Even in times of war and terrorism, peace and safety are yours, through our great Hero, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Almighty God, You alone are our strong Defender, and ever-present help in time of trouble. Watch over and protect all who defend our life and liberty and safety, that they may serve justly and honorably in the pursuit of peace. Grant them courage and strength in their time of service. Keep their families safe and sound during the long days of separation. Support them as they mourn the loss of their comrades. Give them peace with you, Lord, which comes through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

September 11, 2001. It is a date in history that none of us will ever forget. I am sure, that every one of us here can recount our activities that day, and how the events affected our lives. I think that even our little children probably remember watching the planes crash into the Twin Towers, seeing your tears, and feeling your pain.

It was on that day that we began to relearn what the word "hero" really means. While ordinary citizens were fleeing these sights of terror, we saw police, fire, and emergency medical crews converging on the scenes. These men and women were rushing in to protect the innocent and rescue the injured. In the hours that followed, our nation came to understand what the word "hero" really means.

It had been a long time since we had seen true heroism on such a broad scale, and I believe our nation had forgotten who the true heroes really are. For some reason, we began putting that label on people who play sports, sing songs or act on TV or in the movies. But on September 11^th, we began to relearn who the true heroes really are. Since that day we have discovered that:

• True heroes aren’t the men rushing for touchdowns, they are the men and women who are rushing to the scene of a burning building, or an automobile accident – willing to risk their own lives to save the life of someone else.
• True heroes are not recognized because they wear baseball uniforms, they are recognized as the men and women who wear camouflage, berets, and helmets. They are the ones in Police and Fire uniforms. They are the ones who are wearing scrubs in the Emergency room and at the operating tables.
• True heroes aren’t the people who take center stage at a concert, they are the ones spending countless months on a ship away from family in order to train for battle.
• True heroes aren’t the ones wearing gold medals on their chests, true heroes are the ones with the badges on their uniforms.
• True heroes aren’t the modern day pop stars driving around in their big limousines, they are the officers driving around in cars that promise to "protect and serve"; they are the ones driving vehicles equipped with ladders, fire hoses, cots, and syringes; they are the ones driving humvees, tanks, helicopters, fighter jets, and aircraft carriers.

That is why we decided to have this special service today. Most of you who wear uniforms probably deny the idea that you are somehow "special" or a "hero." Still, we recognize you for your selfless sacrifice that is inherent in your daily heroism. And for that we want to say "thank you." Thank you, because you are willing to help others when they are in need. Thank you, because you give up your time and energy to serve this community. Thank you, because when it comes right down to it, you are true heroes.

Still, I think some of us and much of America has really forgotten about September 11^th and why we have fought two wars in the past three years. That is exactly why the country music singer, Darryl Worley, wrote the song, "Have You Forgotten" with powerful words like these:

Have you forgotten how it felt that day To see your homeland under fire And her people blown away?

Have you forgotten when those towers fell? We had neighbors still inside Going through a living hell

And you say we shouldn't worry 'bout Bin Laden" Have you forgotten?

Much of America has forgotten. There aren’t as many flags flying in people’s yards. There isn’t the overflow of patriotism that there was three years ago. People aren’t supporting our soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq like they were even a few months ago. There isn’t the same outpouring of love and respect for our veterans, police, fire, and emergency personnel.

I think that people have forgotten what it felt like to see those two towers fall to the ground.

As Christians, I think that we, too, have forgotten about the two towers. Not the towers in New York City. The two towers of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. When they fell, it affected everybody. When Satan effectively carried out his terrorist attack on humanity, it affected all of creation. Bin Laden affected our economy, our feelings of security, and our psyche. Satan affected our souls. In our text, Paul calls us "powerless," "ungodly," "sinners," and "God’s enemies." We were turned into liars, cheats, thieves, murders, gossipers, adulterers, and idolaters.

Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said that 9/11 was the worst of days and also the best of days. It was worst of days because of the death and destruction. It was also the best of days because of the heroic acts of many people that day.

That day in the Garden of Eden, when the twin towers of Adam and Eve fell, was also the worst and best of days. It was the worst of days because we were all thrown into sin and deserving of hell because of what happened there that day. It was also the best of days because God promised a Savior from sin and hell, his only Son Jesus.

But that’s what makes me think we forgot what happened that day. If we really remembered the loss and the love of that day, we would be in church confessing sins and thanking God every chance we got. Instead, we take it or leave it. If we remembered, we would be reading about God’s love in our Bibles. Not just in Bible class or devotions. On our own. When was the last time you read your Bible just for the fun of it? If we remembered, there would never be any shortage of funds in any church. We would gladly give everything we had, just to show our appreciation to God for his Son and salvation. If we remembered what Jesus has done to save us, we wouldn’t sneak away to commit our sin. If we remembered, we wouldn’t dare lie or cheat or swear or be lazy or apathetic. If we really appreciated the love of our God and the sacrifice he made for us, we would be singing, praying, and praising him every chance we had.

We must have forgotten.

Paul tells us: "when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

It was reported this week that 1000 Americans have died in Iraq since the beginning of the war. Soldiers, like members of the Sheriff’s Department, Fire Department or Emergency Crew, are willing to die for others. God’s Word tells us that kind of commitment is very rare. "Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die." With those words, Paul confirms something that all of us instinctively assume; "it is very difficult to die for someone else." If we do give our lives for someone else, we do so hoping they are a righteous and good person. That they "deserve" our sacrifice.

But listen again to the rest of the words of Paul in this passage: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." These are amazing words. What God is telling us is that while the men and women who are heroes in our community are willing to sacrifice their lives for someone – hopefully a good and righteous person – Jesus Christ willingly died for the evil and unrighteous person. He died for the "sinner." He died for you. He died for me. We didn’t ask him to do it. We didn’t deserve to be rescued. He did it out of love for us – so that we might live with God eternally. Jesus – in every conceivable way – became a true hero.

Jesus did more than just rescue a few people from a burning building. He rescued humanity from an eternity of burning in the fires of hell. On the cross, Jesus defeated the terrorists known as sin, death, and the devil. He defeated the devil with the "shock and awe" of his holy blood and innocent death on the cross. Our military heroes have fallen in wars to keep us free from tyranny, Nazism, Communism, and terrorism. On a much grander scale, our hero, Jesus, went into battle to give us the freedom of forgiveness of all our sins, the freedom of the love of our heavenly Father, and the freedom of the green pastures and quiet waters of heavenly paradise, where sin will no longer be able to trouble us.

Though our heroes have fallen in battle, we are still concerned about future terrorist attacks -- we live in fear and anxiety. We know more battles will have to be fought. More will have to die. Jesus died once for all. Now we know that when we die, we will arrive in heaven where there will be no more hunger or thirst or tears or wrath.

Paul tells us that very same thing: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!"

Tom Allen, a pastor and former Army Ranger, tells this story: I finally saw Saving Private Ryan about two weeks ago. I was extremely proud until the last minute of the movie. As the movie began, I was proud watching the Rangers take Omaha Beach. Then the story begins when they receive a mission to go deep into enemy territory to save Private Ryan. They hit skirmish after skirmish, and some of them are killed along the way. They finally get to where Private Ryan is holed up, and they say, "Come with us. We’ve come to save you." He says, "I’m not going. I have to stay here because there’s a big battle coming up, and if I leave my men they’re all going to die."

What do the Rangers say? "We’ll stay here and fight with you." They all stay and fight, and it’s gory and hard, and almost everyone dies except Private Ryan. At the end, one of the main characters—Tom Hanks—is sitting on the ground. He’s been shot and he’s dying.

Private Ryan leans over to him, and Tom Hanks whispers something to him. Everyone in the theater is crying because Tom Hanks was shot; I was crying because of what he said—it was so terrible. Private Ryan bent down and Tom Hanks said, "Earn this." The reason that made me angry is no Ranger would ever say, "Earn this." Why? Because the Ranger motto for the past 200 years has not been "Earn this." The Ranger motto for the past 200 years has been Sua sponte, "I chose this." I volunteered for this.

So, when Private Ryan bent down, if Tom Hanks was really a Ranger he would have said, "Sua sponte, I chose this. This is free. You don’t pay anything for this. I give up my life for you. That’s my job."

And so when you look at the cross and see Jesus hanging there, what you do not hear is "Earn this." You never hear Jesus say, "Earn this." He doesn’t say, "I’ve given everything for you. Now you need to gut it out for me." What he says is "Sua sponte." I volunteered for this. You don’t have to pay anything for it. I lived for you. I died for you. I rose for you. I did it all – for you.

You know, three years ago this week, men and women rushed into a burning collapsing building in order to save thousands of innocent people from a fiery death. Many who went in never came out. They became heroes.

Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ rushed into a fiery hell. He did it not to save innocent people, but to save the guilty – the sinners – you and me. We were not friends of God. We were not innocent victims. The fact is, Jesus rushed in to save "enemies." Paul tells us: "For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."

Today I ask you to please don’t forget. Don’t forget our heroes who have dared to die for our freedom and our way of life. But more importantly, don’t forget our greatest Hero, Jesus, who died for our freedom from sin and so we may have eternal life. Amen.

God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Amen.