Remembering
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The theme of the evening is “remembering”
And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
This is a theme all through Scripture, not just a New Testament concept connected to the resurrection of Jesus
The first reference to remembering the works of God is in Exodus 13:3
This was Moses speaking to the Israelites after the Exodus
This was to be a defining moment for them
This was the moment that they were to remember in order for them to remember the way God worked on their behalf
How God brought them up out of slavery
Next is Exodus 20:8
Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy
We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:
Why is there such an emphasis on remembrance?
Because we are quick to forget.
Remembering is how we are able to take that next step of faith
By remembering the Lords faithfulness in the previous steps we have taken.
What we notice here in Numbers 11 is that forgetting isn’t always the fault of our memory.
Sometimes forgetting is more intentional.
Not intentional but more intentional
We forget because something else has grabbed our attention.
We forget God because we become so focused on this world.
When we forget is when we tend to believe what we feel
When we listen to our hearts
Those feelings tend to express that God is holding back the goods...
That there is something better in this world and God wants to keep us from it
Now let’s be honest…that last statement was a bit harsh but lets be honest
When a partner commits adultery they do so because they think there is something better
Something more
But you say, Pastor I haven’t committed adultery
Ok, we could look at Jesus’ statements abut the heart of adultery but...
How about another area...
Serving in the local church
Cleaning…but then I have to give up what?
MY time for MYSELF
Teaching Sunday school
But then I can’t be in Sunday school
Where we are willing to step out in faith and trust God has a better plan speaks volumes about our heart.
So when I say that those feelings tend to express that God is holding back the goods…let’s be honest with ourselves
Generally withing the spiritual sense forgetting isn’t like when you go into a room and forget what you went in there for
Spiritually we forget because our hearts deceive us into believing that God wants us to give up something good for something lesser.
I am going to guess that the leeks and potatoes and fish in Egypt tasted really good
Probably delicious
The Israelites were remembering something good.
The cucumbers and melons and the garlic
It was good
But what God wants for us is so much better
Maybe what we do with our time would be considered good, but what if God’s plan for your time is so much better
We get so distracted by the shininess of this world and forget the goodness of God
How ought we to remember
I don’t have any flashy tricks or programs for you
It involves the spiritual disciplines that we rehearse here over and over
Studying the Bible and meditating on what you read
Meeting face to face with other believers
Prayer
Especially confession
Why?
It reminds us of our deepest and most fundamental need
First, forgiveness of sin
Second, the Holy Spirit to help us continue to battle the sin that remains
The Lord’s Prayer gives to us a pattern of remembrance
Matthew 6:9 “our Father” we are not in control…we do not have the authority we think we do
“Hallowed be thy name” …we want his name revered in our live, we want to lift Him up and not ourselves
Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done…we want Him to rule because of His goodness, Mercy and Wisdom
Give us this day....He is our provider, be it through our work that he has created us to do or through the provision of gracious people around us…He has provided EVERYTHING we have
“Forgive us our debts”…we cannot remedy our sin problem but He can!
As we forgive our debtors....our relationships are for His glory as well and how we respond in them
Deliver us from evil…we are no match for Satan and only God through the work of the Holy Spirit can protect us from him.
Remember
Do this in remembrance of me
What are we remembering
That Jesus came and paid a debt we couldn’t pay
How
Dying the cruelest death ever devised by mankind
That he defeated death and rose on the third day
Why?
Because He is good
Because he loves you
Because despite your best plans God’s ways are so much higher than your ways
Remember
Remembering is a part of the process of developing faith
Faith is what pleases the Lord and glorifies Him
Remember
460- He Leadeth Me