Why do have Memorials?
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Opener for service...
1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching We Still Remember Them
There is a handsome bronze plaque on the south front of the rotunda at the University of Virginia honoring its students who made the supreme sacrifice in World War I. Conspicuously clear and haunting are these lines:
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
we will remember them.
Exodus 3.13-15
Recap the story.
The Prince of Egypt born of a Hebrew, Raised in a palace, given every opportunity wealth and power could afford has spent 40 years hiding in the back side of the wilderness. Shedding himself of all the trappings with which he was raised.
Removing himself from the identity that he carried boldly even into his great cause.
In his youth he believed that he could help save his people the Hebrews with the force of his power and killing a soldier found that he lost favor with the Pharoah as well as the Hebrews.
His identity as a Prince wasn’t enough and his identity as a Hebrew wasn’t enough.
Wasted he went into the wilderness to live this life out on his own. However, on afternoon a bush burst into flame and more importantly it was not consumed by the flame.
And God drew Moses on to Holy Ground.
Here Moses will receive his call to extract slaves from Egypt and hand deliever a nation to the Promised land.
Moses balked at such a call. And was left with the question...
WHO AM I?
And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
Moses could feel it. His identity had failed him before. Hey they don’t want a Hebrew and they don’t want a Prince so who am I against such a hard case.
I can’t do it: I don’t have the talent.
I can’t do it: I don’t have the words.
I can’t do it: I don’t have the skills.
What Moses forgot is he was asking the wrong question… He needed to remember something very important. It is not about Who Am I. The question is WHO IS HE?
In response to that question we get the famed sentence “I AM THAT I AM”
Hey if your religious experiences are built around the questions
Who am I?
What do I want?
Where do I want to go?
You’re possibly doing it wrong.
When I approach the Bible I want to avoid the growing “Christian” (including Baptists) that start with what does this say about me?
Probably nothing, but it says alot about him. The problem with modern Christianity is that we have little respect for anything that doesnt’ center around me.
When Moses had been centered on his identity for almost 80 years God couldn’t use him. He had to remind Moses your usefulness, your happiness, your future should say less about you and more about me.
So God brings Moses to an acknowledgement of WHO GOD IS? and then memorialises it.
And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
“This is my memorial” God has a memorial for us as His people. You came to God’s house today I have something for you to remember. And that is that he is the I AM… He is the same yesterday today and forever, He will always be good. In his kindnesses he is good, IN his judgement he is good. He is the IAM.
Memorials serve us by working against us.
Memorials serve us by working against us.
Memorials are not a natural thing. We have to stop the work of the country and make time to celebrate we can sometimes.
But what we are doing is making an event or a person the center of our attention. We are making them renown.
Why does God use times of memorial in our lives?
This weekend marks a time of memorial in our country. Because it is good for us to stop and remember. Memorials serve to help a culture and a people, and a community.
Our culture is falling apart as at the seems. I have heard it enough that diversity is our strength. That is bologne. Tell me one time that strength came from diversity.
Jesus asked the question
And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
No memorials help a culture… This is how:
Memorials help us see our place in the bigger picture.
Memorials help us see our place in the bigger picture.
Notice verse 15
I’m the God of Abraham (430 yrs)
I’m the God of Jacob
I’m the God of Isaac (215 yrs)
Now I’m there God...
And I’m the God for all future generations.
If were honest we have a tendency to get disconnected from our purpose and place in the world. Let me remind you that the God of heaven wishes to use us in his master plan. But this is not found through self discovery but in the same submission we find in Moses. A willingness to stop looking at self and a willingness to serve the God of heaven.
Memorials are meant to remind us.
Memorials are meant to remind us.
And remember it They did. You see they were memorializing every Sabbath, sacrifice, and festival. They were memorializing in hte tabernacle, synagogue, and dining table. They were memorializing when they quoted the promises, and listened to the covenant. When they recited the law, and observed its instruction. When they sang their Psalms and read their poetry they were memorializing that Great I am.
THAT GREAT I AM.
You see God did not want the Hebrews to forget the coming promise… They were to keep their eyes open and looking for that Great I AM.
Then one day on a hot road into Samaria came strolling. The Great I AM.
Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
John 8:28
Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.
Jesus said,
I am the Bread of Life
I am the Light of the World
I am the Door
I am the Vine
I am the Good Shepherd
I am the Way the Truth and the Life
As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.
How do we properly use a memorial.
Remember that it is probably not about you. - its about Him.
Then I am free to line my life up by recognizing that I have something greater and better to pursue than these temporal things that will not last.
Remember His overarching purpose.
Let me remind you that tomorrow is not your only Memorial.
Coming to church
Giving generously
Being in his Word Daily
Being in Prayer
Fellowshipping with Believers
Participating in Ministry
These are a memorial that keep me connected to a greater purpose that help me live out something greater.
Daniel and his pulse were a way of tempering Daniel from the million compromises that the world wants him to give into and his very food was a memorial to his commitment to God and his word.
1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Flatter Their Souls with Deeds
How shall we honor them, our Deathless Dead?
With strew of laurel and the stately tread?
With blaze of banners brightening overhead?
Nay, not alone these cheaper praises bring:
They will not have this easy honoring.
How shall we honor them, our Deathless Dead?
How keep their mighty memories alive?
In him who feels their passion, they survive!
Flatter their souls with deeds, and all is said!