REMEMBER!

RETRACE, RETELL, AND

REKINDLE
Call to worship
Deuteronomy 32:1-7;
7 Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations:
ask thy father, and he will show thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.
Kumbukumbu La Torati 32:7
7 Kumbuka siku za kale; tafakari vizazi vya zamani vilivyopita. Uliza baba
yako, naye atakuambia, wazee wako, nao watakueleza
FIRST READING
Deuteronomy 32:1-12;
1 Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words
of my mouth.
2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as
the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:
3 Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto
our God.
4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a
God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
5 They have corrupted themselves; their spot is not the spot of his
children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.
6 Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he
thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and
established thee?
7 Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations:
ask thy father, and he will show thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.
8 When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he
separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to
the number of the children of Israel.
9 For the LORD'S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
10 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness;
he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

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11 As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth
abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:
12 So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with
him.
Kumbukumbu La Torati 32:1-12
1Sikilizeni, enyi mbingu, nami nitasema; sikia, ee nchi, maneno ya
kinywa changu.
2 Mafundisho yangu na yanyeshe kama mvua, na maneno yangu na
yashuke kama umande, kama manyunyu juu ya majani mabichi, kama
mvua tele juu ya mimea myororo.
3 Nitalitangaza jina la Bwana. Naam, sifuni ukuu wa Mungu wetu!
4 Yeye ni Mwamba, kazi zake ni kamilifu, njia zake zote ni haki. Mungu
mwaminifu ambaye hakosei, yeye ni mnyofu na mwenye haki.
5 Wamefanya mambo ya upotovu mbele zake; kwa aibu yao, wao si
watoto wake tena, lakini ni kizazi kilicho kiovu na kilichopotoka.
6 Je, hii ndiyo njia ya kumlipa Bwana, enyi watu wajinga na wasio na
busara? Je, yeye siye Baba yenu, Muumba wenu, aliyewafanya ninyi na
kuwaumba?
7 Kumbuka siku za kale; tafakari vizazi vya zamani vilivyopita. Uliza baba
yako, naye atakuambia, wazee wako, nao watakueleza.
8 Aliye Juu Sana alipowapa mataifa urithi wao, alipogawanya wanadamu
wote, aliweka mipaka kwa ajili ya mataifa sawasawa na hesabu ya wana
wa Israeli.
9 Kwa kuwa fungu la Bwana ni watu wake, Yakobo kura yake ya urithi.
10 jKatika nchi ya jangwa alimkuta, katika nyika tupu ivumayo upepo.
Alimhifadhi na kumtunza; akamlinda kama mboni ya jicho lake,
11 kama tai avurugaye kiota chake, na kurukaruka juu ya makinda yake,
ambaye hutanda mabawa yake kuwadaka, na huwachukua kwenye
mabawa yake.
12 Bwana peke yake alimwongoza; hakuwepo mungu mgeni Pamoja naye

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SECOND READING
Acts 7:44-55
44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had
appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the
fashion that he had seen.
45 Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the
possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our
fathers, unto the days of David;
46 Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the
God of Jacob.
47 But Solomon built him an house.
48 Howbeit the Highest dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as
saith the prophet,
49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye
build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
50 Hath not my hand made all these things?
51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always
resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they
have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of
whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not
kept it.
54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they
gnashed on him with their teeth.
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven,
and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
Matendo Ya Mitume 7:44-45
44 “Baba zetu walikuwa na lile Hema la Ushuhuda huko jangwani.
Lilikuwa limetengenezwa kama Mungu alivyokuwa amemwelekeza Mose,
kulingana na kielelezo alichoona.
45 Baba zetu wakiisha kulipokea hema kwa kupokezana wakiongozwa na
Yoshua katika milki ya nchi kutoka kwa yale mataifa ambayo Mungu
aliyafukuza mbele yao, nalo likadumu katika nchi mpaka wakati wa Daudi,

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46 ambaye alipata kibali kwa Mungu, naye akaomba kwamba ampatie
Mungu wa Yakobo maskani.
47 Lakini alikuwa Solomoni ndiye alimjengea Mungu nyumba.
48 o“Hata hivyo, Yeye Aliye Juu Sana hakai kwenye nyumba zilizojengwa
kwa mikono ya wanadamu. Kama nabii alivyosema:
49 ‘Mbingu ni kiti changu cha enzi, nayo dunia ni mahali pa kuweka
miguu yangu. Mtanijengea nyumba ya namna gani? asema Bwana. Au
mahali pangu pa kupumzikia patakuwa wapi?
50 Je, mkono wangu haukufanya vitu hivi vyote?’
51 Enyi watu wenye shingo ngumu, msiotahiriwa mioyo wala masikio,
daima hamwachi kumpinga Roho Mtakatifu, kama walivyofanya baba
zenu.
52 Je, kuna nabii gani ambaye baba zenu hawakumtesa? Waliwaua wale
waliotabiri habari za kuja kwake yule Mwenye Haki. Nanyi sasa mmekuwa
wasaliti wake na wauaji.
53 Ninyi ndio mlipokea sheria zilizoletwa kwenu na malaika, lakini
hamkuzitii.”
54 Waliposikia haya wakaghadhibika, wakamsagia meno.
55 Lakini yeye Stefano, akiwa amejaa Roho Mtakatifu, alikaza macho
mbinguni, akaona utukufu wa Mungu, na Yesu akiwa amesimama mkono
wa kuume wa Mungu.

Moses in Deuteronomy 32
Deuteronomy 32 presents the Song of Moses which was communicated to
Israel on the plains of Moab just prior to Moses’ death.
The song is didactic, revealing the rebellious hearts of the Israelites, not
just in the moment, but in the years that would follow.
The song emphasizes God’s just character, Israel’s duty to serve the Lord,
and judgment upon them if they disobeyed.
The song represents, in condensed form, what Moses taught through the
years he’d been with his people.
Moses opens his song, saying,
1 “Give ear, O heavens, and let me speak; and let the earth hear the
words of my mouth”
Using picturesque language, Moses said,
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 2 “Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distills as the dew, as the
droplets on the fresh grass and as the showers on the herb”
The similes of rain, dew, droplets and showers, speak of the refreshing
qualities of Moses’ teaching that would invigorate them if their hearts
were open to it.
Pointing the Israelites to God, he declared,
3,4“For I proclaim the name of the LORD; ascribe greatness to our God!
The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of
faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He”
Describing Israel, Moses said,
5,6 “They have acted corruptly toward Him, they are not His children,
because of their defect; but are a perverse and crooked generation. 6 Do
you thus repay the LORD, O foolish and unwise people? Is not He your
Father who has bought you? He has made you and established you”.
In contrast to God, Israel would act in a corrupt and perverse manner.
Such behavior would be foolish, considering it was God who purchased
their freedom from slavery in Egypt and established them as His people.
The faithfulness of God ran throughout all generations and could be
proven
Moses gave the people the key to avoiding foolishness and future
judgment by the Lord. Moses said,
7“Remember the days of old, consider the years of all generations. Ask
your father, and he will inform you, your elders, and they will tell you”
Israelites were directed by God to remember their heritage.
God’s people were commanded to remember their past servitude in
Egypt, and that memory was to have a positive influence on of their
behavior

DAVID REMEMBERED
1Samuel 17:34-37
34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and
there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his
mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and
smote him, and slew him.

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36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised
Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the
living God.
37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of
the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand
of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with
thee.

1Samweli 17:34-37
34 Lakini Daudi akamwambia Sauli, “Mtumishi wako amekuwa akichunga
kondoo wa baba yake. Wakati simba au dubu alikuja na kuchukua kondoo
kutoka kundi,
35 nilifuatia, nikampiga na nikampokonya kondoo kwenye kinywa chake.
Aliponigeukia, nilimkamata nywele zake, nikampiga na kumuua.
36 Mtumishi wako ameshaua simba na dubu pia; huyu Mfilisti
asiyetahiriwa atakuwa kama mmoja wa hao, kwa sababu ameyatukana
majeshi ya Mungu aliye hai.
37 Bwana ambaye aliniokoa toka katika makucha ya simba na makucha
ya dubu ataniokoa kutoka mikono ya huyu Mfilisti.” Sauli akamwambia
Daudi, “Nenda, naye Bwana na awe pamoja nawe.”

While everyone else quivered, David remembered.

God had given him strength to wrestle a lion and strong-arm a bear.
Wouldn’t He do the same with the giant?
A good memory makes heroes. A bad memory makes wimps.

1 Chronicles 16:12
12 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and
the judgments of his mouth;

1 Mambo Ya Nyakati 16:12

12 Kumbuka matendo ya ajabu aliyoyafanya, miujiza yake na hukumu
alizozitamka,

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Catalog God’s successes.
Keep a list of his world records.
Has he not walked you through high waters? Proven to be faithful?
Have you not known his provision?
Write today is worries in sand.
Chisel yesterday is victories in stone.

Moses alludes to the Tower of Babel,

8a “When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when He
separated the sons of man”
He then references the land of Canaan which the Lord had portioned off
for His people, Israel, as
8b “He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the
sons of Israel” .
Furthermore, Israel was selected for God Himself, as Moses wrote,
9 “For the LORD’S portion is His people; Jacob is the allotment of His
inheritance” .
God’s supremacy is unique to Deuteronomy.
He is the sovereign God over all, even the boundaries of the nations.
Moses highlights God’s selection of Israel, saying:
10 “He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of a
wilderness; He encircled him, He cared for him, He guarded him as the
pupil of His eye”.
Moses used an unusual analogy to illustrate how God nurtured His
children.
He compares God to a mother eagle who is trying to teach her young to
fly.
God had protected his people like a mother eagle would protect her
young.
11” Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that hovers over its young, He
spread His wings and caught them, He carried them on His pinions”.
12 The LORD alone guided him, and there was no foreign god with him
An eagle’s nest is:
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 ❖ Built with great care for up to six weeks
❖ Over five feet in diameter and made of a variety of materials and
sticks.
❖ lined inside with soft grass, hides or fur to provide comfort to the
young.
❖ Built over seventy-five feet high in trees or outcroppings to gain a
better view of the area.
As the young eagles mature, the mother begins to “Stir up the nest” by
removing the soft grass and fur, exposing the rough sticks usually from
the inside of the nest first, trying to get the them to the move to the
edge.
The mother eagle knows that there is danger in staying in the nest too
long.
We, like the eagle, are created to “mount up with wings”.
Nests are created for nurturing, not abiding.
We have a tendency to grow “comfortable” in our “nests”.
There are dangers in staying in the “nests of life” too long.
Micah 2:10
"Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it
shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction."
God often “Stirs” up our nests, making us “uncomfortable” to prepare us
for flight.
We should take up the challenge and move out like our predecessors and
move to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Stephen
On April 18, 1521, Martin Luther stood before Roman Catholic authorities
at the Edict of Worms, to respond to the accusations against him.
Laid out on the table were 25 books articles that he had written.
He was called to recant his writings.
With fear and trembling, Martin Luther stood before the council and said,
“The works are mine, but unless i am convicted by Scripture and plain
reason, my conscience is captive to the Word of God.
I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is
neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen."
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With those words, Martin Luther was declared a heretic, an enemy of the
church.
His works were ordered to be burned.
And Martin Luther ran for his life.
On his way back to his home in Wittenberg, he was “kidnapped.”
Some armed horsemen fell upon his traveling party, they pulled Luther
out of his wagon, and placed him on a horse, and rode away.
Now, as it turned out, the kidnappers, were Luther’s friends, who
protected him from those who were searching to kill him.
They brought him to the Wartburg castle, where he grew a beard and
changed his name to “Junker George”.
It was there, in the castle, in his exile, that he translated the Scriptures
from Latin into German, giving his fellow Germans the word of God in
their own language, which helped greatly in the spread of Biblical truths.

In Acts 7, we see Stephen, the preacher, holding to the gospel, being

charged with heresy, standing before the council, and being asked to
defend himself.
When Stephen had finished his defense, he was murdered by the mob as
a heretic!
And thus, he became the first Christian martyr.
Martin Luther escaped, but not Stephen.
In Acts 7:44-55, he had been charged as a blasphemer of God, and an
apostate from the church.
In the speech, and filled with the Holy Spirit, Stephen did not really
defend himself but rather took the opportunity to summarize his teaching
about Jesus.
From his long speech he talked about Israel’s relationship with God right
from the Old Testament history.
He begins with the call of Abraham by which he was set apart for God to
be the trustee of his promise.
He shows that Israel’s history is the history of God’s acts in the world.
While not looking down on the place of the Temple and the Law, he shows
that God cannot be confined to a physical place.

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The whole world is his temple, in which he is present everywhere, and fills
it with his Glory; and therefore, has no need for a temple in which to
manifest himself in.
The deities of the heathen needed temples made with hands, for they
were gods made with hands, and had no other place to manifest
themselves in than in their own temples; but the one true and living God
needs no temple, for the heaven is his throne, in which he rests, and the
earth his footstool, over which he rules.
Stephen continues to remind the council of their Fathers resistance of the
Holy Spirit speaking to them by the prophets, whom they opposed and
contradicted, hated and ridiculed.
Like them, they too were resisting the Holy Spirit in Christ’s Apostles and
ministers, who spoke by the same Spirit and yet were more rejected.
God has been faithful to the Presbyterian Church of East Africa all these
133 years since inception.
Combination of work done by FOUR churches
• Church Of Scotland
• Free Church of Scotland
• United Presbyterian Church
• Gospel Missionary Society
God has led and established us – our forefathers and seniors can testify to
this.
We are a product of this faithfulness and even at the individual front, God
has truly been faithful.
We are being called to continue trusting God.

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