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...the Bible tells me so:
A Fitting Memorial
The terrorism of 9/11 rattled
The difference between the heroes and victims of 9-11 terrorism is simple.
The passengers of American flight 93 were heroes. They gave their lives to
prevent another plane crashing into a strategic
Without any fanfare, the damaged portion of the Pentagon was rebuilt according to the needs of military personnel serving there. There were no news reports of preserving the damaged area as a memorial to the victims.
All of this talk reminds me of the memorial I am to build.
Almost one week before Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross for you and me, He was a dinner guest in the house of Simon the (former) leper (Matthew 26:6-16; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:1-8). Lazarus was present along with his two sisters, Mary and Martha, and Jesus’ disciples. Martha was serving dinner.
Mary, O Mary, what a stir you caused! You took a sizeable bottle of very expensive perfume. You broke it open. You poured it all over Jesus’ head and feet. Now our nostrils are filled with its aroma.
The disciples, especially Judas, complained bitterly, "How many poor people could have been fed with the money fetched from selling the perfume?" (People have not changed. They are still jealous about how others spend their money.)
Jesus responded to their selfishness, saying,
"Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for Me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have Me. She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her." (Mark 14:6-9 NRSV)
Jesus was not saying, "Don’t take care of the poor." Instead He said that His death was, at that time, most important.
At a time when Jesus was no longer present on the earth, Luke tells us about another very generous soul. He wrote,
"In
Such a good man, how would God respond?
"One afternoon at about three o’clock he had a vision in which he clearly saw an angel of God coming in and saying to him, ‘Cornelius.’ He stared at him in terror and said, ‘What is it, Lord?’ He answered, ‘Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.’" (verse 3-4; see verse 31).
To make a long story short, Cornelius sent for Peter. As Peter preached, God poured out His Holy Spirit on Cornelius and his family. Peter recognized that God accepted them and that they believed in Jesus and turned away from their sins. He immersed them in water and they were saved (10:34-11:18; see 15:7-9).
I know that Cornelius was a Gentile. Up to that time, only Jews had become Christians. I also know that Cornelius’ piety reminded God to fulfil His promise to Abraham for blessing all nations, not just the Jews.
What I want you to know is this: Cornelius generously helped the poor and constantly prayed to the God of Israel. Will generosity and prayer cause God to remember me and what I need? Yes, indeed. May my prayers and my alms ascend "as a memorial before God."
Much of Paul’s ministry centered on caring for the poor (Acts 11:27-30; 12:25; 24:17; Romans 15:25-28; 1 Corinthians 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8:1-4; 9:1, 2, 12; Galatians 2:10).
Paul quoted Jesus directly in only two places in Scripture. As he encouraged
the older leaders from the congregation of Christ in
"You know for yourselves that I worked with my own hands to support myself and my companions. In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ " (Acts 20:34-35)
Paul concluded his exhortation with prayer (verse 36).
Elsewhere Paul said, "Help the weak" (1 Thessalonians 5:14), and "Pray without ceasing" (verse 17).
What memorials to God are you building? Will you rebuild the
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