pounded through his hands and feet and was hung on a cross to die…that same Jesus is the one described in Philippians 2:

Philippians 2:1-16a     If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

          5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

          12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed — not only in my presence but now much more in my absence — continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

          14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life.

 

          Jesus is the only one who was meek by nature and shows what being meek really looks like – it is knowing you have power, but using it responsibly and lovingly and in a manner of humility and gentleness. And those who do that, says Jesus, will inherit the earth.

To inherit – to receive as a possession – land/earth. You do not earn, rather you are given as a gift as one who is meek and therefore exemplifies that you are a child of God and you will receive this great inheritance – the earth. Does that mean you own all the land? Surely not because only one person could inherit it then. What it does mean is that you inherit all there is to get out of this life. You will enjoy this earthly life in all its fullness (John 10:10 Jesus said, I have come that you might have life and have it to the full.). It does not mean you have all wealth or are exempt from earthly troubles. It does mean you have nothing to prove and have no need to beat others down to build yourself up. It means you are satisfied with life and enjoy the journey of life with Jesus by your side.  It means you do not have to be a victim, do not have to be hot-headed at circumstances you don’t control, your depression and anxiety will not define you because you will work to keep that under control, life’s obstacles will throw you a curveball that you will hit and be satisfied with a single and not feel like you have to hit a home run every time which will ease your perfectionistic tendencies. Every one of us has a place where the meekness as seen in Jesus  can come to us as a gift that we can develop with the help of Christ who has shown us how to live better with this 3^rd beatitude; “Happy are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

Even when we do feel weak – God will send His Angel Armies to defend us as we walk in meekness.

07-19-20 THE BE-HAPPY-ATTITUDES “When Mourning gives way to Morning”

Scripture      Matthew 5:4

Matthew 5:1, 2, 4

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them, saying:

4 Blessed (Happy) are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

HAPPY ARE THOSE WHO ARE SAD! WHAT?

          Jesus surely didn’t mean that, did he? If all scripture is God breathed and true, we better try and figure out what in the world Jesus means by this second Be-Attitude:

“Why do bad things happen to good people?” Can I have a dollar for every time I have been asked that question in 35 years of ministry?  It has been asked by God’s people since the beginning of time. The problem is – it is the wrong question. It is a question that can only be answered by God who has chosen to never answer that question, and for good reason. Whenever that question is asked, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” the person does not want an answer, they want an argument and God will not be pulled into an argument with us that would never end. As soon as we would hear the why, we would then say, BUT…and begin our side of the argument. The OT prophets often lamented “Why Oh Lord?” or “How long Oh Lord?” Even Jesus cried out from the cross, “My God, My God, why…?” And in each case God was silent.

          If that is the wrong question, is there a right question we should be asking instead? Well, there is a better question that can be and is answered. “What happens to good people when bad things happen to them?” Jesus answers that question in the second beatitude, “My people will be happy when they mourn because they will be comforted by me and my word.” Christianity never claims bad, tragic, horrific things will never happen, but it does promise we have a comforter to go through it with us.  How much easier is it to go through a tragedy to have friends and loved ones go through it with you – multiply that to have the comfort of heaven go through it with you. God tells us in Isaiah 43:1-2a   But now, this is what the Lord says — he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.”

ANGER vs MOURNING If you don’t have sorrow/mourning for your loss, how can God comfort you?  We will never experience comfort if we don’t ever mourn. Listen to this story and see if you can tell how mourning was followed with comfort. However, this story starts near the end:

She arrives at 4:20. The bus is not due until 4:42. To her, the dismal bus station is a bright foyer. She is not discouraged by the haggard and sleepy-looking travelers, by the confusion, or by the bus station smell. Everything is good today.

“Which ramp will it come in on?”

“Eight or nine, lady. Whichever is open. It will be announced.”

“On time?”

“We don’t know, lady. We don’t get reports unless they are late. They usually run on time.”

“Is that it?”

“No, it really isn’t due yet. They never come ahead of time.”

“Oh, there it is. No, that one is coming from the south. His will come from the north.”

The bus finally arrives.

“Hold back the tears,” she whispers to herself. “Where is he? He surely would have phoned if …oh, there he is. Hold back the tears.”

She doesn’t see anyone else. Just the boy; well, the young man.

     She does not notice the sailor with his awkward bag;

     or the old lady walking with a cane and carrying a box tied with string;

     or the young mother between two toddlers, and an infant asleep in her arms.

She sees only her son. And the tears come anyway. They are tears of joy, spring fed from her very heart.

     Forgotten now is the bleak day last fall when the bus station was dull and dark, the day her heart was mangled in every grinding gear. Her son’s bus had arrived and departed much too soon that day because it carried him across country to college. It was a slowly moving prison and her boy was its captive.

     The tears that day were streams of grief. But now, they are tears of joy. This is a moment to cherish. A golden moment to keep locked in a jewel box, to hold and enjoy on days when loneliness again returns to haunt her empty house.

How do we turn mourning into morning?

1)    Realize what you can do for yourself.

a)     Don’t blame God. All sickness and disease (dis-ease = when our bodies are not at ease with our environment). God did not introduce sickness into the world; Adam and Eve did. Most illnesses or tragedies are not associated with a single act but with an environment we all have aided in being present in this world. (e.g. Algae Bloom – less present because less rain – less run off from farmers chemicals.) Don’t blame God, He did not create your illness or tragic circumstance.

b)    Don’t blame yourself. While in Seminary in KC. A walkway collapsed killing 114 people. One woman who was there spoke about her guilt for not helping others – she couldn’t bring them back from the dead. She felt responsible and ultimately her guilt caused her to withdrawal and attempt suicide which left her in a coma for 3 days and they were scheduled to pull the plug on her life support when her eyes opened and she lived and eventually realized that she could not have done anything to prevent people from dying that night. Don’t blame yourself. Most things that happen contain a whole world of contributing factors.

2)    Realize what God can do for you.

Add up your joys – never count your sorrows.

“Look at what you have in your life, not at what you have lost.”

Phil 4:4-9     Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

          Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.

Mourning over my sin

On Nov 4, 1974 after hearing about the love of a savior who died because of how I had sinned, I first began to mourn the fact that I was a sinner, that I had gotten life all wrong, that I was insufficient to make my life better; but my mourning was turned to joy by the time I knelt poor in spirit before God and confessed my sinfulness and received Jesus as my Lord and Savior. When the preacher said Amen at the end of my salvation prayer, the mourning for my sin had not disappeared but was now overshadowed by the comfort and joy of being set free from the penalty of that sin.  The comfort and joy would not have been possible without first experiencing the mourning.

Mourning over the lostness of others

John Knox mourned and prayed; “Give me Scotland, or I die!” And Scotland was filled with new life in Christ. John Wesley mourned and prayed, and the Methodist movement was born and spread across America. Martin Luther mourned and prayed for the Catholic church, and the Protestant Reformation spread across the world.

Mourning over death

2 Tim 2:12 “If we endure, we will also reign with him.”

Suffering can be endured when we know we do not suffer alone. Jesus promised, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” John 14:1-4   "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

1 Cor 15:50-57

I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

CONCLUSION

Horatio Spafford knew something about life’s unexpected challenges. He was a successful attorney and real estate investor who lost a fortune in the great Chicago fire of 1871. Around the same time, his beloved four-year-old son died of scarlet fever.

Thinking a vacation would do his family some good, he sent his wife and four daughters on a ship to England, planning to join them after he finished some pressing business at home. However, while crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the ship was involved in a terrible collision and sunk. More than 200 people lost their lives, including all four of Horatio Spafford’s precious daughters. His wife, Anna, survived the tragedy. Upon arriving in England, she sent a telegram to her husband that began: “Saved alone. What shall I do?”

Horatio immediately set sail for England. At one point during his voyage, the captain of the ship, aware of the tragedy that had struck the Spafford family, summoned Horatio to tell him that they were now passing over the spot where the shipwreck had occurred.¹

As Horatio thought about his daughters, words of comfort and hope filled his heart and mind. He wrote them down, and they have since become a well-beloved hymn:

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll—

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to know

It is well, it is well with my soul.²

 

Ps 30:5b     “Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”

 

SING: “It is well!”

07-12-20 THE BE-HAPPY-ATTITUDES “Happy are the poor…”

Scripture       Matthew 5:3

Read: p 1 “The Secret of Happiness

Matthew 5:1-16

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them, saying:

3 Blessed (Happy) are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed (Happy) are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed (Happy) are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed (Happy) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

7 Blessed (Happy) are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed (Happy) are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9 Blessed (Happy) are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

10 Blessed (Happy) are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

          13 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:3 "Blessed (Happy) are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Blessed (markarios) = happy

Poor (ptwcos) = poor as a beggar

Spirit (pneuma) = spirit / The highest and most noble part of man, which qualifies us to lay hold of incomprehensible, invisible, eternal things. In Other Words; it is the house where Faith and God’s Word are at home.

Heaven (ouranos) = heaven. The fullness of all things seen that are covered by the vaulted sky. OR The dwelling place of God from where Jesus came and returned to and where heavenly beings reside.

OTHER TRANSLATIONS:

Spiritually prosperous are those who are humble and rate themselves as insignificant.

Humble men are very fortunate!

Blessed are those who feel poor in regard to spiritual things.

Blessed are those who know their need of God.

Blessed are those who are broken in spirit.

Blessed are those who are truly subject, willing to be ruled, not rebellious or troublesome.

Oh the bliss of the man who realizes his utter helplessness and puts his whole trust in God.

Spiritually prosperous are the destitute and helpless in the realm of the spirit.

Blessed is the one who realizes he is nothing, can do nothing and has need of all things.

All of these are facets of the same diamond of spiritual truth. We might combine this way:

Blessed, happy, blissful is the man who, seeing himself insignificant before God, spiritually poor, and desperately in need of Him, is broken in spirit and subjects himself to be taught and ruled by God continually. Oh, what bliss. The kingdom of heaven is his.

Winston Pendleton paraphrase: “Happy and content and full of the joy of living are the humble, for they live every day, here and now, and they have found the proper relationship between themselves and God.”

4 Principals of being Poor in Spirit!

FIRST

If you are to be poor in spirit, you must be aware pf your spiritual poverty.  A pathetic person is the one who has a great need and doesn’t know it.

Luke 12:16ff And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.  He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain.  And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Our bodies have an appetite for food, drink, sex, companionship. But you are more than a body. Our souls have an appetite as well which longs for peace, contentment and happiness.

We give so much attention to making our body (physical existence) rich, that we bankrupt the needs of our souls. We are one-sided. We become physically and materially fat and become spiritually weak and anemic.

          The soul demands as much attention as the body, which is met through communion with God through worship, meditation, prayer, reading the words of Jesus.  Wise is the person who recognizes their spiritual poverty. Until you admit you are poor in spirit, you cannot become filled with the spirit. Consider the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. (Explain)

Luke 18:9-14   “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

In God’s economy – emptying comes before filling, confession comes before forgiveness and poverty before riches.

          Jesus is saying that happiness comes to the person who can acknowledge the poverty of their soul which opens the door for Jesus to enter in. Rev. 3:20 – (Recite)

          There is a disease worse than caner or the coronavirus that keeps us from admitting our spiritual poverty and it is called sin. The simplest way to describe sin is to answer this question – What is at the center of SIN? “I” We hate to admit we failed or are flawed, but that is the first and necessary step to true happiness.

SECOND:  If we are to be poor in spirit, we must receive the riches that Christ has provided by his death and resurrection. We must humble ourselves at the foot of the cross of Jesus and receive him and him alone as our Lord and Savior.

THIRD:  If we are to be poor in spirit, we must be conscience of our dependence on God.

Children don’t spend time worrying about food, clothing, shelter; instead they spend time simply trusting the parent to provide as they simply spend time in relationship with those parents. We must realize that all we are and ever will be is in direct relationship to God. He created us, He redeemed us, He sustains us, and only He will move us into eternal life. We can’t buy it, earn it or create it – only God is able to grant it and he does through Christ alone.  We humbly admit our spiritual poverty and reliance on God for abundant and eternal life.

FOURTH:  If we are to be poor in spirit, we must willingly deny ourselves that we might better serve Christ.

Consider the rich young ruler (Explain) who could not detach himself from his possessions for the sake of Christ. He was not willing to become materially poor but more importantly admit that he was spiritually poor.

The poor in spirit would be in constant prayer for our COVID 19 world and we would see change:

2 Chronicles 7:14   If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Matthew 5:3 “Happy and content and full of the joy of living are the humble, for they live every day, here and now, and they have found the proper relationship between themselves and God.”

picnic with the pastor - pennies

07-05-20 “In Remembrance”

Scripture   Mark 2:1-12

We celebrate our nation’s independence from an overlord – King George of England.

We celebrate our soul’s independence from an overlord – Satan & the sin he induces.

I can hardly believe anyone fought for our nation’s independence when you consider how poorly our soldiers were trained, equipped and prepared against the massive wat machine of Great Britain.

The Continental Army was established by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of hostilities at Lexington and Concord and predates George Washington’s assumption of command outside of Boston in July 1775. Most men who served in the Continental Army were between the ages of 15 and 30. Those who served in the Army were merchants, mechanics, and farmers. By 1780, close to 30,000 men served in the Continental Army.

          A private in the Continental Army earned $6.23 per month and pay would increase upon promotion of rank. Sometimes a promotion in rank brought an increase in pay or food rations.

Life in the Continental Army was difficult. It was mundane and monotonous. Generally, when not engaged in combat, soldiers in the Continental Army served three duties: manual labor, such as digging latrines, clearing fields, or erecting fortifications. They also served on guard duty and drilled daily with their musket and in marching formations.

Reveille was typically at daybreak and soldiers cooked one meal per day, generally around 3:00 pm. Whatever food was left over from the meal, soldiers divided and placed in their haversacks to be consumed as needed. Rations were determined by Congress. Each man received 1.5 pounds of meat per day. Each hunk they received included not only the meat, but bone, fat, and gristle. They also received one pound of bread per day.

Soldiers also received two ounces of spirits a day to be added to the water in their canteens to kill bacteria that could be found floating in the water.

When on the march, the typical soldier in the Continental Army carried forty-five pounds of gear. This included, when he was properly supplied, his weapon, haversack, knapsack, and other accoutrements including a bayonet, tin cup, bowl, spoon, cartridge box, canteen, and if lucky an extra blanket, shirt, or writing paper and a pen. Supply problems constantly plagued the Continental Army, and often men simply made do with whatever arms and equipment they could bring from home.

When drilling with the musket, men were pushed in training to fire four rounds per minute or one every 15 seconds. African Americans did serve in the ranks of the Continental Army and General James Mitchell Varnum petitioned Congress to permit integration. Thus some fighting units were integrated. This would not happen again until 1950, when the US Army fought in Korea.

Sanitation was a significant concern in the Continental Army. Even though information about hygiene in the 18th century was limited compared to what we know today, the results of poor sanitation were well understood. For each soldier killed in combat, nine died of disease, mostly attributed to a lack of sanitation.

The biggest frustration for Continental Army soldiers was the ineffectiveness of Congress and the lack of support they received from the political body that espoused the same cause. Mutiny at times raised its head.

However, when this was about to happen, they were able to remember their cause. Not remembering something from the past but remembering what was before them. They remembered that they and their children had a hope for a better future. They no longer needed to be overtaxed by England and no longer had to be badly treated by a tyrant king. They remembered they were becoming part of and fighting for a new nation that would be radically different from anything the world had even known.

          In light of the experience of these amazing men who became soldiers for a cause, let us hear the word of God:

2 Timothy 2:1-16

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs — he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

Here is a trustworthy saying:

If we died with him, we will also live with him;

if we endure, we will also reign with him.

If we disown him, he will also disown us;

if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

What is the word of truth? The Bible! God’s word! The words of Jesus!

Before I share of few of the words of Jesus, let me ask, have you ever felt like you are in a battle in your life for the cause of Christ? Has Satan, the tyrant king, ever tried to make you feel unworthy of the love of God? Have you ever doubted that God could love you because you know you are not living exactly like you should?

          Let’s consider why we might not live for Christ the way we should.

1)    Human nature is self centered.

2)    We are not well educated.

3)    We are not well equipped

4)    We are not well supported5)

All of these things were said of the continental army. Just like them, when we are not winning the war, we are not living as we should, we are down-discouraged-depressed, we need to REMEMBER. Not remember what was (only) but remember the hope we have of the new world we are fighting for.

     Remembrance of the past can be important – like the Hebrews remembering the story of the Passover. (describe the Passover)

     How much more important to remember the one who said the following: Luke 22:10

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."

I served in the United States Army from 1963 to 1966, including a tour of duty in Vietnam, in a portion of 1965 and 1966. When I think of those days, the training that we endured and the discipline that was required, I note that very little discipline exists in the average Christian that is required to be a soldier. As Army soldiers, we were put through physical, mental and emotional training. The hours were long and so at night I would fall into bed and go to sleep before my head hit the pillow. But, it all paid off when the time came to be in a war zone. The discipline and training seemed unnecessary, but it was apparent why this was so important once we landed in the middle of the Vietnam conflict.

Think of the fact that Timothy was told by the Apostle Paul that living the Christian life is tantamount to being a soldier. He did not mean that Christians are to physical fight the enemy, but that we are to grow and and be tough in our commitment and discipline so that we might endure all the the devil throws at us. To be a Christian is to be obedient to the Commander, the Captain of our Salvation, Jesus Christ. I pray that we will make a new commitment of our lives to be dedicated soldiers of the cross in this service today.

“During the War Between the States", writes Gary Redding, "a Union solder from Ohio was shot in the arm during of the battle of Shiloh. His captain saw he was wounded and barked an order: 'Gimme your gun, private, and get to the rear!’ The private handed over his rifle and ran toward the north, seeking safety. But after covering two or three hundred yards, he came upon another skirmish. Then he ran to the east and into another part of the battle. Then he ran west but encountered more fighting there. Finally, he ran back to the front lines, shouting: 'Gimme back my gun, cap'n. There ain't no rear to this battle!’ When it comes to spiritual warfare, ‘there ain't no rear!’”

PRESSING ON

In a far country lived a band of minstrels who traveled from town to town presenting music to make a living. They had not been doing well. Times were hard; there was little money for common folk to come to hear the minstrels, even though their fee was small. Attendance had been falling off, so early one evening the group met to discuss their plight. “I see no reason for opening tonight,” one said. “To make things even worse than they may have been, it is starting to snow. Who will venture out on a night like this?” “I agree,” another disheartened singer said. “Last night we performed for just a handful. Fewer will come tonight. Why not give back their meager fees and cancel the concert? No one can expect us to go on when just a few are in the audience.” “How can anyone do his best for so few?” a third inquired. Then he turned to another sitting beside him. “What do you think?” The man appealed to was older than the others. He looked straight at his troupe. “I know you are discouraged. I am too. But we have a responsibility to those who might come. We will go on. And we will do the best job of which we are capable. It is not the fault of those who come that others do not. They should not be punished with less than the best we can give.” Heartened by his words, the minstrels went ahead with their show. They never performed better. When the show was over and the small audience gone, the old man called his troupe to him. In his hand was a note, handed to him by one of the audience just before the doors closed behind him. “Listen to this, my friends!” Something electrifying in his tone of voice made them turn to him in anticipation. Slowly the old man read: “Thank you for a beautiful performance.” It was signed very simply-“Your King.”