Dont Forget The Lord

DON’T FORGET THE LORD

Ephesians 2:11-20

INTRODUCTION

In a beautiful district of Scotland, a boy from a well-to-do family in England was swimming in one of the lakes. Suddenly he was seized with a severe cramp. Screaming for help, he struggled to remain afloat. A boy about his own age heard his cry, plunged into the lake and with strong strokes brought him to shore. He administered aid and was able to save his life.

Time passed but the English boy never forgot the Scottish lad who saved his life. Making a special trip to Scotland he informed the lad that it was the wish of his family that they might be allowed to pay for his university studies. The Scottish lad chose the field of medicine and graduated with high honors.

Later he entered the field of research and in 1928 found that germs could not exist in certain vegetable mold. He named his discovery penicillin; his name was Dr. Alexander Fleming. The English boy whose life he saved also became famous. His name was Sir Winston Churchill.

That, however, is not the end of the story.In remembering and providing a university education to the person who saved his life, Churchill’s life was again saved. In remembering the one who saved him, he was doubly blessed. While Churchill was on a history-making journey in the near East, meeting with Roosevelt and Stalin, he was stricken with pneumonia. Word was relayed to London and penicillin was flown

to his side.

I wonder how things might have ended if Churchill had not remembered Fleming by providing him with an education. In remembering the person who saved his life,Churchill’s life was again saved.

In regularly remembering the Christ who saved us, our lives are again and again saved from bad decisions, wrong priorities, harmful paths, dangerous Relationships,deadly evils and countless pitfalls. It is so easy to forget important people, places and events in our lives.

The cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches often cause us to forget things we should not forget. It happens in every area of our lives but none more so than in the realm of the spiritual. How easy it is to forget our Creator and our Redeemer. We

are so busy and preoccupied with just living.

Assignments come. Promotions call.

Opportunities beckon. Children are born. Interests change. Responsibilities increase. Priorities are altered. The sights and sounds of the world beckon, entice and entrap us! Busy beyond measure we often forget the Lord, the One who created us, redeemed us and sustains us!

We can easily go days without giving Him much thought….or talking with Him….or reading His word….Forgetting has always been a problem for God’s people.

Again and again as the nation Israel prepared to cross the river Jordan and enter the promised land, Moses solemnly charged them saying, “Remember the Lord God!” At the root of most of their troubles was their failure to remember. Hence, Moses continually reminded them to remember the Lord their God.

In Deuteronomy 5:15 he said to them, “REMEMBER THAT YOU WERE SLAVESIN EGYPT…..BUT THE LORD YOUR GOD BROUGHT YOU OUT WITH A STRONG HAND AND AN OUTSTRETCHED ARM.”

God had saved them and He had a plan and a purpose for their lives. In Deuteronomy 6:11-12 Moses warned them that even in prosperity and success they were not to

forget God.

“WHEN YOU ARE IN YOUR LAND WITH WELLS AND VINEYARDS AND

OLIVE GROVES….AND YOU EAT AND ARE SATISFIED….BE CAREFUL

THAT YOU DO NOT FORGET THE LORD….”

To help them remember God even established special festivals that were to be a commemoration of God’s acts. They were to remember their God because memory is

crucial to faith.

BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE:

The Word of God continually reminds us of the importance of remembering. Abraham was sustained by the memory of God’s promise. Joseph’s faith was strengthened by the memory of God’s faithfulness.

The Apostle Paul was motivated by the memory of God’s call to him to preach. Peter overcame the failure of his past by remembering God’s forgiveness.

Remembering God’s grace and mercy is no less important for us today. When we daily allow God’s goodness and love to fill our minds and flood our souls we are able

to live for the right things and thereby fulfill the purpose of our existence. In remembering we are motivated to live holy, Christ-like lives. We are empowered tolive victoriously.

Lapses of memory are at the heart of our waywardness, faithlessness and powerlessness. The cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches often cause us

to forget who we are in Christ and why we are here.

TEXT

“Our text for this morning really does not Specifically ask us to do anything. No imperative is given regarding any act or attitude other than remembering. All the focus is on the change Christ has accomplished in our lives and the privilege of new