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.”
PSALM 20:7- SOME TRUST IN CHARIOTS, AND SOME IN HORSES, BUT WE TRUST IN THE NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD.
HE WOULD SAY REMEMBER:
REMEMBER
STEPHEN- STONED FOR HIS FAITH
THE APOSTLES- MOST OF THEM DIED A MARTYRS DEATH
AND ABOVE ALL ELSE- REMEMBER JESUS CHRIST, THE ONE WHO DIED NAILED TO THE CROSS FOR EACH OF US. BUILD YOUR MEMORIAL WITH JESUS AT THE CENTER.
JOSHUA 4:6- WHEN YOUR CHILDREN ASK YOU, “WHAT DO THESE STONES MEAN?”
TELL THEM THAT THE FLOW OF THE JORDAN WAS CUT OFF BEFORE THE ARK OF THE LORD. WHEN IT CROSSED THE JORDAN, THE WATER OF THE JORDAN WAS CUT OFF. THESE STONES ARE TO BE A MEMORIAL TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL FOREVER.
I WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU TO THINK OF YOUR MEMORIAL STONES. LET THEM DRAW YOU CLOSER TO GOD. PEOPLE WANT GOD’S BLESSING WITHOUT GOD.
THEY LIVE IN A BLESSED NATION, A BLESSED FAMILY, A BLESSED CHURCH, AND LIVE FAR FROM THE ONE WHO DOES THE BLESSING.
THEY WANT THE BENEFIT OF BEING GOD’S PEOPLE WITHOUT THE COMMITMENT OF BEING GOD’S PEOPLE. FREEDOM IN THIS COUNTRY WAS NOT AND IS NOT FREE. IT COST MANY PEOPLE THEIR LIVES. OUR SALVATION WAS NOT FREE EITHER. IT COST JESUS CHRIST HIS LIFE. GOD HAD TO RESURRECT HIM FROM THE DEAD. THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN RECEIVE IT IS BY COMMITMENT TO JESUS CHRIST . WE CANNOT BE AGENTS OF CHANGE UNLESS WE ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE PEOPLE WE ARE AROUND. WE HAVE MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR AND WE HAVE MUCH TO REMEMBER.
LET ME BRING THIS HOME:
3 REASONS TO BUILD MEMORIALS.
I. INCREASE YOUR FAITH
WHAT GREAT THINGS HAS GOD DONE IN YOUR LIFE. WHAT HAS HE BLESSED YOU WITH BEYOND MEASURE. WHEN YOU DIDN’T DESERVE SOMETHING, WHAT DID GOD DO FOR YOU?
BEEN DELIVERED FROM ALCOHOL- BUILD A MEMORIAL
GOT OFF DRUGS- BUILD A MEMORIAL
HAS HE HEALED YOU- BUILD A MEMORIAL
IS THERE A TIME IN YOUR LIFE WHERE YOU KNEW THAT GOD DID A MIRACLE IN YOUR LIFE- BUILD A MEMORIAL
A TIME TO REMIND US THAT HE HAS BEEN THERE FOR US IN THE PAST, AND HE WILL NOT LEAVE US NOR FORSAKE IN THE FUTURE. IT IS A TIME OF RENEWING OUR PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO THE LORD, THAT ENERGIZES US FOR WHAT IS AHEAD. EACH TIME WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE LORD AND REMEMBER WHAT HE HAS DONE, IT INCREASES OUR FAITH AND PUTS A NEW SKIP IN OUR STEP.
ILLUSTRATION-
CHARLES SWINDOLL IN HIS BOOK “THREE STEPS FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK” TELLS THE STORY OF A FARMER WHO WANTED TO IMPRESS HIS HUNTING BUDDIES. TO IMPRESS THEM, HE BOUGHT THE SMARTEST, MOST EXPENSIVE HUNTING DOG HE COULD FIND. HE TRAINED THIS DOG TO DO THINGS NO OTHER DOG ON EARTH COULD DO–IMPOSSIBLE FEATS THAT WOULD SURELY AMAZE ANYONE. THEN HE INVITED THE NEIGHBORS TO GO DUCK HUNTING WITH HIM. AFTER A LONG PATIENT WAIT IN THE BOAT A GROUP OF DUCKS FLEW OVER AND THE HUNTERS WERE ABLE TO MAKE A FEW HITS. SEVERAL DUCKS FELL IN THE WATER. “GO GET EM” SHOUTED THE PROUD OWNER TO HIS MAGNIFICENT DOG. THE DOG LEAPED OUT OF THE BOAT, WALKED ON THE WATER, AND PICKED UP A BIRD AND RETURNED TO THE BOAT. AS SOON AS HE DROPPED THE DUCK IN THE BOAT HE TROTTED OFF ACROSS THE WATER AGAIN AND GRABBED ANOTHER DUCK AND BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE BOAT. THE OWNER BEAMED WITH PRIDE AS HIS WONDERFUL DOG WALKED ACROSS THE WATER AND RETRIEVED EACH OF THE BIRDS ONE BY ONE. UNABLE TO RESIST THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRAG A BIT HE ASKED HIS FELLOW HUNTERS, DO YOU NOTICE ANYTHING UNUSUAL ABOUT MY DOG? ONE OF THEM RUBBED HIS CHIN THOUGHTFULLY. YES, HE FINALLY SAID. COME TO THINK OF IT, I DO! THAT SILLY DOG DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO SWIM DOES HE? MANY GIVE PETER THE SAME REACTION. INSTEAD OF RECOGNIZING THAT HE WAS THE ONLY DISCIPLE TO HAVE FAITH TO EVEN STEP OUT OF THE BOAT, HE’S CRITICIZED FOR HIS LACK OF FAITH. HE DRAWS CLOSE TO CHRIST WHILE 11 OTHER DISCIPLES SIT IN THE BOAT, CONTENT IN THEIR PERCEIVED SAFETY.
II. TO INCREASE THE FAITH OF OTHERS
GOD PARTED THE JORDAN FOR ME AND HE CAN DO IT FOR YOU ALSO? LET YOUR LIFE BE A LIVING TESTIMONY TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS SO THAT WHEN YOU DIE, YOUR MEMORIES WILL KEEP ON LIVING. YOUR LIFE IS A BOOK READ BY ALL MEN. YOUR LIFE IS A SIGN TO A LOST WORLD
“THAT ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE EARTH MAY KNOW THE HAND OF THE LORD THAT IS MIGHTY, THAT YOU MAY FEAR THE LORD YOUR GOD FOREVER”
“THE SACRIFICES OF GOD ARE A BROKEN SPIRIT, A BROKEN AND CONTRITE HEART; THESE, O GOD, YOU WILL NOT DESPISE. A BROKEN AND CONTRITE HEART IS IRRESISTIBLE TO GOD.”
III. TO GIVE THE DEVIL A BLACK EYE
THE DEVIL POINTS OUT THE NEGATIVES , WILL NOT WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THE GOODNESS OF GOD. THE CROSS IS THE BIGGEST MEMORIAL THAT THE DEVIL WILL WANT YOU TO FORGET.
OUR CITIES ARE FULL OF PAIN-FILLED , BROKEN PEOPLE TRYING TO MAKE LIFE WORK FOR THEM, MANY OF WHOM HAVE NO IDEA THERE IS A SAVIOR WHO DIED FOR THEM AND LONGS FOR THEIR FELLOWSHIP.
WE MUST LEARN THE LESSONS THE DISCIPLES LEARNED FROM WALKING WITH JESUS. HIS MINISTRY IS ABOUT TOUCHING PEOPLE, HEALING THE SICK, FEEDING THE POOR, SAVING THE LOST. WE CANNOT MINISTER WITHOUT HUMAN CONTACT. THIS IS A FULL CONTACT SPORT.
THE ONLY HOPE FOR THE WORLD TODAY IS THE MANIFEST PRESENCE OF JESUS, AND THEREFORE HIS LOVE AND POWER, BE RESTORED TO HIS CHURCH, OUR FAMILIES, SO THAT WE BECOME A MEMORIAL OF WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN OUR LIVES.
WE AGAIN NEED THE POWER TO COME WITH HIS MERCY, COMPASSION, HEALING, AND DELIVERING POWER.
WE WILL GIVE THE DEVIL A BLACK EYE AND RESTORE WHAT THE DEVIL HAS STOLEN FROM THOSE AROUND US.
CLOSING ILLUSTRATION-
GENERAL WILLIAM BOOTH, THE FOUNDER OF THE SALVATION ARMY, MADE A PROFOUNDLY ACCURATE PREDICTION WHEN HE SAID, “I CONSIDER THAT THE CHIEF DANGERS WHICH WILL CONFRONT THE TWENTIETH CENTURY WILL BE; RELIGION WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT, CHRISTIANITY WITHOUT CHRIST, FORGIVENESS WITHOUT REGENERATION, MORALITY WITHOUT GOD, HEAVEN WITHOUT HELL”
GOD IS CHALLENGING THE WESTERN CULTURE TO LEAVE THE LUKEWARM AND RETURN TO CONVENANT RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM AND BE THE LIGHT WE ARE SUPPOSE TO BE.
