What does Memorial Day mean to you?
For some it means…
BBQ
Beach
Day off work
Sleep in late
Memorial Day is actually a day of remembrance…
Remember the men and women of our American military who laid down their lives for the cause of freedom in our land.
Remember if it were not for our courageous soldiers, we would have the freedoms we enjoy today in America.
The men and women who have given their lives for America in the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force are the heroes of today…
At Hebron Baptist Church several years ago a speaker named Clebe McClary spoke. There was a patch where his left eye had once been. A hook extended from the artificial limb where a strong arm had once helped make him an outstanding athlete. He had been through countless surgeries to repair facial damage. At the age of 26, Clebe McClary left his coaching career to enlist in the US Marine Corps. While leading his 19th “recon” through the jungles of Vietnam Clebe and his 12 men were attacked. Two gave their lives, four others were severely wounded. McClary was miraculously lifted to safety by helicopter. A plaque given to Lt. McClary read, “In this world of give and take, there are all too few who are willing to give what it takes.” Freedom always has a price and freedom has always been bought with blood. (Larry Wynn)
Three characteristics of a real hero…
(1) Stand On the Word of God
4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one![a] 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Among the great heroes today are moms and dads, grandparents who teach their kids the Word of God.
A Father and his small son were out walking one day when the lad asked how electricity could go through the wires stretched between the telephone poles. “I don’t know,” said his father. “I never knew much about electricity.” A few blocks farther on, the boy asked what caused lightning and thunder. “That too has puzzled me,” came the reply. The youngster continued to inquire about many things, none of which the father could explain. Finally, as they were nearing home, the boy said, "Pop, I hope you didn’t mind all those questions." "Not at all," replied his father. "How else are you going to learn!" - Our Daily Bread
You can teach your children God’s Word all day long.
Teach them to praise God’s for another day – “This is the day the Lord
has made”
Teach them how God has blessed them with food, clothing, shelter, etc.
Let them see you reading God’s Word – let them know one thing you learned from God’s Word that day.
All too often parents say, “It’s such a dark world.”
What are you doing to give them light?
Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Let’s God’s Word be the book you talk about most!
Let your family know you believe what it says!
Show them your loyalty to God’s Word through obedience to it.
Matthew 7:21-27, 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ 24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
(2) Speak Up for the Truth
It is easy to stand on the sidelines and say what is wrong with people, our nation, our laws.
It is much more difficult to speak up about what is necessary to turn things around.
On July 4th, 1776, Adams said in an address before the Continental Congress: Live or die; sink or swim; survive or perish; I am committed to this Declaration of Independence. I am committed, and if God wills it, I am ready to die that this nation may be free.”
A recent survey showed the top moral issues in America are: Abortion…Same Sex Marriage…Morality (anything goes)
God has given the church the good news of the gospel.
God has given the call to every believer to speak up.
Luke 24:47-48, “…and the repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things.”
A real hero in my life have been those who have spoken the gospel of Jesus Christ to me!
I thought I was OK b/c I didn’t do the really bad sins (drink, drugs, sex) – compared to everyone else, I was fine.
Today, I thank God for those who taught me the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Romans 3:23, “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”
Romans 6:23, “…For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
Romans 10:9-10, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
(3) Sacrifice for the Good of Others
Remember the sacrifice of the American soldiers!
Remember even more the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ for He is the ultimate hero in life!
Jesus Christ is my hero, role model, I owe it all to Him!
John 15:13-15, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”
Jesus was telling His disciples that He was about to lay down His life on the cross of Calvary for them.
That is how much Jesus Christ loves you and me today.
Our military has fought all the wars and battles over the years and even today for our freedom…the Lord Jesus Christ fought the battle against sin and won the victory.
So many take sin lightly, no big deal
They don’t realize sin is going to destroy them now and eternally
Jesus Christ paid the price that you and I could never pay
Through the blood He shed on the cross, you and I can go free.
Galatians 5:1, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
This Memorial Day can be the greatest day in your life if you give your life to the One who gave His life for you. Receive Jesus today!
