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Chris Johnson, Vice President of Church Partnerships & Government Affairs at Lifeline, explores the significance of Memorial Day in this special Defender Bible study podcast episode.
LIFELINE CHILDREN'S SERVICES
The mission of Lifeline Children’s Services is to equip the Body of Christ to manifest the gospel to vulnerable children. Our vision is for vulnerable children and their communities to be transformed by the gospel and to make disciples.
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Creators & Guests
Guest
Pastor Chris Johnson
Chris joined Lifeline in March, 2020, and serves as the VP of Church Partnerships and Government Affairs. He previously served as a pastor for 24 years and as the Executive Director of the Kentucky Governor’s Office of Faith and Community Based Initiatives. Chris has also served as a consultant and has been a frequent speaker at local, state, and national conferences, churches, and community gatherings, sharing his family’s story and challenging others to answer the gospel call to care for vulnerable children and families. He was born and raised in metro Atlanta, GA, and currently lives in Birmingham. Chris studied Church Ministries (B.A.) at Trinity Baptist College and Educational Leadership (M.Ed.) at Regent University. He and his amazing wife, Alicia, have 10 children (7 adopted from foster care) and 3 grandchildren (2 adopted from foster care). They have also served as foster parents to more than 40 children.
What is The Defender Bible Study?
The Defender Bible Study is a weekly study of God’s Word as we seek to equip the Body of Christ to manifest the gospel to orphans and vulnerable children. This podcast is a ministry of Lifeline Children's Services.
Welcome to the defender bible study, a weekly encouragement to equip the body of Christ through the study of scripture and prayer to manifest the gospel to orphans and vulnerable children around the world. This podcast is a ministry of Lifeline Children Services where we believe that defending the fatherless begins by being rooted in God's word.
Chris Johnson:Welcome to the Defender Bible Study podcast. My name is Chris Johnson. I serve as the vice president of church partnerships and government affairs for Lifeline Children's Services. Today is Monday, May 27, 2024. Today is Memorial Day, and so we're gonna do something a little bit different and, veer off of our study through the book of second Corinthians and just kind of focus a little bit about, on Memorial Day and what Memorial Day means and, really what the implications are for memorials in our own lives as Christ followers and as families that are seeking to, disciple and train our children in the things of the Lord.
Chris Johnson:Memorial Day is a tradition here in the United States that really began in, kind of the mid to late 18 sixties, a time shortly after the Civil War when, originally, it was a part of what was called decoration day, where, some would go around to the tombs of soldiers who had given their lives in battle, and they would decorate their tombs. They would decorate those graves with, flowers. And so, it was a time where where really it was all about just kinda honoring those who had given their lives, in battle and, given their lives at war. And so, they continued to progress and it kinda became more of a a national tradition. And, of course, we celebrate today on the last Monday in May every year here in in America is Memorial Day.
Chris Johnson:And it's a time that we think back and look back and and reflect on and remember those who gave their lives, to gain our freedom as well as those who have given their lives to to preserve our freedom. Veterans Day, we'll celebrate later in the year as a time to recognize those who are still living, but Memorial Day is really the focus on on those who've given their lives, in battle, given their lives again to to preserve and protect, freedom. The freedoms that we so often take for granted, the freedoms that that we enjoy, nonetheless. You know, god's word tells us Jesus said in John chapter 15 verse 13, greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. And so we are grateful for those who stepped up and really did what was necessary to, again, to to attain freedom for us as a nation, to protect and preserve that freedom, as a nation, and and ultimately provide freedom around the world.
Chris Johnson:And so we're grateful, for those that that were willing to lay their lives on the line, for our sake, for our benefit. Of course, as Christ followers, even here in America, we can't help but celebrate, yes, those who gave their lives for our physical freedom here as Americans, but even more so it points to the one who gave his life so that we might have eternal life, who gave his life so that we might have the great freedom, freedom from sin, freedom from death, hell, and the grave. And so it's a good time for us to to pause and be thankful for what we enjoy as Americans, but also to pause and be thankful for what God has done for us through Christ. And for Christ being willing to give of his life and shed his blood so that we could have forgiveness of sin and so that we could have eternal life. And so, really, when we think of that verse, John 1513, you know, he said, greater love is no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends.
Chris Johnson:The the great thing is that in that same chapter, he calls us friends and he says that those of us who are in Christ, we are friends of God and so, ultimately, we see that God and Jesus was willing to lay down his life for us on our for our benefit, for for our sake, for our goodness so that we might have everlasting life by placing our faith and trust in the work of Christ and what he has done for us. So the thing that that really I wanted to kinda reflect on today is just, again, remembering what what god has done for us through Christ and, the freedom, yes, that we enjoy as Americans, but even more so the freedoms that we enjoy, the freedom that we enjoy as Christ followers, in our in our lives. It's good for us to remember. It's good for us to reflect. It's good for us to look back.
Chris Johnson:All throughout scripture, we see over and over again, God leading his people to set up memorials in their life. There were so many of the things that that God instituted even in the law such as the the different feasts, the different celebrations, the different holidays, all these different things, and they all were designed to help the people of god remember. Remember what God had done. Remember where you were, what God did, and where he has taken you and what he is doing in your life. You know, I think sometimes we get away from these things and and we don't we don't we often fail to to remember the goodness of god and remember the miracles that god has worked in our life, remember the things that that he has done to provide for our freedom and to provide for, the the the the blessings that we enjoy through the things of the Lord.
Chris Johnson:You know, one of the places where we see this this idea that that god called his people to set up memorials was, a story that that is told in the book of Joshua. Joshua chapter number 4, when the people had had, of course, journeyed to the wilderness for 40 years, they had experienced freedom from Egypt, but still were wandering for for many, many years. But now the time had come for them to enter the promised land. And they're ready to go into the promised land, but there's a river in front of them. The river Jordan is in the way, and something has to happen in order for them to get through, to to get to Jericho, to get to the promised land that, the place that god had promised them.
Chris Johnson:And so when they come to the time to to cross over the Jordan, we know that god is gonna do a miraculous thing. And just like he did with the Red Sea, he again parted the the waters there at the Jordan River as well to allow the children of Israel to pass through on dry ground so that he could then put them in a place to where they would experience victory and move into the land that that they had been promised. And at the and when when we get to this place here, we we read in in Joshua chapter 4. I wanna kind of just read some of it here. It says, when all the nations when all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, take 12 men from the people, from each tribe of man, and command them saying, take 12 stones from here out of the midst of Jordan, from the very place where the priest's feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.
Chris Johnson:Then Joshua called the 12 men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. And Joshua said to them, pass on before the ark of the lord your god into the midst of the Jordan and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, what do these stones mean to you? Then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it when it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.
Chris Johnson:So the stone shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever. So god instructed Joshua to to have the people of Israel to set up these stones, as memorials. We oftentimes in other places of scripture, we see that an altar was built, and that was to serve as the memorial. We see, where where, again, celebrations were to happen on a regular basis, and that was the memorial. Feasts were to take place.
Chris Johnson:Celebrations were to take place so that they would be memorials to help people remember the things that god had done for them. So here in the story in Joshua, of course, they they did what Joshua told them to do, and then the, the people were able to pass over pass through the Jordan, and, God parted those waters and did just a miraculous thing there. And then you get to verse number 19. It says, the people came up out of the Jordan on the 10th day of the 1st month, and they encamped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. And those 12 stones, which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up at, up at Gilgal.
Chris Johnson:And he said to the people of Israel, when your children ask their fathers in times to come, what do these stones mean? Then you shall let your children know Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground. For the lord your god dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until until you passed over as the lord your god did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over. So that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty that you may that you may fear the Lord your God forever. So what are what are these memorials?
Chris Johnson:What are these memorials about? Joshua said, hey. We wanna set these stones up and and there's gonna be times where your children are gonna come by and go, what in the world are these stones here for? Why do we have these stones? And why do we talk about these stones?
Chris Johnson:And so they were to be a memorial to remind them of some things. And so three things that that we see from memorials, the memorials, do for us. First of all, memorials remind us of God's power and provision. Memorials remind us of God's power and provision. Here, Joshua said, when we want your children, when they see these stones, we want you to explain to them, this is a reminder of the power of God.
Chris Johnson:This is a reminder of a time that we were enslaved in Egypt and God parted the Red Sea. And then we wandered in the wilderness. And as God was moving us into the promised land, we came against this river that seemed in insurmountable, that seemed unpassable. But God in his power and might displayed his power over creation, his power over nature, and god parted these waters so that we could go into this promised land. And this is a reminder that that god is all powerful and that god provides for his own.
Chris Johnson:You know, when we we look at our lives and we think about memorials in our own lives, we think about special seasons and times in our life and things that we wanna pass on to our children. We're again told in scripture over and over again that we're to take the things we have learned and pass on to the next generation. And so when we establish and set up memorials in our lives and in our families, it gives us the opportunity to to to remind our children, remind those coming behind us of the power and provision of our heavenly father. The next thing we see is that memorials testify to those around us. Memorials testify to those around us.
Chris Johnson:Joshua said, hey. When your children come and see these rocks and they ask about it, you're gonna tell them and you're gonna remind them of what god has done and remind yourself of what god has done. But this is also gonna be a witness to all those around us. This is gonna be a witness to those those who are not a part of the people of god, those who are outside of that, as well as to those who, who who are in the in the family of god. And so memorials are there to to testify to those who who are around us, who see us again of the goodness of god, the greatness of god.
Chris Johnson:And so when we establish practices in our life, when we establish traditions in our family, when we celebrate certain things that have that have occurred, it gives us the opportunity to testify to those around us of the goodness of God, to testify to those around us of what God has done for us. So memorials remind us of God's power and provision. Memorials testify to those around us. And then 3rd, memorials challenge us to grow in our faith. They challenge us to grow in our faith.
Chris Johnson:He says there at the end of that passage, Joshua said that another purpose of these memorials was that you may fear the lord your god forever. That you may fear the lord your god forever. You know, we are people that it's so easy for us to forget. And it's so easy because of our lack of remembrance. It's easy for us to to to move away from sinner, to fall away from from our passion, and fall away from from our desires to to to grow and be challenged in our faith.
Chris Johnson:But those memorials keep us grounded. Those memorials challenge us to to recognize what god has done but then also call us to long for him to do more. They cause us to to see where god has been faithful and that remembering of god's faithfulness challenges us to grow in our faith going forward. We we can face the obstacles ahead of us. We can face the storms ahead of us.
Chris Johnson:We can face the challenges ahead of us as our faith is built and developed by the trials and the tribulations and the things that we go through. And so when we go through those things, when we set up memorials in our life, and we set up ways to remember what god has done, remembering what god has done challenges us to grow in our faith and trust independence on him into the future as well. So as we think about this idea of Memorial Day, we certainly wanna again give thanks to to those, in a patriotic sense that that have protected and preserved our freedom. We wanna give thanks to our heavenly father for sending Jesus and Jesus for being willing to lay down his life to pay to pay the price for our sin. But then, also, I think it's just a good time for us to to just examine our own lives.
Chris Johnson:What are what are memorials in our lives that are set up? And are there any memorials that we've set up? Are there things that we do, traditions that we do with our children, with our families, things that that that we do to remind us of the the goodness of God. I know, you know, we celebrate adoptions in our family. And when we have an adopted child who's who's the anniversary of their adoption day comes around, we we recognize that and we celebrate that.
Chris Johnson:And that becomes a memorial because we talk about the goodness of God and and and making our family complete. You know, there there are certain traditions that we have around the holidays that remind us again of the the meaning of those holidays and why it is that we're celebrating. It brings us again back to center and back to those foundations. There are certain ways that we talk to our children and certain stories that we account and tell over and over again to our to our children and in our families that become memorials. There are certain stories that I can think of that that I have were passed on to me about my grandparents and their faith, about my parents and their faith, and now I'm trying to pass on to my children.
Chris Johnson:And and these are just good opportunities to to serve as reminders of the goodness of God and the faithfulness of God. So I challenge you. Examine your own life, examine your family, and and and look to see if there are opportunities that you were missing that where we could just recount the goodness of God and the faithfulness of God. And and so as we move forward in celebrating this day, we're gonna give thanks for a lot of things. But let's not fail to give thanks to our heavenly father for what he has done for us and let's set up memorials in our life that will remind us of God's goodness, of his grace and his mercy.
Chris Johnson:Let's go to him in prayer. Dear heavenly father God, we do love you and we do give you thanks and praise for all that you have provided for us. We thank you for the wonderful gift of salvation that comes through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ who shed his blood and gave his life, but conquered sin and held death and the grave, Lord. Came back alive so that we might have salvation. So, lord, today, I pray that we would remember what you have done.
Chris Johnson:I pray that we would also celebrate god as Americans, those who have given their lives the ultimate sacrifice. I pray comfort for those family members of those ones who have given their lives as well. But then, lord, we just we pray that that we would be faithful to set up memorials, establish memorials and traditions and things in our lives, god, that will cause us to remember. Cause us to remember your faithfulness. Cause us to remember your goodness.
Chris Johnson:You have been so good to us, god, and we know that you will continue to strengthen us, you will continue to guide us, you will continue to direct us, and we know, lord, that you will continue to do great and mighty things in our lives and in our families. And for that, Lord, we wanna give you thanks. We wanna give you praise. Help us to remember God. Bring to mind, bring to your remembrance, Lord, the blessings and the goodness of God, the things that you have done for us.
Chris Johnson:And may we never forget that we were once separated from you. We were once dead in our sins, but you and your kindness and your goodness, your love for us, by your mercy and your great grace, god, you provided salvation through Jesus Christ. May that be something that we always remember and that we always give thanks and praise for. For it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Herbie Newell:Thanks again for joining us for the Defender Bible Study. If you enjoy making this podcast a part of your weekly routine, we'd love for you to take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review the defender bible study to make it easier for more people to find. For more resources and information on how you and your church can partner with Lifeline, please visit us at lifelinechild.org. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter by searching for Lifeline Child. You can email us directly at info at lifelinechild.org.
Herbie Newell:We look forward to seeing you again next week for the defender bible study.