Hearing God's Grace: A Reminder of God's Power

When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come upon you and you take them to heart,

wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations,

and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul,

according to everything I have commanded you today,

then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you

and gather you again from all the nations where I scattered you.

Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens,

from there the Lord your God will gather and bring you back.

He will bring you to the land that belongs to your fathers and you will take possession of it.

He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers.

The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants

so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul and live.

The Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you.

You will again obey the Lord and follow all his commands I am giving you today.

Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands

and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land.

The Lord will again delight in you and will make you prosperous just as he delights in your fathers.

If you obey the Lord your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this book of the law

and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.

It is not up in heaven so that you have to ask,

Who will ascend into heaven to get it and obey it to us so that we may obey it?

Nor is it beyond the sea so that you have to ask,

Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so that we may obey it?

No, the Lord is very near to you. It is in your mouth and in your heart so that you may obey it.

See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction,

for I command you today to love the Lord your God,

to walk in his ways and to keep his commands, decrees and laws.

Then you will live and increase,

and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient,

if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them,

I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed.

You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you,

that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.

Now choose life so that you and your children may live,

and that you may love the Lord your God,

listen to his voice and hold fast to him,

for the Lord is your life,

and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers,

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Thank you very much.

Michael Grant is going to come up and preach for those who do not know Michael.

Amongst other things, he is also Johnny's father.

But Michael is formerly a pastor down in Waterford,

and he has worked in a missionary society.

ECM, is it?

Yeah.

Yep.

And he is currently, Middleton Church, you are currently attending.

So Michael, thank you very much for coming.

We always enjoy you coming.

I am just going to pray for Michael as he does bring his,

God's word, not his word.

Father, we do thank you for Michael.

We thank you for the many years of service to your people,

his desire to bring your word to so many people.

We thank you for the abilities you have given him in looking at your word,

and understanding it,

and just to be able to communicate it to other people.

Thank you for being so willing to come here this Sunday.

And I pray that as we hear your word,

that indeed we would be willing to be challenged,

to be encouraged,

or whatever you would have, Lord,

that we would be open to it this very day.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Thank you, Michael.

Well, it's nice to be back with you once again,

and to be able to bring to you God's word.

When I looked at these chapters,

I thought there's an awful lot in them.

How do you reduce it to one sermon?

And I will hear from Jonathan if I go over my time,

no doubt, when he returns,

as he checks up on me.

But I do remember these particular chapters,

but there's one particular verse that is etched in my mind.

Many years ago,

a man was speaking,

and I was listening to his sermon,

and he said that there's a verse here that's very helpful.

If you're asked a question,

and you don't know the answer to it,

and there are certain questions

that we simply do not know the answer,

God hasn't revealed it to us.

Like the origin of sin.

How does the responsibility of man and God's sovereignty

work together?

These are questions that the Bible doesn't give us answers to.

And this young man had been asked the question,

a particular question,

and he didn't know the answer to it,

and he didn't think there was an answer to it.

And he said,

instead of saying,

the answer is found in Deuteronomy 29, 29,

which he intended to say,

he says you'll find the answer

in Deuteronomy 28,

Deuteronomy 28:28

verse 28,

which says,

the Lord will afflict you with madness,

blindness,

and confusion of mind.

Well, I trust that we won't do that this morning,

but rather that those things

that have been revealed to us,

we will be able to bring before you.

It's a tremendous book,

the book of Deuteronomy,

and these two chapters are very precious.

They look back, of course,

to the covenant that was made with Abraham,

that God would bless him,

that God would give him the land,

that God would give him a seed,

and that in the seed of Abraham,

all the nations of the world would be blessed.

And the very fact that we're here this morning

is an indication of that blessing.

We are here because God always keeps his promise.

And we also can say that the promise,

these chapters look forward

to the Lord Jesus Christ.

I was talking to Paul in the week,

and I said,

how did things go in Karageline?

And he said,

well, I think they went very, very well.

And he said,

I was able to say something about the law being

the one that brings us to Christ,

that leads us to Christ.

And so that is true.

So these chapters both look back,

they look forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

These words, as you probably heard already,

were uttered just as the Israelites

were on the edge of the land of Canaan.

Moses would soon be taken from them,

but they would go into the land,

and God calls them to enter into a covenant with him.

The key verse I would suggest in these verses,

in these chapters,

is found in Deuteronomy chapter 30,

Deuteronomy 30 · chapter mention

and verses 19 to 20.

They really sum up what is being said.

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you,

that I have set before you life and death,

blessings and curses.

Now choose life,

so that you and your children may live,

and that you may love the Lord your God,

listen to his voice,

and hold fast to him.

For the Lord is your life,

and he will give you many years in the land

he swore to give to your fathers,

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Well, I've tried to bring these two chapters

under five headings.

Couldn't reduce it any more than that,

but let's look at them together.

And I have five hours,

which I hope will fix these chapters in your mind.

First of all,

Moses reminds them of God's power.

chapter 29 and verses 1 through to 8.

Here's Moses.

He's urging the people to choose life,

that life that comes with a relationship

with the living God.

And he's going to call them to obedience,

but before he does that,

he gives them a brief history.

He takes them back 40 years

to the time when they were slaves in Egypt.

And in this brief overview,

he speaks to them of the power

and the might of an almighty God.

He speaks about events in Egypt,

verses 2 and 3.

He knows that there are people there,

though many have died in the wilderness.

There were among the people

eyewitnesses of these things.

But everyone is included.

Nobody was ignorant of what had happened

in the land of Egypt.

They knew about Aaron's rod

that had been turned into a snake.

They had heard of the river

that was turned into blood.

They'd heard of the one plague

that followed another,

of frogs,

of gnats,

of flies,

of livestock

being taken from the Egyptian,

of boils breaking out

upon the Egyptian,

of hail,

and locusts,

and darkness.

And then they'd heard

of that final plague

when God had sent

his avenging angel

and the angel had come

into the Egyptian homes

and the firstborn had died.

But how the Israelites

had been kept

and watched over

as the blood

had been put

upon the doorposts.

The angel of death

passed over their houses.

They were protected.

They were watched over.

And Moses rehearses

these things.

He shows that the Lord's hand

was stretched out in power.

And even the Egyptians

had to admit

that they were powerless

before this great God.

Remember that some

of their magicians

had been able to mimic

some of the plagues.

But as the plagues proceed,

they can only say,

this is nothing else

but the finger of God.

So he reminds the people

of God's power

in the land of Egypt.

Moses reminds them

of the events

that happened

in the wilderness,

verses 5 and 6.

Forty years

they had been wandering,

but their clothes

hadn't worn out.

Their sandals

didn't need to be taken

to any cobbler

to be repaired.

They were watched over.

They didn't sow corn.

They didn't plant vineyards.

But they didn't go hungry,

for the Lord provided.

Have you ever thought

of the fact

and stopped to consider

the amount of manna

that was needed

to provide

for over a million people?

And day after day

it was provided

by an almighty God.

I did this,

says God,

that you might know

that I am the Lord,

your God.

So God reminds them,

Moses reminds them

of God's power

through the events

in Egypt,

through the events

in the wilderness.

And he reminds them

of events

that were comparatively

recent.

He takes them back

and tells them

how Zion and Og,

how they were defeated,

how the God of Israel

showed himself

to be more powerful

than the nations.

Events that were recent,

how enemies were defeated

as they stood

on the edge of the land,

and how the land

of these people

had been given

to the various tribes.

God had watched

over them.

God had been

with them.

And it is this God

who calls them

into a covenant

relationship.

But right in the middle

of these verses,

we have Moses

saying to them

that they hadn't

always understood.

Verse 4,

But to this day

the Lord has not

given you a mind

that understands

our eyes at sea

or ears at hear.

They didn't always

give God the glory.

But he wants them now

to be convinced

that this is the God

they are to serve.

This is the God

in whom they will

find life.

This is the God

who will be with them

as they enter

into the land

of promise.

You know,

it is not unusual

for God to argue

in these ways.

To show us

how good

and gracious

he is

in order

that we might be

ready to follow him

wherever he might lead.

We have every incentive

to follow.

If you look at

the gospel account

that we have

in John,

for example,

you have the rehearsal

of all that God

has done

through his son,

the Lord Jesus Christ.

You have the miracles

recorded

of the water

being turned

into wine

and the various

other things

that happened

during the ministry

of the Lord Jesus.

And they are referred

to in John's gospel

as signs.

Why are they there

for us?

That we might

put our trust

in the Lord

Jesus Christ.

John 20

and verse 30

says,

Jesus did many

other miraculous signs

in the presence

of his disciples

which are not

written in this book.

But these

are written

that you may

believe that

Jesus is the Christ

and that by

believing

you may have

life

through his

name.

So a reminder

of God's power

should cause us

to want

to follow

the Lord

our God.

The rehearsal

of all that

Christ came

to say

and to do

should be

an incentive

for all of us

to follow

in his footsteps,

to walk

in the way

that he

would have us

walk.

But we move on.

Not that

it's just

a reminder

of God's power.

we're given

reasons why

men should

enter into

this covenant

in verses

9 to 15.

We know

obviously

that they

were to glorify

God and that's

a great incentive

to follow

him

and to enter

into covenant

with him.

But on the

human level

there's surely

this reason

that they

might be

confirmed

as the

Lord's

people.

Look at

verses 12

and 13.

You are

standing here

in order

to enter

into a

covenant

with the

Lord your

God.

A covenant

the Lord

is making

with you

this day

and sealing

with an

oath

to confirm

you this

day as

his people

that he

may be

your God

as he

promised

you

and as

he swore

to your

fathers

Abraham

Isaac

and Jacob.

Moses

takes them

back

to a

promise

that was

made

to

Abraham

that was

confirmed

to Isaac

and Jacob.

What was

that promise?

Well he

would make

of them

a great

nation

that he

would give

them a

land to

live in

and that

all the

peoples of

the earth

will be

blessed

through

their seed.

Remember

how Abraham

was taken

out and

shown the

stars in

the skies

and your

offspring

he said

will be

just like

this.

And as I

say these

promises were

repeated

again and

again.

God

took

Abraham

he made

him his

very own

he says

you are

my

friend

and then

God takes

from the

seed of

Abraham

this nation

of Israel

and out

of all

nations

says

Exodus

19

and verse

5

out of

all nations

you will

be my

treasured

possession

though the

whole earth

is mine

you will

be for me

a kingdom

of priests

and a

holy nation

enter into

covenant

love me

with all

your heart

with all

your soul

and with

all your

strength

I'm

going to

make you

my

people

of course

he had

redeemed

them

hadn't

he

out

of the

land

of

Egypt

but

now

he

wants

to

confirm

that

with

them

notice

how

God

condescends

to

them

he

pleads

with

them

I

have

set

before

you

life

and

death

blessings

and

curses

now

choose

life

that

you

might

be

confirmed

that

you

are

my

people

that

you

are

the

seed

of

Abraham

by

faith

that

you

are

the

seed

of

Abraham

because

I

have

adopted

you

as

my

very

own

what

an

incentive

to

follow

the

Lord

to

know

that

we

are

part

of

his

family

that

he

has

entered

into

covenant

with

us

that

we

are

his

not

just

for

time

but

for

eternity

but

as

we

look

at

this

reason

to

enter

into

covenant

we

notice

that

it

is

presented

to

all

of

the

people

they

were

present

together

verse

10

carefully

follow

the

terms

of

this

covenant

so

that

you

may

prosper

in

everything

you

do

all

of

you

are

standing

today

in

the

presence

of

the

Lord

your

God

your

leaders

and

chief

men

your

elders

and

officials

and

all

the

other

men

of

Israel

together

with

your

children

and

your

wives

and

the

aliens

living

in

your

camps

who

chop

your

wood

and

carry

your

water

you

are

standing

here

in

order

the

Lord

your

God

so

all

of

the

people

are

given

this

reason

that

they

might

become

the

Lord's

people

they

were

in

the

presence

of

the

Lord

and

all

were

called

to

enter

into

this

covenant

this

covenant

that

would

mean

life

this

covenant

that

meant

a

living

relationship

with

a

living

God

it

had

on

that

day

universal

appeal

not

just

to

Israelites

but

also

to

those

who

had

become

part

of

the

camp

of

Israel

if

you

like

aliens

living

among

them

slaves

perhaps

they

were

but

they

also

could

know

this

life

by

having

a

relationship

with

the

living

God

doesn't

this

remind

you

of

the

wonder

of

the

gospel

the

gospel

invitation

is

for

all

men

everywhere

come

said

Jesus

unto

me

all

you

that

labor

and

are

heavy

laden

all

you

who

are

weary

and

burdened

and

I

will

give

you

rest

take

my

yoke

upon

you

and

learn

from

me

and

you

will

find

rest

for

your

souls

and

not

only

does

this

invitation

this

reason

to

enter

into

the

covenant

that

we

might

be

the

Lord's

people

it

also

look

forward

to

our

day

and

generation

because

the

invitation

is

for

those

who

are

not

here

today

as

we

see

in

verse

15

for

future

generations

who

will

be

called

to

enter

into

covenant

with

the

living

God

here's

Peter

on the

day of

Pentecost

as he

preaches

repent

and be

baptized

for the

forgiveness

of your

sins

the promises

for you

and for

your

children

and for

all who

are far

off

for all

whom the

Lord

our God

will

call

that

we

might

know

him

the

living

God

through

faith

in

the

Lord

Jesus

Christ

that

our

sins

might

be

dealt

with

that

we

might

enter

into

this

relationship

with

him

who

loved

us

and

gave

himself

for

us

but

as

we

proceed

we

notice

there

are

certain

realities

that

surround

the

covenant

that

was

being

made

all

those

years

ago

and

we

see

those

realities

in

chapter

29

and

verses

16

to

29

Moses

is

addressing

real

people

who

live

in

a

real

world

they're

not

living

in

glass

houses

they

were

people

that

were

met

with

real

temptations

they

were

people

who

had

sinful

hearts

people

that

had

failed

in

the

past

and

people

that

would

fail

again

in

the

future

and

Moses

addresses

those

realities

enter

into

covenant

choose

life

but

there

will

be

difficulties

and

you

will

fail

and

you

will

fail

miserably

that's

what

he

seems

to

be

saying

in

these

verses

he

speaks

about

the

reality

of

idolatry

in

verses

16

to

18

remember

the

people

had

lived

in

Egypt

Egypt

had

a

multiplicity

of

gods

all

around

them

were

heathen

temples

and

idols

and

as

they

made

their

way

towards

the

promised

land

after

being

delivered

by the

almighty

hand

of

god

they

met

the

gods

of

other

nations

as

well

this

was

a

reality

verse

17

speaks

of

detestable

images

and

idols

of

wood

and

stone

of

silver

and

gold

so

surrounded

by

idols

in

Egypt

idols

on

every

hand

as

they

traveled

so

they

would

enter

into

the

land

of

Canaan

the

promised

land

would

idolatry

be

suddenly

banished

no

they

would

meet

with

the

idols

and

they

would

have

to

deal

with

the

idolatry

of

the

new

land

but

God

calls

them

into

covenant

choose

life

he

says

obey

the

terms

of

the

covenant

what

does

the

covenant

say

you

shall

have

no

other

gods

before

me

you

shall

not

make

an

idol

you

shall

not

bow

down

to

them

or

worship

them

Moses

says

of

these

idols

they're

like

bitter

poison

but

you'll

meet

them

but

choose

life

and

turn

from

them

choose

life

says

Moses

but

you

do

so

against

the

backdrop

of

this

persistent

temptation

into

idolatry

and

God

calls

you

and

I

doesn't

he

to

follow

him

in a

world

that

is

full

of

idolatry

we

have

it

around

us

here

every

day

what

are

the

things

that

hold

people

today

what

are

the

things

that

we

hear

on

the

news

day

by

day

what

are

the

important

things

the

economy

why

are

people

so

interested

in

the

economy

well

because

it's

in a

bad

way

you

might

say

but

I'll

tell you

another

reason

it's

because

of

the

secularization

of

society

it's

because

where

men's

hearts

are

the

idolatry

of

a

secular

society

of

saying

that

money

is

everything

and

the

love

of

money

is

the

root

of

all

evil

so

we

are

told

and

so

we

believe

Mark

10

records

the

story

of

a

rich

young

man

this

man

really

wanted

eternal

life

and

Jesus

says

to

him

obey

the

commandments

well

I've

kept

them

he

says

but

Jesus

knows

his

heart

and

he

looks

deep

down

into

that

man's

heart

and

he

sees

an

idol

there

go

he

says

sell

everything

you

have

and

give

to

the

poor

and

you

will

have

treasure

in

heaven

then

come

follow

me

at

this

the

man's

face

fell

he

went

away

sad

because

he

had

great

wealth

you

and I

are called

to

follow

our

God

we're

called

to be

obedient

but

sad

to say

we give

in

again

and again

to

idolatry

how we

need

a

savior

who

will

deliver

us

how we

need

the law

being

written

into

our

very

hearts

so

that

we

will

be

able

to

say

with

the

hymn

writer

the

dearest

idol

I

have

known

whatever

that

idol

be

help

me

to

tear

it

from

the

throne

and

worship

only

thee

and

if

you

and

I

claim

to

be

followers

of

the

Lord

Jesus

Christ

we

cannot

hold

on

to

our

idols

as

well

we

cannot

serve

two

masters

choose

life

says

the

Lord

but

the

idols

must

go

and

as

he

brings

before

them

the

realities

that

surround

this

covenant

they're

called

to

make

he

speaks

about

the

reality

of

judgment

if

they

do

not

follow

the

Lord

and

they

do

not

put

their

idols

from

them

he

speaks

about

an

individual

in

verses

9

to

21

here

is

a

man

who

thinks

and

wants

to

do

his

own

thing

this

man

obviously

predates

Frank

Sinatra

but

he

would

agree

with

him

and

I

won't

attempt

to

sing

it

but

remember

Frank

Sinatra

I

did

it

my

way

and

this

man

is

saying

something

like

this

well

I

want

to

follow

God

and

I

keep

my

fingers

crossed

as it

were

in order

to

follow

him

he

invokes

a

blessing

on

himself

and

therefore

thinks

I

will

be

safe

but

he's

still

doing

things

his

way

and

he's

still

holding

on

to

his

idols

but

we're

reminded

in

these

verses

that

God

doesn't

bypass

sin

and we

read

his

wrath

and

zeal

will

burn

against

that

man

all

the

curses

that are

written

will

come

against

that

man

and

his

name

will

be

removed

not

a true

child

of

God

not

one

who

was

truly

walking

with

the

Lord

as

he

ought

to

be

he's

like

the

one

who

says

Lord

Lord

but

his

heart

is

far

from

the

Lord

choose

life

yes

we

are

all

of

us

called

to

choose

life

but

if

we

choose

life