We are a forgetful people and we always have been. The Book of Deuteronomy highlights this, containing seven references to man’s proclivity to forget what the Lord has done for us. In Deuteronomy 4:9 and 4:23, Moses urges the Israelites not to forget what they have seen – when the mountain burned with fire as the Lord delivered His covenant and the ten commandments to the people via Moses. In 6:12 and 8:14, God’s word via Moses exhorts them not to forget the Lord and His rescue out of slavery in Egypt. 8:11 teaches the Israelites not to forget the Lord by not keeping His commandments. 8:19 warns them that they will perish if they forget the Lord and worship other gods. In 9:7 he instructs the people not to forget their own rebellion against God.
Five of the seven Deuteronomy verses include the phrase “Take care, lest you forget the Lord”. The underlying truth here is that man will forget the Lord if he doesn’t proactively take care to remember Him and what He has done. This is as true today for each of us as it was for the Israelites at that time.
God instituted many other Old Testament means of remembrance, like when He asked Joshua to have 12 men take 12 stones out of the river Jordan to remember the Lord enabling Israel to cross into the promised land (Joshua 4:2-3). He gave the Sabbath day so that His people would remember His creation of all things in six days. He initiated the Passover feast that his people would remember how He saved the Israelites from death and from the hand of the Egyptians. And even now, we are blessed when we see God’s rainbow and remember the flood and His holiness, and His merciful promise to never again flood the earth.
Fast forward to the New Testament, and our Lord Jesus Christ instituted two ordinances to follow until He returns, that we may remember Him and what He has done for His people. In Baptism, we remember His sovereign act to save our souls, and we remember His sinless life, His death for our sins and His resurrection to bring us new life (Romans 6:3-5). In the Lord’s Supper, we remember Jesus’ body and His blood of the new covenant, poured out on the cross for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:26-28). In remembering Christ in this way, we also “proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26). Of course, we also remember and proclaim Christ at Christmas, Easter, every Lord’s Day, and daily in prayer.
All of us individually need to constantly remember the Lord and “take care, lest we forget the Lord”. Remembering Him stops us drifting away from Him and into the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil. Remembering the Lord, His works and His promises builds our faith and our trust in Him.
And when we remember God’s faithfulness and the Lord Jesus Christ publicly, this is even better. This is the beauty of gathering together as a body of believers. We are then proclaiming truths about Christ and His mighty works for His people, so that Christ is glorified, other believers are encouraged, and non-believers might turn to Him and be saved.
So as we celebrate 15 years of Hills Bible Church this Sunday, may we remember and proclaim Jesus as the founder, builder and sustainer of HBC, and of the global church. And may we remember and proclaim Jesus’ promise that He is coming back to bring His people at HBC (and globally) to glory.
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