In the above passage. Paul is instructing his young Pastor friend how to conduct himself and to cause other Christians to remember the things that they have been taught, as Christians.

Memory can be a wonderful thing. Because of it:
a, We fall in love c. We have children e. We have wonderful experiences.
b. We get married d. We have friends

Some memories can be horrific, sad, and traumatizing but, through it all, God gave us the ability of memory.

Memory is good how else would you know that a red light means to "STOP"!

What if you could not remember your wife's birthday? Your anniversary?????

There are events that we should never forget and Memorial Day is one of them. I can remember going to "Decoration Day", services, as it was once called, ever since I was a small boy, with my folks.

Memorial Day was called "Decoration Day" for many, many years. It started after the Civil War when the people would decorate the graves of the Union and Confederate Soldiers killed in battles, in the South.
It was called "Decoration Day" until it was designated as a National Holiday in 1967.

God gave us many examples of "rememberances in the Bible.

A, Genesis Chpt. 9 vs-11-13 God set a rainbow in the heavens as a covenant never to destroy the earth again with a flood.

B, Joshua, Chpt. 4 vs-1-7, when Joshua crossed the Jordan river on dry ground and he told each man from each tribe if Israel, to pick a stone from the river bed and carry it to the other side. There they made a monument unto the Lord and they were told when they were asked what these stones were by their children, they were to call their rememberance of God's provision for them when crossing the River Jordan.

There are 3 special times that we should remember in Scripture. There are many I could list but, I have chosen these three to build on.

I. The Feast of Passover:

The children of Israel had been in captivity by Egypt for 400 years. God sent a deliverer, a man named Moses.
Read this story in Exodus Chpts, 7 through 12. Moses was sent unto Pharoah and he refused to let the Children of Israel go, God sent the 10 plagues against Egypt, with the last one being the death of first born in all of Egypt. God gave Moses specific instructions as to what to do before this last plague came upon Egypt. They were to take a lamb, kill it, drain it's blood into a basin, take the blood and place it on both sides and over the door frame of their houses. They were to roast the lamb and eat it. God said "When I see the blood, I will Pass Over you. 3500 years have passed and Orthodox Jews yet today, celebrate Passover in rememberance of this very event.

II. Day of Worship:

Genesis says that God created for 6 days then, rested. This day was to be called the "Sabbath" Day. The day of rest.

It was also included in the tablets of Stone, that God gave Moses. It was the 4th Commandment. "Remember the Sabbath day and to keep it holy".

There are many different takes, reasons, etc. on those who argue whether Saturday or Sunday is the Sabbath day and I do not wish to get into all of that.

The point is, we should have a day of rest, a day of worship of God and for God, for all the blessings and His goodness towards us. It's a shame that many today go day after day, week after week, month after month and never give God the Glory, the thanks , the adoration and worship that He so deserves.

III. The Meal of Rememerance:

This is the last meal Jesus spent with His disciples prior to His arrest and Crucifixion. Jesus knew what lay ahead of Him. He knew who would betray Him. He knew who would deny Him and, He knew all would forsake Him yet, He showed them love and compassion. They forsook Him but, they were never forsaken of Him.

He paid the only, atoning Sacrifice, acceptable unto God, for the sins of mankind. This is why Jesus told his disciples "I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14: vs-6.

If there was any other way, to obtain salvation, Christ would have never had to endure what He did, die, and raise again.

This Monday, we remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms that we as Americans have today. These men and women, gave their lives that we might have a better life.

They gave their tomorrows, that we might have today.

I am proud of our military men and women of the United States of America. When I see a soldier in uniform, I walk up to them, shake their hand and thank them for their service to our country.

Tomorrow, I preach a funeral for a lifelong friend of mine, who was a veteran of Vietnam. He lost an older brother there. His high school friend was killed in Vietnam and he escorted his body home then, he went back to Vietnam to finish his duty there. I wrote a poem about these two young men, framed it and gave it to their mothers. In 1970, when my friend came home from Vietnam, he and I spent 7 months together, reliving the horrors of this war. My friend never bragged about what he did there. He just did his duty as he was ordered to do, He was a good soldier, a good husband and, a great friend.

My grandfather fought in the Civil War with U.S. Grant. My half-brother fought in Sicily and Italy in W W 2 and
my nephew was a Marine in Vietnam. All were proud of the RED, WHITE and BLUE.

Let us never forget the sacrifice of the brave men and women of our military for the freedoms that we have today and, let us never forget, that the price for salvation was paid for by the precious blood of Christ.

Freedom is Never Free, it costs a price.

Have a safe and a great holiday weekend.

Oldbiker