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22nd April 2007 AM
LEST WE FORGET! Pastor Colin Meadows
Reflections from Anzac Cove
John 15:9-17
Ø On the beach at Anzac Cove Recently our family visited Gallipoli, in Western Turkey, the site of the ill-fated Allied invasion back in 1915. I have wondered at times why so many Australians and New Zealanders are keen to visit Gallipoli. Why go to the site of a place that reminds of a great military defeat? Some 8000 Australians lost their lives over a nine-month period on this desolate piece of country. In the end they were forced to retreat without achieving their objective. Now that I have visited I can begin to see why Australians wish to visit this desolate site, of why the campaign was so significant and why the Turkish people too hold the site in such respect.
For Australia, NZ and Turkey, it was a time when each country was emerging as a nation in their own right. Each was shaking off the past as they moved forward into the future. Thus when we mentioned in Turkey that we were Australians, we were treated with great respect; such is the esteem with which they hold Australians.
By 1916 special memorial services were being held to commemorate this battle. A day was set aside to remember and to give thanks. At such times, tributes were said, prayers of thanks expressed and wreaths laid. The connection between the Gallipoli battlefield and Australia has grown very strong. As a small example of this, seeds were collected long ago from the Lone Pine Tree at the Australian memorial in Turkey and a small plant grew. This tree now stands in the grounds of the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, as a living reminder of the battle of long ago.
This conflict, perhaps more than any other, demonstrated the willingness of our armed forces to sacrifice for others, of a deep commitment to obey, in spite of the odds, to lay down their lives for their friends and for the benefit of others. As Australians, we should be continually grateful for the sacrifice of so many who have served in our Armed Forces.
The Bible verse that has been so often quoted to encapsulate the Anzac spirit is John 15:13 and we will look at it now.
John 15:13 ‘Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.’
One Australian soldier who lived out the Anzac spirit was John Simpson Kirkpatrick. Also know as ‘The man with the Donkey’ he carried many wounded to safety before he was killed at the age of 22. On his grave stone are the words ‘He gave his life that others may live.’
Today I wish to look at this verse in the context of the passage of John’s gospel in which it is found this morning as we reflect again on another Anzac Day. Anzac Day speaks of events that took place in 1915. The events that we will consider took place nearly two thousand years ago, when Christ lived on earth for some 33 years. His was a life of obedience to his father followed by his death on the cross for us all. Let’s explore the story together. What really is at the heart of Christ’s coming?
Ø It’s all about love
Christ’s coming into the world was all about love. His life and ministry is bathed in sacrificial love from start to finish. Firstly it was the Father’s love lavished on Christ and then his love lavished on his followers.
John 15:9 ‘As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.’
The agape love spoken of here is not some sentimental feeling that comes and goes, nor is it some warm fuzzy response that may evaporate when the heat comes on. Rather it is a deep caring committed response to the needs of others. God is deeply committed to his world, to you and to me! He has demonstrated the depth of that love and commitment in sending his only son to die on the cross. There is no deeper way that he could have shown his love to us.
We in response are now called to remain in his love, to allow such love to motivate us to love him in return and to love others. Yes, it is all about love. But there is more…
Ø It’s all about obedience
If we are to remain in Christ’s love we must be people who obey what he has said.
John 15:10 ‘If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.’
A disciple of Christ who has received his love is by definition is a person who obeys. To receive Christ’s love leads to obedience. What are these commands that we are to obey? They are the precepts or teachings of Christ that He has revealed in his word, the Bible, the framework for Christian living that will guide our lives. Let us seek in his strength to live in obedience to what he has said.
Can we distill these teachings down to some common bedrock? What is at the heart of Christ’s commands and precepts? Jesus explains that they can be summed up in just one command.
John 15:12 ‘My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.’
It all comes back to love! Living for others, putting others needs before your own needs, stepping to one side so that others can go first. Such a lifestyle is demonstrated in simple ways as we seek to anticipate the needs of others and act to meet those needs. This does not mean that you totally ignore your own needs but rather that you care for others first. When we live in that manner, then we are truly a friend of Christ. In doing so we are motivated by love, not out of a sense of duty nor out of fear. Such obedient Christians are friends of Christ.
John 15:14 ‘You are my friends if you do what I command.’
Yes, let us live in obedience to Christ, seeking to put others first and so demonstrate that we are Christ’s disciples. Yes, it is all about obedience.
Ø It’s all about sacrifice
As we demonstrate our love for others by the way we live in obedience to Christ and his commands, we will go on a journey of sacrifice, a journey that will hurt at times.
John 15:13 ‘Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.’
Such obedience should go deep, so deep that at times it hurts. We ofen have a very low threshold for pain when it comes to obedience. The way of love is the way of obedience, of seeking to follow what Christ has said. The way of obedience in turn is the way of sacrifice. Christ demonstrated this way perfectly by his own life and death. He lived in such a way that others were blessed. He then died so that others might live. He lived with eternity in mind, seeking to use his time here on earth in a way that others might find wholeness, that they might enter into an eternal relationship with his Father. God’s Word now calls us to live in like manner.
Christians at this point sometimes become confused about an important issue: Just who are the friends we should help? The quick response to this is that friends are fellow believers, disciples going on a similar journey as you. That is where we should start but we must not just stop there. There are potential friends all around us, waiting to see the gospel demonstrated through our lives. As has been noted by others, strangers are just friends that you haven’t yet met. Yes, let us live sacrificial lives.
Romans 12:1 ‘Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.’
Let us live in the light of eternity, living not for ourselves and our own self-centered petty issues but rather living for others. This includes every aspect of our lives – the way we speak with others, the manner in which we use our time and resources. Live in the light of eternity. Stop living as if the world revolves around you. Instead, let us so live, as Mark Twain noted, that when we die, even the undertaker will be sad. Let us, in other words, live sacrificially for then our lives will be fruitful.
Ø It’s all about being fruitful
This passage in John 15 speaks much about fruitfulness. As we live in God’s love, we are attached to the vine, which is Christ and are drawing our strength and nourishment from him. As we do that then we will bear much fruit.
John 15:16 ‘You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.’
What is the nature of the fruit we are to bear? Firstly the fruit we should bear are the character traits of a godly life, one that reflects Christ to others. Paul speaks of this as the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. As we exhibit such fruit in our lives then others will be blessed.
But it does not stop there. People in turn will want to know why we live this way and the reason for the hope that we have. With gentleness and respect we can then share about our relationship with Christ, and the Holy Spirit will draw people to himself. Please remember that it is God who is calling people to himself. We are merely his instruments to aid in the process. Because of Christ’s great love for us, we will thus want to obey him and live a life of sacrifice, bearing fruit that reflects God to others. Such a lifestyle begins and ends in love.
Ø It’s all about love
We are back at the beginning of our story again. And it all begins with God and with love. He loved us so much that he sent Jesus to die for our sins. Jesus loved us so much that he died for us. Now we demonstrate our love for him by our obedience, of loving others.
John 15:17 ‘This is my command: Love one another.’
We demonstrate our love for him by being obedient and being willing to sacrifice for others. We demonstrate our love as we live lives that are fruitful. Obedience flows out of love. Sacrifice flows out of love. Fruitful living flows out of love. Love must be the beginning and end of all that we do. Jesus demonstrated this perfectly by his own life. He now calls on us to live in like manner.
The Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne was built to commemorate the 60,000 Australians who died in WW1. General Monash strove hard to complete this memorial and spoke of the area as being ‘holy ground’. Inside the shrine is the Stone of Remembrance and on it is inscribed:
‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’
On the day of remembrance, 11th of November, each year at 11am, the sun shines onto one word of this inscription… do you know which word is highlighted? Love.
As yet another Anzac Day draws near let us remember with gratitude, reflect and give thanks. But let us also remember and reflect on the greatest sacrifice of all, Jesus Christ. In response to this truth, let us live so that others might come to know and to love God.