READY - Remember What Christ Has Done

In the Old Testament, God would sometimes tell His people to build a cairn (a mound of rough stones built as a memorial). He knew that people are forgetful and need reminders.

In Joshua 4, we see an example of this, but we need some background information before we can understand it.

So all the way back to the end of Genesis, the Israelites (God’s people) are living in the land of Egypt. In the beginning of Exodus, the King of Egypt enslaves the Israelites and treats them very harshly. In Exodus 1:14, it says the Egyptians “made their lives bitter with hard labor.” In the following verses, we find out that the king starts having their babies killed and increases their workload. The people can’t handle all that is being done to them and they cry out to God for deliverance.

Then God says, “I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings. So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey.” Exodus 3:7-8a

Throughout the rest of Exodus and into Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, we learn all about how God makes this promise come true. Moses is raised up to help the people leave Egypt. God sends 10 plagues to change the mind of Pharaoh so he will let the people go. God parts the Red Sea to help the Israelites escape. He provides manna and quail for them to eat. He guides them with a pillar of fire at night and a pillar of cloud in the daytime. He gives them victories over enemies they encounter.

Even though God is doing these miraculous things for the Israelites, they start complaining. They question whether God is really going to do what He says. They even start to think they would have been better off if they had just stayed in Egypt (as slaves!?!).

Even though the people doubt Him, God remains faithful to the Israelites. After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, He brings them to the Promised Land. In Joshua 3, the Israelites are standing on the bank of the Jordan River and the Promised Land is on the other side. God again parts the water for the people to walk through.

After all the people finish crossing the river, God commands Joshua (who is now the leader of the Israelites) to have 12 men (one from each tribe) go back to the middle of the river, and pick up a rock.

Read Joshua 4:19-24. The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal. And he said to the people of Israel, "When your children ask their fathers in times to come, 'What do these stones mean?'  then you shall let your children know, 'Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.'  For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea,which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.""


Even though God had performed many miracles for the Israelites, He knew that as time went on they would forget what He has done for them. He has them set up this cairn so that whenever they see it they remember what He has done for them and so that when their children see it, they can tell them what God has done too.

The Israelites would have walked past that cairn at times when they were feeling happy, sad, confused, lonely, excited, angry or any other emotion. Regardless of how life was going and how they were feeling, they would be reminded of how God had rescued them.

In the same way that God rescued the Israelites from slavery into freedom, He has done the same for us.

Know what Christ has done.

God sent Jesus to be born as a baby, to live a perfect life, so He could die on the cross to rescue us from the sin that enslaves us into freedom. ”It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Tim 1:15. Every single one of us is a sinner and needs to be saved. Jesus died on the cross and rose 3 days later to take on the punishment of our sin. If we believe and accept what He has done for us, we will be saved.




Don’t let your emotions get in the way of remembering what Christ has done. Life doesn’t suddenly become easy and we don’t suddenly become perfect Christians the moment that we are saved. Like the Israelites even after seeing God do miraculous things, we forget and we complain and we try to do things on our own.


Jesus knew that this would happen. He gave us a way to help us remember, just like God did for the Israelites.

1 Cor 11:23b-26 “the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 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.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.“

Communion is a way for us to Remember What Christ Has Done.

Communion can feel a little strange. When you look around, it seems like adults are praying or worshiping. We aren’t really given much instruction on what to do. Here is a way that you can use communion to help you remember:

• Look backward- Jesus made a huge sacrifice for us. We should look back and remember what He has done and thank Him for doing so.
• Look inward- Confess your sins. Confess your actions (intentional or unintentional that were wrong). Confess your words that didn’t honor Christ (cursing, talking back, gossiping). Confess the thoughts you had (all that shade you threw in your head, impure thoughts).
• Look outward- Is there someone around you that you need to forgive or ask for forgiveness? Is there someone in need you should reach out to? Is there someone you should invite to church?
• Look forward- We will one day join Jesus in heaven for eternity. That should give us hope that whatever we are encountering in life is temporary.

Besides communion, there are other ways we can remember what Christ has done for us. We can make our own cairns. We can put a verse on a notecard on our mirror or save it as the background on our phones. We can wear a bracelet that reminds us to pray or thank God for what He has done. We can keep a journal where we recognize daily what Christ has done for us.



Remembering what Christ has done isn’t just about what He did in the past. It’s also what He is doing now. The Israelites could look and see God as a pillar of fire or a cloud while they were in the wilderness. He was leading them and providing for them regardless of the decisions they were making.

We get caught up in life and easily forget that God has everything under control and what Christ has done for us. God has given us the Holy Spirit as a helper that is always present with us.

When life is difficult, we need to remember what Christ has done and pull strength from that. If He was willing to die for us, He is willing to help up in life’s difficulties.

When life is good, we need to remember what Christ has done and not get proud. Everything we have in life is because God has given it to us - our abilities, our possessions, our relationships.

When life is uncertain, we need to remember what Christ has done and that he is in control and has a plan. He did not save you just to leave you to wander around aimlessly.



QUESTIONS:

1. Jesus Christ died on the cross for you. Have you received His sacrifice?
2. What are some of the difficulties you face in life? Do you trust Jesus to help you through them or do you rely on something/someone else?
3. When life is good, do you forget about Jesus?
4. When life is uncertain, do you worry and forget about Jesus?
5. What is a practical way that you can “Remember what Christ has done” for you this week?

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This is the first of a 5-part series I was asked to write for the middle school ministry at my Hawaiian Church, New Hope Leeward. The series is on the acronym READY.