Sermon Tone Analysis

EVERY DAY IS MEMORIAL DAY

AND WITHOUT CONTROVERSY GREAT IS THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS: GOD WAS MANIFEST IN THE FLESH, JUSTIFIED IN THE SPIRIT, SEEN OF ANGELS, PREACHED UNTO THE GENTILES, BELIEVED ON IN THE WORLD, RECEIVED UP INTO GLORY.

INTRODUCTION

In April 1863, in Columbus, Mississippi, after decorating graves of her two sons who died representing their beloved south-land, an elderly woman walked to two mounds of dirt at the corner of the cemetery to place memorial flowers there also.

"What are you doing?" friends shouted, "Those are the graves of two union soldiers."

Softly that compassionate mother said, "I know.

I also know that somewhere in the North, a mother or a young wife mourns for them as we do for ours."

That loving deed set in motion our celebration which has become known as Memorial Day.

We honor the war dead once a year, but their sacrifice is evident every single day of the year!

Today, we want to honor the memory of all those who have sacrificed their lives on the altar of freedom.

Those thousands of sacrificed lives were not given in vain!

Because of their sacrifice, we are free today and have the right to assemble ourselves together and worship our God.

Think of the numbers of those who died to preserve the freedoms we enjoy today:

Today, I do not want to diminish the sacrifice and service of those men and women who have served our nation so faithfully and so valiantly, but I want to talk about one great Soldier.

Civil War 498,332

World War I 116,710

World War II 407,316

Korean War 54,546

Vietnam War 58,098

First Gulf War 293

Iraq War 819

Today, I do not want to diminish the sacrifice and service of those men and women who have served our nation so faithfully and so valiantly, but I want to talk about one great Soldier.

This great Soldier stepped onto a harsh battlefield one day.

He took up arms and entered the fight knowing that it would cost Him everything.

This Soldier bravely entered that battlefield and won a great victory, but at a terrible price.

This Great Soldier gave His life, not for a nation, but for all humanity.

His was not a life given in vain, but the sacrifice of His life served to set free the captives of sin.

For the child of God, Every Day Is Memorial Day.

We need to remember the sacrifice of Heaven’s Greatest Soldier.

Today, let us remember a man named Jesus and the sacrifice He made for us all.

The verse before us today is probably and ancient hymn of the early church.

In its six short stanzas, it tells us all about the Gospel of grace.

A HYMN OF THE CHURCH

1 Timothy 3:16

As everyone must confess, great is the secret which God has revealed to us in our religion:

He who was manifested in the flesh:

He who was vindicated by the Spirit:

He who was seen by angels:

He who has been preached among the nations:

He in whom men have believed all over the world:

He who was taken up into glory.

I would like to look at this brief, but powerful song.

I want to share three great blessings that are made plain through these words.

I would like to look at this brief, but powerful song.

I want to share three great blessings that are made plain through these words.

I want to tell you why I say that Every Day Is Memorial Day.

I. MAY WE ALWAYS REMEMBER HIS APPEARING

In the text it said “God was manifest in the flesh” reminds us of one of the greatest events in human history.

It reminds us of the moment when the Creator, God Himself, stepped out of eternity into time and came into this world as a human baby.

Right at the beginning, it stresses the real humanity of Jesus.

It says: Look at Jesus, and you will see the mind and the heart and the action of God in a form that everyone can understand.

A few things that we must notice here:

A. Jesus Laid Aside His Heavenly Address

Like every soldier who has ever served in the armed forces, when Jesus came to this earth, He also left His home.

He had, from all eternity, lived in Heaven.

He had existed in a place of perfection, free from sin, pain, suffering and sorrow.

He originated in a land where He was exalted, honored and worshiped.

Yet, He willingly left all that behind to enter this sin cursed, hate filled world.

He came to a world where even those who had longed for His appearing would reject Him.

He came into the very world He created, but the world didn't recognize Him.

He came to His own people, and even they rejected Him.

He came to a land where He would be ridiculed, hated and killed.

Yet, He came anyway!

God came to the earth and He robed Himself in human flesh.

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He came to a land where He would be ridiculed, hated and killed.

Yet, He came anyway!

God came to the earth and He robed Himself in human flesh, ; .

He lived as a man among men and died as a man to redeem man from his sins!

May we never forget that our Savior is no ordinary man, but He is God in human flesh!

So the Word became human and made His home among us.

He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.

And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son.

He lived as a man among men and died as a man to redeem man from his sins!

May we never forget that our Savior is no ordinary man, but He is God in human flesh!

Every day should be memorial day!!

B. Jesus Laid Aside His Heavenly Apparel

When a soldier enters the army, he ceases to wear the same clothes he wore as a civilian.

He put on the uniform of his nation.

When Jesus came into this world; He willingly concealed His heavenly fame within and earthly framework.

He took upon Himself the body of a man.

Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.

Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.

When He appeared in human form,

He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross.

Here was God, the Creator of the universe, born as a baby in Bethlehem.

Here was God, who was the maker and owner of the earth, with no place to lay His head.

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Here was God, the Creator of the universe, born as a baby in Bethlehem.

Here was God, to Whom belonged the earth and the fullness thereof, with no place to lay His head, .

Here was God, Who had made everything that was, and Who said, “If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine and the fullness thereof,” , absolutely dependent upon a human mother for His necessary food.

But Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay His head."

Here was God, Who had made everything that was absolutely dependent upon a human mother for His food.

Because Jesus left heaven and came into this world, He knew pain, suffering, rejection, hunger, thirst, loneliness, and many other of the problems that are part of the human condition.

Jesus suffered all that He did so that He might feel our pain and know how to comfort us when our trials come.

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.

This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin.

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.

There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

When Jesus came into this world as a man, He lived His life as a man.