It has only been a short time, but can you remember the name of the player who collapsed in the Kansas high school football game and died the next day in a Denver hospital?
Do you remember the name of the player who collapsed at a football game in Oakley in 1996 and died? Those of us who intimately knew those young men will never forget their names. Those of us who didn’t actually know them will soon forget their names.
I can still remember the best athlete in my eighth grade class. Mike was a great football and basketball player. For several days in a row he missed school, so one day I asked one of my friends, “Where is Mike?” He said to me, “Haven’t you heard Mike has leukemia?” Mike passed away a few months later.
My freshman year of high school three guys in the sophomore class and one guy from my freshman class were killed in a car train accident. I can still remember their names and personalities. We honor them when we remember them and we tell their stories to others in our lives.
Think about the disciples of Jesus. They went everywhere with Him for three years. They saw Jesus heal people first hand who were sick, blind, deaf, and diseased and also raised some from the dead. They also saw Jesus beaten badly by scourging and crucified on a cross by Roman soldiers.
Several days later Jesus rose from the dead and walked again on earth appearing to the disciples and others many times. Weeks later he ascended into heaven as they watched. Those disciples and others honored Jesus by remembering Him. They told His stories and lessons over and over.
Do you remember Jesus? Do you honor Him with your memory and your physical presence at church each week? About 76% of Kansans identify themselves as Christians.1 Yet even in my own community only about 20% of the people go to church on any given Sunday.2
I think the great majority of us have forgotten who Jesus was. We instead act like consumers when we think of church. You know, “I don’t like the music.” I don’t like the time they have church.” I don’t like the preacher.” I don’t like the people at church.”
When we go to church we honor God with our presence, no matter what happens at church. When we read the Bible and pray during the week we also are growing our memory and relationship with God the Father. Relationships of any kind are based on giving of your time to each other and getting to know each other. That is true with your friends and family today. It is also true with your spiritual life and your heavenly Father.
Don’t lose your memory of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 7:23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
- Pew research on religious composition of adults in Kansas
- ARDA research on Scott County, Kansas