24 May 2009
Pre-Memorial Day Sunday
U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris
Fortress Chapel
Contingency Operation Site (C.O.S.) Sykes
Tall-afar, Iraq
BIG IDEA: Samuel erecting the Memorial Stone (Ebenezer – stone of help) serves as a visual reminder of how God helped the people of Israel defeat their enemy (the Philistine).
REFERENCES: John 10:27 (KJV) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; Romans 11:29 (KJV) For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Genesis 27-28 (The Story of Jacob and Esau); Psalms 118:22 (ESV) The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; Eben-ezer, the stone of help. Isaiah 65:24 ESV (Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear); 1 Samuel 6 ESV – (The Philistines decided to return the Ark of The Covenant to Israel); 1 Samuel 7 ESV – The Ark was not returned to Shiloh; It remained at Abinadab’s home for twenty years; 1 Samuel 7:6-13 ESV - The Hebrew Word – Zikkaron is translated “memorial” or “remembrance”; it’s a witness or a visible symbol. For instance a “a commemorative feast”; Joshua 4:1-24 ESV – The Memorials of the Crossing; Joshua 4:4-12; Genesis 28:10-22 ESV (Jacob’s Vision of the ladder, The Voice, and the Vow); Exodus 12:24-27 ESV – A Memorial of Redemption (The Jews have a religious and a civil calendar, and Passover marks the beginning of their religious year. The death of the lamb makes a new beginning, just as the death of Christ makes a new beginning for the believing sinner); 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 ( The Institution of The Lord’s Supper); Luke 22:14-23 (ESV) – The Institution of The Lord’s Supper; Ecclesiastes 3:1-9 ESV (A Time for Everything); Psalms 24 (The Chief Shepherd Coming for His Sheep) - Jewish tradition says that this psalm was written to commemorate David’s returning the ark to Jerusalem;
I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: 1 Samuel 7:6-13 (ESV)
II. READ THE PERICOPE: 1 Samuel 7:6-13 (ESV)
III. READ THE TEXT: 1 Samuel 7:12 (ESV) Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer, for he said, “Till now the Lord has helped us.”
IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to affirm to others that Samuel erecting the Memorial Stone serves as a visual reminder of how God helped His people defeat their enemy.
V. SERMONIC THEME: “EBENEZERS”
VI. INTRODUCTION:
According to Harper’s Bible Dictionary, “Stone” is any large variety of hardened natural inorganic, often mineral, substances. In Biblical time it was found in Palestine largely as limestone mixed with some chert or sandstone …and it provided amply for everyday construction needs.
The Good Book provides references of the Word STONE from a wide spectrum. For instance, a stone could serve as a Memorial, Shrine, or Pledge. A “stone” could cover wells and doorways to tombs. It could serve as a weapon, whether thrown by hand or used as a catapult or sling as David did in his defeat of Israel’s Giant - trial and enemy - Goliath.
There were in biblical times many usage for “Stone”. Use of stone for tools like axes, knives, scrapers, hammers, and grinders, which began in prehistoric times, has continued in some respects to the present day, here, in Iraq. For it has been said “when boys get into a fight, the first weapon likely is a quickly grabbed rock.
Just as the WORD “stone” was used naturally in biblical times; it was also used figuratively or metaphorically. For who can ever forget what the Psalmist said in Psalms 118:22-24 (ESV) as he attempted to describe “HOW” God’s Steadfast Love Endures Forever – when he said:
“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us … rejoice …and be glad in it.”
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 1: Now, my brothers and sisters, the WORD “Ebenezer” is a Hebrew word which means “the STONE” of help.
a. Ebenezer, in the Good Book, serves symbolically as a reminder that God has helped the PEOPLE OF GOD defeat their enemies.
b. Today, the WORD “Ebenezers” is plural because it is to serve as a reminder to all of us – those now serving our country by protecting and defending our Nations’ liberties and that of its allies – God has used (and continue to utilize) Military Members to help defeat the modern day enemies which we can see.
c. Therefore, today, we pause momentarily to give honor to the men and women who have DIED while serving our great nation in uniform.
d. WE, REMEMBER … OUR EBENEZERS!
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 2: While in the DFAC this past week, I had a conversation with Sergeant First Class Calzada – our “Nothing Happens, Until Something Moves” subject matter expert (SME).
a. He alluded to the idea of setting-up what he calls “a time-warp”;
b. according to SFC Calzada., a time-warp is something that we (as Soldiers) could write or in script to our Iraqi brothers and sisters in the future.
c. Afterwards, we would place our message in a can - or jar - and then bury it in the ground in hopes of someone digging it up futuristically.
d. As SFC Calzada was sharing his idea, I thought about the manner in which many believers conduct “their New Year Resolutions”.
e. As you may recall, many believers write down their New Year’s Resolutions/goals; seal them up in an envelope and placed the envelope in a safe deposit box or some other place of safe-keeping until the following year.
f. At which time, they will open and reflect on how God has changed them, and enable them to reach the goal that at one time seemed unreachable.
f. As a result, the envelope serves as their Memorial and Reminder of God’s Goodness and Mercy during the past year!
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 3: Likewise, who can ever forget the Story behind “Jacob’s Ladder” in Genesis 28:10-22.
a. Today, “climbing Jacob’s ladder” is sometimes used to denote someone who is “climbing the ladder of success,” which is also an expression derived from the scriptural account of Jacob’s dream.
b. For don’t you remember? The Good Book shares with us that despite of Jacob’s in reverence of God’s Covenant with Abraham – God chose to use Jacob in His service to humankind by showing Jacob a dream that assured him of God’s future blessings.
c. Therefore, this morning as a prelude to Memorial Day 2009 in Iraq, I want to briefly discuss 3 things about Jacob’s Ladder in which I have drawn 3 points:
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MOVE 4: The First point is Vision – Jacob had a VISION of climbing God’s Ladder.
a. I submit to you my brothers and sisters that before we can ever move-up God’s Spiritual Ladder of Success; we have to first visualize or see it in our minds’ eye.
b. In other words, we have to see ourselves in the “new position” or new job - performing and conducting the new responsibilities.
c. In Genesis 28, Jacob – even as a deceiver and sinner in the darkness of night, fleeing from his Father’s House, Jacob saw himself in a heavenly vision.
d. For don’t you remember, that same evening in which Jacob was running away to Bethel – to his uncle Laban’s home - a 3 day journey from Beersheba.
e. The Good Book says, Jacob took ONE OF THE STONES to rest against as he slept. And God gave him a vision of a ladder (or staircase) from Heaven to Earth.
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 5: If Jacob as an unrepentant deceiver, and unapologetic sinner is able to visualize himself in the heavenly ranks – what about those of us that have repented of our sins.
a. As believers, we have to see ourselves in the new position, wearing the new rank.
b. For the Bible says, in Proverbs 23:7a “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he”.
c. The way we think formulates our Vision!
d. We may be able to pull-wool over the eyes of your family and friends, but God knows you thoughts; and oftentimes, he conveys our thoughts to us in our dreams!
e. I believe that Jacob was very remorseful for what he had done. I believe that Jacob had been talking to God about how he had deceived his father.
f. As a result, God came where Jacob was located to have a little talk with him. So, what are you thinking?
g. Jacob thought that he was alone in the wilderness, but awaken to discover that he had been at the very gate of heaven.
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 6: Now, the Second point is Voice – Jacob heard the Voice of God.
a. For you see, it’s not ENOUGH to have a vision - because visions can sometimes be deceiving. We must have a WORD from God himself. For a person is NOT saved by “angels or visions” but is saved by the WORD OF GOD.
b. Jacob heard the WORD of God in his VISION. For The Good Book says, in Genesis 28:13-15 (ESV),
c. “And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “ I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie, I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. “
d. Like Jacob in Gen. 28:10–17, sinners are away from home and in the night of sin. But Christ reveals the glory of heaven and opens it for us to enter in.
e. Christ is God’s “staircase to glory.”
f. So, the Second point is Voice – and Jacob heard the voice of God. Jesus said in John 10:27 (KJV) - My sheep hear my voice, …and they follow me.
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 7: Now, my brothers and sisters, the Third and final point is VOW – The Good book says in Genesis 28:16 (ESV) Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.
a. And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this the gate of heaven.”
b. So, early in the morning Jacob took the “STONE” that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it.
c. Jacob turned his “pillow” into a “PILLAR” for this is actually the FIRST VOW recorded in the Good Book.
d. Jacob set-up a Memorial which was to serve as a reminder of what God had done in his life.
e. Likewise, Memorial Day, is America’s STONE OF HELP to remind us to share with our children what God has done through the lives of military members in our country.
f. We should allow our children to bear witness of the gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery and other military sites so they will REMEMBER the EBENEZERS and THE STONES OF HELP in our lifetime and their lifetime.
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 8: Now, before I take my seat, in our text today we find ourselves peeking in on God working through his military members on behalf of his chosen people.
a. For the Good Book says that when the Philistines attacked God’s people; the people of God fought back and God gave them the victory.
b. For don’t you remember, it all happened while Samuel was in prayer.
c. The people of God were afraid that the Philistines were going to attack them.
d. So, they ask Samuel – the last of Judges and First of Prophets to pray for them.
e. The Good Book says that Samuel didn’t just pray for the people of God but he offered a burnt offering up to God on behalf of His people.
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 9: All the while, the Philistines were drawing nigh to them.
a. But on that day, at that moment in time and history, God decided to drop his heavenly ceiling. The Bible says that the LORD thundered with loud thunderous sound against the Philistines and threw them into a panic …
b. So much so that Israel was able to defeat them in battle.
c. For the men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way.
d. Then Samuel took a STONE and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it EBENEZER, saying, “Thus far has the LORD helped us”.
e. It was memorial or testimony to God’s intervention on behalf of His people. As a result, it symbolizes God’s New Covenant grace toward those in Christ.
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
CELEBRATION:
GRACE is God’s unmerited favor … I don’t deserve his Ebenezers …
but he provide them anyway …
For sin has no more dominion over us because we saved by faith through grace
