A Memorial Day Message

Reading of the Old Testament Scriptures – Deut. 10:12-21
Reading of the New Testament Scriptures – Galatians 5:13-26

A Memorial Day Message
“That They Not Die in Vain”
Psalm 85:1-13

   Americans can and should debate the merits of entering into war, but there should be no debate about our debt to those who answered the nation’s call to war, and in doing so, sacrificed their lives.

• Over the past century, more than 35 million men and women answered the call to arms, and more than a half-million of them never came home.
• Some died in battle; some died in captivity; some died of physical, mental or emotional wounds that would not heal. But this one thing they all had in common – they all died too soon.
• Memorial Day is a time to be set aside to pause and remember those fallen heroes.

A brief history of Memorial Day:

• Some say it began in 1867 when the “ladies of the South decorated the graves of the Confederate dead!” However, there were similar activities in the North!
• Some say it began in 1868 when General John Logan declared May 30^th as the first Memorial Day and gave orders that flowers be placed on all of the graves in the Arlington National Cemetery.
• New York was the first state to officially observe Memorial Day, but by 1890, all states had joined in.
• Memorial Day was officially declared a national holiday by Congress in 1971; to be observed on the last Monday in May!

A brief background to Psalm 85:

• Most likely written by David when the Jews were being oppressed by the Philistines.
• There is the voice of the patriot – calling his people to revival; to see and appreciate God’s blessings.
• There is the voice of the prophet – telling them of God’s promise of peace for those who submit unto God.

The parallels and applications to our day:

• As believers – we have been blessed by God like no other people on earth, but we have taken those blessings for granted, and we are in need of revival.
• As God’s Church – rather than seeing ourselves as His Church in the world, today’s Christianity is all about bringing the world into the Church, and therefore we are in need of a revival.
• As a nation – America is the only nation established as a “Christian Nation” – to “glorify God”, to “work for the advancement of the Christian Faith”, and “as a colony in the name of God”, but America has turned its back upon God, and in desperate need for revival.

“The future of America will either be national revival or total destruction. If we want to see God bless America again, the Church must lead the way to the altar in confession and in genuine repentance!”  – wje

1. The Psalmists Remembered the Past – Vs 1-3 – Vs 1 – “Thou hast been favorable unto thy land!”

   David remembered being in captivity and out of fellowship with God, and then he remembered how God’s favor was expressed toward them in restoring that fellowship by:

• Forgiving their iniquity and covering their sins
• Taking away His wrath and turning away His anger.

   On a personal level:

• Do you remember what it was like to be out of fellowship with God because of your sin, and without hope of restoration?
• In Revelation 2:5, the Apostle John listed the three steps to repentance and reconciliation: Remember, Repent, and Return.

   On a national level:

• For at least the first 100 years, Americans reflected their “God-Blessed” nature by living in a way of life that was totally different from any other nation.
• The ideal of “liberty and justice for all” was the theme of life that every community celebrated, and every man protected, even if it required their own lives.

 2. The Psalmists Reflected on the Present – Vs 4-7 – Vs 4 –“Turn us, O God of our salvation!”

   Even though David was thankful to God for returning them to the land, he also knew the people were not truly right with the Lord – they needed a “national repentance”

• David also knew that such an experience could not be “man-driven” – it could only come from God Himself, which is why he cried out to God for revival.

   As we see the level of ungodliness today, even among those who claim to be Christians, we can see the need for a genuine, heaven-sent, Holy Spirit Revival in America.

• General John Bagot Glubb identified the six stages in the rise and fall of all the great empires of the world:
• The Age of Pioneers – those who came to America with their dreams, their desires and their faith in God.
• The age of Conquest – those who faced the enemies to forge out a new nation from a barren wilderness.
• The age of Commerce – the homesteaders, the discoverers, the developers; those who knew how to turn a “way of life” into “making a living”!
• The age of Affluence – the population turned from their faith in God to the pursuit of personal pleasure.
• The age of Intellect – the population turned from the pursuit of the knowledge of God to the pursuit of the knowledge of man and about man.
• The age of Decadence – the lowering of basic moral standards and a growing obsession for sex.

   Having removed God’s Word as the absolute Standard of Truth, the values of society are subject to one’s worldview.

For the true Christian:

• Nothing is gained by the pursuit of temporal happiness, for they know it is only for a season.
• Nothing is gained by the pursuit of earthly goals, for they know it is all fleeting.
• Everything is gained by seeking FIRST “The Kingdom of God and His righteousness” and trusting God to add to his life all the things he needs to survive in this earthly kingdom, until the day the Lord calls him to enter into that heavenly kingdom.

3. The Psalmists Rested in God’s Plan– Vs 8-13– Vs 8 – “I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people!”

   Having expressed the need for genuine revival, and having determined that such a revival could only come from God, David outlined his plan of action, which we must follow:

• He would conform his own life to the truth of God’s Word!
• He would walk in God’s ways in his own life as an example to others.
• He would contemplate on God’s Wonders.
  • His grace – that connects His truth with His mercy.
  • His goodness – even in the times of His discipline.
  • His guidance – that is not always the absence of conflict, but it always the assurance of His presence.

   No one knows the future for America, save God alone, but if God allows us to recover, it will require two things:

• A revival of our trust, our faith and our hope in the God of the Bible.
• A revival in that original vision of what it means to be an American.

SUGGESTIONS FOR CELEBRATING MEMORIAL DAY!

• Wherever you are, STOP at 3:00 PM and thank God for His continued blessings upon us; asking Him to be near to those families who will be reminded of their loss today.
• Attend or participate in the Memorial Day Parades, or services, or concerts. The 37^th annual National Memorial Day Concert will be broadcast on PBS at 8:00PM Sunday night!
• Post your American Flag, and make sure it is lighted at night!
• Interview your relatives who have served in the military, and record those memories for future generations. Some of them may be reluctant to share their memories, especially if they involved the horrors of war, but at least ask them to.
• Gather their former uniforms, hats, insignias, ribbons, commendations, pictures, etc., and make a display of them.
• In view of the discovery of neglect at many of the Veteran’s Hospitals, perhaps you might visit those veterans who are hospitalized, or volunteer to be of assistance.
• Our nearest VA Medical Center is 1826 Veteran’s Blvd., Dublin, Georgia
• You might call before making a visit to see if there are regulations and restrictions. (478) 272-1210