Remember to Do Right! - Deuteronomy
Growing up, I watched a lot of TV. I loved the Beverly Hillbillies - but the DVD’s you get today don’t have the theme song on them - “The Ballad of Jed Clampett” - remember that? It’s due to copyright laws; but that was one of the best parts of the show: “Come and listen to a story about a man named Jed, a poor mountaineer, hardly kept his family fed, and then one day he was shooting at some food, and up from the ground came a bubbling crude . . .”
Or, if you’re from a younger generation, the Barney Song: “I love you, you love me, we’re a happy family . . .” It’s a song that’s hard to get out of your head.
Last summer we took a lot of time to watch the summer Olympic games from Athens. And in our home, we rarely watch TV. But after that two weeks, it was amazing how many of the commercials the girls knew by heart. Repetition really drills things into our minds. We really remember things well, sometimes even the most insignificant things.
But this morning, I want to ask you, call on you, plead with you to make a commitment to make right priorities in your life. In the greater scheme of things, the Ballad of Jed Clampett and the Barney song are of little importance. Yet many of us could sing them word for word. But, can just as many of us quote Psalm 1, Revelation 4, The sermon on the mount, Deuteronomy 6? The church of the 21st century has really fallen away from an understanding and appreciation and memorization and love of the word of God. And we have placed our love and value on that which is trivial.
We say we love God, and we say we want to honor him. But we fail miserably when it comes to loving and remembering and following God’s word. We want God to speak to each one of us today - not just to show us a thing or two we need to change -- but to really draw us into a much deeper love and appreciation of Him and His word. So, as we come to reading the word of God, let’s pray together. PRAYER: for God to challenge us.
In our reading through the Old Testament, we have seen Moses lead the Jews out of Egypt, and through the wilderness for 40 years. He is now 120 years old. Moses was a great man. Deuteronomy 34:10-12 tells us, “Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt--to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no-one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.”
Remember God told Moses that he was to lead the Jews to the promised land, but that Moses himself was not going to enter. Moses has brought the Jews right up to the edge of the promised land, and they’re ready to cross the Jordan River and claim their inheritance. But Moses knows his time of leading the people is done. And what we find recorded in the book of Deuteronomy is Moses’ last message to the people. So here are the parting remarks of one of the greatest men ever.
If you could preach your own funeral sermon, what would you say? Many people would talk of all their accomplishments and how they impacted others through their lives. Some would talk about their regrets and the things they still wanted to do. But Moses uses his last address to the Jews to remind them to obey the word of the Lord. This is what he felt was the most important lesson the Jews could learn. And today, we also realize that it is the most important lesson that we can learn as well.
Deuteronomy 1:1-2 gives us the context: These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel in the desert east of the Jordan--that is, in the Arabah--opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab. (It takes eleven days to go from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea by the Mount Seir road.) In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that the LORD had commanded him concerning them.
Moses gives his last address to the people. And Deuteronomy starts with a reminder of why the Jews are where they are. It takes 11 days to go from Mt. Horeb to Kadesh Barnea, the land right outside of the promised land. What should have been a two week trip ends up taking 40 years, because the people failed to obey God. Deuteronomy 1:26 - But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 1:32 - . . . and in the desert. There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place. In spite of this, you did not trust in the LORD your God.
Moses addresses this people knowing that what they really need more than anything else is a renewed commitment to obey the word of God. And that is what we need in our lives as well.
Don’t blow 40 years of your life because you fail to learn the lessons God has for you.
The name “Deuteronomy” literally means “second law” because here in this book Moses restates the law of God: the 10 commandments as well as many of the other Mosaic laws. And we could look at all of the laws individually to learn from each one. Because each one teaches us a little about the character of our God: God cares for the poor, He is generous, He cares that the innocent are protected, . . . . But this morning, I want us to look at the laws collectively, and get the main focus that Moses gives in this book: that we need to REMEMBER to keep the word of God.
Deuteronomy is quoted over 80 times in the New Testament. It’s main purpose is to give us “teaching” or “instruction.” Genesis gives us the “beginnings” - Exodus teaches about “redemption” - Leviticus teaches about “holiness” - Numbers teaches about “testing” - and Deuteronomy teaches us about “instruction” and “wisdom” in obeying God’s word.
In Deuteronomy 4 Moses urges the Jews to obey God’s law. Verse 1 - Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. God’s word is LIFE!
Verse 6-9 - Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today? Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Moses reminds the Jews that what makes them great is their LAWS. No other nation had a set of laws that so defined their character like the Jews. No other nation had a God who taught them how to live. And for the Jews, their LAWS were LIFE to them. Their law defined who they were. And over and over and over and over again in the book of Deuteronomy, Moses calls upon the people to be sure to obey them. Deut. 5:1 - Moses summoned all Israel and said: Hear, O Israel, the decrees and the laws I declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them.
So, in our lives today, if we are really going to be serious about being a follower of Christ, we need to be committed to following the word of God as it applies to our daily lives. How do we make sure that WE remember to follow God’s truth? Let’s talk about a few ways to do that today.
We remember to obey . . .
1. By devoting our whole selves in commitment to God - Deut. 6:5 - Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. This is the verse that Jesus quoted when he was asked, “which is the greatest commandment.” He summarized all the OT laws into this one phrase. Giving our complete love for God is the most important thing we can do.
*If you want to remember your God, you can’t do it with the soap opera on TV, sitting in a chair reading your National Inquirer, and arguing with your spouse. You need to focus your attention on your God. Many of us live such full lives that we fail to take “quiet time” with the Lord. We can’t read the Bible because we never get still or quiet. Much less pray to God - we don’t have time to sit still. But if we call ourselves Christians, or Christ-followers, we need to FOCUS on following God’s word.
This is why we set aside a “quiet time” daily to hear from God. Yours might be in the morning, at lunch, in the evening, before bed - David said is Psalm 55 - Evening and morning and at noon will I pray. If we are going to focus on following God, we need to spend time regularly reading God’s word to hear from God; praying to share our heart with God; listening to understand from God; and meditating and memorizing to instill God’s word in our hearts.
Today, let me ask, “How is your quiet time?” Do you have a set time every day that you spend with God? Not a prayer at bedtime. Not just reading the daily bread. Do you set aside time every day to meet with God. If we are really going to focus on devoting our whole selves to following God, we need to know his word and do what it says.
We started off saying that most of us here have memorized the Ballad of Jed Clampett. How much of God’s word have we memorized? Most Christians today look at memorization as something akin to martyrdom. But memorization should be a joy. If you were single, and a good looking guy or girl walked by that you were interested in, and you saw their name on their Bible, I can guarantee that you would remember it. If I was giving away a $20 bill for everyone who could memorize a verse, we’d all do our best. I’d lose a lot of money. But it is sad that we won’t memorize scripture out of sheer love for God.
Why don’t we memorize? Many answers; many excuses. The simplest is that we don’t choose to. Psalm 119:11 tells us I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. There is great value in hiding God’s word in our hearts. This word “hidden” is a word that refers to hiding something because it is a treasure, because it is of great value. Those who have things of great wealth go to extremes to keep their riches safe - Safes, alarm systems, guard dogs, armed patrols. If we treasured the word of God, we would hide it in our hearts. And the result is that God’s word would keep us from sinning. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, he uses the word of God three times - each time a quote from the book of Deuteronomy - to keep from sinning. Each of us would do well to come up with a renewed commitment to start committing God’s word to memory. Start this week with one verse that stands out in your Bible reading. Write it out on a card. Stick it on your fridge. Carry it with you. Go over it again and again. Review it regularly.
We first of all remember God by devoting ourselves to focus our attention on him. What are you thinking about? Throughout the day, what captures your attention? Do you think about yourself? Lustful thoughts? Thoughts of entertainment and pleasure? Or do you think about God and how you can better serve him. Give time to spend with him daily. By reading his word - prayer - memorization and meditation.
We remember to obey . . .
1. By devoting our whole selves in commitment to God
2. By using the everyday, teachable moments to reflect on obedience of God.
Deut. 6:6-7 - These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
You will not have godly children just by bringing them to church or sending them to Sunday School or AWANA Club. We build character in our children by teaching them every day that what we say about God at church is true in the home and at school and at work. If you curse and swear and lose your temper and yell at home, it doesn’t do any good to say Praise the Lord at church. If you cheat on your taxes or cheat on your spouse, why bother trying to teach any type of morality to your children. We are to be the same person wherever we are.
When you go to the store, pray for a parking spot. When someone cuts you off, don’t cuss them out, give thanks to God that you weren’t hurt. Pray for them to be a better driver.
We have a nation of children whose parents take them to church, but who don’t live for God throughout the week. And the children are taught a double standard. They are taught to say we follow God on Sunday, but to ignore the claims of God throughout the week. God wants us to use everyday activities of our lives as teaching times for our children.
If I showed up at your workplace Monday afternoon, would your character be the same as it is here in church on a Sunday morning? Or is there a difference in the choice words you use around the boys; a difference in the stories you tell at lunchtime. Do you still pause to pray and thank the Lord for you food when you’re sitting in the cafeteria at work? Does the music you listen to throughout the day honor God? We obey God not by what we do on Sunday morning, but by how we live out our faith through our lives 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
We remember to obey . . .
1. By devoting our whole selves in commitment to God
2. By using the everyday, teachable moments to reflect on obedience of God.
3. We remember by using memorials and markers. Deut. 6:8-9 - Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door-frames of your houses and on your gates.
The Jews took these commands literally. The priests would tie little pieces of scripture around their foreheads to remind them to be devoted to God. In every Jewish house there is a little inset in the entranceway with a piece of scripture in it. Upon entering the house, a Jew would touch the scripture and offer a short breath of a prayer.
Josh. 4 - So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, "Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, `What do these stones mean? tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel for ever."
We remember our commitment to follow God by using memorials and markers in our lives. For some people, it is a fish symbol on your car. For some, it is a cross necklace. For some, it is a picture of Jesus on the wall. Fill your lives with markers and memorials of how God has worked for you.
We remember to obey . . .
1. By devoting our whole selves in commitment to God
2. By using the everyday, teachable moments to reflect on obedience of God.
3. By using memorials and markers.
4. By using celebration
Throughout the book of Deuteronomy, Moses calls upon the people to celebrate what God has done for them. In Deuteronomy 16 Moses calls upon the people to celebrate the Passover. Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover of the LORD your God, because in the month of Abib he brought you out of Egypt by night. For the Jew this was like our Independence Day, the fourth of July. This was the yearly reminder of the freedom that God had provided for them. The big difference for the Jews, was that they did nothing to accomplish their freedom: it was completely from God.
Deut. 16:9 calls for the Jews to celebrate a “feast of weeks.” Count off seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing corn. Then celebrate the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God by giving a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings the LORD your God has given you. The modern day equivalent for us is Labor Day. This was a celebration during the latter part of the growing season, marking the end of summer and honoring the work that has been done. It involved everyone. 16:11 tells us And rejoice before the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name--you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, the Levites in your towns, and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows living among you. Everyone was to celebrate.
Deut. 16:13 called for the Jews to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. Celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing-floor and your winepress. Be joyful at your Feast . . . for the LORD your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete. This was a feast at the end of the harvest, celebrating all that God had provided for them. It is the equivalent of our Thanksgiving.
God calls his people to celebrate greatly, to include everyone in the celebration. God loves a party! God loves it when we gather to celebrate what he has done for us. In the church today, we look at communion as a chance for Christians to celebrate what God has done in providing salvation for us. When we take the time to celebrate rightly, it helps us to remember all our God has done for us.
We remember to obey . . .
1. By devoting our whole selves in commitment to God
2. By using the everyday, teachable moments to reflect on obedience of God.
3. By using memorials and markers.
4. By using celebration
5. By eliminating sinful influences from our lives. Read Deut. 7:1-6
When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations . . .larger and stronger than you--and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy. Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods, and the LORD’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you. This is what you are to do to them: Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols in the fire. For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.
If we really want to remember the Lord in our lives, we need to get rid of the sinful influences. The Jews struggled for generations because they never completely eradicated the influences of these people around them. They never drove them out. As a result, idol worship plagued the Jews. The Jews ended up worshiping in prostitution at the pagan temples and sacrificing their children to the fire god Molech. They left a little sinful influence, and that influence grew.
What is in your house that keeps you from following God? It would be ridiculous to try to treat a person for a communicable disease in the hospital but let them share plates and cups with other patients. The sick one would infect the others. Look how AIDS has spread through sexual contact and the sharing of needles.
Sin is 100 times more deadly than AIDS. Yet we play with it every day. What is there in your house, or your car, or your work place, our your entertainment that needs to go? It would do each one of us good to walk around and ask ourselves, “would I want Jesus to watch that movie? read that book? indulge in this activity?” Let’s eliminate sinful influences from our lives.
We remember to obey . . .
1. By devoting our whole selves in commitment to God
2. By using the everyday, teachable moments to reflect on obedience of God.
3. By using memorials and markers.
4. By using celebration
5. By eliminating sinful influences from our lives.
II. Why do we remember?
A. Remembering helps us to understand the past. Deut. 8:1-3
Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers. Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.
It is only as we look back over the past that we understand what God was doing, and how he worked on our behalf. If you really want to love God, think about how he has worked in your life! Moses reminds the Jews that if they take time to look how God has worked in their life, they will understand what God was doing.
B. Remembering helps us to be thankful. Deut. 8:6-10
Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and revering him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land--a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig-trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.
When we take time to remember what God has done for us, how can we do anything but give thanks. The children of Israel constantly grumbled and complained. They forgot how they were slaves in Egypt. They remembered the onions and garlic and fish - but they forgot how they had to toil and slave all day.
We are called to be thankful - several times in the NT we find that command. Do you want to do God’s will? 1 Thess. 5:18 tells us what God’s will is is - give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. We should constantly focus on giving thanks instead of grumbling and complaining. Never be ashamed to give thanks to God! No matter who is watching.
C. Remembering helps keep us humble. Deut. 9:1-4
You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky. The people are strong and tall-- . . . Be assured today that the LORD your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the LORD has promised you. After the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The LORD has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is going to drive them out before you.
Moses reminds the Jews that they had nothing of themselves to boast about. When we pause to remember our God, and how he has worked in the past, we remember to give him the credit. So often we cry out to God in times of need and desperation, but when God brings us through, we take all the credit. Let’s be humble and give God the glory for the way He has worked in our lives.
Concl: In Deut. 10:12-13 Moses gives a summary: And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
Moses reminds us that “it is for our own good” that we follow God’s word. In Deut. 11:26 he says, “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse-- the blessing if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the LORD your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.
The choice is ours whether we will be blessed or cursed. And it is all conditional on our response to the word of God.
Shall we pray.
