Remember Series

10.07.2017

One of the dangers we face as Christians is how easily we forget. That’s why, throughout the Bible, God calls His people to remember.

• Deuteronomy 7:17-18 - "If you should say in your heart, 'These nations are greater than I; how can I dispossess them?' 18 you shall not be afraid of them; you shall well remember what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt:

• Deuteronomy 24:18 - But you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and that the LORD your God redeemed you from there; therefore I am commanding you to do this thing.

• Psalm 105:5 - Remember His wonders which He has done, His marvels, and the judgments uttered by His mouth,

• Isaiah 46:9 - Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me,

• Ephesians 2:12-13 - Remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

There is no door prize today for participating in Communion. You won’t get extra stars in your crown and you certainly won’t gain weight, but Jesus says we are to observe Communion … in order to remember.

Remember your true condition:

Our sinful nature is prone to wander away from God. It is always in conflict with the Holy Spirit.

• Galatians 5:17 - For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

Spiritual pride is dangerous and can lead us into the sin of self-righteousness. Remembering our identity outside of Jesus and what our personal sin cost heaven will keep us humble and will give us a greater sympathy for people.

Communion provides us the opportunity to remember who we are without Jesus.

Remember your conversion:

Everyone has a conversion story. Even if you have been a church going person your entire life you have a conversion story. Do you remember yours? I remember mine…. 1997 on my bathroom floor – I opened my Bible and read:

• Joshua 1:9 - "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

It was the moment I realized that Jesus was more than just a story – He was real and He loved me!

Remembering our journey with God is important. It keeps Him fresh in our minds. Remembering His faithfulness in the PAST will help us as we walk through difficult times in the PRESENT.

Communion provides us the opportunity to remember our conversion story.

Remember you are forgiven:

Is there a particular sin in your past that haunts you? Something etched in your memory that comes to your mind over and over even though you have asked for forgiveness?

Do you believe the words of John?

• I John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.

Forgiveness is born from a heart that loves and longs for restoration and John 3:16 tells us that God loves us so much He sent Jesus so that whoever believes will have eternal life.

God longs to restore us and the blood Jesus shed is sufficient to cover all our sins. Not just some of them….. ALL of them.

Communion provides us the opportunity to remember we are forgiven.

The most important reason we observe Communion is to………

Remember the cross:

What price was God willing to pay for you? The life of His Son – no higher price could have been paid!

The cross was always Jesus destination.

The cross is a superb triumph in which the foundations of hell were shaken.

Because of Jesus the whole human race has been put back into a right relationship with God.

We should never think of Jesus as a victim. The cross did not “happen” to Jesus. He came to earth for the purpose of becoming “the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”.

The center of salvation is Jesus on the cross, and the reason it is so easy to obtain salvation is because it cost God so much.

• Isaiah 53:5 - But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.

Remember your bruises and scars – what your heart has been rescued from – and the truth that we owe our lives, all that we are, to Jesus.

Do this, Jesus says, in remembrance of me.