| ffk_-_march_on_to_victory.pdf |
March On To Victory!
It wasn’t exactly quiet in Junior Church this morning, but it was fun! “I don’t know but I’ve been told...” bellowed Brother Stephen in his best drill sergeant voice. All the Junior Church kids followed behind him and echoed the military chant. “A soldier should have self-control... Sound off... one, two...” The kids marched around the room like General Joshua and those children of Israel who marched around the city of Jericho in obedience to the Lord’s command.
It seemed like forever since they had been able to spend time playing outdoors; the weather had been cold and windy ever since Christmas, so they were feeling restless and in need of activity. This first Sunday in March was a good time to cure their ‘cabin fever’ and burn off some energy. Today’s game was called, “Orders From Headquarters,” and each person got a slip of paper with instructions for their assignment. Some were serious like quoting a Bible verse, and some were silly, like doing your best impression of a rooster. Addy and Ella got orders to jump rope and sing the Star Spangled Banner. When everyone got back to their seats, there was a noisy round of “I’m in the Lord’s Army,” before things calmed down for their lesson.
“Kids, turn in your Bibles to II Timothy chapter two. Recently we have learned about several names that the Lord has called us by if we are saved. We talked about being sons, children of God, if we have been born again. God is our Heavenly Father, and His home in Heaven is our home for all of eternity if we have put our trust in Jesus to forgive our sins and be our Savior. The next week we talked about being SAINTS, those who have been set apart for Him and His purpose, cleansed and forgiven, and we talked about our relationship to the Lord, especially in prayer. We also had a lesson on being SERVANTS, and what a privilege it is to serve the King of kings and Lord of lords.”
“Today I want to remind you about another name the Lord calls you if you are saved. Second Timothy 2, verses one through four says this: ‘Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.’ Here is another name that God calls us. Just like son, saint and servant, it begins with the letter S, and we heard it twice in these verses. Did you catch it? God want me to be His ...” Brother Stephen held his hand to his ear as a signal for all the kids to answer out loud.
“Soldier!” they shouted.
“That’s right. Everything we did today was about being a soldier of Christ. So I want to remind you of a few things about being a soldier. First is TRAINING. How many of you know Brother Andrew from our church?” Hands went up all over the room. “Brother Andrew enlisted in the Army to serve our country. The first place they sent him was not to a battleground, but to Basic Training where he is being taught what is expected of him as a soldier.”
“These verses begin with the command to BE STRONG. During Basic Training Andrew is becoming stronger as well as smarter. His commanding officers are teaching, training and testing him to make sure that he is prepared to be a soldier. The young soldiers are taught what is expected of them, what their commands and orders will be, and how to carry them out. They become experienced in the use and care of their weapons, as well as rules of safety. They get so much practice that it becomes second nature; it becomes a habit or reflex to do the right thing, and you don’t even have to stop and think about it anymore.”
“During their training these soldiers go on marches and even runs with a loaded backpack, just like they would have on a real march. For every day that they complete in training, they get stronger and tougher, and at the end of their Basic Training they will complete a 20 mile hike that most of them could never have done at the beginning. So training is not only about what you know, it’s also about your level of strength, what you can do and how long you can keep on doing it.”
“Every one of us who is saved has the privilege and responsibility to serve the Lord and His kingdom as His soldier. To be effective and victorious, we need to complete our training.” Brother Stephen held his big black Bible up in the air. “This is our Handbook and Training Manual that teaches us everything we need to know. There are probably some kids here who will someday feel the call of God on your life to serve Him in full time ministry. That’s a great honor, and it also requires training. Maybe the Lord will want you to spend some time at Bible college in preparation for what He has planned in your future.”
“As you grow up, you will have many opportunities to learn from your parents and the people who love you about all kinds of subjects and skills. My son, Justin, works with me in the wood shop, and he has learned to do a very good job at sanding and staining the furniture that we build. Every day and every job that we work on, I can see that he is becoming more skillful. Mindy has been helping her mom with gardening and canning, and last week she brought us muffins that she baked using the applesauce that she canned with her mom. She is learning and practicing new skills. Some of the best training is to learn by doing, so watch for every opportunity to help and learn from the people God puts in your life, and don’t be scared away by that little word that causes so many kids tremble in their boots or run and hide... W-O-R-K... WORK! It’s nothing to be afraid of! Actually, work can be fun!” The kids all giggled at Brother Stephen’s scaredy-cat expression.
“Verse two of our text says, ‘And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.’ That’s talking about the training that is given to each of us, and then we can pass it on to others. Every teacher is someone who once had to be taught. Learning, practicing, growing stronger and more skillful is all a part of training. After you have learned, you will have the opportunity to teach somebody else.”
“Next, let me remind you of one of the most important words that will be a part of your life every single day, not just when you are a kid, but in your adult years, too. That word is OBEDIENCE. It means to comply with a command, request or instruction; to do what you are told. Someday obedience may even save your life. You don’t need to argue about a command. You don’t need to improve or change the command. A command is simply to be obeyed.”
“Remember that God used Moses to give His people 10 important principles that would be the foundation for all law and government. Do we call them the Ten Suggestions?” More snickers and giggles were heard. “No they are called the Ten Commandments, because they are laws that God established to be obeyed. Even these six year olds on the front row can quote John 2:5. Jesus’ mother told those servants with the water pots, ‘Whatsoever He saith unto you...’ think about it? learn about it? tell people about it? No, just do it. Let’s say it together. ‘Whatsoever He saith unto you, DO IT!’” One general said, “Victory is the result of orders being obeyed, rather than discussed.” If we want to be victorious as soldiers in the Lord’s army, then the most important ingredient is always obedience.”
“We’ve already learned that the best way to show Jesus that we love Him is through obedience. He said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments,” in John 14:15. No matter how much we SAY we love Him, it is not for real unless we show Him that we love Him, and the Bible says that obedience is the best ‘I love you’ that we can ever say to Jesus.”
“The day that you were born God gave you parents. Since then you have also had teachers and a pastor and other authorities that the Lord placed in your life. No matter how far up in the ranks a soldier may progress, whether he moves on from private, to be a corporal or lieutenant, his success as a soldier still depends on his willingness to obey orders. Even the top general in the military has an authority called the Commander-In-Chief, the President of the United States! The devil’s influence and advice is always pushing us toward rebellion, but rebellion against God’s authorities is never right. Even the toughest soldier, his life has to be ruled by obedience.”
“The Bible says that Jesus was obedient unto death. Jesus obeyed His Father, not just up to the point where it became hard or discouraging or painful. He kept on being obedient all the way to Calvary, and stayed determined that nothing would stop Him from obeying God’s will. We ought to be determined to obey Him, even when it gets hard. That is when our true character can be seen.”
“Before we go home, let me remind you that our goal is to please Him who called us to be His soldiers. The last phrase in the text says that the soldier does all this for one reason: ‘...that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.’ It doesn’t matter if other people think I’m weird or if they don’t like me or choose to make fun and ridicule. What matters is what God thinks. I want to please Him. We are suppose to be Christ-like, and become more and more like Jesus every day. Jesus said that His goal was to please the Heavenly Father, so that should be our goal, too. ‘And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.’” (John 8:29)
“If you get discouraged about what the soldier marching next to you thinks or says about you, then you need to narrow your focus and just work on doing what pleases God. I will never have to stand before another person to be judged, but I will someday stand before the Lord who loved me and died for me. I want to be able to say that I’ve done my best, and I want Him to be pleased.”
“When Joshua and the children of Israel went to Jericho, God gave them orders to march around the walls of the city. When they obeyed the orders that God gave them, the miraculous power of God is what caused the walls to crumble down. God is the only One with miraculous, supernatural power. The most powerful thing that we can do is just obey, and if we will obey and do what is possible, God has the power to do the impossible. There’s no place for sissies and wimps and babies in God’s army. We need to be good soldiers.”
It wasn’t exactly quiet in Junior Church this morning, but it was fun! “I don’t know but I’ve been told...” bellowed Brother Stephen in his best drill sergeant voice. All the Junior Church kids followed behind him and echoed the military chant. “A soldier should have self-control... Sound off... one, two...” The kids marched around the room like General Joshua and those children of Israel who marched around the city of Jericho in obedience to the Lord’s command.
It seemed like forever since they had been able to spend time playing outdoors; the weather had been cold and windy ever since Christmas, so they were feeling restless and in need of activity. This first Sunday in March was a good time to cure their ‘cabin fever’ and burn off some energy. Today’s game was called, “Orders From Headquarters,” and each person got a slip of paper with instructions for their assignment. Some were serious like quoting a Bible verse, and some were silly, like doing your best impression of a rooster. Addy and Ella got orders to jump rope and sing the Star Spangled Banner. When everyone got back to their seats, there was a noisy round of “I’m in the Lord’s Army,” before things calmed down for their lesson.
“Kids, turn in your Bibles to II Timothy chapter two. Recently we have learned about several names that the Lord has called us by if we are saved. We talked about being sons, children of God, if we have been born again. God is our Heavenly Father, and His home in Heaven is our home for all of eternity if we have put our trust in Jesus to forgive our sins and be our Savior. The next week we talked about being SAINTS, those who have been set apart for Him and His purpose, cleansed and forgiven, and we talked about our relationship to the Lord, especially in prayer. We also had a lesson on being SERVANTS, and what a privilege it is to serve the King of kings and Lord of lords.”
“Today I want to remind you about another name the Lord calls you if you are saved. Second Timothy 2, verses one through four says this: ‘Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.’ Here is another name that God calls us. Just like son, saint and servant, it begins with the letter S, and we heard it twice in these verses. Did you catch it? God want me to be His ...” Brother Stephen held his hand to his ear as a signal for all the kids to answer out loud.
“Soldier!” they shouted.
“That’s right. Everything we did today was about being a soldier of Christ. So I want to remind you of a few things about being a soldier. First is TRAINING. How many of you know Brother Andrew from our church?” Hands went up all over the room. “Brother Andrew enlisted in the Army to serve our country. The first place they sent him was not to a battleground, but to Basic Training where he is being taught what is expected of him as a soldier.”
“These verses begin with the command to BE STRONG. During Basic Training Andrew is becoming stronger as well as smarter. His commanding officers are teaching, training and testing him to make sure that he is prepared to be a soldier. The young soldiers are taught what is expected of them, what their commands and orders will be, and how to carry them out. They become experienced in the use and care of their weapons, as well as rules of safety. They get so much practice that it becomes second nature; it becomes a habit or reflex to do the right thing, and you don’t even have to stop and think about it anymore.”
“During their training these soldiers go on marches and even runs with a loaded backpack, just like they would have on a real march. For every day that they complete in training, they get stronger and tougher, and at the end of their Basic Training they will complete a 20 mile hike that most of them could never have done at the beginning. So training is not only about what you know, it’s also about your level of strength, what you can do and how long you can keep on doing it.”
“Every one of us who is saved has the privilege and responsibility to serve the Lord and His kingdom as His soldier. To be effective and victorious, we need to complete our training.” Brother Stephen held his big black Bible up in the air. “This is our Handbook and Training Manual that teaches us everything we need to know. There are probably some kids here who will someday feel the call of God on your life to serve Him in full time ministry. That’s a great honor, and it also requires training. Maybe the Lord will want you to spend some time at Bible college in preparation for what He has planned in your future.”
“As you grow up, you will have many opportunities to learn from your parents and the people who love you about all kinds of subjects and skills. My son, Justin, works with me in the wood shop, and he has learned to do a very good job at sanding and staining the furniture that we build. Every day and every job that we work on, I can see that he is becoming more skillful. Mindy has been helping her mom with gardening and canning, and last week she brought us muffins that she baked using the applesauce that she canned with her mom. She is learning and practicing new skills. Some of the best training is to learn by doing, so watch for every opportunity to help and learn from the people God puts in your life, and don’t be scared away by that little word that causes so many kids tremble in their boots or run and hide... W-O-R-K... WORK! It’s nothing to be afraid of! Actually, work can be fun!” The kids all giggled at Brother Stephen’s scaredy-cat expression.
“Verse two of our text says, ‘And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.’ That’s talking about the training that is given to each of us, and then we can pass it on to others. Every teacher is someone who once had to be taught. Learning, practicing, growing stronger and more skillful is all a part of training. After you have learned, you will have the opportunity to teach somebody else.”
“Next, let me remind you of one of the most important words that will be a part of your life every single day, not just when you are a kid, but in your adult years, too. That word is OBEDIENCE. It means to comply with a command, request or instruction; to do what you are told. Someday obedience may even save your life. You don’t need to argue about a command. You don’t need to improve or change the command. A command is simply to be obeyed.”
“Remember that God used Moses to give His people 10 important principles that would be the foundation for all law and government. Do we call them the Ten Suggestions?” More snickers and giggles were heard. “No they are called the Ten Commandments, because they are laws that God established to be obeyed. Even these six year olds on the front row can quote John 2:5. Jesus’ mother told those servants with the water pots, ‘Whatsoever He saith unto you...’ think about it? learn about it? tell people about it? No, just do it. Let’s say it together. ‘Whatsoever He saith unto you, DO IT!’” One general said, “Victory is the result of orders being obeyed, rather than discussed.” If we want to be victorious as soldiers in the Lord’s army, then the most important ingredient is always obedience.”
“We’ve already learned that the best way to show Jesus that we love Him is through obedience. He said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments,” in John 14:15. No matter how much we SAY we love Him, it is not for real unless we show Him that we love Him, and the Bible says that obedience is the best ‘I love you’ that we can ever say to Jesus.”
“The day that you were born God gave you parents. Since then you have also had teachers and a pastor and other authorities that the Lord placed in your life. No matter how far up in the ranks a soldier may progress, whether he moves on from private, to be a corporal or lieutenant, his success as a soldier still depends on his willingness to obey orders. Even the top general in the military has an authority called the Commander-In-Chief, the President of the United States! The devil’s influence and advice is always pushing us toward rebellion, but rebellion against God’s authorities is never right. Even the toughest soldier, his life has to be ruled by obedience.”
“The Bible says that Jesus was obedient unto death. Jesus obeyed His Father, not just up to the point where it became hard or discouraging or painful. He kept on being obedient all the way to Calvary, and stayed determined that nothing would stop Him from obeying God’s will. We ought to be determined to obey Him, even when it gets hard. That is when our true character can be seen.”
“Before we go home, let me remind you that our goal is to please Him who called us to be His soldiers. The last phrase in the text says that the soldier does all this for one reason: ‘...that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.’ It doesn’t matter if other people think I’m weird or if they don’t like me or choose to make fun and ridicule. What matters is what God thinks. I want to please Him. We are suppose to be Christ-like, and become more and more like Jesus every day. Jesus said that His goal was to please the Heavenly Father, so that should be our goal, too. ‘And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.’” (John 8:29)
“If you get discouraged about what the soldier marching next to you thinks or says about you, then you need to narrow your focus and just work on doing what pleases God. I will never have to stand before another person to be judged, but I will someday stand before the Lord who loved me and died for me. I want to be able to say that I’ve done my best, and I want Him to be pleased.”
“When Joshua and the children of Israel went to Jericho, God gave them orders to march around the walls of the city. When they obeyed the orders that God gave them, the miraculous power of God is what caused the walls to crumble down. God is the only One with miraculous, supernatural power. The most powerful thing that we can do is just obey, and if we will obey and do what is possible, God has the power to do the impossible. There’s no place for sissies and wimps and babies in God’s army. We need to be good soldiers.”
