12-29-2019 A Look Back 2019 Deuteronomy
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Introduction:
Yet again we find ourselves, not only approaching a new year but now also a new decade. Life is temporal and there is no guarantee of another day. YHWH, in His divine providence, does not promise us tomorrow, but we are here today. Therefore, we are presented with a just cause to be responsive to God, who has kept us by His power. He has already kept us this last decade and we should not so quickly forget. We cannot remember the things that we must remember if we do not take a look back.
Of all the things that have transpired over this year, of all the things that come to my mind, nothing happened this year that I could really go back and change, no matter how much I might want it to change. For some of us, as we look back, we recall things that we don’t like. For others, we can recall happy times. But, it is far easier to recall negative things. Somehow, the negative things stick better in our brains than positive things. One Christian author wrote about the end of the year going into the new year and he said, “The new year seems to add a little encouragement to the winter season, especially after all the effort and emotions that go along with Christmas.”
In our generation today, looking back requires more effort to remember. We seem to always be too busy to take a moment and reflect on things past. Yet, in that practice of looking back, we can rediscover the ability to remember both the good and the bad on a regular basis; and that's what I want to close this decade with, just encouraging you with a year that is worth remembering. I know some of you might be saying, “I don't want to remember this year!” Some of us have a hard time remembering yesterday. Memories do fail us in some respects--and boy do I know that! but there are things that we are actually commanded to bring back to our minds and I think that's important to bring it back and we have to work to bring it back bring certain things, bring back the highlights and the lows of this year. And so it is prudent of us to reflect, as a Church, what we’ve done this year and ask, “was it worth it?” So, let me take a couple minute to reflect on this year. This year has been yet again one of the most dynamic years of Grace Baptist Church with a pruning and a resurgence of God’s people. But this is not the only thing that has happened!
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So what is worthy to recall? Well, we can look at the Scriptures to tell us! As the late Professor, Allen Verhey, succinctly put it:
"In Scripture, […] Memory is typically constitutive of identity and determinative of conduct”
He then went on with the example of when our Lord healed the lepers and how when Jesus healed them, immediately they left. It is as if they were healed and then, “Okay that’s done!” That is just characteristic of us today! YHWH does that great thing in our lives, YHWH does that specific work, YHWH calls us out of eternal damnation and touches our lives to live with Him for Eternity, YHWH answers our prayers! We look back and all these things that have gone on and we move on and don't remember. And in no other time is this so true then immediately after we had been delivered from some terrible situation. Our memories are more than only a recollection of the past. A few years back, Dr. Wynne Kimbrough said:
“Our memories actually shape us, and they make us into the person that we are, and the person that we will become…So your time of remembering will shape you and make you into the person that you will be ”
So your time in remembering will make you into the person that you will be in 2020. What does the Bible actually say about this? The Bible actually tells us to remember. In fact there are several passages that guide us in helping us to remember specific things and, in turn, those memories will help us as we grow this coming year. Throughout the Bible, there are numerous commands for us to not forget. The repeating repetition that we find throughout the whole Bible is for us to not forget. There are many memories of ours that would fit into these biblical categories-- perhaps you will let this be the beginning of a further personal extended study of yours-- but I want to give you a few points this morning with the confidence that the Bible has us remember certain, specific things.
Transition:
We will look at a few passages mostly from Deuteronomy this morning. The English title "Deuteronomy" comes from the Greek Δευτερονόμιον, meaning "second law." This Greek phrase is itself a translation of the Hebrew mishneh haTorah hazoth, or in literal English "a copy of this law". It is titled this because the Hebrew peoples had already forgotten the first law. So you can see by just the title alone, that this book is about remembering/recalling the past/looking back In Deuteronomy 6, we find the “Shema” -- The declaration of who YHWH is and then the rest of the chapter is about teaching constantly as to not forget generation to generation, but what do we see happen again and again? The Israelites easily forget and had already forgotten.
Then, in Chapter 32:
Deuteronomy 32:7–9
7 Remember the old days, the years long past; ask your father, and he will inform you, your elders and they will tell you. 8 When the Most High apportioned the nations, at his dividing up of the sons of humankind, he fixed the boundaries of the peoples, according to the number of the children of Israel. 9 For Yahweh’s portion was his people, Jacob the share of his inheritance.
When was the last time you have asked your father about the generation before you? The Bible really does say a lot about the need to look back:
Deuteronomy 4:9
“However, take care for yourself and watch your inner self closely, so that you do not forget the things that your eyes have seen, so that they do not slip from your mind all the days of your life; and you shall make them known to your children and to your grandchildren.
Then a few Chapters later, Moses adds a new level:
Deuteronomy 9:7
Remember, do not forget, that you provoked Yahweh your God in the desert, and from the day that you went out from the land of Egypt until you came to this place you were rebelling against Yahweh.
Here this is a confrontation of something specific that they did against our Lord. What’s the message? Don't even forget how you treated YHWH over the years—something very negative that Moses commands the Israelites not to forget. Look with me now at
1 Kings 2:1–4
The days of David came near for him to die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying, “I am about to go the way of all the world. Be strong and be courageous. You shall keep the charge of Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, his commandments, his judgments, and his testimonies, as are written in the law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all that you do and everywhere you turn, so that Yahweh may establish his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons take heed of their way, to walk before me in faithfulness, with all their heart and with all their soul, no man of yours will be cut off from the throne of Israel.’ ”
David, even at the very end of his life, is still teaching his son Solomon who is about to become king, “Don’t forget everything I've ever told you: Walk in the ways of YHWH, follow the commandments of YHWH, know the testimonies of YHWH. Those are things that David taught Solomon--he said, “don't go away from those things.
One commentator observed something. We will readily talk about remembering and repeating things that are important to us. But what about what is important to our Lord? and the need for repeating what is important to Him. This commentator observed in the Old Testament there are over 15 chapters devoted simply to retelling the same story of redemption. In other words, you read the Bible and there are far more than 15 chapters that just repeat the same themes, the same Messiah in scripture.
And really when you look at the Bible, it isn't that long to begin with--The Sears catalog is long! and yet the Holy Spirit has a complete retelling of the same story is just a reminder of how important it was when YHWH said, “I want you to remember and I don't want you to forget, and I want to make sure that you pass this on and on and on.”
All of these repetitions that the Messiah/Redeemer is coming is the Holy Spirit’s way of making a strong emphasis on remembering.
Repetition is the mother of learning! We need to repeat certain things over and over and over again! As we close out 2019 and as we think about another year, let’s ponder these few memory aids: first off, you need to remember that
I. YHWH Remembers
I. YHWH Remembers
It is important for you to understand that YHWH remembers. Of course, that is not much of a surprise. This YHWH is God. God, by nature and by definition is eternal. YHWH is omniscient--He knows all things past, present, & future. For all of eternity God has known all there is. There is nothing outside of YHWH's attention. There is nothing that He does not know.
But it's important for us to keep that concept in mind, and it is especially important to people who think that God has somehow forgotten, or has forsaken them. There are several people in several situations in scripture in which in their prayers, they are feeling forgotten. Those prayers and examples are given to us as recorded in scripture, because it illustrates and reminds us that there are people who love the Lord, and at times they feel forgotten, forsaken and by YHWH. They forget that YHWH made a promise, and that He is a promise-keeping God.
When we forget this, we can get a false thought that YHWH is not faithful to His word. Turn to Psalm 77. I want to look at Psalm 77 because Ps 77 will take you through the rut of that kind of thinking -- going from feeling left out: "My God forsook me" to a right response. This Psalm can illustrate and be repeated over and over again
Psalm 77:1–5
1 I cry out with my voice to God; with my voice to God, that he may hear me. 2 In the day I have trouble, I seek the Lord. At night my hand stretches out continually; my soul refuses to be comforted. 3 I remember God and I groan loudly; I meditate and my spirit grows faint. Selah 4 You hold open my eyelids. I am troubled and cannot speak. 5 I think about the days from long ago, the years of ancient times.
v.5 “I consider the days of all the years long ago" He's looking back to more favorable times.
Psalm 77:6
6 I remember my song in the night. With my heart I meditate, and my spirit searches to understand.
v.6 So again this is the power of remembering because he says now with the Lord-- The Lord will never again be favorable. His steadfast love has forever ceased. All his promises are at an end for all time. Has God forgotten to be gracious?
7 Will the Lord reject us forever, and will he never be pleased with us again? 8 Has his loyal love ceased forever? Is his promise ended throughout generations? 9 Has God forgotten to have compassion? Or has he closed off his mercies in anger? Selah
Do you see what he's doing? He is asking and saying what we think. God? Are you there? Lord, have you forgotten? YHWH, are you not true? or are you going to leave me? Don't you love me?
Now notice verse 10:
10 So I said, “This pierces me— the right hand of the Most High has changed.” 11 I will remember the deeds of Yah. Surely I will remember your wonders from long ago. 12 I will also muse on all your work, and meditate on your deeds. 13 O God, your way is distinctive. Who is a great god like our God? 14 You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples. 15 With your arm you redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
This might just be a good chapter to think about as you remember, because it ought to relate personally with us as we are going through deep, dark, desperate times.
YHWH remembers even when we forget! He remembers you, He remembers your work, He remembers your labors of love. He never forgets what you've done. But let me remind you also even though YHWH remembers, YHWH also forgets. What? Yes! YHWH forgets!
Isaiah 43:25
I, I am the one who blots out your transgressions for my sake, and I will not remember your sins.
It would be terrible that YHWH remembers every single detail of my sin, but we see this glorious forgetting repeated in Hebrews 8:
For I will be merciful toward their wrongdoings, and I will not remember their sins any longer.”
What this means when it says that YHWH forgets, it means that He no longer holds our sins against us because we are forgiven! What that means is we are accepted by our Creator as if we had never sinned. Aren't you glad that YHWH does forget? He doesn't hold our sin against us.
Transition:
Remember that YHWH remembers. Secondly, As you spend time meditating, you should:
II. Remember Jesus
II. Remember Jesus
John Newton (the one who wrote the hymn, Amazing Grace) said “my memory is nearly gone” he was 82 years old when he said that. “My memory is nearly gone but I remember 2 things.” What were those 2 things? He remember this: “I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Savior.” Well if you can't remember anything else that's something good to remember “I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Savior.”
2 Timothy 2:8
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David according to my gospel,
So Paul tells Timothy to remember Jesus, the Christ, so I say that to all of us here today! Let's remember Jesus! Paul is encouraging Timothy here with the importance of what the focus of our life should be: it should be Jesus! someone noted that there are 3 aspects of this memory that Timothy and we are to set our hearts on.
First, he said, remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead.
We know He resurrected, every day we need to work at remembering He is risen and He is with me. Paul commands Timothy to remember these three things about Jesus. So first, remember Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. (in the Greek it is Present Tense! not has risen, but is risen)
Second, remember the Christ born of David.
This reminds us of His humanity-- that He is God that He went through life, that He understands life, He truly knows, He completely comprehends everything that any of us will ever face, ever deal with in this life and that is why this celebration of Christmas and his incarnation is so critical to us.
And third, remember Paul said as preached in my gospel.
Remember the good news! One author stated: “even when the gospel demands much, even when it leads to an effort which seems to be beyond human ability, and into our future which seems dark with every kind of threat, remember that it is good news. And the world is actually waiting for this good news.
So however hard the task of giving the gospel is, the gospel is the message of liberation from sin and victory over circumstances for all of mankind. It is through the gospel of Jesus, so over the next several days remember Jesus.
Transition:
Remember that YHWH remembers, remember Jesus, and third:
III. Remember where you came from
III. Remember where you came from
There are times when we should remember who we were, and what we were before our salvation. When you think back at where you were, and now where you are then that should swell up in all of us a deep sense of gratitude when we recall what Christ is done for us in our salvation, and so you do that by considering what you were like.
Actually, go ahead and take a few moments and think about what it would be like for you if it wasn't for salvation through Jesus Christ. Some of us might say, “I know what I was like: a terrible wretched person,” and I would be that and more. All those horrible, evil, wicked deeds that we hear about on the news, we all would be likely suspects if it wasn't for Christ. So, when you think back, it should stir in your heart a great measure of gratitude that Jesus saves you from terrible things! When you're looking back over this past year, take some time to review your life and as you're doing that, look for the marks of intentional spiritual growth that you've been through, and really that should be our goal every year, right? There should be progress and there must be an effort for spiritual growth to happen. So take a few moments and honestly answer whether you are farther along in the spiritual growth process than you were 364 days ago:
Am I any further along in my spiritual life or is there no change spiritually?
Is there a greater faithfulness to God?
Am I spending more time with YHWH and in His Word?
Has my prayer life grown deeper?
Have I invested in others by discipling them and in pouring my life into others more-so now at the end of this year?
Has there been serving? and giving?
Have I been loving the lost?
Is there something different about me than there was at the beginning of 2019?
Will you-- before God, right now— commit to spending at least 60 minutes in the next 7 days to answer openly, before Him, these questions and any others that are associated with them? I’ve raised them with me, I urge you to answer them. I will as well.
We get busy with this or that thing -- and suddenly, a year is gone, suddenly life itself goes by us. Life is largely composed of the small things. The minutes, the hours, the days, the interactions we have with people.
So what are the daily habits that mark your days? What are habits you practice in the days of life? Little decisions don’t seem significant. A few dollars here. A little entertainment there. A few comforts. Suddenly, life evaporates, as the Bible says, like your warm breath on a cold night, suddenly we’re not at all where we had wanted to be at this age.
What are your habits? What do you do everyday which helps set out the course of your life? Is Scripture part of your daily regimen? Is time with your Father? Is there time for people who need Christ? Time to invest faithfully and regularly in advancing Christ’s work?
We could each name a half dozen or dozen things we do every day. Take a look at yours and see where the course will take you.
Write on the back of your bulletins: “Steps I need to take...”
The start of the new decade. A most appropriate time to evaluate.
Transition:
Remember where you came from and I think it'll start a spirit of gratitude in your heart and in your prayer life.
IV. Remember to forget
IV. Remember to forget
Paul says that! Philippians 3:
Brothers, I do not consider myself to have laid hold of it. But I do one thing, forgetting the things behind and straining toward the things ahead,
That is a great way for you to think about this topic, that you are remembering certain things and then you are to forget certain things so that you can progress. But it's easier said than done but it is imperative that you learn to forget. Paul even said you need to forget about all your worldly successes. Pride is always the enemy before us so we don’t live thinking, “this is what I have done.” That always leads us to our fall. But there are some things to forget:
you need to forget offenses against you. Forget offenses against you. What did James say? In many things we offend all. Right? in so you're gonna get offended. Your spouse might offend you, your family will offend you, a friend might offend you. So you must remember to forget offenses and the best way to do that is to remember how offensive that you are to the most Holy God! You, in your sin, are so offensive to YHWH. And because of Jesus Christ, you are so forgiven! Remember to forget. And not everyone asks us to forgive them. It would be most pleasant that the offender always came to ask for forgiveness and forgiveness always granted, but that doesn't always happen. You still must have a forgiving heart despite the lack of request, but make sure that you truly forgive them and that you never bring it up in a way that is hateful: harmful and hurtful to them. So you must forget offenses.
And also we need to forget our failures. Wait, didn’t you earlier say we need to remember certain failures? Yes, because we remember where we came from, but we do need to forget our failures--that doesn't mean we don't learn from them, but once you do learn the lesson, once you have asked for forgiveness from God and perhaps from others then go on and keep growing in your Christian life--you don't have to be bound by a past that YHWH has already forgiven!
So What?
So What?
Remember! It is critical to who you are, and who you will become. Remember that YHWH remembers. Remember Jesus, Remember where you came from, and remember to forget. There are others in scripture: Remember the needy. Remember those who labor in the word. But in conclusion: Remember YHWH! Our God! the God that is the one and only True God! because if you don’t, the price to pay is too high:
Deuteronomy 8:18–19
18 But you must remember Yahweh your God, for he is the one giving you strength to acquire wealth in order to confirm his covenant that he swore to your ancestors as it is today. 19 And it will happen that if you indeed forget Yahweh your God and you go after other gods and you serve them and you bow down before them, I warn you today that you will surely perish.
Rather than perishing, look back at all the ways YHWH has shown His loving kindness to you this past year. How long will that list be for you? You'll never know unless you take time to remember all of his loving-kindness to you! Cry out with the Psalmist:
Psalm 63:5–7
5 My soul will be satisfied as with the best and richest food, and with joyful lips my mouth will praise. 6 When I remember you on my bed, I meditate on you in the night watches. 7 Because you have been my help, therefore in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
We are going to participate in communion together in just a moment. What a fitting way to apply this command to remember!