Praise the Lord for His word. The main message this morning – Love God and worship Him as directed.
Deuteronomy 11: Love and Serve the LORD
1 "You shall therefore love the LORD your God and keep his charge, his statutes, his rules, and his commandments always.
2 And consider today (since I am not speaking to your children who have not known or seen it), consider the discipline of the LORD your God, his greatness, his mighty hand and his outstretched arm,
3 his signs and his deeds that he did in Egypt to Pharaoh the king of Egypt and to all his land,
4 and what he did to the army of Egypt, to their horses and to their chariots, how he made the water of the Red Sea flow over them as they pursued after you, and how the LORD has destroyed them to this day,
5 and what he did to you in the wilderness, until you came to this place,
6 and what he did to Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, son of Reuben, how the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households, their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the midst of all Israel.
7 For your eyes have seen all the great work of the LORD that he did.
8 "You shall therefore keep the whole commandment that I command you today, that you may be strong, and go in and take possession of the land that you are going over to possess,
9 and that you may live long in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers to give to them and to their offspring, a land flowing with milk and honey.
10 For the land that you are entering to take possession of it is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and irrigated it, like a garden of vegetables.
11 But the land that you are going over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water by the rain from heaven,
12 a land that the LORD your God cares for. The eyes of the LORD your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.
13 "And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,
14 he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil.
15 And he will give grass in your fields for your livestock, and you shall eat and be full.
16 Take care lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them;
17 then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and he will shut up the heavens, so that there will be no rain, and the land will yield no fruit, and you will perish quickly off the good land that the LORD is giving you.
18 "You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
19 You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
20 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,
21 that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth.
22 For if you will be careful to do all this commandment that I command you to do, loving the LORD your God, walking in all his ways, and holding fast to him,
23 then the LORD will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourselves.
24 Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours. Your territory shall be from the wilderness to the Lebanon and from the River, the river Euphrates, to the western sea.
25 No one shall be able to stand against you. The LORD your God will lay the fear of you and the dread of you on all the land that you shall tread, as he promised you.
26 "See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse:
27 the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today,
28 and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known.
29 And when the LORD your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, you shall set the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.
30 Are they not beyond the Jordan, west of the road, toward the going down of the sun, in the land of the Canaanites who live in the Arabah, opposite Gilgal, beside the oak of Moreh?
31 For you are to cross over the Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving you. And when you possess it and live in it,
32 you shall be careful to do all the statutes and the rules that I am setting before you today.
Deuteronomy 12: The LORD's Chosen Place of Worship
1 "These are the statutes and rules that you shall be careful to do in the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess, all the days that you live on the earth.
2 You shall surely destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.
3 You shall tear down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and burn their Asherim with fire. You shall chop down the carved images of their gods and destroy their name out of that place.
4 You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way.
5 But you shall seek the place that the LORD your God will choose out of all your tribes to put his name and make his habitation there. There you shall go,
6 and there you shall bring your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, your vow offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock.
7 And there you shall eat before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your households, in all that you undertake, in which the LORD your God has blessed you.
8 "You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes,
9 for you have not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance that the LORD your God is giving you.
10 But when you go over the Jordan and live in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, and when he gives you rest from all your enemies around, so that you live in safety,
11 then to the place that the LORD your God will choose, to make his name dwell there, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, and all your finest vow offerings that you vow to the LORD.
12 And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your sons and your daughters, your male servants and your female servants, and the Levite that is within your towns, since he has no portion or inheritance with you.
13 Take care that you do not offer your burnt offerings at any place that you see,
14 but at the place that the LORD will choose in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I am commanding you.
15 "However, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your towns, as much as you desire, according to the blessing of the LORD your God that he has given you. The unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and as of the deer.
16 Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out on the earth like water.
17 You may not eat within your towns the tithe of your grain or of your wine or of your oil, or the firstborn of your herd or of your flock, or any of your vow offerings that you vow, or your freewill offerings or the contribution that you present,
18 but you shall eat them before the LORD your God in the place that the LORD your God will choose, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, and the Levite who is within your towns. And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God in all that you undertake.
19 Take care that you do not neglect the Levite as long as you live in your land.
20 "When the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as he has promised you, and you say, 'I will eat meat,' because you crave meat, you may eat meat whenever you desire.
21 If the place that the LORD your God will choose to put his name there is too far from you, then you may kill any of your herd or your flock, which the LORD has given you, as I have commanded you, and you may eat within your towns whenever you desire.
22 Just as the gazelle or the deer is eaten, so you may eat of it. The unclean and the clean alike may eat of it.
23 Only be sure that you do not eat the blood, for the blood is the life, and you shall not eat the life with the flesh.
24 You shall not eat it; you shall pour it out on the earth like water.
25 You shall not eat it, that all may go well with you and with your children after you, when you do what is right in the sight of the LORD.
26 But the holy things that are due from you, and your vow offerings, you shall take, and you shall go to the place that the LORD will choose,
27 and offer your burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, on the altar of the LORD your God. The blood of your sacrifices shall be poured out on the altar of the LORD your God, but the flesh you may eat.
28 Be careful to obey all these words that I command you, that it may go well with you and with your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the LORD your God.
Warning Against Idolatry
29 "When the LORD your God cuts off before you the nations whom you go in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land,
30 take care that you be not ensnared to follow them, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, 'How did these nations serve their gods?---that I also may do the same.'
31 You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the LORD hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.
32 "Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.
Things to think about…
1. Moses begins with the greatest commandment is – “You shall therefore love the LORD your God and keep his charge, his statutes, his rules, and his commandments always Dt11:1. Jesus of course said the same in the gospels. But look at what Moses says to his hearers in the following verses. This new generation are about to enter the land and Moses is reminding them of what they experienced leaving Egypt, Dt 2:1 (the very young at the time) and also the Lord’s judgements upon those who rebelled in the wilderness, Dt 11:3-7. He says remember the discipline of the Lord. He disciplined the Egyptians in the Red Sea, but more than this He disciplined the rebels who set themselves up against the Lord by having the ground open up and swallow them. God hates sin whether it is committed by the Jew or the Gentile. The same is true for the Christian and non-Christian. Just because our sin is forgiven in Christ, we should never think He regards it any less. If we are possessed by the Holy Spirit then our desire is to be holy.
2. In Dt 11:8-26 the Lord makes it very clear that the land is good which they are about to inherit, but it will only remain theirs if they keep from idols. He reminds them that they must keep the Lord’s laws at the forefront of their minds and hearts. Orthodox Jews take this very literally by having a little box with scripture written in it on foreheads, arms and on every door in Israel. We of course believe these commandments were to be written on the mind and heart. But having said that, scripture around the house is a great idea for all of us as a reminder to all in our family to follow the Lord as revealed in His word. What scriptures are in prominent places in your house?
3. The Lord wants the Israelites to take over the land and worship according to His law and not the laws and worship of idols that are presently in the land Dt 12:1-4. In fact the Asherim and other idols are to be torn down, vs 3. We live in a pluralistic society. The only way we can honour the Lord is by abstaining from the corruption of an anti-god system. Unbelievers are never converted by Christians compromising their faith by practising what the world does.
4. Look at the laws of worship within the Levitical towns Dt 12:5. Consider the modern equivalent to being Christian homes that desire to see Christian towns and Christian nations flourish. How do the principles in this chapter apply to us? Remember no-one will see the Lord without holiness.
5. Note that it says not to do what is right in your own eyes, Dt 12:8. This is a rebuke to what we see in the book of Judges which is exactly what they did, Jdgs 17:6; 21:25. Israel was to do what was right in the Lord’s eyes. This is a daily choice for every believer. May we set our eyes before the Lord and ask for His guidance and ability to obey every day.
6. Even when we do worship the Lord it has to be according to His prescription. The warning here is not to sacrifice anywhere, Dt 12:13, but in the place prescribed by the Lord, vs 14.
7. The tithes and grain offerings were to be given and eaten in the prescribed place. A modern-day example is where people give money to charities or even Christian organisations but are required to tithe and bring into the storehouse – the church. This is a challenge for people who believe their way is right. But again, some are doing what is right in their own eyes. Sacrificing where and how the Lord has not commanded. Offerings can be given at any time, but tithes are to be used for the extension of the gospel via the means of the local church, Mal 3:8-10; Mt 23:23; 1Cor 16:1-2a; 1Tim 5:17, 18. The church is a modern-day application of looking after the Levite in the town, Dt 12:13, 14. If churches are neglected, the Word of God subsides and does not have an influence in society, and as such we are poorer as a result and the next generation suffers.
8. Obedience brings blessing, Dt 12:28. When we serve the Lord our heart should not be, “I will relate to these people by doing what they do”. This is a false spiritual economy and never works. Show them the way by being what the Lord asks of you, not what the world would offer. To do so is to be become ensnared Dt 12:30.
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 Tad and family as they continue life after Andy. The comfort is they know where he is.
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.
8. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
Praise Points
1. Praise God for Andrew Otte’s message. Continue to pray the word of God influences people by the Holy Spirit.
2. Praise God for new life! Jennifer has been blessed with 2 more grandchildren. Twin girls – Aurelia Rose Blackwood and Callista Lily Blackwood – 2kg each. Both healthy and mum as well. Praise the name of the Lord!
3. God for the start of the first alpha course and Kids Klub last week.
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. Alpha Course 2nd session on Wed 2nd Aug – 6:30pm – invite non Christians to this course.
