An Important Reminder: A 4th Of July Message

b. “Be careful to do…” God gave Israel the five books of the Law so could be reminded of what to “do” by faith so as to remain in a right relationship with Him. Yes, Christianity is a religion of grace, but in reaction and grateful appreciation to and for that grace there are things we are to DO or not do so as to stay in that right relationship with Christ. Later this morning we will DO something that helps us to remember God’s ultimate example of faithfulness in His dealings with man. We will partake of the Lord’s table, Bread and juice cause us to reflect.

B. Be careful to remember…

1. Remember that God isn’t an absent Parent and will discipline His children.

a. It is not fun being disciplined or corrected. Israel was warned they would be disciplined. In the NT we are told that God will discipline His wayward child. Discipline is a sign of God’s love for His covenant people. Why? Wants us to be conformed into the image of Christ. “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son…” (Rom. 8:29)

b. Illust - In Discipleship Journal, Carole Mayhall tells of a woman who went to a diet center to lose weight. The director took her to a full-length mirror. On it he outlined a figure and told her, "This is what I want you to be like at the end of the program." Days of intense dieting and exercise followed, and every week the woman would stand in front of the mirror, discouraged because her bulging outline didn’t fit the director’s ideal. But she kept at it, and finally one day she conformed to the longed-for image. (Daily Bread, August 8, 1990.) Becoming like Christ takes discipline and transformation and time and patience. But happens.

2. Be careful to remember that the Lord will bring blessing on His children.

a. Through Moses, the Lord is telling the people of Israel that they shall be a blessed nation materially. (vv. 7-10) Israel was then, and still is today a blessed nation. Do you know that among the nations, Israel has one of the highest yield per arable acre of land today? During the time period of the Bible Israel’s agricultural production was higher than most other nations.

b. Illust – You know how blessed of a nation we are in America? In America, our poor are obese! Seriously. Poorest state in the Union? Mississippi. Highest rate of obesity. I have been in places in the world where there is want. Result? Hunger and privation. We are the land of plenty and yet we no longer recognize it is from God’s hand.

C. Applic: America…be careful!

II. Beware of the Danger of Forgetting! Vv. 11-17

A. Beware lest you forget. Forget what? The Lord! (America has forgotten the God of the Bible and replaced Him with a god made in our own image.)

1. Israel was being warned here not to forget her God.

a. Illust – “Beware” signs. Instill caution in our hearts. “Beware of Dog”, “Forget the Dog, Beware of the Owner!”. Beware is a caution and the caution is because we are so easy to forget. Illust: On Victory in Europe Day, PM W. Churchill broadcast to the British Empire that Germany had surrendered and that a final cease fire on all fronts in Europe would come into effect at one minute past midnight that night.[177][178] Afterwards, Churchill told a huge crowd in Whitehall: "This is your victory." The people shouted: "No, it is yours", and Churchill then conducted them in the singing of Land of Hope and Glory. With a few months the war-weary nation voted and Clement Attlee replaced Churchill. People were quick to forget the man who had lead the free world against Nazis, Japanese. Man is very fickle and forgets very easily.