John McCain Thanks Kissinger for Saving His Honor
In a tense exchange with protesters at today’s (1/29/150 Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Sen. John McCain had harsh words for the hecklers who chanted maligning remarks against former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
Kissinger served as Secretary of State during the Vietnam war years, and worked tirelessly to secure the release of the many American POWs who were held captive in North Vietnam. As the war was winding down, the Vietnamese were looking for an opportunity to show “good faith” by releasing McCain (the son of a high profile US Admiral) ahead of all the other POWs.
In reality, it was nothing more than a propaganda scheme on the part of the Vietnamese. Either way, McCain flatly refused early release, saying that he would take no special favors at the expense of his fellow prisoners. Kissinger equally refused special favor for McCain.
As NEWSMAX reported back in 2013:
McCain had steadfastly refused to be released early, though the north Vietnamese hoped to score points by doing so after learning his father was to be promoted to admiral.”
"After a while, my honor, which in that situation was entirely invested in my relations and the reputation I had with my fellow POWs, became not just my most cherished possession, it was my only possession," McCain said. "I had nothing else left.
"When Henry came to Hanoi to conclude the agreement that would end America’s war in Vietnam, the Vietnamese told him they would send me home with him," McCain said. "He refused the offer. 'Commander McCain will return in the same order as the others,' he told them."
Kissinger knew McCain's early release would be seen as favoritism to his father and a violation of the code of conduct which required POWs be released in the same order in which they were taken, McCain said in his toast.
"By rejecting this last attempt to suborn a dereliction of duty, Henry saved my reputation, my honor, my life, really. And I’ve owed him a debt ever since."
After verbally lashing the protesters at Thursday’s meeting, McCain turned his comments to Secretary Kissinger to once again thank him for guarding his honor and securing his legacy of sacrifice for country and fellow POWs.
McCain was unwilling to lessen his own suffering by placing himself ahead of any other or by leaving any man behind.
There is great honor is sacrifice. Yet that honor can be quickly depleted when one is not willing to go the distance.
Imagine, if Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane had insisted that God remove the cup of suffering from Him and deliver Him from the hands of His captors?
What if, on the cross as the the crowds mocked Him to save Himself, He had gone ahead and called upon “ten thousand angels” to rescue Him?
What if, after crying out Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani He then said, “Ah, the heck with this, I’m outta here,” leaving the thief on the cross behind to fend for himself?
Jesus never considered Himself "too good" for all this suffering. "Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross" (Philippians 2:6-8, NLT).
Because of His great humility and willingness to go the distance we now cry out with the holy angels, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain—to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing." (Revelation 5:12).
“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit” (1 Peter 3:18, NASB).
Descending Into Greatness
You’ve probably never heard someone say, “Hey, congratulations on your demotion!” or, “Hey, I just heard the great news that you lost your fortune!”
People don’t say such things because, in a world where “upward mobility” is the ultimate aspiration, downward mobility is never a good thing!
There is one significant exception to this rule, as Bill Hybels so eloquently points out:
Once His life on earth began, Jesus never stopped descending. Omnipotent, He cried; the owner of all things, He had no home. The King of Kings, He became a bondservant; the source of truth, He was found guilty of blasphemy; the Creator, He was spit on by the creatures; the giver of life, He was crucified naked on a cross—bleeding, gasping for air. With His death, the descent was complete—from the pinnacle of praise in the universe to the ultimate debasement and torture of death on a cross, the innocent victim of human wickedness.
Bill Hybels is the founding and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Ill., and chairman of the board for the Willow Creek Association. The bestselling author of more than twenty books, including Too Busy Not to Pray and Becoming a Contagious Christian, Hybels is known worldwide as an expert in training Christian leaders to transform individuals and their communities through the local church. Hybels received a bachelor's degree in Biblical Studies and an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Trinity College in Deerfield, Ill.
He concludes:
With His life and death as a man, Christ violated every tenet of the world’s system. The Highest came to serve the lowest. The Creator and Sustainer of all things came to pour Himself out. The One who possessed everything became nothing. From the world’s perspective, the cross became the symbol of foolishness. Yet in God’s eyes, Christ became the greatest of the great. He had totally accomplished the purpose which God had sent Him; He had pleased His Father and advanced God’s kingdom on earth. And Philippians states that because of Christ’s downward mobility, God highly exalted Him and gave Him a name above every name. Here's the twist. Jesus Christ descended into God’s greatness.
Easter Without Good Friday
I'm sure you're familiar with the phrase, "Sunday is coming!" It has become a popular saying in the church in recent years, often associated with Easter. "It's Friday, but Sunday is coming!"
While the sentiment is appreciated, it's imperative for us to not overlook the significance of Good Friday.
To illustrate this, think of the symbolism of a cancer patient "ringing the bell" at the oncologist's office, signifying the end of a long and difficult cancer treatment journey. The celebratory act of ringing the bell wouldn't hold any significance without the challenging and painful experience of treatment; the ringing of the bell essentially proclaims that the treatment is over, done, and complete.
Easter Sunday is a core Christian belief; it signifies Jesus' resurrection, proving His divinity and victory over death (Romans 6:4; 14:9).
However, to reach Sunday, we must first acknowledge Friday. Jesus' death and burial hold their own meaning, and understanding that is crucial to fully appreciating the Easter message.
Jesus did what he needed to do - not for Himself, but rather for us. Only us. Consider this powerful prophetic scripture from the eighth century BC. Although it is indeed eloquent, it is full of significant truth.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned – every one – to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all. - Isaiah 53:5-6
Pause with me and consider the descriptive words: pierced, crushed, chastised, and not to mention wounded.
As we all gather in our church homes on Good Friday to “celebrate” the piercing, let's likewise look forward to the healing, and prepare to ring the bell of salvation on Sunday morning!