Remember...Don't Forget

In Deuteronomy 25:17-19, the Scriptures state: "Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God. When the Lord your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!" First, I want to make a couple of observations about this text. A) This is the Lord speaking--not some human being. B) What is called for is national retribution and not personal revenge. Exodus 17:8 describes what actually happened. The Amalekites were Bedouin people who attacked the rear of the Israelites and those who were "lagging behind"' the rest. It was probably the old, the young and the weakest. Therefore, God wanted these people who had shown no mercy to receive the punishment that was due them. Many years later God would charge Saul, Israel's first king, with the responsibility of carrying out this order (see 1 Samuel 15:2-3). Even though five hundred years had gone by, God's command stood. He wanted Saul and the Israelites to carryout His orders. Second, having explained the context of this text, [a text out of context, someone said, is a pretext.] I want to use these words, "Remember, don't forget" and share some thoughts for the New Year. Some examples of things that people should "remember and not forget" are: The Jewish people and the Holocaust, Blacks and slavery, Americans and our heritage, families and their ancestry, etc. People who become successful should remember from where they have come and those who have helped them along the way. Some other things that we should "remember and not forget" at the beginning of the New Year are: unfinished business from the past year, lessons to be learned, new resolutions... Third, I want to end by noting an appropriate text: 2 Peter 1:5-7: "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love." These seven qualities are supposed to be part of our faith or Christian life--and we should be "possessing these qualities in increasing measure" (v. 8). The Apostle Peter wrote that if we are growing in these qualities, "The will keep up from being ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (v. 8). Peter goes on to warn, "but if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins" (v. 9). Some might argue that people could not forget something like their salvation, but if this were the case, Peter would not have written this under inspiration. As we enter and progress through the New Year, let us resolve to grow and develop these qualities in our lives. "Remember, do not forget" or you will be "ineffective and unproductive" along with being "nearsighted, blind, and forgetful."

Why Christ Came

At the Advent season, it is important that we rehearse why Christ came. Christmas has become such a secular and commercial event that we need to be reminded of the spiritual reason God sent his Son. After his baptism by John and temptation from the devil, Jesus began his public ministry in Galilee. Luke describes Jesus' early ministry this way: it was in the power of the Holy Spirit, news of his miracles was rapidly spreading and he was teaching in the synagogues (Luke 4:14-15).

Early in Jesus' ministry, he returned to his hometown of Nazareth. On the Sabbath day, he went into the synagogue, "As was his custom." Notice that it was the Lord's habit to attend public worship on the Sabbath. He was given the opportunity to read from the Scriptures. The passage from the Prophets to be read was Isaiah 61: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19).

Then Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. To us this may indicate that he was finished, but in that day the teachers sat while they taught. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him and he said to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:20-21).

It is more than a coincidence that Jesus read these words of prophecy. The term "anointed one" is definitely Messianic and the description of Messiah's reason for coming clear. The first thing mentioned is the preaching of the Gospel or "good news" to the poor. While God cares about those living in poverty, here the term refers to spiritual poverty (see Matthew 5:3 and Luke 18:9-14). Secondly, Christ came to proclaim freedom for the prisoners--to emancipate those held in bondage (by whatever). Thirdly, Jesus restored sight to the blind (five different cases are recorded in the New Testament). Fourthly, he released the oppressed. Observe the physical and spiritual nature of the Lord's work mentioned in these phrases.

Jesus abruptly stopped in the middle of a verse: "To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." The sentence concludes with these words, "and the day of the vengeance of our God." Today is a time of grace and opportunity but a time for judgment will come. “Joy to the World, the Lord is come! Let every heart prepare him room!”