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May 26, 2008 - A Tribute to Those Who Serve

A quick glance at my video library would tell you that I’m a real fan of war movies based upon historical events.  Movies like “Saving Private Ryan”, “The Battle of the Bulge”, and “Pearl Harbor” are some of my favorites.  It is not the blood or violence that stirs my interest.  Re-enactments of the sacrifices and commitments soldiers and sailors have made in defending democracy helps me better appreciate the freedom we enjoy.

On this special day, let’s remember all those who served so faithfully.  Especially uphold those in the Middle East who are now in harms way.  Let’s pray for the men and women that are standing in the gap for people who wish to defend humanity against terrorism and dictatorships.

When I think of the ultimate sacrifice involved in giving a life for defense of principles, my attention is drawn to the Suffering Servant – Jesus Christ.

Christ Our Substitute

“And He Himself is the propitiation (favorably inclined) for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins”. 1 John 4:10

Commenting on these verses Martin Luther wrote: “All the prophets did foresee in Spirit that Christ should become the greatest transgressor, murderer, adulterer, thief, rebel, blasphemer, etc. that ever was or could be in the entire world. For he, being made a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, is not now an innocent person and without sins…but a sinner.” He was, of course, talking about the imputing of our wrongdoing to Christ as our substitute.  What a sacrifice!

Luther continues his comments: “Our most merciful Father…sent his only Son into the world and laid upon him…the sins of all men saying: Be thou Peter that denier; Paul that persecutor, blasphemer, and cruel oppressor; David that adulterer; that sinner which did eat the apple in Paradise; that thief which hung upon the cross; and briefly be thou the person which hath committed the sins of all men; see therefore that thou pay and satisfy for them. Here now comes the law and saith: I find him a sinner…therefore let him die upon the cross. And so he setteth upon him and killeth him. By this means the whole world is purged and cleansed from all sins.”

The presentation of the death of Christ as the substitute exhibits the love of the cross more richly, fully, gloriously, and glowingly than any other account of it. Luther saw this and gloried in it. He once wrote to a friend: “Learn to know Christ and him crucified. Learn to sing to him, and say, ‘Lord Jesus, you are my righteousness, I am your sin. You have taken upon yourself what is mine and given me what is yours. You became what you were not, so that I might become what I was not.’“

What a great and wonderful exchange! This is true love and dedication.