Remember

Text: Deuteronomy 11:18-21, 26-28

Title: Remember!

Date: May 29, 2005 (Memorial Day Weekend) Pentecost 2A (RCL)

A young child was looking at a plaque in the lobby of the church with the names of people from the congregation who had died in the military. The pastor came up to the boy and explained that the plaque had the names of people who died in the service. With wide eyes, the boy asked, “Which service, 8:00 or 10:30?”

Memorial Day – day where we remember those who died protecting our country

Remember so we don’t forget – what happens when you forget

- repeat mistakes

- revert to old ways

18So keep my words in your hearts and minds. Write them down and tie them on your hands AS A REMINDER.

Deut 11:18-20 (NIrV)

Moses telling them to remember – because they were people who forget.

- Just left Egypt – first born of Egyptians killed

14 "In days to come, when your son asks you, ’What does this mean?’ say to him, ’With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in Egypt, both man and animal. This is why I sacrifice to the LORD the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.’ 16 And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the LORD brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand."

Ex 13:14-16

- Through the Red Sea, provided manna and quail to eat, made fresh water spring from a rock, Moses went up to get the 10 commandments and they started worshipping a golden calf

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. [a] 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deut. 6:4-9

- Dathan and Abiram stirred up dissention, God made the earth open up and swallow them. Snakes were repelled by Moses.

18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, 21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. Deut 11:18-21

An 80 year old couple were having problems remembering things, so they decided to go to their doctor to get checked out to make sure nothing was wrong with them. When they arrived at the doctor’s, they explained to the doctor about the problems they were having with their memory. After checking the couple out, the doctor tells them that they were physically okay but might want to start writing things down and make notes to help them remember things. The couple thanked the doctor and left.

Later that night while watching TV, the old man got up from his chair and his wife asks, "Where are you going?"

He replies, "To the kitchen."

She asks, "Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?"

He replies, "Sure."

She then asks him, "Don’t you think you should write it down so you can remember it?"

He says, "No, I can remember that."

She then says, "Well I also would like some strawberries on top. You had better write that down cause I know you’ll forget that."

He says, "I can remember that, you want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries."

She replies, "Well I also would like whip cream on top. I know you will forget that so you better write it down."

With irritation in his voice, he says, "I don’t need to write that down I can remember that." He then fumes into the kitchen. After about 20 minutes he returns from the kitchen and hands her a plate of bacon and eggs.

She stares at the plate for a moment and says, "I knew you were going to mess it up - You forgot my toast."