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MEMORIAL DAY AND THE MEMORIALS GOD HAS GIVEN US

Memorial Day is a special time in America when we pause to remember the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.  It's a day of honor, gratitude, and reflection.  As flags wave and families gather, our thoughts turn to sacrifice and remembrance.

This theme of remembrance runs throughout the Word of God.  The Lord knows how easily people forget His works, His goodness, and His sacrifice.  Because of this, God has given memorials to help His people remember.  Among the most important memorials given to the church are the Lord’s Supper and baptism.

 The Importance of Remembering

Memorial Day reminds us that freedom comes at a cost. Brave men and women laid down their lives so others could live in liberty. In an even greater way, the Bible teaches that our salvation came at the highest cost of all—the blood of Jesus Christ.

The Bible says, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;  [19] But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." (1 Peter 1:18–19)

So remember the Saviour who gave His life for the sins of the world.

 The Lord’s Supper: A Memorial of Christ’s Sacrifice

The Lord’s Supper is one of the clearest memorials God has given His people. On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus took the bread and the cup and told His disciples to observe this ordinance in remembrance of Him.

The Bible says in Luke 22:19-20, "And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. [20] Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you."

The Lord’s Supper reminds us of the broken body and shed blood of Jesus Christ. It brings our hearts back to Calvary and reminds us that redemption was purchased through His suffering.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:26, "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come."

Each time believers partake of the Lord’s Supper, they are remembering the gospel message: Christ died for our sins, gave Himself willingly, and is coming again.

Baptism: A Memorial of Death, Burial, and Resurrection

Baptism is another memorial that points directly to the gospel of Jesus Christ. It does not save the soul, but it is a public testimony of what Christ has already done in the heart of the believer.

The Bible says, "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4)

Baptism is a picture of death, burial, and resurrection.  When a believer is lowered into the water, it symbolizes burial with Christ.  When raised up again, it pictures a resurrection to new life.  It also declares that the believer now belongs to Him and is to walk in newness of life.

 Memorials That Keep Christ Before Us

God’s memorials aren't empty rituals. They are sacred reminders that keep spiritual truth before us. In a busy, distracted world, the Lord’s Supper and baptism call us back to the foundation of our faith.

Just as Memorial Day reminds a nation of sacrifice, these ordinances remind the church of the greatest sacrifice ever made. The Lord’s Supper points us to Christ’s body and blood. Baptism points us to His death, burial, and resurrection.

So this Memorial Day, let us pause not only to honor those who gave their lives for our nation, but also to thank God for the memorials He has given His people.