Experience; Making Everday Memorial Day

5/26/2008

EXPERIENCE; MAKING EVERYDAY MEMORIAL DAY

Joshua 4:1-9

Deuteronomy 29:1-15

INTRO-

THIS MORNING I WANT TO TALK TO YOU FOR A MINUTE ABOUT A MEMORIAL. A MEMORIAL DOESN’T HAVE MUCH VALUE TO YOU UNLESS IT MEANS SOMETHING TO YOU. SOME HERE THIS MORNING KNOW THAT TOMORROW YOUR OFF SCHOOL OR WORK BUT YOU REALLY DON’T KNOW WHY. TO YOU IT MAY BE THE BEGINNING OF SUMMER, LOTS OF BBQ’S, FAMILY GET TOGETHER’S, THE RUNNING OF THE INDY 500. IN THE U.S. MEMORIAL DAY IS A CALL FOR US TO REMEMBER(TO PAUSE)- REMEMBERING THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SACRIFICED FOR EACH ONE OF US. SOME MAKING THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE OF THEIR LIVES. THE ABILITY TO REMEMBER IS A BLESSING FROM GOD. IN A FLASH YOU CAN BE FISHING WITH YOUR GRANDFATHER. SWIMMING AT YOUR FAVORITE LAKE. HITTING THE GAME WINNING HOME RUN IN HIGH SCHOOL. TIME CANNOT ROB YOU OF MEMORIES UNLESS THEY BECOME UNIMPORTANT AND YOU CHOSE TO FORGET THEM.

DEUT. 32:7- REMEMBER THE DAYS OF OLD, CONSIDER THE GENERATIONS LONG PASTED. ASK YOUR FATHER AND HE WILL TELL YOU, YOUR ELDERS, AND THEY WILL EXPLAIN TO YOU.

EX. 13:3- AND MOSES SAID UNTO THE PEOPLE, “COMMEMORATE THIS DAY, THE DAY YOU CAME OUT OF EGYPT, OUT OF THE LAND OF SLAVERY, BECAUSE THE LORD BROUGHT YOU OUT OF IT WITH A MIGHTY HAND.

JOSHUA DID NOT WANT THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL TO FORGET WHAT THE LORD HAD DONE FOR THEM. WHEN THE WHOLE NATION(6 MILLION) HAD FINISHED CROSSING THE JORDAN, JOSHUA HAND PICKED 12 MEN TO TAKE 12 STONES FROM THE JORDAN WHERE THEY CROSSED AND MAKE A MEMORIAL. IT WAS A TIME OF TESTING, YET GOD PROVIDE FOR THERE EVERY NEED.

DEUT 29:3-7- YOUR EYES HAVE SEEN ALL THAT THE LORD DID IN EGYPT TO PHARAOH, TO ALL HIS OFFICIALS AND TO ALL HIS LAND. WITH YOUR OWN EYES YOU SAW THOSE GREAT TRIALS, THOSE MIRACULOUS SIGNS AND GREAT WONDERS. BUT TO THIS DAY THE LORD HAS NOT GIVEN YOU A MIND THAT UNDERSTANDS OR EYES THAT SEE OR EARS THAT HEAR. DURING THE FORTY YEARS THAT I LED YOU THROUGH THE DESERT, YOUR CLOTHES DID NOT WEAR OUT, NOR DID THE SANDALS ON YOUR FEET. YOU ATE NO BREAD AND DRANK NO WINE OR OTHER FERMENTED DRINK. I DID THIS SO THAT YOU MIGHT KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD. WE HAVE A TENDENCY TO FORGET WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US. WE CENTER IN ON THE NEGATIVES AND LET SLIP THROUGH OUR MINDS ALL THE TIMES THAT GOD WAS THERE FOR US.

IN THE CHURCH WE HAVE WHAT IS CALLED THE WESLEYAN QUADRILATERAL IT IS A COMBINATION OF 4 ELEMENTS.

SCRIPTURE

REASON

TRADITION

EXPERIENCE

YOU PUT THESE THINGS TOGETHER AND WE FORM OUR OPINION AND KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.

IT IS NO WONDER THAT MOST PEOPLE LACK OPINION AND KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. THESE 4 ELEMENTS ARE MISSING IN THEIR PURSUIT OF GOD. THEY LACK EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT HAD A MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, THEY BARELY READ THE WORD OF GOD AND REASON ONLY WHAT THEY ARE TOLD AND THEY ARE BEING PULLED IN MANY DIRECTIONS.

PROVERBS 14:34- RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALTETH A NATION, BUT SIN IS A REPROACH TO ANY PEOPLE.

GALATIANS 5:7- GOD IS NOT MOCKED; FOR WHAT SO EVER A MAN SOWETH THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP.

QUESTION- IF YOU WERE GOING TO DIE IN THREE DAYS, WOULD IT CHANGE WHAT YOU DO?

WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENT?

I GUARANTEE IT WOULD NOT BE TO PUT OVERTIME AT WORK, RUN THE NEW CAR DOWN THE ROAD, CLOSE ONE MORE BIG DEAL, IT WOULD BE THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO BE WITH THE ONES THAT YOU CARE ABOUT MOST.

PEOPLE HAVE FIRES IN THEIR HOMES, WHAT DO THEY GRAB AFTER FAMILY IS SAFE? PICTURES, PRECIOUS GIFTS FROM LOVED ONES GONE, STUFF THAT MONEY CANNOT REPLACE.

QUESTION- WHAT WOULD GOD SAY TO AMERICA? WHAT ARE WE BUILDING AS OUR MEMORIALS?

- WE TORE DOWN THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD IN OUR PUBLIC COURTS

- WE HAVE DISALLOWED PRAYER IN OUR SCHOOLS

- WE HAVE TAKEN HIS COMMANDS AND TWISTED THEM FOR OUR SINFUL LIFESTYLES AND DECAYING MORALS.

WE HAVE RESURRECTED IDOLS:

- WE KNOW MORE ABOUT BRITTANY SPEARS THAN WE DO OF THE WORD OF GOD.

- WE CARE MORE THE LIFE STYLE OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS AND WE FORGET ABOUT THE NEIGHBOR WHO NEEDS JESUS AND IS STRUGGLING.

WHAT WOULD GOD SAY TO AMERICA?

- WOULD HE TELL US A NEW PRESIDENT IS THE ANSWER?

- WOULD HE TELL US THAT WE MUST PULL OUT OF WAR ?

- WOULD HE TELL US THAT THE GAS PRICES ARE KILLING US?

OR WOULD HE SAY - AS IMPORTANT AS THESE OTHER THINGS ARE- AMERICA, YOU NEED JESUS CHRIST.

“BLESSED IS THE NATION WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD; AND THE PEOPLE WHOM HE HATH CHOSEN FOR HIS OWN INHERITANCE.”