Flying Sound

In the days before flying pictures (television) there was flying sound (radio). Radio brought news of the World War to anxious parents, family, sweethearts and wives. Americans united behind the fighting men overseas with prayer, war bonds, victory gardens, and toil.

In the a break in the program, The Great Gildersleeve, listeners hear this announcement:

"Ladies and gentlemen, we now present Kay Francis." She comes on the airwaves with a solemn, quiet voice. She tells the listeners "I want sixty seconds, just sixty seconds of your time." She starts talking about the war.

"Tonight, during the next sixty seconds, boys are dying in far-away lands. They’re from Nebraska, Texas, and Illinois. As they die, they all have one thing in common – their thoughts are on home. We all must ask ourselves, ‘Are we worth coming home to?’ No, not unless we’re doing our part to see this war through, not unless we’re supporting them." Then Kay Francis tells the listeners about war bonds.

The sounds from the home front during World War II flying through the night air bring a poignant realism sixty years later to those days most of us have only read about on bloodless print lying on emotionless pages.

In a garden, Jesus is praying. Soon, He’ll die. His mind is on home. Listen. "Now Father, …restore to Me the majesty and honor in Your presence as I had with You before the world existed…And now I am coming to You….And I am coming to You." (John 17:5, 11, and 13).

His mind focuses yet again. This time His mind is on others. He prays for those who are His own on the earth and for those who’ll come later to believe in Him (John 17:20).

The sacrifice of the soldier of World War II is unheard of in today’s self-indulgent, self-preening, me-first-you-next world. Jesus, on the verge of the Cross, is about to make the sacrifice of the ages. As He dies, He’ll hang on nails and wood, abandoned by God and man (Matthew 27:46). On His mind is home and believers yet to come.

Kay Francis asked the WWII generation, "Are we worth coming home to?" She said, "No, not unless we buy the bonds." Are we worth it, these nails, that Cross? No, and there’s no "unless we…" after that. We didn’t deserve it. To act as if we did, or do, hits the delete button on grace.

The flying sounds from the 1940’s paint word pictures of Nebraskans, Texans, and Georgians, all dying in towns and villages they never heard of and couldn’t pronounce, all thinking of home. Kay Francis’ words painted a picture of pathos.

Yet the sounds flying today off the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John don’t paint a picture of Jesus Christ as an object for our pity. Jesus is who Martin Luther said He is, "Christus Victor," "Christ, the Victor."

It’s all done. He did it all for us. The only issue is, do you believe that those nails, that Cross, that death did all that needed to be done to get you forgiveness and eternal life? Do you believe that He rose from the dead? "But to as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to be called the sons of God, even to those who believe on His name" (John 1:12).

Thousands from Nebraska, from Texas, from Illinois, yet only One from heaven.

…Dr. Mike Halsey, Pastor

For more information about our church or comments on this web site, please contact webmaster@countylinechurch.com.