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.
It’s about looking back and remembering deceased loved ones, armed service members and all loved ones. HOW CAN WE NOT LOOK BACK AND REMEMBER?
ILL.- Someone said it well with these words: “Say goodbye to me but not to the thought of me.” We must not, we should not say goodbye to our thoughts of our loves ones.
Originally, Memorial Day was instituted to remember the Civil War dead but over the years it has become a time to remember all our deceased veterans and all our deceased loved ones.
ILL.- Some weeks ago I asked you to pray for Roy Weece and his family. Roy passed away soon after that time. Roy was a 74 year-old preacher friend from Columbia, MO. He had served the Ninth Street Christian Church in Eldon, Mo., for many years and for 39 years served as the campus minister for Christian Campus House at the University of Missouri at Columbia. Some kind of throat cancer took him from this life.
Roy was a great witness for Christ. He believed in winning people to Christ and asked each of his family members to win 20 people to Christ before they died. I had Roy preach a revival for the church at Iberia, MO, many years ago. The meeting went from Sunday night to Friday night. Roy had a great voice and a simple gospel message. He was easy to listen to.
I remember hearing Roy preach not long after I was baptized into Christ in 1964. I heard him preach a revival in Carthage, MO, and after hearing him I said, “If I had not become a Christian already I would now!”
I heard Roy speak at an outdoor youth meeting in Eldon, MO, one time. He said to the young people, “I want you to listen to what I have to say. If you don’t I will have you stand and I pray for you. Then you will listen.”
Say goodbye to me but not to the thought of me. I still remember so many family members and friends, just as you do. And we should. LOOK BACK AND REMEMBER. It’s tough but we should do it.
II. LOOK OUT AND LOVE
Gal. 5:13 “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”
Gal. 6:2 “Bear one another’s burden and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
Gal. 6:9-10 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
We’re not here for self but for others! We all need to look to others and love them as best we can.
ILL.- A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside. "Your son is here," she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient’s eyes opened. Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man’s limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement.
The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed. All through the night, the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man’s hand and offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile. He refused.
Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital, the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients.
Now and then, she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held tightly to his son all through the night.
Along toward dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited.
Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her.
"Who was that man"? he asked. The nurse was startled. "He was your father," she answered. "No, he wasn’t," the Marine replied. "I never saw him before in my life."
"Then why didn’t you say something when I took you to him"? "I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son and his son just wasn’t here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed."
The next time someone needs you, just be there. LOOK OUT AND LOVE SOMEONE.
III. LOOK UP AND HONOR
2 Timothy 2:8 “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David.” Remember Jesus.
ILL.- At a family reunion a man said that he and his wife overheard some young twin sisters talking about their newborn baby brother. One asked, "But how did God breathe life into our baby brother?" The other pointed at her belly button and said, "I THINK HE USES OUR BIBLICAL CORD."
Well, it is true that God has breathed the breathe of life into every of us and we should be thankful for that. And even more thankful for the good things He has given us.
ILL.- A lady said, "When my mom was on a health-kick, she decided to push the limits with our family of picky eaters. She fixed a soup-like mixture of lentils and barley that none of us was eager to try.
"We dreaded dipping into the grayish goop. We looked at each other, hoping someone would have the courage to ask Mom if we could skip the dinner.
"Fortunately, it was four-year-old Katrina’s turn to say the blessing, and she summed up our sentiments perfectly when she prayed, ’DEAR LORD, PLEASE TAKE US TO A RESTAURANT.’"
It doesn’t make any difference whether it’s lentils or a restaurant, we need to be thankful to God for His blessings!
James 1:17 "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights..." God gives us all kinds of good things, whether it’s lentil soup, a lavish meal, or just a simple roof over our heads.
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."
ILL.- The geographical heart of London is Charing Cross. All distances are measured from it. This spot is referred to simply as “the cross.” A lost child was one day picked up by a London “bobby.” The child was unable to tell where he lived. Finally, in response to the repeated questions of the bobby, and amid sobs and tears, the little fellow said, “If you will take me to the cross I think I can find my way from there.”
And it’s true for us as well that they way of the cross leads home. How can we not look up and honor the Lord always? Because of His death on the cross we can find our way home. We owe the Lord overflowing, unending honor and praise!
CONCLUSION-------------------
Lord, help me to live from day to day
In such a self-forgetful way
That even when I kneel to pray
My prayer shall be for – others.
Help me in all the work I do
To ever be sincere and true
And know that all I’d do for you
Must needs be done for – others.
Let “self” be crucified and slain
And buried deep; and all in vain
May efforts be to rise again
Unless to live for – others.
And when my work on earth is done
And my new work in heaven’s begun
May I forget the crown I’ve won
While thinking still of – others.
Others, Lord, yes, others
Let this my motto be,
Help me to live for others
That I may live like Thee.
