Stonebrook Church, Ames, Iowa, Sermons

The statement of Deuteronomy 6:4 is profoundly simply yet magnificently grand, laying out before the people of Israel the most foundational statement of faith. The people were to reject all the so-called gods of the nations and instead look to the one, true, incomparable, mighty God. From this center point of faith in him spring forth all commands and promises. If one verse can summarize the essence of faith in him, this is it. And so it is even for us, for Jesus tells us that this call to faith and the response of obedience to love the Lord wholeheartedly is our greatest calling today.

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Deuteronomy 6—The Lord is One— Week 5

In the gospels, the disciples were in a small boat on the Sea of Galilee with Jesus, and a huge storm arose. All the disciples were terrified of drowning in the howling wind and the crashing waves. But Jesus stood up in the boat, and with a mere word, “Peace! Be still!” he calmed this raging storm.

How did the disciples respond?

Mark 4:41 ESV And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

They were then more afraid of Jesus than they had been of the storm.

The Apostle John, who described himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” had a vision of Jesus Christ glorified in heaven.

Revelation 1:14–17 ESV “The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

How did John respond? “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.” (vs. 17)

And last week Dave read from Exodus, when the Lord appeared on Mt. Sinai just before the giving of the Ten Commandments.

The sights and sounds were so terrifying that the people said,

Deuteronomy 5:25 ESV “Now therefore why should we die? For this great fire will consume us. If we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, we shall die.”

What is it about God that, when man sees him as he truly is, man melts in fear? Why does even a glimpse of God in his glory cause man to be terrified?

I will say this: Every single one of us here this morning—beginning with myself—has too low a view of God. Our view of God is too small. God is somehow diminished in our minds and hearts.

But as we grow in seeing God for who he is— and it does take growth—our view of God will become higher and higher. Greater and greater.

We must all reckon with God for who he really is.

Author A.W. Tozer said this:

“All the problems of heaven and earth, though they were to confront us together and at once, would be nothing compared with the overwhelming problem of God: That He is; what He is like; and what we as moral beings must do about Him.”

This morning we are in Week 5 of our series looking at the OT book called “Deuteronomy.” In chapter 6, we are going to read one verse—just 11 words—that hint at a high, high view of God. And this verse provides an extraordinarily simple yet profound view of Israel’s covenant relationship with God.

As Israel had to do something problem about God—who he is, what he is like—so do we.

Deuteronomy 6:1–9 ESV

“Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, 2 that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long.

3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between y…

Along with thunder, lighting, earthquake, fire and smoke, the voice of God boomed out the Ten Commandments from the mountain as over three million Israelites trembled in fear. These commandments are the center of God’s covenant with Israel and a clear call to love God and our neighbor. They show us practically what love looks like. Although we are under a different covenant, nine of the ten commandments are repeated in the new covenant and we can learn much about how to live and please God through them.

As God’s covenant people, Israel was called to “listen and live,” for the Lord wanted to bring them good, not evil. To walk in that goodness, Israel was charged to watch diligently over their souls, not forgetting the great deeds of the Lord, and to remain true to him. Over the next 1000 years of Old Testament history, Israel largely failed at this. While such stubbornness may surprise us, we will actually find many lessons for us today from their story.

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Deuteronomy 4 -Week 3

Listen and Live

My growing-up years were long ago, but have vague recollections of my mother often saying to me in my early years, “Did you hear me?” What did she mean? Was she merely asking if sound waves from her mouth had reached my inner ear and transmitted to my brain? No! She wanted to know if I HEARD. If I really HEARD her. Was I paying attention? Did I listen? And ultimately, would I OBEY her?

How many of you remember such conversations? From Mom or Dad. From a teacher. A coach. They were giving you instruction—hopefully for your good. And they wanted to ensure you heard and would comply.

This is the message of God to his people in Deuteronomy. “Listen to me. Hear what I have promised to you. Obey me and you will live.” “Walk with me, and I will bring good to you and your children in the Promised Land.”

It’s a rather simple request. A straightforward command. As outsiders looking in, we think the obvious direction is to Listen to the Lord and live. Why wouldn’t you?

Sadly, Israel generally did a poor job in Listening. By and large, they failed. And it’s rather tempting for us to criticize them.

But this morning and in the rest of this series in Deuteronomy, we’re going to discover—if we’re humble—that we’re rather similar to Israel. Cultures and habits and practices may change, but our basic nature does not change. We will find it rather easy, I think, to relate to the message of Deuteronomy.

Scripture Reading

Deuteronomy 4:1–9 ESV “And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2 You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.

3 Your eyes have seen what the Lord did at Baal-peor, for the Lord your God destroyed from among you all the men who followed the Baal of Peor. 4 But you who held fast to the Lord your God are all alive today.

5 See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the Lord my God commanded me,that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.

6 Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ 7 For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? 8 And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?

9 “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children—

Listen and Live

Let’s go through this a few verses at a time.

Vs. 1

1 “And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you.

LISTEN. The word here is used in Deuteronomy MANY times. He calls them to listen. To pay attention. To what? The statutes and rules from the Lord. What is fascinating to me is that the Hebrew word “LISTEN” is also frequently translated as “OBEY.” When Moses says, “Listen, Israel,” he means they should hear the Lord in such a way that they obey the Lord. Like my mother meant when I was young. “To hear is to obey.”

Why? Why does Moses call them to Listen, to Hear, to Obey?? That they may live. And that they make take possession of the land. This is beautiful. The Lord wants them to live! He …

In the opening chapters of Deuteronomy, Moses begins his sermon to Israel by reminding them of where they came from. Highlighting a few episodes from the 40-year exodus journey, Moses points out how, in spite of Israel’s fear, stubbornness, and rebellion, God led them victoriously to the land He promised to give them, while simultaneously dealing with their disobedience. God’s faithfulness, justice, and mercy are beautifully highlighted in this brief summary to encourage, warn, and instruct us today.

In the opening chapters of Deuteronomy, Moses begins his sermon to Israel by reminding them of where they came from. Highlighting a few episodes from the 40-year exodus journey, Moses points out how, in spite of Israel’s fear, stubbornness, and rebellion, God led them victoriously to the land He promised to give them, while simultaneously dealing with their disobedience. God’s faithfulness, justice, and mercy are beautifully highlighted in this brief summary to encourage, warn, and instruct us today.

In Deuteronomy, Israel was a crossroads, being called by God to choose life over death and wholeheartedly keep the covenant of God. So Moses exhorts them throughout this book to choose life and reject their past rebellion. Now even today we will find ourselves at a crossroads, where God is calling us to choose life, the life found in Jesus, the Messiah of Israel and the world.

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Deuteronomy: Introduction

At a Crossroads: Choose Life

During my freshman year @ ISU, I had NO interest in God. I was living my life the way I wanted, and God was not part of the plan. And I was happy with that.

But next Friday, August 25th, will mark 39 years since I was faced with the greatest choice of my life.

I was ready to start my sophomore year at Iowa State, and I was at a Crossroads.

I was confronted with God in as clear a way as I had ever experienced. I was at a Crossroads.

And this Crossroads, God set before me two choices.

What would I choose?

But first, I need to give some background.

• I grew up in Sioux City, Iowa.

• I decided to go to Iowa State to study engineering. So I came here. 40 years ago. (Wow, I feel old!)

• And as a related story, literally days after my parents dropped me off here, they moved to Colorado.

• Over the next few months, they were confronted with a Crossroads in their own lives. A crossroads with God. And the path they chose to walk pushed me closer to my own Crossroads.

We are beginning a sermon series for this fall on a book from the Bible named Deuteronomy. It was written 3,400 years ago. A document that old sounds archaic and unrelateable.

But as we read through it, we will find many places where we say to ourselves, “That sounds like me.” You see, in this book, we will find that God’s people—the people of Israel—were at a crossroads themselves. They were faced with two choices.

For example, one statement in Deuteronomy describes well the crossroads I encountered 39 years ago.

Deuteronomy 30:19 ESV “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you may live…”

This describes what Israel faced. And honestly, it sounds like my life, too. I had laid out before me a choice: Would I choose life? Or would I choose death? Heaven? Or hell? Glory? Or darkness? More on my story later.

Video

Let’s now watch a 6-minute video that gives a nice overview of Deuteronomy. Video from the Bible Project

Background and Setting

Your handout in the bulletin gives some good background and overview of Deuteronomy. You can read that later.

This book is one of the most quoted OT books in the NT. For example: When Jesus is tempted by Satan in Matthew 4, he quotes 3 Scriptures in the face of his temptations. All 3 quotes are from Deuteronomy.

And overall throughout the NT, Deuteronomy is one of the most widely quoted OT books. That gives us an idea of its importance.

But you might be wondering, “What is this obscure book with the funny title? What’s it all about? Why should I care?”

Before I answer those questions, I want to give you some brief background that will help us make more sense out of this book.

Let’s start at the beginning of the Bible.

Genesis: Promise

We have to begin the story of Deuteronomy by going back to Genesis. 700 years earlier, God spoke to a man named Abraham.

Genesis is a story about a PROMISE. God made a phenomenal promise to Abraham, promises that affect us even today, 4000 years later, through Jesus Christ.

Genesis 12:1–7 ESV “Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great…and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed… To your offspring I will give this land.'”

Without exaggeration, this is one of the most profound promises God ever made to a human.

God promised Abraham and his descendants a piece of land we now know as “Israel.” But also, he said in vs. 3, “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Why is this such a profound promise? Because this promise ma…

Even in his highly exhortative book, James appeals to the truths of the gospel of Christ. When we authentically engage with the whole gospel–what God has done, is doing, and will do in Christ–our lives will be transformed.