Memorial Day

Memorial Day

By William M. Self

Give thanks today for the sacrifices made for you

Those sacrifices were made so you could have a better life

So make sure you enjoy today

And share that joy with others

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is the unofficial beginning of

the summer and America’s most solemn Holiday.

The last Monday of May is a day to honor men and

women who died while serving in the American Military.

How do you honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice?

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day.

It originated in the years following the Civil War.

A day to decorate the graves and memorials of our fallen soldiers.

Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or

memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades.

How do you honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice?

To honor is to give thanks.

God’s Word, the Bible tells us to be a grateful people.

To give thanks… in fact to find a way to give thanks in everything.

 War, battles, strife, can fill the mind and heart with hurt and pain.

Suffering that darkens our lives making

it very hard to have a heart of gratitude.

I think the Scriptures not only tell us to give thanks,

but give us a real example of how to give thanks and

 honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

In 1 Corinthians 10, we read about

the observance of the Lord’s Supper…

 

Communion, Koinonia, Fellowship,

Participation in the death of Jesus Christ.

 Christians are to commemorate

“The Ultimate Sacrifice” Jesus dying for the World.

 

The Cup in this solemn ceremony

 is called the cup of thanksgiving.

This cup represents the blood of Christ

 poured out at His death on the cross.

Bread is eaten with the cup and represents Christ’s

body, but also the purpose for which He died…

To make one people, one nation, to bring

 everyone together functioning as one body.

As Christian Americans, we should take what we have learned

from the One who made the ultimate sacrifice for the World.

We should join fellow Americans in the giving

 thanks for those Americans who made the

ultimate sacrifice for this nation with their blood…

And work together to become one nation as

we share in the benefits of their sacrifice.

God bless America

May the blood of our American

soldiers never be sacrificed in vain. 

Scripture Reading

1 Corinthians 10:16-17 NIV

16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give

thanks a participation in the blood of Christ?

And is not the bread that we break a

participation in the body of Christ?

17 Because there is one loaf, we,

 who are many, are one body, for

we all partake of the one loaf.

1 Corinthians 10:15-18 NLT

 16 When we bless the cup at the Lord's Table,

aren't we sharing in the benefits of the blood of Christ?

 And when we break the loaf of bread, aren't

 we sharing in the benefits of the body of Christ?

17 And we all eat from one loaf,

 showing that we are one body.

18 And think about the nation of Israel;

 all who eat the sacrifices are united by that act.