Place: I.Hall 28:1:96 Lurgan Baptist 7:3:2004

Readings: Deuteronomy: 5:1-21 15:15

" REMEMBER "

The year was 1725 when a godly mother gave birth to an only child, a boy. Like Hannah in the O.T. she dedicated her child to the Lord praying that he would one day occupy a pulpit in his native land of England. As that boy grew that faithful mother instructed him in the Bible, the Westminster Catechism and the hymns of Isaac Watts. But tragically that mother died when that boy was just six years of age. Soon the father who lacked any spiritual zeal married a woman with no spiritual concerns at all. From then on in the life of the child was all downhill. He was sent away to boarding school but dropped out to become a sailor like his father. Turning from God he embraced lawless philosophies that wrecked his life. Drinking, profanity, rebellion, sensuality gripped him choking all out desire to serve God. He even went as far to repudiate the God of his mother. He ran from responsibility, deserted the Royal Navy and ultimately found himself a servant of slaves on the West Coast of Africa.

His body became racked with pain and illness. Life did not seem worth living. Eventually he found himself sailing homeward on a ship called " The Greyhound."

While returning home a fierce storm arose. Indeed so violent was the storm the crew was certain the ship would sink. In that hour of desperation that wayward man cried out for mercy but then in his despair he reasoned that there could be no mercy for such a wretch as he. He began to read the Bible and discovered that there was hope for the worst of sinners. By faith he came to trust Christ for salvation and became a new creature in Him. The man's name was John Newton.

John Newton was plagued with a terrible treacherous memory. His auto-biography is filled with the sad, sad story of his forgettings. " I forgot," he says again and again and again. " I forgot," " I soon forgot," " This too, I totally forgot.”

The words occur time and again. And so it came to pass that after he got saved and entered the Christian Ministry, he printed a certain text in bold letters and fastened it right across the wall over his study mantel-piece. " THOU SHALT REMEMBER THAT THOU WAST A BONDMAN IN THE LAND OF EGYPT, AND THE LORD THY GOD REDEEMED THEE." ( 15:15 ) This was John Newton’s text and in sight of it he prepared very sermon. " I forgot," " I soon forgot," " This too, I totally forgot.” " Thou shalt Remember ! Remember ! Remember !" " Thou shalt

remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee.” ( 15:15) These words spoken by Moses to Israel invites the nation to look backward over its shoulders and review the past. Here they were " in the plains of Moab," ( 36:13 ) standing on the edge of the Promised Land and Moses says " REMEMBER." Now as they reviewed the past what would Israel remember ? Well I believe they would remember:

(1) THE BENEFITS THEY ENJOYED

I mean what nation enjoyed such benefits as Israel ? No wonder Moses is able to say at end of this very book.

" Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord." ( 33:29) You see here were a people who enjoyed the benefit of:

(a) DIVINE PRESERVATION:

God Kept them ! Time and again the enemy came out against Israel but the Lord delivered them and preserved them. Moses is reviewing the past and he reminds Israel of Gods Preservation ! How encouraging the Lord's words were to Moses the leader of the Hebrew nation, concerning those who sought Israel’s destruction. God said to Moses concerning Og the King of Bashan, " fear him not: for I will deliver him and all his people and his land into thy hand." ( 2:32-33 3:2-3 ) Divine preservation ! John Newton knew something even in his unsaved days of the preserving hand of God on his life ! As a boy of twelve years of age he was thrown from a horse and almost killed. Some years after that he made an appointment with some friends to visit a ship. They were to meet at the waterside at a certain time and row out the battleship but the unexpected happened ! Newton was detained and his friends left without him, the boat was upset and all his friends drowned ! (a) The psalmist says, " O Lord Thou preservest man and beast." Paul says, " In Him ( God ) we live and move and have our being." ( Acts 17:28 ) My .... as you review your life this .... have you not known Divine Preservation ?

Do you remember that accident when God spared your life to gave you another opportunity for trusting His Son ? Do you remember that time in hospital, when you were critically ill, and you asked for Gods help and He raised you ? My .... as you go down memory lane this .... do you not recall others who have been cut off and cut down but you can testify of Gods preserving hand on your life ? Will you not allow " the goodness of God to lead you to repentance ?" ( Rom 2:4)

(b) DIVINE SUSTENTATION:

God Fed them ! In the opening chapters of this Book Moses reminds Israel of Gods provision for them. ( 2:7 ) When they had no water Moses struck the rock ( Num 20 :11 ) and when they had no bread, God rained bread from heaven. ( Exod 16:35 ) Think of it, for forty years manna was given to them morning by morning from the hand of a faithful God. ( Exod 16:35 ) God spread a table for them in the wilderness, something which they thought was impossible. ( Ps 78:19 ) God gave them the " corn of heaven,” to eat. ( Ps 78:24 ) God revealed Himself as Jehovah .... the God of exhaustless resources able and willing to supply all their need. No wonder Moses retracing their steps could say, " thou hast lacked nothing." ( 2:7 ) My .... unsaved .... would the deny the fact that God has enriched you with the temporal blessings of life ? You see things are essential, they are necessary. God made things. In ( Gen 1:31 ) we read " and God saw everything that He had made and behold it was very good."

In this universe there is God, there are people, and there are things. God is to be worshipped, people are to be loved and served, and things are to be used. God made things and God knows that we need things. " for yourheavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.” ( Matt 6:32 ) And my .... God provides for us all things richly to enjoy. ( 1 Tim 6:17 ) The Bible says,

" He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”

( Matt 5:44-45 ) " He fills our hearts with food and gladness." ( Acts 14:17 )

Have you not received numerous blessings from the hand of God ? ( James 1:17 ) The daily mercies of life ! Food, clothing, health and strength,: a sound mind. Are you not enjoying the benefit of divine sustentation (a) (b)

(c) DIVINE REVELATION:

God Told them ! You see to Israel were given " the oracles of God.” ( Rom 3:2 ) In fact Moses says in ( 4:8 ) " and what nation is there so great, that hath statues and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day.” The Word of God would reveal to Israel how they were to live in the Promised Land. ( 4:1 5) (c) Back to John Newton

Do you know something ? Like some of you he had a wonderful mother. A woman who faithfully taught her boy the Scriptures. Indeed it was her hope that her boy would turn out to be a preacher of the Gospel ! Often she would seek Gods face on his behalf. Each day she prayed with him and for him and each day she sought to fill his mind with the " words of Scripture." Like you Newton had the benefit of the Word of God.

My .... is this not your story ? Can you not testify this.... that " from a child .... known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation.” ( 2 Tim 3:15 ) Do you not hold in your hand a priceless treasure ? Do you not have in your home a wonderful book ? My question is this .... do you ever read it ? Do you every ponder its pages ? Do you realise that this is the most relevant book on the market to day ? My .... its the Bible that answers the question about sin ? Its this Book that provides an answer to immortality. Its Gods Word that shows how we can stand in the clear before a Holy God ! (1) As you review your life this .... what do you remember ? Do you recall a godly mother praying for your souls salvation ? Do you remember a father pointing to Christ as your only hope of salvation ? Do you recall a friend at work showing you how to find peace with God ? (1)

(2) THE BONDAGE THEY ENDURED

Moses says, " Thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt.” ( 15:15 ) The nation of Israel were slaves down there in Egypt ! This of course takes us back to the first chapter of Exodus where we see Israel as the slaves of Pharaoh under a power that was stronger than their own ! Think of:

(a) THE MASTERY THIS POWER HAD:

For the power of Pharaoh mastered them and controlled them ! ( Exod 1:11 13-14 ) Feeling threatened by Israel, Pharaoh pursued policies to crush, weaken, diminish Israel. He deprived them of their Freedom, ( 1:10 ) he deprived them of their Families, ( 1:22 ) he deprived them of their Future. ( 5:2 ) Here they were dwelling in a dark land, subject to a ruthless tyrant bound to clanking chains. I tell you John Newton could have sympathised with them. You see for some time he was a slave. " I went to Africa that I might be free to sin to my hearts content,” he said. But things did not work out and he became a slave himself. The slave of a slave. For Newton was sold to a coloured lady and do you know what she did ? She made him depend for his food on the crusts that she tossed from the table ? What about you ? Is sin controlling you ? Are you dominated by the devil ? You see by nature we're the very slaves of Satan and sin. The Bible says, we " are taken captive by him( the devil ) at his will.” ( 2 Tim 2:26 ) The Lord Jesus said, " whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.”

Are you bound by the chains of sin ? Is there someone here held by the chain of Lust ? What about the chain of Drunkenness ? What about the chain of Fear ?

Are you bound by Respectability ? The chain of Pride ? Have there been times when you've tried to break the habits of sin ? Has there been those occasions when you've tried to reform your life ? Turn over a new leaf ? Break loose from that practice ? What have you discovered ? That you're under a power that's stronger than your own ! My .... what you can't do: Christ can. For " He breaks the power of cancelled sin: He sets the prisoner free …,” Will you trust Him to do that for you this …. ? (a)

(b) THE MISERY THIS POWER BROUGHT:

Moses says, " Remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt.” ( 15:15 ) What was it like being a slave in Egypt ? Well we read, " and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried and their cry came up to God by reason of the bondage.” ( Exod 2:23 ) In other words bondage to this foreign power made them miserable and unhappy. It would be senseless for me to say to you that you will not have a good time in this world, for you know better than that. You know that its absolutely possible to have a good time, to have a blast and a ball in this old world. The Bible speaks about the pleasures of sin.

( Heb 11:25 ) The problem is they never last ! You see sooner or later the world's wine runs out. Its pride and popularity, its pleasures and amusements soon vanishes and leaves an emptiness that nothing of this earth can fill. ( Is 55:2 )

Do you want proof ? Have a look at the Prodigal ? My .... there came a time in his life when the bubble burst. Take a good hard look at him ! He is hungry, his clothes are old, his hair is uncombed, his eyes are hollow and fearful. Young folk, have a look at him this .... this is what sin does. Sin won't just take you to the pigpen, when it gets you there, it will strip you, it will wreck you. it will ruin you and your life will be in misery. On the 4th October 1970 at the age of 27 Janis Joplin was found dead in her Los Angeles hotel room. Questions arose as to whether the cause of her tragic death was suicide or an accident. Later the police reported that they has located a small quantity of heroin in the rock singers room. There were also fresh needle marks on her arm. Before all this happened she admitted to a friend, " When I am not on the theatre stage, I just lie around and watch T.V. and feel very lonely.” Do you know something ? The things of this world will never satisfy the thirst of your soul ! ( Ps 42:2 ) That’s why we say" Now none but Christ can satisfy .... Thee." " and thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt and the Lord thy God redeemed thee." ( 15:15 ) As Israel reviewed the past they would remember (1) (2)

(3) THE BLESSING THEY EXPERIENCED

" Thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt and the Lord thy God redeemed thee,” ( 15:15 ) What a blessing is the blessing of Redemption. Would Israel ever forget that night of redemption so long ago ? Would they ever forget that:

(a) PRICE THAT HAD TO BE EXACTED:

For do you know what redemption means ? " Release as the result of the payment of a price.” (1 Pet 1:18, Titus 2:14 ) My .... down there in Egypt the price of redemption was the blood of the lamb. They had to take that perfect lamb and shed its blood. ( Exod 12:5-7 ) That blood was applied to the lintel and the door posts of the house and God said, " when I see the blood .…”

( Exod 12:13 ) My .... the Lord Jesus was Gods Lamb and on Calvary's Cross He paid the price for our redemption with His own precious blood. Christian .... you and I have been redeemed with blood. " Blessed Saviour Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood." ( Rev 5:9 ) My .... unsaved .... here is the only ground whereby you can find acceptance with a Holy God. Here is the only refuge from the storm of Gods wrath. Here is the only way whereby you can be saved ! Here is the only power that can deliver you from slavery of sin and Satan. " What can wash away my sin .... nothing but the blood of Jesus.” Did you ever pause and ask yourself the question, What have I cost the Saviour ? What price did He have to pay to secure my redemption ? My .... the price was great, the cost was immense for He gave His life, His blood, His all. (a)