Where would we be within the law? Praise God we have the law of Christ which is one of grace. He is the Prophet that was to be raised up. Be blessed.
Deuteronomy 18: Provision for Priests and Levites
1 "The Levitical priests, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the LORD's food offerings as their inheritance.
2 They shall have no inheritance among their brothers; the LORD is their inheritance, as he promised them.
3 And this shall be the priests' due from the people, from those offering a sacrifice, whether an ox or a sheep: they shall give to the priest the shoulder and the two cheeks and the stomach.
4 The firstfruits of your grain, of your wine and of your oil, and the first fleece of your sheep, you shall give him.
5 For the LORD your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons for all time.
6 "And if a Levite comes from any of your towns out of all Israel, where he lives---and he may come when he desires---to the place that the LORD will choose,
7 and ministers in the name of the LORD his God, like all his fellow Levites who stand to minister there before the LORD,
8 then he may have equal portions to eat, besides what he receives from the sale of his patrimony.
Abominable Practices
9 "When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations.
10 There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer
11 or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead,
12 for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. And because of these abominations the LORD your God is driving them out before you.
13 You shall be blameless before the LORD your God,
14 for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do this.
A New Prophet like Moses
15 "The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers---it is to him you shall listen---
16 just as you desired of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, 'Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.'
17 And the LORD said to me, 'They are right in what they have spoken.
18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.
19 And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.
20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.'
21 And if you say in your heart, 'How may we know the word that the LORD has not spoken?'---
22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.
Deuteronomy 19: Laws Concerning Cities of Refuge
1 "When the LORD your God cuts off the nations whose land the LORD your God is giving you, and you dispossess them and dwell in their cities and in their houses,
2 you shall set apart three cities for yourselves in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.
3 You shall measure the distances and divide into three parts the area of the land that the LORD your God gives you as a possession, so that any manslayer can flee to them.
4 "This is the provision for the manslayer, who by fleeing there may save his life. If anyone kills his neighbour unintentionally without having hated him in the past---
5 as when someone goes into the forest with his neighbour to cut wood, and his hand swings the axe to cut down a tree, and the head slips from the handle and strikes his neighbour so that he dies---he may flee to one of these cities and live,
6 lest the avenger of blood in hot anger pursue the manslayer and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him fatally, though the man did not deserve to die, since he had not hated his neighbour in the past.
7 Therefore I command you, You shall set apart three cities.
8 And if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as he has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land that he promised to give to your fathers---
9 provided you are careful to keep all this commandment, which I command you today, by loving the LORD your God and by walking ever in his ways---then you shall add three other cities to these three,
10 lest innocent blood be shed in your land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance, and so the guilt of bloodshed be upon you.
11 "But if anyone hates his neighbour and lies in wait for him and attacks him and strikes him fatally so that he dies, and he flees into one of these cities,
12 then the elders of his city shall send and take him from there, and hand him over to the avenger of blood, so that he may die.
13 Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, so that it may be well with you.
Property Boundaries
14 "You shall not move your neighbour's landmark, which the men of old have set, in the inheritance that you will hold in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.
Laws Concerning Witnesses
15 "A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.
16 If a malicious witness arises to accuse a person of wrongdoing,
17 then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days.
18 The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely,
19 then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.
20 And the rest shall hear and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you.
21 Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Things to think about…
1. Dt 18:1-8 refers to the portion the Levite gets as a part of Israel. They were not to inherit any land but live off the proceeds of the tithes and support of the other tribes. In return they were to teach the law and maintain the judicial system within Israel. We have the same concept as we support state and federal judges and the legal system in Australia. The spiritual aspect of this principle is clearly done by the church. There needs to be separation of church and state – but there is a blessing from the Lord when the church has more influence within the community. Let’s pray that may be so in our day.
2. Dt 18:9-14 we see the practises of those who were presently in Canaan as being detestable before the Lord and yet we know the unfortunate outcome – the Israelites fell under some of these practices and the worship of idols. Let’s continue to ask that our minds be more open to see what idols we have in our land and in what ways the church is vulnerable to serving them.
3. The prophet to come in Dt 18:15-22 is clearly the Lord Jesus Christ. Some recognised Jesus as this prophet when He ministered on the earth, Jn 6:14. But that is as far as many would go. Many could not accept Jesus as the Christ of God – and hence God Himself. The same is true today, people respect Jesus and His words and character, but refuse to acknowledge His deity and right to rule over them as Lord.
4. Christ is our City of Refuge Dt 19:1-13. We know that the Lord did add three more cities of refuge – three on each side of the Jordan. May He fill the current churches and continually add more through the gospel of Jesus, and many would run to Him – our true city of refuge.
5. Don’t remove or change the Scriptures, they are our spiritual landmark, this is so our spiritual inheritance may never be put in jeopardy, Dt 19:14. We see this admonition 3 times in the scriptures. Here in the law, once in Proverbs, Prov 30:6 in the middle and once in Rev 22:18, 19 at the end. God does not change and neither does His word. We conform to it and not the other way around.
6. Matt 18:15-20 is the spiritual outworking of this passage in Dt 19:15-21. Take a look. Discerning the heart between those who are in dispute is the goal of anyone in spiritual leadership. Often it is true that both parties have need of adjustment. But as is the case in this passage and Mt 18:15-20, there must be a separation of those who are unwilling to submit to truth, repentance, forgiveness and grace.
Vision statement for CBC
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Cell groups are encouraged to do alpha at church on Wednesday night 6:30pm at church. Be encouraged and join us.
Prayer Points
1. Pray for the appointment of Ric Benson as Church Health and Community Pastor to CBC. Ric will be preaching for the 2 weeks prior top the church vote on the 20th Aug and 27th Aug.
2. Pray for the Kids Klub advertising through Chaplain and RI this week. Pray this ministry builds in our community.
3. Pray for alpha course session Wed 6:30pm at Church. Invite non-Christians.
4. Pray about Sunday’s message that it would change lives.
5. That those who are new to the church are encouraged and settle in well into the church.
6. That we be bold in our witnessing for Christ. Pray for a heart to see those around you saved.
7. Pray for Rosie and Kids@church, pray for more teachers.
8. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
Praise Points
1. Praise the Lord for some good responses to Sunday’s message.
2. We had a good discussion with the young adults at the Beatty’s on how to engage the next generation with the gospel.
3. Great second session at alpha course last night. Had about 20 there.
4. Give thanks for Sally who has consistently been able to come to church with Richard.
5. Some encouraging signs of those wanting to consider who Jesus was. People asking about baptism.
6. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. Information session 27th Aug after the morning service.
2. Alpha Course 3rd session on Wed 2nd Aug – 6:30pm – invite non Christians to this course.
