“A Day To Remember”
2 Timothy 2:7-8
2 Timothy 2:7-8 “7Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.
8Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel…”
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As you well know, this weekend we celebrate Memorial Day—the day that we remember those who have gone on before us. Today we honor those who have died in battle to ensure the freedom that we celebrate as Americans. Today we also remember our late fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and friends. We remember the fond memories that we have of those loved ones. Many will have family reunions this weekend. Many will go to cemeteries and decorate burial places with brilliantly colored flowers. And many will spend the day in quiet remembrance of the frailty of life.
Today I want to encourage us to also remember our Savior Jesus Christ. As we remember those that have gone on before us, we remember that He has gone to prepare a place for us. There are four very important things that the Bible tells us about Christ we can remember this Memorial Day.
On this day to remember, first we can…
I. Remember Christ’s Provision (Matt. 16:8-10
Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, "You
of little faith, why are you talking among
yourselves about having no bread? 9Do you
still not understand? Don’t you remember the
five loaves for the five thousand, and how
many basketfuls you gathered? 10Or the seven
loaves for the four thousand, and how many
basketfuls you gathered?”).
A. Here we see a picture of the disciples of
Christ just not “getting it.” In this
passage Jesus is warning them to be
careful of the Pharisees and the
Sadducees—because their teaching was
contrary to the Word of God. But the
illustration Jesus used made them realize
that they didn’t bring any bread, and the
disciples began to worry.
B. Then Jesus reminded them of how He
provided for them, as He asked, “Don’t
you remember the five loaves for the five
thousand and how many basketfuls you
gathered? Or the seven loaves for the
four thousand, and how many basketfuls
you gathered?”
C. Here Jesus is reminding them that He will
supply their needs. He is sufficient
enough to take care of them, just as He
had done in the past.
D. I think than many of us need to be
reminded of the provision of God from
time to time. No matter what the need
is, He’s able to handle it. In Paul’s
letter to the Philippians, he
writes, “And my God will meet all your
needs according to his glorious riches in
Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). It
wasn’t just a promise to the church in
Philippi, it is a promise to us today.
E. ILL (From Morris Mott, SermonCentral)—
There was a single mother who had heard a
Biblical financial teacher say, “Quit
looking at your job as the source of your
income. Look at your job as only one
avenue, one channel the Source, El
Shaddai, uses to bring finances into your
life. Begin to teach your children to
look to their heavenly Father as their
Source, not the parents.” Her little
daughter, one day told her that she
wanted a bike, like all the other
children. Her mother, at first was about
to reply, “Honey, momma does not have
extra money,” because this was her
typical response. However, she remembered
what the teacher said in the seminar, so
she told her daughter, "Let’s ask the
Lord for a bike". They prayed together
and thanked God for hearing their prayer.
A few days later, the little received a
check in the mail, payable to her
personally. On the way to town to cash
the check, they noticed a man placing a
bicycle out by the side of the road. The
mother stopped the car and asked the man
what he was going to do with that bike.
The man replied that his daughter had
quickly outgrown the use of it and he was
going to sell it. The little asked the
man how much he wanted and he
replied, “For you, $25.00.” which was
exactly the amount of the CHECK the
received in the mail!” The little grew
up not remembering a mother who worked
hard to buy a bike, but thankful for a
mother who taught her about her Heavenly
Father, who cared about an eight years
old ’s need. HE KNOWS AND HE IS ABLE TO
TAKE CARE OF US!!!
Not only can we remember Christ’s provision, but we can also…
II. Remember Christ’s Love (Ephesians 2:4-7
4But because of his great love for us, God,
who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with
Christ even when we were dead in
transgressions--it is by grace you have been
saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and
seated us with him in the heavenly realms in
Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming
ages he might show the incomparable riches of
his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in
Christ Jesus). Romans 5:8 8But God
demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for
us).
A. Because of His great love for us, He has
made us alive, even though we were dead.
B. Because of His great love for us, He has
seated us with Him in the heavenly realms
in Christ Jesus.
C. Because of His great love for us, He will
show the riches of His grace expressed to
us in His kindness.
D. Because of His great love for us, we know
what love really is and what it is all
about.
1. Romans 5:8 “8But God demonstrates his
own love for us in this: While we
were still sinners, Christ died for
us.”
2. John 3:16 says that God so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten
son, that whosoever believeth in Him
shall not perish, but have
everlasting life.
3. The Word tells us that God is love.
If we haven’t experienced God, we
haven’t experienced true love.
Third, we can…
III. Remember Christ’s Sacrifice (1 Corinthians
11:23-25 23For I received from the Lord what
I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on \
the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24and
when he had given thanks, he broke it and
said, "This is my body, which is for you; do
this in remembrance of me." 25In the same \
way, after supper he took the cup,
saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my
blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in
remembrance of me").
A. Because of His sacrifice, our every need
is met.
1. We have just finished discussing the
fact that Jesus will meet our needs
in this world as far as our material
needs. But because of His sacrifice,
He does so much more.
2. He meets the needs of our physical
bodies. Isaiah 53:5 tells us
that “But he was pierced for our
transgressions, he was crushed for
our iniquities; the punishment that
brought us peace was upon him, and by
his wounds we are healed.” He was
crucified for the healing of our
souls and bodies.
3. He meets our emotional needs. Psalm
147:3 says that “He heals the
brokenhearted and binds up their
wounds.” Not only is God concerned
about our physical bodies, but he is
concerned about our emotions, too.
He heals the emotionally scarred.
B. Because of His sacrifice, we know what
love really is.
1. John 3:16 says that God so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten
son, that whosoever believeth in Him
shall not perish, but have
everlasting life.
2. The Word tells us that God is love.
If we haven’t experienced God, we
haven’t experienced true love.
C. Jesus commands us to remember Him. Every
time we share communion together, we are
remembering His sacrifice—His broken body
and His spilled blood.
Finally, we can…
IV. Remember Christ’s Return (Revelation
3:3 “Remember, therefore, what you have
received and heard; obey it, and repent. But
if you do not wake up, I will come like a
thief, and you will not know at what time I
will come to you”).
A. In this passage, the church in Sardis is
being addressed. They are being told
that even though they have deeds, and
they have a reputation for being alive,
they are dead. Then they are told to
wake up and strengthen what remains and
is about to die.
B. This is a church that at one time was on
fire for God and made His priority it’s
priority. But they have lost their
fervor. They have decayed and even what
remains is dying. This is the type of
church that Jesus is very concerned about.
C. But in this verse, verse 3, they are told
to remember what they had received and
heard; to obey it, and to repent. Why?
What is the urgency here? It comes in
the second part of the verse, as Jesus
tells them that if they don’t wake up, He
will come like a thief, and they will not
know what time He will come after them.
D. Jesus says the same thing to the church
today. He says to remember the things we
have learned. Yes, at one time we were
hot for God, on fire for Him. But so
many in the church have been lulled to
sleep. Jesus is saying to WAKE UP! We
do not know when He is coming! We have
to be watching and waiting.
E. Luke 12:35-46 says, “35Be dressed ready
for service and keep your lamps burning,
36like men waiting for their master to
return from a wedding banquet, so that
when he comes and knocks they can
immediately open the door for him. 37It
will be good for those servants whose
master finds them watching when he comes.
I tell you the truth, he will dress
himself to serve, will have them recline
at the table and will come and wait on
them. 38It will be good for those
servants whose master finds them ready,
even if he comes in the second or third
watch of the night. 39But understand
this: If the owner of the house had known
at what hour the thief was coming, he
would not have let his house be broken
into. 40You also must be ready, because
the Son of Man will come at an hour when
you do not expect him." 41Peter
asked, "Lord, are you telling this
parable to us, or to everyone?"
42The Lord answered, "Who then is the
faithful and wise manager, whom the
master puts in charge of his servants to
give them their food allowance at the
proper time? 43It will be good for that
servant whom the master finds doing so
when he returns. 44I tell you the truth,
he will put him in charge of all his
possessions. 45But suppose the servant
says to himself, ’My master is taking a
long time in coming,’ and he then begins
to beat the menservants and maidservants
and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46The
master of that servant will come on a day
when he does not expect him and at an
hour he is not aware of. He will cut him
to pieces and assign him a place with the
unbelievers”).
CONCLUSION:
On this “Day to Remember,” have we remembered the four things I challenged us to remember at the beginning? I challenge us to remember them today. Do we have needs in our lives? Remember Christ’s provision. Do we feel depressed and confused? Remember Christ’s love. Do we feel hurt and lonely? Remember Christ’s sacrifice. Do we feel far from Him and spiritually stagnant? Remember Christ’s return.
