Reservations about a Memorial Service
These comments were made after reading the programme for a Town Memorial Service.
Standing firmly for God’s message to our society is a difficult role. We need to compromise on non essentials in order to have a hearing for the gospel over essentials. Clearly Memorial services in which we remember those who sacrificed so much so that we can be free are an area we should want to be involved with.
A recent service claimed to be a Christian service, the prayers are given in the name of the Lord Jesus, so should it not have included even a short reminder about the greatest sacrifice any man has made for the freedom of others. I found it astounding that the death of the Lord Jesus for the forgiveness of many was not mentioned, let alone stressed.
Churches are here to proclaim the gospel, and our services should also fulfil this role. Consequently should the Lord Jesus’ sacrifice not be stressed, particularly when so many outsiders, who are unclear about this, attend?
There are other issues that came out of the service programme.
‘Prayers for the Departed’
The prayers departed from Biblical orthodoxy. Bible teaches that our eternal destiny is made while we are alive, so how can Christians pray for the departed? This prayer suggested that those who died in war have entered ‘the peace of your presence’. This is not what the Bible teaches - only those who are members of Christ’s kingdom through a personal commitment to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour will enter heaven. The Bible is clear:
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” John 3:36
‘Prayers for the Peace of the World’
This sounds rather like the empty wishes of Miss Universe contestants! The Bible clearly teaches that there will not be peace in the world until our Lord returns. It is clearly right that we should pray for world leaders and those making decisions so that those longing to live under God’s authority, the rule of the Lord Jesus may be able to spread the gospel of His peace and His love to the whole world. Until the Lord returns to rule their cannot be peace because man is naturally in rebellion against God.
‘For the Armed Forces of the Crown’
This puts the cart before the horse. It suggests that justice and peace in human relationships are God’s ultimate ambition and to strive for these are the way to honour the Lord. The Bible puts it the other way round. We find peace with God through surrendering to Christ and this will result in people who are committed to him living with God’s priorities. Armed forces are necessary in this fallen world and it is right to pray for them but people do need to be reminded that our real hope is in God’s presence in the next world.
‘Act of Commitment’
It appears that the name of Jesus is added at the end to make it sound a Christian prayer. Jesus stressed that our commitment should primarily be to Him. Commitment to ‘responsible living and faithful service’ are laudable but what is ‘the hope you have placed in all people?’ The Bible is clear that few people have a hope of eternal life because they have not committed themselves to God’s Messiah, His chosen King.
‘Final Prayer’
This prayer again suggests the writers have a universalist theology and not a Biblical one. It includes another prayer for the dead,
‘May God grant . . . to the departed, rest.”
It goes on to ask that God will give ‘all mankind, peace and concord’. This sounds more like the childish wishful thinking of Worzel Gummidge that realistic Biblical thinking.
Furthermore the ‘Blessing of God Almighty, Father , Son and Holy Spirit come down upon you and remain with you always,’ is only given to those who are God’s people, who belong to Jesus Christ. Without a commitment to christ such words are just verbage.
In conclusion this has the appearance of an interfaith service with Christian trappings. Can we not offer to tighten it up, and have a short explanation of the real work of Christ?
