Pentecost 15 (2)
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1 Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. 2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you. 3 You saw with your own eyes what the Lord did at Baal Peor. The Lord your God destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, 4 but all of you who held fast to the Lord your God are still alive today. 5 See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. 6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” 7 What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? 8 And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today? 9 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.
In 2019 our congregation will celebrate its 150th anniversary. The purposes of a church anniversary are as follows
to provide an opportunity for members past and present to reunite and to celebrate the history of the church.
to review the history of the church and to note what has changed over the years and what has stayed the same.
to honor and glorify God for how he has blessed the congregation.
to pray to God for his help to continue to shower the congregation with his blessings.
to recommit to the purpose of the congregation as you move forward.
Today I would like us to reflect on the main thing that has remained the same and has to remain the same in light of what Moses says in our text.
Moses lived at a time of great transition for God’s church — the nation of Israel. God had used Moses to bring about some of the greatest changes they would ever experience. They went from being a slave nation living on a reservation in Egypt to a nomadic people who would wander in the wilderness for 40 years. Soon they would transition from a nomadic people to an invading army. In time they wold establish their own boundaries with a central government ruled by a king and would take their place among the established nations of the Middle East.
Changes would come from living in villages, to living in tents, to living in walled cities. They would change from being slaves to a free people. Their worship would change from local assemblies to a central place of worship (the tent of meeting which was portable) to a magnificent temple that was an architectural marvel.
They would also change from a government based on oral traditions to one with written down and codified laws and regulations.
As I think about the changes that they encountered, I think about how our own nation changed from its establishment to what it is today.
Our congregation has also experienced many changes over the years. I’m sure that as Salem celebrates its 150th anniversary those changes will be reviewed and talked about. Changes in buildings, personnel, worship style, and even (perhaps the most dramatic) the language that was used to glorify God and to hear his word.
Our lives also change. Look at photos of yourself over the years and see how you have grown in strength and vitality during your youth and then how you have aged gracefully over the years. Consider the changes that have happened in your family during those major transitions of marriages, births, school, work, deaths.
As our church’s vision statement says, “We live in an ever changing world.”
But in that vision statement is also a reminder of the one thing that must remain constant for an individual, a church, and which remained a constant for the nation of Israel. God’ Word (hymn verses later)
1. God's Word is our great heritage
And shall be ours forever;
To spread its light from age to age
Shall be our chief endeavor.
Through life it guides our way,
In death it is our stay.
Lord, grant, while worlds endure,
We keep its teachings pure.
Throughout all generations.
Let’s review Moses’ words and see how he emphasized this to a group of people who underwent tremendous changes in their lives.
1 Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. 2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you. 3 You saw with your own eyes what the Lord did at Baal Peor. The Lord your God destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, 4 but all of you who held fast to the Lord your God are still alive today. 5 See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. 6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” 7 What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? 8 And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today? 9 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.
For the first time the laws were being written down. Not only the Ten Commandments but also the Book of the Law. This was to be a long lasting ordinance, “Do not add and do not subtract.”
Follow them in the land you are entering.
Observe them carefully.
Moses even illustrates what could happen to them if they refused to obey the Lord and followed other gods.
You saw with your own eyes what the Lord did at Baal Peor. (research and tell)
1 While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, 2 who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. 3 So Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. And the Lord’s anger burned against them. 4 The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the Lord, so that the Lord’s fierce anger may turn away from Israel.” 5 So Moses said to Israel’s judges, “Each of you must put to death those of your people who have yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor.” 6 Then an Israelite man brought into the camp a Midianite woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 7 When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear in his hand 8 and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear into both of them, right through the Israelite man and into the woman’s stomach. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped; 9 but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.
This command to obey would be repeated numerous times. (see some examples)
This warning would be repeated numerous times. (see some examples)
13 So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul—14 then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. 15 I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. 16 Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. 17 Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and he will shut up the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you. 18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
The motivation for this is God’s love.
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
Although many of the ceremonial laws given at that time would be changed because of Jesus fulfilling them, the teaching about a person’s relationship with God would never change. (Summarize)
Although many of the ceremonial laws given at that time would be changed because of Jesus fulfilling them, the teaching about a person’s relationship with God would never change. (Summarize)
God rescues us from our sins and the punishment we deserve for our sins.
We confess our sins to him and receive forgiveness.
As forgiven children of God, we recommit ourselves to him and to His Word.
God has also given us his unchanging word. It includes timeless truths that we are believe and obey throughout our lives. It is instructive to read the history of a congregation and its platform for teaching (especially in a conservative one like ours) and see that even though many things have changed over the past 149 years, this church continues to teach God’s word in its truth and purity so that we do not forget the Lord or God.
What would happen if we stray away? The same thing that happened to Israel. Those who refuse to be in the Word themselves and to provide for the Christian education of their children will find themselves alienated from the source of true faith and works. It is a SAD commentary on a Christian congregation when the majority of its members refuse to worship God in their own church or to grow in the grace and knowledge of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ regardless of the excuses and finger pointing they use to justify their unrepentant sin.
What happens if we remain faithful? The Lord blesses his faithful followers.
This is often pictured as God blessing or cursing his people through nature.
11 He loads the clouds with moisture; he scatters his lightning through them. 12 At his direction they swirl around over the face of the whole earth to do whatever he commands them. 13 He brings the clouds to punish people, or to water his earth and show his love.
I have heard several times in the past week of excessive rain that God is sending a message. The real message is that of spiritual blessings for those who trust in him and commit themselves to his Word.
27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” 28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
As our congregation moves forward, we can expect some changes because we do indeed live in an ever changing world. We can thank God that we belong to a church and a synod that loves and respects the word of God and we pray that this will never change. Hear the word of God, obey it, and expect His blessings. Amen
Conclusion. Teach them to the next generation.