A Living Memorial
5/2719/07 AM
Text: Selected texts
Introduction
Tomorrow is Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, it is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women’s groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University’s Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it’s difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860’s tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.
Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays.) [from www.memorialday.org]
I. The Importance of Remembering
A. The Lord also gave us His memorials:
Rainbow
Passover feast to remind the children of Israel of their sojourn from captivity
River stones to memorialize the Ark of the Covenant crossing of the Jordan River
Scriptures, dozens of examples of remembrance in the bible
Lord’s supper-“…do this in remembrance of me.” 1 Corinthians 11:24-25
B. It is important that we have days like Memorial Day to bring ourselves to remembrance of those things which are worthy of being remembered. We have many ways to memorialize that which we feel is important:
1. We have private memorials:
-Scrapbooks, diaries, photo albums, videos, websites
2. We have public memorials, often landmarks:
-Dams, bridges, highways, libraries, schools, and websites
All these things done so that we will be in remembrance of the importance of these past events or people.
II. Our Lives As A Memorial
I’d like you to consider this morning what kind of memorial you are building with your life, your personal living memorial. Each of us is building one, whether consciously or not, it is happening. For our family, our friends, our co-workers, the brethren; we are building a memorial that will remain after we are gone. I’d like to suggest today a plan for the construction of our personal living memorial.
A. Foundation of God’s Word
1. There is only one thing in our world that has always been constant, never-failing, never-changing, and always true. The only thing in this world that can always be relied upon is the inerrant word of God.
a. read 2 Timothy 2:15
The word of truth is the word of God, the good news of Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of the scriptures which Timothy had received as a child from his mother and grandmother.
b. read Acts 17:10-12
The scriptures searched by the Bereans would have been the books of the Old Testament, those prophecies which foretold and were fulfilled by Jesus. They searched them to confirm that which Paul and Silas spoke of was true and in finding the truth in the word of God, they believed.
3. read John 20:30-31
The entire purpose of the prophecies of the Old Testament, the word of God, was to point to Jesus as the fulfillment of the old law. The purpose of the book of John was to document the truth of that fulfillment in the life of Jesus, so that we might believe.
Scriptures throughout the Old Testament from prophets, poets, judges and kings testify to the power of God’s Word in their lives. His word is the firm foundation upon which we may build the framework of our faith.
B. Framework of Faith
1. read Matthew 16:13-19
The rock upon which the church of Jesus was built was the statement made by Peter, the belief of Jesus as the messiah, the true Son of God.
2. read John 6:66-68
As a result of His teachings recorded in verses 26-65 many disciples fell away but those remaining knew the reality of Jesus as the Holy one of God. This was the faith of which Jesus spoke in Matthew 16 and is the framework for our personal living memorial.
3. read Luke 24:13-27
Jesus proved His own identity using the Old Testament scriptures, the books of law and of the prophets.
4. Matthew 27:54 Roman centurion at the cross “Truly this man was the Son of God!” This Roman soldier, hardly a follower of Jesus, recognized the truth of what he witnessed at the cross!
5. read 1 John 5:9-12
The witness of the Roman centurion pales in comparison to the testimony of the word of God, the foundation upon which we build the framework of our faith, the framework which provides the support for the works we are to do.
C. Walls of Your Works
1. read Philippians 2:5-11 Example of Jesus is one of obedience
2. read 1 John 2:3-6
The walk of Jesus, how he lived His life, how He behaved, His Righteous and Holy life, can be summarized in a single word: obedience. Everything Jesus did, He did in obedience to God. He came to this earth, lived as a man, suffered shame and humiliation, beatings and ultimately a cruel death on the cross all in obedience to God. We are to model His walk, if we say we are of Christ the truth will be known by our deeds, those works which we do.
3. John 14:15 Jesus “If you love me, keep my commandments.”
4. James 1:22-25 “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”
5. Colossians 1:1-12
Paul, in his opening comments to the church in Colossae exhorted and praised them for how they had, upon the foundation of the word of God, built the framework of their faith and erected the walls of their good works. We must also put up the walls of our works upon the framework of our faith, built upon the solid foundation of the word of God. Works will flow, must flow, as the proven result of our faith in Jesus as our savior, the resurrected Son of God.
Conclusion
What will our personal living memorial bring to remembrance? If you already know Christ, then be sure that your life testifies of a memorial that won’t leave any doubt in minds of your loved ones or in the minds of anyone where to follow you in eternity! That which flows from us because of who we are and what we are about may be our best service. If you are outside the body of Christ, consider taking the steps needed to begin a new life; to wash away the old body of sin and death and begin building a living memorial that will stand in eternity.
Invitation
