Here is my message, Enjoy!
Remembrance Day Service
– November 11, 2015
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I consider it a privilege, to be the
grandson of Leonard Johnson.
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He Served with the British Empire
Service League – Canadian Legion #207
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You probably have never heard of him as
he was one of the many men who was enlisted during World War II, the fight for
the freedom many of us today take for granted.
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I would like to share with you my
fondest memory of him. It is not an
amazing story, but one I cherish in my own heart.
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Leonard Johnson, who was once the mayor
of the thriving metropolis of Hughenden, AB, a town of 250 people, dirt roads
and a corner store, loved to golf.
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He desired to pass this passion to all
of his grandchildren, including myself.
So he would take old golf clubs, cut them down to size and put new grips
on them so he could take us to the golf course in his 3 wheeler golf cart. It was there I learned to play golf. Not well as a round of golf usually costs me
more in golf balls than the green fees.
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One day, I was probably about 8, he and
I were our on the course. He was about
72 at the time and the golf cart broke down.
We tried pushing it but it became apparent after about 10 feet we were
not going to make it.
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So, we began the long walk back, I am
not sure what we talked about, but we were together, bonding as a grandson and
grandfather.
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That is the end of my story. Like I said, not amazing, but to this day, I
cannot go golfing without thinking of and remembering my grandfather who was
called up to Glory 20 years ago.
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Why do I tell you this story that has
kept you on the edge of your seat so well?
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Because it is a memory, a Remembrance of
something that is dear to me.
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We are all people of Remembrance, we all
have something in our lives that when we see, hold, feel, it brings back a
whole slew of memories, emotions, heartache, joy, passion.
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Why are we this way? I would argue that this is the way God
Created us to be and He reminds us to never be a people who stops remembering,
who embraces our history and learns from it.
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The People of Israel, in the Passage
read earlier for you describes this exact thing. A remembrance to pass on from generation to
generation, not unlike Remembrance Day itself.
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Most of you have probably not heard of
the great crossing of the Jordan River.
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My guess would be that All of you have
heard of Moses and the crossing of the Red Sea.
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A lot of you even know about Jericho and
the Walls that came crashing down after they marched around the city.
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But I would guess a majority of you do
not know about the Great crossing of the Jordan River.
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But, it is so significant in the times
of the Israelites that God commanded them to build a Memorial to always
remember the Crossing of the Jordan.
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The crossing of the Red Sea did not
receive this treatment, but what was so significant about this?
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When
the people left Egypt through the Red Sea, they were headed towards the
Promised Land, The land Promised to Abraham many years before.
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Through disobedience, the generation
that had crossed the Red Sea had died and 40 years later, the New Generation
was poised to take the Land.
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This New Generation had not witnessed the
Crossing of the Red Sea, all they knew was the desert and wilderness.
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This New Generation, with Joshua, one of
only 2 remaining witnesses, of the Red Sea and Slavery in Egypt. He was their leader, and like Moses led the
Nation of Israel from Slavery to Promise, Joshua now was leading from
Wilderness to Promise.
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They were Ready to fight for their
nation, for their homes, To fight for freedom.
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The People cross on Dry Land and God
commands them to take 12 stones, not small ones either, from the Jordan River
and set up a Memorial.
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Joshua 4:20-24
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20 And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve
stones they had taken out of the Jordan. 21 He said to the Israelites, “In the
future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22
tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God
dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God
did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us
until we had crossed over. 24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth
might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always
fear the Lord your God.
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Sounds a lot like the Cenetaph. Do you remind your children every time you
drive by the Cennetaph on Mainstreet and 2nd Avenue South.
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When you stop at the lights there, do
you look over and remember, there were brave men and women who valued freedom
over oppression, so much that they gave their own lives so we could be free in
the year 2015.
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I will never stop telling my children
about their great grandfather, Leonard Johnson, who lived during terrible times
of war, who loved golf, who loved Jesus and who embraced Freedom.
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I will also never stop telling my
children of another Person I know, who Desired the whole world be Free, so much
so, that He died a horrible death on the cross, and was raised on the third
day, to see us free from sin.
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He gave this command on the night he was
betrayed. He took the cup and the bread,
broke it and said “Do this in remembrance of me”
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1 Cor 11:23-26 - 23
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on
the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 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, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is
the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of
me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the
Lord’s death until he comes.
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Are you passing these truths onto the
generations to come? Freedom is worth dying for and are you embracing those
opportunities we are given to remember?
