God thought the Israelites needed to be reminded of the Ten Commandments and then gives the greatest commandment to be followed. It’s our turn to be reminded.
Deuteronomy 5: The Ten Commandments
1 And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, "Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the rules that I speak in your hearing today, and you shall learn them and be careful to do them.
2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.
3 Not with our fathers did the LORD make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive today.
4 The LORD spoke with you face to face at the mountain, out of the midst of the fire,
5 while I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the LORD. For you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up into the mountain. He said:
6 "'I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
7 "'You shall have no other gods before me.
8 "'You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
9 You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
10 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
11 "'You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
12 "'Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you.
13 Six days you shall labour and do all your work,
14 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.
15 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
16 "'Honour your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
17 "'You shall not murder.
18 "'And you shall not commit adultery.
19 "'And you shall not steal.
20 "'And you shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
21 "'And you shall not covet your neighbour's wife. And you shall not desire your neighbour's house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbour's.'
22 "These words the LORD spoke to all your assembly at the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and he added no more. And he wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.
23 And as soon as you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes, and your elders.
24 And you said, 'Behold, the LORD our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire. This day we have seen God speak with man, and man still live.
25 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.
26 For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire as we have, and has still lived?
27 Go near and hear all that the LORD our God will say and speak to us all that the LORD our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it.'
28 "And the LORD heard your words, when you spoke to me. And the LORD said to me, 'I have heard the words of this people, which they have spoken to you. They are right in all that they have spoken.
29 Oh that they had such a mind as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!
30 Go and say to them, "Return to your tents."
31 But you, stand here by me, and I will tell you the whole commandment and the statutes and the rules that you shall teach them, that they may do them in the land that I am giving them to possess.'
32 You shall be careful therefore to do as the LORD your God has commanded you. You shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
33 You shall walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess.
Deuteronomy 6: The Greatest Commandment
1 "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 your eyes.
9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
10 "And when the LORD your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you---with great and good cities that you did not build,
11 and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant---and when you eat and are full,
12 then take care lest you forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
13 It is the LORD your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear.
14 You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you---
15 for the LORD your God in your midst is a jealous God---lest the anger of the LORD your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.
16 "You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah.
17 You shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies and his statutes, which he has commanded you.
18 And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, that it may go well with you, and that you may go in and take possession of the good land that the LORD swore to give to your fathers
19 by thrusting out all your enemies from before you, as the LORD has promised.
20 "When your son asks you in time to come, 'What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the LORD our God has commanded you?'
21 then you shall say to your son, 'We were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt. And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.
22 And the LORD showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes.
23 And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers.
24 And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are this day.
25 And it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us.'
Things to think about…
1. Moses speaks to this new generation the same words that the previous generation had heard. The words of the Lord do not change. The commandments remain the same. The Lord is still the God of the fire of Mt Sinai (Horeb) that the children of Israel feared and the same commandments that were given in Ex 20. The commandments are the same as the God who wrote them is still the same. We have all broken the commandments of the Lord and Christ has taken our punishment. But as Paul says, we should never allow grace to be a license for licentiousness. We are known by our fruit and the Lord has saved us that we might bear good fruit – John 15.
2. In Dt 5:14 we are commanded to keep the Sabbath. Of course, this can only be completely kept by accepting the Lord of the Sabbath - Jesus Christ as our Saviour. Sunday is not our Sabbath, but it allows us the opportunity to keep the commandment to not forsake the gathering together, Heb 12:28 so that we may worship the Lord of the Sabbath. Go to church that expounds and applies the scriptures and encourage other believers to do the same. Let’s continue to stir one another up in love and good works – this is why we were created.
3. We are so fickle aren’t we. The people said they would obey the words of the Lord Dt 5:29-31 and yet they lacked the perseverance to keep going. They initially feared the Lord when he showed smoke and fire at Mt Sinai but when this experience faded into their distant memory, they dropped off the wagon. How often do we see this happening even among Christians? People have a zeal for Christ for a while and then they fall away when trials come into their lives, Mt 13:21. Faith involves doing the basics. God reveals Himself to those who are faithful and consistent in their walk.
4. Jesus quoted Dt 5:5 by saying that the greatest commandment is “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” in Mt 22:37. This is the central focus of the OT and the NT. Our Mission statement as a church is ‘to know Christ and to make Him known’. Knowing God through Christ is the central theme of life. Know Him through reading, hearing, and applying His word. How simple is that?!
5. The next thing is that the next generation – our children, are taught to know God, Dt 6:7. But more than this, parents are to be involved in the lives of their grand children, Dt 6:2. We are after generational transformation by the gospel of Jesus. Grand parents also need to be present and active in the teaching of Christ in the lives of their grandchildren. The promise is that you multiply greatly, vs 3. Not just numerically but spiritually with your influence.
6. When in Israel there is always a Mezuzah with the symbol שדי (Shaddai) ‘Almighty’on the doorpost. It contains a small scroll with the verses from Dt 6:4-6 inside. See here for how believers in Yeshua (Jesus) can affix a Mezuzah http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Special_Events/Affixing_Mezuzah/affixing_mezuzah.html and for their significance and how they are attached etc. While the Jews do this outwardly, we as Christians should have the word of God written on our hearts and be ready in and out of season to share it. Scripture is good to have around the home, but it is even better to have to have it in our minds and hearts.
7. Holiness should be a heart disposition for the believer in Christ, Dt 6:12-18. The promises of taking the land in the Lord’s strength are given because the Lord’s power is on display in the life of the believer. This is why signs and wonders were shown against Egypt, vs 21 so that the commands of the Lord are kept, vs 24. This then leads to the miraculous – that righteousness, the holiness of God is given, vs 25. One goes with the other. A believer without a desire for holiness is like Satan. They are believers in God, but not saved from sin, Jam 2:19 and therefore not inheritors of the land (heaven).
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 starting Fri 28th July.
3. Pray for alpha course starting 26th July 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 Kids@church.
8. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
Praise Points
1. 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!
2. Andrew has gone to be with the Lord. He is free from pain and rejoicing with His Saviour around the throne.
3. Give thanks for Sally who has consistently been able to come to church with Richard.
4. Some encouraging signs of those wanting to consider who Jesus was. People asking about baptism.
5. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. Alpha Course starting on Wed 26th July – 6:30pm – invite non Christians to this course.
2. Friday afternoon Kids Klub – starting third term Fri 28th July – 3pm (3:30pm start) - 5:30pm.
3. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
4. Tune in again this week on our youtube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
Catechism questions for July...
Q. 10. Where is God? A. God is everywhere.
Psalm 139:7-12; Acts 17:27-28; Jeremiah 23:23-24.
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known” Jer 33:3
