Hearing God's Grace: Future Grace

at Titus. We're going to go from the old to the new. So in preparation, you might want

to read through Titus during the week. But Deuteronomy 31, and Kirsty is going to come

and read verse 9.

It's page 210 in the Church Bible, starting on verse 14.

The Lord said to Moses, Now the day of your death is near. Call Joshua and present yourselves

at the tent of meeting, where I will commission him. So Moses and Joshua came and presented

themselves at the tent of meeting. Then the Lord appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud,

and the cloud stood over the entrance to the tent. And the Lord said to Moses, You are going

to rest with your fathers, 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. On that day I will become angry with them and forsake them. I will hide my faith

from them and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and difficulties will come upon them.

And on that day they will ask, Have not these disasters come upon us because our God is not

with us? And I will certainly hide my faith on that day because of all their wickedness

and turning to other gods. Now write down for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites

and make them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them. When I have brought

them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised an oath to their forefathers,

and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting

me and breaking my covenant. And when many disasters and difficulties come upon them, this song will testify

against them because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. I know what they are disposed to

do even before I bring them into the land I promised them an oath. So Moses wrote down this song that day

and taught it to the Israelites. The Lord gave this command to Joshua, son of Nun, be strong and courageous

for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.

After Moses finished writing in a book the words of this law from beginning to end, he gave this

command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord. Take this book of the law and

place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. There it will remain as a witness against

you. For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If you have been rebellious against the Lord

while I am still alive and with you, how much more will you rebel after I die? Assemble before me all

the elders of your tribes and all your officials so that I can speak these words in their hearing

and call heaven and earth to testify against them. For I know that after my death you are sure to become

utterly corrupt and to turn from the way I have commanded you. In days to come disaster will fall upon

you because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord and provoke him to anger by what your hands have made.

I haven't got any notes but there's pens there if anybody would like a pen. We're going to be

looking at Deuteronomy 31 through to the very end 30 to 34. Not looking at everything but taking one

particular theme which I think is central to these few chapters. That theme is a difficult one. It's not easy.

I struggled with it myself in preparing and thought how can I really be saying this because it's not nice to hear.

But I trust that by the end we will be hugely encouraged. So let's pray and ask for God's help in this.

Our Father God we come to you as the living God who speaks his words so clearly to us.

And we ask that you would give us open hearts and open minds

to hear and to take on board what you are saying to us.

And that as we listen

we would be people who are driven

with arms open wide running

to the Lord Jesus our Savior.

pour out your spirit upon us generously.

Speak to us

as you did to the people then.

We pray in Jesus name. Amen.

Well we have not traveled very far.

In fact we are in exactly the same place

as we were back in chapter one.

God's people are still waiting to cross

the river Jordan into the promised land.

However, as we've been waiting to cross

Moses through a series of sermons

has reminded God's people

of God's persistent grace and goodness.

Despite their rebellious past and their disobedient lives

God will not give up on his people.

His chosen people who are his treasured possession.

He has rescued them from slavery.

He's given them a brand new beginning.

He has given them his word.

He has shown them how they're going to live in the new land

so that they can live in a right relationship with him.

Now as we get to the end of Deuteronomy

the long wait is finally over.

But before they cross into the promised land

the land of peace, prosperity and protection

Moses has one final sermon.

And this sermon is both shocking and surprising.

But through it all we will see that God's grace

is not just a past experience that we always look back to

but it is also a future experience

that we can enjoy.

First of all

the shock

our failure is predicted.

Look at verse 16 of chapter 31

verse 16 of chapter 31

And the Lord said to Moses

you're going to rest with your fathers.

In other words, you're going to die.

And these people will soon prostitute themselves

to the foreign gods of the land they are entering.

They are going to give their love,

their devotion to other things and other people.

They will forsake me

and break the covenant I made with them.

Verse 18

And I will certainly hide my face on that day

because of all their wickedness

in turning to other gods.

Now what an encouraging sermon to end with.

Listen up everybody

I've some great news for you

you're all going to fail.

For the last 30 chapters

Moses has been rehearsing

God's goodness to them.

He's told them about the beautiful land

that they're going to enter.

He's told them about God's good law

that he's provided.

But the reality is

while God is persistently gracious

his people are consistently rebellious.

And this isn't a warning to say

I'm telling you this so that you won't do it.

He's telling them as a reminder

of this is what you're like.

And to make sure that they never forget

what they are like

he writes a song for them to learn.

Look at verse 19

Now write down for yourselves this song

and teach it to the Israelites

and make them sing it

so that they may be a witness

for me against them.

When I have brought them into the land

flowing with milk and honey

the land I promise on oath

to their forefathers

and when they eat their fill and thrive

they will turn to other gods

and worship them

rejecting me

and breaking my covenant.

So he had to prepare a song

and write a song

and that song

has been recorded for us

in chapter 32.

Have a look at it there.

Here's the song

that he taught to them

that they all had to learn off.

It starts off quite well.

We actually sang a part of it earlier on

in verse 3 of chapter 32.

I will proclaim

the name of the Lord.

Oh praise the greatness of our God.

He is the rock.

His works are perfect.

All his ways are just.

A faithful God who does no wrong.

Upright and just is he.

Well that's as good as the song really gets.

Because then he begins to describe

what they're like in the song.

Look at verse 15.

Jeshurun

which is another name for Israel.

It means somebody who's upright.

A righteous person.

Well what did they do?

Verse 15.

They grew fat and kicked.

Filled with food.

He became heavy and sleek.

They had enjoyed God's amazing

generosity and graciousness.

But look at their response.

He abandoned the God who made him

and rejected the rock his saviour.

They made him jealous

with their foreign gods

and angered him

with their detestable idols.

They sacrificed to demons

which are not gods.

Gods they had not known.

Gods that recently appeared.

Gods your fathers did not fear.

You deserted the rock

who fathered you.

You forgot the God

who gave you birth.

Well welcome to our Sunday morning celebration.

This morning we're going to start

with one of our favourites.

Number 365 in the church praise book.

We are going to fail.

Let's sing together

as we remind ourselves

of how rebellious

and how sinful we are.

Let's join in together

shall we?

Starting at verse 15.

He abandoned the God

who made him

Not very tuneful

but I think you get the point.

Somehow

I don't think you'll find

that kind of song

or any other song like it

in a praise book.

Who needs to be reminded

of their capacity to fail?

It's not a very popular idea.

It's not very good

for our self-esteem

is it to be told

that you always fail?

After all

we know what we're like

don't we?

We don't need anybody

to tell us

what our hearts

are really like.

Do we?

Well reality bites.

As we have said before

this is not just

their story

of a people long ago

this is also

our story.

This is what we are like.

This is the heart

that God sees

within each one of us

and rather than

run away

from this awkward

and difficult truth

we need to face up

to the reality

of this truth.

Go back to chapter 31

verse 21.

Verse 21.

Look at the middle

of verse 21.

This is what God says

I know

what they are

disposed to do

even before

I bring them

into the promised land.

I know exactly

what they're going to do.

And it's no different

for us.

God knows

we're sitting here

in a worship

service

and he knows

exactly

that come Tuesday

I would have

said something

I ought not to have said.

He knows

that by

Sunday night

this very night

I will have been

thinking something

I shouldn't have been thinking.

And let's remember

this is not referring

to irreligious people

who have

never given God

a second thought

he's writing about

God's people

God's specially

chosen people

who have experienced

his grace

day after day

and this is what

he says about them

in verse 27

chapter 31

for I know

how rebellious

and stiff-necked

you are.

If you have been

rebellious against the Lord

while I am still alive

and while I'm with you

how much more

will you rebel

after I die

says Moses.

God knows

what we are like

and God

predicts

that we will

fail

and fall

time

and time

again.

well I said

it was hard

and it is difficult

and because

we don't like

to admit

failure

I think

we sometimes

live pretending

that we are

not as bad

as what we

actually are.

We try

and cover up

what our heart

is really like.

It's a little bit

like plastic

surgery.

You know

the 40 year old

who gets pumped

squeezed

and lifted

and struts

about like

a Hollywood

film star.

It's a fake.

It's a fraud.

They're afraid

to smile

in case

their face

cracks

and what's worse

everybody else

goes along

with it

and says

oh don't

they look

so beautiful.

But it's

all plastic.

It's not real.

So let me

ask ourselves

this searching

question.

Do we

live with

a plastic

spirituality?

Have we

just somehow

altered

the outside?

Pumped

ourselves up

with this

religious

exterior

and we

strut about

and we

come along

to meetings

and go

to other

people

as if

everything's

fine.

I don't

struggle.

I don't

have any

issues with

sin in my

life.

everything

is fine.

The worst

thing that

we can

do

is pretend.

If God

predicts

our failure

why should

we even

try and

hide it?

It seems

the best

thing we

can do

is face

up to

the reality

of who

we really

are.

look at

chapter 32

verse 44

Moses

came with

Joshua

son of

Nun and

spoke all

the words

of this

song in

the hearing

of the

people

and when

Moses

finished

reciting

all these

words to

all Israel

he said

to them

take to

heart all

the words

I have

solemnly

declared

to you

this day

so that

you may

command

your

children

to obey

carefully

all the

words

of this

law.

So

parents

our

children

have not

been born

into this

world

basically

good.

Our

children

are

basically

bad

and the

song was

there to

remind

them

but of

course

it's not

just

little

people

we're

just

bigger

children

aren't

we?

We get

it wrong

just as

much.

Verse 47

they are

not just

idle words

just kind

of things

written

just for

well for

whatever

reason

these words

are not

just idle

words for

you they

are your

life.

You see

it was

actually

good for

them

to sing

about what

they were

like

it was

good to

reflect

and see

what their

life was

like because

it's only

when we

see what

we are

truly like

that we

do fail

on a

continual

basis

it's only

then that

we will

actually see

our

desperate

need of

God's

grace

our

God's

grace to

us today

and God's

grace

every day

to come

well

that's

the

shock

our

failure

is

predicted

but then

second

the

surprise

our

salvation

is

provided

failure

there's

going

to be

but

don't

worry

Moses

is going

to come

to the

rescue

he

always

has

or

will

he

look

at

verse

48

of

chapter

32

on

that

same

day

the

Lord

told

Moses

go

up

into

the

Abraham

range

to

Mount

Nebo

to

Moab

across

from

Jericho

and

view

Canaan

the

land

I'm

giving

the

Israelites

at

their

own

possession

so

climb

up

that

mountain

and

look

at

the

land

the

people

are

going

to

get

there

on

the

mountain

that

you

have

climbed

you

will

die

and

be

gathered

to

your

people

how

could

that

happen

Moses

was

their

great

leader

it

was

through

Moses

that

God

had

rescued

them

from

Egypt

it

was

through

Moses

that

God

had

spoken

to

them

it

was

Moses

who

mediated

on

their

behalf

rescuing

them

from

certain

destruction

it

was

Moses

who

prayed

for

the

people

and

brought

about

blessing

instead

of

curse

it

was

always

Moses

who

got

them

out

of

trouble

time

and

time

again

Moses

always

came

to

the

rescue

so

now

can

we

begin

to

see

the

seriousness

of

their

situation

Moses

has

just

given

them

this

long

big

song

predicting

their

failure

which

they're

to

sing

to

their

children

and

everybody's

to

remember

what

failures

they

all

are

and

then

on the

other

hand

he

just

tells

them

I'm

going

to

die

so

who's

going

to

stand

in

for

them

now

who's

going

to

pray

for

them

when

they

fail

who's

going

to

mediate

for

them

when

God

responds

to

their

disobedience

and

that's

the

reality

of

what

we're

faced

with

by

the

end

of

the

book

that's

how

the

whole

sermon

finishes

the

last

part

chapter

34

is

all

about

how

Moses

died

and

we

don't

even

know

where

he's

buried

but

he's

dead

he's

gone

you're

going

to

fail

and

your

great

rescuing

prophet

is

dead

so

who

is

going

to

come

to

their

rescue

well

here

is

the

amazing

surprise

even

with

the

knowledge

of

future

failure

God

meets

us

day

by

day

with

future

grace

incredible

three

things

to see

God's

amazing

grace

meeting

us

in

our

failures

first

of

all

the

presence

of

God

go

back

to

chapter

31

verse

1

then

Moses

went

out

and

he

spoke

these

words

to

all

Israel

I

am

now

120

years

old

and

I

am

no

longer

able

to

lead

you

the

Lord

has

said

to

me

you

shall

not

cross

the

Jordan

so

we

know

Moses

is

going

to

die

so

who

is

going

to

lead

them

who's

going

to

go

before

them

well

answer

verse

3

the

Lord

your

God

himself

will

cross

over

ahead

of

you

he

will

destroy

these

nations

before

you

and

you

will

take

possession

of

their

land

verse

6

be

strong

and

courageous

do

not

be

afraid

or

terrified

because

of

them

for

the

Lord

your

God

goes

with

you

he

will

never

leave

you

nor

forsake

you

does

that

surprise

you

it

surprises

me

knowing

their

failure

knowing

that

they

would

have

this

song

of

failure

to

sing

knowing

what

their

future

lives

are

going

to

be

like

God

makes

this

promise

that

he

will

never

forsake

them

and

he

is

never

going

to

leave

them

not

only

is

he

going

to

bring

them

into

the

land

he

promises

to

fight

their

battles

for

them

and

that

he

will

stay

with

them

through

all

of

their

failures

Moses

of

course

is

going

to

die

but

God's

presence

is

going

to

remain

look at

verse

8

the

Lord

himself

goes

before

you

and

will

be

with

you

he

will

never

leave

you

nor

forsake

you

do

not

be

afraid

do

not

be

discouraged

now

is

that

not

what

his

people

experience

on a

greater

level

today

is

that

not

what

we

have

today

but

so

much

better

not

only

is

this

promise

true

for

us

that

God

will

never

leave

us

nor

forsake

us

but

now

by

his

Holy

Spirit

the

risen

Lord

Jesus

the

living

Christ

has

come

to

live

in

us

despite

our

continuous

failure

God

doesn't

abandon

failures

like

you

and

me

he

comes

to

them

he

not

only

intervenes

into

the

world

but

he

actually

comes

to

live

in

them

to

change

us

and

to

transform

us

and

to

deal

with

our

lives

so

we

become

more

like

him

God

doesn't

abandon

failures

he

comes

to

live

in

failures

second

the

word

of

God

Moses

is

going

to

die

but

God

will

continue

to

speak

his

word

to

his

people

look

at

verse

9

of

chapter

31

so

Moses

wrote

down

this

law

and

gave

it

to

the

priests

the

sons

of

Levi

who

carried

the

ark

of

the

covenant

of

the

Lord

and

to

all

the

elders

of

Israel

down

to

verse

11

when

all

Israel

comes

to

appear

before

the

Lord

your

God

at

the

place

he

will

choose

you

shall

read

this

law

before

them

in

their

hearing

so

although

Moses

is

going

to

die

God

has

provided

a

way

for

them

to

keep

hearing

his

word

it's

written

down

there'll

be

a

place

for

them

to

meet

and

it

will

be

spoken

to

them

so

verse

12

assemble

the

people

men

women

and

children

and

the

aliens

all

the

outsiders

living

in

your

towns

so

that

they

can

listen

and

learn

to

fear

the

Lord

your

God

and

follow

carefully

all

the

words

of

this

law

so

as

they

come

together

all

God's

people

they

are

coming

to

hear

God's

word

of

grace

remember

God

is not

calling

perfect

people

to

come

to

him

these

are

people

he

know

who

are

going

to

fail

and

he

provides

the

means

and

he

says

I

want

you

to

come

together

to

listen

to

this

word

he

commands

that

failures

come

and

listen

to

his

word

and

is

that

not

what

we're

doing

right

now

are

we

not

God's

people

who

have

been

assembled

together

as

we

are

now

to

hear

the

word

of

grace

here

we

are

sat

alongside

each

other

perhaps

we've

come

with a

kind

of

pretense

and we

don't

really

want

people

to

see

inside

our

hearts

and

maybe

we've

even

put on

a bit

of a

mask

to

God

but

you

know

what

he's

calling

us

he says

I want

you

to

gather

together

as

failures

people

who've

messed

up

time

and

time

again

this

past

week

people

who

are

going

to

mess

up

next

week

and

we

come

together

to be

reminded

of

God's

goodness

to us

in

Christ

again

and

again

and

again

in

the

words

of

Hebrews

it

says

let us

draw

near

to

God

let's

come

to

him

with

a

sincere

heart

that is

with

an

open

one

not

a

pretense

one

one

that's

real

and

honest

in

full

assurance

of

faith

having

our

hearts

sprinkled

to

cleanse

us

from

a

guilty

conscience

and

having

our

bodies

washed

with

pure

water

and

let's

not

give

up

meeting

together

as

some

are

in

the

habit

of

doing

but

let's

encourage

one

another

this

is a

gathering

here

of

people

not

of

plastic

spirituality

but

surely

people

who

can

come

open

and

honest

with

all

our

failures

we

shouldn't

arrive

in

here

and

be

shocked

that

somebody

has

done

something

wrong

or

said

something

they

shouldn't

have

said

we

are

who

we

are

gathered

failures

in

need

of

God's

grace

he

doesn't

reject

failures

he

gathers

them

to

meet

with

him

to

know

his

grace

that's

why

I'm

here

today

and

I

hope

it's

why

you're

here

so

the

presence

of

God

the

word

of

God

then

the

third

one

the

savior

of

God

in

many

ways

Moses

was

seen

as

their

savior

their

redeemer

he's

something

of a

hero

through

the

book

of

Deuteronomy

that's

how

the

book

finishes

look

at

chapter

34

verses

10

to

12

the

last

few

verses

chapter

chapter

chapter

34

verse

10

since

then

no

prophet

has

risen

in

Israel

like

Moses

whom

the

Lord

knew

face

to

face

who

did

all

those

miraculous

signs

and

wonders

the

Lord

sent

him

to

do

in

Egypt

to

Pharaoh

and to

all

his

officials

and to

his

whole

land

for

no

one

has

ever

shown

the

mighty

power

or

performed

the

awesome

deeds

that

Moses

did

in

the

sight

of

all

Israel

that's

amazing

isn't

it

a great

hero

but

he's

just

died

he's

dead

so

who's

going

to

take

his

place

well

as

we

were

reading

in

Deuteronomy

31

Joshua

was

going

to

come

he

would

take

over

but

the

point

is

here

that

there's

nobody

like

Moses

Joshua

would

do

a

good

job

but

there

was