There is nothing better than the remembrance of the goodness of God and seeing how it produces fruit in our lives. I’m excited to also share a link to the entire sermon that I preached that sparked this series as we wrap it up with this post.

First, if you haven’t, take a minute and get caught up on the first two parts of the series. Also, make sure you sign up to the email list so you can get posts delivered right to your inbox.

1. Theology of Remembrance Part 1 – Our remembrance of the goodness of God stirs our affections for Jesus
2. Theology of Remembrance Part 2 – Our remembrance produces a grateful heart

Human Motivation and Action

We have a tendency to take things into our own hands. I grew up in Chicago during the days of the legendary Michael Jordan. Without fail, in the last few minutes of any game when the Bulls were down there was not even a doubt who the primary ball handler would be. Who was going to take the final shot? Of course, it was going to be MJ. I’ve listened to numerous interviews of Michael Jordan describing his thought process during these moments. It was simple, he wanted the ball and was determined to take things into his own hands to win the game.

This motivation is present in all of us, however, we begin to think that we are in fact God. We believe that when chaos in our lives occur that the best chance we have is to take things into our own hands. If we were to take an honest look at our selves we would find that we are truly not capable. It would be impossible and this creates a serious frustration. Further, we try to respond from our finite knowledge and experiences. As believers, we have a better option. We can turn to Christ and allow the Gospel to inform our decisions and actions.

God Remains Faithful In Spite Of Our Circumstances:

Why should we turn to Christ? Because he is not shaken by our circumstances. God is not surprised or taken back by the situation are your in today. Rather, as we see in Romans 8: 28-30 God is continually working things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. What an incredible truth to know that God is for us and with us! I think its important to note that this does not mean we will not go through trials, tragedy, and seasons of sorrow and lament. What we do know is that in these seasons we can trust and count on God being with us through every moment. This reality became so true to us as we experienced the goodness and comfort of God as my 9 month old son went through hospitalization and tests after he had a complex febrile seizure.

Today we can rest and rejoice in this truth. That God does not leave us regardless of our sin, failure, and unfaithfulness. Rather, he stays with us and remains faithful.

**

You can listen to my sermon on Genesis 35 here

The post Genesis 35: A Theology Of Remembrance Pt. 3 appeared first on Joel's Travels.

Recently, a friend of mine asked me to preach for him as he was out of the country. Their church has been going through the entire book of Genesis, so I was asked to pick up in Genesis 35. Throughout my research, study, and preparation I was encouraged in so many ways. The most important thing that stuck out to me was the importance of remembrance in the life of the believer. Genesis 35 helps us to develop this theology of remembrance which has such great implications for us today. I’ll break this up into three part’s which reflect my sermon.

Our Remembrance Of The Goodness Of God Stirs Our Affections for Jesus

Our Remembrance Of The Goodness Of God Stirs Our Affections for Jesus
Click To Tweet

Within Genesis 35 we find Jacob commemorating special conversations with God through the building of pillars and making offerings. The question some may have, is why did Jacob build these pillars? The reason being that remembrance causes us to grow in our affections for God. It is good for us to consider where we came from and what God has delivered us from (Col 1:13). For instance, the New American Commentary states, “The recurring motif of divine guidance appears in the patriarch’s speech to his family: “[God] has been with me wherever I have gone” ”. Therefore, Jacob’s recollection of the goodness of God causes him to remember the promises of God. Jacob is also caused to deal with the reality that God has never been far from him but continues to go with him wherever he journeys.

Further, we see how God causes Jacob to step into a place of remembrance. John Calvin notes, “God chooses and assigns Bethel, rather than any other place, for his [Jacob’s] sanctuary; because the very sight of it would greatly avail to take away terror, when he would remember that there the glory of the Lord had been seen by him ”. This divine direction places Jacob in a situation where he can rely on the both the goodness and promise of God. Jacob is able to trust God not only for his own life, but also for the life of his family.

By remembering the past, Jacob is ready to the face the trials of the future.

Similarly, Charles Spurgeon affirms the importance of remembrance as he states, “A revival of old memories is often most useful to us, especially to revive the memory of our conversion. ”. Spurgeon is expressing how important a recollection of who and what we were apart from God serves as a helpful and needed practice to continually remind of our great need for God. In the same way that Jacob is faced with the reality of how God had delivered him from his turmoil and tragedy when he ventured to Bethel, when we recollect our own conversion experience we can rest in the goodness of God. Our practice of remembrance encourages us to rest safe and secure in the sufficiency of God in the midst of trials we may face in the future.

—

611. A. Mathews, Genesis 11:27–50:26, vol. 1B, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2005), 611.

^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Ge 35:11.

C. H. Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 24 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1878), 52.

The post Genesis 35: A Theology Of Remembrance Pt. 1 appeared first on Joel's Travels.