Presented to each the Nipawin and Tisdale Corps, 15 November 2008; Swift Current Corps, 08 November 2009;Warehouse 614, 05 November 2017; Alberni Valley 05 November 2023 by Major Michael Ramsay
Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends, John 15:13.
This is a season of remembrance in the Church. In Canada and other nations that fought in World War One it has been a time to reflect on the sacrifice of our soldiers, and our citizens who lived during that era and the times of conflict since. This is a time to reflect upon sacrifice as in a few very short weeks we are going enter into the advent season where we will remember the coming of Jesus as a small child and look forward – very soon - to His return in power. He lived, sacrificed and died for us, his friends.
Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends, John 15:13.
On November 11, 1918, the armistice was signed to end the Great War, the war to end all wars – the First World War. Canadians, our friends and our family, in service to God, King, and country, marched overseas to lay down their lives for our friends
Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.
On November 11, 1813, more than 200 years ago now, Canadians repulsed an horrific American invasion in the Battle of Crysler Farm – this was the last serious attempt to conquer Canada militarily. We did this with the help of our friends, the British and the First Nations. We laid down our life for our family. They laid down their life for us, their friends. This is outside the timeframe of the State mandate for Canadian Remembrance Day ceremonies as is the Boer War, a few years later (1899-1902), but…
Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.
On our November 11th ceremonies we remember our friends and families who headed overseas in the World War I and World War II, in service to God, to King, and to country to lay down their lives for their friends. Many of us have friends and family who offered up their lives up for their friends. My grandmother’s brother who left un Saskatchewan never spoke of the day they were surrounded by the Germans right up until he died.
My grandfather returned home to Canada from California, where he was working when war broke out, so that he could serve God, King and country in the Second World War. He eagerly grabbed some friends of his from Cut Knife and they drove over the Rockies to enlist. Of all of them that enlisted that day with my grandfather, I believe, only he lived to see the end of the war.
Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.
The Salvation Army and other volunteers were present in both these wars – in the trenches -offering support and the love of God to the soldiers.
In World War One, the Canadian Salvation Army was part of a ministry that included over recreational huts, rest homes, hostels, and more than 1200 volunteers. The Salvation Army sent chaplains to the frontlines and helped operate these huts, canteens, rest facilities, and more.
Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.
At the conclusion of the Second World War some allies turned foes and some foes turned friends in the Cold War that ensued and again Canadians headed overseas – this time to Korea – to offer our lives on behalf of our allies and to lay down our lives for our friends.
Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.
As this Cold War progressed, Canadians continued to stand beside our allies but we also donned blue barrettes for the first time, intentionally standing between warring factions, some with legitimate grievances, protecting and reconciling populations, and still offering our lives for our friends.
Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.
2000 years ago, Jesus died on the cross so that we all may live.
Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.
Now, through the real horrors of the wars of the twentieth century and earlier a great thing happened: Canada’s primary foes during 1814, 1914, and 1944 are now some of our closest friends and allies. Our soldiers laid down their lives for us, their friends. And they laid down their lives so that we could be reconciled to our brothers and sisters. Canada is reconciled to her old foes and united with them more than ever because of the sacrifice of our friends, siblings, parents, grandparents, and our veterans. Thanks be to God for this reconciliation. (May this same reconciliation occur with our current foes.)
Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.
And, of course, it was through Jesus’ death and resurrection that we all may experience this same reconciliation with God. John 15:13 records a part of Jesus’ farewell discourse to his disciples. He is giving them instructions before he voluntarily marches off to His death for them and for us.
Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:12-15: [Jesus says,] …My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
Jesus laid down his life for us and he now asks the same of us. Do we love our God and do we love our neighbour: Are we experiencing that reconciliation for which He died? Are we a friend of Jesus? And, if we claim we are, are we willing to lay down our life for our neighbour, for our God, and for our friends like Jesus commands? Jesus after commanding this reminds us that indeed, “You are my friends if you do what I command.”
Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.
Remember that Jesus died so that we may live. Remember that Jesus died so that we may live lives reconciled with God and with our family, our brothers and sisters in Christ, the family of God. Remember to that though this Salvation War is won, the battles still rage and these seemingly never-ending battles are not merely with flesh and blood but are in reality truly waged against other powers and principalities (Ephesians 16:11-13).
John 14:23-24, Jesus says, “… If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me”. And “Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.”
Even more than the sacrifice of many of our servicemen and women whom we remember with respect and gratitude, Jesus, the Son of God, died so that we can live reconciled lives. Jesus laid down his life for us, his friends, and not unlike the sacrifices of many service people who died that we may be reconciled with our old foes, Jesus died so that we can be reconciled with God.
Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.
So today I urge us not to let Jesus’ death to have been in vain in our own lives. If there is anything between our neighbour and ourselves, if there is anything standing in the way of our reconciliation, today let us lay it aside. If there is anything that is preventing us from fully living out reconciliation with God, today let us cast it aside. If there is any impediment to our relationship with God, let us today confess it to Him, and experience the abundant joy that only comes with reconciliation.
Jesus died so that we may be reconciled with God and each other. May we never forget His sacrifice.
Greater love has no one than to lay down his life for his friends.
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