140 years ago our nation began honoring fallen Union soldiers with “Decoration Day,” a day set aside to decorate the graves and remember the courage and sacrifice of our soldiers. In 1971 the name was changed to “Memorial Day” and the respect was enlarged for all military veterans who have died in service to their country.    

Many people also use the day to decorate the graves of deceased family members.

In keeping with tradition, tomorrow our nation’s capital will mark the holiday with a parade and wreath-laying ceremonies, including a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Last week this church honored its active duty military personnel; this week we are discussing building our spiritual memorials. A spiritual memorial is a living memorial to mark the changes that God makes in our lives. These changes usually come after we experience a personal crisis. The crises may be of our own making, or God may bring it about through a major problem in our life.

Building a spiritual memorial is a valuable Biblical concept. Jacob, after whom the Israelites are named, built a memorial at Bethel. This was a major change in his life, which he really needed! To put it plain and simple, Jacob was a mess. His brother Esau (a twin) was born a few moments before Jacob, so Esau had the birthright. This allowed him to inherit the family wealth. Even his birth was significant. Jacob was born with his had his hand around Esau’s ankle! So they named him Jacob, meaning “He grasps the heel”; figuratively this means “he deceives.”

And the boy lived up to his name!  Jacob cheated Esau out of his birthright; Jacob deceived Abimelech, and finally Jacob and his mother deceived Isaac. Because of that deceit, Jacob had to leave the land so his brother would not kill him!

Genesis 28:10-22       

Esau hated Jacob, so Jacob fled to Paddan-Aram to go to his mother’s brother’s house (his uncle).  It was time for God to intervene. Before Jacob got to Laban’s house he had an encounter with God at Bethel. Jacob had stopped for the night.  Although he had stolen the birthright, at the moment he had nothing. When he made camp he used a stone for a pillow so he could sleep. During the night he had a vision of a stairway reaching from earth to heaven. He saw the angel of God going up and down the stair.

At the top of the stairway stood the Lord!

God made some wonderful promises to him. “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it."

He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven."

Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father's house, then the LORD will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth."

So Jacob made this spot a memorial – a place to worship – and he made a vow to God to honor God and to pay his tithes.  Jacob had stolen from his brother, but he had nothing.  God, however, promised him everything….

- IF -

God would take care of Jacob if he would obey –

And Jacob would give tithes of all if God would bless him.

That’s called a covenant. You and I have covenants with God, and we need to keep up our end of the deal.

Twenty years later God was ready for Jacob to return home. By then he had two wives, 11 children and much wealth. However, the trip home was not a pretty scene. First, he had to get away from Laban, and then he had to meet his brother Esau. God worked out both situations, but the process drained Jacob.

In order to try to appease Esau Jacob sent his family all of his animals ahead – with a large gift for Esau.

But God wanted private time with Jacob.  Perhaps you have had similar situations?

Genesis 32:22-32

Jacob stated that he had seen God face to face and lived. One commentator states that God wrestled with Jacob’s soul. In the end Jacob’s name was change to Israel.  (Jacob = “Deceiver”; Israel means “One who struggles with God.”)

Obviously God could have won the wrestling match without any difficulty. The point here is that we have to be persistent in getting some things from God. Jacob needed the struggle, not God.  

God gave Jacob something to remember the incident by, and something to tell his family about:  a limp that Israel had the rest of his life.

Joshua set up a memorial for Israel approximately 500 years later – after the Israelites had spent 400 years in Egyptian bondage, and 40 years in the desert – Joshua led the Israelites through the Jordan River, back into the Promised Land.

At God’s instructions they were to pick up 12 stones from the bottom of the river to set up as a memorial so they could tell their children and grandchildren about God’s power of deliverance.

Thus we see that setting up a memorial is a Biblical idea.

Communion is a memorial where we remember what Christ did for us at Calvary. The cross is a memorial of what Jesus did to purchase our salvation.

A wise family will have a sacred space where they share the things of God – it may be devotions at the kitchen table, it may be a spot in the den, but you should purposely plan to have a time of sharing the things of God.

I like the kitchen table – for there the family can spend time together, and as a sacred space we will not use it for family disagreements! Arguing at meal time is hard on your digestion!

We are to give our lives as a living memorial – gift – to God.   See Romans 12:1,2

In Old Testament Times God came down to visit with man on special occasions; however, since Christ’s work was finished at Calvary, we now have the abiding presence of God at all times.  But we have to “tune in.”  We have to listen to God – and we have to obey Him.

When Jacob met God at Bethel the first time God made some wonderful promises. Twenty years later Bethel was a place of confrontation. Jacob had been a deceiver. Those days were gone. Jacob had allowed his wives to keep idols that they had stolen from their father. Those had to be destroyed.

Jacob had to start walking in line with God’s will for his life.

And that is the purpose of this message. God wants each of us to examine our lives and see if He is pleased with our manner of living. If not, God expects us to make changes – even though it will call for a possible confrontation!

But look at the reward for faithfulness and diligence in the things of God!

Isaiah 30:18-30

Sometimes we as Christians need to stop along life's road and look back. Although it might have been winding and steep, we can see how God directed us by His faithfulness. Here's how F. E. Marsh described what the Christian can see when he looks back:

            The deliverances the Lord has wrought (Deuteronomy 5:15).

                        The way He has led (Deut. 8:2)

                                    The blessings He has bestowed (Deut. 32:7-12).

                                                The victories He has won (Deut. 11:2-7).

                                                             The encouragements He has given (Joshua 23:14).

When we face difficulties, we sometimes forget God's past faithfulness. We see only the detours and the dangerous path. But look back and you will also see the joy of victory, the challenge of the climb, and the presence of your traveling Companion who has promised never to leave you nor forsake you.  Source Unknown. Found at www.esermons.com

May 25, 2008