St. Tsar Lazar Was Never Conquered | Father Turbo's Homily | 28 Jun 26

The night before the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, a heavenly messenger gave Tsar Lazar of Serbia a choice. The earthly kingdom, including victory, survival, and his reign, would continue. Or he could choose the heavenly kingdom: defeat, death, and an inheritance for his people that could never be taken from them. He selected the heavenly kingdom. That morning, his army took Communion and rode out into battle, vastly outnumbered. And they were all slaughtered, including the Tsar himself. Five hundred years of subjugation followed this battle. First were the Turks. Then followed the West. Bombing campaigns are etched into the Serbian people's living memory. Father Turbo tells us that subjugation isn't the tragedy of this history. Rather, it's the proof of it. Because what Lazar secured on that day in 1389 was never measured in conquest. It was calculated by their nearness to Christ. And that is what the Serbian people still carry, century after century, untouched by every empire that has attempted to crush them. Father Turbo has seen Tsar Lazar's incorrupt hand with his own eyes. And so, every household faces the same choice today. Are they slaves to sin in this earthly kingdom, or do they choose instead to be slaves to righteousness and His Heavenly Kingdom? The test of every king, father, and husband is whether he is a shepherd who gives everything for what is his own and whether or not he is willing to lay his life down for Golden Freedom as slaves of righteousness. Romans 6 :18-23 (Epistle) Matthew 8 :5-13 (Gospel) IC XC « NI KA | ☦︎ꒌ 📍 28 Jun '26 | St. Mary of Egypt Orthodox Church, Kansas City, Missouri #fatherturbo #orthodoxhomily #orthodoxsermon #saintsarlazar Donations: https://stmaryofegypt.net/give/ 5th Convent of the Mother of God, Seeker of the Lost: http://www.ourladyofthelost.org/    / @ourladyofthelostkc   0:00 Preview: Which Kingdom Will You Choose? 0:18 Holy Martyr Tsar Lazar of Serbia 0:57 Turks Begin Encroaching 1:06 Tsar Lazar Seeks the Lord 1:14 God Gives Him a Choice 1:22 Earthly Kingdom or Heavenly Kingdom? 2:22 Tsar Lazar Chooses the Heavenly Kingdom 2:30 Golden Freedom's Meaning 2:39 Holy Communion Before Battle 3:02 Kosovo is a Monument of Spiritual History 3:32 Slaves to Sin or Slaves to Righteousness? 3:54 Spark of Christ in Serbia 4:16 Every Household As Little Nation 4:22 Five Hundred Years of Subjugation 4:45 Serbia Preserves Golden Freedom 4:53 Not Measured by Worldly Success 5:01 How Close Are You to Christ? 5:29 Every Family Must Choose Its Kingdom 5:51 Rejection of God’s Good Order 6:18 Inheritance World Can't Take Away 6:36 Persecution Proves Their Freedom 7:07 Freedom to Choose Kingdom of Heaven 7:27 Test of King, Father, and Shepherd 8:17 Christ Reveals His Love by Dying for Us 8:30 Success Measured by Likeness to Christ 8:41 Tsar Lazar Gave His Life for His People 8:59 Vision of Heavenly Kingdom 9:48 God Honors Those Who Honor Him 9:57 Golden Freedom Means Living as Christians 10:18 Path to the Only True Freedom 10:25 Calling of Brothers, Fathers, and Husbands 10:43 Good Order Is Order of Sacrifice 10:58 Prayer to St. Tsar Lazar