Maintain the the law written on the tablet of your heart
Our Lord reminds us that His law needs to be written on the tablets of our hearts. Our Lord asks that these be made of flesh and not stone.
Deuteronomy 9: Not Because of Righteousness
1 "Hear, O Israel: you are to cross over the Jordan today, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourselves, cities great and fortified up to heaven,
2 a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you have heard it said, 'Who can stand before the sons of Anak?'
3 Know therefore today that he who goes over before you as a consuming fire is the LORD your God. He will destroy them and subdue them before you. So you shall drive them out and make them perish quickly, as the LORD has promised you.
4 "Do not say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out before you, 'It is because of my righteousness that the LORD has brought me in to possess this land,' whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out before you.
5 Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
6 "Know, therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people.
7 Remember and do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD.
8 Even at Horeb you provoked the LORD to wrath, and the LORD was so angry with you that he was ready to destroy you.
9 When I went up the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the LORD made with you, I remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water.
10 And the LORD gave me the two tablets of stone written with the finger of God, and on them were all the words that the LORD had spoken with you on the mountain out of the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly.
11 And at the end of forty days and forty nights the LORD gave me the two tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant.
12 Then the LORD said to me, 'Arise, go down quickly from here, for your people whom you have brought from Egypt have acted corruptly. They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them; they have made themselves a metal image.'
The Golden Calf
13 "Furthermore, the LORD said to me, 'I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stubborn people.
14 Let me alone, that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. And I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.'
15 So I turned and came down from the mountain, and the mountain was burning with fire. And the two tablets of the covenant were in my two hands.
16 And I looked, and behold, you had sinned against the LORD your God. You had made yourselves a golden calf. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the LORD had commanded you.
17 So I took hold of the two tablets and threw them out of my two hands and broke them before your eyes.
18 Then I lay prostrate before the LORD as before, forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all the sin that you had committed, in doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD to provoke him to anger.
19 For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure that the LORD bore against you, so that he was ready to destroy you. But the LORD listened to me that time also.
20 And the LORD was so angry with Aaron that he was ready to destroy him. And I prayed for Aaron also at the same time.
21 Then I took the sinful thing, the calf that you had made, and burned it with fire and crushed it, grinding it very small, until it was as fine as dust. And I threw the dust of it into the brook that ran down from the mountain.
22 "At Taberah also, and at Massah and at Kibroth-hattaavah you provoked the LORD to wrath.
23 And when the LORD sent you from Kadesh-barnea, saying, 'Go up and take possession of the land that I have given you,' then you rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God and did not believe him or obey his voice.
24 You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you.
25 "So I lay prostrate before the LORD for these forty days and forty nights, because the LORD had said he would destroy you.
26 And I prayed to the LORD, 'O Lord GOD, do not destroy your people and your heritage, whom you have redeemed through your greatness, whom you have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.
27 Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Do not regard the stubbornness of this people, or their wickedness or their sin,
28 lest the land from which you brought us say, "Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land that he promised them, and because he hated them, he has brought them out to put them to death in the wilderness."
29 For they are your people and your heritage, whom you brought out by your great power and by your outstretched arm.'
Deuteronomy 10: New Tablets of Stone
1 "At that time the LORD said to me, 'Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to me on the mountain and make an ark of wood.
2 And I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets that you broke, and you shall put them in the ark.'
3 So I made an ark of acacia wood, and cut two tablets of stone like the first, and went up the mountain with the two tablets in my hand.
4 And he wrote on the tablets, in the same writing as before, the Ten Commandments that the LORD had spoken to you on the mountain out of the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly. And the LORD gave them to me.
5 Then I turned and came down from the mountain and put the tablets in the ark that I had made. And there they are, as the LORD commanded me."
6 (The people of Israel journeyed from Beeroth Bene-jaakan to Moserah. There Aaron died, and there he was buried. And his son Eleazar ministered as priest in his place.
7 From there they journeyed to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land with brooks of water.
8 At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD to stand before the LORD to minister to him and to bless in his name, to this day.
9 Therefore Levi has no portion or inheritance with his brothers. The LORD is his inheritance, as the LORD your God said to him.)
10 "I myself stayed on the mountain, as at the first time, forty days and forty nights, and the LORD listened to me that time also. The LORD was unwilling to destroy you.
11 And the LORD said to me, 'Arise, go on your journey at the head of the people, so that they may go in and possess the land, which I swore to their fathers to give them.'
Circumcise Your Heart
12 "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
13 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good?
14 Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it.
15 Yet the LORD set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day.
16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.
17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.
18 He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.
19 Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
20 You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear.
21 He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen.
22 Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy persons, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven.
Things to think about…
1. Why did the Lord drive out the nations of Canaan from before Israel? Moses gives the Israelites God’s answer in Dt 9:4. It was because of their wickedness, not Israel’s righteousness. Israel even today still ignores the commands of the Lord. Praise God His mercy endures forever. What a tragic situation it is when unbelievers live more honourable lives than those who say they know Jesus. Let’s hold each other accountable as to how we live our lives making sure we honour Christ in our words and witness.
2. Moses was so grieved by the golden calf incident that he broke the first two tablets of stone that had the Ten Commandments written on them. Have you ever been so grieved by the sin of someone you love that nothing else mattered and you were consumed by it? God hears the heart cries of parents that weep over children who are turning their backs upon Christ. Let’s encourage each other to be like Moses and continue to intercede for those whom we love. By God’s grace one day the promises of God will dawn on them and they will praise the God of their parents.
3. The Lord re-writes the same words on two new tablets. Note it says that the same words were written. God’s law and standards do not change. His words remain the same because He is the same yesterday, today and forever, Heb 13:8. Let’s not try and make God in our image. The children of Israel had to be obedient to God’s words and we are no different. The Apostle John says the commandments of the Lord are not burdensome 1Jn 5:3 . Do you find this to be the case in your life? Is there any part of the Lord’s will that you struggle with? If so, don’t keep it a secret – share it and have others support you.
4. What’s the use of circumcision if the heart does not honour the One for whom the sign of circumcision is given. Surely this is hypocrisy. What good is our church attendance, ministry and confession if our lives is not an accurate portrayal of Christ before those who don’t follow Him. Our Lord sees your heart. If you do believe in Jesus, but simply struggle with sin at times, this is a completely different thing. The heart is the issue. Let’s encourage each other to maintain a humble spirit of confession and repentance. The reason for this is given in Dt 10:21. Remember what He has done in your life in the past and where He is taking you in the future.
Vision Point
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Prayer Points
1. Dylan Brandazzi who was at Recharge Youth a few years ago has been involved in a traffic altercation. He is in Toowoomba hospital in a serious but stable condition.
2. Jesse Baxter has badly broken his arm and badly injured both wrists. Pray for quick healing.
3. 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.
4. Pray for wisdom and clarity with some restrictions are being lifted this week.
5. Continue to pray for our government for wisdom and economic management.
6. Pray that as restrictions are lifted that businesses may return and people who have lost their jobs may return to gainful employment..
7. Sunday’s fb live messages and for Kids church. The message this week – “Listen Up” Deut 6 – Graham Willey.
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. Two autistic boys who strayed from home this week have been found safe and well. Praise God
2. Restrictions being lifted – cell groups can now meet up.
3. Finances being maintained and donation to Café roof. Thankyou!
6. Streaming and fb live being done very well by the technical team. Thanks Doug, Dan, Jesse and Peter. Thanks worship team.
7. Australia’s response to the infection has been blessed. Continue to pray for wisdom with respect to our economy.
8. Praise the Lord churches are functioning well in this environment and the gospel is going out in the media.
9. 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.
