Better than 200 years ago, a believing woman gave birth to a son. She would be compelled by God's providence and grace to leave when he was just four years old. She instructed her son and prayed for her son until the day the Lord took her out of this world. But when she was just four years old, the Lord took her. His father was not a commendable character, and the boy was jerked in front of the post until he was about twelve years old and joined his uncle on a sailing vessel. And he found that the most lucrative form of cargo in those days, and that to which he was most naturally inclined in his ungodliness, was slave trading. and he sailed back and forth to Africa, very silent, trading in human cargo. Finally, he was himself captured by an African tribesman, actually a tribal woman, a woman who was head of one of the tribes in Africa, and she treated him as a dog. She staked him out under the shrubs and threw waste food to him, and that's how he lived until he was finally able to escape. but that didn't change his heart.

At last, the Lord God was pleased to save that wretched devil by his grace, and he never got over it. His name was John Lucid. He's the man who wrote that hymn we love to sing, Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. He's one of my favorite preachers to read after. His sermons are full of Christ, full of grace. Everything he writes, full of Christ, full of grace, or everything he wrote, I should say.

When Newton was put into ministry, he had an office at Olney, and there he prepared his sermons, and there he wrote his hymns, hundreds of them, and hanging directly in front of his desk, in large letters was the text for my message this evening, Deuteronomy chapter 15 and verse 15. He had these words written out in large script hanging before him so that all the time as he would study, as he would write, as he would prepare his sermons, as he would write his hymns, he'd look up. It's like I'm looking at that clock now, that's right in front of him. and thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee.

Let God be pleased now to inscribe in our hearts by the finger of his grace the sweet blessed memory of his redeeming work for us and in us, by Christ Jesus. One day, William Jay was visiting Mr. Newsom, and Jay lived in a community called Bath, and Jay wrote this story in his autobiography, so I'm not out of turn telling it. He said he was visiting Newsom, and as he was greeting Newsom, said to him, he said, it's so good to have you, and so good to have you here on this occasion. He said, I have before me a letter from a certain gentleman, and he called his name, who lives in Bath. Do you know him?" And William Jay said, oh, I know him well. He used to come and sit under my ministry, but now he's a rogue. He has a reputation for wickedness and every vice and every vile behavior. He is characterized by those things. And Mr. Newton said, perhaps the Lord converted him. He writes a remarkable letter. And Jay responded this way. He said, I can only say that if ever he should be converted, I should despair of no one. And John Luthan replied to his friend, and I have never despaired of anybody since I was converted myself.

Mr. Jay seemed, at least for the moment, to have forgotten that thou wast a bondman in Egypt. and the Lord thy God hath redeemed thee. Mr. Newton Dixon, God's teacher not to forget, but to remember. May God the Holy Spirit now bring to our memories the amazing grace of our God in delivering our souls from bondage. May he use it to melt our hearts in devotion to him for the glory of his name.

Now, I want this evening to talk to you about these two things. I'm going to talk to you for a little bit about redemption, and then I'm going to talk to you about remembering.

First, redemption. Oh, what a subject. There's nothing that thrills my soul like redemption. I love to think about it, to study about it, to sing about it, to hear about it. It's my joy, my song, and my message. I delight to preach redemption. I love to proclaim to you the redeeming work of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. The Lord God redeemed Israel by blood. He redeemed them by power and by bringing them at last into the full possession of all that he promised in his covenant that he made with Abraham to bring them into and to give them by possession all the land of Canaan. Now, in all these things, the physical redemption and deliverance of Israel out of Egypt was intended by God to be, and stands today, as a typical picture of our redemption by Christ and our deliverance by the grace of our God in Jesus Christ from the bondage of sin, of Satan, and of the world. He redeemed Israel in three ways, and the Lord has redeemed us in three ways. First, there was a reduction by price. When we think about reduction, always remember that reduction means more than simply paying a price. Rejection means deliverance by a price. I learned that God first must do something for himself before he could do something for us. He must satisfy his own justice before he could deliver us from the curse of the law. And so he redeems us by price.

The Jews were redeemed from Egypt by the blood of the Paschal Lamb, and they were redeemed from Egypt by the blood of the Egyptians themselves. Even so, the Lord God has redeemed us by the price of blood. Blood infinitely, indescribably more valuable than the blood of goats and of calves. Infinitely more indescribable and more valuable than the blood of men themselves, yea, even of nations.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, by the shedding of his precious blood as our substitute, has made atonement for our sins and redeemed us from the curse of the law.

Turn to 1 Peter chapter 1 for a moment. 1 Peter chapter 1. There are many, many passages we could look at, but let's never tire of reading what the scripture says to us to instruct us in redemption. The Lord Jesus, his own self, bare our sins in his own body on the tree. That we, being dead to sin, dead by virtue of his death, should live under righteousness by whose stripes you are healed.

Now, this is what Peter says in 1 Peter 1, 18. For as much as you know, you know, this is a given, this is a fact. Every believer knows. Every believer knows. Did you hear this? Every believer knows. I know that salvation is a work of God in the heart of a man, but God doesn't work in your heart by bypassing your mind. He teaches you something. He teaches you the gospel. You know. You know.

Peter writes to his strangers and foreigners scattered here and there, these elect men and women whom God had chosen and called by his grace. And he said, you know, now I'm telling you, if you're born of God, you know this, you know that you will not be redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by sedition from your father. The Lord didn't deliver you from the benefit of your life. That's what he's talking about. The benefit of your life, that life which you lived in the course of this world, being led by the ... like a lamb to the slaughter, by the rod itself, walking to destruction. That very manner of life. He wasn't delivered from that by the price of some vices that men can give.

by the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spots, who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you. This lamb, by whose blood we are redeemed, his blood is precious, because it's his blood. It's the blood of him who is God incarnate. It's the blood of a lamb ordained by God before the world began. The blood of a lamb accepted by God for the pardon of our sins.

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust. There's no other way whereby God could save us that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.

Now, turn to Isaiah chapter 43. And I want you to see this. Having sacrificed his darling son to save us, the Lord God will not hesitate. Now listen to me. He will not hesitate to sacrifice anything or anyone else, even as he sacrificed the firstborn of Egypt, Pharaoh, and all the armies of Egypt to deliver Israel. I'm telling you, Bobby Estes, if he gave his son for you, he'll give anything and anybody for you. Anything and anybody. Can you get hold of this?

Look what it says, Isaiah 43 verse 1. But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, he that born thee, O Israel, fear not. Fear not. Now, how come? You tell me don't be afraid. You tell me, be calm, be at ease, rest my soul, on what basis? I have redeemed you. Now, there's not a stronger text in all the Bible to declare the distinctiveness of Christ's redeeming work, and the distinctiveness of God's love, and the distinctiveness of his grace. If he has redeemed everybody, if he has loved everybody, if he has called everybody, then this text of Scripture is utterly meaningless. And the bid that comes from his graciousness, fear not, is a mockery. It's another mockery, but it has power in it. It has efficacy through our hearts, because we know something. I've redeemed you. Oh my God has redeemed me! Now what shall I fear?

Look at this. I have called you. I've called you by name. You're mine. Verse two. When thou passest through the waters, through the waters you will pass if I've redeemed you. If I've called you, you're going to walk with me through these, these waters. But when you do, I will be with thee. And through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee, when thou walkest through the fire." I love the language he uses. When you walk through the fire, following me, fire is in your path, following me, deep water is in your path, following me, rivers of water are in your path, but you walk through them. Walk through them, believing me. And when you walk through the fire, thou shalt not be burned. Thou shalt have damaging effect upon you. Look at this, nevish of the flame kindle upon thee. Now, how can I be sure of that? For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior. I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia, and Cuba for thee, since thou wert precious in my sight. Thou hast been honorable, look at this now, and I have loved thee. Therefore will I give in for thee. and people for thy life."

What a word of grace! What a word of assurance! He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

The Lord God has redeemed us by price, and he has redeemed us by power. The word redemption, as I said a moment ago, implies far more than merely paying a ransom price. Whenever you think about Christ's great work of redemption, always remember that all for whom the ransom price was paid must and shall be delivered. In Bible terms, redemption means this. It means deliverance as well as ransom. It means deliverance on the basis of ransom paid.

He'd been redeemed by the ransom of Christ's precious blood, and we have been delivered from the bondage of sin, Satan, and the law by the inexhaustible power of God's sovereign grace. Our Lord God came to us in the day of his grace, and made us willing to come out from the land of bondage, just as he made Israel willing to come out of Egypt. When he made the shackles and the bondage bitter to them, then they cried out for mercy. And when he makes sin bitter to your soul, you'll cry out for mercy.

Not only did he make them willing to come out, he made them able to come out, and made them come out. By people, the scripture says, shall be willing in the day of thy power. But willing is not sufficient. How shall they come out? Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and calls us to approach him today.

Pastor, how can I be free from this thought? Only if God Almighty comes to you like he came to Lazarus of old and calls you and says come out. And I'm going to tell you something, if he ever calls you, you'll come out. You'll come out. He brought them out, and so he brought us out by the power of his grace.

And then there is redemption by possession as well. You won't need to turn and look at it, but for these folks who just have to keep insisting that the Lord hasn't yet fulfilled all of his promises to Israel, you know, they never have really possessed the land, they never had all that God promised them, listen to this.

when he brought Israel into the land of Canaan, this is what he said, And behold, this day you know in all your heart and in all your soul that not one thing hath failed of the good things which the Lord your God hoth concerning you. All are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof. Now, what's the significance of that?

Our Lord Jesus Christ, our great Joshua Ladder, before he's done, he's going to complete this thing of redemption by putting us into possession of all that God promised us in our surety before the world began. He said not one word had failed. And when our Lord presents us holy and unblamable before the presence of his glory, he will declare to us, children of God, here it is, the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, and it's yours. He will put us in possession of all that was promised us.

Now then, let me talk to you a little bit about remembering. Our text says, thou shalt remember. that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee." The remembrance of God's mercy, remembering our bondage and his redemption, ought to have a constant, profound effect upon our lives. I keep going back to this elementary and yet most profound of all gospel truths, because I need constantly remind it. And I keep preaching it to you because I know you need constantly remind it.

The remembrance of God's mercy and grace in the redemption of our souls, oh my soul, it ought to make us humble before God, who make the feats of death for my heaven. I know that You know, it's become a common saying because some Puritan some time ago wrote, he saw a toad and he said, but for the grace of God, I would be as this toad. And we look at things and say, but for the grace of God, go I.

Let me tell you something. The only thing that distinguishes us from any beastly human being in this world, the only thing that distinguishes us From the reprobate in hell at this hour is the distinguishing grace of God. I know that for most folks that's just unbelievable. And I know that we shut our eyes to it, but I'm telling you, nothing distinguishes us from any human being except the redeeming love, mercy, and grace of our God. And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now, if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glow red as if thou hadst not received it?"

The remembrance of God's redeeming grace ought to make us thankful. It's not likely that any of us possesses everything that we think we'd like to have. Some have difficulties and needs that no one knows affect you and God. But let me tell you something. Let me tell you something. Whatever your circumstances, whatever circumstances God in his providence brings you into, if God Almighty has reached down from the throne of his grace in heaven to the pit of hell and picked us up from the pit, Merle, we ought ever to be Lord, do with me what you will, just whatever you will. You saved me by your grace, that's enough. Oh, infinitely more than enough. The remembrance of redemption ought to make us patient.

You see, this is not the hour of our honor. We crave attention and honor. We bow and scrape and do everything we can to get folks to pay us a little attention, give us a little honor. What's serious is not the hour of our honor. Wait a while, just wait a while. The Lord's promise is sure, and the honor He'll give is everlasting honor that will cause us ever to rejoice in His presence because of the honor He has put upon us.

This redemption, the remembrance of it, ought to teach us contentment. The Apostle Paul knew something about it. He said, while he was a prisoner awaiting execution, he said this, I know both how to be abased and how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I'm instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Now, let me tell you something. The person known to me who quoted that verse of scripture, Philippians 4.13, more often in my years than anyone else, was the most grumbling, discontent human being I have met in my life. And yet, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Constant, constant praise. What Paul's talking about? Here's what he says, I can suffer anything, can do anything, bear anything, put up with anything, and be content with my God and his grace through Christ the strength of his hand. That's what it's about.

You know, I told them back when I was in college, of course, it's getting worse these days. Religion is just nuts. It's just nuts. You know, folks go down, when I was in college I started with judo teams, going around chopping blocks for Jesus. And they'd go, I can do all things through Christ which came through me. That's a mockery of God and his grace. It's a mockery, mockery of men's souls. This text is talking about faith. It's talking about the experiential knowledge of grace and redemption. my God redeem me. Whatever my God does with me, to me, in me, for me, or against me in the appearance of my eyes or the eyes of men, I'll endure it with peace. He's my God.

The remembrance of redemption certainly ought to make us kind and gracious. Read at your leisure the entire 15th chapter of Deuteronomy. The whole chapter is talking about dealing with needy people around you. And he says, now, now this is the reason I call on you and demand of you that you be gracious, because you were a bondman. Now remember, bondman, I've delivered you, now you deliver others. I've been gracious to you, you be gracious to your neighbor.

It ought to make us hopeful, hopeful certainly for ourselves. Beloved, now are we the sons of God. right now Oscar baby just like we are in this oh in this hell of a shape and that's just what it is just just what we are right now we are the sun imagine what we're going to be it does not yet appear what we shall be I have hope things are going to get better things are going to get better God's going to make us like his son, and we ought to have hope for others. I've despaired of none since God saved me by his grace.

This remembrance of redemption, oh, if anything can make a man zealous for Christ, if anything can get hold of your heart, make you consecrate yourself to him, it's the remembrance of God's grace and redemption in Christ. Nothing else will do it. I told you about John Newton earlier, when he was an old man and his health was failing, he was often asked why he didn't go ahead and retire. And this was the answer he gave. What? Shall the old African blast saver leave off preaching Christ while there's breath in his body? No, never. He remembered that he was a bondman in the land of Egypt. and the Lord God had redeemed him.

Now, let me see if I can make some practical application of this. You read the book of Deuteronomy, beginning at chapter 5, go right through chapter 26, then you'll find that everything instituted in the worship and service of God, everything, everything, I challenge you, read them, read them carefully, everything instituted in the worship and service of God was inspired by this remembrance. Remember, I've redeemed you. Remember where you were and what you were. Now remember, I've redeemed you. I call on you, my brothers and sisters, to remember. Whenever the house of worship is open and God's saints gather in his house to worship him, remember you were a bondman in the land of Egypt. and the Lord thy God redeems you. When the offering plate is passed, you have opportunity to take of your bounty and give. Remember, you were a bondman in the land of Egypt and the Lord your God redeems you. Give accordingly.

When the property needs attention, remember, remember, you said in your prayer, what a blessing, God's established a place for us to worship. Act like it. Act like it. When the church building needs cleaning, you say, I've done my part. Oh, I cringe every time I hear somebody say, done my part. Remember, you were a bondman in Egypt. The Lord God redeemed you. Now talk about doing your part. Now talk about doing your part.

When someone needs a little help, you have opportunity to show some hospitality, when you have opportunity to bear faithful witness to the things of God, remember you were a Bible, the Lord indeed did. Remember, when time comes to make a decision between right and wrong, temptations are before you everywhere, and you have to make decisions every day, every day, every one of you have to make decisions every day. I don't know why it's such a tough decision, I don't understand it. I really don't. With you or me. I really don't. And the fact is it's a tough decision. It's a tough decision because our flesh is just flesh. It's just flesh. Now what do I do? Will I honor God or please myself? Isn't that amazing? Isn't that amazing? Will I do the will of God, or my own will? Will I, uh, will I do what I know is right, or will I do what I know will make somebody else happy? And usually it's not make somebody else happy, it's usually make me happy. What you gonna do?

God help us to remember, we were born in the land of Egypt, and the Lord, our God, Thou hast to vouch the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, to hearken to his voice. For what was there is, I'm his, I'm his. Act like him. When you choose your companions, remember, remember who your companions must be, must be. Children of God, old and young alike, old and young alike, I wish mamas and daddies, grandmas and grandpas, who set a proper example for these young ones following our steps, and they do follow our steps, when you choose your companions, choose for your companions those who have been bonded with you in Egypt and have been redeemed by God's grace. You don't have anything in common with those who still love the bondage. There's nothing in common.

Now, as we come together tonight once more at this blessed table and eat this bread and drink this wine, our Lord Jesus says, this too, remember thou wast a bondman in the and Bob the Lord your God. John Fortner, you were a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God. Don't forget it for a second.