Sermon #1239
Title: “REMEMBER”
Text: Deuteronomy 15:15
Reading: Deuteronomy 6:1-15; 26:1-11
Subject: Bondage and Redemption - The Motivation of Grace
Date: Sunday Morning - July 7, 1996
Tape # S-70
Introduction:
I received a letter from a friend
yesterday that was written last Sunday. In his closing paragraph, he wrote, “As
we approach the fourth of July (A truly American Celebration), I think of a
truly Christian celebration - Our Deliverance from Egypt. Every day is the
fourth of July to us. Thanks be to God!” That is a good way to summarize what I
want to preach this morning. “Every day is the fourth of July to us!” You will
find my text in Deuteronomy 15:15. If you are taking notes, the title of my
message this morning is “REMEMBER.”
Deuteronomy 15:15 "And thou shalt
remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God
redeemed thee."
In the Word of God we are constantly
told to remember what we are by nature and what the Lord God has done for us by
his almighty grace in Christ. The reason for this is both simple and clear. Everything in the kingdom of God is
motivated by grace and redemption. Therefore the Lord our God commands,
"And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt,
and the LORD thy God redeemed thee."
In his autobiography William Jay tells of a visit he had
with John Newton in his study at
Olney. He noticed that Mr. Newton had this text of Scripture written in large
letters and hanging on the wall over his desk. As that faithful man prepared
his sermons these words were constantly before him: "Thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of
Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee." Mr. Newton lived and acted
under the influence of his memory of God’s grace to him. It is reflected in his
preaching, in his hymns, and in the particular conversation he had with William
Jay that day.
“I am glad to see you,” Mr. Newton
said to his guest. I have a letter here from Bath. Perhaps you can assist me in
answering it. Do you know anything of ___________,” calling the man’s name. Mr.
Jay told Newton that he knew the man well. He once attended the ministry of the
gospel, but had now become a man of wicked reputation, a leader of every vice.
Newton responded, “Perhaps a change has come over him. He writes a very
penitent letter.” Then William Jay said, “I can only say that if ever he should
be converted, I should despair of no one.” “And I,” said Newton, “have never
despaired of anybody since I was converted myself.” Newton remembered that he
had been a bondman in the land of Egypt and the Lord redeemed him out of his
bondage. For the moment, Mr. Jay seems to have forgotten it! Newton’s
remembrance of his own experience of grace made him both hopeful for and tender
toward another sinner in bondage.
May God the Holy Spirit now bring to
our memories the amazing grace of God in delivering our souls from bondage and
melt our hearts before the throne of grace. As I remind redeemed sinners of our
experience of grace, I pray that some of you who are yet in bondage may be
brought this day into “the glorious liberty of the sons of God.”
Proposition: That which motivates and governs the lives of God’s saints
is their remembrance of redemption and grace.
Divisions: Let me call your attention to four things in this message.
As we consider these four things, I trust that our hearts will melt in devotion
and love before the Lord Jesus Christ, our God and Savior.
1.
The Picture of
Grace
2.
The Bondage of
Sin
3.
The Redemption
of Our Souls
4.
The
Remembrance of Mercy
I. First, I want to call your attention to THE PICTURE OF GRACE set
before us in the redemption of Israel out of Egyptian bondage.
As you read the history of the
children of Israel in the Old Testament, you cannot help noticing that great care was taken by God that the Jews
never forget what he did for them in bringing them up out of the house of
bondage. He intended for them to be reminded of it everywhere they turned and
commanded them to remember it forever. "Thou shalt remember that thou wast
a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee."
A. The month of their deliverance
was made the first month of the year to them.
Exodus 12:2 "This month shall be unto you the beginning of
months: it shall be the first month
of the year to you."
B. A special ordinance was
established to be kept by the children of Israel perpetually, throughout their
generations, until the coming of Christ.
·
Exodus 12:3-14
The Passover
was ordained by God to be an annual New Year’s celebration of redemption.
·
“A Lamb for an
House” (v.3)
·
“Your lamb
shall be without blemish, a male of the first year” (v.5). - An Innocent Victim
in the Prime of Life - Christ!
·
Kill It.
·
Sprinkle the
Blood.
·
Eat the Lamb.
Exodus 12:13 "And the blood
shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague
shall not be upon you to destroy you, when
I smite the land of Egypt."
C. In addition to the Passover
ceremony, they were required to instruct their children in the matter of
redemption.
The gospel was to be handed down
orally, from father to son, generation after generation.
Deuteronomy 6:20-21 "And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean
the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD
our God hath commanded you? (21) Then
thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD
brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand:"
If this was the responsibility of
parents in those days, how much more is it our responsibility to instruct our
sons and daughters in the gospel of Christ. Seize every opportunity to do so.
Explain to them...
·
Why we come to
the house of God. - "We remember that we were bondmen in the land of
Egypt, and the LORD our God redeemed us."
·
Why we give to
the cause of Christ. - "We remember that we were bondmen in the land of
Egypt, and the LORD our God redeemed us."
·
Why we preach
the gospel. - "We remember that we were bondmen in the land of Egypt, and
the LORD our God redeemed us."
·
Why we build
our lives around the worship of God. - "We remember that we were bondmen
in the land of Egypt, and the LORD our God redeemed us."
D. Even in the giving of their
law, they were commanded to remember their redemption from Egyptian bondage by
the hand of God.
Exodus 20:1-3 "And God spake
all these words, saying, (2) I am the LORD thy God, which have brought
thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. (3) Thou shalt have no other gods before me."
Repeatedly, throughout their history,
the Jews were commanded by God, "Thou shalt remember that thou wast a
bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee." They
were carefully instructed to do so and how to do so. Yet, their deliverance and
redemption was only typical. How much more shall we heed this word from our
God! "Thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt,
and the LORD thy God redeemed thee." Our
redemption by Christ and our experience of grace in him must always be held in
the forefront, never cast into the background. In all our worship, in all our
preaching, in all our teaching, in all our singing, in all our praying, in all
our witnessing, in all our living, in all our thoughts, REDEMPTION MUST ALWAYS
BE THE PRIMARY MATTER OF CONSIDERATION.
1.
When Paul
endeavors to promote peace between Jew and Gentile, he does so by reminding us
of our redemption. - (Ephesians 2:11-14)
"Wherefore remember, that ye being
in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that
which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; (12) That at that time ye were without
Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the
covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: (13) But now in Christ Jesus ye who
sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (14) For he is our peace, who hath made
both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us."
2.
When he
challenges us to godliness and devotion he does so by reminding us of our
redemption. - (Romans 6:17-18) "But
God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the
heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. (18) Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of
righteousness." - (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God,
and ye are not your own? (20) For ye
are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your
spirit, which are God's."
3.
When he seeks
to promote mercy, brotherly love, kindness, and forgiveness among saints, he
reminds us of and motivates us by our experience of redemption and grace in
Christ. - (Ephesians 4:32-5:1) "And
be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God
for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear
children."
Redemption
and grace by Jesus Christ is not the primary thing in our doctrine. It is
everything! That is the reason why I preach to you as I do. I am determined
to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified. In all my
doctrine, in all my preaching, my motto is - “God forbid that I should glory
save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” My object in preaching is to honor
Christ, get you to know Christ and worship him, and to help you keep your heart
focused upon Christ and redemption and grace in him.
II. Therefore, second, I want us to consider THE
BONDAGE OF SIN from which we have been redeemed by the mighty hand of our God.
Man’s natural bondage in sin was very
well pictured by the bondage that the Jews experienced in Egypt. We were all
“children of wrath” by nature. We were all the servants, the slaves, of our
lusts and of satan by nature. Paul states it plainly - “Ye were the servants of sin” (Rom. 6:17, 20).
A. Before God saved us by his
grace, we were enslaved by a power against which we were without strength.
I do not suggest that we all behaved
as wickedly as we could. I am simply declaring that we all walked in the path
of sin and rebellion against God. Some were highhanded, openly profligate
rebels. Others were sneaky, hypocritical rebels. Some were very immoral. Others
were very moral, after the judgment of men. But all were the servants of sin. Were had no will to righteousness. Yet,
even if we had had the will to escape the power of satan and the slavery of our
lusts, we were without strength to do so. Have you forgotten that time “when we were yet without strength?” We
were without strength...
·
To Keep God’s
Law.
·
T Resist
Satan’s Temptations.
·
To Obey the
Gospel.
B. Our Bondage was such that we
had no heart, desire, or even inclination to escape it.
I am a Southerner. I am so much a
Southerner, that if I were not a Southerner, I would be ashamed. But the
greatest blight upon our Southern heritage is that terrible inhumanity that
many still try to defend - Slavery. It is one of those things I wish had never
happened, or could somehow be erased from memory. But that cannot be. Slavery
is one huge, ugly, oozing sore on the side of the South that will forever mar
the beauty of the South. One of the worst aspects of slavery is the fact that
it so degraded men that they frequently became content to be slaves. Such
contentment is a moral castration of manhood. He is not truly a man who is
content to be a slave. Yet, such was our spiritual condition by nature that we
were content to be in bondage and slavery to sin and satan. We hugged our
chains and kissed our manacles, as if they were ornaments of beauty!
C. Satan is a hard task-master.
As Pharaoh made Israel to serve with
rigor, making them make bricks without straw and compelling them by brutality
to build his pyramids, so satan is a hard task-master. Of all tyrants, sin and
satan are the most cruel. It is a costly thing to serve your lusts.
1.
First, they
debase you.
2.
Next, they
bankrupt you.
3.
In the end,
they destroy you.
D. At last, our bondage brought
us into misery.
Do you remember when the Lord brought
you down, when he caused your soul to feel the weight of guilt and the bondage
of depravity? Like Israel in Egypt, you
sighed and cried, you moaned and groaned by reason of your bondage. And,
just as God heard the groanings of Abraham’s children in Egypt and remembered
his covenant (Ex. 2:24), so he heard the groaning of your soul and visited you
with his salvation.
Like Pharaoh, satan’s aim was our
destruction. The strong man armed would not let us go. Though our hearts were
pricked by the preaching of the Word, though we were deeply moved by the
gospel, we simply could not escape the captivity in which we were held. Then, O blessed, blessed day, One stronger
than he, the Lord Jesus Christ, the almighty Son of God, broke into our hearts,
bound the devil, threw him out of the house, took possession of our souls, and
set us free! Glory be to God, we were bondmen in Egypt, but the Lord our
God redeemed s! Let his name be praised!
Illustration: Try to picture Joshua or Caleb telling the story of redemption to their children and
grandchildren.
1. See these Scars.
2. See these Stones - The Covenant.
3. See this Lamb.
III. Third, I want us to think about THE REDEMPTION OF OUR SOULS.
There is no subject like this. There is nothing I prefer to
think about, study, discuss, preach, or hear preached. Redemption is my joy. Redemption is my song. And redemption is my
message. The Lord God redeemed Israel by blood, by power, and by bringing
them into the possession of all that was promised to them in his covenant in
the land of Canaan. In all these things, their physical redemption was typical
of and a picture of our spiritual redemption in Christ.
A. Redemption by Price
First, as the Jews were redeemed from Egypt by the blood of the
paschal lamb and by the blood of the Egyptians themselves, so too we have been
redeemed by blood.
1. Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
by the shedding of his blood as our Substitute to make atonement for our sins,
has redeemed us from the curse of the law.
1 Peter 1:18-20 "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: (20) Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the
world, but was manifest in these last times for you,"
1 Peter 2:24 "Who his own
self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins,
should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."
1 Peter 3:18 "For Christ
also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring
us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:"
2. Having sacrificed his darling
Son to save us, the Lord God will not hesitate to sacrifice anything or anyone,
even as he did the firstborn in Egypt, Pharaoh, and his armies, to save his
elect.
Isaiah 43:1-4 "But now thus
saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel,
Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. (2) When thou passest through the
waters, I will be with thee; and
through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the
fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. (3) For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave
Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and
Seba for thee. (4) Since thou wast
precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee:
therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life."
Romans 8:32 "He that spared
not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him
also freely give us all things?"
B. Redemption by Power
The word “redemption” implies far more
than merely the paying of a ransom price. Whenever you think about Christ’s
great work of redemption, always remember that all for whom the ransom price
was paid shall be delivered. In Bible
terms “redemption” means deliverance as well as ransom. We have been
redeemed by the ransom price of Christ’s precious blood. And we have been
delivered from the bondage of sin, satan, and the law by the irresistible power
of God’s sovereign grace in regeneration and effectual calling. This too is
illustrated by the redemption of Israel out of Egypt. As God brought Israel out
of Egypt with a mighty hand and stretched out arm, so he brought us out of the
house of bondage by almighty grace and irresistible power.
·
As he made
them willing to come out, so he made us willing to come out!
·
As he made
them able to come out, so he made us able to come out!
·
As he brought
them out, so he brought us out of the house of bondage! Not a hoof was left
behind. And there was not a feeble one among them (Ex. 10:26; Ps. 105:37-38).
1.
Our redemption
was accomplished by divine intervention. - “The
Lord thy God redeemed thee.”
2.
Our redemption
has been personally experienced. - “The Lord thy God redeemed thee.”
3.
Our redemption
cannot possibly be accounted for except in these terms. - “THE LORD THY GOD REDEEMED THEE!”
But there is more to come. Just as the
nation of Israel was at last brought into the possession of the land of promise
and all the blessings of the covenant God made with Abraham, so too, our
redemption will be complete only when we enjoy...
C. Redemption by Possession.
There is a day coming when every
chosen, ransomed, called sinner shall enter into the full possession of
heavenly glory and inherit all the blessings promised by God to Christ as our
Surety in the covenant of grace before the world began. God’s Israel shall
inherit their Promised Land.
1.
We were chosen
and predestined to that end.
2.
We were
redeemed to that end.
3.
We have been
sealed to that end (Eph. 1:14).
4.
We shall
attain that end.
5.
That will be
for us the day of redemption (Eph. 4:30).
IV. Now, fourth, I want to lead you briefly in THE REMEMBRANCE OF MERCY.
Deuteronomy 15:15 "Thou shalt
remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God
redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day."
The remembrance of God’s mercy toward
us, remembering our bondage and his redemption, ought to have a constant and
profound effect upon our lives. The
remembrance of God’s mercy and grace in the redemption of our souls...
A. Ought to Make us Humble.
1 Corinthians 4:7 "For who maketh
thee to differ from another? and what
hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou
hadst not received it?"
We would all be in hell today, were it
not for God’s sovereign, saving grace.
B. Ought to Make us Thankful.
It is not likely that anyone here has
everything he wants. Some may even have great needs that no one knows about but
them and God. But, my brothers and sisters, we are redeemed. Is that not enough
to make us thankful?
C. Ought to Make us Patient.
Run with patience the race that is set
before you. This is not the place of our honor. Wait awhile. The Lord’s promise
is sure. He will fulfill it in his time. Trust him and be patient.
D. Ought to Make us Content.
Any man who remembers the galling
bitterness of spiritual slavery, who has been brought into the liberty of
Christ, will find a way to be content in his freedom, whatever the
circumstances of that freedom may be.
·
Philippians
4:12-13
E. Ought to
Make us Kind and Gracious.
That
is the matter at issue in Deuteronomy 15. Liberated slaves ought always be the
most kind, gracious, tender-hearted men in the world.
·
Ephesians
4:32-5:1
F. Ought to
Make us Hopeful.
Romans 5:10 "For if, when
we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more,
being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life."
1 John 3:1-3 "Behold, what
manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (2) Beloved, now are we the sons of
God, and it doth not yet appear what we
shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for
we shall see him as he is. (3) And
every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is
pure."
G. Ought to
Make us Zealous for Christ.
Illustration: When John Newton was an old man and his health
was failing, he was often asked why he did not retire. His answer was, “What?
Shall the old African blasphemer leave off preaching Christ while there is
breath in his body? No, never!” He “remembered that he was a bondman in the
land of Egypt, and the LORD his God redeemed him."
Application:
If
you will carefully read Deuteronomy chapters five through twenty-six, you will
find that this matter of redemption was the motive the Lord gave his people for
everything he required of them.
·
For Worship
(6:14).
·
For Separation
(7:6-14).
·
For Obedience
(8:10-11).
·
For Supreme
Loyalty to God (13:5).
·
For Keeping
the Passover (16:1).
·
For Generosity
in the Worship and Service of God (16:10-12; 26:7-8).
·
For Charity
and Generosity to the Poor (24:17).
Allow
me the liberty, as your pastor, to use this glorious gospel of grace, this
message and remembrance of redemption to motivate your hearts and my own in the
worship and service of our great God.
·
When the saints of God gather in his house for worship, “Remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt,
and the LORD thy God redeemed thee."
·
When the offering plate is passed, “Remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt,
and the LORD thy God redeemed thee."
·
When the building needs attention, “Remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt,
and the LORD thy God redeemed thee."
·
When the church house needs cleaning, “Remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt,
and the LORD thy God redeemed thee."
·
When someone is needed in the nursery, “Remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt,
and the LORD thy God redeemed thee."
·
When you have opportunity to show hospitality, “Remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt,
and the LORD thy God redeemed thee."
·
When you have opportunity to speak to someone about Christ, “Remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt,
and the LORD thy God redeemed thee."
·
When it is time to make a decision between right and wrong, “Remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt,
and the LORD thy God redeemed thee."
·
When you choose your companions, “Remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt,
and the LORD thy God redeemed thee."
·
When you have opportunity to help someone, “Remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt,
and the LORD thy God redeemed thee."
This is God’s word to you and me - “REMEMBER!”
Deuteronomy 15:15 "And thou shalt
remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God
redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day."