Saving Private Ryan

Luke 5:1-11

 

One of my favorite movies is “Saving Private Ryan”. It is a story based in WWII. A platoon is sent on a mission to find Private Ryan because his three brothers were killed in action so that he became the sole surviving son. The platoon eventually finds Ryan in a village where they engage a much larger force of Germans. The Captain makes sure that Ryan lives even though he dies protecting him.

 

A lifetime later, an elderly Ryan returns to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial with his wife and adult son and his family to visit the gravesite of the Captain who had given his life for him. While there he tearfully asks his wife the question, “Have I been a good man”? In other words, he wonders if his life was worthy of the Captain dieing for him.

 

In the passage today, Simon Peter and his fishing partners, including James and John, and his brother Andrew, “left everything and followed Jesus”. They must have been very excited about Jesus to make such an extreme decision to leave their family and livelihood.

 

It makes you wonder what their expectations were as they “left everything”. We know that some time later these same fishermen were arguing amongst themselves who would be the greatest. Who would sit on Jesus’ right and his left. We also know that when Jesus was arrested that all of them deserted him. And although Peter stayed close by, he even denied knowing Jesus.

 

However, the bottom line for each of these men is that they followed Jesus even to martyrdom for some. They performed miracles. They saw thousands come to faith in Christ and begin to follow him. Their initial excitement of fishing for men, of being a part of something bigger than themselves, was fulfilled in ways they never imagined.

 

Just maybe one or more of them towards the end of their life asked the same question as the elderly Ryan: “Was my life worthy of the death of my good friend and Lord and Saviour Jesus”?

 

It’s the same question that you and I can ask ourselves whether we are 20 or 70. Was my life worthy, or will it be worthy, of the death of my Lord Jesus? Was I, or will I be, a faithful follower of him? Have others, and do others, see Jesus in me?

 

And when that day does come, as certain as taxes do every April 15, will He say to me, “Well done my good and faithful servant”?

 

Is Your Glass Half Full or Half Empty?

Psalm 116:12-19

 

Are you a “glass is half full or half empty” type of person? Do you see the positive side of everything or the negative? At times, it’s easy for me to be a half empty person. I complain about my doctor’s office visit co-pay, when I’m fortunate to have insurance at all. Actually, I think human nature tends to operate this way. We like to complain about what we don’t have. It’s called covetousness.

 

The psalmist was a half full type of person. He asks this question of himself: “But now what can I offer Jehovah for all he has done for me”? And then he answers it: “I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord”.

 

Throughout Scripture, the cup functions as a metaphor for an individual's life. In today’s passage, the psalmist “lifts up the cup of salvation” as a thank offering to God; in essence he is offering the sum total of his life to the Lord.

 

Jesus used the symbolism of the cup also at very significant times. During the Last Supper he shared the cup of wine as a symbol of his blood that he was about to shed for us. “Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins”.

 

Later that same night, Jesus uses the symbolism of the cup in the Garden of Gethsemane. “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will”.

 

In both of these passages, Jesus uses the cup as the totality of his life; of his purpose; of who he is and why he came.

 

Actually, no matter how we look at our life - whether it is half full or half empty – let us be like the psalmist and offer all that we have to our Lord. Let us offer our cup, our life – mind, body and soul – to Jesus. Let us offer to him all that we have; all that we are.

 

Then we can echo Paul’s words to the Romans: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship”.

 

 

 

BELIEVE

Revelation 7:9-17

 

Following the Sugar Bowl, there was a billboard near my home that simply read, “BELIEVE”. The letters were scarlet and gray. Now I’m just guessing that its intent might have been to rally the Buckeye nation to get behind their team for the College Football Playoff championship game.

 

After all, it would have been easy to give up on the Buckeyes this year. They have dealt with numerous setbacks and adversity throughout the season, and yet here they were preparing for the championship game. Obviously the players and coaches didn’t lose hope, so this billboard was to help the fans not lose theirs.

 

The Christian church at the time of John’s revelation was suffering severe persecution from the Romans. The church needed hope. According to the notes in my Life Application Bible, “Revelation is written in “apocalyptic” form which is a type of Jewish literature which uses symbolic imagery to communicate hope (the ultimate triumph of God) to those in the midst of persecution”.

 

In today’s passage John describes, “A great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands”.     Revelation 7:9 NIV

 

Also included was this image: ^“All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God”.                   Revelation 7:11 NIV

 

Visualize these two scenes for a minute. Angels, and a multitude in white robes, both in the presence of the Lord worshipping Him.

 

Before the College Football Playoff started, Buckeye fans “hoped” their team would get to, and win, the Championship game. However, there was no certainty of it. Jesus is telling us through John, that we can be certain of His love, faithfulness and presence in our lives; we can be certain of His promises; we can be certain of His ultimate triumph.

 

Most of us haven’t experienced persecution but we have experienced the struggles of life: a lost job, the death of a family member, divorce, addiction. One thing that is certain in an uncertain world is Jesus – “the same yesterday today and forever”.

 

The Buckeyes may not win the championship every year, but you can hope and BELIEVE, with certainty, in the “ultimate triumph of God”.

 

“For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be your shepherd; ‘he will lead you to springs of living water. And God will wipe away your every tear from your eyes.”    Revelation 7:17 NIV

 

 

 

Survivor: Outwit, Outlast, Outplay

Hebrews 4:12-16

 

Survivor - It is one of my wife’s and mine favorite TV shows. We watch every episode and get into the lives of the players. We find ourselves cheering for some and against others based on their behaviors and attitudes.

 

Imagine though, what it would be like to have a camera recording every action you take, every thought you have, every word you say and every motivation that drives you. You don’t have to imagine.

 

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account”.         Hebrews 4:13 NIV

 

“O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit or stand. When far away, you know my every thought… Every moment you know where I am. You know what I am going to say before I even say it.”     Psalm 139:1-4 TLB

 

If we are honest with ourselves, these verses would make us very uncomfortable. After all, our eternal judgment is at stake, and if God knows everything about us, we don’t have much hope. But some of the most hopeful words in the Bible are included in Hebrews.

 

“But Jesus the Son of God is our great High Priest who has gone to heaven itself to help us; therefore let us never stop trusting him.  This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses since he had the same temptations we do, though he never once gave way to them and sinned”.            4:14-15 TLB

 

On Survivor, a jury of peers judge the final three participants. This jury is made up of the same people that the final players had a hand in voting out of the game. They may have been blind-sided by them, lied to or manipulated. They have observed the finalist over the last 39 days when they have been at their worst; thinking only of themselves; of what it would take for them to win the game, and doing anything to get there.

 

Although our Judge will be able to know and observe everything there is about us throughout our whole lives, both the worst and the best, we can still approach Him boldly and receive both mercy and grace.

 

 ^“Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with fullest confidence, that we may receive mercy for our failures and grace to help in the hour of need”.          Hebrews 4:16           JB Phillips

 

What more do we need to survive than this? What more do we need to be victorious?