209: Doorframes; One God; Deuteronomy 6. 10-19

Intro

You can almost see it. Hear O Israel...

our hearts, our doorframes, our communities

Recap series

One Focus

One Message

Today - One God Dueteronomoy 6

It seems obvious but we live like very differently.

Often homes and churches function in very different ways.

Like there isn’t a God.

Like I’m god! If I’m not happy, you’ll feel my wrath!

Today as we hear from God’s word, we’ll break it into three sections that will change your home and church and mark it for God’s glory and your good.

Be thankful—identify imposters—Focus small, trust big

Text

Deuteronomy 6:10–12 NIV

10 When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, 11 houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, 12 be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

Deut 6.10-

Be Thankful

The more I study Scripture, the more convinced I am that gratitude is the catalyst for a joy-filled, God-centered life.

Moses wants the Israelites to live as thankful people. He reminds them of the incredible gifts God is giving them!

Notice the text:

Land with large, flourishing cities—they didn’t build

Full houses—you didn’t work for

Wells—you didn’t dig

Vineyards—you didn’t plant

They started as slaves—God rescued them and gave them much to be thankful for. Does that story sound familiar?

You and I are so blessed. Moses, guided by the Holy Spirit, wants us to realize it.

It’s easy to think that “the cards just played out this way” or that we did it on their own, or, I’ve been fortunate.

No! God has been good. The catalyst to living a joy-filled, godly life is thankfulness.

Not simply in the eternal, but right now.

You may be saying; but I’m going through a rough patch right now.

Be careful. God has given so many blessings that it is easy to take things for granted.

Romans 8.28

I don’t want to be trite or simply throw a verse at you. Even in difficulty. Our story.

Moses says, “Be careful.”

Home

Isn’t thankful

focuses on the negative

prone to idolatry

church, obedience, worship are all out of obligation.

Think about what that says to the next generation.

Is thankful

demonstrates the reality of our faith to the next generation

the Christian life becomes a joy rather than a duty

Set up to stand the storms of life.

Extended home; Church

Isn’t thankful

Will always become man-centered or performance-centered rather than God-centered.

Will always struggle financially

Will always struggle to find volunteers

Will focus on what’s wrong and who’s wrong rather than the incredible God that is making it all right.

Is thankful

will blow the roof off with worship

will genuinely want others to be part of what’s happening

will love others when its hard.

Will take great risks

That’s the sort of place I want to be a part of! That place is true and infectious.

How easily Satan sidetracks us

It’s also easy to focus on the negative. That’s why Moses says; be careful.

Thankfulness is the catalyst for a joy-filled, God-centered life.

Moses reminds us to be careful, because it is easy to t

Deut 6.13-

Deuteronomy 6:13–15 NIV

13 Fear the Lord your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. 14 Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; 15 for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land.

Identify Imposters

Fear God! Stand in awe of him!

Take oaths. Commit to God

Joshua; As for me and my house

Baptistry

False gods have always been a problem

Insert pic of ancient fake gods

But what about us? It’s not about bowing before a so-called god; it’s about what is that thing that you think would make everything right—you’d have joy.

What is that one thing that you think would make your life complete?

Is it financial? Perhaps a job?

Is it if our child made a certain team?

Is it our need to control?

Is it a relationship?

It doesn’t have to be evil or made of gold to be a false god.

Hey parents, grandparents, mentors; it’s loving and kind to help identify these.

Here’s why they’re so dangerous:

Only the true God can provide the strength that it will take to survive the difficulties of life

Only the true God can provide a joy that doesn’t change with every circumstance.

Certain blessings are only made available through obedience.

You were made for so much more!

That’s why it says he’s a jealous God. Explain

Maybe they don’t need to go as much as they need to be kept in check.

Hey parents, grandparents, mentors; it’s loving and kind to help identify these.

What gods do we face?

Practical atheism?

Deut 6.1

Deuteronomy 6:16–19 NIV

16 Do not put the Lord your God to the test as you did at Massah. 17 Be sure to keep the commands of the Lord your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you. 18 Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors, 19 thrusting out all your enemies before you, as the Lord said.

Focus Small/Trust Big

Dont test God

Massah and Meribah

When things got tough in the wilderness people started complaining about the difficulty

When the people stopped being thankful, they became overwhelmed by the struggles of life. Their hearts turned against God.

Moses records it to provide the remedy. Focus on the small things. Keep doing what is right in the small things. Trust God in the small things.

Honesty in the small things in the home.

Husbands and wives:

Ephesians 5:21 NIV

21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Ephesians 5:20 NIV

20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Read your Bible on a regular basis.

We tend to worry about the big battles but it’s not the big battles that we need to worry about.

Trusting God with our finances

Notice how easy Satan derails us in the small things! That’s the battlefront.

If we focus on following God’s ways in the small things, we can trust him to take care of the big things.

Trust God for the big things

Thankfulness—identifying imposters—Focus small/trust big