Sunday May 24 2015 was a busy Sunday. Not only was it memorial day weekend, it was also Pentecost Sunday! Pastor Jim felt led to to speak about Memorial Day; What is the value of Remembering? How is the Holy Spirit leading us to use the witnesses of those who have come before us in order to teach those who come after us?
Click the following “Play” Button to start the recording, then scroll down to follow along…
The Scripture was Jude verse 5, and then Joshua 4:1-7. Open the following Drop Down box to read.
Scripture Reading
Jude 5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
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Joshua 4:1-7 And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying: “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.'”
4 Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe; and Joshua said to them: “Cross over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.” NKJV
Historians suggest that this was the seed which set in motion what in 1868 became Memorial Day.
Remember: Freedom from Sin Isn’t Free
Memorial Day is often seen simply as the start of the summer season. But it has a deeper meaning. Memorial Day was established in 1868 to honor the fallen soldiers of the Civil War. It has grown to become a solemn recognition of all of our nation’s war dead and the high price of our freedom.
Our freedom is not cheap. Despite the commercialism and “re-writing” of the Bible, we need to remember. Remember our soldiers. Remember also what God has done for us.
A memorial helps us keep a memory of something or someone significant that has happened alive in our hearts and minds. Not to live in the past, but to sharpen values and march into the future. “The memory of the righteous is a blessing.” All throughout the Bible God has ordained that there would be memorials. He has instituted the practice of building and having memorials in our life. it is beneficial for us to remember the things that Jesus has done in each of our lives.
In a Biblical sense, a memorial is a sacrifice; it’s something that reminds us of what God has done. We have been given victories because we have been faithful to God. We need to reclaim that.
Even in our own society, we have set up Memorials to help us remember the sacrifices of others and to “prick” or “pierce” us into working to complete the work that the sacrifice began. And they remind us to share these truths with our children.
In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’
Joshua 4:6, NLT
Those stones became memorials so we could explain the things of God to our children.
What would you tell your children if they you asked about…
At the western end of the Washington Mall stands the Lincoln Memorial. If your son asked you “What’s that building?”, could you…
- Talk about a man who rose at 4:00 AM every morning to pray for the nation he was trying to hold together?
- Describe the inhumanity of slavery and the injustice of Jim Crow and how this man and this spot is “holy ground” for the rights of all Americans?
Veterans Memorial Stadium…
Embedded in the middle of the parking lot next to Citizen’s Bank Park, is a monument marking the location of the home plate which was once in a place called Veterans Stadium.
- Would this monument prompt you to tell your kids about your parents and how they took you to Phillies or Eagles games many years ago?
- Would you use this moment as an opening to talk about sacrificial love and putting others first?
- Would this monument even encourage you to give more of your time to your kids?
Dominating the skyline of our nation’s capital is the Washington Monument. If your daughter asked you, “Why did they build that tall stick in the middle of the mall?” could you…
- Describe a cold winter in Valley Forge and explain that freedom isn’t free?
- Speak of a man who was willing to give his life on a battlefield to save his people from the tyranny of a king?
Near the tidal basin is a statue of Martin Luther King. The statue appears unfinished, just as the work of justice on earth can never be finished by mankind alone. If a child you don’t know suddenly came up to you and asked who that man is, could you…
- Speak of a man who constantly put himself in danger for the cause of freedom?
- Speak of a cause which must be completed by those who came after him?
On the southern side of the mall, not far from the Lincoln Memorial, stands a collection of statues depicting soldiers in a field. The soldiers are wearing heavy coats and are moving with great effort towards some unnamed goal. If your kids asked you, “what are those men doing?” could you…
- Speak of a nation who sent its young to die for a people they never met?
- Explain that, despite the sacrifices of so many, the prize true peace is yet to be won?
On a hill far away, stood an old rugged cross… the emblem of suffering and shame. If the children of our church looked at the cross on the front of our sanctuary and asked you, “what does that big X mean?” could you…
- Tell your own experience of an infinite God who loved us so much that He became one of us and died a terrible death on a tree that doesn’t resemble the decorative crosses that we’re used to seeing?
- Tell of a God who gives us gifts and graces so that we can be His hands and feet on earth?
- Show them that we love the God of this Cross so much that He is the center of everything we do?
- Speak of a Living Jesus who will someday complete the work of Peace that we can’t obtain on our own?
Ed and Marge Blackman
Our church building and grounds are filled with memorial plaques reminding of of those who have come before us. We need to remember their witness. We need to remind ourselves and our children of the faith of those who nurtured us.
One such example were Ed and Marge Blackman. For years they led the Junior choir. All their lives, their faith spoke as a loud testimony to Jesus Christ. Outside our sanctuary exit is a plot of azaleas given in memory and in honor of the Blackmans. Remember.
Freedom for a nation did not come without cost, and continuing to remain a free nation does not come without cost. Likewise, freedom from sin came with a grace that was not won without pain and suffering. Like the stones which once rested on the bottom of the Jordan River, we must remind ourselves and our children of our God who loves us and wants to restore us to an ever closer relationship with Him.
We must remember that God’s freedom in Christ is not entitled. A price was paid, and we must give back.
If we don’t teach our children, what are they going to remember? What kind of church will we have? Are we passing along the Truth of God and our witness?
Remember: God Keeps His Promises
If we look back at Joshua chapter 3, we see that God’s people needed to cross the Jordan Riven in order to enter the Promised Land, but they could not cross because it was at flood stage. In Joshua 3:3, God told Joshua that as soon as the priests stepped out in faith and dipped their feet into the water that the river would recede and stop flowing, and then the people would be able to cross over on dry land.
In Joshua 4, we see that God came through and did what He said He’d do; the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry land. The command to make the memorial was to show anyone who later passed by that these stones had indeed come from the bottom of the river and that God had performed this great miracle for His people.
Remember: The Things God has Done in our Midst
The stones served as a long term reminder to the children of those who witnessed the miracle. God has done marvelous things for us, and we need to remember them.
Deuteronomy 6:12 says…
Beware, lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.”
Why were the Israelites (and us) commanded to remember what God has done for us? Well, immediately following Deuteronomy 6:12, we read…
“You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him… You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are all around you.”
If they failed to remember what the Lord had done for them, then they could easily forget about God altogether and do their own thing… and so can we. If we forget what God has done, we substitute ourselves and our own abilities for God’s, and that turns into idolatry.
Remember: Our Humble Past
God has done mighty things for us, but we also need to remember that we couldn’t survive unless God had done these things. God’s power, God’s grace, God’s provision are things we can’t do ourselves. We need God, and we need to remember that we are powerless without Him.
On the wall hung a prayer: Lest I Forget.
It’s very important for we who have experienced God’s working in our lives to remember and tell all whom we know, about how God has made Himself real to us. Talk about our beginnings. Witness to how God has saved us. Remember our past so we (or our children) don’t repeat the same mistakes.
Remember: Our Responsibilities to Our Kids
We need to actively teach our children the truths of God. God gave us the stones by the Jordan River and all of the Memorials we have in our own lives to be a teaching tool. When children ask about them, we can tell them and teach them about the power of God.
Deuteronomy 6:7-9 and 20-25…
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“In the future your children will ask you, ‘What is the meaning of these laws, decrees, and regulations that the Lord our God has commanded us to obey?’
“Then you must tell them, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his strong hand. The Lord did miraculous signs and wonders before our eyes, dealing terrifying blows against Egypt and Pharaoh and all his people. He brought us out of Egypt so he could give us this land he had sworn to give our ancestors.
And the Lord our God commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear him so he can continue to bless us and preserve our lives, as he has done to this day. For we will be counted as righteous when we obey all the commands the Lord our God has given us.’ NLT
God has commanded us to teach our children. We are called to actively train our children; not just to simply expose them to “Christian-Type” teaching and hope they’ll make the right decision. Here are some other verses to consider (all quotes are from the New Living Testament):
During our service of Baptism, the entire church promises to remind and teach our children the things of God. We are responsible. We can’t just back off and hope they make the right decisions by themselves.
Build a Memorial
Sit down with your kids and have a good chat. The men and women who wore the uniform are fulfilling the words of Jesus Christ: “No one has more love than those who would lay down their lives for their friends.”
Susanna Wesley was the mother of 19 kids. Regrettably, 8 of them died in infancy. Yet she was faithful in teaching her children the ways of the Lord and the memorials which God had set in place for His people. Two of her children were John Wesley the founder of Methodism and Charles Wesley who wrote over 8,000 hymns.
Like the Israelites who crossed the Jordan, we need to set up spiritual stones or markers that help us reflect on how God has come through for us and has cared for us. One of the great spiritual markers that Israel set up that helped people to remember their deliverance from bondage in Egypt was the yearly celebration of the Passover (see Exodus 12:1-32). In a similar way, we Christians remember Jesus’ great sacrifice for us whenever we observe the Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:7-23).
- Has God ever healed your body? BUILD A MEMORIAL!
- Has God delivered you from alcohol or drugs? BUILD A MEMORIAL!
- Has God delivered you from cigarettes? BUILD A MEMORIAL!
- Has God filled you with the Holy Spirit? BUILD A MEMORIAL!
- Has God ever blessed you in any way? BUILD A MEMORIAL!!!
In 1 Peter 2:5 we read how we are to become as “Living Stones” to the entire world. Let us live in such a way that people see something different from the rest of the scenery, like those stones that were out of place on the river bank.
Then they will look at us and ask, “What do these stones mean? What does this change in your life mean?” And then we will be able to share with them concerning the love and forgiveness that we have found in Jesus Christ.
Remember… give thanks… teach our children.
Build a Memorial!
Quiz Time!
As you reflect on what you’ve just heard/read, give this quiz a try. If you don’t understand an answer (or if you disagree with the “correct” answer, post a comment)…
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