Remember
Griffith Baptist Church – 2/8/09
P.M. Service
Text: Psalm 44
Key verse: Psalms 44:1 - We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.
Premise: We are sometimes a forgetful people when there is so much that God has done. These things are good to remember for our encouragement, past, present and future.
The Introduction
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."
Sometimes we are better at forgetting than remembering
There are other times when we remember things we should forget
Discuss text
Three aspects of remembering God that will encourage and sustain us
Body
1. Remember What God Has Done – 1-3
A. Creation
i. He did it from nothing
a. There once was a little boy who was told the story of the creation of Adam and Eve in his Sunday morning Bible class. After church on the way home his mom asked him what they talked about in Bible class, and he told her that they talked about the creation story and how God had taken a rib from mans side and made a wife for him. After lunch mother finds him doubled over in pain and asked him what was wrong. The little boy replied, “My side hurts mommy, I think I’m having a wife.”
b. Genesis 1:1 –In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
ii. He sustains it - Colossians 1:16-17 – 16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
B. Salvation
i. He determined and prepared Christ for our salvation
a. 1 Peter 1:19-20 – 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
b. He had us in mind before the world was created.
c. That is a lot of love.
ii. He chose us before the world began
a. Ephesians 1:4 – According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
b. However He chose is His prerogative
c. What is most important is that you and I were one of His choices.
d. The purpose was for us to be holy and blamless
C. Protection
i. Protection from judgment and hell
a. Romans 8:1 – There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
b. Hell is prepared for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41)
ii. Protection from our enemy - 2 Thessalonians 3:3 – But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
D. Inspiration
i. The Scriptures
a. A computer program was recently used to prove that St. Paul is the author of only 4 of the 13 epistles attributed to him in the New Testament. Two researchers fed the computer a quarter of a million words of Greek prose to reach this conclusion. They said the method could be used to determine the authorship of any part of the Bible. Truly amazing, isn’t it, that a mindless machine questions the Word of God?! If its findings were correct, they would make Paul a liar, for he claims the authorship of all 13 epistles. Just think, a lifeless mechanism "proving" that the Bible is not true! The computer is now a disputer. Now for the clincher. The same computer program was used to do an analysis of the book in which these conclusions were written. It was proven that the man who wrote the book couldn’t have been its author.
b. 2 Peter 1:20-21 – Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
ii. The Holy Spirit
a. John 14:16-17 – 16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
b. He lives in us
c. He guides us
d. He’ll be with us till the day we die or are raptured
2. Remember What God Is Doing – 4-22
A. Preservation
i. We are not only saved but are kept as well
a. 1 Peter 1:5 – Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
b. We can’t keep ourselves
ii. His Word is preserved and cannot be destroyed - Psalms 119:89 – For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
B. Transformation
i. God is in the process of changing us into the image of His Son
a. A woman testified to the transformation in her life that had resulted through her experience in conversion. She declared, "I’m so glad I got religion. I have an uncle I used to hate so much I vowed I’d never go to his funeral. But now, why, I’d be happy to go to it any time."
b. Romans 12:1-2 – 1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
ii. He is changing our minds to be more in line with His thinking
a. Hebrews 10:16 – 16This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
b. We cannot be confronted with God and His Word and not be affected.
c. That confrontation always will force a choice
C. Intercession
i. Prayer
a. Ephesians 6:18 – Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
b. 1 Timothy 2:1 – I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
c. Prayer is our vital link to God and He does work through prayer.
ii. Christ interceding
a. Hebrews 7:25 – Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
b. He is our go-between; our mediator
c. When God looks at us, it is through the lens of Christ
D. Preparation
i. A home for us
a. A little girl was observed by her pastor standing outside the preschool Sunday School classroom between Sunday School and worship, waiting for her parents to come and pick her up for "big church." The pastor noticed that she clutched a big storybook under her arms with the obvious title, "Jonah and the Whale." Feeling a little playful, he knelt down beside the little girl and began a conversation. "What’s that you have in your hand?", he asked. "This is my storybook about Jonah and the Whale," she answered. "Tell me something, little girl," he continued, "do you believe that story about Jonah and that whale to be the truth?" The little girl implored, "Why of course I believe this story to be the truth!" He inquired further, "you really believe that a man can be swallowed up by a big whale, stay inside him all that time, and come out of there still alive and OK? You really believe all that can be true?" She declared, "Absolutely, this story is in the Bible and we studied about it in Sunday School today!" Then the pastor asked, "Well, little girl, can you prove to me that this story is the truth?" She thought for a moment and then said, "Well, when I get to Heaven, I’ll ask Jonah." The pastor then asked, "Well, what if Jonah’s not in Heaven?" She then put her hands on her little hips and sternly declared, "Then YOU can ask him!"
b. John 14:2 – In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
ii. To return for us - John 14:3 – And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
3. Remember What God Will Do – 23-26
A. Vindication
i. Some day all our enemies will be judged
a. Revelation 20:11-15 – 11And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
b. That is why we are not to be revengeful – Romans 12:19-21 – 19Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
ii. Some day all our suffering will be rewarded - Matthew 5:10-12 – 10Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
B. Acquisition
i. He will rapture us - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 – 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
ii. He is preparing a reunion feast for us - Revelation 19:7-9 – 7Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
C. Purification
i. We will become like Christ - 1 John 3:2-3 – 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
ii. We will not have the presence of sin
a. Speaking of the New Jerusalem - Revelation 21:27 – And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
b. Pure sinless perfection at last.
D. Creation
i. A New Jerusalem - Revelation 21
ii. New heaven and new earth
a. 2 Peter 3:13 - Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
b. Revelation 21:1 - And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
