We rely very much upon our capacity to remember things in order to live our lives. Often people complain of having a poor memory, yet if the subject is explored, it will be found that some things people remember well and others not so well.
What do people remember? Is it the everyday things? Or are we more likely to remember things that matter the most and are important to us for one reason or another? Think back over your life. I guess you can remember very clearly a major event, maybe a birth, a marriage, your first job or passing an exam. You probably remember members of your family well, even if you have not seen them for a while. You can recall many things about them, their mannerisms, their favourite music or events that you participated in together.
We all remember very clearly those things that are important to us. Some years ago, there was a patient I saw on behalf of a colleague whilst he was away on holiday. The man was known to me vaguely, I saw him on one occasion and at the time there did not appear to be any undue problems. However, a couple of days later he committed two murders. It was my role to attend the initial interview the police had with him, you can be sure I could, and still can years later, remember every detail of the murders and my mental health assessment of the man. Why? Well, it was a major event and it was in my interest to remember! I knew that my role would be one of a professional witness at the inquiry and subsequent court proceedings.
Now we are all witnesses, our life is a trial and we testify each day. It matters not if we are willing or unwilling witnesses, we have no choice. Now the children of Israel are God's witnesses. They were much of the time in their history very unwilling witnesses and were disobedient to God’s just law. Yet willing or unwilling they testified to their own condemnation, but also testified of God's justice and of His mercy. We can read an account in Jeremiah of how Israel disobeyed God and were taken captive by the Babylonians. The remnant still in the land sought God and appeared to have good intentions. They came to Jeremiah and said "Please hear our petition and pray to the LORD your God for this entire remnant. For as you now see, though we were once many, now only a few are left. Pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do." Jer 42:2-3 Jeremiah responded that he would indeed pray to God on their behalf and the Israelites in turn said:
"May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with everything the LORD your God sends you to tell us. Whether it is favourable or unfavourable, we will obey the LORD our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it will go well with us, for we will obey the LORD our God." Jer 42:4-6
Now in Proverbs we read "fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe." Prov 29:25 and also that “it is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider his vows". Prov 20:25 Israel clearly stated that they would seek and obey God. Thus they were told by God via Jeremiah:
“Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you now fear. Do not be afraid of him, declares the LORD, for I am with you and will save you and deliver you from his hands.” Jer 42:11
Further Israel were warned: “However, if you say, ‘We will not stay in this land,’ and so disobey the LORD your God,” ….. “Indeed, all who are determined to go to Egypt to settle there will die by the sword, famine and plague; not one of them will survive or escape the disaster I will bring on them.” Jer 42:13 &17
They disobeyed God saying to Jeremiah: "You are lying! The LORD our God has not sent you to say, ‘You must not go to Egypt to settle there.’ Why? Simply because they did not get the answer that they wanted to hear. Thus their fear of Babylon was a snare to them and their disobedience of God their downfall. Yet had they trusted and obeyed God, they would have been safe. God through the prophet Isaiah sums up their attitude:
"The Lord says; These people come near to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips but their hearts are far from me." Isa 29:13
So what lessons can we learn from their example? Well, firstly that they did not remember the lessons from either their past or present calamities of being invaded and overthrown as a nation. Secondly, we note they made vows and promises, then forgot their words and chose to ignore their promises. Thirdly, we see that they had no trust, no love for God and no appreciation of His mercy, or else they would not have been disobedient. The result? Jeremiah prophesied: “So now, be sure of this: You will die by the sword, famine and plague in the place where you want to go to settle." Jer 42:22
So will we take these lessons to heart? Paul exhorts, “Take heed, brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." Heb 3:12
Now Jesus commanded his disciples to remember him “The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me. In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." 1Cor 11:23-25
Despite being forewarned about what was to come, of how their Lord would be betrayed and would be crucified, the disciples were shocked by this turn of events. Peter denied his Master three times, others fled, some watched from distance. They were all convinced that it was the end, that Jesus was dead. We read: “Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body.” And the body was laid in the tomb: “Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.” Mark 15:46 Thus the tomb was sealed and the disciples grieved for the loss of their Lord. On the occasion when the two disciples were on the road to Emmaus they said "The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel". They ‘had hoped’, past tense, in other words their hope was gone!
While others rejoiced, they grieved and sorrowed. The two Mary's and Salome went to anoint the body of their beloved Lord. Yet when they arrived at the tomb, what consternation! “When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.” Just imagine the thoughts in the minds, why? How? Where is the Lord? Then as they gazed into the empty tomb they perceived an angel sitting there who told them "Don’t be alarmed," … "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.” Mark 16:6
Risen! Risen from the dead! Just imagine the joy mingled with incredulity. The angel said to them ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’" Yes, they had forgotten the words of Jesus that he would rise from the dead. Yet even now having been reminded what do they do:
“Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb.” Mark16:8
Would we have been any different? The answer is simple, no!
From other Gospel records we know that Peter ran to the tomb with another disciple. He entered in and saw the burial clothing folded up and we read that "He saw and believed.” Yet also that “they still did not understand from scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead."
Jesus rebuked them for their lack of belief, we read “he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.” Mark 16:14 Yes they also were stubborn of heart, refusing to believe something they saw as impossible – resurrection from the dead! ‘O ye of little faith’ their Master had once said to them. But unlike Israel who had no love for God, their love for Jesus was in no doubt. We read "On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said. "Peace be with you" After he said this he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord". John 20:19-20
Overjoyed! O yes and they would not forget! That moment would be etched indelibly upon their minds. Their abject sorrow at his death and their immeasurable joy at his resurrection, they would never forget! Just think how much meaning taking the emblems would have for them.
So which category do we fall into? Are we like Israel or like the disciples? How much does the word of our Lord and Master mean to us? How much does all that he accomplished matter to us? What is the depth of our belief? Now Christ commanded his disciples:
"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:15-16.
They went out and proclaimed the risen Lord. They gave up everything for Jesus. They were persecuted, they beaten, they were imprisoned, but did they give up? No! Their memories and love spurred them on, even to the point of death.
Now we have heard. We have believed their word. We have made our vows and promised to follow the Lamb of God and heed his word. We have been baptised into his name, thus in symbol dying with him and rising to new life. The old man was crucified with him. Let us never forget that we died to sin! Let us always remember to turn from the Egypt of this world, not being fearful of man, but trusting in God alone.
Israel went before Jeremiah that he might intercede on their behalf. We go before Christ our mediator who intercedes on our behalf, for as Paul wrote to Timothy there is "one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus". The ministry of Christ is far superior to any that have gone before, "Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of eternal life” Heb 9:15 The fear of Israel came upon them and they were destroyed. How much more will those who despise the blood Christ be counted guilty. So as we examine ourselves before taking the emblems let us ask ourselves the questions ‘ Do I pray for forgiveness and guidance, then walk away and carry on as before’? ‘Do I seek ease, safety and peace in Egypt’? 'Do I whole heartedly believe the Word of God'?
Do we trust in God or do we fear man? Do we worry about what friends, work colleagues and others we meet think of us? Israel feared Babylon, rather than trust in God and the fear of man was a snare to them. Therefore, beware lest we forget what is coming upon the earth. Do our lives seem secure and comfortable? Do we worry about our lives and fear the loss of what we have? If we trust the Lord our God, we have nothing to fear. There is nothing whatsoever that can separate us from the love of our God revealed in Christ. Paul writes:
“I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom 8:38-39
The only danger of failure we face is from within. Our actions are born out of what is important to us. Our actions will be motivated by what we remember, value and think upon. Remember we are our own witnesses; our lives are a living trial now! The Judgment Seat of Christ will be a summation of our lives.
Yes, we all fail in some way, all come short, but if like the disciples our hearts are in the right place then as David writes:
"As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him. For he knows how we are formed he remembers we are dust.”....."From everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him." Psalm 103:13 &17
So it is now time for self examination before taking the emblems. How much we remember will depend on how much Christ means to us. How much of his word we remember, depends upon how much we love him above all else. Surely, we are here because of our love for him. So let us take the bread and wine now in remembrance of Jesus through whom we have found salvation, for in the words of the hymn:
'We show the death of our dear Lord until he come'
May he return soon!
Andy P.