Worthy of Remembrance

Introduction

Tomorrow is officially Memorial Day.

Memorial (def) That which preserves the memory of something’.

It’s a day that we as a country set aside to remember those who fought and died to deliver and protect the freedoms that we enjoy in this land.

(Ill.) Just yesterday as we were traveling toward in Wheeling I saw a sign that read ‘USS West Virginia Memorial Highway’ (there on I-470). With this message on my mind, I looked up the story of the USS West Virginia. It was a naval destroyer that was built in 1923. It was docked in Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 when Japan launched the attack. It was badly damaged by torpedos and sank in the shallow water - 106 men were killed in the attack. BUT, THAT WAS NOT THE END OF THE USS WEST VIRGINIA! On May 17, 1942, two of the torpedo holes were patched and the USSWV was pumped dry and refloated. Resurrected, you might say.

Over the course of the next 2 years, it was rebuilt and then deployed in 1944 to the Philippians ‘where she led the American line of battle at the Battle of Surigao Strait on the night of 24–25 October. There, she was one of the few American battleships to use her radar to acquire a target in the darkness, allowing her to engage a Japanese squadron in what was the final action between battleships in naval history.’ She would go on to Isupport the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Battle of Iwo Jima, Battle of Okinawa, and was present during the formal surrender ceremonies of Japan on Sept. 2, 1945. She was awarded 5 battle stars despite having missed most of the war. She was decommissioned in 1947, sold off & dismantled in 1959. In fact, if you go down to city park, you can see one of her anti-aircraft guns there on display.

Now church I learned all of that because of a memorial.

Today we’re going to preach for a few minutes on this thought: Worthy of Remembrance.

Throughout Scripture, God lists various memorials for us to Remember.

The first one that we’re going to examine is a Memorial for Deliverance.

I. A Memorial for Deliverance (Ex. 12)

The first memorial that we’ll examine today is the Memorial for Deliverance. God in Ex. 12 commanded the COI to setup a memorial because He wanted them to remember some things. We’re going to look at two.

To Remember their Deliverance from Judgment (v1-14)

As we read in our text, the COI had been enslaved by Pharaoh and the Egyptians for over 400 years. But now God was delivering them from this state.

Remember - Pharaoh was likened unto a god by the Egyptians. He was quite powerful - but he didn’t hold a candle to God!

But it took a Great Act by a Great God to deliver them from that bondage. God pronounced Judgment upon the land upon every firstborn there - Egyptian & Jew alike! But God provided a Lamb! And as long as that lamb’s blood was shed & applied, the Judgment passed over the house!

This was something God wanted them to Remember!

Church let me tell you this: If you’ve been born again, you’ve experienced deliverance from a Greater Judgment that Pharoah - and it’s something that’s worthy to Remember! It would do you good to think back to the time when you were lost & had no hope - a stranger from the covenant & on your way to Hell - but then Jesus sought you out, you placed your faith in Him & saved your wretched soul! That’s something worthy to Remember!

He gave them a memorial to Remember their Deliverance from Judgment

To Remember that Sin was to be Purged (v15-20)

In these verses we see that God was commanding them to seek out & rid their houses of leaven and eat no leaven for the duration of the feast.

Something to note is that leaven is symbolic of sin.

So the overall picture is this:

God delivered the Children of Israel from Bondage - THEN

The COI were to keep themselves from the pollution of sin in their lives.

This is the same principle found in John 8 when Jesus was brought the woman taken in adultery. He stooped down writing in ground with His finger - then one by one her accusers left: Then we see this interaction: Joh. 8:10-11 “When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”

Thank God I’ve been delivered from the Judgment of God as I’ve been saved by the blood of the Lamb - but in Remembrance of this, I should not wallow or entertain sin - I should purge sin from my life and live upright in this sin-sick world!

God gave the Memorial to Remember that Sin was to be Purged.

So we see a Memorial for Deliverance. Secondly, we see a Memorial for Providence

II. A Memorial for Providence (Jos. 4:1-9)

In Joshua 4, the COI have crossed over Jordan and was getting ready to begin the conquest and take possession of the land of promise. After God miraculously parted Jordan - much like He did the Rea Sea - He gave the COI this memorial.

In this memorial we see that God wanted them to Remember how He Provided them a Path

To Remember How God Provided a Path

You had two lands - the land of mediocrity and the land of victory - but there was something standing in the way, and that was the Jordan River.

But if you read Ch. 3, you’ll see that God Provided a Path. He provided a Path from Mediocrity unto Victory - and God wanted them to remember that!

Church, too many Christians live a life of mediocrity. *Don’t forget what these places represent* The Wilderness represents those who’ve been born again but not in God’s Will while Canaan’s Land represents the Christian living in the place God wants them - the perfect Will of God.

Let me ask you this: Where are you living today? Are you living in the land of mediocrity? Have you been born again, but not enjoying the land of milk & honey? Why not? God has provided a path! You don’t have to die in the wilderness, you can conquer Canaan’s Land!

God wants you to Remember that He has Provided a Path

To Remember How God Fulfilled His Promise

After crossing over Jordan, we read that the COI would go on to conquer Canaan’s Land and inherit the land that God promised them. Jos. 12 tells us 31 kings they defeated.

Now you see that these stones would serve not only as a memorial of how God Provided a Path for them, but that God also would fulfill His Promise. Joshua declared by the Word of the LORD in Jos. 3:10 “And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.” and guess what - He did!

They could look back at those stones and remember what God promised them - and see that God fulfills His promises!

Church - what God hath promised He is able to perform! There’s no need to fear, falter or worry - God is ABLE!

We see a Memorial for Providence

A Memorial for Deliverance a Memorial for Providence...

III. A Memorial for Devotion (Mat. 26:6-13)

Moving on to the NT now, in these verses we see a woman wholly devoted unto Jesus - and did what she could to Honor Him. And Jesus noticed! So in this we see that God gave this memorial to Remember that Christ Honors Complete Devotion unto Him.

To Remember that Christ Honors Complete Devotion

He Recognized the Cost

Jesus knew this wasn’t dollar store after shave.

Jesus knew - as did the rest of them - that this was expensive stuff. This was most likely the most precious & expensive thing this woman owned, who probably didn’t own much.

Church let me tell you something - you’ll never out give God. Why don’t you just go ahead and give Him your life - He’s already given you His!

He Recognized the Cost

He Came to Her Defense

When others began to berate and accuse her, Jesus didn’t stay silent - Jesus came to her defense!

They were railing on her - thinking she’s foolish and Jesus said ‘Shut your mouth!’ You’re the one who’s foolish! This woman is honoring me - she’s given me her all, and men will remember this forevermore!

He came to her Defense

He Fulfilled His Promise

So here we are - 2,000 years later remembering what this woman did.

Church, God honors Complete Devotion, but here’s the thing, let me ask you: Are you wholly devoted unto Him? Is He your all? Are you giving Him everything or are you holding back?

God honors Complete Devotion. He remembered hers & gave us this memorial so that we would as well.

A Memorial for Deliverance a Memorial for Providence, a Memorial for Devotion and lastly...

IV. A Memorial for Sacrifice (1Cor. 11:23-26)

This is the perpetual memorial given unto the church. It’s what we will do at the close of service today. This memorial for Sacrifice

It’s to...

To Remember a Body Broken for Us (v24)

Jesus left this ordinance for us as a memorial. So that we’d remember what He suffered for you and I.

The Bible tells of Him being taken, beaten mocked & tried

It tells us of Jesus being scourged at the whipping post

And of the long trod up Mt. Calvary with the Pharisees shouting & the women weeping

The Bible foretold us concerning Jesus: Ps. 22:14-18 “I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint: My heart is like wax; It is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; And my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; And thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: The assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: They pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: They look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, And cast lots upon my vesture.”

History tells us concerning Crucifixion: That the primary cause of death was not blood loss but suffocation. The one crucified would eventually tire and be unable to raise themselves up to breath. It was a cruel, horrible death for anyone to suffer - much less the Son of God!

Don’t forget those words there in 1Cor. 11:24 “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.” ‘FOR YOU’

Jesus’ body was broken - FOR YOU! Don’t forget that!

To Remember the Blood Shed to Wash Us Clean

The Bible tells us of the blood shed from His brow in the garden

And the trail of blood from the garden to the High Priest’s house, where he was mocked & beaten

Then the trail of blood from there to Pilate - then over to Herod & back.

It tells us of the blood shed at the whipping post

Then the trail of blood that led up Calvary

Oh, how the blood would surely drip from His hands to the ground - and how it would run down that wooden cross and pool around the bottom.

Then even after death when they pierced His side and what little blood He had left came forth with water.

That blood was for YOU and for Me!

Col. 1:14 “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”

Rom. 5:8-9 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”

Rev. 1:5 “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,”

1Pet. 1:18-19 “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”

Jesus’ blood was shed so that we could be washed clean from sin! We do this so that we’ll remember what great cost it took for us to be redeemed!

To Remember the Blood shed to Wash us Clean - but not only that

To Remember He Promised to Return (v26)

Church, Jesus is coming back! There’s going to come a day when we don’t have to recognize this memorial - we’re not going to focus on the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World - We’re going to see the ‘Lion of the tribe of Judah the Root of David opening the book & loosing the seals!’

Jesus is coming back! Praise God He’s coming back!!! Remember that!

Conclusion