Memorial Day 2007

INTRO. – American Idol….love it or hate it. It’s over anyway and Jordin Sparks is the latest or newest American Idol. As much as Elaine and I enjoy watching American Idol it’s still a show about ME, ME, ME. It’s about one person trying to be the winner who takes all, so to speak. Of course, isn’t this the America way? It seems like it is. Life is all about me. About me enjoying myself. About me getting ahead in life. About me having the time of my life. About me indulging myself on whatever I want or whenever I want.

We live in a very narcissistic society, a very self-centered society.

ILL.- One writer put it this way: The term “Narcissism” comes from the Greek god named Narcissus who was known for his beauty. Many fell in love with him, but he spurned all lovers, until one day he became thirsty and went to a pool of water where he clearly saw his own reflection. He fell deeply in love with himself and couldn’t pull himself away from his reflection, even to eat, so that he ultimately died. His death was caused by total self-absorption.

And it’s not surprising that many talented celebrities/actors destroy their own lives because of complete preoccupation with themselves. When we worship ourselves, we are headed for certain trouble.

Every time we get our all wrapped us in ourselves we get into a mess of some sort and it’s hard to overcome. LIFE IS NOT ABOUT US! Life is about the Lord who totally centered His life around others.

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Matt. 20:28 “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

In II Timothy 1:3-5 we see that Paul remembered his friend Timothy.

V. 3 - "I constantly remember you...in my prayers"

V. 4 - "Recalling your tears..."

V. 5- "I have been reminded of your sincere faith...."

It’s a good thing when we think of others and pray for them.

ILL.- In the 1950s, marketing whiz Stanley Arnold was asked to come up with a marketing campaign for Remington Rand. Its chairman at the time was retired General Douglas MacArthur. Arnold went to the New York offices of Merrill Lynch and placed the ultimate odd-lot order: "I want to purchase," he told the broker, "one share of every single stock listed on the New York Stock Exchange." After a vice president tried to talk him out of it, the order was finally placed. It came to more than $42,000 for one share in each of the 1098 companies listed on the Big Board at the time. Arnold now took his diversified portfolio into a meeting of Remington Rand’s board of directors, where he argued passionately for a sweepstakes campaign with the top prize called A SHARE IN AMERICA. The conservative old gentlemen shifted around in their seats and discussed the idea for a while.

"But Mr. Arnold," said one, "we are not in the securities business." Said another, "We are in the shaver business."

"I agree that you are not in the securities business," said Arnold, "but I think you also ought to realize that you are not in the shaver business either. You are in the people business." The company bought the idea.

Brothers and sisters, no matter what business we THINK we are in, we are truthfully in the people business! Memorial Day is also about people. It’s not about us, it’s about remembering people.

PROP.- Memorial Day weekend should be about remembering people.

1- Look back and remember

2- Look out and love

3- Look up and honor

I. LOOK BACK AND REMEMBER

Romans 1:8-10 “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times…”

I thank God for you. I remember you in my prayers at all times. To do that you must be thinking about them!

ILL.- One time popular actress Sophia Loren sobbed to Italian movie director Vittorio De Sica over the theft of her jewelry, he said to her, "Listen to me, Sophia. I am much older than you and if there is one great truth I have learned about life, it is this: NEVER CRY OVER ANYTHING THAT CAN’T CRY OVER YOU!"

In other words, people are more important than things! Why cry over material things that will some day cease to exist? People are eternal beings. We should value people more than material things! Memorial Day is about remembering people.