Thank you for listening to Servants for Christ. In all that we do, in all that we say, we want to give glory and honor to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for tuning us in as we get into the wonderful Word of God. For the next few minutes, let's take the beautiful Word of God and share it with each and every one of you as we have a sense of anticipation to take the Word of God and to listen to its truth for each and every one. Thank you for tuning us in. I want to send our deepest heartfelt out to all of our veterans. Happy Veterans Day. Thank you for your service as we get into our Veterans Day message, A Life Worth Dying For. Here in November the 11th, 2024, the 11th of Cheshvan, 5785 of the Hebrew calendar. I'm glad that we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus, the Lord, and ourselves, your servants, for Jesus' sake. A life worth dying for. Take your Bibles to Matthew chapter 28, verses 16 through 20. Here, service for Christ, we look how that Christ appears to his disciples. And the word of God in Matthew chapter 28, verse 16 says this, then the 11 disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Let's open up with a time of prayer as we get into a life worth dying for. Heavenly Father, we come before you with hearts ready to be transformed. And we thank you for the call that you've placed on each of our lives to go forth and to make a difference in this world. And as we gather here on this Veterans Day. Ignite within us a fresh passion to live out your great commission. Give us the courage to go where you lead, the commitment to stay true to your purpose, and the grace to demonstrate your love in all that we do. May your Holy Spirit empower us to serve our community with unwavering faith and compassion. In Jesus' mighty name we pray, amen. You know, as we look at a life worth dying for, we're reminded of a soldier, Gene Vance Jr., that lived two distinctively different lives. In one life, he was a devoted cyclist who worked in a bicycle shop, and he was a college student, and he was a newlywed who lived on a quiet street in a West Virginia town. In his other life, Gene was a special forces soldier who spoke Farsi and disappeared frequently for military missions with few explanations. In December of 2001, the obligations of this other life called him back to Afghanistan. He had already served his six years term and had basically given his time as an American soldier, being a member of the US Special Forces Airborne Reserve Unit, that despite being critically wounded, he saved the lives of two fellow Americans and 18 Afghani soldiers during the war in Afghanistan. He was born November the 30th, 1963 in Frankfurt, Germany. He died May the 18th, 2002 in Afghanistan. And so out of those six years, he was called back during that reservice time from 1992 all the way to 2002, where he gave his life for his country and for his friends. His place of burial was Morgantown, West Virginia. He went by Buddy or Bud. And so, he had fought in the Persian Gulf, which was the Arabian Gulf, war on terror, and the war in Afghanistan. And so, undoubtedly, each of us knows someone else whose name belongs on the list. Maybe a relative, a friend, a neighbor who died in one of the wars, or in Korea, or Vietnam, or in the Middle East. Some of you have served in our country's armed forces and you've put yourself at risk of being included on this list. But through God's sovereignty, you survived and you're here today. And we want to take a moment to honor you and thank you for your service that you made. You know, I remember a powerful moment that I was listening about a high school Veterans Day assembly that took place in November of 2001. On the stage, there were several elderly veterans, honored guests, who had served in World War II and the Korean War. And the ceremony drew to a close. The presenter expressed gratitude to these men who had served our country so faithfully. And so, expecting a polite applause, they were stunned to witness an entirely different response. The students, rather than just clapping, rose to their feet, gave these veterans a long, heartfelt ovation. They cheered with genuine respect, honoring the sacrifices of these men. And in a way that made it clear, they understood the significance of their service in that moment. They were reminded of how this generation has been shaped by all of the events like 9-11, the deeply felt values and honors those who sacrifice for our freedom. Unlike the Vietnam era, where soldiers often return home without the gratitude they deserve, Today we're blessed with a renewed sense of respect for all of our veterans who have defended our country in the past and the present conflicts and without the sacrifices of these brave men and women. America would not be what it is today. And so this Veterans Day, this 70 years that it celebrates, 70 years of Veterans Day, we honor them and we thank them. And as we acknowledge our debt and our gratitude to those who have served us in the past, I want us also to look ahead to the future to see what God is calling us to do. Because after Jesus's death and resurrection, just before he ascended into heaven, he spoke some words to his followers that had become the marching orders for the church of today. It was called the Great Commission, and this is what Jesus had said as we read the Word of God. You know what? When we look back at men like Gene Vance, Jr., in December of 2001, the obligations of this other life called him to Afghanistan, and Gene put his dreams on hold, his college education, his life with his new bride, his plans for the future, to fight for his country. On May the 19th, 2002, fighting broke out between the U.S. forces and suspected al Qaeda or Taliban forces and Gene Vance's dreams were permanently put to rest. He died in the battle and he gave his life for his country and for the hope that the tragedy that occurred on 9-11 would never ever be repeated in our nation's history ever again. He's just one name on a list of multiplied thousands of Americans throughout our nation's history whose lives were cut short for the cause of freedom. He died, as have so many others like him, so that Americans can live in peace. And so, Gene Arden Vance Jr., we owe a tremendous amount of respect and honor to you. And so, We look at God's plan for the future, because His purpose for the church, just as thousands of Americans have given their lives for freedom, and as we celebrate them today, an unknown number of followers of Jesus Christ have sacrificed their lives for the gospel. And without them, The church would not be what it is today. We owe them a debt of gratitude as well. There was a story of a man that risked his life to save a boy trapped in a burning building. The doorway was blocked. The room was filled with smoke. The child could not find his way out. his rescuer, stormed into that house with reckless abandonment, retrieving that young man from certain death. And as the boy was carried from the burning building into the open air, he said, thank you for saving my life. The man deeply looked into the boys' eyes and said, just make sure your life was worth saving. I'm glad that there is a life worth dying for. As we consider the literal millions of people who have died throughout history in order to preserve our way of life here in America, as Christians, as Americans, we need to challenge ourselves to make sure that we live a life worth dying for, that our life is a life worth being able to give in the need, the sacrifice if it calls for it. But the best way to do that as individuals and as a church and as a nation is to live the Great Commission and to take those last words, a life worth dying for, amen, because we're also a life worth saving. And as a church, We take those words spoken to our Lord Jesus Christ and implement them into our own personal mission statement to live them out in our daily lives. We can do that by focusing on three key words. These three words are a formula for living a worthy life, a formula for making a difference in the lives of others, a life worth dying for. And they apply to pastors, they apply to teachers, they apply to youth workers, they apply to business people, they apply to coaches, they apply to parents and missionaries and volunteers and everyone else who wants to make a difference in this world. Because these three key words that I'm going to give you are very powerful when we look at a life worth dying for. The first key word that I want to mention to each and every one of you is the word go, G-O. I thank God every one of us, just like that young, that man said to that child, that make sure that You have a life that is worth dying for, amen. A life worth saving is a life that is worth dying for. And I believe that every one of us can save someone's life. You know what? It was today that I ran into another veteran friend of mine that had already retired. He was down in his luck. It was meant for me to run into him this afternoon. And so, you know what? We took plenty of time. to comfort him, to talk with him. He was an Air Force veteran, and he served. And he's been through a devastation of his wife passing away. And he has been devastated for several months now. Most of his family's passed away. Uh, his daughter, his family, they're all grown up. They don't come around too often. They live too far away and he's pretty much on his own, but he's got a good friend out in Jacksonville, Florida that calls him every weekend, uh, to try to help him get through this devastation. And they're trying to work things out. You know, I've been trying for some time to get him to come back around with some of us. And, uh, I took a, uh, some time to talk with him today and try to encourage him and let him know that time. will not heal all wounds. And you're going to be able to have to grow stronger and learn how to grow and deal with that pain. that you're feeling and going through with the death of his wife. And so each and every one of us today, that first word is go in verse 19, because the Bible says, go ye therefore, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. You see that word go, Jesus calls us to take the message beyond our walls. Our mission starts when we step out in faith and reach those in need. And so, that's what Jesus said to his disciples. Therefore, go. And so, every one of us, as we go, ye therefore, he said. That's the basic principle for success in any venture. You don't wait for success to come to you. You go after success. For example, suppose a friend of yours needs a job. What advice would you give? Would you say, well, you know what? Hey, John, you're a sharp person. If I were you, I would just sit by the phone and wait for a Fortune 500 to realize that you're available and call you with an offer. Would you say that? No, of course not. You would probably say, John, if you need a job, then hit the streets, start knocking on the doors, and eventually someone is going to hire you. The flip side of that coin is that if you have a business, do you wait to see if the most talented people seek you out? Or do you go after them and offer them a job? You see, the most talented people have lots of offers. If you don't seek them out, they won't know you exist. And in our experience as an employee, the best jobs that I've ever had are the ones that I pursue. And in my experience as an employer, some people that knows about leadership or knows good people that are good workers, as they're the ones that you pursued. And so how is this related to living out the Great Commission? How is this dealing with a Veterans Day message, a life worth dying for? Well, if you want to live a worthy life, you need to make a difference in the lives of others and then go after it. You can't wait for the world to come to you. You must go to the world. And when we look at people that dedicated themselves like Gene Vance Jr. that gave his life for his country. Every one of us today, it applies to our churches where we've got a building with a sign out front. But if we wait long enough, a few people will find us and might decide to visit. But if we really want to reach the community, we have to go, we have to reach out. We do that in a variety of ways. One way is by advertising through mail and newspapers. Another way to provide outreach ministries with clothing and food drives. And another way is through our youth and children's ministries to provide uplifting alternatives for their activities. But another way is by visiting people in their homes and giving them a flyer about the church and inviting them to visit. But another way is by telling someone you know about what Jesus has done for you and what he can do for them as well. Just like service men and women that we are honoring today that entered the battlefield for the purpose of saving lives. And just like Gene Arden Vance Jr. Listen, every one of them, we need to enter the battlefield of the day-to-day grind of daily living and share the gospel with those who need to hear it so that we too can save lives, amen. And so as we look and realize that each and every one of us, that we all can go forward, amen, and we can do what no one else can do, praise God, as we go forward. I'm glad that each and every one of us can make a commitment to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As we make that commitment, not only do we go, but we commit. We say in verse nine, the first key word is go, but the second one is commit. Because in verse 19, go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Our impact grows with our dedication. True change requires us to stay invested in our community and build long-term relationships. And so we're supposed to go. We're supposed to stay. Does that make sense? Here's what I mean. Jesus said that we're to go and make disciples, baptizing them and teaching them. He's talking about a long-term commitment. He's talking about making a commitment. to people that we serve. It's not a case of our blowing in and throwing a few dollars around and waving some tracks in the air and bellowing out a few Bible verses and then blowing out. It's about us staying long enough to make long-term change. You know, at the end of Schindler's List, Oskar Schindler breaks down realizing that he could have done more to save the lives of those persecuted in Nazi Germany. He sacrificed much, but he felt the weight of every life that he couldn't save. And this powerful scene reminds us of the urgency and the preciousness of life in the world today. As followers of Christ, we're called to be burdened for those who do not yet know Him. The Great Commission reminds us that time is precious, and we're called to make disciples while we still have the opportunity. It's a call to live with purpose and urgency, knowing that each day is a chance to make an eternal difference. And so, just like when we look and realize the sacrifice that had been made by countless millions on the battlefields to save lives, Just as we look and we see that Gene Vance Jr. did for his life of saving two American soldiers and 18 Afghani soldiers. He did so where he gave, he sacrificed, he made a commitment. We've got to be able to do the same in our lives today. And you know, as we go forward, as Children's Youth Ministries knows that it's easy to get young people to accept Christ, we can feed them pizza, we can show them the Left Behind movie, but an emotional appeal, they'll sign whatever card you put in front of them. That's the wrong way to do things. I've never operated that way and I've never forced young kids to get baptized after they got saved until they knew what salvation was and then until they knew what baptism meant. But anyone who has done children's ministry or youth ministry knows that the process of making young people into disciples is challenging, sometimes a lot of work. Those who stay the longest get the best results. After what was 22 years of pastoring at People's Valley, and prior to that, Oakland Heights Baptist, boy, I'm going to tell you, doing a Wednesday night program with my wife and I, and being able to work with outreach program. You know what? Dawson Trotman, the founder of the Navigators, once picked up a hitchhiker who got in his car and began to swear profusely. Dawson's habit was to share Christ with everyone he met, and as he began witnessing to this young man, he suddenly recognized him. He had witnessed to this same man months earlier, and the man had accepted Christ. Dawson had sent him on his way with the promise of Philippians 1-6, that God would finish the work that he began in him, this was a turning point for Dawson, because he realized that simply sharing the gospel was not enough. It was necessary to follow up new converts to help them become fully devoted disciples of Jesus Christ. And as a result, his ministry took on a new direction with a commitment to helping Christians become disciples and disciple makers. If you want to make a difference in people's lives, you have to make a long term commitment to be a part of their lives. You have to be willing to stay with them and to help them grow. Now, after all of that time, it was time for me to move on. It was time for me to leave there and go somewhere else. We left a great foundation of Jesus Christ, and it's especially true for parents. Do you want your kids to turn out right? I can tell you how you do it in four words. Spend time with them. If you're a parent, the most important job that you have is that you're building character in your children every day, making them into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ, and that requires a long-term commitment. It requires your time. In order for our church and any church to be effective, our commitment to this community must be long-term. It's as simple as this. The longer that we stay focused on fulfilling the Great Commission, the more effective we will be. And so, go, amen, is the first powerful word that he calls us to take the message beyond our walls. And our message starts when we step out in faith and reach those in need. Our third step in living a life of impact is commit. Our impact grows with our dedication and true change requires us to stay invested in our community and build long-term relationships. And now my third step to living a life of impact and closing is this, not only go, not only commit, but thirdly, demonstrate. Because in verse 20, the Bible says, teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I've commanded you and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. When we demonstrate, we let our actions reflect Christ's teaching. By living out his commands, we show the world what a transformed life looks like. And so, every one of us, he said, teaching them, not just telling them, but teaching them. It's a very crucial distinction to make because it places a certain amount of responsibility on the teacher. It is our job, it is your job, it is our responsibility to communicate the message of the gospel effectively. And it involves more than words. It involves demonstrating the Christian life with our actions. You know what? In that classic parable, a man walks along a beach covered with starfish, stranded by the tide. But as he tosses one back into the ocean, someone nearby asks, why bother? You'll never make a difference with so many starfish. And the man responds, it made a difference for that one. Though the story illustrates how even small actions like starfish can have a lasting impact when they're done with love and purpose. Just as Jesus promises to be with us always, we can approach our mission with the confidence that he will bless our efforts. In today's busy, indifferent world, taking time to reach one person at a time with kindness and truth can have a powerful ripple effect. We're called to see individuals through God's eyes, trusting that he will multiply our efforts. And so Albert Schlitzler said one time, example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing, unquote. God wants us to show others what it means to be truly Christians. He wants us to lead by example. That's how you teach people to become disciples. It's not enough to describe obedience. We must demonstrate it and keep demonstrating it until the lesson is learned. You know, a college professor mentioned that in a typical class, a certain number of students would make A's, a certain number would make B's, and a certain number would make C's, and so on. He said that over the years, that the percentages had remained remarkably consistent. But this is the question. If you taught a class in which less than 100% made A's, I would feel like that I had failed as a teacher. For some reason, I'm glad that all of us look and realize that here, It's our responsibility to teach others what it means to be a Christian. And the best way that we can teach is by demonstrating it in our own lives. You know, when we look, Athenaeus, which was the Roman Catholic patriarch of Alexandria that championed Christian orthodoxy against the Armenians, said one time, you cannot put straight and others what is warped in yourself." This is one thing that makes parenting so difficult. When kids are little, they're easy to teach by example because the lessons that you're trying to teach them are very simple lessons. You know, don't touch the stove, look for waves before crossing the street, say your prayers before bedtime, etc. But when they become teenagers, It becomes more of a challenge and the lessons that we need to teach them are much, much more difficult. Love your enemies, treat others with respect, forgive. put God first in all that you do, show compassion, control your tongue, et cetera. These are more difficult lessons to teach our generation and children because they're more difficult to live. And our effectiveness as teachers in these areas is determined by our ability to live according to these principles. That's the way that it works. You teach by example. You teach by demonstrating the truth. You want to live a worthy life. If you want to make a difference in the lives of others, it requires a commitment to teaching by example, demonstrating the truth with your personal life. Now, how many of us remember the story of the lone lighthouse keeper? His mission was very simple, to keep the light burning for ships that pass in the night. Even though that he doesn't often see the lives that he saves, he remains faithful to his duty because he knows that the light in the lighthouse keeps people's lives safe. And Jesus calls every one of us to be the lights in the world and lighthouses. And though we may not always see the impact of our actions, we know that the Lord assures and can assure us of his presence through the Holy Spirit, that in a world that often feels dark and divided, Our commitment to shining his light can be a beacon of hope. We can trust that as we remain faithful, God is with us and he will use our efforts to guide others to safety. Multiplied hundreds of thousands of people, both our Christian ancestors and our American ancestors have given their lives in order to preserve our way of life. We owe them a debt of gratitude as I close out, a debt that is best paid by living a worthy life, a life worth dying for. We can accomplish this by living out the Great Commission, going to the Word with a message of Jesus Christ, staying as long as it takes to make a lasting difference, and demonstrating in our own personal lives the example of obedience that we have been called to teach to others. These are the characteristics of a worthy life. We're reminded that it was not only our ancestors who died for our way of life, it was also our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus came into the world and he lived a sinless life, and yet he was crucified for our sins so that we might experience the fullness of life that God offers to us, just as we want to honor the sacrifice that all of those servicemen and women made on our behalf, we are challenged to honor the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us. Will you be challenged to go out and be that one that can change somebody's life by surrendering our lives to him and inviting him to be our Lord and master? He's promised that when we do this, He'll save us from our sins and give us a new life, as He's promised. He said, and surely I am with you always, even to the end of the world. You know, the classic things of life that we look at, but as we journey through the Great Commission, we've seen the deep call that Christ places on all of our lives. Amen. And so I hope and pray that each and every one of you, as we celebrate this wonderful day of Veterans Day for all of our men and women, The three steps to live in a life of impact is to go. Jesus calls us to take the message beyond our walls. Our mission starts when we step out in faith and reach those in need. Second step, to commit. Our impact grows with our dedication. True change requires us to stay invested in our community and build a long-term relationship. And third, demonstrate. Let our actions reflect Christ's teachings. By living out His commands, we show the world what a transformed life looks like. And so, are we called to live in such a way that reflects the gift, willing to lay down our comforts, our time, and even our reputations to make His love known? You see, this is a life of purpose, power, and love, a life that has been with eternal significance. We need to go boldly with faith. Where is God calling you to go? It may be a literal call to go somewhere new or simply to reach out to someone in need right where you are, to step out in faith, knowing that God is with you, guiding each step as you fulfill the mission that he's placed on your heart. Go boldly with faith, but also stay committed to his purpose. Living a life worth dying for requires commitment. Consider the ways that you can deepen your dedication to Christ's mission in your family, in your workplace, in your community. Even when it feels challenging, remember that he has promised to be with you always. Not only go boldly with faith, stay committed to his purpose, but demonstrate his love daily. Let your actions reflect the gospel. Every interaction, choice, sacrifice you make can be a testimony to others of the love of Christ. Commit to the small acts of kindness, encouragement, and service, knowing that God can use even the smallest acts and details to make a lasting impact. And so as we close, let's take a moment to pray that God would give us the courage, the faith, and the love to live a life that's worth dying for, a life that shines brightly for His glory, and leads others to him. Because listen, if you've never done this before, I want to invite you to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Will you pray with me? Lord, we thank you for the truth of your word and the call that you placed on our lives to impact this world for your kingdom. And as we leave Each of us are separate ways as we depart here in just a few. May we go boldly, staying committed to your mission, letting our actions demonstrate your love. Strengthen us to live out our faith in practical ways, to be salt, to be light, and to bring hope to the lives of those that are around us. Help us to remain faithful to your calling, empowered by your spirit, grounded in your love in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, that we pray. Amen.