Welcome to Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, Pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. What would life be like without the ability to remember? It would be chaotic and largely meaningless. Memory allows individuals to draw upon past events to frame their understanding and behavior in the present. What we remember also provides a framework for us to make sense of the present and future. Peter calls God's people to remember the gospel of Jesus as it was accomplished in history, because such memory provides stability, understanding, wisdom, and hope.
None of us can afford to leave remembering up to chance, like when a friend says to you, Well, if you happen to remember. We learn from the scriptures that worship is actually what stirs our capacity to remember the vital things. The psalmist proclaims, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Let's listen to this message titled, The Power of Remembering, from 2 Peter 1, 12-15.
This is part 4 of a message first preached on July 2, 2023 at Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. When we talk about all his benefits, does your mind immediately go to the stuff you have? If it does, you need to confess that and repent of that, because that's not what Psalm 103 is talking about.
What does Psalm 103 talk about? All the benefits of God. He is my benefit. He crowns me with loving kindness and tender mercies. He redeems my soul.
As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed my iniquities from me. He is a forgiving God. He's a merciful God. He's a loving God, steadfast love.
He's unfailingly good. These are his benefits. Dare I forget them? I can't afford to forget them. And in that moment of crisis, in that moment of adversity, that is when I most need to remember the goodness of God, the benefits of God. Peter knows that.
That's why he's writing this. Lastly, four points here to help us develop and maintain a robust memory of the goodness of God, the grace that has been lavished on us, the grace that is laid up for us. Because Psalm 103 is about worship, and it says don't forget. Don't forget God.
Don't forget his benefits. So I want to talk four points about worship. Number one, personal worship. Personal worship. Bless the Lord, O what?
My soul. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Do you worship God personally? Is your worship of God relegated to this time and this place? Then you are starving.
I don't say that with any pride. Do you sit down at a meal to eat once a week? If you did, you'd be what?
Starving. Worship the Lord personally. Walk with God, commune with him, interact with him, listen to him, express yourself to him, praise him.
This is growing roots, the tree that is growing roots, so that when the winds come, it's not toppled over. And I'm not just talking about mechanically, dutifully doing things for God, because doing things for God is not the same thing as walking with God. You need to preach the gospel to yourself. You need to develop the self-talk that is anchored in the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ and the goodness of God. I was speaking with somebody this morning who was listening to a song, going through all kinds of stuff in life, and this song said, On my worst day, I'm still a child of the King.
That's a good memory. On my worst day, I'm still a child of the King. Develop the habits of regeneration. Draw near to God. Abide in Christ. Walk in the Spirit. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.
That's developing a robust memory. Personal worship. Secondly, family worship. Family worship.
Keep your finger in 1 Peter. Turn all the way back to the book of Deuteronomy. I want to show you a portrait of family worship. This is what God commanded his people, Israel. Deuteronomy chapter 6. I'm going to read verses 4 to 9. Deuteronomy 6, 4 to 9. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes, and you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
That's a pretty clear picture, isn't it? When do I worship God? Always. There's never a time that I'm not worshiping God, if indeed I am a worshiper of God.
This is how you develop a robust memory. Hopefully by now you understand that worship of God doesn't just simply mean singing great songs in church. Are you communing with God? If you look at verse 10, go back to Deuteronomy chapter 6, you look at verse 10 and following God's challenge to his people, it says, you know, when I lead you into the promised land, you're going to be enjoying stuff that I've given to you. Long story short, what is God's challenge to them?
Remember, be careful that you don't forget me. And we have a tendency to do that. We want to enjoy God's stuff, but God's stuff is not my highest good and my deepest satisfaction. God is.
That's why my memory must be robust, to remember him. A survey, a study was done back in 2019 because there's an alarm today of all the young people that, you know, they grow up in the church and then they leave the church. And there was a study that was done of those that stayed faithful to Christ in the company of God's people. Five characteristics of their lives. Let me just write these.
This would be 18 to 29 year olds, okay? And these are called resilient disciples. This is why they were resilient disciples. Number one, they experienced intimacy with Jesus. That's number one.
They experienced intimacy. They had a close personal walk with Jesus. That's number one. Number two, they practiced cultural discernment. Number three, they have meaningful spiritual relationships. Number four, they engage in counter-cultural mission. Number five, they have a sense of calling in their life and work. Now doesn't that perfectly reflect the benefits of a robust memory, the things we just talked about?
It does. We can learn from that. Family worship.
How do you develop a robust memory? Personal worship, number one. Number two, family worship. Do you worship as a family?
It makes a difference. Number three, work as worship. You say, Rich, I don't get that.
I come to church on Sunday and then I go to work the rest of the week. I'm not seeing a connection there. There needs to be a connection. There must be a connection. Let me tell you why.
Because Paul says very clearly to the Colossians, in whatever you do, who are you serving? Jesus Christ. New paradigm for you. For those of you that are going to work tomorrow... I don't work on Mondays.
I'm just a pastor. I work only on Sundays, right? For those of you going to work tomorrow morning, you're going into work with this new understanding, I am serving Jesus Christ.
That will radically impact your work. What is it about work that you serve the Lord Jesus Christ? Does Jesus care about how you do your work?
Yes, He does. Absolutely. Are you doing it well? You're serving people. Are you doing it well? Are you doing it with a good attitude? Are you doing it with the proper humility and submission? Are there people where you work? Yes. How's your relationship with those people? Are you constantly in competition with each other?
Are you treating barbs with each other? Or do they know that you are so satisfied in God that no matter what they say to you, it's going to be water off your back? You serve Jesus Christ. Work as worship. This is what He says in Colossians chapter 3, verses 23 and 24.
It's up here. Whatever you do, work heartily. Say it with me, as for the Lord and not for men. That's a paradigm shift. You ready to obey this?
It will make a difference, a huge difference in your life. You are serving the Lord Christ. So whether you are in a field, in a cubicle, in an office, on stage, before a class, wherever you are tomorrow morning, behind a desk, you serve the Lord Jesus Christ.
Are you working to please Him? This is a contribution, a major contribution to a robust memory of the grace that has been lavished on you and the grace that is laid up for you. Lastly, well let me quote 2 Corinthians 5, verses 9 and 10.
Whether present or absent, we make it our aim to please Him, the Apostle Paul says. For we must all appear before what? The judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is done in the body, whether good or evil. You're going to give an answer to the gifts you had, to the work that you had, the things that God entrusted to you.
Did you use them for my glory or did you use them for amassing things for yourself and comparing yourself with other people? Lastly, corporate worship. Family worship, no, personal worship, family worship. Work as worship. Lastly, corporate worship.
That's what we're doing here this morning. We're making much of God. We're hearing God's work. Corporate worship.
Is it a priority? Thanks for joining us here at Delight in Grace. You've been listening to Rich Powell, the lead pastor at Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. The Delight in Grace mission is to help you know that God designed you to realize your highest good and your deepest satisfaction in Him, the one who is infinitely good. We hope you'll join us again on weekdays at 10 a.m.
