OPENING STATEMENT: Memorial Day is a day set aside each year to remember and honor all those who fought and gave their lives to bring freedom and democracy.

Why should we remember?

¹² BEWARE, LEST YOU FORGET the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. ¹³ You must fear the Lord your God and serve him. When you take an oath, you must use only his name. ¹⁴ “You must not worship any of the gods of neighboring nations, ¹⁵ FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD, WHO LIVES AMONG YOU, IS A JEALOUS GOD. HIS ANGER WILL FLARE UP AGAINST YOU, AND HE WILL WIPE YOU FROM THE FACE OF THE EARTH.  (Deuteronomy 6:12 NKJ)

The words “never forget” will always be an appropriate slogan for our freedom, for our democracy, and our freedom of religion.

The bottom line is that God wants us to remember and to never forget Him.

Read: Joshua 3:14-17.

The ark of the covenant represents the presence of God. As soon as the priests’ feet touched water, the water parted.

The presence of God made a way where there was no way.

Read: Joshua 4

In Chapter 4, God asks Joshua to do something else – build a memorial

God instructed them to go back into the middle of Jordan where the priests were still standing and gather 12 stones.

God wanted them to always remember where they came from and what He did for them right here in the middle of the Jordan.

God’s instruction here was so simple: Stack Up some Stones here in this place so that you can have a physical and permanent reminder of how awesome your God is.

WHY WAS THAT MEMORIAL SO IMPORTANT TO GOD?

Deuteronomy chapter 6: “Beware, lest we forget”

God did not want this new generation to forget Him.

God was grooming this new generation to become a generation of faith.

WHY ARE MEMORIALS STILL IMPORTANT TO GOD?

TO REMEMBER HIM

 LOOKING UNTO JESUS, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2 NKJ)

TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT HIM

TRAIN UP a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6 NKJ)

TO CELEBRATE WHAT GOD HAS DONE

I WILL TELL of the Lord’s unfailing love. I WILL PRAISE the Lord for all he has done. I WILL REJOICE in his great goodness… (Isaiah 63:7 NKJ)

Sunday Gathering – Communion – Baptism..

⁹ Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day. (Joshua 4:9 NKJ)

I believe those stones Joshua was stacking up, represented God’s promises he has received along this journey.

Invisible to everyone but God!

CONCLUSION

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through this message?