Andrew Stepp | Deuteronomy THINGS I CAN INVITE MY FRIENDS TO Vision - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Andrew Stepp | Deuteronomy

THINGS I CAN INVITE MY FRIENDS TO…  Vision Gathering TONIGHT, 4-6pm, River Oaks!  State of the City – March 2-3 - finding a new response to homelessness and poverty  Father Greg Boyle – Preaching all services on Palm Sunday, March 25

 Review of last week  Cinema History  Components of a Good Motivational Speech  Context  Outline  2 Central Themes  Israel’s Greatest Threat  Weekly Reading Plan

 In Genesis 12, God promised Abraham that he would make them into a great nation with lots of people (stars and sand!!) as well as the entire land of Canaan.  After they grow into a multitude in Egypt over a relatively brief period of time, God delivers them miraculously from slavery.  At Mt. Sinai God gives them a new identity – no longer slaves but a treasured possession.  They receive the Law as both national and religious law to reinforce that new identity and provide structure for their existence.  They spend 1 year at the foot of Mt. Sinai preparing to follow God into the Promised Land.

Numbers 1-10: What could go wrong??????

Now the people complained... (11:1)

 The primary driving force behind everything is God’s promise/covenant with Abraham that his seed would inherit the land of Canaan.  “Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the L ORD , dwell among the Israelites.” Numbers 35:34  “The Land I am giving…” “…I promised” Genesis – Numbers = 35x Deuteronomy = 48x

 The conquest involved the second phase of the holy war – phase one was Egypt.  In Phase One God was the only one who fought; In Phase Two there will be greater expectation on Israel to participate.  Exodus 13:17-18 – The “Way of the Philistines” – Why didn’t God let them take the more direct path out of Egypt?  The first census prepares to take the land from Kadesh, but they don’t trust God. Total: 603,000 soldiers (Probably a total population of 2-3million people)  The second census is taking the land by way of the “Transjordan.” Total: 601,000 soldiers.

 Israel is a disappointing mess through Numbers.  Remember Ex. 15:22-17:7 - complaining against God  We are constantly reminded that this is not Israel’s story. This is God’s story above all else, and God will keep his part of the covenant with Abraham regarding his descendants and the land.

God always provides enough; We just want more. greed, lust, addiction, gluttony, hoarding etc. Vs contentment, joy, gratitude, modesty etc.

 The most influential book on the rest of Scripture  History  Prophets  Jesus and Paul  And One of my favorites!

Hoosiers – “I don’t care what the scoreboard says”

Miracle on Ice “Great Moments are Born from Great Opportunity”

Braveheart “…they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!”

Remember the Titans “Take a lesson from the dead…” (Gettysburg)

Patton – “…when this war is over and you get back home. Thirty years from now when you're sitting by your fireside with your grandson on your knee and he asks, 'What did you do in the great World War Two?' You won't have to cough and say, 'Well, your granddaddy shoveled (stuff) in Louisiana.' No sir, you can look him straight in the eye and say 'Son, your granddaddy rode with the great Third Army and a son-of-a- (gun) named George Patton!”

 Make people believe in themselves  Make them look bigger and their problems look smaller  Master of your own fate and destiny  You’re good enough, smart enough, pretty enough…  Tap the potential of human ego

• Encamped across the river from Jericho • Attempt #2 to take the land • Remember what happened the first time • Renew the Covenant

 Remembrance  Gratitude  Humility  Trust and Obedience

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. 10 Remember the day you stood before the L ORD your God at Horeb (4:9-10)

20 In the future, when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of… laws the L ORD our God has commanded you?” 21 tell him: “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the L ORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 Before our eyes the L ORD sent signs and wonders—great and terrible—on Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. 23 But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land he promised on oath to our ancestors. 24 The L ORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the L ORD our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. 25 And if we are careful to obey all this law before the L ORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.” (6:20-25)

Deut. 8:6-10 – Observe the commands of the L ORD your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him. 7 For the L ORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; 8 a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; 9 a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. 10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the L ORD your God for the good land he has given you.

Deut. 7:7-8 – The L ORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. The L ORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. 8 But it was because the L ORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors… 9:1-6 – Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the L ORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.

Deut. 11 – Love the L ORD your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always. 7:9 – Know therefore that the L ORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.

 1-3 – A Look Back  4-11 – The Great Exhortation  12-26 – Covenant Requirements  27-30 – The Covenant Renewal Ceremony  31-34 – A Look Forward

 Deuteronomy 4:32-40

 Hear, O Israel: The L ORD our God, the L ORD is one. 5 Love the L ORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (6:4-5)  The greatest commandment according to Jesus  Chapter 13 – No other gods!!

 Their behavior? (sacrifices and a system of laws/punishments)  Their number and physical size of their enemies? (God’s going to drive them out)  A potential Lack of provisions? (The land is rich and fertile; and God gave them an eternal wear and tear policy)  A lack of enough people? (God made them a multitude and guarantees their safety )

 Will they be faithful to Yahweh? (7:1-6)  Syncretism – “combining religious systems”  Yahweh cannot be worshiped in the form of or alongside Baal, Ashtoreh, (the Canaanite fertility gods) or any of the rest of them.  18:9-13

This will be THE problem that ruins Israel until Jesus! And the L ORD said to Moses: “You are going to rest with your ancestors, and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them… And I will certainly hide my face in that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods. (31:16-18)

Imagine a church that stop believing in Jesus, stopped teaching the Bible, and started worshiping multiple gods. What would happen to it?

 Blessings and Curses (28) – Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim  The Renewal itself (29)  “You’re going to screw this up… but God will be ready to forgive you and bless you once again when you return to him.” (30:1-10)  The Choice: Life or Death; Blessing or Curse (31:11-20)

 Moses is going to die. Joshua will take over.(31:1-8)  A Prediction: Israel will “prostitute themselves to the foreign gods,” forsake God, and break the covenant. (31:14-29)  The Song of Moses (32)  Moses Blesses the Tribes (33)  Moses dies on Mt. Nebo. (34)

Option 1: Deuteronomy 1-34 – 7,7,7,7,6 Option 2:  1-4 – A Look Back  5-7 – Ten Commandments; Love for God alone!  8-11 – A Slice of Humble Pie  12-13, 15 – Worship God alone! And a few laws  27-30 – Covenant Renewal

CSMITH@FPCHOUSTON.ORG