Flag Bearers

February 12, 2006

Mark 1:9-11, 16-20

I’ve never told you much about my days as a Cadet Chaplain at West Point. And maybe, one of the reasons is that I have come to a different way of thinking about wars and the military than the ones I had in those days.

But I will say this.

My days as a Cadet Chaplain were some of the most fascinating days of my life.

While I was there I got caught up in the history of the place and the lives of those who were graduates  like…George Washington…Ulysis S. Grant…Robert E. Lee…Edgar Allen Poe…Black Jack Pershing…Douglas McArthur…Dwight Eisenhower…George Patton.

I was a part of the Chapel staff at the magnificent Cadet Chapel, where I preached regularly.

I got to know the teachers and staff at the Academy, many who had fought in WWII, Korea and Viet Nam. 

I went to Army athletic contests constantly and never missed Army/Navy football games in Philadelphia.

But there wasn’t anything that fascinated me more than Saturdays at the Academy when the Cadets would march on the Plain.

The entire corps of cadets 4000 strong would march.

All the generals, dignitaries and guests would be in their places on the reviewing stand 

At the appropriate time the Military Academy band would sound the call and then go into one of the great marches like Stars and Stripes Forever.

And as the band began to play, the cadets wearing dress gray uniforms and tar-buckets would begin to march out from the barracks areas and on to the plain. 

Cadet officers would be leading their platoons and companies and regiments barking out commands

Banners and flags were held high. 

And ultimately all of the Cadet units would have to parade by the reviewing stand led by the color guard.

The color guard consisted of four cadets.

There were two riflemen, one on the right and the left.

Then there was a cadet carrying the flag of the United States Military Academy. 

Then there was the cadet who carried a large American flag. 

The plain can be a windy place so oft times, the American flag would be blown around by the wind.

And of all the marchers, I suppose that no one was given more attention and more proud than the cadet who was asked to be the flag bearer for Old Glory.

Well, so much about West Point.

Last night as I was watching the opening parade for the Winter Olympics, I was watching the flag bearers, who marched in front of their various delegations, and I thought about what a proud thing it would be to be to have that role.

I think you know that the athletes who are selected to carry their nations flags and lead their delegations, are usually those who are champions…oft times athletes who have won gold medals in other Olympics. 

Eric Heyden     Also that incredible female speed skater    Carl Lewis     Marion Jones    Al Oerter

The athletes themselves select the person they want to lead their delegation and carry the flag into the Olympic Stadium

Can we imagine how it would feel to be selected to lead our delegation and carry our nation’s flag into the stadium?

We’re waiting under the stands

We’re holding the flag

We hear our cue

And someone says ..Go ahead Susan…Go ahead Carrie…Go ahead Charlie….

And we begin to march and come out from under the stands into the stadium.

.

And we hear the roar of applause

And we hold the flag high

Can we imagine the feelings we might have of pride and humility?

Well, I was thinking about the cadet flag bearers at West Point,

And I was thinking about the flag bearers in the Olympics,

And something else occurred to me.

As Christians, aren’t we to be the flag bearers for Christ in our world?

When we come to that point in our lives when we are serious about following Christ, aren’t we in a sense saying:

O Christ from this point on, in my human way, I will carry your flag and I’ll hold it high.

O Christ, I will carry your flag and all that it represents….faith…compassion…mercy…justice.

O Christ I will carry your flag and if I ever weaken and put it down, give me the courage and strength to pick it up and to hold it high again.

In a similar way to the cadet at West Point and the athlete in the Olympics, aren’t those of us who desire to follow Christ, his flag bearers?

And then of course we’re left with the question, how do we practically carry the flag of Christ in this old world of ours?

How do we hold high his banner in the midst of our lives as students…in the workplace…within our families…within our church communities?

Do we start telling everyone that we are Christians?

And that they should be Christians too?

Have you ever had someone come up to you and tell you better become a Christian or that you need to be born again?

Maybe we need to be more vocal about our allegiance to Christ, but I don’t think that’s the main way we carry Christ flag into the world.

Do we begin to wear religious symbols which might indicate to people that we are Christians?

Crosses and framed religious quotes in our homes   WWJD bracelets    collars

These are ways that some folks try to carry their flags for Christ…but I don’t think it’s the primary way we do it.

St. Francis quote:

PREACH THE GOSPEL AT ALL TIMES…IF NECESSARY USE WORDS.

In other words, carrying Christ’ banner is about what we do….and how we live.

Its about who we are.

Essentially its not about what we say,

It’s about our actions and deeds

And the people said….AMEN