Rev. David Holwick S Memorial Sunday
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
May 29, 2011
Deuteronomy 32:7-15
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I. Remembering Day.
A. Heritage is important.
1) One sign a nation is on the downward slope:
In his book "When Nations Die," historian Jim Black cites
10 warning signs a culture is in crisis.
One of those signs is the loss of respect for tradition."
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2) Roxbury is trying to keep one dying tradition alive.
a) Yesterday they used a robo-call to increase interest in
their Memorial Day parade. (Monday at 10:00 a.m.)
b) The parades are only a shadow of what they were in the
past.
3) Today's passage in Deuteronomy 32 commands the Israelites
to remember the past generations.
a) The current generation is supposed to have curiosity.
b) The older generations are supposed to give explanations
of what they experienced.
B. The specific reason for Memorial Day.
1) The historical roots.
The seed for Memorial Day was planted in 1866.
The United States was recovering from the Civil War.
Henry Welles, a drugstore owner in Waterloo, New York,
suggested that all the shops in town close for one day
in honor of the soldiers who were buried in the
local cemetery.
On the morning of May 5, the townspeople placed flowers,
wreaths and crosses on the graves of the Union soldiers.
They also lowered all the flags in the community to
half-staff.
It was not a joyous celebration, but a sober memorial.
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2) Their sacrifices have made our society possible.
One popular writing goes like this:
-- It is the soldier, not the theologian, who has secured
our freedom of religion.
-- It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has secured
our freedom of the press.
-- It is the soldier, not the protestor, who has secured
our freedom to demonstrate.
-- It is the soldier, not the judge or the lawyer, who has
secured our judicial system.
-- It is the soldier, not the entrepreneur, who has secured
our economic opportunity.
-- It is the soldier, whose coffin is draped in the flag,
who has secured freedom for those who wish to burn
the flag.
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3) There is no doubt their sacrifice has had a huge impact.
a) Our wars gave us independence as a nation.
b) Our wars have helped define our values, like freedom.
c) These wars have also helped others experience
those values, even those who had been our enemies.
d) We must acknowledge that none of our wars have been
totally pure, and some were pretty rotten, but we
cannot deny their impact on us.
II. It is just as important to remember those who have died in peace.
A. Civilians can have a greater impact than soldiers.
1) This is not to disrespect those who have served in the
military.
a) My own family is loaded with soldiers past and present.
b) But as intense as wars can be, they tend to be
relatively short-lived.
c) The real work of the nation takes place in the
intervening years, by ordinary people.
2) War is never enough.
a) Sacrifice alone does not keep a nation safe and good.
b) Many countries have lost more soldiers than us.
1> Russia lost millions in World War II.
A> Their country was devastated, but they were
victorious.
B> Their soldiers returned home to a rigid
totalitarian state.
2> Today their country is mired in crime, corruption,
drunkenness, and despair.
A> Russians now have freedom, but the godless
heritage of their recent past haunts them.
B> Winning wars alone did not give them what they
really need.
c) Our spiritual and moral foundations matter more than
military victories.
B. America's civilian heritage.
1) Consider your ancestors.
a) Most of mine were dirt farmers.
1> A few served as soldiers, but most did not.
2> They spread across the nation seeking new
opportunities.
3> None of them got rich as far as I can tell.
4> Their families were stable - and large.
5> I'll bet your ancestors were much the same.
b) Each generation gained something.
1> They tended to be more educated.
2> Personal wealth definitely increased.
A> Homes got bigger.
B> More cars.
3> Yet all these things were means to an end, not the
goal itself.
A> These people came to America for a better life,
a good life.
B> The good life is far more than prosperity.
C> Other values were more important.
2) My early ancestors were religious.
a) The first thing they did in Pennsylvania was build
a log house.
b) The second thing they did was build a German Reformed
Church. (It is still there)
III. Religion has shaped America.
A. Many came here because of religious commitments.
1) Religion here was not forced, but free.
2) People sought out like-minded friends and formed
congregations.
3) As the Spirit led them, they changed their doctrines
and the way they worshipped.
4) Our faith was not rigid but dynamic.
a) Even when it seemed that religion was dying, revivals
would sweep the nation.
b) This has happened many times, including in our own
lifetime.
B. Religion was reflected in our nation's foundation.
1) Many claim that all the Founding Fathers were atheists.
a) Some were, but many were believers.
2) The Declaration of Independence and Constitution reflect
Christian principles about human nature.
a) There is acknowledgement that we answer to a Creator.
b) Our government was given checks and balances because
human nature remains sinful.
c) Yet the ideal of a better government and society is
always held out.
3) Our neighborhoods reflect the outgrowth of these ideals.
a) There is a sense of neighborliness.
1> Perhaps this is not as strong as it was in the
past, but it is still there.
b) We have open yards instead of walled enclosures.
1> We may fear those unnamed criminals, but we tend
to trust those who live next to us.
2> (Bin Laden's compound with 12-14-foot walls - not
at all unusual for that neighborhood.)
IV. What will our generation be remembered for?
A. We owe a lot to past generations.
1) The Greatest Generation is dying off.
2) Howard Jacke and his photos of his LST ship in the Pacific
during World War II.
a) They survived the Depression, won the big war, and
build a prosperous nation.
B. Our challenges may be even greater than theirs.
1) Climate changes and energy scarcity.
2) Rise of China and India as our competitors.
3) The economic shrinking and growing debt of America.
4) Helping the needy and the elderly in a way that is wise
and fair.
C. Our greatest challenge will not be economic.
1) Will we revive our morals and our faith?
a) Keeping our families together.
b) Passing our values on to our kids.
c) Instilling a work ethic.
2) The drift of the churches.
a) Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral is for sale.
The ministry acquired massive debt.
The attendance fell from 10,000 to 1,000.
When the current pastor (his daughter) asked the choir
to pledge to uphold traditional marriage, they
revolted. (it was said to be anti-gay)
Schuller Sr. apparently agreed with the critics.
b) Our church will not be immune to these trends.
1> Our finances and attendance are barely holding even.
2> And these are just outward signs - what do they
indicate about our zeal and commitment to Jesus?
V. We need to get right with God.
A. Deuteronomy 32 stresses what God did for the Israelites.
1) He led them in the wilderness.
2) He provided for them so they prospered.
a) (I like the "heavy and sleek" in verse 15.)
B. How the people responded.
1) They deserted him and forgot him. 32:18
2) They replaced him with the worship of demons.
3) Have you replaced God in your life?
C. Moses challenges them to be wise and understand the consequences.
1) How we treat God matters. 32:29
2) Are you obeying him?
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SOURCE FOR ILLUSTRATION USED IN THIS SERMON:
#26673 “Passing the Baton of History,” by Rev. Kelly Boggs, Baptist
Press, http://www.baptistpress.org, November 2, 2008.
This and 35,000 others are part of the Kerux database that can be
downloaded, absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
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