For the Sake of Others | 1 Chronicles 16:7–36
Speaker: Bill Chapman | Remembrance Sunday
Remembrance Sunday is a time when we pause, reflect and remember. We honour those who have sacrificed so much for others, and we recognise the importance of ensuring their stories and sacrifices are never forgotten.
As we continued our series, ‘For the Sake of Others’, Bill Chapman encouraged us to think about another important aspect of remembrance: remembering who God is, what He has done and the promises He has made to us.
Throughout Scripture, God's people are repeatedly encouraged to remember. Not simply to look back at the past, but to allow the memory of God's faithfulness to strengthen their trust in Him for the present and the future.
Because remembering is an important part of our faith.
And sometimes, we need to intentionally stir our memories and remind ourselves of everything God has done.
Our Praise Is Rooted in Remembering
In 1 Chronicles 16, David gives Asaph and the Levites a song of thanksgiving and praise to the Lord.
It's a wonderful declaration of God's greatness, goodness and faithfulness.
At the heart of this song is a simple but powerful instruction:
“Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given.” — 1 Chronicles 16:12 (NLT)
David understood something important.
Our praise is rooted in remembering.
When we remember what God has done, it changes our perspective.
We remember the times He has provided for us.
The prayers He has answered.
The wisdom He has given.
The situations He has brought us through.
The moments when we have experienced His grace, love and faithfulness.
And as we remember, our hearts are stirred to worship Him.
It's easy to become so focused on our present circumstances that we forget the goodness of God in our past.
But David reminds us to stop, look back and remember.
Not because we want to live in the past, but because remembering God's faithfulness gives us confidence to trust Him with our future.
A God Who Makes and Keeps His Promises
David continues in verse 15:
“Remember his covenant forever—the commitment he made to a thousand generations.” — 1 Chronicles 16:15 (NLT)
Throughout the Bible, we discover that God is a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God.
A covenant is more than a casual promise. It is a lasting commitment, built upon faithfulness.
Bill reminded us of five significant covenants found throughout Scripture.
The covenant with Noah
After the flood, God promised Noah that He would never again destroy all life on earth through a flood. The rainbow became a visible reminder of that promise.
The covenant with Abraham
God promised Abraham that he would become the father of many descendants and that through him, blessing would come to the nations.
The covenant with Moses and Israel
God called Israel to be His treasured people, a holy nation set apart to represent Him and demonstrate His ways to the world.
The covenant with David
God promised David that his royal line would endure, pointing forward to the coming of Jesus, the promised King.
The New Covenant through Jesus
Through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, God offers forgiveness, reconciliation and new life.
Jesus has dealt with the consequences of our sin and opened the way for us to enter into a restored relationship with God.
And through the Holy Spirit, we are given His presence, guidance and power to help us live the lives He has called us to live.
These covenants remind us of an unchanging truth:
God is faithful to His promises.
He is trustworthy, righteous and true.
And the same God who has been faithful throughout history is faithful to us today.
Remembering Gives Us Confidence to Pray
When we remember God's faithfulness, it should also change the way we pray.
Bill challenged us to consider whether we truly trust God enough to bring our needs before Him.
Do we believe He is still at work?
Do we believe He can provide wisdom when we don't know what to do?
Do we believe He can bring healing, restoration and hope into difficult situations?
Do we have the courage to pray daring prayers?
Throughout Scripture, we see a God who works in extraordinary ways.
But we also see a God who invites ordinary people to trust Him.
Prayer isn't simply a religious routine. It's an expression of our relationship with a loving Father who hears us.
As followers of Jesus, we are invited to approach God with confidence, trusting in His goodness and recognising the authority He has given us to pray in Jesus' name.
That doesn't mean every situation will unfold exactly as we expect.
But it does mean we can trust the character of the One we are praying to.
Remembering what God has done strengthens our faith to trust Him for what lies ahead.
Communion: Remembering Jesus
One of the most significant ways we are called to remember is through communion.
In Luke 22:19, as Jesus shared the Last Supper with His disciples, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and told them to remember Him.
Communion is a powerful opportunity to pause and reflect on everything Jesus has done for us.
But Bill challenged us to think more deeply about what is happening in our hearts when we take communion.
What are we actually remembering?
Are we remembering how much Jesus loves us?
Are we remembering that He willingly gave His life for us?
Are we remembering that through His sacrifice, our sins can be forgiven and our relationship with God restored?
Are we remembering the new covenant established through His blood?
Are we remembering the gift of the Holy Spirit, who guides, teaches and strengthens us?
Are we remembering the hope of healing and restoration that we have in Christ?
Are we remembering that Jesus has conquered sin and death?
And are we remembering the promise of eternal life with Him?
Communion is so much more than a familiar part of our church gatherings.
It is an opportunity to remember the extraordinary love and sacrifice of Jesus.
In 1 Corinthians 11:23–34, Paul reminds the church of the importance of approaching the Lord's Supper with reverence, gratitude and a willingness to examine our hearts.
We should never allow something so significant to become merely a routine.
Every time we share communion, we are invited to remember the love of Jesus and the new life we have received through Him.
Remembering Who We Are in Christ
As we remember what Jesus has done, we should also remember what that means for our lives today.
Through Christ, we have been forgiven and made new.
We have been given the Holy Spirit to guide us into truth and help us grow in our relationship with God.
We have been called to pray for the sick, to share the good news, to make disciples and to demonstrate God's love to the world.
Jesus has entrusted His followers with a responsibility to continue His work.
And He has promised to be with us as we do it.
This connects directly with our series, ‘For the Sake of Others’.
We don't simply remember God's goodness for our own encouragement.
We remember so that we can live differently.
We have received grace so that we can extend grace.
We have experienced God's love so that we can share His love.
We have been forgiven so that we can demonstrate forgiveness.
We have received hope so that we can bring hope to others.
Everything God has done in our lives should shape the way we respond to the people around us.
Don't Forget to Keep Growing
Towards the end of his message, Bill turned our attention to the words of Peter.
In 2 Peter 1:3–15, Peter reminds believers of the wonderful promises they have received through knowing Jesus.
But he also encourages them to continue growing in their faith.
Faith is not meant to remain unchanged.
We are called to develop godly character, spiritual understanding, self-control, perseverance, kindness and love.
Peter understood how important it was to keep reminding believers of these truths.
Even though they already knew them, he wanted to ensure they remained firmly established in their lives.
There is an important lesson here.
Knowing something is not the same as living it.
We can know that God is faithful, but still struggle to trust Him.
We can know that Jesus loves us, but still live as though we are alone.
We can know that we are called to serve others, but become distracted by our own priorities.
That's why remembering matters.
We need to keep returning to the truth of God's Word.
We need to remind ourselves of His promises.
We need to reflect on His goodness.
And we need to allow those reminders to shape our attitudes, decisions and actions.
Our relationship with Jesus should be one of continual growth and transformation.
Remember His Miracles, His Majesty and His Grace
As Bill brought his message to a close, he encouraged us to stir our hearts and remember the many aspects of God's character and His work in our lives.
Remember His miracles.
The ways He has provided, answered prayer and worked in our circumstances.
Remember His majesty.
He is the Creator of heaven and earth, worthy of all our worship and praise.
Remember His grace.
We have received forgiveness and new life, not because we have earned them, but because of His extraordinary love.
Remember His conviction.
God continues to challenge and shape us through His Word and the work of the Holy Spirit.
Remember His calling.
We have been invited to follow Jesus, grow in our faith and live for the sake of others.
Remember His example.
Jesus showed us what it means to love, serve, forgive and give ourselves for others.
These are not simply things to think about occasionally.
They are truths that should shape the way we live every day.
A Challenge to Remember
As we reflect on Remembrance Sunday, we are reminded of the importance of honouring the past and remembering those who gave so much for the sake of others.
But we are also challenged to remember the greatest expression of sacrificial love: Jesus giving His life for us.
His sacrifice has changed everything.
And through Him, we have received promises that continue to shape our lives today.
So perhaps the challenge for us this week is to make time to remember.
Remember the prayers God has answered.
Remember the moments when He has been faithful.
Remember the promises He has made.
Remember the grace you have received.
Remember the sacrifice of Jesus.
And remember the calling He has placed upon your life.
Because remembering is not simply about looking backwards.
It is about allowing the faithfulness of God in our past to strengthen our faith, shape our present and give us hope for the future.
As David declared in 1 Chronicles 16:34:
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” (NLT)
May we never lose sight of that truth.
May we continue to grow in our faith.
And may our lives become a reflection of the love, grace and faithfulness we have received.
Remember who God is. Remember what He has done. And remember what He has called us to do — for the sake of others.