Every Sunday Is A Memorial Day

Every Sunday is a Memorial Day

1 Corinthians 11:24

dsw@ucc05-26-02

“Memorial Day is an official holiday in most states of the United States. It was observed on May 30 until 1971, when for federal employees,, the date was changed to the last Monday in May. With the exception of Louisiana, all states observing Memorial Day adopted the change. It is also known as Decoration Day.

The custom of placing flowers on the graves of the war began on May 5, 1866, in Waterloo, NY, and Waterloo has been recognized by Congress as the official birthplace of Memorial Day. In 1868, Gen. John A. Logan, then president of the Grand Army of the Republic, declared that May 30 would be a day to decorate with “flowers the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion.”

After World War I the day was set aside to honor the of all American wars, and the custom was extended to pay homage to deceased relatives and friends, both military and civilian. The most solemn ceremony conducted on Memorial Day is the placing of a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns located in Arlington national Cemetery.

Some Southern states observe Confederate Memorial Day--April 26 in Georgia, the last Monday in April in Alabama and Mississippi, and May 10 in South Carolina. Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina do not observe the general holiday, and in Virginia the last Monday in May is called Confederate Memorial Day.”

From the Encyclopedia Americana, 1991 edition

Tomorrow we will celebrate this day. Many people see it as just a day off; a 3 day weekend. But for those who have lost someone because of war or military action, it means much more than a day off.

In fact, every American ought to recognize this day out of his patriotic duty to his country and in honor of those who spilled their blood to make America what she is today--free, strong, and a nation worth fighting for.

Because men have died for this country, we have the right to preach God’s word freely. We have the right to live at peace in our own homes. We have the right to pursue peace, prosperity and happiness. Thank God for those who died to make us free.

As we prepare to enter into a day to remember those who died for liberty, it is fitting to remember the one who died to set us free from spiritual tyranny. Jesus fought the armies of Hell that we might have liberty in his holy name.

We celebrate Memorial day once a year to remember those who died for freedom, but every week is a celebration of the Memorial of Christ. Let’s parallel our nations Memorial Day with the memorial day of Christ. Because for the Christian, every Sunday is a memorial day.

On Memorial Day we

1-Mourn the Loss

2-Remember the Lives

3-Are thankful for the Sacrifice

In light of Christ’s battle, let’s examine evidence of our memorial in Him as we recognize the likeness of our celebration of our military.

On Memorial Day we

1-Mourn the Loss

We remember the loved ones who died, wish they were here and not gone; here to share with us, to hold, to talk to and to see. But because of death, we can not.

When people die, we naturally think of the “If Only’s”

“If only I had told him I loved him”;

“If only I had kissed her one last time”;

“If only I hadn’t spoken so harshly”.

We replay those doubts over and over in our minds. but we ultimately know those “If Only’s” would not change a thing.

On the Lord’s Memorial Day, we are to examine our responsibility to Christ’s . The Christian must recognize that he is very responsible for His death. “If only we had not sinned he would not have had to die.”

But we are to blame. We must examine ourselves as we meet around his memorial as if we would stand before a mirror and realize the truth in ...

Rom 3:23

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

I am the one to blame. I caused all his shame. He was publicly humiliated, beaten, spit upon, treated as a sinner because I am a sinner.

As we mourn the loss of Christ, realize that we are the guilty ones. And know that if there only be one sinner who was lost, He still would have died. His love is that great.

Matt 18:12-14

12 "What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?

13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.