Concordia Adult Bible Class

Moses tells the Israelites that God will bountifully bless them material. With such bountiful blessing, however, comes the temptation to boast in what you have received and treat it as though you have earned it. Moses reminds the Israelites to remember that what they have are divine gifts of grace and not things they earn.

All of God’s commandments can be summarized in a single word: love. God’s commandments show us how to love Him and how to show His love to others. Indeed, God gives His commandments to us not out of harshness, but out of love. When we understand this, we can follow His commandments joyfully instead of begrudgingly.

Even as God was conceived of as near, as we discussed last weekend, the Israelites still feared the Lord and so they asked Moses to be their mediator. Ultimately, Moses fell short as a mediator because of his sin. This points to our need for a perfect mediator, given to us in Christ.

God had a unique relationship with Israel. Whereas most religions conceived of divinities as distant and detached, Israel had a God who was near to them and heard their prayers. God’s nearness is ultimately confirmed and fulfilled when God comes near to us in Christ. On Father’s Day, we celebrate how Christ brings the Father near!

In order to do well in the future, we need to learn lessons from our past – especially from our past mistakes. As Deuteronomy opens, Moses calls to mind some of the Israelites’ mistakes during their wilderness wanderings and encourages them to follow God into their future.

There is no shortage of anxiety about the problems we face – be those personal or cultural problems. Jehoshaphat, as a ruler in ancient Israel, faced an enemy that brought him great anxiety. But even in his anxiety, he turned to the Lord.

As we commemorate Memorial Day, we remember those who have given their lives while serving in our nation’s Armed Forces. The loss of life always brings with it grief. But, as Paul says, because of Christ, we do not grieve without hope.

The superscript of this psalm indicates it was written by “Heman, son of Korah.” This ancient Israelite honestly processes and records his depression. Along the way, he gives voice not only to what we may feel, but to where we can turn.

Abuse and conflict in households have increased exponentially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The story of Abraham and Lot provides a healthy model of dealing with conflict and an invitation to let go of our own wishes and desires for the sake of love.

Believing that God exists is one thing. Believing that you, as an individual, can have access to Him is quite another. In this message, we see how anyone, no matter their background, can have a relationship with God – through His Son, Jesus Christ.