Exodus

Remember And Never Forget
Exodus 12:1-14

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT SEPTEMBER 11, 2001? Think back, if you can, to where you were, and what you were doing. Do you remember that it was a Tuesday? Do you remember that it was a beautiful day, all up and down the East Coast, the West Coast, even here, down south? The weather was the same, still winds, blue skies, not a cloud in sight. Boston, New York, and Washington DC all enjoying a gorgeous, late summer day. How well we remember the beauty of that day? How well we remember the horror of what happened that day. Hearing and seeing on the news that a commercial airliner had been high jacked, and flown into the side of the world trade center. Hearing again, that another jet had crashed into the Pentagon. And just as we were trying to adjust to the unbelievable shock of what had happened, we realized it was still happening as a third jet crashed into the second tower of the world trade center, and still another crashed into a remote field in Pennsylvania. Do you remember seeing the video stream of the Twin Towers crashing down? First one and then the other. Do you remember the fear of what would happen next? Wondering if it was truly over.

WE GATHER TODAY ON THIS SUNDAY PRECEDING THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001. We’re here to remember, to think back, to recollect, to analyze, and to pledge to each other that we will never forget. But we do this, not as the rest of the world might remember, but we do this as Christians. As a covenant people of God, and our approach needs to be different. We need to remember in the way that is central to who we are. The same kind of remembering that Jesus described when he said, "Do this in remembrance of me." Our remembering today must be more than just a recollection of past events. We must remember what happened in the way that our faith has always demanded remembrance. In the Christian faith, remembrance brings an event from the past into the present. In such a way that is has a powerful effect on the here and now. Today, I want to invite you to remember September 11, in such a way that the events of last year can shape this year. So that our memory of the past can transform our vision of the future.

THIS TEXT IS ABOUT THAT KIND OF REMEMBERING. A remembering that transforms God, through Moses, has sent a series of plagues upon the Egyptian people. All in an effort to help the Hebrew people gain a moment of freedom. So that they can worship their God. You see, that was the original request, not that Pharaoh free the Hebrews, but that they be allowed a moment of freedom so that they could worship God. Read Exodus 5:1-3a. And again in the eighth chapter, read Exodus 8:1. In fact, at one time Pharaoh gave into Moses, and offered a compromise. Read Exodus 8:25-27. But Pharaoh refused! And what happened next was cataclysmic. Egypt suffered a series of horrendous plagues water turns into blood. In fact, even nature itself turns against the Egyptians, Infestations of frogs, swarms of flies and gnats, all the livestock of the Egyptians plagued with disease, horses, cattle, donkeys, camels, sheep's and goats. Terrible festering boils that infect every Egyptian man, woman and child. Hail and lightning and fire falling from the sky, destroying everything Egyptian that was not already decimated. And then to top it all off, the sun itself seems to work against the Egyptians, a darkness that lasts three days. A darkness, the text describes, as so dark that it can be felt, and yet in spite of all of this calamity Pharaoh, the king of Egypt refuses to yield. And then comes the horror. It was the 14^th day of the first month of the Jewish Calendar. It started at about midnight; something the text calls the destroyer passed through Egypt, and killed the firstborn children of every Egyptian family; old and young, adult and infant. It was unstoppable and unmerciful. All night one could hear the wailing and the screaming. The text tells us that there was not a house without someone dead. Now let’s talk numbers for a second. When the Hebrew people left Israel the text tells us there were 600,000 men, besides women and children. Which would have easily put the number up past 1 million. All we know of the number of Egyptians was that the number of Hebrews intimidated them. The text alluding to the fact that the Hebrews possibly out numbered the Egyptians. If they outnumbered them 2 to 1 there would have been at least 500,000 Egyptians. If every Egyptian family had ten members, that would have been 50,000 families. Which would have meant at least 50,000 dead. Imagine the horror of that day for the Egyptians.

THIS TEXT IS A REMEMBERING OF THAT DAY. Remembering how God was true to God’s people who trusted in God. God commands the Hebrews to institute a meal to remember God’s mighty acts. To remember and never forget how God protected and delivered God’s people. They are to commemorate that day as a festival to the Lord. A lasting ordinance and I’m quite sure that the Hebrews remembered in a different way than the Egyptians, because for the Hebrews it was a victory. A deliverance that would be remembered by celebration, but for the Egyptians it would be remembered as a time of horror, and the memory would bring mourning, and a deep sense of loss. It was the 11^th day of the ninth month of the year. It started at about 8:00 AM. When four "destroyers" passed into the air space of New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. Each destroyer bringing death. Death so cataclysmic that it affected virtually every household in America. An event so unthinkable and so motivated by hatred, that it brought with it a fear of the future that often follows our children into their sleep. Follows us all into our sleep, and tragically, today, you may identify more with the Egyptians than the Hebrews. When it comes to the remembering, because your memories of that day leave little to rejoice about, because this time we were on the receiving end. Except that there are, differences aren’t there, because it was not God who sent the destroyers, but they were sent by hatred. And unlike the Egyptians of Moses Day, we have the promise of God that God will always be with us in all our afflictions. The people of God are never alone in their affliction, not in ancient Israel, not in the United States today. When God’s people cry to the Lord, God hears. Their voice and delivers them with a mighty hand

LET US REMEMBER AND NEVER FORGET. That we are God’s people. Friends, we can sleep at night in restful peace, because there is nothing that can destroy us as long as we put our faith in God. Yes, we can be afflicted and treated harshly. Yes, we can be attacked by planes in the sky, and anthrax in the mail. We can suffer the death of thousands of fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters. But when we cry to the Lord, God hears us and responds. This we should remember and never forget. This rock solid truth, dating back to the affliction of our ancestors in Egypt. It is important for us to remember this and by remembering, make it real and active in our daily lives. Notice too that part of the remembering for the Hebrews was that God brought them into a land of milk and honey. Their land came to them as a gift. They were to treasure it and care for it as though it were a precious inheritance. We need to remember and never forget, the very same is true for us. As we reflect on the condition of our nation today, are we treating it is a valuable gift? Are we taking it for granted? Are we treasuring it or abusing it? What was instituted in that meal of remembrance was the Jewish Passover, and a real part of that meal for the Jewish people is a sense of gratitude and responsibility? The celebration that followed never gloated over what God did for Israel. In fact, at one point in the Passover meal everyone present spills drops of wine in memory of the Egyptians who lost their lives. When the Hebrews entered the Promised Land, the lord commanded them to commemorate a festival of remembrance. And that every Hebrew and all aliens living within the land should celebrate together the bounty of the Lord. One of the challenges that faces us today is to remain a generous people. Even in the face of terrorist threats, as Christians God has blessed us, and we are called to be a blessing to others. In bad times as well as good. We must remember and never forget that it was hatred that sent those jets crashing into innocent lives. And we cannot and must not let that hatred transform us, cause us to become unloving, unforgiving, cause us to look with hatred or suspicion at any people. But instead we should let God work through us to transform that hatred.

ONE YEAR AGO THIS WEDNESDAY, WE WOKE UP TO A BEAUTIFUL DAY THAT NEARLY KILLED US. Today, as we remember those horrors, we can also embrace the lessons of that day, and renew our faith in God. And rededicate ourselves to being God’s People, remember and never forget that we are God’s people. Remember and never forget that this life and all that goes with it is a precious gift of God. Remember and never forget that it was hatred that brought those planes crashing down. Remember and never forget that we are not called to hate those who hate us, but to transform hate with the love of Jesus Christ.

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