Pass on the faith, because that’s how we pass on God’s blessings.
The best gift we can give someone is to pass on our faith, to help someone put their faith in God and walk in His ways.
• This is probably the greatest and most lasting blessing we can give someone.
• Everything else – the things we can give them or the help we can render them – are limited and temporary at best.
• We cannot always be there for them, and things are temporary and cannot last.
[Have you led someone to Christ? You’d tasted the immense, unforgettable joy that it brings.]
Moses directed the people to trust God and obey Him. He has been doing that constantly. It’s the best gift he gives to Israel.
• You can consider Deuteronomy his textbook for the people, on knowing God and keep His ways. It is a re-hash of all that we read from Exodus to Numbers.
Why is he retelling the stories of God’s salvation and provisions? Why is he restating God’s commands?
• He is facing a NEW GENERATION. He will not enter the Promised Land with them.
• The people needs to remember God and keep His ways, remember His salvation and His covenant with them.
The old generation that left Egypt with him (40 years ago) had all perished in the wilderness, except himself, Joshua and Caleb.
• This new generation are those 20 years and below, and those born in the wilderness during the long journey.
• They are now at the edge of the Promised Land (East of River Jordan) preparing to enter it.
The FAITH in God must be PASSED ON. Moses recalls all that God has said and done.
• It is important that we PASS ON our faith. This is actually in the Great Commission: Go and make disciples, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you, the Lord says. (cf. Matt 28:19-20)
• We are called to make disciples after us, so that they too will know God and pass on what they know. This is the BEST GIFT you can give someone.
Moses emphasized particularly the responsibilities of the parents in this, because they are the new generation FIRST and probably the GREATEST influence.
• Deut 6:7-9 - Impress them. Do whatever you can to help them remember God’s Word. It is DELIBERATE.
• Further down in Deut 6:20-24 Moses says, in the future, when your son asks you, ‘What is the meaning of the stipulations… tell him: ‘We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22…the LORD sent miraculous signs and wonders … 23brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land that He promised… 24The Lord commanded us to obey… so that we might always prosper and be kept alive…”
The new generation wasn’t just challenged to KEEP THE FAITH but also to PASS it on to their children and grandchildren.
• Deut 6:2 “so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live.”
• This was emphasized a couple of times and repeated in chapter 11.
We are called to POSSESS the faith, PROCLAIM the faith and to PRACTICE the faith (to model it). The 3 P’s of faith. We will do well if we remember this.
Moses did that and so must we. Future generations will know the truth from us.
• Moses says in 6:1 “These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to TEACH YOU TO OBSERVE…” (same as the Great Commission)
• “I am teaching you… I am telling you… I am giving you god’s commands…” You see these phrases repeated throughout the book.
SHARE YOUR FAITH JOURNEY. Don’t keep it to yourself. Let people know what God has said and done in your life.
• If we are not going to share, no one will know. The truth of God will not be passed on by default.
I saw this poster about an upcoming Children Ministry Conference (March 2015).
• The title captured my attention: ONE GENERATION FROM EXTINCTION.
• They are not talking about physical extinction, of course. It’s about spiritual extinction. The conference is about children FAITH FORMATION.
• We just need one generation to do nothing, and the next generation will not know God.
In PASSING ON THE FAITH, we are PASSING ON GOD’S BLESSINGS.
• Moses explained many times the NEED to KEEP to God’s Word.
• 6:2 “… SO THAT you may enjoy long life.” 6:3 “… SO THAT it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey.”
This SO THAT appears many times. There is a resulting BLESSING that comes with the obedience to God’s Word.
• 4:40 “Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, SO THAT it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time.”
• 5:33 “Walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, SO THAT you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.”
• 6:24 “The LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, SO THAT we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today.”
In the past, I generalised this to mean material blessings. Obey God and you’ll be prosperous, successful, well-provided for and can live comfortable lives.
• But when I study it closely, I found this to be mistaken.
This “enjoy long life and it will go well with you” and that “you may live and prosper” has little to do with material prosperity or blessings.
• It was already said that they land they step into is “a land flowing with milk and honey”. Moses said it many times that it is a GOOD LAND God is giving them.
• The scouts came back and carried with them a single cluster of grapes, and it requires two men to carry it on a pole (Num 13:23).
• Deut 6:10-12 “When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you - a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, 11houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant - then when you eat and are satisfied, 12be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”
They INHERITED the rich land! It was GIVEN, a gift from God, by His grace!
• Moses have to warn them not to forget God when they are so blessed.
Deut 8:7-15 “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; 8a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; 9a 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.
10When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. 11Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, 14then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”
So when Moses says, “KEEP GOD’S COMMAND so that you can ENJOY LONG LIFE and IT MAY GO WELL WITH YOU” – he was not referring to material blessings.
• He was referring to the blessings of God’s presence, His protection, the experience of His goodness and love.
• They are SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS that comes from their right relationship with God (because they keep His commands).
OBEDIENCE BRINGS BLESSINGS. Obedience is a blessing.
Doing life God’s way brings His blessings. Keeping His Word will go well with you.
• I am blessed, not because I stay in a big house, own a nice car, run a good business, has money in the bank, or stay perpetually healthy.
• I’m blessed because I’m living in obedience to His Word.
I can be blessed staying in a small house, without a car, out of job, or with little money in the bank.
• Did God withhold His blessing because I am sick? Or that I failed my exam? Or had my job application rejected? No.
• We don’t jump in and out of God’s blessings, depending on what is happening to us.
God is present in our lives. His blessings are always sure and real.
• But we can only taste them when we do life His ways, when we live according to His Word.
Psalm 1:1-2 “BLESSED is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”
• OBEY Him. Keep His commands. That’s the way to ENJOY His blessings!
PASS ON THE FAITH because it is the only way to PASS ON HIS BLESSINGS!
