Jeremiah 31:31-34 - God's Memory

Jeremiah 31:31-34

31 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord.

33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 

34 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Isn't human memory fascinating? It's so crucial to our lives that without it, we couldn't even manage simple tasks like walking or swallowing. Yet, our memories have a funny way of working. Have you noticed how we're more likely to remember the bad stuff and forget the good? We often dwell on our failures and flaws, while our successes and talents slip our minds.

Let me ask you something. When you think of David from the Old Testament, what's the first thing that pops into your mind? Is it the scandal with Bathsheba? Or do you think of David as "the man whose heart belonged to God"?

David’s story beautifully highlights the difference between human memory and God's memory. If you read 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 Kings, you'll see how God remembered David long after he had died, doing great things "for the sake of David." God clearly remembered David and acted because of those memories.

But was David perfect? No way! He committed serious sins – even murder and adultery! Yet, despite these, God consistently remembered that David’s heart was devoted to Him.

Here’s something amazing about God's memory: Jeremiah 31:31-34 talks about a new covenant where God promises, "I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." This means a time would come when God would forget every sin He forgave. The writer of Hebrews echoes this prophecy in Hebrews 10:16-17, stating that Jesus Christ fulfills it. When God forgives us through Jesus, those forgiven sins vanish from His memory.

Maybe you're thinking, "God couldn't possibly have any good memories of me. Why would He act with goodness or mercy towards me?" Even if that feels true right now, it can change. When we sincerely and humbly give our hearts to God, and allow Him to wash our sins in baptism, He forgives—and when He forgives, He forgets our wrongs.

Acts 2:38:  Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Remember Hebrews 10:16-17, quoting from Jeremiah:  “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”

Isn't that incredible? It's a beautiful reminder of God's amazing grace and mercy.

1 Peter 5:8 - Are You Watching For Snakes?

1 Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

When I was 14 years old, my cousin, my uncle and I were fishing along the bank of a remote river in California. I was walking a bit up ahead of the others, and was having a great time hopping from rock to rock.

To the side of the trail, I saw a bundle of twigs on top of some rocks. It seemed out of place somehow, so I stopped to look. And – I almost didn’t see what it was! I had almost stepped on a baby snake sunning itself on a rock. It wasn’t moving, just laying there all twisted up.

I went back to find my uncle and told him that I had just found a baby snake. He teased me about being afraid of a baby, but came with me to see it. My cousin, Gary and I were ahead of him, but when my uncle saw the snake, he yelled for us to stop, then came up and pulled us backwards. Looking at me, he said, “I thought you said this was a baby snake.” (If my wits had been quicker, I would have said, “Well, it had a rattle.”) Apparently, what I thought was a baby turned out to be about 30 inches long rattlesnake!

Have you ever noticed that spiritual danger is quite often like that snake (or a lion, as Peter says). It can be right in front of us – with the power to cause us serious hurt – yet, because we do not see it, we are convinced there is no danger. It is in that ignorance we often inflict heavy, unnecessary pain on ourselves.

Think about this:  every day we are walking in the “wilderness” and we are about to step on “poisonous snakes” our eyes are untrained to see. There are so many things we need to be watchful for, and the world is trying to lull us into being complacent. But – that is how we get bitten!

In 1 Peter 1:13-21, Peter was writing to a group of Christians, who had suffered because of their relationship with Jesus Christ, and their suffering was soon to get more severe. He was basically saying, "You people need to prepare to be even more serious about your devotion to Jesus Christ."

He was warning them to not make money, physical pleasure, or things of this world the foundation of their sustaining hope, but instead to make the foundation of their hope the grace made available in Jesus Christ's resurrection.

Before we step on that poisonous snake — I think Peter's directive is very applicable to us. I believe Peter was saying, "It is time to be serious about your commitment to God. Remember who and what you were before, and who and what you are now as a Christian. You are no longer living a godless lifestyle of personal indulgence. Your new commitment is now to the holiness of God, the One who saves you through His Son. Your time as a physical creature is only for a short time — so do not let money, pleasure, popular ideas or lifestyles determine or define who you are. Only one thing should define who you are — God's grace – revealed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. God can remake you and your life because of that grace.”

And, remember this:  your hope is not in yourself or anything you do! You cannot merit a relationship with God!

Ephesians 2:8-9:   8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Your hope is God's grace revealed in Jesus' resurrection!  Surely you obey responsibly — but your obedience is merely declaring your appreciation for God's grace!

Mark 8:34 - Are You a Disciple?

Mark 8:34 (Also Matthew 16:24-27 and Luke 9:23)

24 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Give it some thought, then answer these two questions: 

        Do you consider yourself a Christian? 

        Do you consider yourself a disciple?

Be honest, did you hesitate on that second one?

The name “Christian” only appears in the Bible three times:  Acts 11:26, Acts 26:28 AND 1 Peter 4:16.) And yet it is the most used term to describe a believer today. The most common designation found in the New Testament is “disciple.” 

Calling yourself a disciple seems a little intimidating because we seem to think that a “disciple” is one who ascribes to more than we do  -- and that is the problem!

If we are Christians -- we are disciples! 

Why is that important? Because a disciple is actually someone described in scripture, not just a concept we can define any way we choose.

Matthew 7:21

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

But, to better understand what a disciple is, maybe it is best if we see how Jesus described one . . .

John 8:31

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 13:34-35

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Can we call ourselves Christians?  Yes. After all, disciples were called Christians also:

Acts 11:26 c

. . . The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

But when you do, remember that is not a title, but a description of a serious, devoted way of life!