Go! And Remember the God Who Has Done Great Things
Joshua 22:24 (NLT): "The truth is, we have built this altar because we fear that in the future your descendants will say to ours, 'What right do you have to worship the Lord, the God of Israel?"
Exodus 3:6 (NLT): "I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.
Exodus 20:2 (NLT): "I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery."
Deuteronomy 5:6 (NLT): "I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery."
Psalm 78:4-6 (NLT): "We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders... So the next generation might know them—even the children not yet born—and they in turn will teach their own children."
Psalm 145:7 (NLT): "Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about your righteousness."
Psalm 102:18 (NLT): "Let this be recorded for future generations, so that a people not yet born will praise the Lord."
Introduction: The Power of Remembering
Church, one of the greatest tragedies for any generation is forgetting who God is and what He has done.
Today, we declare: Go! And Remember the God Who Has Done Great Things!
As believers, we are called to remember God’s faithfulness, rehearse His goodness, and pass it on. This is not mere nostalgia—it is worship. It is obedience. It is Gospel witness.
We are going to explore the importance of remembering through these key passages and discover that remembering God is essential to trusting Him, obeying Him, and proclaiming Him.
1. Remembering Preserves Worship (Joshua 22:24)
"The truth is, we have built this altar because we fear that in the future your descendants will say to ours, 'What right do you have to worship the Lord, the God of Israel?'"
The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an altar by the Jordan, not for sacrifices, but as a witness. It was a memorial, a way to preserve identity and protect future worship.
The Hebrew for "worship" is ??? (avad), which also means "to serve" or "to labour for." Worship is not passive—it is active devotion.
Today, we too must build spiritual memorials to keep worship central. Our culture forgets God daily. Will your children know the Lord by how you live, speak, and worship?
John Piper: "Worship is remembering God and responding appropriately."
Piper nails it: Worship begins with remembering. Forgetting leads to drifting. Remembering leads to reverence.
2. Remembering Reveals God's Identity (Exodus 3:6)
"I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
This was God’s self-disclosure to Moses at the burning bush. God links Himself to a history of faithfulness.
The name ????? (Elohim) is used here—the God who is powerful, sovereign, and relational.
When we forget our spiritual heritage, we lose our identity. But when we remember the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we find purpose.
Charles Stanley: "You must remember, God is not merely the God of the moment. He is the God of history."
God isn’t just doing a new thing; He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
3. Remembering Fuels Gratitude (Exodus 20:2; Deuteronomy 5:6)
"I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery."
These words introduce the Ten Commandments—not with rules first, but remembrance. God starts with what He has done, not what we must do.
"Rescued" comes from ??? (yatsa), meaning to bring out, to deliver, to lead forth.
Gratitude is the soil of obedience. If we remember we were once slaves to sin, we will worship the One who set us free.
Max Lucado: "Gratitude is the memory of the heart."
Let us never forget our Egypt. Let us always remember our Exodus.
4. Remembering Sustains Generations (Psalm 78:4-6; Psalm 102:18)
"We will not hide these truths from our children... Let this be recorded for future generations..."
The psalmists urge God’s people to intentionally teach future generations what God has done. This is a command and a calling.
"Truths" in Psalm 78:4 is ???? (t’hillah), meaning praise or story of renown.
Your testimony is not just for you. It is for your children, your grandchildren, and their children. Are you passing the baton of faith?
Tim Keller: "God's faithfulness in your past is the fuel for the next generation's faith."
When we fail to testify, we rob the next generation of hope.
5. Remembering Proclaims the Gospel (Psalm 145:7)
"Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about your righteousness."
Christ-Centred Reflection:
The greatest display of God's goodness is the cross of Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:8 (NLT): "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners."
Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection is the ultimate act we must remember. It is our altar, our burning bush, our deliverance.
Gospel Call:
Have you trusted in Jesus? He died to rescue you from sin and rose to give you eternal life.Repent. Believe. Be saved.
John Piper: "To remember Christ is to centre your whole life on what He has done for you."
The Ebenezer Stone
In 1 Samuel 7:12, Samuel sets up a stone and calls it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far the Lord has helped us." What stones of remembrance have you set up in your life?
The Photo Album
A family looking through an old photo album remembers love, sacrifice, and growth. Scripture is our photo album of God's faithfulness.
Call to Action:
Build memorials of remembrance in your home.
Share your testimony regularly.
Teach your children about God.
Worship with gratitude.
Anchor your hope in Jesus.
Invitation to Salvation:
Friend, don’t just know about God—know Him.
Jesus Christ is the same God who parted the Red Sea, who thundered from Sinai, who died on Calvary, and who rose from the grave.
Trust Him. Turn from your sin. Receive His grace. Begin your journey of remembrance with Him today.
Benediction:
May the Lord, who rescued you from slavery, called you by name, and planted His truth in your heart, strengthen you to remember and proclaim His greatness until the day you stand in glory.
Go! And remember the God who has done great things.
