Ep 144 | Cover to Cover 23 | Pastor Chris Ryan | June 7, 2026

God’s review of Israel’s history in Joshua 24 focuses on His grace rather than their failures, showing what it means when He forgives sins and remembers them no more. Because of Jesus, we can let go of guilt, forgive others, and serve God with thankful hearts. #StJohnsBuffalo #CovertoCoverBible #BookOfJoshua #GodsGrace #ForgivenAndFree

Episode Transcript

(00:02):
Hello, this is Pastor Ryan Clark.
You are listening to a message from St.
John's Lutheran Church in Buffalo, Minnesota. 4 00:00:16,174.897959184 --> 00:00:22,382.897959184 Oh Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praises in the name of Jesus, Amen. 5 00:00:23,852.897959184 --> 00:00:37,742.897959184 Did you know there's something out there called a memory athlete? A memory athlete is someone who trains their brain to have superhuman recall, and then they compete against other memory athletes in memory-based competitions. 6 00:00:38,622.897959184 --> 00:00:45,372.897959184 Perhaps the most well-known memory athlete, certainly a name worth remembering if you ask me, is this guy right here, Dave Farrow. 7 00:00:45,712.897959184 --> 00:00:49,32.897959184 This guy's memory is absolutely incredible. 8 00:00:49,702.897959184 --> 00:00:59,872.897959184 At one memory competition, a fellow competitor shuffled together 59 full decks of playing cards into one mega deck featuring 3,068 cards. 9 00:01:00,642.897959184 --> 00:01:10,772.896959184 That competitor showed Dave those cards one time, and then Dave repeated back those cards in perfect order from start to finish, all 3,068. 10 00:01:11,42.897959184 --> 00:01:13,242.897959184 King of Diamonds, Jack of Clubs, Ten of Spades. 11 00:01:14,262.897959184 --> 00:01:17,292.897959184 An incredible memory, perhaps the best there is. 12 00:01:18,332.897959184 --> 00:01:22,512.896959184 On the flip side is this guy, Clive Wearing, perhaps the worst memory there is. 13 00:01:23,242.897959184 --> 00:01:32,542.897959184 Because of an infection in his hippocampus, which undoubtedly you remember from that sermon I gave a few weeks ago, is the portion of the brain responsible for forming memory. 14 00:01:33,102.897959184 --> 00:01:38,122.897959184 Because of that infection, Clive Wearing no longer has short-term memory really at all. 15 00:01:38,632.896959184 --> 00:01:47,652.89795918 In fact, scientists measure that his short-term memory lasts only seven seconds, and after seven seconds, the world around him, it resets. 16 00:01:48,962.89795918 --> 00:01:52,122.89795918 Now, interestingly enough, Clive's long-term memory remains intact. 17 00:01:52,132.89795918 --> 00:01:59,892.89795918 He still remembers how to play the piano and organ, great skills to have if you ask me, and he still remembers the love of his life, his wife Deborah. 18 00:02:00,142.89795918 --> 00:02:08,892.89795918 In fact, whenever Deborah walks into the room, whether it's been one minute, one hour, or one day since he's seen her, he is so joyous. 19 00:02:08,912.89795918 --> 00:02:13,342.89795918 Clive guns up, he hugs her and kisses her like he hasn't seen her in years. 20 00:02:14,22.89795918 --> 00:02:15,332.89795918 He tells her how much he loves her. 21 00:02:16,22.89795918 --> 00:02:20,662.89795918 And then Clive walks around the room with Deborah, and he introduces her to everybody. 22 00:02:20,782.89695918 --> 00:02:23,642.89795918 "Have you met my wife, Deborah? She's the best." 23 00:02:24,962.89795918 --> 00:02:39,392.89795918 There's something awful sweet about that, isn't there? As I was thinking about it this week, I think we're all a little bit like Dave Farrow and Clive Wearing, aren't we? We all have things that we just can't seem to remember and things that we just can't seem to forget. 24 00:02:40,612.89695918 --> 00:02:52,432.89795918 And if you don't believe me, ask your average Twins fan over the age of 50 who had that game-winning walk-off hit in game seven of the 1991 World Series, and they'll say, "I remember that like it was yesterday, my boy. 25 00:02:52,432.89795918 --> 00:02:53,742.89795918 That is Gene Larkin." 26 00:02:54,852.89795918 --> 00:03:00,312.89795918 Then ask that same person what they had for breakfast yesterday, and they'll say, "Pastor, that question's a little bit tougher." 27 00:03:02,794.89795918 --> 00:03:15,924.89795918 We all have a little bit of Clive Wearing a Dave Farrow in each of us, don't we? And as I was looking at our lesson this week, I can't help but notice that we're not the only ones like that. 28 00:03:17,44.89795918 --> 00:03:24,564.89795918 As I looked at Joshua 24 in our two-year Bible read-through, I noticed that we have a God who has a bit of a selective memory as well. 29 00:03:25,794.89795918 --> 00:03:35,754.89795918 Except where God's selective memory is the cause of much blessing for us and for others, our selective memory tends to be the cause of much hurt and pain for ourselves and others. 30 00:03:37,44.89795918 --> 00:03:42,864.89795918 I want us to see that blessing in action today, and see how God's selective memory applies to our lives. 31 00:03:42,924.89695918 --> 00:03:48,114.89795918 From Joshua 24, it says, "Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. 32 00:03:48,754.89795918 --> 00:03:55,404.89795918 He summoned the elders, leaders, judges, and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God." 33 00:03:56,634.89795918 --> 00:04:07,854.89795918 So I know it was just a couple of weeks ago we were throwing that big retirement party for Moses, but 10 or 15 years have gone by now in the biblical timeline, and it's Joshua's turn to retire. 34 00:04:08,204.89795918 --> 00:04:16,344.89795918 He's about to step down from leading Israel after all those years, and before he retires, he's got a few last things he wants to say to God's people. 35 00:04:16,944.89795918 --> 00:04:23,834.89795918 He's got one last speech that he wants to give them, so he gathers them all together, and God is gonna speak a few words through Joshua. 36 00:04:24,474.89795918 --> 00:04:35,134.89795918 It says, "Joshua said to all the people, 'This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: Long ago your ancestors lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods. 37 00:04:35,684.89695918 --> 00:04:43,294.89795918 But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. 38 00:04:43,744.89795918 --> 00:04:49,464.89695918 I gave him Isaac, and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau, and Jacob and his family went down to Egypt.'" 39 00:04:50,74.89795918 --> 00:04:57,724.89795918 The long and the short of it is this: God wants the Israelites to remember their history and the amazing part that he has played in it. 40 00:04:58,254.89795918 --> 00:05:19,164.89795918 And so Joshua starts by recounting the time between Abraham all the way to Joseph, and there are some incredible things to remember, aren't there? God wants the people to remember how he blessed Abraham, how he took him out of that idolatrous land beyond the Euphrates River and took him to the land of Canaan, and made all kinds of promises to Abraham, each and every one he kept. 41 00:05:19,624.89795918 --> 00:05:29,764.89695918 He promised that Abraham would have an offspring even at the age of 99 when he was childless, and that through those offspring there would eventually be one that was a blessing to the whole world. 42 00:05:30,284.89695918 --> 00:05:31,804.89695918 God wants his people to remember that. 43 00:05:32,484.89795918 --> 00:05:38,564.89795918 God wants his people to remember how he sustained them when he took him out of the land of Canaan all the way to Egypt. 44 00:05:38,904.89795918 --> 00:05:45,64.89695918 He sustained the Israelites through a famine by making Joseph second in command over all of Egypt. 45 00:05:45,174.89695918 --> 00:05:47,704.89795918 God wants his people to remember that. 46 00:05:48,824.89795918 --> 00:05:52,484.89795918 There are a lot of incredible things that God has done for the Israelites. 47 00:05:53,724.89795918 --> 00:06:04,394.89795918 Of course, if you asking me about this little section here, there's a few other things that I think God should be remembering over those three verses, a few things that he seems to be glossing over. 48 00:06:04,394.89795918 --> 00:06:08,914.89795918 I wouldn't be quite as positive if I were God writing my memoirs about my people. 49 00:06:09,704.89795918 --> 00:06:21,4.89695918 Sure, Abraham did a lot of good things, but if I were to talk about him, I would remember that time that he turned his back on God and laughed at God when God told him that he was gonna have a child at the age of 99. 50 00:06:21,434.89795918 --> 00:06:22,554.89795918 God can't do that. 51 00:06:23,526.89795918 --> 00:06:32,826.89795918 If I were gonna talk about Isaac and Jacob and Esau, I wouldn't just mention their names, I would talk about that big fight they had, all the betrayal that was there with the birthright and the blessing. 52 00:06:34,76.89795918 --> 00:06:38,836.89795918 And as far as the family going down to Egypt, God makes it sound like it was a nice little vacation. 53 00:06:38,836.89795918 --> 00:06:40,756.89695918 They got in the car and just headed down there. 54 00:06:41,126.89795918 --> 00:06:47,566.89795918 But that's not exactly what happened, now is it? They ended up in Egypt because Joseph's brothers betrayed him. 55 00:06:47,566.89795918 --> 00:06:51,276.89795918 They beat him, tore that robe off him, cast him in a pit, and sold him into slavery. 56 00:06:51,276.89795918 --> 00:06:53,166.89695918 That's how they ended up in Egypt. 57 00:06:54,706.89695918 --> 00:06:58,996.89695918 If I were God, I would talk about that, but it's almost like he doesn't remember it at all. 58 00:06:59,296.89795918 --> 00:07:00,116.89795918 But I digress. 59 00:07:00,156.89795918 --> 00:07:01,266.89795918 The story continues. 60 00:07:01,686.89795918 --> 00:07:07,686.89795918 "Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out." 61 00:07:09,56.89795918 --> 00:07:14,606.89695918 Yeah, that's basically what happened, right? Between Joseph all the way to the parting of the Red Sea. 62 00:07:15,756.89795918 --> 00:07:19,126.89795918 And Moses did some great things, and God did some great things through him. 63 00:07:19,126.89795918 --> 00:07:26,76.89795918 But if I was gonna talk about those people, there'd be a few more things that I would mention other than just that they were a little bit faithful. 64 00:07:27,136.89795918 --> 00:07:39,126.89795918 In fact, if you recall from my sermon just a couple of weeks ago, didn't Moses turn his back on God as well? When God calls to him from that burning bush in the wilderness and says, "Moses, you're gonna lead Israel," Moses says, "No, I'm not. 65 00:07:39,126.89795918 --> 00:07:40,206.89795918 Send someone else." 66 00:07:41,176.89795918 --> 00:07:49,796.89695918 And by the way, why was Moses even out in the wilderness next to that burning bush? If I recall, he was out there because he fled Egypt after murdering a guy. 67 00:07:50,56.89795918 --> 00:07:53,716.89695918 That seems like an important thing to include in Moses' history. 68 00:07:54,456.89795918 --> 00:07:55,226.89795918 A nice guy. 69 00:07:55,256.89795918 --> 00:07:56,536.89795918 He led Israel pretty well. 70 00:07:56,536.89795918 --> 00:08:13,156.89795918 He did murder that guy one time, but other than that, not bad And as far as the Israelites being brought up out of Egypt, man, it makes it sound like they were so willing, but the Israelites were brought up kicking and screaming and complaining that they'd be better off left in Egypt. 71 00:08:13,156.89795918 --> 00:08:16,6.89795918 If I were God, I'd remember that and talk about that. 72 00:08:16,876.89795918 --> 00:08:19,996.89695918 But once again, God seems to be glossing over a few details. 73 00:08:19,996.89695918 --> 00:08:22,736.89795918 It's almost like he doesn't remember it at all. 74 00:08:22,736.89795918 --> 00:08:24,306.89795918 But once again, I digress. 75 00:08:24,306.89795918 --> 00:08:28,486.89795918 The story continues, "You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians. 76 00:08:29,156.89795918 --> 00:08:31,986.89795918 Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time." 77 00:08:32,846.89795918 --> 00:08:34,926.89695918 Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time. 78 00:08:34,926.89795918 --> 00:08:40,336.89695918 That is how God describes 38-plus years of wilderness living in Joshua 24. 79 00:08:41,196.89795918 --> 00:08:55,966.89795918 And I know for sure God is forgetting some things here, because if I were gonna talk about that long time in the wilderness, I would talk about the time when the Israelites complained and murmured against God, the several times they did this, saying the food and the drink were better off in Egypt, and so were they. 80 00:08:56,836.89695918 --> 00:09:04,356.89795918 A long time in the wilderness where the Israelites worshiped that golden calf that they made with their own hands fresh off of being freed from Egypt. 81 00:09:05,126.89795918 --> 00:09:12,776.89695918 A long time in the wilderness where the Israelites tested God again and again, and they demanded to know if he was truly for them with that water from the rock incident. 82 00:09:13,766.89695918 --> 00:09:27,576.89795918 A long time in the wilderness where the Israelites had that sinful spy incident, where they sent those spies to scout out the Promised Land, and they came back and said, "Wow, the people there, they're too big for us to take on or for our God to take on." 83 00:09:29,862.89795918 --> 00:09:33,362.89795918 If I were God, I'd probably talk about that just a little bit. 84 00:09:33,532.89795918 --> 00:09:56,252.89695918 But once again, seems like God is glossing over a few details here, which begs the question, why does God summarize 38 years of wilderness living in 10 words? Why does God have nothing negative to say about his people all the way from Abraham to where we're at now and Joshua retiring? I think it's something pretty amazing. 85 00:09:56,982.89795918 --> 00:10:01,102.89695918 It's actually our highlighted verse of the day, Jeremiah 31:34. 86 00:10:01,932.89795918 --> 00:10:05,512.89695918 It's a new covenant promise that God makes to you and to me. 87 00:10:06,82.89695918 --> 00:10:11,72.89795918 "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." 88 00:10:12,262.89795918 --> 00:10:20,372.89695918 It's a new covenant promise that God makes to us, and I believe in this moment, his people Israel are getting a foretaste of the feast to come. 89 00:10:20,622.89695918 --> 00:10:25,512.89795918 God is describing their story and what it will look like when this passage comes true. 90 00:10:26,682.89795918 --> 00:10:29,682.89795918 It's like those sins, they never even happened. 91 00:10:30,342.89795918 --> 00:10:34,402.89795918 The Israelites were incredibly wicked, but they get God's mercy anyways. 92 00:10:35,32.89795918 --> 00:10:39,572.89695918 Their sins, that description is what it will look like when they are forgiven and forgotten. 93 00:10:40,132.89795918 --> 00:10:43,982.89795918 And where sins are forgiven and forgotten, blessing absolutely follows. 94 00:10:44,612.89795918 --> 00:10:53,422.89795918 God says, "I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build, and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant." 95 00:10:54,672.89695918 --> 00:10:57,642.89795918 Because their sins have been forgiven, blessing follows. 96 00:10:57,642.89795918 --> 00:11:15,114.89795918 They get this turnkey promised land that they didn't work for at all, full of olive groves they didn't grow and vineyards they didn't plant, an absolutely incredible thing that God has done for his people And the story of God's people is your story as well. 97 00:11:15,114.89795918 --> 00:11:17,334.89795918 In fact, your story it's even better. 98 00:11:17,334.89795918 --> 00:11:25,854.89695918 These words God speaks to you, Jeremiah 31:34, "For I will forgive their wickedness," he says, "and I will remember your sins no more." 99 00:11:27,424.89795918 --> 00:11:33,44.89795918 And those words are true in your life because of the most unforgettable event in history. 100 00:11:34,144.89795918 --> 00:11:38,264.89795918 Those words are true in your life because of what Jesus did just for you. 101 00:11:38,494.89795918 --> 00:11:42,224.89695918 Those words are true because Jesus remembered God's law perfectly. 102 00:11:42,224.89695918 --> 00:11:45,834.89795918 There was never a time that he forgot to do what God wanted him to do. 103 00:11:46,304.89795918 --> 00:11:53,254.89795918 And then he takes his perfect self to the cross, where he dies just for you, and on that cross, he takes your sins onto himself. 104 00:11:53,254.89795918 --> 00:11:54,574.89795918 He gives you his worthiness. 105 00:11:54,594.89795918 --> 00:11:56,384.89795918 We call that the great exchange. 106 00:11:57,134.89795918 --> 00:12:00,894.89795918 And because of that great exchange, something amazing has happened for you. 107 00:12:02,204.89795918 --> 00:12:05,464.89795918 When God looks at you, he no longer sees your sin. 108 00:12:05,644.89795918 --> 00:12:07,804.89795918 All he sees is his Son. 109 00:12:09,504.89795918 --> 00:12:13,214.89795918 And because of that, God speaks some amazing words over you. 110 00:12:13,214.89795918 --> 00:12:17,744.89795918 What does God say over his Son, Jesus? He says, "This is my Son, whom I love. 111 00:12:17,944.89795918 --> 00:12:19,484.89795918 With him, I am well pleased." 112 00:12:20,754.89795918 --> 00:12:27,124.89795918 If God were to walk you around the room and introduce you to everybody, he'd say, "This is my child whom I love. 113 00:12:27,224.89795918 --> 00:12:28,14.89795918 He is the best. 114 00:12:28,24.89795918 --> 00:12:28,844.89795918 She is the best. 115 00:12:29,834.89795918 --> 00:12:32,554.89795918 Have you met my son, Tony? This is my son, Tony, whom I love. 116 00:12:32,554.89795918 --> 00:12:33,904.89795918 With him, I am well pleased. 117 00:12:34,184.89695918 --> 00:12:37,24.89795918 Have you met my son, Randy? This is my son, Randy, whom I love. 118 00:12:37,24.89795918 --> 00:12:38,184.89795918 With him, I am well pleased. 119 00:12:38,714.89795918 --> 00:12:41,734.89695918 Have you met my daughter, Tammy? This is my daughter, Tammy, whom I love. 120 00:12:41,734.89895918 --> 00:12:43,794.89795918 With her, I am well pleased." 121 00:12:45,644.89795918 --> 00:12:50,104.89795918 You say, "Wow, it seems like God is forgetting a few things in that description of me. 122 00:12:50,584.89795918 --> 00:13:18,644.89695918 Doesn't he remember? Doesn't he remember that sin that I did? Doesn't he remember how I treated my job better than my family for years? Doesn't he remember that horrible thing that I did in high school so that my future would be better? Doesn't he remember that thing I clicked on on the internet last night? Doesn't he remember those words I said to my spouse? Doesn't he remember that sin that I committed seven seconds ago?" No, he doesn't, because he says he doesn't. 123 00:13:18,954.89795918 --> 00:13:22,514.89795918 He says, "I forgive your sins and remember them no more." 124 00:13:22,994.89795918 --> 00:13:23,394.89795918 And St. 125 00:13:23,394.89795918 --> 00:13:32,74.89695918 John's family, there is a way we should respond, in fact, several ways we should respond to that incredible truth that is God's selective memory when it comes to you and me. 126 00:13:33,664.89795918 --> 00:13:41,264.89795918 The first thing: we should respond to God's selective memory by not holding onto what God has already let go of. 127 00:13:42,334.89795918 --> 00:13:44,624.89795918 First, this means we should be forgiving others. 128 00:13:45,604.89695918 --> 00:13:53,964.89795918 The truth is, we can be regular old David Farrows when it comes to remembering the sins of others, can't we? If someone has hurt us, we remember it. 129 00:13:54,64.89795918 --> 00:14:13,706.89795918 In fact, sometimes we remember all 3,068 sins that someone has committed against us in the exact order in which they committed them But God says that Jesus' death on the cross was good enough to forgive their sins, that he forgives their sins and remembers them no more, and you do not know better than God. 130 00:14:14,886.89795918 --> 00:14:17,66.89795918 And Jesus' death was good enough for that. 131 00:14:17,396.89695918 --> 00:14:19,326.89795918 Forgive as you have been forgiven. 132 00:14:19,336.89795918 --> 00:14:22,526.89795918 Do not hold onto what God has already let go of. 133 00:14:23,26.89795918 --> 00:14:26,556.89795918 It's gonna involve forgiving others, and it's gonna involve forgiving ourselves, too. 134 00:14:27,76.89795918 --> 00:14:30,66.89795918 Perhaps the hardest person for some of us to forgive. 135 00:14:31,576.89795918 --> 00:14:37,936.89795918 So many people, they hang on to their own sins, and they say things like, "Pastor, I should feel guilty about what I've done. 136 00:14:37,936.89795918 --> 00:14:39,576.89795918 I should feel terrible about what I've done. 137 00:14:39,776.89795918 --> 00:14:40,666.89695918 It was horrible. 138 00:14:40,676.89795918 --> 00:14:41,616.89695918 It was a terrible thing." 139 00:14:44,784.89795918 --> 00:14:45,284.89795918 Kind of. 140 00:14:45,634.89795918 --> 00:14:48,324.89795918 Here's what I'm reading in the Bible in 2 Corinthians 7:10. 141 00:14:48,694.89795918 --> 00:14:53,424.89795918 It says, "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret. 142 00:14:53,794.89695918 --> 00:14:56,14.89795918 But worldly sorrow brings death." 143 00:14:57,564.89795918 --> 00:15:02,794.89695918 When it comes to our own sins, we should feel godly sorrow, not worldly sorrow. 144 00:15:02,844.89795918 --> 00:15:05,204.89795918 One leads to life, one leads to death. 145 00:15:05,454.89795918 --> 00:15:08,664.89795918 One is something God wants for you, one is something that Satan wants for you. 146 00:15:09,714.89795918 --> 00:15:12,914.89695918 Godly sorrow is to say this: "I messed up. 147 00:15:13,474.89795918 --> 00:15:14,564.89695918 I shouldn't have done that. 148 00:15:14,564.89795918 --> 00:15:19,904.89795918 I feel terrible and guilty, but I am not gonna hang onto this guilt because God doesn't want me to. 149 00:15:20,704.89795918 --> 00:15:23,174.89795918 Jesus took this guilt away from me on the cross. 150 00:15:23,194.89795918 --> 00:15:25,434.89795918 I am not gonna take it back and hang onto it. 151 00:15:25,634.89795918 --> 00:15:30,184.89795918 I'm gonna repent and go to the one who takes this guilt away from me again and forgives me." 152 00:15:31,264.89795918 --> 00:15:38,682.89795918 That is godly sorrow Satan wants us to feel worldly sorrow, and so often that's what we do. 153 00:15:39,202.89795918 --> 00:15:40,862.89795918 Worldly sorrow is to say, "I messed up. 154 00:15:41,192.89795918 --> 00:15:42,162.89795918 I shouldn't have done that. 155 00:15:42,162.89795918 --> 00:15:43,652.89795918 I feel terrible and shameful. 156 00:15:43,812.89695918 --> 00:15:46,102.89795918 I can't believe I'm such a hothead. 157 00:15:46,652.89795918 --> 00:15:48,502.89795918 I can't believe I'm such an idolater. 158 00:15:48,532.89795918 --> 00:15:51,2.89795918 I can't believe I'm such an adulterer." 159 00:15:52,712.89795918 --> 00:15:57,942.89795918 Worldly sorrow is to associate your identity with your sin, and that's what Satan wants. 160 00:15:57,942.89795918 --> 00:16:00,412.89795918 He wants you to equate action with identity. 161 00:16:00,412.89795918 --> 00:16:05,862.89695918 He wants you to believe that you have become your sin, that that is who you are, and there's no changing that. 162 00:16:07,282.89795918 --> 00:16:10,372.89795918 But because of Jesus, your identity is not your sin. 163 00:16:10,792.89795918 --> 00:16:13,672.89795918 Your identity is a child of God. 164 00:16:14,602.89795918 --> 00:16:20,572.89795918 Because of Jesus, God has let go of your sins, and so should you. 165 00:16:21,892.89695918 --> 00:16:29,462.89695918 And by the way, if Satan is trying to draw attention to your past, it means he's worried about what you're gonna be doing for God's kingdom in the future. 166 00:16:30,132.89795918 --> 00:16:31,872.89695918 Do not let him win. 167 00:16:32,142.89695918 --> 00:16:35,892.89695918 Stop holding onto what God has already let go of. 168 00:16:36,162.89795918 --> 00:16:38,422.89795918 Forgive yourself and forgive others. 169 00:16:39,572.89795918 --> 00:16:43,92.8969592 We should respond to God's memory, selective memory, by doing just that. 170 00:16:43,812.8969592 --> 00:16:48,792.8979592 Second, we should respond to God's selective memory by spending time with him every chance we get. 171 00:16:49,732.8979592 --> 00:16:50,852.8979592 I fall into this trap. 172 00:16:50,862.8979592 --> 00:16:52,932.8979592 You've heard me talk about this up here before. 173 00:16:53,682.8979592 --> 00:17:03,872.8979592 Sometimes I get to thinking after a sin, "God is probably mad at me about what happened yesterday, or the day before that, or one hour ago, or seven seconds ago." 174 00:17:04,432.8969592 --> 00:17:08,112.8979592 So I'm not gonna spend time with him for a little bit because that'd be a little hypocritical. 175 00:17:08,112.8979592 --> 00:17:09,672.8979592 I'm gonna let him cool off. 176 00:17:11,132.8979592 --> 00:17:11,752.8979592 Here's the truth. 177 00:17:12,412.8979592 --> 00:17:20,462.8979592 If you believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior and have been baptized, and you think God is mad at you about your sins, you know what you're calling him? A liar. 178 00:17:21,272.8969592 --> 00:17:27,932.8979592 Because what does God promise to you? He says, "I forgive your sins and remember them no more." 179 00:17:28,52.8979592 --> 00:17:37,374.8979592 That doesn't sound like someone who's mad at you at all And you should long to spend time with him, and God longs to spend time with you. 180 00:17:37,374.8979592 --> 00:17:45,824.8979592 In fact, he has more joy at seeing you than old Clive Wearing had when he sees his wife, whether it's been one minute, one hour, or one day since you've talked to him. 181 00:17:46,74.8979592 --> 00:17:47,464.8979592 He's so excited to see you. 182 00:17:47,574.8979592 --> 00:17:51,694.8969592 He loves you so much, and he can't wait to spend time with you. 183 00:17:52,324.8979592 --> 00:17:54,534.8979592 And what a blessing it is to spend time with him. 184 00:17:55,214.8979592 --> 00:18:02,394.8979592 As we spend time with God, as we spend time with Jesus, we get his grace, mercy, peace, forgiveness, wisdom. 185 00:18:02,704.8979592 --> 00:18:16,194.8979592 He helps us to overcome those sins that we struggle with so much, and he helps us to love and serve him all the more, which by the way, is the last way we should respond to God's selective memory, by loving and serving him. 186 00:18:17,614.8979592 --> 00:18:34,414.8979592 When Joshua looks back on this description of God's people all the way from Abraham to himself, and sees what God has included, and he hears about all the blessings, he looks back and he says these incredible words. 187 00:18:35,404.8969592 --> 00:18:37,984.8979592 He says, "You, people of Israel, you're gonna have to make the choice. 188 00:18:38,524.8969592 --> 00:18:47,854.8979592 But based on everything I've seen, based on what I know about God and what he has done just for me, as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." 189 00:18:48,794.8979592 --> 00:18:57,274.8969592 That is the response we should have to God's incredible selective memory that says, "I forgive your sins and remember them no more because of Jesus." 190 00:18:58,944.8969592 --> 00:18:59,594.8969592 And of course, St. 191 00:18:59,594.8979592 --> 00:19:03,404.8979592 John's family, my prayer for you this week is that you respond just like that. 192 00:19:03,834.8979592 --> 00:19:09,414.8979592 May you respond to God's incredible selective memory by not holding onto what God has already let go of. 193 00:19:09,614.8979592 --> 00:19:11,104.8979592 May you forgive yourself and others. 194 00:19:11,484.8969592 --> 00:19:14,414.8979592 May you respond by spending time with him every chance you get. 195 00:19:14,424.8979592 --> 00:19:16,74.8979592 He can't wait to see you. 196 00:19:16,894.8969592 --> 00:19:22,414.8979592 And may you respond by serving and loving him with all of your heart, soul, and mind because of Jesus and thanks to Jesus. 197 00:19:22,864.8979592 --> 00:19:25,174.8979592 In Jesus' name, Amen. 198 00:19:28,145.8979592 --> 00:19:29,795.8979592 You've been listening to a sermon from St. 199 00:19:29,795.8979592 --> 00:19:31,875.8979592 John's Lutheran Church in Buffalo, Minnesota. 200 00:19:32,195.8979592 --> 00:19:33,995.8979592 If you would like more information about St. 201 00:19:33,995.8979592 --> 00:19:39,655.8979592 John's and any of our ministries to our community and beyond, you can go to our website, www. 202 00:19:39,745.8979592 --> 00:19:39,985.8979592 stjohnsbuffalo. 203 00:19:41,225.8969592 --> 00:19:41,555.8969592 org. 204 00:19:41,935.8969592 --> 00:19:43,225.8979592 Thank you and God bless you.