I Can't Remember
I CAN’T REMEMBER
TEXT: Daniel 2:1‑8 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, the thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. (v5 )
In our scripture reading, Nebuchadnezzer forgot his dream. Thankfully, I forget nearly ALL of my dreams, so they don't bother me. However, there are OTHER things that I forget, but I want to remember. Do you have trouble remembering the things you should? People tend to be forgetful of what they NEED to remember, and they tend to be mindful of what they WANT to remember. Our memory starts doing tricks on us as we get older. We remember the details of something that happened at a birthday party twenty years ago, but we can't remember what happened last week! People do all kinds of things to jog their memory. The most famous trick is to tie a string around the finger. That wouldn't help me unless a note were attached! I try to always carry something to make a note on, not because I'm so organized, but because my memory is so bad! If I don't write it down, I will forget it! Even if I write it down, sometimes I forget to look at it! Michelle got me an electronic note taker for Christmas. I forget that I have made a note on it.
ILLUSTRATION # 1
I want us to think of some very important things God would have us to remember. These are all things we sometimes tend to forget.
I. PEOPLE FORGET THEIR PROMISES
Genesis 40:14 But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house:
Genesis 40:23 Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.
A. People forget their promises to our Father
1. Some folks make promises that they never intend to follow through on.
2. Others will make promises that they are unable to keep. (unrealistic)
3. But often we make promises that we could keep, but we don't.
4. Somehow we dismiss them from our minds thinking that God will not care.
Ecclesiastes 5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
B. People forget their promises to our fellowship. Anyone ever invite someone to church and have them promise that they will be there?
1. It happens all the time.
2. But there are also church members who forget their promises to the fellowship
C. People forget their promises to their family
1. Probably nothing hurts quite as much as a mom or dad who forgets a promise made to their child.
2. No, we usually do not deliberately break those promises, but it doesn't hurt any less.
3. Husbands and wives make promises to each other when they marry.
4. Don't forget those promises.
II. PEOPLE FORGET THE PROMISES OF GOD
Illustration #2,3
Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
A. Some forget the promise of His abundant pardon.
Nehemiah 9:17 And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.
Jeremiah 33:8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.
B. Some forget the promise of His abiding presence
Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
C. Some forget the promise of His amazing power
Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Philipppians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
D. Some forget the promise of His absolute protection
Illustration #4
Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
III. PEOPLE FORGET THE PRICE PAID FOR THEIR SALVATION
1 Peter 1:18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
2 Peter 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins
A. People forget the shame endured by the Lord Jesus Christ
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
!! B. People forget the shed blood
Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
C. People forget the smitten body
Isaiah 52:14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
D. The Bible tells us that He was beaten and broken for our salvation.
1. We celebrate the Lord's Supper for the specific purpose of remembering these things and showing forth the Lord's death until He comes.
2. Some people forgot the importance of coming together to observe that ordinance.
IV. PEOPLE FORGET THEIR PURPOSE FOR LIVING
1 Corinthians 6:13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
A. A person should first BELIEVE ON CHRIST
B. He should then be willing to BEAR HIS CROSS
C. He should continually BRING FORTH FRUIT
What have we forgotten today? Promises we have made...Promises God has made...Price of our salvation...Purpose of living. Come this morning and renew your commitment to God.
COPPEE'S REPLY #1
The wife of an undistinguished writer once approached French poet and dramatist Francois Coppee, a member of the French Academy, asking him to support her husband's candidacy for a place in the Academy. "I beg you, vote for my husband," she pleaded. "He'll die if he's not elected." Coppee agreed, but the writer failed in his bid. When another Academy seat became vacant a few months later the woman returned, hoping Coppee would be gracious and vote for her husband again.
"Ah, no," he replied. "I kept my promise but he did not keep his. I consider myself free of any obligation."
We have to smile at the witty way Coppee avoided being forced into making a promise he didn't want to keep. Thankfully, God did not need to be forced into making His great promise to save sinners who had no claim on His grace.
UNRECOGNIZED, UNUSED SUPPORT #2
A poor old widow, living in the Scottish Highlands, was called upon one day by a gentleman who had heard that she was in need. The old lady complained of her condition and remarked that her son was in Australia and doing well. "But does he do nothing to help you?" inquired the visitor. "No, nothing." was the reply. "He writes to me regularly once a month, but only sends me little picture with his letter." "The gentleman asked to see one of the pictures that she had received, and found each of them to be a draft of ten pounds. All the old lady needed was to be able to recognize those "pictures" and she could have had the bodily comforts she needed so much. That is the condition of many of God's children. Our Heavenly Father has given us many "exceeding great and precious promises" of which we are either ignorant or which we fail to take as our own. ‑‑The Sunday Circle
CLAIM YOUR PROVISION! #3
During the pioneer era in America, a poverty‑stricken old man found his way into a settlement on the western frontier. He had run out of supplies, so he was looking for food. As he walked through the camp, someone stopped to talk with him and noticed that he wore a small pouch on a ribbon around his neck. The old man explained that it was a charm given to him many years before. He opened it, removed a crumpled paper, and handed it to his inquirer. Upon examining it, the villager discovered that it was a regular discharge from the federal army. It was signed by General George Washington himself, and it entitled the man to a pension for life. How surprised the old soldier was to find out that all these years he had been carrying a bona fide promise that his needs would be met! Because he had not claimed it, though, he had been a wandering, hungry, penniless man.
We too sometimes wander around in the wilderness of spiritual poverty while God's ample provision goes unused.
CREEPING ON THE PROMISES #4
In the early days of our country a weary traveler came to the banks of the Mississippi River for the first time. There was no bridge. It was early winter, and the surface of the mighty stream was covered with ice. Could he dare cross over? Would the uncertain ice be able to bear his weight?
Night was falling, and it was urgent that he reach the other side. Finally, after much hesitation and with many fears, he began to creep cautiously across the surface of the ice on his hands and knees. He thought that he might distribute his weight as much as possible and keep the ice from breaking beneath him.
About halfway over he heard the sound of singing behind him. Out of the dusk there came a man, driving a horse‑drawn load of coal across the ice and singing merrily as he went his way.
Here he was‑‑on his hands and knees, trembling lest the ice be not strong enough to bear him up! And there, as if whisked away by the winter's wind, went the man, his horses, his sleigh, and his load of coal, upheld by the same ice on which he was creeping!
Like this weary traveler, some of us have learned only to creep upon the promises of God. Cautiously, timidly, tremblingly we venture forth upon His promises, as though the lightness of our step might make His promises more secure. As though we could contribute even in the slightest to the strength of His assurances!
He has promised to be with us. Let us believe that promise! He has promised to uphold us. Let us believe Him when He says so. He has promised to grant us victory over all our spiritual enemies. Let us trust His truthfulness. Above all, He has promised to grant us full and free forgiveness of all our sins because of Jesus Christ, our Savior. And He has promised to come and take us to His heavenly home. Let us take Him at His word.
We are not to creep upon these promises as though they were too fragile to uphold us. We are to stand upon them‑‑confident that God is as good as His word and that He will do what He has pledged.