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Memorial Day 2025

As we remember Memorial Day this year, perhaps we can consider some of the Biblical

characters that we should also keep in mind. In Hebrews 11, often called the faith chapter, the

writer describes many people of faith from the Old Testament. We are reminded these were

godly people who trusted God and did not waver in their faith. We know many of the first people

mentioned like Noah, Abraham, and Moses as great men of faith, but the writer also includes

people like Rahab who trusted God to fulfill His promise to her and her family in Jericho.

This week we want to focus on the end of Hebrews 11 as the writer wraps up his story about the

many people of faith telling us that none of them “received all that God had promised.” (vs 39)

What does this mean? What else did God promise these men and women of faith? It is

interesting to me that the Hebrew writer never really spells out why these people never reached

what he terms “perfection.” (vs40) To muddy the water further, we are told these ancients

needed us to reach perfection! This last verse is extremely confusing to me. How on earth are

you and I needed for these Old Testament patriarchs to reach perfection?

In Hebrews 12, we are told because of this great cloud of faithful witnesses, that we should

keep our eyes on Jesus as we seek our own journey of faith in life today. So it seems that you

and I are part of their perfection in that we now have Jesus as our eternal leader. Remember,

we are told that Jesus is “the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.” (12:2) So, as we

remember these examples of faith, we should also consider that these people never had the

example of Jesus that we have today.

Jesus should encourage us and give us strength as we struggle in our daily lives to be faithful

children of God, which the writer tells us we are in Hebrews 12:5. Specifically, Jesus “endured

the cross, disregarding its shame” along with suffering “hostility...from sinful people.” (12:2,3)

Our example understood earthly trials and tribulations are a part of life here and kept His faith

because of the new life in the future. If we focus on Jesus and His example then we “won’t

become weary and give up.” (12:3) Persistence is the main thesis of Hebrews, and here we see

how the writer combines Old Testament people of faith with both us and Jesus to encourage

readers to maintain their faith in the face of persecution.

Memorial Day in America is designed to honor those who have given their lives in defense of

our country. We remember their sacrifice to give us the freedoms we enjoy today. Perhaps we

can say the same thing about this “huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith” (12:1) we read of

in our Bibles. These men and women lived and died with a faith in our living God. They were

often persecuted for their faith to include those we read of in the New Testament. They and we

are perfected by our faith by Jesus. He is truly the “author and perfecter of our faith.” (12:2) Let

us remember our spiritual soldiers who helped prepare the way for our true freedom from sin

and death we share in Jesus today.

First Christian Church Breckenridge, Texas