A Time Of Remembrance

A time of Remembrance

JOSHUA 4:1-9,19-24

INTRO-

MEMORIAL DAY IS A FEDERAL HOLIDAY, IT IS ALWAYS NOW THE LAST MONDAY IN MAY. IT USE TO BE CALLED DECORATION DAY BECAUSE YOU WOULD GO TO THE GRAVE AND DECORATE THE SITE OF A FALLEN SOLDIER.

IT WAS ORIGINALLY STARTED TO HONOR THE MEN WHO DIED IN THE CIVIL WAR .

TRADITION SAYS THAT AN ELDERLY WOMAN WENT TO DECORATE THE GRAVES OF HER TWO SONS IN 1863, AND THEN AFTER SHE WENT TO THE GRAVES OF TWO UNION SOLDIERS. SHE CLAIMED THAT SOMEWHERE THEIR MOTHER WAS GRIEVING FOR THEM AND THAT THE DAY SHOULD BE REMEMBERED FOR ALL WHO LOST THEIR LIVES.

FOR YOU RACE FANS, THIS WEEKEND IS CAPPED BY THE INDY 500

FOR MOST , IT IS THE BEGINNING OF SUMMER AND THE PICNIC, GETTING TOGETHER WITH FRIENDS, AND LOTS OF FOOD.

MEMORIAL DAY IS A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE- WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT WHAT THE LORD SAYS ABOUT REMEMBERING AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO “LESS WE FORGET”

DEUTERONOMY 6:12- “BEWARE LEST YOU FORGET THE LORD WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT, FROM THE HOUSE OF BONDAGE. YOU SHOULD FEAR THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM, AND SHALL TAKE OATHS IN HIS NAME. YOU SHALL NOT GO AFTER OTHER GODS, THE GODS OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE AROUND YOU. (FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS A JEALOUS GOD AMONG YOU) LEST THE ANGER OF THE LORD YOUR GOD IS AROUSED AGAINST YOU AND DESTROY YOU FROM THE FACE OF THE EARTH.

THE LORD WANTS US TO REMEMBER WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR Us

WE HAVE SHORT MEMORIES I HAVE TO MAKE NOTES AND THAT IS NO GUARANTEE I WOULD NOT FORGET.

JOSHUA 4:1-9, 19-24

THERE WAS TO BE A MEMORIAL—SOMETHING TO CAUSE THEM TO REMEMBER

WE PANIC IN A CRISIS AND WE FORGET IN THE GOOD TIMES

WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL, WHAT STARTS OUT AS A GOOD CAUSE, CAN BE TURNED INTO “JUST ANOTHER DAY”. A DAY OFF WHERE WE LOSE THE MEANING .

THEY WERE TO REMEMBER THE LORD WHO BROUGHT THEM OUT OF BONDAGE, AND THAT HE BROUGHT THEM ACROSS THE RED SEA ON DRY LAND, AND CONQUERED THE ENEMY WHO WAS HOT ON THE TRIAL TO DESTROY THEM.

HERE THEY WERE, COUNTLESS 1000’S, AND JOSHUA WAS TO PICK 12 MEN, ONE FROM EACH TRIBE AND BUILD A PLACE OF REMEMBRANCE.

WE HAVE OUR JAR OF STONES, IF THE TRUTH BE TOLD, WE COULD NOT HOUSE ALL THE STONES OF ALL THE TIMES THAT THE LORD HAS DONE GREAT THINGS FOR US.

THEY SAY YOU ONLY REMEMBER 5% OF WHAT YOU HEAR, THAT’S WHY I GET EXCITED AND DRILL IT HOME ....I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER MORE THAN 5%.

LAST WEEK QUITE A FEW PEOPLE CAME UP FRONT TO BE FILLED AND TO KNOW THE LORD BETTER.

HOW DO YOU FEEL THIS WEEK?....IF YOU DO NOT MAKE SOME NOTES, PURPOSE TO GIVE GOD MORE OF YOUR TIME, IT WILL EVENTUALLY WILL BE LOST.

A MEMORIAL IS SET UP TO REMEMBER

ILLUSTRATION-

QUESTION- HOW MANY HAVE PLAYED SCRABBLE?

WEBSTER DEFINES SCRABBLE AS “TO SCRATCH OR CLAW FRANTICALLY, TO STRUGGLE BY SCRATCHING OR SCRAPING”

WE GO SCRATCHING THROUGH LIFE, TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF THE SCATTERED TILES THAT MAKE UP OUR LIFE. OUR LABOR SAVING TECHNOLOGY MAKES IT WORSE, BECAUSE NOW WE ARE EVEN BUSIER, BUT FASTER

IT LEAVES PEOPLE WITH LESS TIME TO RELAX, REST, REFLECT, AND REPLENISH IN OUR LIVES.

SO EACH LEADER DRAGS A STONE ON HIS SHOULDERS AND TOGETHER THEY ERECT A MEMORIAL THAT WILL STAND FOR ALL TO SEE

WHAT BENEFIT CAN WE SEE FOR OUR LIVES FOR DOING THIS.

WRITE THIS DOWN

I. IT IS A TIME TO REMEMBER WHAT GOD HAS DONE

A REFLECTION- V7- “AND THESE STONES SHALL BE A MEMORIAL TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL FOREVER”

A REMINDER OF YOUR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES

A TIME WE CAN “TELL THE STORY”...KEEPING A CLEAR MEMORY OF WHAT HAPPEN (JOURNALING CAN HELP YOU DO THIS ALSO)

THERE ARE SOME SPECIAL TIMES IN OUR LIVES, MEMORIES THAT ARE SO SPECIAL AND YOU NEVER WANT TO FORGET

THERE ARE SPECIAL PEOPLE GOD HAS USED TO ENHANCE OUR LIVES AND WE THANK GOD FOR THOSE PEOPLE

MEMORIAL STONES ARE A PART OF SHARING OUR FAITH WITH OUR CHILDREN.

V6- “ THAT THIS MAY BE A SIGN AMONG YOU WHEN YOUR CHILDREN ASK IN TIME TO COME SAYING, “WHAT DO THESE STONES MEAN TO YOU”

OUR COUNTRY HAS DRIFTED FROM OUR FOUNDATION

1962- PRAYER IN SCHOOL IS DECLARED ILLEGAL

1963- BIBLE READING IN SCHOOL TAKEN OUT

1980- ILLEGAL TO POST OR TALK ABOUT THE 10 COMMANDMENTS

SO MANY TIMES THE LORD TELLS US NOT TO LET THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE PAGAN DICTATE OUR VALUES.

“LEST YOU FORGET THE LORD WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT, FROM THE HOUSE OF BONDAGE)