11/10/2012 recording date. audio/video is 18 minutes
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The Soldier's Call

Coming live from turtle30cshell.com I am your host
Christina Farris. The soldiers call is a call not of the
wild but the discipline. The one that takes orders from
a superior and his superior takes orders from
someone else. The soldier’s call whether it be Army,
Navy, Airforce, Marines, National Guard, or the
Medical corp. all learn to follow their leaders call.
Christian soldier is much the same way. Yet his
freedom of choice taken with surrendering to the will
of God. The soldier’s plight, the orders given and they
must obey despite there own convictions. To  not
follow orders is a betrayal of the team and
punishment by military law. Yet the military force is
subject to God. And because God rules the earth He
allows different types of government to form by the
will of man and the will of God. Allowing man to have
his reign, with the knowledge they too are in
subjection to God almighty. Today we celebrate the
memory of the soldier’s that died for our freedom. The
soldier that were in subjection to the will of God
almighty. The soldier doing his duty.

Today’s passage comes from:

John 18:1-27 KJV
(1)  When Jesus had spoken these words, he went
forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where
was a garden, into the which he entered, and his
disciples.
(2)  And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the
place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his
disciples.
(3)  Judas then, having received a band of men and
officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh
thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.
(4)  Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should
come upon him, went forth, and said unto them,
Whom seek ye?
(5)  They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus
saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which
betrayed him, stood with them.
(6)  As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he,
they went backward, and fell to the ground.
(7)  Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And
they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
(8)  Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if
therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:
(9)  That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake,
Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.
(10)  Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and
smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right
ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
(11)  Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword
into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given
me, shall I not drink it?
(12)  Then the band and the captain and officers of
the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,
(13)  And led him away to Annas first; for he was
father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest
that same year.
(14)  Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to
the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should
die for the people.
(15)  And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did
another disciple: that disciple was known unto the
high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of
the high priest.
(16)  But Peter stood at the door without. Then went
out that other disciple, which was known unto the
high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door,
and brought in Peter.
(17)  Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto
Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples?
He saith, I am not.
(18)  And the servants and officers stood there, who
had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they
warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and
warmed himself.
(19)  The high priest then asked Jesus of his
disciples, and of his doctrine.
(20)  Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the
world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the
temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret
have I said nothing.
(21)  Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me,
what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I
said.
(22)  And when he had thus spoken, one of the
officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of
his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?
(23)  Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear
witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?
(24)  Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas
the high priest.
(25)  And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself.
They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of
his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.
(26)  One of the servants of the high priest, being his
kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see
thee in the garden with him?
(27)  Peter then denied again: and immediately the
cock crew.

The soldiers that came to the garden to take Jesus
was only obeying the orders given to them and they
follow Judas a disciple of Jesus leading the
procession to where Jesus was in the garden he
often visited. They came with knives and swords to
take Jesus and when Jesus was ask if he was Jesus,
he said yes and they fell backwards. The power of
God being so strong they fell backwards, to
demonstrate that it was not in their ability to arrest
Jesus but the will of God.  This demonstrated the
authority Jesus had and yet was about to fulfill the
will of God in His life.

Peter’s response was to try and stop the will of God.
Often we do just that. We try to stop what God wants
to do, not because we desire not the will of God, but
to protect someone from the will of God. The will of
God is to allow His Son to die for you and me. Peter
sliced off the soldier’s ear and Jesus rebuked him,
and healed the soldier’s ear.

The soldier was doing His duty. Yet his duty that night
was the will of God. Peter was doing what came
natural to defend his Lord in rebellion against the
government not understanding what was taking
place. With evidence of a missing ear there was no
way that Peter would be charged. Took Jesus by
force to Caiaphas the high priest and government
official that spoke for Israel to the Roman
government. Caiaphas had prophesied that one man
should die for the nation of Israel. Why because this
man seem to be in opposition of the government.
Seem to be rebel to the religious leaders. Seem to be
a threat to their temple and their government
according to those in leadership and in opposition to
God but doing the will of God. The will of God for
them was to be blind to the truth. There are times
when God allows our blindness, for a greater
purpose. That purpose in this case what He was
going to redeem us through the crucifixion and death
of His dear Son. Our sins laid on his shoulders.

Jesus being the word of God in the flesh, was taking
our sin of disbelief, and corruption of His word to the
cross. Our sin being what unites us to the cross. We
take God’s word and we change it for a lie. We take
God’s word and change it for a lie and do our own
will. Through Jesus’ death on the cross our sins were
buried with Him and we arose in new life and victory
through Jesus Christ’s resurrection.

Peter was in opposition to the will of God. The
soldiers in alignment to the will of God as well as their
superior officers. Yet in reality what was being done
was great injustice. Yet a necessary evil to perform a
greater cause. No one wants to think of blindness or
the suffering of Jesus being for the greater good.
However like lessons in life from skinning the knee, to
dealing with hardship, heart ache, misery, or just
storms in life, they often for a greater purpose. Evil
has a purpose in life, but it should not be for gain of
more evil, but for the will of God to be demonstrate so
His grace might abound. The value of love has no
value if you never know the opposite. Kingdoms rise
and fall until the coming of the Lord.

Peter after being correct by Jesus would then deny
him three times. The very thing at the Lord’s last
supper he said he never do. He desire to serve Jesus,
but when corrected when he fought for Jesus, it in a
since caused confusion no doubt in Peter’s mind for
he understood not why his Lord would not defend
himself, if He his authority was superior to the
soldiers when they fell back. Know doubt he
understood what the arrest of Jesus meant, and he
followed to see what would happen. Several question
Peter if he was a disciple even the soldier who’s ear
he cut off, but he deny knowing Jesus, because he
was afraid of being arrest and afraid of dying. Yet it
was more then that he fulfilled the prophesy Jesus
spoke concerning his betrayal, because that cock
crowed three time and then Peter remember and he
went away weeping. He done the will of Christ but
had betrayed Him. Judas betrayal being far worse
then Peter’s for Judas would be the son of perdition,
who though sought forgiveness, would not find it. For
he understood not he need to seek the Lord.
Forgiveness comes by Christ alone.

Peter a soldier in the since of being a disciple with the
help of God fulfill the will of God. The soldiers that
came including Judas fulfilled the will of God through
their orders given by superiors and permission by
God. Now as we continue reading we going to look
how the world and the world’s government is in
opposition to the will of God.

John 18:28-40 KJV
(28)  Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall
of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves
went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be
defiled; but that they might eat the passover.
(29)  Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What
accusation bring ye against this man?
(30)  They answered and said unto him, If he were not
a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up
unto thee.
(31)  Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and
judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore
said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to
death:
(32)  That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which
he spake, signifying what death he should die.
(33)  Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again,
and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King
of the Jews?
(34)  Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of
thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
(35)  Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation
and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me:
what hast thou done?
(36)  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this
world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would
my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the
Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
(37)  Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king
then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king.
To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into
the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.
Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
(38)  Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when
he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews,
and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
(39)  But ye have a custom, that I should release unto
you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I
release unto you the King of the Jews?
(40)  Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man,
but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.


Pilate examined Jesus and could find no fault
according to his laws. His laws allowed freedom of
faith and freedom of thought. Pilate understood by
Jewish law Jesus was in opposition to the leaders.
Pilate said judge him by your laws. Jews said no we
do not have authority to kill Jesus. Pilate went back to
Jesus and said are you a king and Jesus said not a
king of this world. He said he was also born for this
reason and everyone that heareth truth heard him.
And Pilate said what is truth? Pilate being the man he
was tested the Jews to see if they really wanted
Jesus dead. He offer them Barabbas who was
robber. Caught in thievery and some Gospels say he
was a murder as well. Yet the crowd would want
Barabbas released. How often this is true we want
the one that committed the crime more then the one
that is innocent. We want that leader that is more like
us, then the one that is superior and wiser then us.
Man desire is to follow his own will and ways and not
God’s. Inside the religious world you follow your
leaders, inside government world you follow the
leaders of the government despite the direction they
go. And the two things often do not mix in a free
society until one realizes that God did not force
anyone to follow Him, that was a free choice.
However He does require us to follow the will of God
in our life. Judas fulfilled God’s will, but could not find
repentance, Pilate government official did what the
people wanted to appease them. Jesus would be
facing some other leaders that come for the passover.
Soldiers did there duty, and some would be covert at
the crucifixion. Innocent Man dying for the will of God.
How many times had prophets come prior to Christ
and was killed. Not by the will of God but the will of
man not to hear the prophets of God. Now God was  
allowing His own Son to die, because the world
believed Him not. Where are you today are you
fulfilling the will of God by being in opposition to God’
s way. You got a choice, do you want to be in the will
of God or the will of God with unbelief to the loosing
of your soul to the fiery pit called hell. Your choice
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be
saved if you do the will of God through obedience of
his word. Be a soldier for God or a soldier for the
devil. It is your choice, but even the devil has to
submit to God. Our soldiers lost there life so we could
chose how we believe. Today is Veteran’s Day let us
remember those that still fight today for freedom
around the world. Let us not forget why today is
special, for it also reminds us of the sacrifice of
Christ. For the soldier die for freedom and Christ died
to set us free from a yoke of bondage called sin by his
resurrection we have victory unto life eternal for all
that believe. Be on the winning side today.
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The Soldier's Call by Christina Farris is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.