Out the Door

Remembering a Fallen Hero

Yesterday I had the honor of giving the message for a fallen hero.  Chad was killed in Iraq by an insurgents bullet about 10 days ago.  I remember three things in particular about the day.  1. Riding in the lead car during the procession to the cemetery and seeing Main Street lined with people holding American flags.  2.  Following the benediction a bagpiper playing "Amazing Grace."  During the second verse, he slowly walked away and the music softly faded.  3.  And by far the most poignant moment was when the flag was removed from the casket, ceremonially folded and a soldier got down on one knee and presented it to Chad's widow.

I guess I'm not ready to let the day go yet.  So I decided to post the message I delivered.  I pray that it offered and will continue to offer Chad's family and friends comfort, peace and hope.

Remembering a Fallen Hero 

We have gathered today in honor of Chad Groepper, a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a grandson, a nephew, a cousin, a classmate, a friend, a brother in arms, and most importantly a child of God.  Your presence here testifies to the many connections that were a part of Chad’s life.  While he has tragically been taken from us, faith tells us that the connection is not completely broken.

It’s true that we will never again in this life see his smile, hear his laughter, or feel the touch of his hand, but by faith he remains a part of our lives.

In the 11^th chapter of the book of Hebrews, we find what has been called the Hall of Fame of faith.  There is listed the names of men and women who lived by faith.  People like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Rahab, individuals who are the heroes of our faith.  At the end of this roll, we read these words:

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, (who with 300 soldiers defeated the army of the Midianites) Barak, (who with Deborah’s encouragement lead the vastly inferior Israelite army to victory over the Sisera & his 900 chariots)  Samson (who single-handedly routed the Philistines ) , Jephthah, (who the Bible says was a mighty warrior), David, (Israel’s greatest warrior king) Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again.  Hebrews 11:32-35

These stories of heroic victories are the stories we normally associate with great faith.  But there’s another side to faith. The writer continues

Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.  These were all commended for their faith. Hebrews 11:35-39

Faith in God doesn’t guarantee safety and victory in this life. It does however guarantee an eternal victory and an everlasting connection.  The writer to the Hebrews says, 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1

Chad's basic and combat training there were times when he had to navigate an obstacle course. I’m sure that Chad would have relished the challenge. He liked showing that he could do things that others said he couldn’t do. I can easily imagine, Chad having finished the course, standing at the finish line cheering on his comrades, encouraging them to finish the course.

Life can feel very much like a obstacle course. Indeed for those who loved Chad best, his death will be one of the biggest obstacles you will face in your life. It causes us grief knowing that Clarissa will only know her daddy though pictures. It causes us grief knowing that Stephanie will not have Chad to walk through life together as husband and wife. It causes us knowing that Chad won’t be home for holidays ever again. Still by faith we can run with perseverance the race God has set before us, knowing that Chad is among the great cloud of witnesses who are cheering us on.

Chad would not want you to be overwhelmed with sorrow or bitterness. He was well aware of the risks that were involved in serving his country and he choose to accept those risks. He paid the ultimate price for that choice.

We may wonder how this happened, why it happened. I don’t have answers to all those questions, but this I do know, this was not of God. It was not God’s will. The God of the Bible is a compassionate God. He is the Father to the fatherless. He would not have wanted Clarrissa to be without her father.

The reality is that we live in a world where evil exists, where evil men strive to destroy that which is good.

Edmund Burke said, “All that is required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” Albert Einstein said similarly, “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.”

Chad wasn’t willing to simply look on and do nothing. He was unwilling to allow evil to triumph unchallenged. He wanted the world to be a less dangerous place for his family and his country. He died defending those beliefs.

Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

While we can readily see how these words apply to Chad’s life, Jesus was in actuality referring to himself. It is Jesus who gives us the example of self-sacrificing love.

The Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans. At just the right time Christ died for ungodly people. He died for us when we had no power of our own. It is unusual for anyone to die for a godly person. Maybe someone would be willing to die for a good person. But here is how God has shown his love for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. The blood of Christ has made us right with God. So we are even more sure that Jesus will save us from God's anger. Romans 5:6-9

Jesus died and rose again for you, for me, for Chad. This is what gives us hope even in the face of death. In 1 Thessalonians 5 we find these words, And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. 1 Thessalonians 5:13-14

We grieve this day and will for days to come, but we need not grieve like people who have no hope. Those who believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again can take comfort in the knowledge that when Jesus returns God will bring back with him those who have died in the faith.

This is a gift of God’s grace, offered to us without condition. Like any gift that is of real value however, it must be accepted, unwrapped and used. The promise and hope of resurrection and final victory over death only give us comfort when we receive them for ourselves.

So while today we grieve for our human loss, we take hope in our faith and in the promises of God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior

War hits close to home

I just learned that a young man who had been elementary classmate of our son Josh was killed in Iraq on Saturday.  I had coached Chad in T-ball and we have pictures of him attending birthday parties at our home.  While talking to his parents this evening, his mom told me they had found a picture of Chad and me when he received his 3rd grade Bible.  His grandmother preached in my place on the day of our daughter's funeral.

Damn this war! 

I also learned that Chad had been married for a couple of years and had a daughter last October.  He got to see she only during a three week leave in November before he was redeployed.

I've known a number of soldiers who have served in Iraq, but Chad is the first one I've known to die there.  I can't help but think of all the families who have and are grieving like Chad's.  There is so much pain in this world, how can anyone possibly make it through without the hope of the gospel?

1 Thessalonians 4:13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words. TNIV 

Can we stay together?

General Conference begins in about two months and once again the future of the denomination hangs in the balance.  There are so many things we could being doing together, if we weren't stuck on the same old issues.  These have been brought to the forefront again by Dean Synder, the pastor of Foundry UMC in Washington, DC.  Unfortunately, their site is down at the time of this writing, so I'm relying on information from Locust & Honey.  John's a trustworthy source, though I do prefer first-hand quotes.

My concern in this post is what the continue attacks on our church's rules means to us as a denomination.  Beth Quick, a GC delegate asked on her blog, "What I'm wondering about it: do you see any possible way we could move forward from where we seem stuck as a denomination? "

As much as an uproar as Bill Hinson's suggestion that we seek an amiable separate caused as the last GC, I personally don't see any other real alternative.

I've yet to figure out why "liberals" want to stay in a denomination that holds to convictions that are in such opposition to their own convictions.  How does one reconcile their own personal beliefs with the church's beliefs that are completely opposite?  I guess the answer is found in Dean Synder's decision to simply ignore, okay, circumvent is a fairer word, the church's rules.  Do not all UM clergy promise to "keep our rules" when they are ordained?  Is this vow meaningless?

There's so much that liberals and conservatives can learn from each other however, there are certain issues which are beyond reconciliation.  The sooner we face up to that reality the better off all of us will be.

Others reflect ourselves

You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects something you love or hate about yourself.

That quote from Dr. Cherie Carter-Scott's book If Life is a Game These are the Rules, caused me to immediately think of Ted Haggard.  Haggard was well known for his condemnation of homosexuality, which proved to be little more than projected self-loathing.  After that initial thought, I continued reading;

We are usually drawn to those most like us and tend to dislike those who display aspects of ourselves we dislike....Consider approaching your life as if other people were mirroring back to you important information.  If you accept this premise, then each encounter reflects back to you an opportunity to explore your relationship to yourself and to learn. 

I can see some truth in these ideas.  I met with our Ad. Council Chairperson for breakfast yesterday.  He is a visionary, very logical, believes that the church can be more than it presently is and thinks in terms of process.  I really like him.  And guess what, I'd use those same descriptors for myself.

When I think about people I dislike, most I would describe as controlling, angry, humorless and stuck in the past.  Assuming that Carter-Scott is right, then deep down I must be worried that I'm controlling, anger, humorless, and stuck in the past.  I sit here asking myself, "Am I controlling?"  Yes, I suppose as much as I preach permission-giving there's a part of me that wants to be in control.  "Am I angry?"  Sometimes I sense latent rage that I fear may rear it's ugly head.  "Am I humorless?"  My family rarely laughs at my jokes, so maybe I am.  "Am I stuck in the past?"  Definitely not, at least I don't think so.

Carter-Scott goes on say, Perhaps viewing weakness in others is an opportunity to extend the loving arm of compassion to them; or it could be the perfect moment to heal the unconscious judgment you have secretly harbored against yourself.

All of us have hidden wounds and repressed fears that we shove deep into our subconscious.  Maybe the doctor is right.  Maybe if when encountering an individual who rubs us the wrong way, rather than becoming irritated we ask ourselves, "What is it about this person that bugs me?"  We just might discover something about ourselves that could be healed by the amazing grace of God.