Stones of Remembrance

Stones of Remembrance

November 21, 2011

I love this time of the year! Thanksgiving week kicks off the holiday season! So many memories and so much to be thankful for! The day my parents brought my brother home and I held him for the first time. Going to McDonald's with my grandfather as a little boy. Christmas day at grandma and grandpa's house. The day I gave me heart to Christ. My wedding day. The birth of my children. I could go. Each memory is like a stone of remembrance. In the Old Testament it was common for people to put up a "stone of remembrance" that shared an event that took place on the site. We do the same today, they are called historical markers. About a month ago I was traveling to a soccer match in the foothills and came to a single road out in nowhere! It was a small town with about five or six homes. It was odd to me. Where did this little town, no bigger than a football field come from? As we drove through I passed a landmark! I had to stop and read it, I was really curious. Come to find out it was an old mining town founded by Mexicans during the gold rush years! At one time the town was full of life with a salon and hotel. Each of these landmarks help us take a look back at our history. In this season of thanksgiving, what stones of remembrance do you have that you can look back at and see the hand of God move in your life? I came across a sermon I did about six or seven years ago, titled "Stones of Remembrance", which I believe is appropriate for the season. As you give thanks this Thanksgiving day, be reminded of the stones erected in your life.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

His call. His gift to you. Your purpose. Irrevocable.

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Irrevocable Statement of Faith

We are called to focus on Scripture, accept salvation by grace through faith, magnify Christ, and live for God's glory.

The Five Solas....

Sola Scriptura: "Scripture alone” The Bible alone is the source of authority for the followers of Christ. The Scriptures are inspired by God and declare His design and plan for mankind. (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21; II Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:105,160 & 12:6; Proverbs 30:5)

Sola Fide: "Faith alone” Salvation is a free gift to all who accept it by faith (John 3:16). Salvation is not based on human effort or good deeds (Ephesians 2:9). Every follower of Christ has eternal life and complete assurance in the finished work of Jesus Christ when He died on the cross for our sins, and arose from the dead. (John 3:16; 14:6; Acts 16:31; Romans 3:24; 6:23; 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:5; I Peter 1:18-19, 22-25; I John 5:11-13)

Sola Gratia: "Grace alone" Grace is the reason for our salvation, which is not based on what we do, but what God has done. Man willingly fell to sin, ushering evil and death, both physical and spiritual, into the world. (Genesis 3) Through grace we can enter into a relationship with God through Christ who brought salvation through his death and resurrection.

Sola Christo: "Through Christ alone" Jesus is the one who intercedes, as the "high priest" on our behalf before the Father. Through Christ we are offered access to God. Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh, born of a virgin, sinless, crucified for our sins, resurrected from the dead, ascended to heaven, and coming back again to establish His Kingdom on earth. (Matthew 1:23; John 1:1, 14, 29; 3:16; I Corinthians 15:3, 4, 12-19; Hebrews 4:15; I John 2:1-2; Acts 1:9-11)

Soli Deo Gloria: "Glory of God alone" The goal for every follower of Christ is to bring glory to God in everything we do in life. "So, whether you eat, drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1Corinthians 10:31).

The Four Basic Questions (4Bq's)

Everyone has a worldview. Our worldview is our foundation which shapes our values. Our values shape our behavior. The "behavior" is the result of our worldview. How one answers the Four Basic Questions helps us understand one’s worldview foundation. Irrevocable answers the 4Bq’s as followed:

4Bq 1: How do you see the world created? God is the creator of all living matter. Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heavens and earth.” In verse 31, God saw all that he made, and it was very good. Though creation and evolution are theories, it is the belief of Irrevocable that the idea of creation is highly supported through evidence of science.

4Bq 2: How do you see human beings? We are created in His image," In Genesis 1:26 and again in 5:1 it reads that we were created in “His image” or “likeness”. What does that mean? When we study the word "likeness," we find the definition to be ..."the same form or a copy, portrait". The word "image" is defined ..."as a representation of a person or thing". In verse 3 of chapter 5 we see something similar, but this time it is between Adam and his son. "When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image:". Because of sin, Adam created and passed the sinful nature to his creation, his children. Adam passed on to them his imperfection - the ability to sin, experience pain and death. Does that mean then we are not created in God's image? No, we are created in his image, but God may not dwell where sin abounds. Thus the need for a Savior, Jesus Christ. It is believed humanity is not the product of evolution or animal ancestry; (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:7; 3:1-24).

4Bq 3: How do you see life after death? It is believed we have eternal separation from God or eternal life with God through Christ alone. Life after death is decided by that which we accept to be true. That truth in a Christian worldview is founded on Jesus Christ!

"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ." (Romans 3:22-24)

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whomsoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life”. (John 3:16)

4Bq 4: How do you determine right from wrong? It is believed the Scriptures are the foundation to help humanity determine what is right or wrong towards God and humanity. The Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). Paul's ethical teachings (some examples are 1 Cor. 6:12-20; 10:1-13; Eph. 5:22; Col 3) and The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) are three examples how the Scriptures give insight to ethics and morality.