Christian Memorials

SERMON STARTER

Mark 14:1-9

 

A memorial is something that STIRS the MEMORY!

An 80-year-old man went to the doctor for his annual check-up. The doctor gave him a good bill of health.   Then, he asked him if he exercised to keep in shape The man replied that he played a little golf.

The doctor told him to keep it up, and come back in a year. The man asked,

"Doc, will you do me a favor?  I need you to do something about ny vision, I'm not seeing too well these days!"

The doctor replied,

"Sorry, friend, there's not much I can do, because ofyour age.”

The patient begged,

"Doc! You've gotta do something! I LOVE to play golf! I can't give it up just because I can't see the ball!"

The doctor thought a minute. . .

"Well, maybeI CAN help you, after all!

I have a patient who is 82 years old, who has perfect vision! Maybe between the twoof you, you can work something out!

So, the 80 year old man agreed, and the doctor called the older fellow with the good eye sight.

The two men got together, and agreed to play a strange game of golf together with one being the golfer, and the other the eyes.

The 80 year old struck the first ball, and asked the older fellow:

“Did you see it?  Can you see the ball?”

To which the older fellow replied:

“Yes, I see it!  That was great!”

“Well, where is it?  Where did it land?”

“I forget!”      MEMORY IS TRICKY!

All of us have experienced problems with memory!

You are talking with a friend, and suddenly, embarrassingly, you forget what you are saying!

Let's not forget those who laid down their lives for us. 

Pastor Phil  <><<

 

May 25, 2019, Sheepfold Ministries

pastor Phil Roland  <><<

 

Christian Memorials

Mark 14:1-9

"Memorial Day is a day of remembrance of those living and dead, who have sacrificed and denied themselves that we might enjoy the fruits of peace and freedom. They are our Christian Memorials."          Pastor Phil Roland

 

Memorial Day was begun by Presidential Proclamation, May 30, 1868, and was set aside to decorate the graves of the Confederate dead. 

“A Memorial is something that preserves remembrance, and brings to mind an event or a person.  It is a boost to the memory.”

 

Four characteristics of Christian Memorials:

I.  CHIRSTIAN MEMORIALS ARE COSTLY - v.3b

3 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.

          A.  S A C R I F I C E -  It Must Cost Something To Remember

                    1. In our culture the item's cost determines its value

                    2. I have a Last Supper piece of art given by a friend                                                a. It consists of more than 50,000 faceted beads

                              b. It's relatively inexpensive to buy in a kit form

                              c. Diamond Painting requires T-I-M-E and patience

                              d. It's a costly memorial to her sacrifice

          B.  Mary of Bethany probably used her own Burial Materials

                    1. In our culture bodies are either embalmed or refrigerated

                    2. In hot Middle Eastern climates decomposition is immediate

                    3. The death odor is masked for a time with sweet smelling oils

          C. Mary's gift was extremely costly

                    1. How costly is your service to the King of Kings.

                    2. Ministry when done to Jesus Himself will cost everything

 

Another characteristic of Christian Memorials:

II.  CHIRSTIAN MEMORIALS RISE UP TO GOD - v.3

3 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.

          A. Sweet Smelling Oil of Nard Rose Upward

                    1. Spikenard's use: Herbal medicine / in anointing the dead

                    2. It has a strong musky order similar to Valerian Root

                    3. Its fragrance is both sweet and earthy

                    4. In Chinese it's called "Gan Song" which means Sweet Pine

                    5. Consider how many flowering plants were harvested

                    6. Consider the cost to produce a pound - Eg. Oil of Lavender

CHRISTIAN MEMORIALS, p.2

 

          B. Frankincense was an incense, meant to be burnt/used up

                    1. Frankincense is the dried sap of trees in the Boswellia                                         genus, particularly Boswellia sacra

                    2. These trees grow in Oman, Yemen and the Horn of Africa,                                   including Somalia and Ethiopia

                    3. Biblical Significance

                             The Magi's Gifts to the infant Jesus symbolise  three aspects                                        of Christ's future life: gold representing kingship,                                                           frankincense (worship) and myrrh (death and mourning).

          C. Meat Offerings were the most expensive sacrifices - Lev. 2:1,2

                    1 'When anyone offers a grain offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of

              fine flour. And he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it.

              2 He shall bring it to Aaron's sons, the priests, one of whom shall take

              from it his handful of fine flour and oil with all the frankincense. And the

              priest shall burn it as a memorial on the altar, an offering made by fire, a

              sweet aroma to the LORD.

                    1. Smoke from the meat, a pleasing aroma, rises up

                    2. On His Cross Jesus was offered wine and myrrh to drink

                                        23 Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did                                 not take it.   Mark 15:23
                    3. Thought to have mood-altering properties

                    4. Jesus refused it, choosing to feel the Suffering of His Cross

          D. Jesus was God's Meat Offering

                    1. He became a Sweet Smelling Savior to God

                    2. His Sacrifice bought us Salvation

                    3. The U.S. soldier's sacrifice has bought us Freedom

                    4. We remember those who became a sacrifice for us

                                        13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for

                          his friends.

 

Another characteristic of Christian Memorials:

III.  CHIRSTIAN MEMORIALS ARE REACTIVE - v 4

4 But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted?

          A. People react to Extravagance

                    1. Three-Hundred Pence = A Year’s Wages

                    2. In the U.S. Today that would be $47,000

                    3. Mary's Gift got a reaction from Jesus' adversaries

                    4. She put her treasure where her heart was - Matt. 6:21

                                        21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

5. Where is your treasure?

                    6. The U.S. Servicemen and women believe in sacrifice

          B. Any act of Love or Sacrifice for Christ will get a Reaction

                    1. People believe in sacrificing for themselves - Eg. "Get Me"

                    2. Bigger House, boat, car. . .the list is endless

                    3. Sacrificing for Christ will be viewed with contempt

CHRISTIAN MEMORIALS, p.3

 

Another characteristic of Christian Memorials:

IV.  CHIRSTIAN MEMORIALS REFLECT THE PERSON - v.9

9 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her."

 

          A. Mary of Bethany Becomes Herself A Memorial

                    1. Role Model of how to sacrifice for Christ

                    2. Not with Masochistic Self-Abasement

                    3. But freely giving where her heart was

          B. Jesus Christ is God’s Memorial For All Mankind For All Time

                    1. Moment of Silence To Honor Specific Men

                    2. Thank God for Their Willingness to Give Themselves

                    3. Thank God for “Mary’s Gift”

 

 

 

 

MEMORIAL GIFTS ARE COSTLY

 

 

 

 

 

CHRISTIAN MEMORIALS, Text:

Mark 14:1-9 (NKJV)
1 After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death.
2 But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people."
3 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.
4 But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted?
5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they criticized her sharply.
6 But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me.
7 For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.
8 She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.
9 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her."

November 11, 2007 - Sheepfold Ministries

Pastor Phil Roland

 

A GRATEFUL NATION

“We are most grateful for those who have some unreservedly poured out their lives so that we may continue to enjoy the privileges of freedom.”        Pastor Phil

 

I.   INGRATITUDE IS THE ATTITUDE OF THIS WORLD

A. Paul’s Prophesy of this present age - 2 Tim 3:1-5

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be

lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,  treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.”

B. Paul’s description is in our daily (Bad)Newspapers

 

II.  GRATITUDE IS THE ATTITUDE OF THE KINGDOM

          A. Early Christians were grateful to God – Colossians 3:13-17

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you

were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly

as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord

Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

B. They were grateful and gave verbal thanks to God – 2 Cor. 2:14-16

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.

For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and

those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the

fragrance of life.”

 

III.  WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THOSE WHO SACRIFICE

          A. Grateful for those who lay down their lives - John 15:13

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

         B. Veterans have done this for us – Romans 12:1

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as

living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.”

         C. We are to follow their example

                    1. Obedient to go where we are needed

                    2. Laying down our lives for one another

 

IV. WE ARE GRATEFUL TO JESUS CHRIST FOR HIS SACRIFICE

A. He is a veteran who gave Himself fully to free us from sin

B. His sacrifice has set us free 

C. His salvation is his priceless gift

A GRATEFUL NATION, Text:

 

1 Timothy 2:1-7

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone--

2  for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

3  This is good, and pleases God our Savior,

4  who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

5  For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

6  who gave himself as a ransom for all men--the testimony given in its proper time.

7  And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle--I am telling the truth, I am not lying--and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.