“Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” (Romans 12:6-8 ESV; passage continued next week)
St. Patrick's Cathedral, 5th Ave Manhattan
Deuteronomy 7
Because of Love
›It is very easy to lose sight of the true meaning of many Old Testament books- especially when they are ignored by many Christians.
›It is assumed by many people that the Old Testament involves lots of fighting & wars and that the laws that are given were tedious lists of things that someone could not do. It is even implied that the OT teaches hate and racism.
›If someone were to read the first 6 verses of chapter 7 (out of context) and then stop, what kind of message would they receive? Some have suggested that it teaches hate and racism.
›History Lesson: Have you heard of these civilizations? Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, the British Empire
›How about The Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites? Back in Israel’s day these were the mighty nations.
›Destroying these nations and leaving no trace of them in history has nothing to do with hate or racism though- it has to do with keeping the Israelites totally devoted to Yahweh.
›It is very easy to lose sight of the true meaning of many Old Testament books- especially when they are ignored by many Christians.
›It is assumed by many people that the Old Testament involves lots of fighting & wars and that the laws that are given were tedious lists of things that someone could not do. It is even implied that the OT teaches hate and racism.
›If someone were to read the first 6 verses of chapter 7 (out of context) and then stop, what kind of message would they receive? Some have suggested that it teaches hate and racism.
›History Lesson: Have you heard of these civilizations? Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, the British Empire
›How about The Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites? Back in Israel’s day these were the mighty nations.
›Destroying these nations and leaving no trace of them in history has nothing to do with hate or racism though- it has to do with keeping the Israelites totally devoted to Yahweh.
Because of Love continued
›Anyone care to guess exactly what this is a picture of and furthermore where is it taken? ›(Canaanite “standing stones” at Tel Gezer, Israel.) Standing stones were either set up as treaty reminders or as objects of worship.
›“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God.” Set apart, held to a higher standard than the wicked Canaanites.
›Why were they given the Laws and set apart from all of the wicked people on the earth? “but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers.”
›“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.”
›Inspirational words from the man Moses.
›Anyone care to guess exactly what this is a picture of and furthermore where is it taken? ›(Canaanite “standing stones” at Tel Gezer, Israel.) Standing stones were either set up as treaty reminders or as objects of worship.
›“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God.” Set apart, held to a higher standard than the wicked Canaanites.
›Why were they given the Laws and set apart from all of the wicked people on the earth? “but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers.”
›“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.”
›Inspirational words from the man Moses.
Deuteronomy 8
Moses & Jesus
When Jesus is asked the most important commandment he said love the Lord with all your heart, which came from Deut 6 and love your neighbor which came from Leviticus 19.
When Jesus is tempted by Satan in the wilderness he quotes Deut 8:3- “Man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”
Chapter 8 isn’t really about eating, though, it is about how Yahweh kept the Israelites sustained in the wilderness for their 40 year journey.
Think back- Exodus and Numbers 40 years in the desert and how far they must have walked.
Now think back to walking through the wilderness for 40 years and factor in that although there was an entire nation of people we don’t read about them having to have an entire bureau dedicated to clothes making- Yahweh kept their clothes and feet in his hands.
We have all heard Jesus called the Son of God- this would have been very familiar to the Israelites who knew from the Torah that Yahweh had a fatherly relationship to them.
As a man disciplines his son, because he loves us and wants us to reach our potential.
When Jesus is asked the most important commandment he said love the Lord with all your heart, which came from Deut 6 and love your neighbor which came from Leviticus 19.
When Jesus is tempted by Satan in the wilderness he quotes Deut 8:3- “Man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”
Chapter 8 isn’t really about eating, though, it is about how Yahweh kept the Israelites sustained in the wilderness for their 40 year journey.
Think back- Exodus and Numbers 40 years in the desert and how far they must have walked.
Now think back to walking through the wilderness for 40 years and factor in that although there was an entire nation of people we don’t read about them having to have an entire bureau dedicated to clothes making- Yahweh kept their clothes and feet in his hands.
We have all heard Jesus called the Son of God- this would have been very familiar to the Israelites who knew from the Torah that Yahweh had a fatherly relationship to them.
As a man disciplines his son, because he loves us and wants us to reach our potential.
Deuteronomy 9:1-6 (9:7-10:11 overview)
Not Righteousness
›Deut 9:1-6 is a piece of scripture that should speak to all of us; it reminds us that Yahweh chooses us because he loves us and not based on the good things we’ve done.
›In verse 4 Moses reminds the people that whenever they think they got the land because of the good things they’ve done they should remember that they got the land because the people before them were wicked.
›Moses then goes on in the chapter to remind the people of how he went on the mountain and received the 10 commandments for 40 days but then had to leave because the people were making the golden calf.
›Remember back in Exodus when we read about the two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments and we shared this laugh?
›Moses reminds the people that because he was so mad about the golden calf worship that he dropped the first set of tablets and new ones were made by the Lord.
›Moses then recounts making the Ark of the Covenant so that the stone tablets would forever have a place to be kept.
›Also in this section is a sidebar that gives place names to where the Israelites traveled in the desert (not really that important).
›Deut 9:1-6 is a piece of scripture that should speak to all of us; it reminds us that Yahweh chooses us because he loves us and not based on the good things we’ve done.
›In verse 4 Moses reminds the people that whenever they think they got the land because of the good things they’ve done they should remember that they got the land because the people before them were wicked.
›Moses then goes on in the chapter to remind the people of how he went on the mountain and received the 10 commandments for 40 days but then had to leave because the people were making the golden calf.
›Remember back in Exodus when we read about the two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments and we shared this laugh?
›Moses reminds the people that because he was so mad about the golden calf worship that he dropped the first set of tablets and new ones were made by the Lord.
›Moses then recounts making the Ark of the Covenant so that the stone tablets would forever have a place to be kept.
›Also in this section is a sidebar that gives place names to where the Israelites traveled in the desert (not really that important).