Memorials

by Jeff Curtis

     In Genesis chapter 23, Sarah dies and Abraham established a permanent memorial for her. He didn’t simply want a resting place for her body, a place that easily be forgotten by future generations. Instead, he bought a piece of property that had a cave on it – a permanent burial site that his descendants would always remember as the place where the mother of a great people lay.

     An important part of biblical faith involves memorials to people that God blessed and used in history to fulfill His purposes (Hebrews 11). Believers should be encouraged to remember and recommit themselves to the faith of our physical and spiritual ancestors. Nothing is wrong with having a burial plot with a marker to identify the site where a loved one is buried. It is a way of honoring those who have gone on before us. It is a way to honor the life they lived. It is a way to remind us who we are, where we came from, and where we are going. This is especially true if the deceased was a faithful child of God, as was Sarah, because it encourages us and gives us direction and purpose in life.

     Memorials in the Bible were not solely to exalt people. Even the “heroes of faith” (Hebrews 11) sinned and fell short of God’s will for their lives. David, for example, has been identified as “the greatest saint and the greatest sinner in the Bible.” Seventy-three psalms are attributed to him, but so are the sins of adultery and murder (2Samuel 11:2-4; Psalm 32; 51). Of the apostles Paul is singled out often as the one who did more to spread the Gospel than any of the others. While that may be true, it is his quick temper that caused him to part company with Barnabas, his former co-worker, rather than share the second missionary journey with John Mark; who had turned back from their first journey (Acts 13:13; 15:36-41).

     The most meaningful memorials in the Bible were not limited by time or tied to special places. To the contrary, they involved acts of worship in remembrance of the great and mighty acts of God that stirred believers’ hearts to gratitude and led them to praise Him on special days and in meaningful ways.

    The deeper significance of a memorial observance is found in the Passover and the following week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread, both of which were simply referred to and “Passover” by the first century. Moses instructed the Israelites about the Passover observance, “Remember this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of slavery; for by a powerful hand the Lord brought you out from this place” (Exodus 13:3). He went on with further admonition; “You shall tell your son on that day, saying, “It is because if what the Lord did of me when I came out of Egypt” (Exodus 13:8).

     In a sense, Christians do the same thing in worship, by memorializing the cross of Christ. In a sense, we were all there because His cross was really our cross. We were the ones who deserved to die; but He took our place, bearing “our sins in His body on the cross” (1Peter 2:24). He is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). This is why Paul could say to the Corinthians, “Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed” (1Corinthians 5:7). He told the Galatians, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20).

     The same principle is true regarding the Lord’s Supper. It is a living memorial to the body and blood of Christ, which Christians in all places are to observe until the end of time. In the upper room, the Lord took the bread and said, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19). Then He said of the fruit of the vine, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28).

     When Christians partake of the bread and fruit of vine, the past sacrificial offering of the body of Jesus on the cross and pouring out of His blood for the remission of sins are reenacted in the present.

     In a dynamic way, the past becomes present in the hearts and lives of God’s people; it molds and shapes us so that we live in hope and expectation of the future coming of the Lord and our resurrection unto eternal life.

Adorning the Doctrine

By Jeff Curtis

     Titus chapter 2 has been called “one of the gems of the entire New Testament.” In the first part of this chapter, Paul gave instructions to different people in the church. He gave this reason for his directions: so, Christians would “adorn the doctrine” (2:1-10).

     We should note that the idea of “adorning the doctrine” doesn’t mean we are capable of making God’s doctrine more beautiful. Since it’s from God, His teaching is already beautiful and beyond compare. There is no way any of us could improve on the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12) or the chapter on love (1Corinthians 13).

     In what way, then, can we “adorn the doctrine”?

1. We can help people understand what the Bible teaches. Jesus in His “Great Commission,” commanded His disciples to “go” and to “teach” (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16).  We are disciples today are obligated to share the “good news” and make an effort to bring people to Christ.

In bringing people to Christ, we can teach them the Gospel and help them to see and appreciate the beauty of God as this message is put into practice in their lives.

2. We sing a song in our hymnal on page 620; “Room in the Kingdom.” This song lets us know there are any number of things that we can do to help the kingdom of God to grow.

There are any number of things we can do to help the kingdom to grow at Eastside. When it comes to “doing” for the work of the church, we as individuals, are our own worst enemies. We get in our own heads and discourage ourselves to the point where we are convinced, we can’t do anything to help the church or others to grow. Time will not allow us to look at all the things we can do. We need to set aside (sacrifice) some time to get to work. It only takes just a minute to send a card, to send a text, to send an email.

We may think we don’t have time, or that someone else is more qualified. These things may seem insignificant to you. They’re too small, what does it really matter. But, you know, when this virus first hit, Brother Danny Law stood and made a statement. He said, “This doesn’t mean much unless it hits close to home.”

It is very similar to sending a small note to someone who is missing, for whatever reason. It may seem silly, times consuming or unnecessary, until you need a card with a message from a brother or sister in Christ, trying to encourage and help to strengthen you spiritually.

     In the final chapter of Titus, Paul includes one of the most profound and beautiful passages in the Bible. These verses have been called, “the essence of the Gospel.” In chapter 3:1, Paul “reminds them… to be ready for every good deed.” Then in 3:8, he said, “speak confidently, so they will be careful to engage in good deeds.”

     First Paul gave examples of “what” good deeds are (3:1,2). Then he gave the theological basis for “why” Christians are to do good deeds (3:3-7). Paul closed the letter with his final instructions for Titus in 3:8-16. Here we learn that Titus was limited in the time he had to accomplish his task. We, too, are limited in the time we have to accomplish our task. This world will end someday, and how will answer about missed opportunities. There is room in the kingdom, for the small things you can do. Now, go and do them.