Jesus - The Original "Point Man"
Friday, November 12, 2004
In the military, when a platoon steps out of their perimeter to go on patrol they have one guy who is designated the “point man”. The name itself tells you that he is out in front. He is the one who will encounter the enemy first because of the simple fact that he is in front of everyone else. There are certain things a point man knows he must do. He must be alert and willing to die for his buddies. Point men usually volunteer to “walk point”, knowing they may be the first to die that day. As a matter of fact, when an officer heading a platoon, or a sergeant heading a squad, says, “I need a point man!” he usually winds up with two or three volunteers. Why? They are willing to die for each other. John 15:13 says, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” The point man usually walks a few yards ahead of the others. The others try to follow exactly on his footsteps. If he can avoid stepping on a land mine he has lived another day and because of him the others are safe. The point man is completely vulnerable to sniper fire. Snipers can hide in bushes, trees, buildings and even holes in the ground. If the point man is shot by a sniper, there is nothing his buddies can do for him. The very reason that he walks ahead of the others is so the sniper cannot fire at all of them. The point man is a sacrifice! The sniper is in danger too. Once he fires, the sniper has revealed his position and has someone firing at him.
We know that we are in spiritual warfare, and believe me, in some ways it is no different than fighting a natural war. Two thousand years ago there was a “point man” for all of us. His Name is Jesus. Once He was nailed to the cross there was nothing any of his disciples could do for Him. On the other hand, the enemy had revealed himself. The real enemy of Jesus is the devil, and he is also our real enemy, not people.
As I said before, point men usually wind up dying for their buddies. A member of their family usually has to go to Washington, D.C. In a special ceremony the President will meet with that family member to thank them for the sacrifice the soldier made, giving his life that others might live. A medal is presented posthumously, because the one who deserves the medal and the thanks is no longer present.
Thank God we have a “point man” who gave His life for us, and yet He is alive. He made the supreme sacrifice, and now the only sacrifice He wants from us is praise! Give Him Praise! Due to His obedience to the Father, even unto death, God has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name. (Phil. 2:9) Now, we all know that His Name is Jesus, but His rank is Captain. You might say, “Why not General?” You could spend years in the military and never even see a general. I guarantee you that you will see captains. Why? The Greek definition of “captain” is “one who reigns supreme, the one with power”. I like this definition; “a leader in the heat of battle”. Hebrews 2:9 says, “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” In the military you may never meet a general face to face, but you will have plenty of opportunity to walk with captains. The captain is with you when the bullets start flying.
Today is Veterans Day, and I am a Viet Nam Veteran. I went to one of the local high schools and stood in front of a Viet Nam Memorial erected in memory of some high school buddies who died defending our country. As I stood there and saw their names inscribed in granite, I could picture them as we were in high school. I hope to see them in Heaven someday, but truthfully, I don’t know if they are there. It hurts me to say it, but the Bible does not say that soldiers go to heaven. It says believers on the Name of Jesus will be in Heaven if they confess Him as Lord while they are on the earth.
If you have not made Him the Lord of your life, do it now. Just say this prayer. “Jesus, you are the Lord, the Son of God. Thank you for dying for me. Thank you for forgiving my sins. Come into my heart and be the Lord of my life. Show me how to live, and when I leave this earth receive me into heaven where I will live with You for all eternity. I pray this in Jesus’ Name, and I am born again. Amen!” The Captain is waiting.
