Bible Baptist Church

There are two men credited with similar statements. The first, a World War 2 veteran named Paul Tibbets. Paul Tibbets was the pilot for the airplane named after his mother Enola Gay. August 6, 1945 Paul piloted his B-29 Superfortress Bomber over Hiroshima and dropped an atomic bomb named "Little Boy".

World War 2 would take an estimated 70 to 85 million lives throughout the conflict. Roughly 416,800 US military deaths and about 1,700 US civilian deaths. To this day, it is still considered the deadliest conflict in human history.

The second man was a Vietnam Buddhist Monk named Thích Quảng Đức. He publicly took his own life in protest of Buddhist persecution in Vietnam. When President John F. Kennedy saw a picture of the burnt body it was noted that this Buddhist Monk changed the world as we knew it. History reminds us that sacrifice changes nations. This twenty year conflict would lead to the deaths of 58,220 military personnel.

Paul Tibbets and Thích Quảng Đức lived in two separate parts of our world, but both are recognized as men who changed our world. The United States welcomed and celebrated the men and women who served during World War 2, but by the time the Vietnam War took place there was as much turmoil on the campuses of our American universities as there was in the jungles of Vietnam.

I hope and pray the lack of patriotism toward our veterans of Vietnam never happens again. I am glad we have come a long way and many have attempted to share their gratitude to the military personnel who were stuck in a country they did not want to be in.

Sadly the Vietnam War created deep division across America. Many returning soldiers were treated with disrespect, even though many had little choice but to serve.

America has seen her share of wars, but no matter the conflict there has been one consequence that all the wars have had. That one consequence has been the death of our military soldiers.

Tomorrow we will be celebrating Memorial Day. Many civilians look at Memorial Day as a day out of school, a day off work, or a time to honor our military. The truth is none of that has anything to do with Memorial Day. The essence of Memorial Day is honoring and mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the Armed Forces. It is a day of remembrance for those who made the ultimate sacrifice, rather than a celebration of all veterans.

In Arlington Cemetery stands a monument that is protected night and day 365 days a year. Even when storms threaten brave men stand at guard protecting the monument you and I know as The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

I invite you to go with me to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The remains of an unknown soldier who fought in World War 1 and later remains from 1958 and 1984 were added.

By chance, while we were here one of the unknown soldiers was could stand before us today and was given the opportunity to share some words with us, what do you think he'd say?

I think there are three things he'd share with us:

1. Enjoy Your Freedom

Americans have gotten to be in such a hurry that days of solemn remembrance are forgotten and it becomes about opening our pools, cooking out, and days off school and work. Although none of those are bad within themselves, part of enjoying freedom is understanding why we have freedom.

You have freedom in the U.S.A., because of military personnel who not only fought on our behalf, but died in their pursuit. What we have today are funeral markers of all sorts to remind us of their bravery so we could live in a free country.

We have highways to travel long distances, election booths to vote on different offices, we can have mindsets that are different from one another, and we can worship freely. Many look at freedom as, "I can do what I want!" Even within freedom there are boundaries, such as speed limits or one vote per person.

Yes, freedom came with a cost and that cost was the lives of American soldiers. Like our American freedom if you know Jesus Christ, you have freedom in Him as well. Spiritual freedom is built on the death of Jesus Christ. Unlike our American soldiers, Jesus Christ had the power to retake His life. Three days after His death He arose from the grave.

By coming into a relationship with the LORD by Jesus' death and resurrection you can enjoy blessings that only come from the LORD. Blessings like peace that goes beyond understanding, forgiveness that sees my sin thrown as far as the East is from the West, mercy that is new every morning, and faithfulness that allows us to sleep at night.

Yes, our American soldier would first share with us enjoy your freedom.

2. Don't Underestimate the Impact of My Death

What is the impact of one life? Ask a father or mother who has lost a child the impact of that child upon their lives. Ask a spouse who has lost the love of their life the impact of that spouse. Ask a friend who lost a friend the impact that friend had on his or her life. What I am saying is don't ever underestimate the powerful impact one person has on our lives.

It is estimated that approximately 1.3 million Americans have died in U.S. military service across all major conflicts since the Revolutionary War. Soldiers who died so our colonies could become a nation under God. Soldiers who died to help America outlaw slavery and allow each person no matter their skin color the same freedoms. Yes, all their lives mattered and we are here today enjoying this beautiful nation, because of what they were willing to sacrifice.

Jesus was also willing to sacrifice His life to give you freedom (cf. Philippians 2:6-11). Jesus emptied Himself so He could be a human being. He lived as we lived, but He never sinned. Jesus Christ willingly came into this world, was arrested, judged, crucified and placed in a borrowed tomb. But as I said earlier, death could not hold Him. He arose again and His impact is still being felt today.

Our American hero asks us to enjoy our freedoms and don't underestimate the impact of his death.

3. Battles Have Been Won, but the War Rages On

Many assumed World War 2 would be the war to end all wars, but as our history shows wars have continued. The only way for wars to cease will be for Jesus Christ to return, but since He has not done that yet wars will continue.

In each war, there were different battles. For example in the Civil War Gettysburg was a battle. In each battle a certain side may be considered the winner, but the overall war continues.

People ask, "Why do we have wars?" It is an unfortunate side effect of sin. People want what they want, and if that means taking it by force, then that's what they will do.

Jesus Christ declared war on sin, and for three days it seemed like sin and death had won. Yet, early on the third day, Sunday morning Jesus' heart began to beat again, blood began to flow once more, and life's breath returned.

Jesus won the war on sin and although there are battles that will take place in each believer's life we have the confidence that unlike our American history the war against sin is over. Jesus won it all when He arose from the dead.

June 11, 1963 President Kennedy didn't know the world had changed over night. A son with his father seeing Paul Tibbets at a local department store didn't know he saw the man who saved the world. We have grave after grave of both known and unknown men and women who have given their lives so we could enjoy freedom.

We also have a Savior in Jesus Christ who gave His life and took it again so we can enjoy spiritual freedom. Yes, I am grateful for a day to remember the men and women who gave up their lives so we could have this priceless freedom, but I am beyond grateful for a Savior who gave His life so I could have His freedom for all eternity.

Tomorrow flags will wave, families will gather, and many Americans will enjoy freedoms they did not personally purchase. But every freedom we enjoy was bought by someone else's sacrifice. And the greatest freedom of all was purchased at Calvary.

Today let's be grateful for what we have in our country, because of those who gave it all. Also, I want you to make a choice to come to Jesus because of what He did to bring you spiritual freedom. Let's pray together: "Father, I want to thank You for the country we live in and the freedoms we have. I want to thank You for the many who have served, and especially this Sunday thank You for the many who died in pursuit of our American dream and freedom. I also pray if there is anyone here today who doesn't know Jesus Christ as his or her Savior they'd come to know Him this morning. I pray today they will come to know Jesus made a way back to You when there didn't seem to be a way. Amen."