When therefore He was risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this unto them, and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. John 2:22
Many years ago, when I was attending the Pugwash Junction conference, one of the speakers mentioned how inconsiderate it is of some people who arrive late for the Breaking of Bread, creating a distraction to those who have already gathered to worship. The preacher then referred to an Assembly in Northern Ireland where the doors are locked ten minutes before the meeting is about to begin, thus eliminating latecomer distraction. I couldn’t help exclaiming to the person sitting next to me, ‘What a great idea!’ Those words struck me particularly because at the time I was in an Assembly where more people arrived for the Breaking of Bread in the ten minutes after the meeting started than in the 15 minutes before it started. That was a long time ago, and I still clearly remember that message. Can you remember ministry that you heard years ago? It was important for the disciples to do so.
As they accompanied the Lord Jesus during His three years of ministry, the disciples observed His miracles and listened to His teaching. They heard every one of His messages preached to the multitudes, and they heard every one of His discussions with them at mealtimes, along the highway, or in intimate gatherings with the disciples. As our text indicates, the words of Jesus were to serve them in the years after the resurrection, as Christianity was born and developed. The foundation for all that was taught and practiced during those years came from the words and example of the Lord Jesus as witnessed by His followers. Their personal witness gives us confidence in the New Testament, and gives us an example of how we should be faithfully passing on the spiritual lessons we have learned.
As young Christians, we spent most of our time in learning, or at least we should have been. Personal study of the Word, careful attention to Assembly ministry and the Gospel, attendance at Assembly Bible readings, and time spent in the company of older and experienced Christians provided us with a wealth of information. It is hoped that we allowed all of that to shape and guide our lives as followers of Christ. It is also hoped that what we learned we have been able to pass on to others, both in word and in example as we live out the truths God has given us.
God never intended that what we learned should remain with us, but always planned that we would remember His words and be faithful followers and passers-on. -Jim MacIntosh