I've been greatly impressed with the special DVD set 'The Band of Brothers' which I bought recently -not just as regards the quality of the product which was excellent but in the relationships and courage portrayed by these young soldiers from the United States Army who fought in the World War 2.
Many were only in their late teens or early twenties at the time yet they grew up quickly as they faced death and injury on a daily basis.The series portrays the war time efforts of 'Easy Company' as they sought to, and suceeded in liberating the occupied land in Europe.
The term 'Band of Brothers' was originally taken from Shakespeare's play Henry V and from the scene before the Battle of Agincourt, when Henry, surrounded and outnumbered by the French, rallies his troops together.It is in this call, in what is known as the St. Crispin's Day Speech that the King declares to his men:
'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother'
Picture also Christ the King encouraging his foot soldiers like Paul and his other early disciples who were also facing daily pressures, trials and troubles as they sought at that time to liberate Europe from spiritual captivity.
Paul himself declared to the Corinithins the pressure that he and his fellow workers were under when on mission for their King..
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,”we also believe and therefore speak, 14 knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.2. Cor. 4
Many were only in their late teens or early twenties at the time yet they grew up quickly as they faced death and injury on a daily basis.The series portrays the war time efforts of 'Easy Company' as they sought to, and suceeded in liberating the occupied land in Europe.
The term 'Band of Brothers' was originally taken from Shakespeare's play Henry V and from the scene before the Battle of Agincourt, when Henry, surrounded and outnumbered by the French, rallies his troops together.It is in this call, in what is known as the St. Crispin's Day Speech that the King declares to his men:
'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother'
Picture also Christ the King encouraging his foot soldiers like Paul and his other early disciples who were also facing daily pressures, trials and troubles as they sought at that time to liberate Europe from spiritual captivity.
Paul himself declared to the Corinithins the pressure that he and his fellow workers were under when on mission for their King..
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,”we also believe and therefore speak, 14 knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.2. Cor. 4
The concept of a 'Band of Brothers' in Christianity is not new. Jesus and his disciples, Paul and Barnabus along with Mark, Timothy, Silas plus a host of others walked the walk together. As the hymn writer charges us:
ReplyDelete'Rise up O Men of God
Have done with lesser things.
Give heart and soul and mind and strength
To serve the king of kings.'
We need to do it together and to encourage others to do the same.