Remember

 Memory in the modern world

1. Scientists define 4 types of memory in our current generation
   1. Sensory memory–lasts 3 seconds
   2. Short-term memory–lasts 30 seconds, up to 7 ideas at a time
   3. Working memory–lasts 3-4 minutes, tries to maintain connection of ideas
   4. Long-term memory–lasting connection based on repeated recall

      1. Important dates, names, phone numbers

      2. Muscle memory–learning to walk, play an instrument, drive

   5. (Selective Memory)–optional, scientifically neutral
2.  Hyperthymesia – a medical condition where a person remembers everything in their life
   1. There are 33 medically documented cases in the world in 2024
   2. Suggests we can remember everything but cannot access everything
3. We remember things by attaching to a moment in time
   1. This moment is important to remember because it is important to others
   2. This moment is meaningful for my life
   3. I will be at risk if I do not remember this moment
4. Some things we remember because we have come to believe them to be true
   1. My best friend will tell me the truth
   2. My parents want what is best for me
   3. My spouse cares about how I feel
5. Memory in relationship is different than memory of facts
   1. What happens when you forget your best friend’s birthday?
   2. What happens when you forget your wedding anniversary?
   3. What happens when we forget what God has done for us?
      1. Implication: We do not attach meaning to the memory.
      2. Translation: We do not care enough to remember.
      3. Consequence: The relationship suffers.

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What it means to “remember” and “forget” in the language of the Israelites

1. Start with the story of the Exodus
   1. 400–years in slavery in Egypt–generations lived whole life in slavery
   2. Moses called to free God’s people from Egypt
   3. 400,000 people escape Egypt with Pharaoh chasing them to the sea
   4. Parting of the Red Sea leads the Israelites into the wilderness
   5. Just 3 days after being freed from slavery they begin to complain
      1. Why does God get angry?
      2. Context of the covenant relationship
2. What does the word “remember” and “forget” mean in Hebrew?
   1. “Zakar” – “To zakar is to employ your hands and feet and lips to engage in whatever action that remembrance requires.“
      1. Citation: https://www.1517.org/articles/the-one-hebrew-word-you-dont-want-to-forget
   2. Biblical references of “Zakar”
      1. Gen 9:16 “Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”
      2. Exod 20:8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”
   3. “Shakah” – “Forgetting is not simply a mental relapse.  In the Bible, forgetting is an indication of deliberate rebellion.  To forget God is to not know God.  Therefore, forgetting the true Creator and Source of our being is tantamount to idolatry.”
      1. Citation: https://skipmoen.com/2003/01/forget-2/
3. Making sense of the situation
   1. Exod 16:2-3 “And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
   2. God’s response:
      1. Exod 16:4 “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.”
4.   Staying within the relationship of the covenant
   1. Why do God’s people complain?
   2. How does God respond?
   3. Why do God’s people forget what he has done for them?
   4. Why does God repeatedly ask his people to remember the covenant?

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God gives his people what they need, but not always what they want

1. “Be careful what you ask for, because you just might get it.”
2. What is God’s plan for his people?
   1. To lead the world to God through the witness of his people
   2. What kind of witness is God’s people providing?
      1. Rules of customer service
   3. What will others believe about God based on how they talk about God?
   4. What is God most upset about when people “forget” what He has done?
3. How does God provide for his people?
   1. Exod 16:4b “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you”
      1. The word “rain” here carries a sense of power in what is doing
      2. “Man hu” (“manna”) – literally, “What is it?”
      3. Manna is believed to be a gum resin produced by the tamarisk tree, a byproduct of the tree being fed on by aphids. The gum resin appeared in the shape of coriander seeds and fell to the ground with the evening dew.  The resin would rot if kept too long and would melt in the morning sun if left unprotected.  It was sweet and could be pounded into power and mixed with oil to make small cakes to eat.  (see Numbers 11:7-9)
   2. Guess what happened…
      1. Numbers 11:4-6 “The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”
   3. I know I shouldn’t complain…
      1. What is really happening?
      2. It’s not just a matter of gratitude–it’s a matter of trust.
   4. Ps 78:19 “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?

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The wilderness of the modern world

1. “Not all who wander are lost.” ~ J.R.R. Tolkien
   1. What does it mean to wander today in our modern wilderness?
   2. How does God provide for us today?
   3. Where do we find our manna?
2. We live in a world of modern convenience
   1. Canned goods
      1. Food drive
         1. Canned goods: expiration 5 years
         2. Boxed foods: expiration one year
   2. Where do we rely on God for our needs?
   3. How do we choose to remember?
   4. What do we forget?
3. There are a lot of wildernesses in the modern world
   1. Twitter–taking a stand in 280 characters or less
   2. Facebook–everyone has an opinion to share
   3. Instagram–everyone has a pose to strike
   4. Tik Tok–everyone wants to be seen
4. Seek the things that do not perish
   1. Jn 6:26-27 “Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.”
   2. John 6:31 “So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
   3. John 6:27 “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.”
   4. John 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
5. As we come to the table today …
   1. Looking upon the altar with the redemption of Christ on the cross held high behind it, we ask the question that God’s people asked in the desert: “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?” (Ps 78:19)
   2. Kneeling at the rail with hands open to receive the unleavened bread, we ask as the disciples did, “What must we do to be doing the work of God?”
   3. Taking the bread and wine, we hear the words of Jesus, “This is my body, given for you. Whenever you eat it, do this and remember me.  Not just with your mind, but also with your heart.  Not just in words, but also in your steps, the work of your hands and the witness of your life.  Do this and remember”

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What’s the main point from today you want to remember (put into practice)? 

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