Memorial Day and Christ’s Sacrifice
Memorial Day is a day that is set aside to remember and honor our brave soldiers who have given their lives to protect our land and keep us free. It began as a day to honor our Civil War dead, but after World War I, it was expanded to include all who have died in all the wars in which America was involved. Historians say our country has fought in 13 wars. We have asked during these conflicts for young adults to be willing to give their lives in the name of freedom. For some families in America every day is Memorial Day because they have an empty chair at the table.
A few years ago Judy and I toured the Navy Seal museum in Ft. Pierce. Expecting to spend two hours we spent four touring every part of the museum. For us, the museum captures the spirit of the Seals who dedicated their lives to serve and fight for our country. On one of the plaques in an exhibit this statement was made by a seasoned seal. He said, "It's important for veterans who fought in a war to believe their sacrifice was worth it." That statement gripped me. Was their sacrifice worth it? Whatever the battle, whatever the war, that's what the soldier wants to know. Even if the ground that the soldier fought so hard for is lost….was their sacrifice worth it?
As I sit at my desk writing a Memorial Day devotional I wonder if Jesus ever asked this question as he looks at us, "Was my sacrifice worth it?” Think about this. Soldiers go into battle risking their life. Jesus didn’t risk His life. He gave his life. He came to planet earth knowing that He alone could pay the price for the sins of the world, my sins and yours….”the righteous for the unrighteous." Nothing breaks the heart of Jesus more than to see the ground He died to liberate in our lives being lost to the enemy. It breaks His heart to see us clinging to the sin and junk that He bled and died for.
In Luke 19:41-42 we read about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, The crowds were celebrating. They were cheering. And what was Jesus doing? He was crying. Jesus saw the city, and He wept over it. Why did Jesus weep when He saw Jerusalem? Being God and having omniscience, Jesus knew these fickle people who were crying out, “Hosanna!” would soon be shouting, “Crucify Him!” He knew that one of His handpicked disciples, Judas, would betray him. He knew that another disciple, Peter, would deny him. Looking ahead 40 years, Jesus saw the destruction that would come upon the city at the hands of the Emperor Titus. Jesus was filled with grief. It doesn’t matter if He is entering Jerusalem or He looks at our life today, when we sin we break Jesus’ heart. It breaks His heart when he sees one of His children filling his/her mind with pornographic fantasies or uses his body, the temple of the Holy Spirit, for sexual sins that He died for. It bruises Jesus when we wound others with our mouth. We hurt Jesus when we lie, abandon our wedding vows, show no forgiveness, exude bitterness, gossip, display pride or so many other dark impulses unworthy of His sacrifice on the cross.
Let me suggest that the most damaging way we can dishonor and diminish the blood-sacrifice of Jesus is to think that there's some other way we can get rid of our sin in order to grab a spot in heaven. Maybe if I live a good life or if I was more religious I can make it through the “Pearly Gates” (which actually don’t exist). Listen closely, if there was any other way your death penalty could have been paid, Jesus would have never endured the agony of the cross. Why would He experience such misery and torment if there was another way to pay the penalty for your guilt and sin before a holy God?
I don’t know if you have followed the story of Lori Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli. Loughlin was one of the stars on Full House, a 1980s sitcom. Last week she agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy charges in connection to her role in a college admissions scam. She and her husband paid $500,000 to get their two daughters into the University of Southern California as fake crew team recruits. What’s interesting is Loughlin and her husband pleaded not guilty for over a year. As part of the plea agreement, Loughlin will be sentenced to two months in prison and Giannulli will be sentenced to five.
I find it curious that some people plead not guilty for a long period of time and then change their mind and plead guilty. At times we can be just like Loughlin and Giannulli. We say, “I am alright. I didn’t do anything wrong. There is nothing wrong with me. I am not guilty. I haven’t sinned.” This type of thinking can cause us real problems. If we don’t see ourselves as sinners and admit our sin and guilt, then we won’t see how much we need God and His forgiveness. We are denying why Jesus needed to come to earth. We are saying that Jesus’ death on the cross was not worth it.
In John 3:17 Jesus says, “I came to save the world not condemn it.” If we don’t see our sin before a holy God we won’t see how critical it is to confess it. The truth is, we are sinners and we need to plead guilty and affirm what Jesus has done for us for us on the cross. To honor the unspeakable blood sacrifice of God's only Son is to abandon any other hope that we can become righteous in the sight of our God. So Jesus looks at you, he looks at me, and then He looks at the his nail-pierced hands and says on Memorial Day, “I love you so much and my sacrifice was worth it!”
Take a few moments right now and thank the Lord Jesus for what he did for you on a sin-stained cross. And with much of the nation staying at home, pray for the grieving families of late military veterans who are left to honor their relatives without the support of traditional parades or group graveside remembrances.
Pastor Jeff
