MEMORIAL DAY!

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it,and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 1Co 11:23-26 

"And Moses said unto the people, ’Remember this day, in which ye came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten." Exodus 13:3

What does Memorial Day mean to you?

Extra time off from work? 3-day weekend? Eating, grilling barbque? Or perhaps what it really was meant to be…a time of remembrance!

Memorial Day, formerly called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. It was first enacted to honor Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the civil war. After World War 1 it was extended honor Americans soldiers who died in all wars.

After the Civil War, Memorial Day was instituted as an act of remembrance and reconciliation. Remember that many fought against their own relations in the Civil War and it was a time of healing and reconciliation. After World War I, Memorial Day became a day of memory and reflection.

We can list three things to bear in mind here:

1. Remembrance
2. Reconciliation
3. Reflection

Over the years traditional observance of Memorial Day has diminished, with most people no longer remembering the meaning and traditions of the day.

However today as we remember and honor those who fought and died on behalf of freedom we also need to ensure that we learn and never forget that the price of freedom is the shedding of blood! Men and women shed their blood and died. Freedom costs and we should never forget it, should never take it lightly, and should never let its value be diminished. Every American ought to recognize this day in honor of those who spilled their blood to make America what she is today--free, strong, and a nation worth fighting for.

Because men have died for this country, we have the right to preach God’s word freely. We have the right to live at peace in our own homes. We have the right to pursue peace, prosperity and happiness. 

Memorial Day is a time when we remember a sobering fact: 

 The Preamble to the "Declaration of Independence" - the unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America begins like this:

When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. 

The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America, says,

 We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. 

Glenn Beck of the Fox News Show by the same name outlined nine (9) principles that we should believe in today:

(1)   America is a good place - not perfect - but good;

(2)   Believe in God and make Him the center of our lives;

(3)   Try to be a better, more honest person than we were yesterday;

(4)   The family is sacred - the husband and wife are the ultimate authority;

(5)   If we break the law, we must pay the penalty - Justice is blind and no one is above it;

(6)   We have a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness - and, not a guarantee of equal results;

(7)   We must work hard for what we have - and, we will share it with whomever we want to - government cannot force us to be charitable;

(8)   It is not un-American to disagree or to share our opinions; and,

(9)   The government works for us - we do not answer to them - they answer to us!

Just as Americans need to remember and reflect on the significance of Memorial Day even so all Christians who name the name of Christ need to remember that Jesus suffered and died on our behalf so that we can enjoy freedom from Sin, Satan, Death and Hell. In examining the three things above that we're exhorted to bear in mind we apply them to our Messiah and how they relate to us.

1. REMEMBRANCE.

We are adjured to remember the sacrifice Christ made on our behalf. And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 1Co 11:24-25

The Israelites were also commanded by Moses to remember the Passover and the day when they came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage by the hand of God. "And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten." Exodus 13:3

The Messiah is our Passover having shed His blood as redemption’s price. “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:” 1Co 5:7

1. RECONCILIATION.

We also bear in mind that through Christ we have been reconciled to God and now walk in His freedom

“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” 2Co 5:19 

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. Heb 2:14-18

1. REFLECTION

We need to think upon, consider and meditate on the finished work of Christ and what it means to us today. We need to let this reflection result in our motivation. “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. Heb 3:1-2

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” Heb 12:1-4

Reflection also implies beholding an image in a mirror and in like manner we should behold Jesus continuously in his Word allowing the Spirit to change us into that same image “For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2Co 3:11-18  

“But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” Jas 1:25

We are therefore reminded to:

Gal 5:1  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Gal 5:13-26  For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.  14  For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  15  But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.  16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.  18  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.  19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,  20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,  21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  24  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  26  Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Rom 8:14-21  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.  16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.  18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.  19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.  20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,  21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.