(DAN 2:5) "THE KING ANSWERED AND SAID TO THE CHALDEANS, THE THING IS GONE FROM ME: IF YE WILL NOT MAKE KNOWN UNTO ME THE DREAM, WITH THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF, YE SHALL BE CUT IN PIECES, AND YOUR HOUSES SHALL BE MADE A DUNGHILL."
In our scripture reading, Nebuchadnezzer forgot his dream. Thankfully, I forget nearly ALL of my dreams, so they don't bother me. However, there are OTHER things that I forget, but I want to remember. Do you have trouble remembering the things you should? People tend to be forgetful of what they NEED to remember, and they tend to be mindful of what they WANT to remember. Our memory starts doing tricks on us as we get older. We remember the details of something that happened at a birthday party twenty years ago, but we can't remember what happened last week! People do all kinds of things to jog their memory. The most famous trick is to tie a string around the finger. That wouldn't help me unless a note were attached! Many of you know that I carry a planner. I use it daily, not because I'm so organized, but because my memory is so bad! If I don't write it down, I will forget it! Even if I write it down, sometimes I forget to look at it!
I want us to think of some very important things God would have us to remember. These are all things we sometimes tend to forget.
I. People Forget Their Promises
(GEN 40:14) "BUT THINK ON ME WHEN IT SHALL BE WELL WITH THEE, AND SHOW KINDNESS, I PRAY THEE, UNTO ME, AND MAKE MENTION OF ME UNTO PHARAOH, AND BRING ME OUT OF THIS HOUSE:"
(GEN 40:23) "YET DID NOT THE CHIEF BUTLER REMEMBER JOSEPH, BUT FORGAT HIM."
A. People forget their promises to our Father
1. Some folks make promises that they never intend to follow through on.
2. Others will make promises that they are unable to keep. (unrealistic)
3. But often we make promises that we could keep, but we don't.
4. Somehow we dismiss them from our minds thinking that God will not care.
(ECCL 5:2) "BE NOT RASH WITH THY MOUTH, AND LET NOT THINE HEART BE HASTY TO UTTER ANY THING BEFORE GOD: FOR GOD IS IN HEAVEN, AND THOU UPON EARTH: THEREFORE LET THY WORDS BE FEW."
(ECCL 5:4-5) "WHEN THOU VOWEST A VOW UNTO GOD, DEFER NOT TO PAY IT; FOR HE HATH NO PLEASURE IN FOOLS: PAY THAT WHICH THOU HAST VOWED. {5} BETTER IS IT THAT THOU SHOULDEST NOT VOW, THAN THAT THOU SHOULDEST VOW AND NOT PAY."
B. People forget their promises to our fellowship
1. Anyone ever invite someone to church and have them promise that they will be there?
2. It happens all the time.
3. But there are also church members who forget their promises to the fellowship.
4. We have a church covenant...every member should be familiar with what that is and what it says.
5. As members we have all agreed to abide by it.
C. People forget their promises to our family
1. Probably nothing hurts quite as much as a mom or dad who forgets a promise made to their child.
2. No, we usually do not deliberately break those promises, but it doesn't hurt any less.
3. Husbands and wives make promises to each other when they marry. 4. Don't forget those promises.
II. People Forget The Promises Of God
(PSA 119:11) "THY WORD HAVE I HID IN MINE HEART, THAT I MIGHT NOT SIN AGAINST THEE."
A. Some forget the promise of His abundant pardon.
(NEH 9:17) "...BUT THOU ART A GOD READY TO PARDON, GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL, SLOW TO ANGER, AND OF GREAT KINDNESS...." (ISA 55:7) "LET THE WICKED FORSAKE HIS WAY, AND THE UNRIGHTEOUS MAN HIS THOUGHTS: AND LET HIM RETURN UNTO THE LORD, AND HE WILL HAVE MERCY UPON HIM; AND TO OUR GOD, FOR HE WILL ABUNDANTLY PARDON."
(JER 33:8) "AND I WILL CLEANSE THEM FROM ALL THEIR INIQUITY, WHEREBY THEY HAVE SINNED AGAINST ME; AND I WILL PARDON ALL THEIR INIQUITIES, WHEREBY THEY HAVE SINNED, AND WHEREBY THEY HAVE TRANSGRESSED AGAINST ME."
B. Some forget the promise of His abiding presence
(ISA 41:10) "FEAR THOU NOT; FOR I AM WITH THEE: BE NOT DISMAYED; FOR I AM THY GOD: I WILL STRENGTHEN THEE; YEA, I WILL HELP THEE; YEA, I WILL UPHOLD THEE WITH THE RIGHT HAND OF MY RIGHTEOUSNESS."
(MAT 18:20) "FOR WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED TOGETHER IN MY NAME, THERE AM I IN THE MIDST OF THEM."
(HEB 13:5) "LET YOUR CONVERSATION BE WITHOUT COVETOUSNESS; AND BE CONTENT WITH SUCH THINGS AS YE HAVE: FOR HE HATH SAID, I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE, NOR FORSAKE THEE."
C. Some forget the promise of His amazing power
(MAT 28:18) "AND JESUS CAME AND SPAKE UNTO THEM, SAYING, ALL POWER IS GIVEN UNTO ME IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH."
(ACTS 1:8) "BUT YE SHALL RECEIVE POWER, AFTER THAT THE HOLY GHOST IS COME UPON YOU: AND YE SHALL BE WITNESSES UNTO ME BOTH IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDAEA, AND IN SAMARIA, AND UNTO THE UTTERMOST PART OF THE EARTH."
(PHIL 4:13) "I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHICH STRENGTHENETH ME."
D. Some forget the promise of His absolute protection
(ROM 8:38-39) "FOR I AM PERSUADED, THAT NEITHER DEATH, NOR LIFE, NOR ANGELS, NOR PRINCIPALITIES, NOR POWERS, NOR THINGS PRESENT, NOR THINGS TO COME, {39} NOR HEIGHT, NOR DEPTH, NOR ANY OTHER CREATURE, SHALL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD, WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD."
III. People Forget The Price Paid For Their Salvation
(1 PET 1:18-19) "FORASMUCH AS YE KNOW THAT YE WERE NOT REDEEMED WITH CORRUPTIBLE THINGS, AS SILVER AND GOLD, FROM YOUR VAIN CONVERSATION RECEIVED BY TRADITION FROM YOUR FATHERS; {19} BUT WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST, AS OF A LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH AND WITHOUT SPOT:"
(2 PET 1:9) "BUT HE THAT LACKETH THESE THINGS IS BLIND, AND CANNOT SEE AFAR OFF, AND HATH FORGOTTEN THAT HE WAS PURGED FROM HIS OLD SINS."
A. People forget the shame endured by the Lord Jesus Christ
(HEB 12:2) "LOOKING UNTO JESUS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH; WHO FOR THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS, DESPISING THE SHAME, AND IS SET DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF GOD."
B. People forget the shed blood
(HEB 9:22) "AND ALMOST ALL THINGS ARE BY THE LAW PURGED WITH BLOOD; AND WITHOUT SHEDDING OF BLOOD IS NO REMISSION."
C. People forget the smitten body
(ISA 52:14) "AS MANY WERE ASTONIED AT THEE; HIS VISAGE WAS SO MARRED MORE THAN ANY MAN, AND HIS FORM MORE THAN THE SONS OF MEN:"
(ISA 53:5) "BUT HE WAS WOUNDED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, HE WAS BRUISED FOR OUR INIQUITIES: THE CHASTISEMENT OF OUR PEACE WAS UPON HIM; AND WITH HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED."
1. The Bible tells us that He was beaten and broken for our salvation.
2. We recently celebrated the Lord's Supper for the specific purpose of remembering these things and showing forth the Lord's death until He comes.
3. Some people forgot the importance of coming together to observe that ordinance.
IV. People Forget Their Purpose For Living
(1 COR 6:13) "MEATS FOR THE BELLY, AND THE BELLY FOR MEATS: BUT GOD SHALL DESTROY BOTH IT AND THEM. NOW THE BODY IS NOT FOR FORNICATION, BUT FOR THE LORD; AND THE LORD FOR THE BODY."
(EPH 2:10) "FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS UNTO GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD HATH BEFORE ORDAINED THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM."
A. A person should first BELIEVE ON CHRIST
B. He should then be willing to BEAR HIS CROSS
C. He should continually BRING FORTH FRUIT
What have we forgotten tonight? Promises we have made...Promises God has made...Price of our salvation...Purpose of living. Come tonight and renew your commitment to God.