The Navy SEAL
The following came from a sermon I heard a while back.
A long time ago I went to a concert with my friend Rebecca. Rebecca can sing better than anybody I’ve ever heard sing. I heard this folksinger was coming to town, and I thought she might like to see him because she was a singer too.… Between songs, though, he told a story that helped me resolve some things about God. The story was about his friend who is a Navy SEAL. He told it like it was true.
The folksinger said his friend was performing a covert operation, freeing hostages from a building in some dark part of the world. His friend’s team flew in by helicopter, made their way to the compound and stormed into the room where the hostages had been imprisoned for months. The room, the folksinger said, was filthy and dark. The hostages were curled up in a corner, terrified. When the SEALs entered the room, they heard the gasps of the hostages. They stood at the door and called to the prisoners, telling them they were Americans. The SEALs asked the hostages to follow them, but the hostages wouldn’t. They sat there on the floor and hid their eyes in fear. They were not of healthy mind and didn’t believe their rescuers were really Americans.
The SEALs stood there, not knowing what to do. They couldn’t possibly carry everybody out. One of the SEALs, the folksinger’s friend, got an idea. He put down his weapon, took off his helmet, and curled up tightly next to the other hostages, getting so close his body was touching some of theirs. He softened the look on his face and put his arms around them. He was trying to show them he was one of them. None of the prison guards would have done this. He stayed there for a little while until some of the hostages started to look at him, finally meeting his eyes. The Navy SEAL whispered that they were Americans and were there to rescue them. Will you follow? he said. The hero stood to his feet and one of the hostages did the same, then another, until all of them were willing to go. The story ends with all the hostages safe on an American aircraft carrier.
I never liked it when the preachers said we had to follow Jesus. Sometimes they would make Him sound angry. But I liked the story the folksinger told. I liked the idea of Jesus becoming man, so that we would be able to trust Him, and I like that He healed people and loved them and cared deeply about how people were feeling.
The Navy SEAL didn’t have to go so far to get the prisoners to be saved. He hadn’t been trained to do what he did. But his heart told him what to do—that is, gain their trust and then they will follow you to the ends of the Earth.
I’m glad this is what Jesus did. He went over and beyond the call of duty to help us identify with Him, even assuming our characteristics and our nature. He even took our body, knowing we would not otherwise be able to identify with Him and His purpose for coming among us.
He came close to us, tabernacling with us. He put down His punishments, took off His warrior stance, and curled up tightly next to hostages of Satan, getting so close His body was touching theirs. He softened the look on His face and put His arms around them. He tried to show them He was one of them. Christ did all this because He knew that none of the devil’s prison guards would have done this. He stayed here for a little while because the prisoners had spent their whole lives hiding their eyes in fear. He talked quietly with them, until some of the hostages started to look at Him, finally meeting His eyes. We were not of healthy mind and soul, and didn’t believe that Jesus really was our rescuer.
But like the SEAL, Jesus didn’t give up on us because of our total lack of faith in Him. He used every method in the book to win our trust. And that’s why I love Him and look for Him to come back to reclaim me completely.
A long time ago I went to a concert with my friend Rebecca. Rebecca can sing better than anybody I’ve ever heard sing. I heard this folksinger was coming to town, and I thought she might like to see him because she was a singer too.… Between songs, though, he told a story that helped me resolve some things about God. The story was about his friend who is a Navy SEAL. He told it like it was true.
The folksinger said his friend was performing a covert operation, freeing hostages from a building in some dark part of the world. His friend’s team flew in by helicopter, made their way to the compound and stormed into the room where the hostages had been imprisoned for months. The room, the folksinger said, was filthy and dark. The hostages were curled up in a corner, terrified. When the SEALs entered the room, they heard the gasps of the hostages. They stood at the door and called to the prisoners, telling them they were Americans. The SEALs asked the hostages to follow them, but the hostages wouldn’t. They sat there on the floor and hid their eyes in fear. They were not of healthy mind and didn’t believe their rescuers were really Americans.
The SEALs stood there, not knowing what to do. They couldn’t possibly carry everybody out. One of the SEALs, the folksinger’s friend, got an idea. He put down his weapon, took off his helmet, and curled up tightly next to the other hostages, getting so close his body was touching some of theirs. He softened the look on his face and put his arms around them. He was trying to show them he was one of them. None of the prison guards would have done this. He stayed there for a little while until some of the hostages started to look at him, finally meeting his eyes. The Navy SEAL whispered that they were Americans and were there to rescue them. Will you follow? he said. The hero stood to his feet and one of the hostages did the same, then another, until all of them were willing to go. The story ends with all the hostages safe on an American aircraft carrier.
I never liked it when the preachers said we had to follow Jesus. Sometimes they would make Him sound angry. But I liked the story the folksinger told. I liked the idea of Jesus becoming man, so that we would be able to trust Him, and I like that He healed people and loved them and cared deeply about how people were feeling.
The Navy SEAL didn’t have to go so far to get the prisoners to be saved. He hadn’t been trained to do what he did. But his heart told him what to do—that is, gain their trust and then they will follow you to the ends of the Earth.
I’m glad this is what Jesus did. He went over and beyond the call of duty to help us identify with Him, even assuming our characteristics and our nature. He even took our body, knowing we would not otherwise be able to identify with Him and His purpose for coming among us.
He came close to us, tabernacling with us. He put down His punishments, took off His warrior stance, and curled up tightly next to hostages of Satan, getting so close His body was touching theirs. He softened the look on His face and put His arms around them. He tried to show them He was one of them. Christ did all this because He knew that none of the devil’s prison guards would have done this. He stayed here for a little while because the prisoners had spent their whole lives hiding their eyes in fear. He talked quietly with them, until some of the hostages started to look at Him, finally meeting His eyes. We were not of healthy mind and soul, and didn’t believe that Jesus really was our rescuer.
But like the SEAL, Jesus didn’t give up on us because of our total lack of faith in Him. He used every method in the book to win our trust. And that’s why I love Him and look for Him to come back to reclaim me completely.
posted by David | 6:19 PM
1 Comments:
Dear David,
Its a powerful illustration of the seal. And as you made it surely, Jesus came all the way in our likeness in order to let us know that he has come to save us from the enimy's territory
Its good, I will one day use it to spice my sermon. Thanks once again David for the good thoughts.
Daniel Nsubuga
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