Deuteronomy 20:4 For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you. Without a doubt we serve a courageous God. Similarly, those who follow God will be people of Great Courage!

When Mosses is turning the mantle over to Joshua, Mosses reminds Joshua of this again.. Joshua 23:3 And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you.

Because of this we can say with the Psalmist… Psalms 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD;

Tomorrow is Memorial Day. --- History of Memorial Day….

Memorial Day started as spring holiday called Decoration Day, because on that day graves were tended and decorated with flowers.

Union general John Logan started Memorial Day in 1868; for a long time many southern states observed a separate Confederate Memorial Day Memorial Day.

On Memorial Day the American flag supposed to fly at half-mast until noon.

On a Sunday afternoon in February 1995 A fire in the housing area on Fliegerhorst Kaserne, Sgt. Gentile quickly warned everyone in the complex before running to the top floor where the fire was raging. He and another soldier broke down an apartment door to find the smoke-filled rooms. "I dropped down to the floor on my hands and knees," Gentile said. "The smoke ... it was just too much. I saw some legs and I crawled toward them." Gentile grabbed a burned soldier and his two children and dragged them out of the apartment to safety. He then ran back into the burning building and escorted a mother and her four children from the apartment across the hall from the others.

This morning I want to look for a few moments at Great Memorial Days in the Life of our Saviour.

Luke 9:58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

The day He left glory for Bethlehem -- What have you ever stepped out and done for the Christ and his Kingdom? Have you ever left anything behind?

The Lord asks folks to follow Him.. that often times involves leaving something…

Matt. 4:18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

Plenty of examples of those who didn't have the courage to do what it took..

Luke 18: 22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

Note: He is not asking him to give away his treasure, he asking him to relocate it… To Heaven, where it will then be incorrupt!

Luke 5:17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

When he stayed back at the Temple as a child -- it takes courage to take a stand young man…

Ecclesiastes 12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

To all the Young People in the Church today let me say anyone can be like the world… It takes no courage to be a follower… But to be different! That takes real courage.. You will be opposed!

But God blesses those who sell out to Him in their Youth! We see this with Samuel…..

1 Samuel 2:18 But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.

26 And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.

We'll see it with David! Joseph! The Three Hebrew Boys, Daniel!

John 2: 15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;
16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.
17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

It took a great deal of courage to cleanse the Temple of the money changers.. --- Will we have courage to stand up against the blatant evils and corruption of our day? The Lord did in his day!

You don't know but you may speak some word that will give others courage to go against the wickedness of the hour… America and our Churches are in dire need of men and woman who will stand up for right and stand in the way of what is wrong! Men and woman of Courage..

2 Chronicles 15:8 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD.

John 4: 25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?

The day he lead the woman to Salvation and then ministered to the Samaritans of her city… Friend do you have enough courage to witness to the Samaritans of our day?

Mark 2:16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?

Luke 15:1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.

There is a lesson in courage to be learned from our Lord. The fear of man was not on Him. The fear of God was! I know Independent Baptist Preachers and Missionaries who will send money to get the gospel to Samaritans, Publicans and Sinners but they won't invite them to Church and share the Love of God with them.

Cowards is what they are!

1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners;

Matthew 26:36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

The Night in the Garden… it takes courage to face what you know lies ahead

John 12:27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

The Great events, tests, trials, big days of our life should be preceded by times of prayer… Imagine our Lord as he came to the Garden that night. He knew what lie ahead. Yet He went ahead!

Psalms 31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The torture of the Cross… by the way, we are all called to bare a cross.. are you baring yours?

It took courage on the Part of our Lord to save us from our Sin…

True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.

Let's go back to Where we started… our text..

Deuteronomy 20:4 For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

Without a doubt we serve a courageous God. Similarly, those who follow God will be people of Great Courage!