Lord, Help me to get ONE more.
Pastor C.L. King
When we look at the current state of our world, it is easy to conclude that our world needs the Savior. Covid-19 came and halted all of our picnics, all of baseball games, all of our ceremonies and yes, all of our services.
While activities came to a screeching halt, humanity remained amongst the land mines of sin, divisiveness, confusion, loneliness. We as the children of God were not granted the luxury of a respite in the garrison and safety of the sanctuary. Regardless of the conditions on the ground
It was April 1, 1942 that a scrawny young man was called into service… because of his job at the shipyards, Desmond Doss could have received a deferment from military service, but he knew the call was greater than his occupation.
The battles in World War II were among some of the bloodiest combat engagements in human history, but in the Kingdom of God, it is a battle for the wealth of the Soul.
You see, Desmond Doss was different, he had a calling that he did not shy away from… but he also was a conscientious objector, meaning he would go into the bowels of battle without a weapon, instead, he’d be armed with a calling. A calling to the wounded; a calling to those who can no longer fight; a calling to those seen as less valuable on the battlefield.
Ridiculed in bootcamp, Desmond was steadfast in his convictions that he was not called to take lives, but rather his commitment to his brothers in arms is that he would save lives.
He consequently became a medic assigned to the 2nd Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 307th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division.
While serving with his platoon in 1944 on Guam and the Philippines, he was awarded two Bronze Star Medals with a "V" device, for exceptional valor in aiding wounded soldiers under fire.
Please understand, the Kingdom is not about position, or status, or longevity, or pedigree. It is about us getting ONE MORE.
What Desmond Doss is notorious for is his incomparable actions during the battle of Okinawa atop the area known as Maeda Escarpment or Hacksaw Ridge. Enemy soldiers put up a relentless fight but among the flying bullets and massive carnage, Desmond Doss was lowering wounded soldiers down the 400-foot ridge to safety. With every rescue, Desmond selflessly went to the field of battle and said, “Lord, Help me to get ONE More."
God has brought me to Motion Church to provoke a thought in this great body of believers: Am I supposed to reach ONE more? Am I supposed to go amongst the carnage, among the social unrest amongst the wounded to get one more soul?
God values the one:
Luke 15:3-7:
“And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”
Reaching a hurting, wounded soul takes effort. It takes energy. It takes endurance! Desmond said “Lord, Help me to get ONE more”
Sometimes in the body of Christ is Lord:
Help my 401k
Help me to get that promotion
Help me to be a better singer
Help me to get another preaching engagement
All those things are fine but Desmond, who won the Medal of Honor, was not concerned with a medal… he said “there’s one more wounded” there’s one more I missed” Lord, Help me to get ONE more!!!
Matthew 13:44-46:
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”
Reaching one more costs. There are treasures in this city, people whom no one has reached. To get to them however, will cost your time, treasure, position and comfort. For ONE, sometimes it costs ALL!
God is reminding the church that you don’t have to be the best singer, you don’t have to be the best preacher, you don’t have to be a 5th generation Christian, to get ONE More!
The question Motion Church needs to ask is “Lord, can you help us to get ONE more?
Doss was wounded four times in Okinawa, he suffered a left arm fracture from a sniper’s bullet, and had 17 pieces of shrapnel in his body after a failed attempt of kicking away a grenade from him and his men.
When you make up your mind to go get ONE more, you must be willing to pay a price.
“Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:8-10
Desmond Doss went looking for the wounded, he was intentional. He didn’t say “Lord send someone my way for me to reach,” he went to them. It was his diligence that saved 100 wounded soldiers from the death grip of the enemy. The very many the other soldiers mocked and ridiculed, is the one who lowered them to the 400-foot garrison.
You want to get Heaven’s attention? You want cause dancing and shouting in the presence of the angels? Pray “Lord, help me to get ONE more.” Is there one more soul you can reach? What face comes to your mind when think about someone who need to hear the gospel?
Who in this room is willing to leave the comforts of the garrison to climb the 400-foot hill called Hacksaw Ridge. Calvary’s hill is at an elevation of 11,167 feet and one of the last acts on that hill was “Help me to get ONE more!” there was one more on the cross next to Him that even in his moment of agony…Jesus knew the value of ONE. Who is ready to get ONE more?