You Can Live a New Life (Matthew 8:5-13)
Gary McManus, 11/13/2022Part of the New Life series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
Blessings this DCC Veteran’s Day Sunday.
Please notice the bulletin material concerning Pastor
and veterans. Pastor has never served in America’s
armed forces. Therefore, the sermons are limited to:
--when the Bible speaks directly to or about soldiers
--when veterans write or speak—share what they said.
The sermons Pastor found on-line; not that good.
Pastor returns to the works of Louis Zamperini.
--American Olympic runner.
--BEFORE college!
--still the youngest to qualify in the 5K (3.1 miles)
--Army Air Force, WW2
--record holder (at the time) survivor lost at sea (47 days)
--POW; four Japanese POW camps
--especially hated by a war criminal camp guard
Louis Zamperini, although lost at sea, he reports that
he was lost after the war at home =
post-traumatic stress disorder.
He began the right path thanks to Jesus and
the Billy Graham crusades.
Louis Zamperini: “Deciding to devote your life to God does NOT mean instantaneous nonstop happiness. After devoting my life to God, hard work lay ahead.”
Veterans suffer physical losses or loss of hope, some think they’ve lost their minds, some lose faith.
Today’s Bible report even a heathen Captain
of soldiers can (and did) have faith.
The skills it took to survive as a soldier lost at sea
or POW were of little help once the war was over.
Pastor’s first cousin never adjusted to life in the
U.S. Zamperini returned to Japan; “made peace with my past and those in my past, I was again surprised that no bitterness remained in my heart.”
Forgiveness had been the healing factor.
[Reminder, Christian, sometimes you may also have
to learn to forgive yourself.]
Louis Zamperini left his old life behind and began a
new life in Jesus Christ.
Other Veterans: Ben Sherwood’s Survivors Club.
Chapter: “Your Survival Tool Kit” p. 317 Faith.
“Faith is the most powerful and universal survival tool.”
--God has a plan
--God cares about you
--Christians, you already know that God has worked to save you through Jesus.
--“(with faith) You believe that a higher power will steer you through difficult times and will try to guide your actions.
--In tough times you are less afraid because God loves you.
See Dr. Harold Koenig, The Healing Power of Faith.
Also Belleruth Naparstek: psychotherapist who works with victims of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Her book, Invisible Heroes, Chapter 15, “ten ingredients for comprehensive healing. . .number 5: some form of regular prayer. “Not all wounds ARE visible.”
Matthew 8: a heathen foreigner who had conquered
Jesus’ people, humbled himself to ask a Jewish rabbi
to help his slave get well and recover.
[He could have ordered Jesus to do it.]
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