Memorial Day Sermon 5-30-05
Genesis 2: 7
Text Scripture:
Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Intro:
Those of you who know much about me … know that as a general rule … I despise preaching Holiday or Theme Sermons … and I generally don’t!
However, today I feel the Lord has specifically led me to preach a Memorial Day Sermon.
Now, I suppose, that if I am going to preach a Memorial Day
Sermon, it would be altogether proper and fitting for us to learn a little
about Memorial Day:
In 1865, Henry C. Welles,
a druggist in the village of Waterloo, NY, mentioned at a social gathering that
honor should be shown to the patriotic dead of the Civil War by decorating
their graves.
In the Spring of 1866, he again
mentioned this subject to General
John B. Murray, Seneca County Clerk.
General Murray embraced the idea and a committee was formulated to plan
a day devoted to honoring the dead.
Townspeople adopted the
idea wholeheartedly. Wreaths, crosses and bouquets were made for each veteran's
grave. The village was decorated with flags at half-mast and draped with
evergreen boughs and mourning black streamers.
On May 5, 1866, civic societies joined the procession to the three
existing cemeteries and were led by veterans marching to martial music. At each
cemetery there were impressive and lengthy services including speeches by
General Murray and a local clergyman. The ceremonies were repeated on May 5,
1867.
The first official
recognition of Memorial Day as such was issued by General John A. Logan,
first commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. This was General Order No. 11 establishing
"Decoration Day" as it was then known. The date of the order was May
5, 1868, exactly two years after Waterloo's first observance. That year
Waterloo joined other communities in the nation by having their ceremony on May
30.
Since May 5th,
1866, America has set aside a day of remembrance for her war dead.
There has been 651,008 Battle
Deaths in all wars (excluding the current war in Iraq) since the War Between
the States.
But as my father stated so well last night … when
we spoke on the phone … It is not merely about the dead … but those who were left
behind … wives who lost husbands … sons and daughters who lost parents … It
is about remembering the tremendous sacrifices paid by all!
It is not my intention
today to slight any service member who served in any war … ALL
OF YOU ARE HEROES!
Now, I know that by this time many of you are wondering how
in the world I am going to tie this scripture in with Memorial Day and the
GREATEST GENERATION … hang on!
In the text scripture I’ve read today we see where God did three things:
Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
1: He formed
2: He breathed
3: He caused man to “become”
The thesis or though of the sermon is simply this: The actions of One caused another to become.
I want to pose a soul-searching question today: How many
people are not “alive” (figuratively speaking) today because we have refused to
form them and breathe into their nostrils the breath of life?
1: He Formed
Gen. 2:7: (a) And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground
The word “formed” literally means: To mold into a form through squeezing into shape … like a potter.
§ At the dawn of time … the Creator God formed man into a shape that pleased Him.
§ The creation wasn’t yet alive … therefore he had no say in his shape
§ The actions of the One Creator God … forever shaped the man.
Sixty plus years ago, on battlefields far away … by his actions … my father was forming me. Because of his actions I had the opportunity to “become” who I am today.
Note: He didn’t make me who I am … he merely gave me the opportunity to “become.”
The older I get the more I realize that not only do I
physically carry his DNA, it is also
prevalent in my mind and in my spirit.
1: He Formed
2: He Breathed
Gen. 2:7: (b) and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life
The word breathed in this passage means: Puffed
The phrase Breath of Life means: Divine Inspiration
Creator God “Puffed” “Divine
Inspiration” into the nostrils of a molded lump of clay called: MAN … and MAN
BECAME … what he previously was not …
alive!
1: He Formed
2: He Breathed
3: Man Became
Gen. 2:7 (c) and man became a living soul.
Man was filled with Divine Inspiration … not Devine Constraint or Devine LIMITATION … but DEVINE INSPIRATION!!!
Creator God placed within the man all he would ever need to become what the Creator desired him to be!
I’m glad that my earthly father placed within me the things I would need to become who God wanted me to be.
Sometimes
he resorted to CONSTRAINT AND LIMITATION (WHUPPINGS) … but he got it in me!!!
*And
I’m of the strong opinion that if we had a few more squalling babies today …
we’d have a whole lot less squalling parents tomorrow!!!
My father placed things within me like:
§ Love (There was never a time in my life that I doubted my father’s love for me, my momma, and my siblings.
§ Honesty
§ Trustworthiness
§ Respect
§ Manners
§ Discipline
§ Work Habits
And on and on I could go …
These things didn’t guarantee success
… but they sure stacked the deck in
my favor!!!
Memorial Day is a day of commemoration for those who have died in the GREAT WARS that secured America’s freedom.
However
… today we are engaged in another GREAT WAR … A SPIRITUAL WAR!
This war will not only determine
America’s freedom and fate … but this war will determine the freedom and fate
of the world … for this and all future generations!
This war is not for land or some political ideal
It is neither a Republican War nor a Democratic War
It is not a Racial War
It is not a Social War
It is a Spiritual War … the War of the Ages
A battle or good versus evil
It is a battle for the souls of men, women, boys, and girls … who Without Jesus … will die and go to an awful place called hell!
It is a battle to:
§ Love the unlovable
§ Forgive the Unforgivable
§ To reach the unreachable
§ To teach the unteachable
§ To feed the hungry
§ To clothe the naked
§ To comfort those who mourn
§ To do good to those who despitefully use us
§ And to love our neighbor as ourselves
This is the battle in which we are engaged!
There are two questions that beg an answer:
1: Are we forming and breathing Divine Inspiration into the lives of those in our sphere of influence?
2: Years from now … will history judge us as Christianity’s Greatest Generation?
Will they refer to us as the Generation that Saved Christianity?
If we are to reach our generation for
Jesus, and form the possibilities for future generations to know Him … WE MUST CONDUCT OURSELVES AS THE GREATEST
GENERATION CONDUCTED THEMSELVES!
We must become Spiritual Soldiers that mimic the character of the WWII heroes:
1: We must realize that Forming the
lives of others and breathing Divine Inspiration into them: IS OUR SACRED DUTY AND PRIVILEGE… NOT OUR
CHOICE!
I’m positive that it wouldn’t have been my father’s choice to spend four years island hopping in the Pacific!!! But he felt it was his duty!!!
2: We must develop the attitude that we: DO WHATEVER IT TAKES!
3: We must learn to: Endure the Hardships! … DON’T QUIT!!!
4: We NEVER FORGET the Price that was paid for our freedom (Calvary)
5: We honor the Heroes of the Faith … by “Becoming” what the Creator placed within us to be!
Start Closing:
As I begin to close this most unusual
sermon today, I do so by again posing the question: Are we breathing the Breath of Life into those in our sphere
of influence … or are we breathing in the poison of sin?
§ One day a harlot (caught in the act) was brought to Jesus … He breathed the breath of Life into her!
§ He encountered the Woman at the Well … He breathed the breath of Life into her!
§ He brought Zaccheaus down out of his tree … And breathed the breath of Life into him!
§ He encountered a funeral possession one day … touched the bier …stopped it … and breathed the breath of Life into the young man!
§ In 1973 He encountered Aaron McCollough at Bethel Chapel Baptist Church in LaGrange, Georgia … HE BREATHED THE BREATH OF LIFE INTO ME!
§ A lifeless lump of Clay … who knew no real joy … came to life!!!
§ I have never been the same!!!
ILLUSTRATION:
Toy Story
Woody and Buzz LightYear
Stamped on his foot in indelible ink: PROPERTY OF!!!
Joy is not about what we can or cannot do … IT’S ABOUT WHOM WE BELONG TO!!!
ILLUSTRATION:
Velveteen Rabbit
REAL
Are we breathing life or the poison of sin into others?
§ Hatred
§ Judgmentalism
§ Racism
§ Unforgiveness
§ RELIGION and not Salvation
And on & on I could go.
One day I will stand before God …
If I am to hear those words: WELL DONE MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT …
§ I must learn to form lives …
§ I must learn to Breath Divine Inspiration into those I can reach
§ I must learn to be patient and allow them to “become”
§ I must learn to not breath the poison of sin into their lives
CLOSE:
A few years ago I attended the funeral service of a Giant of the Faith: Rev. Heflin Daniel
Draped across his coffin was a Christian Flag
The flag stated the message very clearly:
§ He was a solider in God’s Army
§ He was a fallen soldier on a foreign battlefield
§ But he had fought many battles
§ Endured much pain
§ Won great victories
I hope that when my time comes to meet my Maker …
I will have lived a life true enough to Christ that my wife and children will feel comfortable draping my coffin with Christian Battle Flag!
The flag will state the message very clearly that I wish to convey to this world:
§ He was a solider in God’s Army
§ He was a fell on a foreign battlefield while in service for his Lord
§ He had fought many battles
§ Endured much pain
§ But won great victories
I hope my children will tell my grandchildren:
§ Your Paw-Paw didn’t view his Christianity as a choice … he viewed is as his solemn duty and privilege!
§ He did whatever it took to Form others and Breath Divine Inspiration into their lives!
§ He endured the hardships
§ He enjoyed the beauty
§ He never forgot the cost of his salvation
§ Honor him by “becoming” the person the Creator “formed” and “Divinely Inspired” you to be!
In Flanders fields
the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel
with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields. John McCrae
Are we forming, breathing, and allowing to become, a generation that we can pass the torch, from our failing hands?
Will they call us the greatest generation?
The torch has been passed to us … WHAT WILL WE DO WITH IT?
Preached: 5-29-05 @ East Vernon Baptist in LaGrange, Georgia.