Freedom's Never Free

Sixty-eight years ago today Allied troops stormed a fifty mile stretch of heavily fortified beach on the north west coast of France. Thousands of men went into battle, many were killed, but all of them helped turn the tide of World War II. D-Day paved the road to Berlin and brought about the defeat of Hitler. Those men were some of the most courageous to ever live. They knew the cost of the mission, the risks and dangers involved, but they went, and they changed the world.

Memorial day was last week, and the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend I began the service with a song to honor all those who have served this country.

Freedom's Never Free

Standing on a hillside
Where the river meets the sea
White crosses without number
Line the fields of peace

And each one a silent witness
Staring back at me
Every cross a story
Of another place in time
Where young men thought it worthy
To give their life for mine
And for the sake of honor
Left their dreams behind

And for the price they paid
I'm forever in their debt
Their memory will not die
'Cause I will not forget

I will stand and hold my head up high
I will dedicate my life
To the glory of the ones who had to die
I will live, live what I believe
If for no one else but me
I will remember
That freedom's never free

It was on another hillside
Outside the city gates
The battle lines were drawn
As soldiers took their place

The Father watched in silence
As a cross was raised
With freedom drawing closer
He took His final breath
He drank our cup of guilt
And took the sting from death

Heaven's Finest Soldier
clothed in human flesh
And for the price He paid
I'm forever in His debt
The cross will never die
'Cause I will not forget

I will stand and hold my head up high
I will dedicate my life
To the glory of the One who had to die
I will live, live what I believe
If for no one else but me
To remember that
Freedom's Never Free

I will walk free
I will stay free
I will live free
I will die free!

Freedom is never free. There is always a great price that has to be paid for it. I am grateful for the men who have paid that price. Those who were willing to but didn't have to. They have made so many sacrifices so that we can have the freedoms we do have.

As I look at the Church we have a similar calling. Jesus, Heaven's finest soldier, came to earth to pay the price that we might have life. He stormed the beaches of Normandy, to turn the tide of history. And He has left the Church with a commission to continue gaining ground.

D-Day was not VE-Day. D-Day was not the end of World War II. There were still battles to fight, there were still hardships to endure. D-Day simply assured victory. The Cross, the D-Day event of history, was not victory day. There are still battles to fight and hardships to endure before the ultimate victory and restoration happens. Jesus turned the tide of the war and assured victory, but we still have battles to fight. He said in His final commission, "I will be with you always, even to the very end of the age."

Freedom is never free. There is always a great price that has to be paid for it. Is the Church willing to pay it? I look around at Christianity today, and I seriously doubt it. Somehow we've gotten so far away from the reality of the battle we're in. We've lost the mentality that we are all soldiers in the middle of a war. In many ways we've begun to live as if the war is over, as if the threat is over. We've grown fat and complacent, unable to march into battle. Our swords have become dull and our armor rusted. We've developed a sense of security, and lost the urgency to move towards "Berlin" and defeat the enemy.

The Church must get back into the fight. We've got to get back into shape so we can join the battle again. Our swords need to be sharpened and our armor polished. We must focus again on the real issue, the real enemy, and march toward "Berlin". We've got to hit our knees and pray, communicating with the General. We've got to pour through the pages of Scripture, arming ourselves for war. We've got to serve and pick up the Commission again to make disciples, fighting the battle again.

Freedom is never free. There is always a great price that has to be paid for it. Jesus says, "All who are willing to pay it, follow Me."

Are you willing to pay the price? There is a battle surrounding us. In The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Saruman begins to unleash his army of Urukhai to destroy the world of Men beginning with Rohan. King Theoden, recently freed from the grip of Saruman, is seeing the destruction that has occurred in his absence. Aragorn is urging him to fight Saruman's forces and save his people, but Theoden is reluctant saying, "I know what it is that you want of me. But I will not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war." To which Aragorn tells Him, "Open war is upon you. Whether you would risk it or not."

Open war is upon us. The question is not are we in the battle, but are we going to fight? Freedom is never free, but if we are willing to fight, victory is assured. Jesus has done the hardest part. He has stormed the beach to pave the way to "Berlin", but the road there is where we have to pick up the fighting. We have to march, we have to fight. We cannot sit by because if we do the enemy advances. The Church must join the battle that is surrounding us.

At the World War II memorial in Washington D.C. there is a part of General Eisenhower's speech to the troops before D-Day on the wall. "You are about to embark upon a great crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you...I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle." They went into battle with those words, the affirmation and support of their General fresh on their minds. As Jesus sent us out to take up the fight He left us with these words, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28.18b-20); and "but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth" (Acts 1.8). With those words, let us march into battle.

Church, it's not the time to slack off. It's not the time to stand by and let someone else do the job. It's not the time to push prayer to the side and let a Sunday sermon be your Bible study for the week. It's not the time to just wait for Heaven, that's never been the point of following Jesus. When we come to salvation we enlist in His military, and all of us are on active duty.

Freedom is never free. There is always a great price that has be paid. If you are willing, let's go.

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you