I have a hero living in me.

“I Have a Hero Living in Me”
On this Memorial Day weekend, Pastor Anthony takes us on a heartfelt journey through Galatians 2:20, reminding us that true heroism isn’t just found on the battlefield it’s found in the heart transformed by Christ.  
We honor those who gave their lives for our nation and reflect on the One who gave His life for our salvation. Through powerful stories, Scripture, and reflection, this episode challenges us to live worthy of both freedoms the one purchased by sacrifice and the one secured by grace.  
Discover what it means to say, “I have a Hero living in me.”  
Let His courage become your courage, His strength your strength, and His love your legacy.  
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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hey, good morning. Welcome back to On the Road with Pastor Anthony. And I'm super pumped that you're here. And again, we are on location here in Danville Baptist Church in Danville, West Virginia. If you have not yet checked them out, get on there and do that. And but also before we get started and go inside and uh do our message, uh I would like to ask you to please subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform you listen to us on that you so you never miss an episode. And if you enjoyed what you hear, give us a thumbs up and share the podcast with your friends. And by joining us each week, you will discover practical ways to live out your faith and connect others with Jesus as we share Jesus in life one out of a time. Alright, y'all have a blessed morning and we'll see you on the inside. And I was thinking about it, I was like, it must have been a God thing to be able to come out and see you all two times, you know, right in a row like that. Because last week we asked a powerful question. You know, when did Jesus become more than a name to you? And that message, well, it kind of challenged us a little bit to remember when Jesus became real and when faith, you know, become personal, and that relationship became more than a story when we were growing up. You know, this week we're going to continue that theme, remembering, but in a little bit different way. Because today on this Memorial Day weekend, we pause to honor those heroes who served our nation and has helped keep us free. You know, their sacrifice gives us freedom to worship, freedom to gather, to speak, to live without fear. And that brings us right into where we're going today. Because Memorial Day is not just about a long weekend or an unofficial start to summer. It's a day of remembering. Remembering men and women who laid down their lives so that we could live in freedom. Every name etched on a memorial wall represents a story, a family, and sacrifice. But as we honor those heroes, we also want to remind remember scripture and how it reminds us of something even deeper. The hero, there is a hero that not only died for us, but also he lives in you. So let's go ahead and pray and ask God's blessing again on this message, and then we will uh dive into our text, which will be in Galatians 2.20 today. Let's go ahead and pray again. Father God, again, we want to come to you in prayer. Lord, we want to lift up this uh message to you this morning as we look at um our text, and we ask that you just teach us and challenge us and open our hearts and minds for what you have in store for us here today as we honor our vets. Uh and honor, you know, we also want to honor the families. You know, there are so many that have lost loved ones, but they did it sacrificially. Lord, they did it because they loved our country, and they did it without even thanking it or without questioning it that it went where they were called. And Lord, we thank them so much. And we thank you for for all that you've done with our military. And Lord, we ask that you can continue to put a hedge of protection around those who are still active. Father, we love you and we thank you in Jesus' name. Amen. As I said, we'll be in Galatians 2.20 is going to be our main text, and we'll kind of reference back to it as we go through this morning. Galatians 2.20. It says, I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. When we read this, this isn't Paul being poetic. He's describing the deepest identity shift a person can experience. This is not self-improvement, it's not a behavior modification, it is the transformation from the inside out. Turn my mic on. Maybe you can hear me a little better. There we go. One commentary put it this way: being crucified with Christ means we have a new commitment. We are dedicated to the service and the glory of the Lord, and that dedication destroys selfishness and surpasses all ties with family and friends. And that kind of transformation Paul is talking about is a total reorientation of the heart. You know, a new loyalty, a new direction, a new center of gravity. And when Paul talks about this kind of transformation, it naturally brings us to a truth that fits this Memorial Day weekend, that heroes laid down their lives. You know, Memorial Day reminds us of the freedom always cost someone something. You know, I heard a pastor say something a few years ago. He didn't really say where he came where he got it from or where he heard it from, but it stayed with me. He said Monday will be the most expensive holiday on the calendar. Every hot dog, every burger, every spin around the lake or drink with friends and with family is a debt purchased by others. This is not about all who served. That day comes in the fall. This is about the ones who paid in life and blood. It's about the moms who will never see them again. It's about the dads who have wept in private, and the wives who have raised kids alone, and the kids who only remember their parents by pictures alone. This isn't simply a day off, but a day to remember that others paid for every free breath that we breathed. You know, there was a veteran from the Afghan War who was asked how Americans could honor the fallen, and he said this one little simple statement. The Americans were dying for. And I think that speaks volumes. When we look at our country today, I believe that many have forgotten why we are free. We must remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice so that you and I can have the freedom to enjoy. And we should never take that for granted. Jesus said in John 15, 13, greater love has no one than this, than to lay one's life down for his friends. And that's what heroes do. They lay down their lives. And Paul tells us that Jesus did the exact same thing when he wrote back in our scripture here, he loved me and gave himself for me. Not just the world, not just for humanity, but you and I personally. The cross wasn't a general act of love, it was a deeply personal. He knew your name, he knew your story, he knew your sin, and he gave himself for you. That is the ultimate hero. At just dying for us, he chose to live in us. And if his death changes us who we are, if it changes who we are, then his life should change how we live. And that's where Paul begins to say heroes don't just save us, they live in us. You know, when you think about our bloodline, and we all have heroes living in us. Men and women who served our country, who have worn the uniform, who have carried the weight of sacrifice, so the next generation could live in freedom. In the real very sense, their courage lives in us. We carry their name, their legacy, their bloodline. As meaningful as that is, it doesn't even begin to compare to what Paul was talking about in Galatians 2.20. Because Paul is saying something shocking. Christ lives in me, not beside me, not around me, but in me. And that changes everything. When Christ lives in you, his courage becomes your courage, his strength becomes your strength. His love becomes your love, his endurance becomes your endurance. You don't just admire Jesus, you carry him. You don't just follow him, he feels you. You don't just remember him, he lives in you. And that's why the title of this message, I think it's so true. I have a hero living in me. Not because I'm strong, but because you know, it's not because I'm brave, it's not because I'm capable, it's because he is. Yeah, I always think about Philippians 4.13 that I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. You know, and that's good, bad, indifferent, but what doesn't matter. We can do it all because of his strength.

unknown 10:09

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 10:11

And Jesus makes it clear in John 15 5, apart from me, you can do nothing. So if that is true, if Christ truly lives in us, then it only makes sense that we don't live the same way that we used to. Just like the sacrifices of earthly heroes shape how we live in our country, the presence of the ultimate hero shapes how we live as believers. His presence produces a different kind of life in us. And Paul describes uh in the very next phrase when heroes live in you, you live differently. When Christ truly lives in you, everything about the way you begin to live, it changes. I mean, you think about you know military boot camp. I mean, we know you know pretty much the basics. When you enter, you're an average citizen. You bring nothing in. But the training that transforms you. It gives you confidence that you didn't have. And at the same time, it humbles you. And when the training's done, you're different in the way you think, the way you act, and the way you carry yourself. You're now fit for service. And that's exactly what happens spiritually. We bring nothing to Jesus. I mean, he has no expectations. But when we are saved, the transformation begins. Yeah, Paul says in Philippians 1:6, the one who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it. That's sanctification, a church word. But I mean, that's what happens from the moment you're saved to the time he calls us home. We're always in training. It's a lifelong process to become more like Christ. Just like military training shapes a man or woman into something or to someone who is ready to serve, the Holy Spirit shapes us into people who will live differently. He gives us the strength that we don't have, the confidence we didn't earn, the humility we desperately need. And because the Holy Spirit resides in us, we don't walk, think, speak, or respond the way that we used to. The life we now live, we live by faith because of the hero living in us, shaping us, every step that we take. And that's why it matters so much. You know, this message. When we read Hebrews 11, and I think it's one of my favorites, the hall of faith, it gives us a long list of men and women who live by faith. I mean, you think of just a few, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Rahab, David, and I mean, we can go on and on. People who weren't perfect, they messed up, people who didn't have it all together, people who started out with nothing and ended up with a testimony. And a powerful example for us. They honored God with their faith, and now we honor them by living by their example. But here's what makes the movement even more incredible. They live by faith looking toward you know forward to the promise. But we live by faith because we have the promised one living in us. I think that's pretty special. They walked with God, but we have God walking with us. They trusted the one they couldn't see, but we trust the one who has already come, already did, or died, and already risen and already taken up residence in our hearts. Yeah, I tell people all the time, I'm like, you know, I mean, when you read in the Bible and scripture, and like how they were so faithful and how they did all this stuff, and just, I mean, every day they woke up, I mean, just looking for ways to please God. And we got this, something they didn't have, and we struggle. I'm like, I mean, help me understand, right? It's like, you know, it's it's like we need to go, you know, kind of model their their examples a little bit more, I think. And that brings us back to that Galatians 2.20, the heartbeat of the entire message. Again, I read it. I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. I mean, that's the call, that's the challenge, that's the invitation. We honor the fallen, but we live for the risen king. We honor those fallen heroes of our nation by living worthy of the freedom they purchased. We honor the heroes in Hebrews 11 by running the race that they started. And then I think about Hebrews 12, 1 and 2, how it you know it tells us to run. It says, lay aside every weight, run with endurance, fix your eyes on Jesus. That's not strolling, that's not just drifting, that's not wandering, that's running with purpose. You know, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9 that an athlete trains with discipline. He doesn't run aimlessly, he doesn't waste energy, he pushes forward because he because there's a prize worth running for. And that's the Christian life, not earning salvation, but living in response to it. You know, I'm you back in the day, you know, it was a lot lighter, you know, thinner, and and I, you know, not didn't have the arthritis. I used to run track, I did the mile. And and man, I tell you what, every day he was out there run, run, run, I mean, preparing, you know, doing the exercises, making sure you was eating right. And just, you know, that's kind of the same thing we gotta do in our walk with Christ. It's you know, be in prayer every day. We've got to read our Bibles, we've got to, you know, watch the spiritual junk food. You know, we gotta we gotta keep our focus on Christ and make sure that we're doing what we need to do so that we're growing and we're getting stronger and we're doing better.

unknown 16:29

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 16:30

You know, and Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 3 and 4 that a soldier doesn't get tangled in civilian affairs. Kind of well, you know, we should stay out of, you know, we gotta watch that stuff and not get wrapped up in what the world's doing. We also, you know, had the whole thrust of a military, you know, is they want to please their commanding officer. Well, we should want to please our commanding officer, you know, and that's how we do it, is is you know, don't live distracted, divided, or drifting. We live under orders, you know, from the king of kings. I mean, you know, we got the man, you know. But there's a difference for us. Those heroes that ran the race with God beside them. But we have we run our race with Christ living in us. And those heroes ran the race with God. You know, again, they ran with them beside them, and we have that Holy Spirit, you know, and I love that because that's why Jesus said he had to go back to the Father, because when he did, that he the counselor would come, he would he'd be helping us, he'd be guiding us, and you know, I mean, we have so much more just you know to help us live this life that Christ has called us to. He didn't leave us as orphans, he said, I promise you I'll never leave you or forsake you. You know, the apostles and uh those of the Old Testament, they lived by looking for the promised one. But again, that promised one is living in us. They walked with God and He walked with us. They fought their battles with God's help. We fought our God or fight our battles with God's spirit and dwelling in us. Yeah, we never go alone. You know, and there's a lot of times we feel that way. Yeah, we feel like you know, there's nobody here, nobody can help me. Well, yeah, yeah, the the ultimate uh hero is walking alongside of you. Far better than any Avenger you can think of. Yeah, they live by faith looking, and uh and we too are to live by faith. Scriptures that just remember who lives in us, who dwells. And as I think about, you know, that brings us to a final call of the message when we look at Galatians 2.20, Hebrews 11, Hebrews 12, you know, the athlete, the soldier, and this memorial day. And the church connects directly, you know, to where we left off last week. We talked about remembering what God has done, remembering who he was, and who we are because of him. And today we honor the fallen and we live for a risen king. And we're doing you know, and we're doing the same thing. We're doing that remembering. And so we also need to remember why we are free. Because remembering is how we honor, remembering is how we stay grounded, remembering is how we live with purpose, and remembering why we're free, both as Americans and believers, is how we honor the fallen and we live for the risen King. Just like Memorial Day reminds us of the freedom in in this nation came at a cost, the gospel reminds us that spiritual freedom came at the highest cost of all. And this leads us to the an important point that remembering why we are free. If we look back again at John 15, 13, yeah, that greater love has no one than this than to lay down his life for his friends. That's what soldiers do, and that's what our Savior did. Our freedom came at a cost. Every hot dog, every parade, every extra day off, it was purchased by someone else's sacrifice. And spiritually, every breath of grace, every moment of mercy, and every step of freedom was all purchased by Christ's sacrifice. And this is one of my favorite verses, John 8 36. If the Son has set you free, you are free indeed. And Paul says in Galatians 5 1, stand fast in liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again by the yoke of bondage. In other words, don't go back to doing what Jesus saved you from, you know, when he died, you know, he died for you to bring you out of that mess. So don't turn around and go back. Galatians, you know, they were being pulled back into legalism, rules, and rituals and religious pressure. And today I think people are, you know, with everything that's coming at us so fast, and just I mean, ads and videos and just stuff everywhere, they're getting pulled back into sin, shame, guilt, fear, addiction, and that worldly thank you. Paul says, Stand fast, hold your ground. Remember who set you free, remember what he freed you from, and remember the price that was paid. Here Romans 8 1 and 2 says, There is now no condemnation for those Who are in Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit of life has set you free. So Christ didn't die to make you a slave again. Christ didn't rise so you could live defeated. Christ didn't lie, you know, didn't you know move into your heart so you could live like he's not there. We must remember why we are free and who made us free, and then live like it. You know, it's that thought process of you know, let the hero live through you. Yeah, we kind of talked a little bit last week about you know speaking and you know, people got just giving you words, you know, the words to say. You know, I think about that, uh and we so often we try to think we have to have everything together all the time. When you know we're trying to talk to someone, or we try to shy away because we don't know what to say, or we we don't know how to act, or well, if we just get out of the way and let the spirit move, that's right. You know, you don't have to worry about those things. You have the confidence. You can you can just you'll do things that you're like, wow, that was you know, I've canceled some people, and after I got done, I just like I couldn't include what I said, but I know that the spirit was there, and he knew exactly what they needed to hear. We just have to be willing, and so if we let the hero live through us, you know, that's a powerful thing, and it takes some time to learn, you know, because our that fleshy side still battles, but we honor the fallen heroes you know, by our nation, uh, by living worthy of the freedom they purchased. I mentioned it a while ago, being Americans worth dying for. Well, the same thing, you know, we honor the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 by running the race that they started, and that's doing what Christ has called us to do. And Hebrews 12, 1 and 2, you know, again, I love that verse. That was a verse of my youth group telling us, you know, to run, to lay aside all this weight, throwing off the sin that slows us down, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith. You know, it goes back to that, he will complete it. We just, you know, he does his part, but we got to do our part, right? And that's the believer's mindset in Galatians 2.20, that I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. You know, the heroes in Hebrews 11 live by faith, and they love, and they I mean, they just that's their whole focus was wanting to live for Christ, wanting to do what pleased the Father. And I think we need to do the same as we live for Him. Keep our eyes focused on Him, staying in prayer, being involved in the church, doing the things that He's called you to do, stepping out of your comfort zone and talking to others, all of these things will make us stronger in our walk and allowing Him to really get in there and train us and really get us in there and just dig you know, dig down deep and really push us. You know, I told y'all uh I th uh before, you know, you can pray and ask God. You know, I remember when I hadn't been back in church very long, and that was that, you know, God, I know I need to start praying out loud. So whenever you want me to do that, just go ahead and just you know, put me in a situation where I have to. You know, that'll push me the next Tuesday. Uh Anthony, would you like to open us in a word of prayer? So and so a lot of it has to do with our obedience, it goes back to that, but allowing him to work through us. Yes, you know, that's right. That prayer, Jesus, come interfere in my life, you know, do the thing, do the work in me that you want to do. You know, I I pray that all the time. Don't let me get in the way, Lord. If I do, you know, the old NCIS gift slap, you know. Come on, man, just wake me up. You know, don't let me get in the way. I don't want to stop what you're trying to do. And so that's kind of the whole thrust when we think about that. It's no longer I who live. That's right. We're you know, the old self is gone, we're dead, the new has come, as scripture tells us. But Christ lives in me, and I think we need to live like that. And so, really, just a final thought, I thought, or just a sentence here that I think it really just ties it all together. Is we have a hero living in us. May that be the motivation for us to go and live like it. Let's pray together, Father God. Again, we come to you. And Father, this message, you know, you know, it's a little bit of challenge, and we we want to honor our vets and that have gone before us, Lord, that uh that's already been called home. And Lord, we also just pray for the families again. But Father, this message was really for us to remember that you live inside of us, and you you know, we need to allow you to direct our past, challenge us, move us out of our comfort zones, and use us, Lord, in mighty ways. This world is in such dire need of a savior. And Lord, we know that you hold all the cards, that you hold the ultimate gift of eternal life with you, the ultimate healing. And Father, there's so much going on around us, and we just need you to come and interfere and to help us. Lord, we love you and we thank you for all that you do in Jesus' name and amen. Thank you for joining us today. And if this message has encouraged you, don't forget to like and share it with a friend, and also consider subscribing and hit the little bell so you never miss what is next. And if you want to help others find this message, leaving a five-star review on your uh podcast platform really helps us reach more people with the gospel. And if you'd like to stay connected and be a part of what God is doing through his ministry, all the links are in the description below. And if you feel led to support the ministry, whether through prayer, sharing an episode, or giving through Buzzsprout, or buy me a coffee app even. Thank you. I mean, it's uh really appreciated from the bottom of my heart. But your prayers mean more than you know, and your generosity helps us stay on the road, sharing the gospel and reaching more lives with hope. Again, all the links are in the description below. Thanks for being a part of this journey, and as always, continue to share Jesus' life one live a time, and we will see you on the next one.