Building Memorials
Sunday, May 30, 2010 – AM
By Pastor James May
The USS New York was built with steel from the rubble of the World Trade Center after the attacks on 9/11/2001. It was launched in November of 2009. 7 1/2 tons of twisted and mangled steel from ground zero had been melted down to form the bow of the new ship as “a symbol of our unshakable resolve”. The ship cost $1 billion to build and will carry 360 sailors and 700 combat ready marines.
The USS New York was built at the shipyards in New Orleans by a lot of workers who had lost homes and businesses because of Hurricane Katrina. They had to rebuild their lives and their homes at the same time as they built the ship.
Two more ships like the USS New York are under construction as well; the USS Arlington, built to memorialize the attack on the Pentagon, and the USS Somerset, named after the Pennsylvania county where United Airlines Flight 93 crashed.
The vast majority of memorials that man builds and creates are somehow connected with wars and the price that Americans have paid for the freedoms that we all enjoy.
The Minuteman Statue found on the Lexington Green in Massachusetts marks the first major encounter of American militia, made of farmers, shopkeepers and citizen soldiers, who fought and defeated nearly 1000 soldiers of the super power of the day, King George’s redcoats of the British Army. This marked the birth of a nation that would be established on equal rights for every man.
But equal rights was harder to come by for some Americans. Black people were never given equality until President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. The memorials shown here are from the Battle of Gettysburg where 51,000 men died in three days trying to determine whether all men were truly going to be equal.
The newest, and perhaps the largest memorial in our nation is the National World War II memorial that is divided into Atlantic and Pacific theaters. Only the Atlantic side is shown here. The memorial marks the sacrifices of millions of Americans who are called ‘The Greatest Generation” because they fought and conquered aggression around the world and paid a heavy price for our freedom. Many of you here lived in that time and you know that no memorial could truly honor the many who gave their lives. When you look at national cemeteries, with thousands upon thousands of white grave markers in perfect alignment, almost as far as you can see, you are truly moved by the sacrifice in lives that it has cost for us to be here today and those fallen heroes deserve all of the honor that we can give to them.
Just a few years later we were caught up in another conflict called the Korean War and a new memorial has been built to honor those who fought there as well. It depicts a squad of infantry soldiers as they are walking through the fields on patrol.
For 10 years there was a war that America should never have fought, and would love to forget ever happened, but because millions of soldiers served there and over 58,000 died, it cannot be erased from our history. The Vietnam Wall was built to honor those who fought and died in the most unpopular war in American history.
It has been almost nine years since President George W. Bush declared war on terrorism after the 9/11 attacks. Since then we have sent many young men to Afghanistan and Iraq, and the fighting still continues to this day with no end in sight. And the threats of Iran and North Korea still loom on the horizon, so a time of peace, when young Americans will no longer have to fight for our freedom and safety is nowhere in sight. Right now I have a grandson that is in the Marines and I pray for his safety as well as the safety of all of our soldiers every day. We hate to send them off to possibly face battle but someone will always have to pay the price for our freedom; and we must do our share.
Though no national memorials are yet constructed, to my knowledge, honoring the fallen heroes of Afghanistan and Iraq, there are smaller memorials and battlefield memorials in their honor; and someday there will be national memorials for these soldiers as well. They deserve our honor as much as any other soldiers who have served our nation.
The latest records show that American soldiers are still paying the price for our freedom. There has been 1007 in Afghanistan and 4399 in Iraq who have died in the line of duty.
Memorial Day is tomorrow of course, and it is a good thing to pause for a moment during the day and thank God for those who are defending our freedom; and pray for those who are bearing arms in your defense at this very moment. It is also a good time to let people know that you are a true American patriot by flying your American flag and showing your support for our nation. We have our problems; plenty of them; but there is still no place on earth that I would rather be than in America. As long as I am a pilgrim and a stranger in this world; I’m glad that God allowed me to travel through this life as an American citizen.
Since my true home is not of this present world, I think it is good to think about what kind of memorials there will be in my home in Heaven. What kind of memorials are being built up there? I’m going to spend eternity in that place and it would be good to know that I’ve built the right kind of memorials.
One of the things that God recognizes as worthy of a memorial is the service that we do for him out of a pure heart and love for God. In the Book of Mark we are given an example of the kind of service that God wants to memorialize.
The Passover Feast was over and now the chief priests and scribes of Israel were getting down to serious business, planning and scheming to put Jesus to death. They wouldn’t do it during the feast days because that would have caused the people to riot, but now that the feast was over, most of the people would never notice that they condemned an innocent man to die.
Jesus was in Bethany, visiting in the home of Simon the leper, and as he sat down to enjoy a meal with his host and the disciples, a woman came to him with an alabaster box of very expensive spikenard ointment. She broke open the box and poured the ointment on Jesus’ head. That made some of the people present very angry. It was a waste of expensive ointment that could have been sold for a lot of money. These were poor people and that money could have done a lot to make life a little easier for them.
Jesus then said, “Leave her alone. She did a good thing because she was anointing his body for burial.” It would only be a few hours before Jesus would die on the cross and this ointment was the symbol of the woman’s great love for the Lord.
Mark 14:9, "Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her."
The first memorial that God will honor is that which we do for Him out of a pure heart of love. We can’t do like this woman and pour ointment on Jesus’ head, but we can still serve him out of a pure heart. How much do you truly love the Lord? Are you willing to give your best to him expecting nothing in return? Are you willing to give to God that which really costs you something?
Nearly everybody you meet will tell you that they Love Jesus, but how much do they truly love Him? Do they love Jesus enough to get up, not just on Sunday, but every day of the week and spend time alone with Him? Do they love Jesus enough to give of their time, energy, finances and skills to work in the Kingdom of God?
Most of the church can be found in the same category as those who stood around murmuring because this woman had poured out the expensive oil on Jesus’ head. They gripe because they have to get ready for church; and they find any excuse not be there. They complain when it comes time to pay their tithes. “I just can’t give that much; there’s too many bills to pay. It costs too much to give my best to God.” Can’t you see that this is the same attitude that the people who murmured had?
Perhaps its not that we feel like it’s a waste to give to God’s work, but we have the attitude that we can do more with it than God; or that we need it more than God. Let me tell you that this is not the kind of attitude that will result in God memorializing your life before him. In fact, this is the mark of a disobedient and untrusting servant. It’s not that we don’t love God; but we just don’t trust God to meet our need when there seems to be no possible way.
We forget God’s dare in Malachi 3:10, "…prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
Are we doing great on our own? Are we really better than God when it comes to managing things in our lives? I think not! If not, then why not trust God and prove Him. I don’t believe that God will fail to bring his promises to pass.
Time and again it has been proven that God’s promise works. I can give you personal testimony to that fact. I heard Sis. Molliere saying the same thing at the Bible Study Thursday night. I’ve heard some of you saying the same thing. If we will trust God and give to Him out of a pure heart of Love and trust his promises, then we will be building memorials just like this little woman with the alabaster box.
It may have seemed like such a foolish thing to do to the world. In our natural mind, it just seems so foolish and impossible. The natural mind cannot know the things of God. It must be done in faith; believing and trusting God. It’s all part of living by faith; and that’s the life that will help you build memorials before God.
In Acts chapter ten we see some more things that create memorials before God.
Cornelius was a Roman Centurion, a man who had proven his skills as a Roman soldier in battle, and who was place in charge of a legion of 100 men. But even this tough soldier could be changed by the Love of God.
He knew of the God of Israel and spent hours praying and seeking the face of God. He didn’t fully understand who Jesus was, but he was willing to learn and receive whatever God had for him. The Bible says that Cornelius prayed and worshipped God always, in everything that he did.
One day, as Cornelius prayed, an angel appeared unto him and told him to send for Peter and Peter would lead him to Christ and teach him about serving the Lord and living for God. The presence of this angel was a terrifying experience at first, even for this Roman soldier.
Acts 10:4, "And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God."
Are you building a memorial before God with your prayer life? Are you building memorials in the giving of your alms? Almsgiving can mean two things: Giving of your offerings and giving of your praise and worship.
Your prayers rise into the Throne Room of God and become a memorial in the eyes of God. Are you building a prayer memorial today? If not, then its time to get started.
Another memorial is the one that is being built in honor of your praise, worship and giving unto the Lord. How big is your memorial in these areas of your life? Some of you I can see are building some good memorials; but for some of us I wonder if the foundation has even begun because we haven’t learned yet how to get lost in praise and worship because we are too busy looking around.
We are going to take a break in our nation tomorrow in honor of Memorial Day. For many of you that will be a holiday, a time of cook outs and family gatherings. It’s a wonderful thing; and that’s the reason that so many have fought and died; just so we could have the freedom to do whatever we want in life.
But while you are celebrating your holiday and remembering the price that men have paid for your freedom; don’t forget to remember what Jesus did for you at the cross. Jesus paid the ultimate price for your ultimate freedom; freedom from sin and death. He gives you eternal life and a chance to build great memorials before God.
Have you begun to build your memorials in Heaven already? If not, then its time to get started. Build your memorials before God to be something great. Give of yourself, your time, your finances, your energy; in praise and worship, in spirit and in truth and with a cheerful heart. That’s how you build a true memorial before God. Let your memorials stand strong. Let them continue to grow. Make your memorials before God the best that you can beginning on this Memorial Day.
