The Importance of Remembering, Recalling, and Recognizing the Work of God

We spend a great amount of time remembering what God has done in our lives. We don’t just do this as we stand in awe of what He has done but we look back because it is something that the Lord has commanded us to do.

Once again, a ceremony is commanded for the people of God. Each time I read through the various feasts and memorials I am reminded how important the details are. It may seem tedious at first when we see emphasis on the beginning of the month and such but all of the details are there for a reason.

This morning, I want to look at the details here of the passage and understand why it is helpful for us to look into the past at what God has done. To begin, we should

Remember our salvation by regularly celebrating

The only mention of remembrance in this passage is in verse three where Moses says to the Israelites that they are to remember the day that the Lord brought them out of the land of Egypt. I have tried to be consistent in pointing out the connection between God delivering the people from Egyptian enslavement and His deliverance of those who repent and believe from the slavery of sin. Romans 6:6, 9.

Romans 6:6 ESV

We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

Romans 6:9 ESV

We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

The point here is that we ought to rejoice in our salvation on a regular basis. It is interesting that this particular festival, which was in the spring time, the same time when the exodus out of Egypt took place, takes place on an annual basis. Many of you here know the exact date which you were saved and commemorate the day of your salvation. There are others, like myself, who don’t know the exact date, yet spend time each year rejoicing in that deliverance.

But I think that this is something we ought to celebrate on a daily basis as well. Verse nine says that this day should “be as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes”. In the same way, we ought to show outward signs of our salvation each and every day. It ought to be obvious by the fruit that we show!

Between the annual celebration and the daily display of our salvation, I would also say that the weekly gathering of the saints that we are observing this morning is also an excellent time for such a celebration. In fact, as we sing hymns like “I’m so glad Jesus lifted me”, there should be a clear change in our disposition as we consider that it is Christ who set us free from sin and death.

Just as eating unleavened bread would remind God’s people of the unleavened bread that they took out of Egypt, there ought to be specific things such as a certain song, passage of scripture, or even a place that brings us back to the day that we were set free. Just as the consecration of the first born animal and the son reminded of the Lord’s mercy in Egypt, we ought to be reminded of His mercy to us and sparing us from His punishment and eternal death.

To remember our salvation helps us to never take it for granted. The moment we take salvation for granted, we fail to honor the Lord in a way that He is deserving of. As we celebrate, those who have not yet come to a point of faith have a stronger understanding of who God is based on the enthusiasm in which we celebrate!

The final thing that remembering our salvation does is reminds us of what is to come. I had a conversation just this week with a member here about what God had done in their life and the mighty works that he can do in future situations. We have a tendency to be shortsighted when it comes to the power of God.

As we move from the importance of remembering here we focus on taking thoughts and passing them on through words.

Recall what God has done

The consecration of the first born son is not just a reminder for God’s people that He spared the first born. It is also an opportunity to share the story. Verse 14 gives specific instructions and echoes verse eight only with much more detail. Our spiritual heritage is important. In fact, my dad told me two weeks ago a story of his Uncle Rolla being saved after a revival service. He and my Mema had been to a revival service at a baptist church in Patosi, MO and Uncle Rolla asked his sister to pray for him, that he might make a decision the next night. Mema urged him to just go back into the church right then. As my dad told me this story decades later, we were both overwhelmed at this testimony and the salvation of Uncle Rolla as well as the boldness of my Mema, Vivian, to urge her brother to make a decision right there. This is the power of recalling to others what God has done.

It is far too easy for us to forget the power of testimony and relaying the details of what God has done to us. There are testimonies here in this church that we have heard many times, yet each time they are recalled, we look to the Lord and give Him praise for what He has done in the past. I still stand on the fact that the preached word is the most important thing that takes place in this building, yet, from time to time, we place an emphasis on hearing testimony from one another because it is a biblical thing!

This also allows those that are around us to understand why it is that we do what we do. The father was to say to his first born in verse 15, “Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord…” and give some rationale behind why his habit is the way that it is. It is always beneficial that we provide an explanation behind why we do what we do, especially when the reasoning is due to the work of the Lord in our lives.

Finally, I want to point out the results, which have already been mentioned at moments this morning, of remembering and recalling what God has done. When we remember our salvation and recall what God has done, we

Recognize the significance

As we retell these stories and remember our salvation or another moment of spiritual significance, we are reminded of just how blessed we are to be called a child of God. We recognize the greatness of the Lord and just how unworthy we are of His adoption. Yet, in His great love for us, He sent His perfect Son to die on the cross and redeem us. Jesus bought us back, something that only He was able to do. It is a price that we could never repay. Each day we live our lives with purpose because of what was accomplished on the cross on our behalf.

One of the greatest things about being a disciple of Christ is the progressive understanding of our own salvation. What I mean by that is that we won’t ever fully understand the significance of salvation on this side of eternity but overtime we have a little understanding of it more and more. I praise God that I better recognize what the Lord has done for me now than when I did when I was first saved.

As we close this morning, I want to give the opportunity to do two things here at this altar. First, if you've never given your life over to God, would you make this the day that you will remember for the rest of your life? Maybe you have made that decision but realize just how much more you need to do, would you take a step down this isle in boldness and give it over to Him?

Second, maybe you are overwhelmed with praise as you think of the work that the Lord has done. The people of God made sacrifices at an altar in remembrance and you can also come to an altar and do the same thing.