I. EXORDIUM:
Are you stable in your land? Do you pay your taxes?
II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:
Believers
III. OBJECTIVES:
To prove that stability or security in the land is done by the LORD GOD not our own.
IV. TEXT:
Leviticus 25:18 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
“If you want to live securely in the land, follow my decrees and obey my regulations.
V. THESIS:
There are only 2 conditions of stability in the land: follow and obey GOD's decrees and regulations not because of our own doing.
VI. TITLE:
Stability In The Land
VII. EXPLICATION:
A. Author: Moses
B. Audience: Jews
C. Theme: Laws and Regulations for Israel
VIII. MAIN BODY:
A. Securely or safety came from the Hebrew word: behtakh meaning a place of refuge, safely, assurance, confidence, securely.
1. Benefits of stability in the land (Leviticus 26:3-12)
Leviticus 26:3-12 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
“If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands,
I will send you the seasonal rains. The land will then yield its crops, and the trees of the field will produce their fruit.
Your threshing season will overlap with the grape harvest, and your grape harvest will overlap with the season of planting grain. You will eat your fill and live securely in your own land.
“I will give you peace in the land, and you will be able to sleep with no cause for fear. I will rid the land of wild animals and keep your enemies out of your land.
In fact, you will chase down your enemies and slaughter them with your swords.
Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand! All your enemies will fall beneath your sword.
“I will look favorably upon you, making you fertile and multiplying your people. And I will fulfill my covenant with you.
You will have such a surplus of crops that you will need to clear out the old grain to make room for the new harvest!
I will live among you, and I will not despise you.
I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people.
B. Two Conditions in living securely or to have stability in the land:
1. Follow GOD's decrees
a. GOD wanted to test the Israelites how they would follow GOD.
Exodus 16:4 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.
b. Be very careful in following GOD. (Leviticus 22:9, Numbers 32:25)
Leviticus 22:9 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
“The priests must follow my instructions carefully. Otherwise they will be punished for their sin and will die for violating my instructions. I am the Lord who makes them holy.
Numbers 32:25 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
Then the men of Gad and Reuben replied, “We, your servants, will follow your instructions exactly.
c. Don't follow the crowd (Exodus 23:2, Exodus 34:12)
Exodus 23:2 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
“You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you are called to testify in a dispute, do not be swayed by the crowd to twist justice.
Exodus 34:12 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
“Be very careful never to make a treaty with the people who live in the land where you are going. If you do, you will follow their evil ways and be trapped.
c. GOD is the only one to be followed. (Leviticus 26:3)
Leviticus 26:3 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
“If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands,
d. There's always a promise if GOD wants you to follow Him. (Deuteronomy 5:33)
Deuteronomy 5:33 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
Stay on the path that the Lord your God has commanded you to follow. Then you will live long and prosperous lives in the land you are about to enter and occupy.
2. Obey GOD's regulations
a. Our obedience should be real not show-off or hypocrisy. (Matthew 23:3)
Matthew 23:3 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach.
b. Obey GOD's commands.
Matthew 28:20 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
c. Strong foundation is based on obedience. (Luke 6:49)
Luke 6:49 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”
d. Obedience is on the word of GOD (Luke 8:21) - no one is exempted
Luke 8:21 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
Jesus replied, “My mother and my brothers are all those who hear God’s word and obey it.”
e. There's humility in obedience. (Luke 17:10)
Luke 17:10 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’”
f. Obedience should be motivated by love. (John 14:21, John 14:15-16)
John 14:15-16 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
“If you love me, obey my commandments.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.
John 14:21 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”
g. Obey GOD rather than men. (Acts 5:29)
Acts 5:29 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.
h. Our thoughts should be captured in obedience. (2 Corinthians 10:5)
2 Corinthians 10:5 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.
IX. CONCLUSION:
Leviticus 25:18 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
“If you want to live securely in the land, follow my decrees and obey my regulations.
