Celebrating an Ebenezer Moment 50th Anniversary! Celebrating an Ebenezer Moment

A Time For Celebration! For the Southside congregation this is a momentous occasion. A time to reflect on where we’ve been and where we’re going. A time to raise an Ebenezer? Thanksgiving to God for being with us thus far.

Here I Raise My Ebenezer What is the concept of Ebenezer? Who do we think of first? Considering a historical perspective from the nation of Israel, and Samuel the prophet. It begins with a very, very, bad day that a couple of decades later gets much better.

Have You Ever Had An Ichabod Day? 1 Samuel 4 When everything came crashing down. VERSE 3 – “When the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, ‘Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us take to ourselves from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that it might come among us and deliver us from the power of our enemies.’”

They Thought They Had God In A Box Verse 5 – “As the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth resounded.” They were treating God as though He were a personal mascot!

When They Lost The God Box Verses 10-11 – “So the Philistines fought and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent; and the slaughter was very great, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineahas, died.” What happened?!!!

Their World Torn Apart – The Glory Departed Verses 18-22 Eli falls over backward and breaks his neck and dies. His daughter-in-law gives birth and dies in childbirth. Before her death says to call her son Ichabod. “The glory has departed from Israel.”

The Day Of Ebenezer The Philistines dominate Israel for 20 years following that Ichabod day. Though the ark was returned, they have not fully returned to God. 1 Samuel 7 Verse 2: “From the day that the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim, the time was long, for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.”

A Call For Repentance Verse 3: “Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, ‘If you return to the Lord with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the Lord and serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.’”

Philistine Tyranny Verse 7 – “Now when the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the sons of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.” Twenty years of cowering is hard to overcome.

The Day The Glory Returned Verse 10: “Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines and confused them, so that they were routed before Israel.”

The Raising Of The Ebenezer Stone Verse 12 – “Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us.’”

Memorial Days We all have days we remember. Bad days like days of death, illness, tragedies, great sorrow. Lamentations 3:19-20 – “Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness. Surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me. Psalm 42:1-4 – As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God….These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me….”

We Remember Really Good Days! That’s what we’re doing today. Days of birth, weddings, victories, joyful events, and yes, anniversaries! These are Ebenezer days. Days when we give thanks to God for bringing us this far.

Praising God For His Help Psalm 16:5-6 – “The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.”

Luke 15:6,9,22-24 Parables of lost and found things “…And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.’” “When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me for I have found the coin which I had lost….’” “…bring the fattened calf…and let us eat and celebrate.,..”

Do We Remember God In All Our Days? In this congregation we have both good and bad times. But God is our God come what may! 1 Corinthians 10:31 – “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

Everything For God’s Glory Philippians 4:4 – “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” Colossians 3:17 – “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”

Living In The Joy Of Ebenezer Philippians 4:4-7 – “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Times Of Refreshing Acts 3:19-20 – “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you….”

Living In Perpetual Triumph! 2 Corinthians 2:14 – “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.” Are we ready for the next 50 years?