OUR FITTING MEMORIAL

#1 · June 1, 2010, 2:50 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on June 1, 2010, 2:50 pm
Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>

OUR FITTING MEMORIAL

May 30, 2010

TEXT: Deuteronomy 11:13-21

We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us! It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.

This is language we dont hear too much in our day. At many turns, public declarations calling upon the mercy of God for our nation are met with resistance and court challenges. We know of organizations who would take a public official to court for such utterances. Yet this portion of a larger address came from a president who is treated with honor across most political boundaries. This proclamation of March 30, 1863, was delivered by President Abraham Lincoln while appointing a National Fast Day. President Lincoln went on to declare, Now, therefore, in compliance with the request, and fully concurring in the views of the Senate, I do, by this my proclamation, designate and set apart Thursday, the 30th day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting and prayer. And I do hereby request all the People to abstain, on that day, from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite, at their several places of public worship and their respective homes, in keeping the day holy to the Lord, and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties proper to that solemn occasion. We cannot even begin to imagine a contemporary president making such a proclamation on behalf of this nation, can we? As the Bible teaches, though, such a proclamation would be a most fitting memorial.

This is our Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day was established to honor United States veterans who have died in wars. The custom of decorating the graves of fallen soldiers began soon after the Civil War. In 1868 General John A. Logan, commander in chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, named May 30^th the day for decorating the graves of Union soldiers. That date may have been chosen because that was the date of discharge of the last Union volunteers following the Civil War. Over time, Memorial Day has become a day to remember both our veterans who sacrificed their lives during service to this great nation and those who currently are placing their lives on the line to defend this great nation. We are afforded the opportunity to remember our past and honor our heritage.

As fitting as it is to honor those who have served and are serving in our Armed Forces, we should remember an even more fitting memorial. Like President Lincoln, we do well to remember that every benefit and blessing this land bestows upon us, its citizens, is derived from the benevolent hand of the Living God. So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. (Deuteronomy 11:13-15)

Long before they stepped foot into the land God promised them, the Israelites were reminded to remember God. They were to never forget that their freedom came from Him. They were never to forget that their wealth came from Him. They were never to forget that their daily bread came from Him. Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. (Deuteronomy 11:18-21) Concerning the relationship of the Israelites with God, every day was supposed to be Memorial Day. It would do us well in our own land to make every day a Memorial Day with God as well. It is, after all, our fitting memorial.

While reviewing the Old Testament in preparation for the Bible study in Hosea, I was starkly reminded of the importance of the faithfulness of the king. As God dealt with Israel, He promised blessings to the nation when the king was obedient, and He promised judgment on the nation when the king disobeyed and did evil in His sight. Whether we think this fair or not, it is the way that it was. There were certainly Israelites who remained faithful in their love for God. There were certainly citizens who obeyed the commands they received from God. There were certainly citizens who honored God with a fitting daily memorial. Yet, if the king did evil in the sight of the Lord, Israel faced the judgment of God. Look at 1 Kings 16:29-33. This tells us of one incident out of many during the history of Israel: In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years. Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him. He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than did all the kings of Israel before him.

Even though there remained Israelites faithful to God we know this from 1 Kings 19:18 where God encourages Elijah, telling him, Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him the sad fact is that as the king led, so followed most of his subjects. If the king led them toward God, then the people walked closer with God. If the king led them away from God, then his subjects turned their backs upon God, too. Sad, but not surprising. Not many people wanted to displease a king. The repercussions could be significant. What they failed to remember was that while Ahab was king of Israel, the Lord was King of kings. If they wanted to keep from displeasing their king, they should have remembered that. It would have made a fitting memorial.

We must not become trapped in false thinking that the Bible testimonies are merely ancient history with no meaning for us. This dynamic of leaders and followers has not changed much, even in places and times where national leaders are not kings but elected officials. We all recognize that no person is holy or righteous or good when compared to the Lord. The Apostle Paul made that clear throughout his letters. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the worst. (1 Timothy 1:15) So we are all sinners, but we can still tell if a king or a president or a government is doing good or evil in the sight of the Lord. The actions of this nations leadership over the past few months have convinced me that they are angering God. Is it obedient or disobedient to force every citizen to pay for abortion the killing of innocent life? Is it obedient or disobedient to pass new policies and laws that encourage homosexual and other deviant sexual behavior? Is it obedient or disobedient to refuse to acknowledge the salvation love of Jesus Christ yet turn around and speak praises about other religions that seek to destroy human life? If you think that these actions of men and women throughout many levels of our governments today represent obedience to God, then feel free to tell me I am wrong, and that I should take a different look at this. But when I read todays news in light of the truth of Gods Word, I do not find very many of our leaders who fit the mold of those striving to please God. I certainly do not find many in the highest offices in this nation willing to issue a proclamation anything like that declared by President Lincoln.

Consequently, I see a nation that is filled with citizens turning their own backs more and more against God as they follow the creation and not the Creator. Look at the vulgarity that has infiltrated our entertainment, our communities, and even our schools. Look at the expanding selfishness of those who expect entitlements in the place personal responsibility. Look at the hateful attitudes openly born against those of us who do and say things in the name of Christ. We cannot even celebrate a day of prayer as a nation without it becoming a courtroom battle. President Lincoln would never have understood such a thing. Neither would have most, if not all, of those who sacrificed their lives in the Civil War. But, as the Old Testament shows, as go the leaders, so goes the nation.

The point to remember is that all of our national blessings begin not with our Armed Forces, as honorable as they are, but with the provision from the bountiful hand of God. It is unfortunate that we fail to take seriously the bountiful hand of God, and that we have, as President Lincoln reminds us, forgotten Him. On this Memorial Day, and beyond, let us also remember our fitting memorial, which is to rest humbly in the hope authorized by the Divine teachings, as spoken by President Lincoln and to teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. (Deuteronomy 11:19-21) On Memorial Day, we remember our commitment to God, which is our fitting memorial.

Rev. Charles A. Layne

First Baptist Church

179 W. Broadway

PO Box 515

Bunker Hill, IN 46914

765-689-7987

bhfbc@bhfirstbaptist.com

www.bhfirstbaptist.com

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Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>

May 30, 2010

TEXT: Deuteronomy 11:13-21

We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us! It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.

This is language we dont hear too much in our day. At many turns, public declarations calling upon the mercy of God for our nation are met with resistance and court challenges. We know of organizations who would take a public official to court for such utterances. Yet this portion of a larger address came from a president who is treated with honor across most political boundaries. This proclamation of March 30, 1863, was delivered by President Abraham Lincoln while appointing a National Fast Day. President Lincoln went on to declare, Now, therefore, in compliance with the request, and fully concurring in the views of the Senate, I do, by this my proclamation, designate and set apart Thursday, the 30th day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting and prayer. And I do hereby request all the People to abstain, on that day, from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite, at their several places of public worship and their respective homes, in keeping the day holy to the Lord, and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties proper to that solemn occasion. We cannot even begin to imagine a contemporary president making such a proclamation on behalf of this nation, can we? As the Bible teaches, though, such a proclamation would be a most fitting memorial.

This is our Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day was established to honor United States veterans who have died in wars. The custom of decorating the graves of fallen soldiers began soon after the Civil War. In 1868 General John A. Logan, commander in chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, named May 30^th the day for decorating the graves of Union soldiers. That date may have been chosen because that was the date of discharge of the last Union volunteers following the Civil War. Over time, Memorial Day has become a day to remember both our veterans who sacrificed their lives during service to this great nation and those who currently are placing their lives on the line to defend this great nation. We are afforded the opportunity to remember our past and honor our heritage.

As fitting as it is to honor those who have served and are serving in our Armed Forces, we should remember an even more fitting memorial. Like President Lincoln, we do well to remember that every benefit and blessing this land bestows upon us, its citizens, is derived from the benevolent hand of the Living God. So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. (Deuteronomy 11:13-15)

Long before they stepped foot into the land God promised them, the Israelites were reminded to remember God. They were to never forget that their freedom came from Him. They were never to forget that their wealth came from Him. They were never to forget that their daily bread came from Him. Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. (Deuteronomy 11:18-21) Concerning the relationship of the Israelites with God, every day was supposed to be Memorial Day. It would do us well in our own land to make every day a Memorial Day with God as well. It is, after all, our fitting memorial.

While reviewing the Old Testament in preparation for the Bible study in Hosea, I was starkly reminded of the importance of the faithfulness of the king. As God dealt with Israel, He promised blessings to the nation when the king was obedient, and He promised judgment on the nation when the king disobeyed and did evil in His sight. Whether we think this fair or not, it is the way that it was. There were certainly Israelites who remained faithful in their love for God. There were certainly citizens who obeyed the commands they received from God. There were certainly citizens who honored God with a fitting daily memorial. Yet, if the king did evil in the sight of the Lord, Israel faced the judgment of God. Look at 1 Kings 16:29-33. This tells us of one incident out of many during the history of Israel: In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years. Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him. He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than did all the kings of Israel before him.

Even though there remained Israelites faithful to God we know this from 1 Kings 19:18 where God encourages Elijah, telling him, Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him the sad fact is that as the king led, so followed most of his subjects. If the king led them toward God, then the people walked closer with God. If the king led them away from God, then his subjects turned their backs upon God, too. Sad, but not surprising. Not many people wanted to displease a king. The repercussions could be significant. What they failed to remember was that while Ahab was king of Israel, the Lord was King of kings. If they wanted to keep from displeasing their king, they should have remembered that. It would have made a fitting memorial.

We must not become trapped in false thinking that the Bible testimonies are merely ancient history with no meaning for us. This dynamic of leaders and followers has not changed much, even in places and times where national leaders are not kings but elected officials. We all recognize that no person is holy or righteous or good when compared to the Lord. The Apostle Paul made that clear throughout his letters. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the worst. (1 Timothy 1:15) So we are all sinners, but we can still tell if a king or a president or a government is doing good or evil in the sight of the Lord. The actions of this nations leadership over the past few months have convinced me that they are angering God. Is it obedient or disobedient to force every citizen to pay for abortion the killing of innocent life? Is it obedient or disobedient to pass new policies and laws that encourage homosexual and other deviant sexual behavior? Is it obedient or disobedient to refuse to acknowledge the salvation love of Jesus Christ yet turn around and speak praises about other religions that seek to destroy human life? If you think that these actions of men and women throughout many levels of our governments today represent obedience to God, then feel free to tell me I am wrong, and that I should take a different look at this. But when I read todays news in light of the truth of Gods Word, I do not find very many of our leaders who fit the mold of those striving to please God. I certainly do not find many in the highest offices in this nation willing to issue a proclamation anything like that declared by President Lincoln.

Consequently, I see a nation that is filled with citizens turning their own backs more and more against God as they follow the creation and not the Creator. Look at the vulgarity that has infiltrated our entertainment, our communities, and even our schools. Look at the expanding selfishness of those who expect entitlements in the place personal responsibility. Look at the hateful attitudes openly born against those of us who do and say things in the name of Christ. We cannot even celebrate a day of prayer as a nation without it becoming a courtroom battle. President Lincoln would never have understood such a thing. Neither would have most, if not all, of those who sacrificed their lives in the Civil War. But, as the Old Testament shows, as go the leaders, so goes the nation.

The point to remember is that all of our national blessings begin not with our Armed Forces, as honorable as they are, but with the provision from the bountiful hand of God. It is unfortunate that we fail to take seriously the bountiful hand of God, and that we have, as President Lincoln reminds us, forgotten Him. On this Memorial Day, and beyond, let us also remember our fitting memorial, which is to rest humbly in the hope authorized by the Divine teachings, as spoken by President Lincoln and to teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. (Deuteronomy 11:19-21) On Memorial Day, we remember our commitment to God, which is our fitting memorial.

Rev. Charles A. Layne

First Baptist Church

179 W. Broadway

PO Box 515

Bunker Hill, IN 46914

765-689-7987

bhfbc@bhfirstbaptist.com

http://www.bhfirstbaptist.com

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To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: abesermons-unsubscribe@welovegod.org