What are your most vivid spiritual experiences? The Israelites were called to remember the Passover and other feasts. These were to be highpoints. May the times we gather together as brothers and sisters in Christ also be highpoints in our spiritual experience.
Deuteronomy 16: Passover
1 "Observe the month of Abib and keep the Passover to the LORD your God, for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night.
2 And you shall offer the Passover sacrifice to the LORD your God, from the flock or the herd, at the place that the LORD will choose, to make his name dwell there.
3 You shall eat no leavened bread with it. Seven days you shall eat it with unleavened bread, the bread of affliction---for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste---that all the days of your life you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt.
4 No leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory for seven days, nor shall any of the flesh that you sacrifice on the evening of the first day remain all night until morning.
5 You may not offer the Passover sacrifice within any of your towns that the LORD your God is giving you,
6 but at the place that the LORD your God will choose, to make his name dwell in it, there you shall offer the Passover sacrifice, in the evening at sunset, at the time you came out of Egypt.
7 And you shall cook it and eat it at the place that the LORD your God will choose. And in the morning you shall turn and go to your tents.
8 For six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD your God. You shall do no work on it.
The Feast of Weeks
9 "You shall count seven weeks. Begin to count the seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain.
10 Then you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God with the tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give as the LORD your God blesses you.
11 And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite who is within your towns, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are among you, at the place that the LORD your God will choose, to make his name dwell there.
12 You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt; and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.
The Feast of Booths
13 "You shall keep the Feast of Booths seven days, when you have gathered in the produce from your threshing floor and your winepress.
14 You shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your towns.
15 For seven days you shall keep the feast to the LORD your God at the place that the LORD will choose, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful.
16 "Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths. They shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed.
17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God that he has given you.
Justice
18 "You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the LORD your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.
19 You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous.
20 Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
Forbidden Forms of Worship
21 "You shall not plant any tree as an Asherah beside the altar of the LORD your God that you shall make.
22 And you shall not set up a pillar, which the LORD your God hates.
Things to think about…
The Passover was to be remembered as an event that took place with haste while remembering the affliction that the Israelite slaves endured for over four hundred years. The Passover was to signify the deliverance from slavery in Egypt, but also the importance of leaving without being attached to anything. We have of course been set free from the slavery of sin through the blood of Jesus Christ. But how often do we remember that we are to hold everything in this life with a loose hand. This life is temporary, it is fleeting. Earth is Egypt for the Christian. Our heavenly Canaan is to be hoped for more than this temporary life in this temporary tent.
The feast of weeks, Dt 16:9-12, represented abundant blessing from the Lord who blesses, vs 10. Everyone including the servants, sojourners, the fatherless and the widow were all called to rejoice. The same was true for the feast of Booths, vss 13-17, which was kept for a further seven days celebrating the Lord’s protection in the wilderness and how the Lord brought them through to Canaan. These feast of weeks lined up with the pouring out of the Spirit at Pentecost in the NT. The feast of booths represented the temporary dwelling that happened in the wilderness for 40 years before entering the land of promise. They both represent the Lord’s blessing to His people, the church and the gifts that He gave to build up and add to the body of Christ. Let’s continue to pray for Pentecostal power that the body may be built up and added to, that we may we do this with the Lord’s Spirit and not our own.
The nation of Israel could not survive without a good judicial system, Dt 16:18-20. Judges were to be appointed in every town. In Australia we have state and federal police as well as local and state courts as well as a high court with appointed judges to make sure there is law and order in our country. The same is true within the church, faithful elders and deacons need to be appointed. These are to be held accountable by the congregation to faithfully carry out their duties. The Israelites could only keep the land if justice was kept throughout the land. This is also true in the church. The church will only grow and remain faithful to God’s word as the leadership submit to God’s word and each other by leading well. We praise God for what the Lord has given at CBC with our elders and ministry leaders.
Symbols of foreign idols like the planting of a tree as an Asherah (pole) or pillar were not to be part of the worship of the Lord’s people, Dt 16:21&22. The same is true in the church. All forms of worldly practise should not be named among Christ’s people. Worldly words in music, a pep talk from the pulpit rather than preaching or by handing the service over to entertainment rather than worship are all modern forms of idol worship. Let’s show more of the love and grace of Christ to each other by never allowing His name to be cheapened in any way. Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, Ps 96:9.
Vision Point
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Questions for Cell groups
Sunday’s sermon, “Listen Up” came from Deut 6:1-4 by Graham Willey
1. What is some of the background as to why the book of Deuteronomy was written as outlined by Graham on Sunday?
2. Why was it important that the Israelites be reminded to hear Dt 6:4 “The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!”
3. Moses gives the greatest commandment in Dt 6:5 “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Break down this verse and give your understanding of each of the 3 elements. Jesus also quoted this verse as well as “you shall love your neighbour as yourself”. He said the law and the prophets hang on these, Mt 22:40. What did He mean?
4. Pray for your cell group and through the prayer points to help us achieve our Vision/Mission as a church.
Prayer Points
1. Pray for comfort and peace for family of the 15yo boy brutally murdered in Vic this week.
2. Pray for America and copy-cat events in Australia. Australia’s monuments are being defaced.
3. Jesse Baxter has badly broken his arm and badly injured both wrists. Pray for quick healing.
4. Pray for thepresent turmoil going on with the riots in America. Pray for Christ’s peace. Also for other countries including Australia that often ride on the back of these events.
5. Pray for wisdom and clarity with some restrictions are being lifted next month.
6. Continue to pray for our government for wisdom and economic management.
7. Sunday’s fb live messages and for Kids church. The message this week – “Testing, testing” Deut 13 – Pr Jay.
8. Our online Chuwar Kids at church program – that our kids still feel connected to church and love worshipping Him.
9. Pastoral care. Pray people feel connected in this isolation period. Been great catching up with people at the Bean Redeemed café.
10. Church finances to meet our expenses and to put a roof over our café.
11. Our City and Country – Pray for revival over our city and the leadership of our country even through these challenging times. Pray especially for people to be stable with respect to mental health.
Praise Points.
1. Dylan Brandazzi who was at Recharge Youth a few years ago has been involved in a traffic altercation. I heard from his family that he is healing well. Praise the Lord.
2. Jesse Baxter is gaining strength in his hands, praise the Lord.
3. This wonderful rain.
4. Restrictions being lifted – cell groups can now meet up.
5. Finances being maintained and donation to Café roof. Thankyou! New temporary cover put on yesterday.
8. Streaming and fb live being done very well by the technical team. Thanks Doug, Dan, Jesse and Peter. Thanks worship team.
9. Australia’s response to the infection has been blessed. Continue to pray for wisdom with respect to our economy.
10. Praise the Lord churches are functioning well in this environment and the gospel is going out in the media.
11. Encouraging online comments – the church is still functioning well and people are being cared for.
Announcements
1. We are going to two services starting in July. First service will start at 8:30am. The second at 10am. Only the 10am service will be live streamed.
2. Pray about offerings to help with putting a roof over the café. Our temporary white shade has come to the end of its life. $6k required for a new roof. $3k has been donated.
3. Cell groups can meet up – Ask for details as to how and what is required.
4. New church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
5. Kids Church now streamed live at 9:00am every Sunday morning via CBC’s fb page. Will be run in the house for the 10am service starting in July.
