Free For The Law

Free For The Law

Deut 10:12-22

I. TOMORROW WE WILL BE CELEBRATING OUR NATION’S 229TH YEAR OF FREEDOM FROM THE TYRANNY OF KING GEORGE!

A. Today, we are going to be talking about a greater freedom than the one we will be celebrating tomorrow.

B. We are going to be talking about the Christian’s freedom from the tyranny of the Law of God and our freedom for the blessings of the Law of God.

1. Let me say that again in case you did not catch it!

*We are going to be talking about the Christian’s freedom from the tyranny of the Law of God and our freedom for the blessings of the Law of God.

2. The tyranny of the Law is that bondage that comes when we think we must keep the Law in order to be saved—-accepted by God—righteous—to go to heaven

*That’s a tyranny no one can bear because no one can completely obey the Law

*As Christians, we are free from that

*We are saved by faith— not by keeping the Law

*Jesus’ perfect law-keeping is credited to us by our faith in Him as Lord and Savior

*He kept the Law for us

*This probably did not surprise any of you, you knew this already

*How many times have we heard, “We are free from the law, we are under grace!”

3. But, what might surprise you is the truth that we Christians are also free for the blessings of the Law!

C. The Law of God is a blessing—a good thing

Illus. Think what it would be like if there were no traffic laws

*People went as fast as they wanted

*They would drive up Floyd Rd at 70 miles an hour and there would be no traffic lights or stop signs

*When you left church today to pull out onto Floyd Rd it would be a disaster!

*you would be putting your life in someone else’s hands!!

1. Laws are good

*they help us

*they make life orderly, safe

*they are there to help us

2. You saw what it would be like if there were no traffic laws

*now image what it would be like if there were no laws of God!

*If we did not have God’s law

3. Let me show you first hand what it would be like if you did not have God’s law

*Archeologists have discovered a prayer from a man that dates back to the Old Testament times

*He was from one of the pagan nations that did not know Yahweh

*His prayer is addressed to no particular God, but to all gods in general

*He is praying to ask for relief from suffering which he feels is a result of some sin he has committed but because he has no divine law he does not know what his sin is!

*Listen to his desperation—his foreboding

Prayer to Every God

READ PRAYER

*Did you hear his desperation?

*His bewilderment

*He feels guilty but he does not know what he has done wrong or which god he has offended

II. FREE FOR THE LAW

A. In contrast to this man’s situation look at our text today. Deut 10:12-22

B. Do you see the blessing of the Law?

1. We know what pleases God

2. We know what He wants from us

3. We do not have to grope around in the dark trying to find what our God desires from us

4. He has made it clear

C. The situation in our passage is Moses’ farewell sermons to the nation of Israel before he dies and they go into the Promise Land

1. These are pastoral—loving words

2. He is preaching to them as the covenant people of God

3. He tells them what God requires of them as His special people—those He has graciously redeemed from Egypt

D. Let me be very clear—understand

1. Moses is not saying they must do these things to be God’s special treasure—they already are His special treasure

*God saved them by grace

2. Moses is telling them what they are to do because they already are God’s special treasure!

3. I would add, since we Christians are God’s covenant people—His special treasure—these words apply to us as well!

4. We can know what God requires of us!!

E. Moses ask the question and then he answers it from 3 different angles—one answer from 3 complementary angles

F. Today we will look at the 1st answer

III. WHAT DID GOD REQUIRED OF ISRAEL?

SUPREME LOVE

12 " Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the LORD’S commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?