It Shall Be A Memorial…
Memorial Day is a day that America sets aside to remember those who have given their lives in the cause of gaining and preserving freedom. It’s like a monument. The Idea is that we would have a day off to celebrate liberty and remember the price of such a blessing.
The Idea of setting up monuments of remembrance or setting aside a day to remember is not new. God has been doing this for centuries.
Joshua 4:19-24—God wanted the Israelites to always remember that He had parted the Jordan River and let them walk across on dry ground to He commanded that they bring 12 stones from the middle of the river and set them up as a remembrance.
“When Israel obtained special victories after leaving Egypt, memorials were preserved of these victories. Moses and Joshua were commanded of God to do this, to build up remembrances. When the Israelites had won a special victory over the Philistines, Samuel set up a commemorative stone and called it Ebenezer, saying, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us" (1 Samuel 7:12).
Oh, where, as a people, are our commemorative stones? Where are set up our monumental pillars carved with letters expressing the precious story of what God has done for us in our experience? Can we not, in view of the past, look on new trials and increased perplexities-- even afflictions, privations, and bereavements--and not be dismayed, but look upon the past and say, "’Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.’ I will commit the keeping of my soul unto Him as unto a faithful Creator. He will keep that which I have committed to His trust against that day. ’As thy days, so shall thy strength be.’"—Ellen White Selected Messages Book 3 p. 320.
Many Verses In The Bible Ask Us to Remember
Here is a short list of some of them:
* Deuteronomy 6:10-12—When you prosper don’t forget God.
* Numbers 15:37-41—Tassels were to be put on the garment to remind them of God’s law.
* Deuteronomy 4:9—Don’t forget what you have seen or let it slip out of your mind. Teach it to your children.
* 1 Chronicles 16:12—His Miracles
Some Specific Things God Asks Us To Remember
Exodus 20:8-11—We are to remember Creation and our Creator by observing the Seventh-day Sabbath.
1 Corinthians 11:24, 25—We are to remember our Lord’s death by observing the “Lord’s Supper.”
Many, if not most, Americans enjoy having Memorial Day off but they’re so busy having fun or catching up on the household chores that they don’t stop to really think of why it is a Holiday. Unfortunately many Christians do the same. We get so busy in our lives that we forget what God has done for us in the past. To us is given a warning:
Hebrews 2:1—If we don’t pay attention to what we’ve heard we will drift away. Most of us wouldn’t intentionally turn and walk away from our redeemer but it is easy to forget and slowly drift away.
It’s easy to forget the meaning of the Sabbath, the Lord’s Supper, Baptism or any other thing that has been set up to remind us of an important event or truth but it is also very dangerous.
When we cease to remember we will soon forget that we have forgotten. That is we won’t remember what we are to remember.
2 Chronicles 34:18-21—The Israelites went so far that by the time of King Josiah they didn’t even know what God had commanded. When Josiah heard the scriptures read it was brand new to him.
Revelation 2:4, 5—If we have slipped in our walk with God, He invites us to remember where we once were, repent and turn to Him.
How to remember:
1. Read God’s Word
2. Set up monuments, things that will remind you of things that God has done for you.
3. Save pictures (scrap-booking)
4. Journal, write down what God has done.
5. Think about God’s commands and blessings
6. Tell others about God’s commands and blessings.
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Listen to this sermon in real audio or view the handout at http://sandhillssda.org/sermons/memorial.html
