1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,080 Hey everybody, Pastor Burton here with a quick Memorial Day message for you. 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:11,520 Now, as many of you know, traditionally I would go up in the pulpit, I'd have a Memorial 3 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:15,100 Day message and I would play taps to start off service. 4 00:00:15,100 --> 00:00:20,300 This year, however, I'm traveling, so that was not an option for me. 5 00:00:20,300 --> 00:00:24,020 So instead, I will leave you with this message. 6 00:00:24,020 --> 00:00:30,340 And then from there, you of course can go and celebrate Memorial Day as you see fit. 7 00:00:30,340 --> 00:00:35,760 So Memorial Day, it is a solemn day in which we take time to reflect on the sacrifices 8 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:39,760 of our country's finest warriors who are no longer with us. 9 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:45,480 And while it's clearly a day that impacts our active duty and veterans, I'll remind 10 00:00:45,480 --> 00:00:51,960 you that it's also a day that can be and is often very hard for their widows, widowers, 11 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:57,840 fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, children, and for that matter, all of their family, 12 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:02,000 not only by blood, but their extended family and their friends as well. 13 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:05,960 And for many of them, it's a daily burden. 14 00:01:05,960 --> 00:01:07,500 It's very hard. 15 00:01:07,500 --> 00:01:11,800 So I'll invite you to turn to Jeremiah chapter 9 verse 1. 16 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:18,640 And the Bible says, Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of 17 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:19,640 tears. 18 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:25,800 I would weep day and night for the slain of my people. 19 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:31,960 You see here, Jeremiah recognized that there are limitations on our capacity to weep and 20 00:01:31,960 --> 00:01:39,760 to grieve, yet grief is quite often the price that we pay for love. 21 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:46,400 So I'll remind you to reflect back to Isaiah 6 verse 8. 22 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:53,760 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send and who will go for us? 23 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:57,280 And then I said, Here I am. 24 00:01:57,280 --> 00:01:58,280 Send me. 25 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:05,120 You see, this is the answer that was given by these men and women when our country asked 26 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:07,000 this same question. 27 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:14,640 And for many of them, knowing good and well, that it very well could be a one way trip. 28 00:02:14,640 --> 00:02:23,520 As a church, we need to remember and honor their sacrifice in a spirit of not only gratitude, 29 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:25,240 but of hope. 30 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:32,160 And we need to be thankful that there are still those who would continue to answer this 31 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:41,260 call until the day comes that all wars cease at the coming of Jesus Christ. 32 00:02:41,260 --> 00:02:48,280 Even though they've died, their deaths are not in vain, but rather the price paid for 33 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:58,800 our freedoms, our ability to worship God openly and in safety, a painful gift entrusted to 34 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:02,720 them to deliver from on high. 35 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:10,800 James 1 verse 17, the Bible says, Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down 36 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:18,920 from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 37 00:03:18,920 --> 00:03:22,440 And these gifts are gifts that are given out of love. 38 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:23,440 Think about it. 39 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:25,160 Think about it. 40 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:27,880 We know what this day is all about. 41 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:34,020 However, Memorial Day means many things to different people. 42 00:03:34,020 --> 00:03:43,760 For some, the meaning runs so deep that it's virtually unfathomable to others. 43 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:48,920 You know, I would actually invite you to ask around, ask people that you know, and you 44 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:53,200 will find that you will get different answers from them. 45 00:03:53,200 --> 00:04:02,600 And if you ask a veteran, those answers very well may shock you. 46 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:06,240 So again, gifts that are given out of love. 47 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:15,160 John 15 verses 12 through 13, the Bible says this, This is my commandment, that you love 48 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:19,120 one another as I have loved you. 49 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:25,840 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. 50 00:04:25,840 --> 00:04:32,320 I'll remind you, the greatest treasure that we have on earth, it's not popularity. 51 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:33,840 It's not wealth. 52 00:04:33,840 --> 00:04:39,200 It's not houses, cars, glitz, or glamour. 53 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:44,740 It's the very life we've been given by our Lord. 54 00:04:44,740 --> 00:04:54,720 And its sacrifice shows how far and how deep our love for our fellow man should go. 55 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:56,480 Memorial Day is just that. 56 00:04:56,480 --> 00:05:04,760 It's a memorial that sacrifices have been made for each and every one of us, that God 57 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:11,120 has been, is still, and will always be with us. 58 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:21,060 It's on us to accept the gift of life and liberty, and to live the best life we can 59 00:05:21,060 --> 00:05:27,080 so that others may see light in the darkness.