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| 1993 Pat and Lionel at The Alamo |
'Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.' John 15:13
The Ultimate Sacrifice and the Greatest Love.
The first time I understood Ultimate Sacrifice was when I watched the 1960 movie The Alamo. This blockbuster movie was produced and directed by John Wayne, who also acted as David Crockett and Richard Widmark played the role of Jim Bowie. I was most impressed by the embittered character Lieutenant-Colonel William Travis, played by Laurence Harvey, who was the commanding officer. He had a very difficult task to defend against an overwhelming force and against all odds; a difficult choice to make to stand his ground and not withdraw or surrender.
At the Battle of the Alamo, 185 Texans, Tennesseans, Mexicans and others defended the Spanish Catholic Mission and Fortress at San Antonio against 5000 troops of the Mexican Army led by the dictator Antonio Lรณpez de Santa Anna. After a 13 days siege, despite the brave defense put up by the Americans, the Mexican Army breached the wall and a brutal slaughter of all 185 men ensued. These men paid the ultimate sacrifice, they laid down their lives in the fight for the independence of Texas.
But the Battle of the Alamo was not a wasted carnage. It delayed the Mexican advance and bought sufficient time for General Sam Houston to raise an army, eventually to defeat Santa Anna and secured the independence of Texas. Under the rallying cry 'Remember the Alamo' the Texans recognised the sacrifice of these man to establish their State.
I was 10 years old when I watched the movie but two scenes made an indelible mark on me. Somehow each scene allowed me to draw lessons of values and virtues which I could apply when I became a Christian several years later.
The first scene was when LTC Travis drew a line on the sand of the old fort with his sabre having realised the foregone conclusion of the battle. He asked any person wanting to withdraw, escape or surrender to Mexican army, to step across that line. Not one of the 185 men walked across. They all chose to stay at fight even though they knew it was going to be certain death for them.
Centuries earlier another commander, Joshua had thrown down the same challenge. Joshua challenged the Israelites,
'But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.' Joshua 24:15
Like that line in the sand, it was a pivotal choice to make. The Israelites like the Texans made the right choice, they replied Joshua "Be it far from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods!" Joshua 24:16.
This challenge is a fundamental choice all Christians need to make very early in their belief and conversion. There is no turning back.
The second scene was the closing sequence of the movie. Mrs Sue Dickinson, wife of the artillery officer, placed her daughter on a donkey and slowly out of the Alamo, one of the few survivors. As mother and daughter passed by the slain men strewn on the grounds of the Alamo, the soldiers of Santa Anna's army stood up and saluted. It was a very sad yet poignant moment. A lovely song the 'Green Leaves of Summer' sung by the Brothers Four played in the background recounting precious moments of life including the time to die.
A time to be reaping
A time to be sowing
A time just for living
A place for to die
Twas so good to be young then
To be close to the earth
Now the green leaves of summer
Are calling me home
It was the time of men laying down their lives so that others may live. Jesus Christ also spoke of this ultimate sacrifice,
'Greater love has no one more than this: to lay down his life for his brother.' John 15:13
The sacrifice at the Alamo is relevant but Jesus Christ was speaking about an even greater love, an even greater sacrifice - His sacrifice on the cross at Calvary. Because of His great love for all men, Jesus suffered a gruesome death to pay for the sins of men. Jesus laid down his life to save us from our sins - the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus died so that we can live - The Greatest Love.
'Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son (Jesus) as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.' 1 John 2:2 and 1 John 4:10
Christianity is born of the sacrifice and the blood of Jesus Christ.
In 1993, Pat and I visited The Alamo. We went not as tourists; it was more like a pilgrimage to honour the 185 men, to think of their sacrifice and to stand silently where they were slain. It was evening and the sun was setting as it was when Travis drew that line in the sand.
In that serenity, we made a silent family prayer and rededicated our lives - 'As For Me And My House We Will Serve The Lord.'
Lionel
