Sermon Tone Analysis

*In Honor of Those Who Serve*

*Judges 8:4-13, 22-23, 33-35*

 

            Today is Veterans’ Day, and while I’m not one to do a special sermon for each holiday we have, the Lord has laid this on my heart this week; that we needed to remember those who keep us free to worship Him.

The celebration of Veterans’ Day goes back to World War I, where shortly after, President Wilson and Congress decided to remember the fallen and all soldiers on November 11th.

The date was based off of President Wilson’s first speech about then called Armistice Day, where he said, “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…”[1] In 1954, President Eisenhower signed a bill that changed Armistice Day to Veteran’s Day.

Today we honor those who are serving in our military right now, to those who have served in years past, and to those who died protecting our freedoms.

To all veterans, I say thank you.

            Serving in the military is not an easy thing to do.

I have not personally served, but have family and friends that have; and to hear their stories would bring tears to your eyes.

These are the men and women who were called to serve and volunteered their lives for our freedom.

They are today’s heroes.

I recently heard a story told by Commander Mark Waddell and his wife Marshele about what life was like for them, and what it was like to hear their son tell them that he was going to join the Marines.

Commander Waddell served as a Navy Seal for 25 years, and at the end of his service, fell victim to post traumatic stress syndrome.

After a couple of years in therapy, he and his family survived and now have a ministry dedicated to soldiers like him.

Now imagine seeing what he has seen, suffering as he and his family had suffered, and waking up to the day that you son tells you that he wants to be a Marine.

Marshele admitted that she wanted to talk her son out of going into the Marines, but her son’s response really impacted her.

He said, “Mom, I was born to be a soldier.

God made me who I am so I can serve others.”

Reluctantly, the Waddell’s agreed with their son’s decision.

Each one of us is given gifts and talents that help mold what we do in life.

Are we a soldier, a doctor, a janitor?

Each one of these jobs is equally important.

Now sometimes we know what we are supposed to do, but we are reluctant to do it.

I knew from early on that I was called to be a Pastor, but I was reluctant because it wasn’t the “smart” thing to do; or at least that was what I was told.

So sometimes, we need a little prodding.

There was once a soldier who didn’t want to be a soldier.

He knew he was called to be a soldier; in fact, he had been visited by angel who told him that God needed him to lead His army.

Let’s look at this.  Turn with me to Judges chapter 6 and verse 11.

Judges 6:11:

The angel of the LORD came, and he sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash, the Abiezrite.

His son Gideon was threshing wheat in the wine vat in order to hide it from the Midianites.

The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and deliver Israel from the power of Midian.

Am I not sending you?"

\\  But Gideon gave all kinds of excuses.

Verse 15, “Gideon asked, He said to Him, "Please, Lord, how can I deliver Israel?

Look, my family is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father's house."

Now Gideon was a very reluctant soldier, but he received a call and had the gifts to fulfill the call.

The angel proved to him that God was calling on him to serve God, and Gideon finally agreed.

Now Gideon wasn’t just asked to serve, he was called to lead.

Not only lead, but lead a very small army of 300 men against an army of 15,000 men.

Then, as he is leading this army of few against many for the sake of everyone in Israel, he and his men received a great deal of opposition on the home front.

Judges chapter 8 and verse 4:

\\ Gideon and the 300 men came to the Jordan and crossed it.

They were exhausted, but still in pursuit.

He said to the men of Succoth, "Please give some loaves of bread to the people who are following me, because they are exhausted, for I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian."

But the princes of Succoth asked, "Are Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hands that we should give bread to your army?"

Gideon replied, "Very well, when the LORD has handed Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I will trample your flesh on thorns and briers from the wilderness!"

He went from there to Penuel and asked the same thing from them.

The men of Penuel answered just as the men of Succoth had answered.

He also told the men of Penuel, "When I return in peace, I will tear down this tower!"

Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and with them was their army of about 15,000 men, who were all those left of the entire army of the Qedemites.

Those who had been killed were 120,000 warriors.

Gideon traveled on the caravan route, east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and attacked their army while the army was unsuspecting.

Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued them.

He captured these two kings of Midian and routed the entire army.

Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the ascent of Heres.

Gideon was leading his army on the Lord’s command, and even those they were helping were pushing them aside.

Look at verses 5 and 6:

He said to the men of Succoth, "Please give some loaves of bread to the people who are following me, because they are exhausted, for I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian."

But the princes of Succoth asked, "Are Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hands that we should give bread to your army?"

Not a whole lot has changed between then and now has it?

The, “Before we will give to you, what have you done for us” mentality.

In Vietnam, whether you supported the war or not, our men were over there fighting and dying for our freedom and the freedom of an oppressed people.

They were not received well at home or in Vietnam.

In the war that we are in now with Iraq, our nation has been riding the fence on the treatment of the soldiers.

In one breath, our leaders honor these men and women, and in the next, speak poorly of them to the public.

Iraq is different than Vietnam though, as many of our troops are coming home with a hero’s welcome.

Now Gideon, like our troops today, did not give up even in the face of adversity.

Verses 10-12:

Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and with them was their army of about 15,000 men, who were all those left of the entire army of the Qedemites.

Those who had been killed were 120,000 warriors.

Gideon traveled on the caravan route, east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and attacked their army while the army was unsuspecting.

Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued them.

He captured these two kings of Midian and routed the entire army.

Gideon continued to do what the Lord had told him, and finished his work.

Then, Gideon came home.

He was well received and given a hero’s welcome.

In fact, they wanted to make him king, but he refused.

Verse 22:

Then the Israelites said to Gideon, "Rule over us, you as well as your sons and your grandsons, for you delivered us from the power of Midian."

But Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the LORD will rule over you."

[verse 33]

When Gideon died, the Israelites turned and prostituted themselves with the Baals and made Baal-berith their god.

The Israelites did not remember the LORD their God who had delivered them from the power of the enemies around them.

They did not show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal ([that is,] Gideon) for all the good he had done for Israel.

After the freedom that God had granted the Israelites through the work of Gideon, neither God nor Gideon was remembered.

That is why we have a day like today, Veteran’s Day, so we never forget those who place their lives on the line.

And our soldiers, unlike America as a whole, are not forgetting what God has done for them.

Many are putting God first in their lives when they come home, and anchor themselves in the truth of God’s Word while overseas.

I want to read a letter to you from a Chaplain that has been serving in Iraq.

He is now either home or on his way home.

This is a letter dated October 20, 2007 from Chaplain Captain Ken Bolin.

Greetings to you in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

As the subject line says, this will be my last update from Iraq.

I know that my last one prior to this was late in September, so please forgive me for the lag; this last month has been very, very busy.

Thankfully, God has been very gracious to us, and has kept everyone safe.

As my last update said, my traveling days here are done.

Although I don't necessarily like being stuck here "inside the wire," it is nice to know that the next time I leave it will be

to begin the trip home.

With these last few weeks, I've been busy paying special attention to some different things.