Remember

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Jesus has a sharp warning for us today. It is possible for us to fall away from the faith. Jesus doesn’t want us fall away. He says, “I am saying all these things to you to keep you fromfalling away.” The Greek grammar makes it clear that these words aren’t just for the disciples. Jesus continues to say this for our benefit so we don’t fall away. Jesus goes on to explain why we and the disciples might fall away – Christians will be persecuted. Jesus says, “They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service (λατρεία lit. ‘a liturgy’) to God.”

In those times of persecution, you have the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus calls here the ‘Spirit of Truth’ and the Helper. The Holy Spirit helps you not fall away by pointing you to Jesus. That’s His job (Jn. 15:26). In other words, dear saints, the comfort God desires to give you in times of persecution is the Holy Spirit fixing your eyes on Christ who was born, suffered, bled, died, rose again, and is ascended into heaven for your salvation.

Now, in v. 4 which is our focus today, Jesus says why He is telling the disciples these things. “I am saying (again He’s telling the disciples this the night He was betrayed, but the grammar there means that He’s still telling us) these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.” In other words, Jesus says these things to us so that, when the persecution comes, we can remember His promises.

Remembering isn’t only a mental exercise. When we hear the word ‘remember,’ we typically think of an internal, silent act. But remembering leads to action.

Throughout Scripture, when God remembers, He acts. After the Flood, God says that when He sees the rainbow, He will remember His promise to never flood the earth again (Gen. 9:15-16), and because He remembers, He pours out mercy (Zec. 13:1) instead of judgment. When God remembered Rachel’s barrenness, He gave her children (Gen. 30:22). When God heard the prayers of His people as they were in slavery, He remembered His covenant with them (Ex. 2:24; 6:5) by sending Moses to free them. I could go on, but you get the idea.

This idea of remembering as action isn’t just about God either. The Hebrew word for ‘remember’ (זכר) also means ‘to proclaim.’ So, in the 3rdCommandment, God says, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” Remembering the Sabbath meant that God’s people proclaimed His Word through singing and confessing. That remembering meant that they set apart a day for gathering as His holy people, hearing His holy Word, and focusing on holy things. Remembering God’s mercy also meant telling the future generations about it (Dt. 32:7).

So, Lulla, that brings me to you. Let’s do some remembering. Lulla, today you are Baptized. Today, Jesus has joined you to Himself by placing His name upon you (Mt. 28:19) and clothed you with Himself (Gal. 3:27). Lulla, in your Baptism, God has made you His daughter. And you will remember that by continuing in the faith and salvation you have been given today (1 Pet. 3:21) as you study, learn, and grow in God’s Word.

And Eli, that is what you have been doing throughout Confirmation. Through the studying, memory work, and learning, you have grown to a deeper understanding of what God did for you at this same Font back on April 17th, 2011. The work God began in your Baptism has continued to this day. Many of your brothers and sisters in Christ who are here today have remembered your Baptism by praying for you and encouraging you toward this day. And in just a few minutes, Eli, you will come back to this Altar where Jesus has more remembering for you to do. Jesus will give you His true Body and Blood given and shed for the forgiveness of your sins. You will eat and drink in remembrance of your Savior (Lk. 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:24-25) as He continues to deliver to you the forgiveness of your sins.

Lulla, Eli, and all you saints, Scripture teaches that the Christian life is a race. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Let us lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

The Christian life is a race that requires endurance. Remember that because no one knows exactly how far along you are in the race, but it doesn’t matter how far you have come. Keep up the pace. Keep pressing on. Keep learning. Keep growing in your faith. Keep remembering. You aren’t at the finish line – not yet.

You run with endurance by looking to and remembering Jesus as you proclaim, confess, read, learn, and study His Word. Through that, the Holy Spirit is at work in you, and He who began that good work will be faithful to complete it at the day of Jesus Christ (Php. 1:6).

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.