A day of remembrance

A means of remembering, someone or something

Began as Decoration Day, during the Civil War

Evolved into hot dogs, furniture sales, and Indy Races

With man and every beast of the earth…

And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future

generations: 13 I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth... And the waters shall never

again become a flood to destroy all flesh. Genesis 9:12-13, 15b

A lesson in God’s everlasting promises in every rainstorm

On the eve of the 10th plague, a plan for a festival week

This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you

shall keep it as a feast. Exodus 12:14

A lesson that a memorial can be a matter of life and death

…of 12 stones, where He had parted the Jordan for Israel

 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had stood;

and they are there to this day. Joshua 4:9

A lesson that each generation needs memorials of the past

…of an altar of remembrance, not to be used for offering

but we did it from fear that in time to come your children might say to our children, ‘What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel? 25 For

the LORD has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you, you people of Reuben and people of Gad. You have no portion in the LORD.’ So your

children might make our children cease to worship the LORD. 26 Therefore we said, ‘Let us now build an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for

sacrifice, 27 but to be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we do perform the service of the LORD in his

presence with our burnt offerings and sacrifices and peace offerings, so your children will not say to our children in time to come, “You have no portion in

the LORD. Joshua 22:24-27 A lesson that memorials can be misunderstood, understood wrongly

…of the Lord’s death, and proclaiming His return

and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way

also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim

the Lord's death until he comes. 1 Corinthians 11:24-25

A lesson that memorials can include ALL the aforementioned lessons

On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked

with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until

midnight. Acts 20:7

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of

Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of

Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with

the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their

God, and they shall be my people.34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for

they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will

remember their sin no more.”Jeremiah 31:31-34

For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment

on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.

1 Corinthians 11:29-30

like the rainbow- is lasting till the end of time

like the Passover- is a matter of life and death

like the stones- can be new for each generation

like the altar- can be misunderstood

ideally- includes all this & is more important

than any