“No Greater Love”

John 15.13

Memorial Day Weekend May 2006

By Rev. Kenneth E. Chorle, Pastor of Union Presbyterian Church Murrysville, PA

“No one has greater love than this to lay down his life for one’s friends.”  (John 15.13) (NRSV) 

Introduction:  “Duty, honor and Country.”  Those three words are inscribed at the U.S. academy for Army cadets at West Point. The words “duty, honor, and country” inspired a young cadet by the name of Douglas MacArthur. Gen. MacArthur was fighting the Japanese in 1942 and become trapped in the Philippines due to the naval blockade by the Japanese.  McArthur wanted to stay and fight to the death with the men he was proud to command. However, President Franklin D. Roosevelt had other plans for the general. McArthur was ordered by the president to leave the Philippines so that McArthur could become in charge of the fighting in the Pacific and win the war against the nation of Japan. Reluctantly, the general left his men on the Philippines vowing “I shall return.” The general traveled in very dangerous waters in a PT boat and made his way to Australia. The MacArthur never forgot his vow to return the Philippines, and he led our U.S. land and naval forces across the Pacific and back to the Philippines and returned in triumph. 

Preview Statement: The title of this message is “No Greater Love.” It is taken from the words of our Lord Jesus who said: “No one has greater love than this to lay down his life for one’s friends.” (John 15.13) (NRSV) In this message, I am going to explore these words as they first pertain to our nation and second as they pertain to our Lord Jesus.

I.                    Our nation has been blessed because of those brave soldiers who like Jesus willingly laid down their lives for the sake of freedom.

A.    The names of George Fox, Alexander Goode, Clark Poling and John Washington may not be found in the history books that are used in teaching U.S. history in our schools. But, the names of these four men and the many they exemplify should be written in the history books of our hearts as Americans. Let me tell you their story.

1.           George Fox was a Methodist minister from Altoona, PA. George’s father wanted George to be a farmer. But, George in 1917 with the outbreak of the First World War George lied about his age and enlisted in the U.S. Marines. He served in World War One as a medical corps assistant and ambulance driver in Europe. He won a Silver Star rescuing a wounded soldier from a battlefield filled with poison gas. Fox had no gas mask at the time of the heroic rescue.  Fox also won medals for outstanding bravery during an artillery attack and later suffered in a hospital from a broken back. Later, Fox also received the Purple Heart.

After the First World War ended, Fox went to Moody Bible Institute. Fox met his wife at Moody and later they moved to Vermont. Fox worked as an accountant. Fox sensed the call to ministry and went off to Boston University School of Theology. He graduated in 1934 and got his first pastorate. The congregation gave him the nickname of “The Little Minister” because Fox was only five feet seven inches.

When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Fox enlisted to serve as a chaplain. At chaplain’s school, Fox met and befriended a rabbi named Alexander Goode.

1.            Alexander Goode was from Brooklyn, N.Y. Goode was an outstanding student who had excellent public speaking skills and earned sports medals for tennis, swimming, and track. He joined the National Guard and also decided to follow in the footsteps of his father and become a rabbi.

Goode also pursued a degree in medicine while performing his rabbinical duties. In addition, Goode developed a plan to help end segregation and bias in N.Y. schools. The plan was later adopted in the state of PA.

Following Pearl Harbor, Goode enrolled to be a chaplain. Goode was later sent to Camp Miles Standish in Taunton, MA where he met up with his good friend George Fox. While at this camp, Goode also made friends with Clark Poling and John Washington.

1.           Clark Pooling was from Columbus, Ohio. Clark was a little boy during the First World War. Clark’s father was a chaplain serving in the trenches in the Western Front in Europe. One day Clark wrote his father a letter. The letter read: “Dear Dad: I wish I was where you are. Love, Clark”

As a young man, Pooling went to Hope College in Holland Mich. While at Hope College, Pooling decided to become a minister. Later, he would attend Yale Divinity School.

After Pearl Harbor, Pooling decided to become a chaplain. Clark’s father said he would be praying for his son’s safe return. The son then scolded the father and insisted: “don’t pray for my safe return. Just pray that I shall do my duty, and something more, pray that I will never be a coward.”

Pooling taught his men to not hate the Japanese or the Germans. He told his men to “hate the system that made your brother evil. It is the system we must destroy.”

1.           John Washington was from Newark, N.J. He was born into the family of poor Irish immigrants. As a young boy, he sold newspapers to bring home extra money for the family.

John was rather tough and became the leader of the street gang “The Twelfth St. Boys” in Newark, N.J.

In the sixth grade, John became an altar boy. As a youth, he began to sense that he was called for priesthood in the Roman Catholic Church.

John became very ill and he was administered the last rites of the Roman Catholic Church. He recovered and benefited from the experience by becoming more prayerful and treating all with kindness.

When he broke the news that he wanted to become a priest, no one believed him at first. Upon graduation, he became a priest in June 1935. He often played baseball with street youth while serving his pastorate.

After Pearl Harbor, John Washington became a chaplain.

  Stained glass window at the Pentagon

A.    In Feb. of 1943, Fox, Goode, Poling and Washington will board the U.S.S. Dorchester which was a troop transport. The Dorchester carried 751 soldiers ready for battle. The ship was traveling from Newfoundland to an American base in Greenland.

During the journey on the seas, the four chaplains associated with the 751 soldiers bound to fight the enemy. They joked and laughed and participated in silly amateur shows to boost moral.

U. S. S. Dorchester

On Feb. 2, 1943, the Dorchester was passing through waters known as “torpedo junction.” A German U-boat was detected by means of sonar. Air support could not make it to the Dorchester due to being occupied elsewhere. The Dorchester would have to go through “torpedo junction” without vital air support. The captain of the Dorchester ordered all crew and all soldiers to sleep in clothing and life jackets. Many in the deep depths of the vessel disobeyed the order due the high temperatures in the sweltering heat of the engines of the ship.

At 1:00 am on Feb. 3, 1943 100 miles off the coast of Greenland the ship’s bell sounded twice. The periscope of German U-boat U-223 had been sited. Immediately, the Dorchester was struck with torpedoes. The Dorchester was going down, and the captain gave orders to abandon ship.

Life boats were launched, but only two life boats out of fourteen made a successful launch. The waters of the Artic were frigid. The men on board were in a state of panic. And many arrived on the deck of the Dorchester without life jackets.

The four chaplains – Fox, Poling, Goode and Washington—were on deck handing out some spare life jackets taken from a locker on deck.  Soon the spare life jackets ran out.

 Stained glass window at West Point

At this point in the story, it is not known which chaplain started the heroic gesture. One soldier came on deck and said: “I’ve lost my life jacket and can’t swim.” History does not tell us which chaplain was the first one to give up his jacket. And it is not important because most likely that chaplain would not want his name to be known. The first chaplain would probably only want people to know that he was just like the other three chaplains. He was a man of “duty, honor, and country.” The unknown first chaplain replied to the soldier seeking a life jacket: “Here take mine. I won’t need it. I am staying.”  The other three chaplains did the same and gave their jackets away for the sake of others.

The four chaplains were last seen huddled on the deck of the Dorchester in prayer. It is said that each were praying in different languages. Goode was praying Hebrew and Washington in Latin. While Fox and Poling were praying in English.  One eyewitness, John Ladd, said of the four huddled in prayer: “It was the finest thing I have ever seen this side of heaven.”

Twenty seven minutes after the Dorchester was struck by the torpedoes of U-223 it sank.  The chaplains only had a few short minutes to decide to show no greater love on the day of Feb. 3, 1943.

With passengers and crew, the Dorchester carried 902. In the disaster, 675 died and 227 survived. Of the survivors, at least four might be credited to the no greater love shown by four chaplains: Fox, Poling, Goode and Washington.

News of the disaster and the heroism of Fox, Poling, Goode, and Washington, the four chaplains, spread in America. On Dec. 19, 1944 the Distinguished Service Cross was awarded posthumously to the family members of Fox, Poling, Goode and Washington. And in 1948, the U.S. government recognized the heroic actions of the chaplains that a 3 cent stamp was issued entitled “Those Immortal Chaplains.”

I am a stamp collector and of all the stamps I own, I cherish this one the most. I do not cherish this stamp for monetary value. The monetary value of the three cent stamp is not much in today’s world. But, I cherish this stamp for what it says about four ordinary men who did something very extraordinary in the waters of the Atlantic off the coast of Greenland.   Those immortal chaplains sacrificed their lives for others.

On July 14, 1960 the U.S. Congress by act of law (Public law 86-656 of 86 Congress) created the “Four Chaplains Medal.”

The Star of David, Tablets of Moses, and a Christian Cross are shown in relief on the back of the medal, along with the inscribed names of all four heroic Chaplains.

In 1961, the heroic actions of the four chaplains were acknowledged in our nation. The U.S. Congress issued a Special Medal for Heroism which was only given on the one occasion and only occasion of the heroic actions of these immortal chaplains. This Special Medal for Heroism will never again be given out.  

Congress set aside February 3^rd as “Four Chaplains Day.” 

In the midst of the panic and confusion, four dedicated men made the same decision the Lord Jesus Christ made. These men decided to sacrifice their lives for the sake of the lives of others. These heroic men like so many others who bravely served our nation over its past two and half centuries, paid the ultimate price to ensure that others might have life. We, on this day, have our freedoms because others paid the price with their lives.

A.    We pause on this Memorial Day weekend to not only recall Fox, Poling, Goode and Washington and their outstanding heroic deeds. We pause to remember all men and all women in the armed services who also participated in the same example of our Lord Jesus Christ in the giving of their lives for others.

What about those Marines that stormed the beaches of Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima and other less famous beaches in the Pacific?  Often I try to imagine what it would be like to be in landing craft vehicle and watch the front door drop open and face the fire of enemy machine guns as you wade into the water.

What was it like to walk patrols in Europe and not know if at any moment enemy guns would start shooting? How about the brave pilots who took on bombing raids over Europe?

What is like to wear a uniform and be thrust into battle in the First World War or Second World War or Korean War or Vietnam War or Gulf War or War with Iraq? What is like to go face to face with enemies out to kill not only you but all your friends and all that you stand for—democracy and freedom?

A.     May this word go forth from this pulpit to this generation and all generations to come and may it penetrate deep into the hearts and lives of all members and friends of Union Church and into all Americans. I now will speak to all those who have served our country past and present alive and dead.  

 “O, brave service men and women, dead and alive, who fought in wars for America and who served in times of peace, hear our words of thanks. You gave of yourselves and you were selfless in your service to our nation. You followed in the example of our Lord Jesus and either gave your lives or you were willing to give your lives and pay the ultimate price. You fought for something far greater than yourselves. You loved the ideal of freedom more than you loved own freedom. We can shout ‘let freedom ring’ in our places of work and in homes and in our schools and in our churches all due to your service to our country. And we as free Americans express our thanks to you. Service personnel, past, present, and future hear our thanks for what you did for all Americans and all citizens of the world to ensure the survival of democracy and freedom at home and abroad. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”

Transition:   In the death of the lives of Fox, Poling, Goode and Washington we have seen the wonderful expression of sacrifice and illustration of the words of our Lord Jesus: “No one has greater love than this to lay down his life for one’s friends.”  (John 15.13) (NRSV) 

I.                    The Lord Jesus set the supreme example on the cross by giving his life in our behalf that we might live.

A.    Jesus was not forced to give his life on the cross. Jesus gave it willingly. Jesus compared himself to a shepherd. As a shepherd, he would willingly die for the flock. He said: “I lay down my life for the sheep. ….The reason my father loves me is that I lay down my life---only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my accord. I have authority to take it up again.” (John 10.15,17)  It is interesting that the four chaplains shared in common the fact none were drafted into service and forced by law to go to war. All four chaplains willingly enrolled for service. Jesus was not drafted to go the cross. Jesus willingly by the act of his decision went in obedience to the Father’s request to go the cross.  

B.     Jesus was 100% centered in others, and he was not egocentric or selfish in any way.  We live in an egocentric society. Selfishness prevails. The primary motive for most actions today is the one little word “me.” The question being asked by many today is “What’s in it for me?” Yet, Jesus never asked this question. And I don’t think our military service personnel are asking this question. Jesus was fully and completely focused on the needs of others. Long before Jesus came to this earth He renounced selfhood. The Bible tells us: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant being born in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2.5-7)

There is something special about a military uniform. My son invited me to attend his graduation from boot camp at Paris Island and watch him receive his eagle and globe pin to move from being a recruit to a U.S. Marine. For the graduation ceremony, he wore his dress uniform. Following the graduation, I got to meet some of the fine Drill Instructors that take the youth of America and transform them into our nations finest. I took a change of clothes for my son to change into after we left Paris Island. As soon as we were ready to leave, I reminded my son of the change of clothing. He said to me: “that’s OK, dad.” Again, I tried to get him to change from his uniform into some more comfortable clothes. In a very polite way, my son brushed me off. We spent many hours traveling in a car from Paris Island, S.C. to Beaver Falls, PA. Yet, my son refused to change his uniform and get into some comfortable clothing. As we drove in the car, it suddenly hit me. My son was proud to be wearing the new uniform of a U.S. Marine. He didn’t take off the uniform because it was a major transition in life for him from being an average youth to a servant of our country, a dedicated U.S. Marine. He kept his dress uniform on for the 15 hour trip home. When we arrived home at about 3:00 a.m., my son woke up his older brother and modeled the new uniform for his brother. My son was proud to now be a servant of the United States of America.

In the same way, Jesus put on the uniform of service. Jesus had no thoughts of “What’s in it for me?” He came in the uniform of a poor, humble servant, the son of a carpenter. With the uniform of servanthood on his body, Jesus had determination to serve others by his life and by his death.

A.     Jesus gave his life so that we might have spiritual freedom. Due to sin we have all entered into slavery. We were made ‘slaves to sin.” But, by the power of the cross, the spiritual slavery has been broken. We can rejoice and shout for joy. When the Allies marched into Paris after the Allies liberated the city from the Nazis, the people of Paris greeted Allied troops with great joy and celebration.

The joy we all know as Christians is a life free from the slavery of sin and in its place is a voluntary slavery to the Lord Jesus Christ.

B.     Through the death of Jesus’ life many would live. Out of one man’s death on the cross, an infinite number people would live. John in the Book of Revelation tells us that he saw an endless amount of people in heaven or the redeemed. The Bible says: “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the lamb.” (Rev. 7.9) (NIV) Out of the death of one, our Lord Jesus, comes life for an infinite (uncountable) number of lives in heaven. One man, Jesus The Christ, sacrificed His life so that many could have the benefits of forgiveness and heaven.

I wonder if it would even be possible to calculate how many lives benefited from the sacrifice made by heroes like Fox, Poling, Goode, and Washington. How could we ever begin to calculate the number of people in the world that have known the benefits of freedom from oppressive regimes due to the fine efforts of all our military personnel?

Maybe if we attempted some serious calculations we would discover that like the redeemed in heaven the number of those who benefited from the efforts of our U.S. military efforts is immeasurable.

Summary:   No greater love refers to the giving of a life for the sake of others. Fox, Poling, Goode and Washington showed this to the world on Feb 3, 1943.  And many others who have served our country from the Revolutionary War to the Iraqi War have also shown us the way of no greater love. The way of no greater love was first demonstrated to the world at the cross by our Lord Jesus. Jesus died that I might have life and that you might have life and that the world might have life.

Conclusion:  

In a speech given at West Point on May 12, 1962 upon acceptance of the Thayer Award, Gen. Douglas MacArthur concluded the speech with these words:

“But in the evening of my memory, always I come back to West Point. Always there echoes and re-echoes Duty - Honor - Country. Today marks my final roll call with you, but I want you to know that when I cross the river my last conscious thought will be The Corps - and The Corps - and The Corps. I bid you farewell.”

MacArthur said his last thoughts would be of the The Corps. The very last thoughts of Jesus on the cross were of You, You, You!!!! “No one has greater love than this to lay down his life for one’s friends.”  (John 15.13) (NRSV)

Let us all prayer and thank God for the death of our Lord Jesus and all those who like Him sacrificially gave their lives for the sake of freedom.  

Prayer:  “Lord Jesus, you set the example of supreme love by your death on the cross. We thank you for all those brave men and women who truly did what you did and showed us no greater love than the laying down of their lives in behalf of the nation we love.  Help us to appreciate your love and the love these brave men and women have shown to us and to the entire world. We ask this through

the one true name that brings spiritual freedom, Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen. 

Disclaimer:  The author did his best to research the story of “Those Immortal Chaplains” for historical accuracy. But, the story as presented may involve some minor inaccuracies.  

The above sermon was preached by Rev. Kenneth E. Chorle at the Union Presbyterian Church in Murrysville, PA on May 28, 2006

If you would like an audio CD or a Video DVD of the message, please contact the church office. CDs and DVDs are given free of charge.

You may write to the church requesting one at: Union Presbyterian Church 656 Route 380 Murrysville, PA 15668. Or call the church at 724-337-7758.

Internet resources used in preparation for this sermon:

http://www.historyplace.com/specials/heroes/four-chaplains.htm 

http://chi.gospelcom.net/DAILYF/2002/02/daily-02-03-2002.shtml 

http://www.immortalchaplains.org/home.htm 

To hear the story told of the four chaplains on public radio go to:

http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/2004/05/27_memorialday/ 

Articles used

“Legend of the Four Chaplains.” Lawrence Elliot Reader’s Digest June 1989 pages 65-70

“The Sea of Glory.” The War Cry (Magazine of the Salvation Army) May 28, 2005 pages 13-14

Additional resources:

Colson, Chuck. "No Greater Glory." Breakpoint. www.pfm.org  

Kurzman, Dan. No Greater Glory; The Four Immortal Chaplains and the Sinking of the Dorchester in World War II. (Random House, 2004).

Spohn, Jule. "The Four Chaplains." Old Neward Memories. www.oldnewark.com/memories/newark/spohnchaplains.htm  

True Story of the Four Chaplains." www.homeofheroes.com/brotherhood/chaplains.html