Remembering the Fallen

Pastor Mark Schwarzbauer PhDFamily Worship Center

John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

Remembering the Fallen• We need Memorial day because

too many forget the price of freedom.• George Santayana wrote (The

Life of Reason, 1905) “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

Part One: The High Price

of Freedom

The High Price of Freedom• We need to remember to

prevent the failure to value freedom.• The failure includes thinking

too little of the price that was paid by our veterans killed in action.

Here lie the Remains of 4,402 American Soldiers who paid the High Price of Freedom

In Lazio Italy another 7,861 American Soldiers are interred who Paid the High Price of Freedom

Iraq and Afghanistan combined combat death is 5,281; Not to diminish, but to comprehend

contrast the death totals of these two battles during WW2 which took the lives of 29,560

American soldiers in Italy.

Freedom is not free It is purchased with a very high price

Thomas Jefferson said in 1787

“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to

time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”

Posting on Facebook… Only Two defining forces

have ever offered to die for you- Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your soul. The other for your freedom.

Memorial – John 15:13 “Greater love has no one

than this, than to lay down one’s life for his

friends.”

We have Memorial Day every year to remind us

of the high price of freedom that we might retain a high appreciation.

Part Two: The High

Appreciation of Jesus

Jesus’ death proves the

greatest love

2 Cor 5:16-21.16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

2 Cor 5:16-21.18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

2 Cor 5:16-21.20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

2 Corinthians 5:16-21• God the Son reconciling the world back

to Father God- 2 Cor 5:16-21.• Reconciling – καταλλάξαντος

(katallaxantos).• katallássō (katá, "down to an exact

point," intensifying, allássō, "to change") – properly, decisively change, as when two parties reconcile when coming ("changing") to the same position.

Jesus’ Claims of Exclusivity• In John 14:6 Jesus clearly claimed to

be the only way to get to heaven.• Some people have a difficult time

with His exclusive claim.• Dell Tacket said “We struggle with

exclusivity because we think too little of Jesus and too little of what He did.”

Jesus’ Claims of Exclusivity• Jesus left heaven and came

down to earth. He fought on this foreign soil for the freedom of people who were enslaved by a vicious regime.

It is the soldier, not the reporter who gives us freedom of the press.

It is the soldier, not the poet who gives us freedom of speech.

It is the soldier, not the campus organizer who gives us freedom to demonstrate.

It is the soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin in draped by the flag, who allows the protester

to burn the flag. ~ Dennis Edward O'Brien, Sergeant, USMC

It is Jesus, NOT Buddha, That died for your sins.

It is Jesus, NOT Muhammad, Who rose again from the dead.

It is Jesus, NOT Krishna, Who will one day judge you.

It is Jesus, who left heaven for you, Came to earth to be like you, Went to the cross to die for you, And is the only way

back to heaven.~ Pastor Mark Schwarzbauer 2014