Let Us Remember

by Micky Galloway

This weekend our nation celebrates Memorial Day. It is a day in which our country remembers the dead servicemen of all wars. Major General John A. Logan celebrated the first official Memorial Day in Waterloo, New York on May 5, 1866 to honor soldiers killed in the American Civil War (World Book Encyclopedia Online Edition). Memorials are found throughout the Bible and history in general. “Memorial” is defined as “serving to help people remember some person or event” (Webster’s New World Dictionary). As citizens in the kingdom of heaven (Hebrews 12:28), a “holy nation” (I Peter 2:9), there are those we must not forget.

Remember those who suffer for the cause of Christ. The brethren in Jerusalem earnestly prayed for Peter, “Peter therefore was kept in the prison: but prayer was made earnestly of the church unto God for him” (Acts 12:5). Paul wrote those in Thessalonica, “For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God” (I Thessalonians 2:9). In Acts 17, while with them proclaiming Jesus to be the Christ, he was rejected and run out of town. His desire was “that no man be moved by these afflictions; for yourselves know that hereunto we are appointed. For verily, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction; even as it came to pass, and ye know” (I Thessalonians 3:3-4). Again he said, “Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?” (II Thessalonians 2:5). The Hebrew writer called upon the Hebrew brethren to “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; them that are ill-treated, as being yourselves also in the body” (Hebrews 13:3).

Remember those who lead us. “Remember them that had the rule over you, men that spake unto you the word of God; and considering the issue of their life, imitate their faith … Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit (to them): for they watch in behalf of your souls, as they that shall give account” (Hebrews 13:7, 17). “But we beseech you, brethren, to know them that labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them exceeding highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves” (I Thessalonians 5:12-13). What could be more encouraging to elders than to see the flock at peace? Paul wanted the Thessalonians to remember him (I Thessalonians 3:6), and called upon the Ephesians to pray for him. “And on my behalf, that utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:19-20). The Hebrew writer called upon the Hebrews to remember the great cloud of witnesses that had gone before, “Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us …” (Hebrews 12:1).

Above all, let us remember Jesus. The Hebrew writer continues, “… looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of (our) faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that hath endured such gainsaying of sinners against himself, that ye wax not weary, fainting in your souls” (Hebrews 12:1-3). As we observe the Lord’s Supper in particular, let us think of the words, “this do in remembrance of me” (I Corinthians 11:24; cf. Luke 22:14-20; Matthew 26:26-28). The purpose of the Supper is that we might remember Jesus. Remember His life: how He cried over Lazarus even though He had power over disease and sin and even death. Remember His compassion for the widow of Nain, the careful attention to small things which brought to His notice the poor widow’s mite. Remember His righteous wrath in cleansing the temple, and His continued mastery over the Pharisees as they tried to humiliate him, His concern for the little man, Zacchaeus, who was hated by everyone else. Let us remember the hours of Jesus’ humiliation and mistreatment during the trials, His glance at Peter as the cock crew, His domination of Pilate in the mock trial, His gracious prayer, “Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Remember His honor and concern for the care of His beloved mother as He hung on the cross (John 19:25-27), His final triumphant shout, “It is finished” as He “gave up the ghost” (John 19:30). How easy it should be to fill our minds with these scenes. Let us remember that it is through Him that we live (cf. John 6:47-58). Jesus loved us enough to freely offer Himself to die for us. “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: for peradventure for the good man some one would even dare to die. But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, shall we be saved from the wrath (of God) through him. For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life” (Romans 5:7-10). We live because someone else died. But we also die so that He may live in us. Paul wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that (life) which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, (the faith) which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20). Further he wrote, “He died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again” (II Corinthians 5:15; cf. Romans 6:2).

Memorials are very important for a nation. While we are remembering those who unselfishly gave their all for our freedoms, let us not forget Him who freed us from the bondage of sin, “the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20).