January 7, 2001 Deuteronomy 29:1-29
“Going a new direction”
INTRODUCTION
It’s a new year. Some would even say that it’s a new millennium because the millennium begins with year 01 rather than year 00. How many of you made new year’s resolutions? How many of you have already broken them? This time of year is a good time to look back at the past year, see what was good about it and what was not so good about us in it, and based on that, make plans for the new year. Some people are perfectly satisfied with what went on and the direction that they are headed in. Others want to set some new goals, new priorities and establish some new action plans to help them get to where they want to go. “I want to lose 15 pounds by the time that it’s warm enough to put on a bathing suit.” That may be a good goal – a good direction to head in – but without an action plan – what food you’re willing to cut out of your diet, a regular time and means of exercising – you’re going to be wearing a robe over last year’s bathing suit rather than fitting into that one that will show what a hunk or babe you are.
As a church, it’s a good idea for us to do some evaluating to. We need to look at what worked this past year, what didn’t, where we believe the Lord wants us to be 6 months from now, and how we’re going to get there. What direction does the Lord want us to go in as a church? What direction does the Lord want your family to go in? What direction does He want you to go in?
The book of Deuteronomy is all about going in a new direction. Last week, we looked at the Israelites and their constant complaining. No matter what God did for them, no matter how He provided for them, they complained. When it came time for them to complete their journey through the desert and take control of the land of Canaan, they complained that they were not going to be able to do it. They were afraid that they would not be able to go up against the giants in the land. So they complained to Moses and to God. They said, “You’ve brought us out here to die. We’re going to die. Our wives are going to die. Our children are going to die. It’s hopeless.” Because of their lack of faith and their unwillingness to obey God, God punished them. He withdrew His offer of provision and protection and told the people that they were going to wander in the wilderness for 40 years – long enough for every person 20 years old and older to die. So they headed back out into the desert, away from Canaan – the land flowing with milk and honey – and they wandered for 40 years.
Prior to that point, they had had a purpose – a goal, a reason for living. Their goal was to get to the promised land and build a new life for their children. Now, they had no purpose. They were just surviving – trying to find water again, and eating manna again. Their only purpose was for the younger generation to watch the older generation die. Wandering from place to place, going no where except to the grave.
You ever felt like you were wandering – just surviving with no real purpose and no one who really cared whether you lived or died? Let me tell you that God offers a way to get out of the wandering and to find a new direction and purpose for your existence. That’s what Deuteronomy is all about. The 40 years is now over. All those who were 20 years old or more at the rebellion have died. The new generation is ready to take over. God has led them back to the brink of the promised land. But before they can go in, God gives them some instructions through Moses. To this brand new generation, Moses gives teaching that he gave to their parents 40 years ago. He reminds them of their parents’ failure to believe God and the terrible consequences they had to pay. He reminds them of the 10 commandments and other laws that God had made. And then at the end of the book, he tells them what will happen in their individual lives and in their life as a nation if they choose to obey or disobey God. Beginning today and continuing for the rest of this month, we will be looking at chap 29-31 of this book. It was given with the purpose of helping the Israelites go a new direction into a new land. I believe that it can help us as we enter into a new year and see what new direction the Lord would have us go.
This morning, we start with Deuteronomy 29. [Deut. is the 5th book of the Bible] Let’s read verses 1, 9-14. In my hands, I hold a contract. It is the contract that we signed to allow us to use this building as our church’s meeting place. This contract describes what the owner will do for us, and what we must do in return for him. It tells who is responsible to make sure that the light bulbs are changed and that the parking lot is cleared of snow and that the proper amount of insurance is carried on the building. This contract binds both the owner and us to certain obligations. Deut 29 is the record of the contract that God offered to the nation of Israel. Another name for a contract is a “covenant”. You see that word used over and over again in the verses we read and throughout the rest of the chapter. Let’s take a look at the specifics of this contract between God and the nation of Israel.
Section A – The parties of the contract (vs. 1-2a)
Jehovah (vs. 1)
The people (vs. 2a)
NOTE: God always initiates the relationship. “We love Him because He first loved us.”
Section B – The earnest of the contract (vs. 2b-8) Illus. – I put down earnest money when I was entering into a contract to buy our house to show that I was serious about wanting it.
The power of God (vs. 2b-3)
The provision of God (vs. 4-6)
The protection of God (vs. 7-8) Illus. – Tammy protects Stuart, our guest hamster from Sunshine, our cat, because Stuart is valuable to her and her class.
NOTE: vs. 4. The Israelites saw all those things with their eyes, but they didn’t see them with understanding. They just didn’t get it. God provided for them over and over again, but still they complained, still they worried and were afraid. Still they questioned, “Who’s going to take care of us?” But that’s exactly what we do too. Look back over the last year. Has God failed to meet any of your needs? If He had, you wouldn’t be here today! If God met your needs in 2000, why should you worry about whether or not He will meet your needs in 2001?
NOTE: By showing them His power, providing for their needs and protecting them from their enemies, God was telling the Israelites, “You have worth to me. I am willing to do what it takes to prove to you that I am serious about this relationship.” Whenever you turn down a contract that is offered to you, you lose the earnest money that was paid. God proved His seriousness about a salvation contract by giving His Son. Turn down the relationship, and you lose the forgiveness and cleansing that Jesus offered.
Section C – The call to join in the contract (vs. 9-15)
Available to all regardless of social standing (vs. 9-11)
Provides a special relationship with God (vs. 12-13a) [cf. 28:1-14]
Already proven in your fathers (vs. 13b)
Renewable forever (vs. 14-15)
NOTE: God was saying to them, “I want you – high class, low class, servant, master – I want all of you. Who you are and where you are and your level of importance to someone else does not matter to me. It doesn’t impress me, and it doesn’t bore me. Regardless of where you are, I want you.” It’s nice to be wanted, isn’t it? With the economy supposedly slowing down, a lot of companies are starting to lay off workers. Just this week, I heard about several companies who were each laying off over a 1000 employees. Imagine going in to work wondering if your company still wanted you or not. Were you valuable enough to them for them to keep you through the tough times and the good? We don’t have to worry about that with God. He wants us so badly that He paid the ultimate price to get us.
God was saying something else too. “I’ll give you a purpose. You won’t be just wandering around in the wilderness anymore. You’ll be building a relationship with me. We’ll go everywhere together. We’ll do everything together.” You ever wonder what your purpose on earth is – why God put you here? It is to be His friend – to build a relationship with Him – a relationship that is a little bit stronger each and every day. Your purpose here is not to build great buildings. It is not to be a great employee at your job. It is not to discover the cure for cancer. It is not to become the president of the United State and lead the whole world to peace. All of those things are temporary things. Your purpose here is to get to know God and to know Him so well that you enjoy Him fully and become like His Son. You want a purpose – you want to stop wandering in the wilderness? There it is right there.
Section D – What constitutes a breach of contract (vs. 16-19a)
Following false gods (vs. 16-18)
Following yourself as a god (vs. 19a) [KJV – “in the imagination or stubborness of my own heart”] Illus. – song “I did it my way”
Section E – The consequences of not making & keeping the contract (vs. 19b-28)
Destruction of the individual (vs. 19b-21)
No forgiveness
God’s anger
Curses
Gone and forgotten
Destruction of the land (vs. 22-23) NOTE: Canaan, the land that Israel was getting ready to enter, was described as a land of “milk and honey”. “Milk” speaks of the fact that the land had all that they needed in order to survive. When the forecast says that there is going to be a snowstorm, everyone rushes to the store and gets bread and milk. “Honey” speaks of sweetness. It is not a necessity, but it sure makes life a little bit more enjoyable. Not only was this land capable of providing their needs, but it could supply their wants as well. God said that if they refused the terms of this contract, then that which had once been a land that flowed with milk and honey would become a barren wasteland.
Display of God’s fury (vs. 24-27) NOTE: They were supposed to be a display of God’s glory!
Deported to foreign lands (vs. 28) NOTE: By 586 B.C., all but a handful of the Israelites had been taken captive and led off to either Assyria or Babylon.
Section F – The addendum / fine print of the contract (vs. 29)
Usually, the final section of any contract is the one that you want to pay the closest attention to. It’s there that you find all the fine print. It is sometimes there that something is added that negates all the wonderful stuff that was promised at the beginning of the contract – adding hidden fees and hidden obligations. Saying that the promises made freely in earlier portions of the contract are only valid in certain very restrictive situations. “This contract is only valid if signed in Hawaii on the third day of the 9th month of the year and only if it is a full moon and 32 degrees outside at the beach that day. Otherwise, everything that was just said is null and void.”
But this contract seems to be even more suspect. He says, “I’m not going to tell you everything that following this contract is going to mean in your life. There are some things that I’m going to keep to myself for now.” “God, you’re asking me to sign a contract like that. That would be like giving you a signed blank check allowing you to write in whatever amount you wanted to!” Exactly. God didn’t tell the Israelites all that being His people was going to mean in their lives. He told them simply that they must obey Him whatever He said that they would do.
When I became a Christian, God didn’t tell me that I was going to be pastoring a small church in West Virginia. He didn’t tell me that I was going to have a son with physical problems. He didn’t tell me that I was always going to have to struggle with paying the bills. But He did tell me a few other things. He told me that He loved me. Because He loved me, He was never going to go anything for the purpose of hurting me. He was never going to do anything that wasn’t for my good. When I signed on the bottom line of my contract with God, I didn’t know all that involved. But I knew enough to know that I can trust God no matter what with my life, my family, my resources and my eternity. I can hand Him a blank check and know that I am in good hands.
INVITATION
Some people have to have everything figured out before they will step into a situation where they feel like they might get burned. They have to know every detail, have every base covered, have the whole thing mapped out. But God doesn’t operate that way. First, you trust Him. Then, He will show Himself to you. If the Israelites had known God’s strategy for getting them into the land – parting the Jordan River just as He had parted the Red Sea - and defeating their first enemy – marching around the city in silence and watching the walls fall down from the inside out, they might have said, “Sure God – like that’s really going to work.” But they followed God, and God did it.
God doesn’t give us all the details. But that’s part of us allowing Him to be God in our lives – allowing Him to take care of the details. God hasn’t got a bunch of scorpions up His sleeve waiting to drop them on you as soon as the ink is dry on the contract. No, just the reverse. (1 Cor 2:9-10 NIV) However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"-- but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. Will you give God a blank check? Will you follow Him wherever He leads you? Will you walk by the light that you have right now, and leave the future up to God?
