Our Love for God (2)

Intro: Jacob Brodzky was a shy Russian Jew, His father owned a bookstore. Jacob’s greatest desire in life was to marry Lila, his childhood sweetheart. When his father died he took over the bookstore and married Lila. The life of the bookstore fit him perfectly but it cramped Lila who wanted adventure. She found it when she met a producer who praised her beautiful singing voice and enticed her to tour Europe. Jacob was devastated, as she departed he reached into his pocket and pulled out the key to the bookstore and put it in her hand saying “you better keep this because some day you may want it, your love is not so less than mine that you can get away from it. You will come back and I will be waiting,” She kissed him and left.

To escape the pain Jacob withdrew deep into his bookstore and took to reading like some take to drinking. He spoke little, did little, and could always be found near the rear of the store immersed in his books while he waited for his love to return. Nearly 15 years later, at Christmas time Lila returned, but when Jacob arose from the reading desk that had been his place of escape for all that time he mistook the love of his life for a customer and asked “Do you want a book?” She answered “yes, but I’ve forgotten the name of it.” Then she told him their story thinking it would bring him to himself but he showed no recognition. She realized that he had lost touch with the desire of his heart and no longer knew the purpose of his waiting and grieving, now he only remembered the grieving itself. “You remember it, you must remember it.... the story of Lila and Jacob.” after a long pause, he said “there is something familiar about the story, I think I’ve read it, is it by Tolstoi.” She dropped the key and fled out of the shop. Jacob returned to reading his book unaware that the love he waited for had come and gone.

God has never left us, when He created us He gave us a desire to know and love Him but sin has marred that desire and its been lost as we have escaped into the things of this world. Over all things God desires us to love Him!

1. In what way? Above All & Before All. 2. How is it possible? 1 John 4:19, Romans 5:5 3. How did He show His love to us? Redemption @ Calvary)

Context: The giving of the Law again (ie: 10 commandments) (Deuteronomy means “2nd law” it reiterates God’s commands to Israel as they prepare to enter into the land He has promised and prepared for them.) The command to love God, obey Him, and teach His commands was for their own good so that they and future generations would fear Him and not forget Him (nor what He has done for them.) This is Shema and the pious Jews still today repeat this text every morning when they wake up, but they have failed to put it to practice. SO HAVE WE!

CPS: Today I want you to fall in love with God and abide in His laws. If we do this our walk with Him will be close and we will have a healthy fear of Him and future generations will not forget Him, His love for us, and what He has done for us.

I. We must keep God’s commands close to us. Vs. 6

When Israel entered the land of Cannon they (were suppose to rid the land of Canaanites who worshiped other gods and who had immoral lives) lived among other people who worshiped other god’s. Obeying God’s law was the utmost importance if they were to keep just the 1st Law ”You shall have no other gods before me.” They fell into pagan worship and so have we! Idolatry is adultery with other god’s and we have plenty of them.

Heart (n) lē·ḇāḇ “le-valv” - it means our inner person or volition. In Jewish mindset its not the center of the emotional aspect of one’s life but the center of intellect or rationale. To “be upon the heart” is to be in one’s constant, conscious reflection. God’s word should be the center of focus in our lives and our ambition should be to follow them!

A. Memorization

Paper wasn't invited, one could write on Papyri (hard to get) so their wasn't books yet the commands were written on stone and kept in a container made of acacia wood (Deut. 10:1-5). It wasn’t easily accessible therefore the commands were committed to memory! We are called to but we cannot obey what we do not know!

B. Obedience

Hear (v) šā·mǎʿ means to listen but for the Jews it meant to hear and obey! Be a doer of God’s word! (James 1: 22, John 14:15) If you love God you will obey His word!

ILL: Many people think that God is a cosmic killjoy. That would make one think that God is not good.... He is great! Verse 3 “O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it (obey His commands), that it may be well with you! God’s commands our for our provisions and protection. A high school senor and his girlfriend wanted to go swimming late one night. The neighbors down the block had a pool, and he knew it. They ran down there and scaled the fence though there were no trespassing and do not enter signs. Just as he hit the diving board his girlfriend yelled but it was too late. There was only a foot of water in the pool. He broke his neck and has spent the rest of his life trying to walk again. He didn't realize that the signs on the fence, “The Precepts” would have protected him.”

II. We must teach God’s commands to those closest to us (7)

As Israel was about to enter the promise land the majority of those who witnessed God’s might as He freed them from Egypt had died. As they entered the land and ate of the fruit of the land God stopped providing manna. Now God’s provisions was the land He had prepared for them at the labor of other people. Therefore fathers were to teach their children about what the Lord had done for them and His commands so they He would not be forgotten.

NB) Teach diligently (v) šā·nǎn “sh-nen” means to instill or impress repeating instructions over and again. This word can also be used to express the idea of being sharpened. The sharp knife of truth will cut through the red tape of fiction. Teaching future generations is of the utmost importance.

ILL: You are the number 1 influence in the life of your child! If you bring your kids to church every time the door is opened then the church will have your child 1% of his time. You have your children 83% of the time and the school has him for the remaining 16%. I’m not minimizing schools and churches but the fact is that you have your child the vast majority of the time and you only have one time around so make it of maximum benefit! IF YOU DON’T TEACH YOUR CHILD THEN SOMEONE ELSE WILL!

NB) Teach constantly, notice the places and times we are given, (house, by the way) (when you lie down, when you rise up). HAMMER* EVERYWHERE AND AT ALL TIMES

A. Who God is

Creator/sustainer/ who has chosen you of all the people of the world.

B. The Commands

OT

In the OT. period the commands SEEMED to be the key to righteousness. I showed you how to have the right relation with God and man. Vertical and horizontal.

2. NT

The fuller revelation of the NT shows that it was not the keeping of the Law, (though it is important, revealing sin and our need for God) but that it had always been by faith! Romans 4:3

C. What God has done for you

Redemption! The OT emphasized exodus but the climax is Calvary!

ILL: An angel paused in his onward flight, With a seed of love and truth and right. And said, “Oh, where can this seed be sown, That it yield more fruit when fully grown?” “To whom can this precious seed be given, That it bear more fruit for earth and heaven?”The Saviour heard and said as He smiled “Place it at once in the heart of a child.”The angel whispered the blessed truth,To a weary teacher of precious youth; His face grew bright with heavenly light, As he led their thought in the way of right.

If we don’t teach our children about God and His ways, the future is dark and desperate. We see this today as a morality is in shambles and the world seeks after its own desires! BUT, How can we raise up a generation if we our not rooted and grounded in the love of God and bear no fruit of our love for God!

III.