Deuteronomy 8:1-19 In the midst of change, Remember Reflect on the past to move forward in the future

Change – can be frightening / can be exciting

Israel will have new leadership, new provision, new places to live, new challenges, new responsibilities, everything will be new except the Lord.

The nation of Israel stands ready for a new phase in their life. They are emerging from a time of desert wandering. They will be going into the land that the Lord had promised them. The are about to enter a time of prosperity and blessing.

But before they go forward, the Lord tells them to look back. To remember.

(ESV) Deuteronomy 8 2 And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.

During times of change / of transformation start by remembering – move forward based on the events of the past

Don’t dwell there forever, but use the past to understand the present – these events took us to where we are today. Now move on.

The Lord who has been with us before, will be with us today, He will be with us tomorrow, no matter what the challenge or opportunity.

Deuteronomy 8 In the midst of the change, Remember

Reflect on the past to move forward in the future

The Lord’s plan for His people is always the same. There is simplicity in following Him.

I. In the midst of change: Remember a walk with God is simple

A. Listen and respond to the Lord’s Word

(ESV) Deuteronomy 8 1 “The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers.

1. Listen (implied) – seek to hear and understand

2. be careful to do - Carefully follow (wholehearted obedience) –intentional

3. whole commandment - In every area (not compartmentalized) –

B. Respond so that you may prosper

(ESV) Deuteronomy 8 1 “The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers.

This is the road that has blessings on either side / that leads to blessing

You want to go shopping take the road to Tyler – don’t head East to swamps and LA

1. Live – abundant life

2. multiply - Increase -

3. go in - Obtain victory –

4. possess - Maintain victory -

C. Trust His promises

Not self help / not pulling oneself up / but about Him – embracing His promises - faith

(ESV) Deuteronomy 8 1 “The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers.

1. The Lord was going to do this - Tension – activity vs. promises

2. The means to receiving the promises is in response / and He then delivers --- works on us – draws us – empower us – so that then He can deliver what He has promised to us ----

3. Promises certain / Individual benefits rest in response --- can eliminate yourself from the benefits of the promise by not responding

II. In the midst of change: Remember the previous journey’s lessons

A. Remember your journey

Build on the past whether it was positive or negative

(ESV) Deuteronomy 8 2 And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.

1. Remember the way – recall the journey – what happened and why – see the Lord’s faithfulness / working

2. He led in the midst of wilderness times – undeserved leadership / showed His faithfulness

3. Discover you are not sufficient – the Lord humbled them

4. Discover your own heart – the Lord tested them so they might know themselves

5. Discover you easily fall away from the Lord – recognize one’s inadequacy

B. He showed your need for Him

(ESV) Deuteronomy 8 3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

1. Did without the things you valued / needed --- you were incapable of meeting the need (did without and had no hope)

a. He withheld these things – His purpose to drive dependence on Him

2. Discover that the Lord provides – hungered then fed -

3. Discover that He is more important than the things we valued / needed --- not about bread alone – need Him -

C. He sustained you in the journey

(ESV) Deuteronomy 8 4 Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years.

1. Provided some things

2. Made other things be sufficient – Did not wear out – or body fail

D. He was training you

(ESV) Deuteronomy 8 5 Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. 6 So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him.

1. Parent withholds to train / child training / self discipline / right priorities / think beyond oneself / embrace the Lord appropriately as Lord / Sovereign / Master / Provider

III. In the midst of change: Remember the real blessings

A. The Lord’s presence

(ESV) Deuteronomy 8 7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land …

1. The Lord will remain with you – like in the past / chaos does not cause Him to leave – it only causes us to not be aware of His presence (Peter walking on the water)

B. The Lord’s provision

(ESV) Deuteronomy 8 7 … a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, 8 a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, 9 a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper.

1. Water / food / provision and commerce / prosperity

C. The Lord’s satisfaction

(ESV) Deuteronomy 8 10 And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.

1. Be full - Deep rest / contentment

IV. In the midst of change: Remember the danger of prosperity

Easy to

A. Forget the Lord

(ESV) Deuteronomy 8 11 “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today,

Easy to

B. Forget the blessings came from Him

1. Focus on the blessing rather than the blesser

(ESV) Deuteronomy 8 12 lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, 13 and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, …

2. Redeemed you in your slavery

14 then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery,

3. Led you in the hard times (of your own doing)

15 who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, …

4. Provided for you in spite of your rebellion - miraculously

15 … who brought you water out of the flinty rock, 16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, …

5. Worked in you to produce good – He was purposeful

16 … that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end.

Easy to

C. Forget the need for God

(ESV) Deuteronomy 8 17 Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ 18 You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

1. Claim the credit for your prosperity

Easy to

D. Forget the results of disobedience

1. Pursue something over God

(ESV) Deuteronomy 8 19 And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today … not obey the voice of the Lord your God.

2. Will perish – lose the blessing

(ESV) Deuteronomy 8 19 And if you forget the Lord your God … I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish. 20 Like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, …

This morning we will have an opportunity to remember our Christ in a special way. The deacons will now come forward and we will partake of the Lord’s Supper.

(ESV) 1 Corinthians 11 23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

A couple of thoughts from the passage.

The taking of the Lord’s supper by Christians was commanded by our Lord as a way to remember what He has done for us.

The bread symbolizes Jesus’ body that was broken for us

The juice symbolizes Jesus’ blood that was shed for us -

His death for us is the basis for the New Covenant – a relationship with God that lasts eternally.

When we eat and drink we are proclaiming the gospel as we wait for His return.

Christians should eat, but should do it seriously, after self examination.

If you are a professing Christian seeking to walk with Christ the best you can, you are invited to take the bread and juice with us. You do not need to be a member at this church. If there is unconfessed sin in your life, you should pray to Him confessing and seeking forgiveness before you eat and drink.

Walk down to trays.

The ushers will pass out the cups with bread and juice stacked together (show example). Please hold the items until all are served and once we pray we will eat and then drink together.

Pass out the trays to the deacons – they serve – I receive the trays and place them on the table. When all have returned, I will serve them. They will serve me.

XX please pray and give thanks for the bread symbolizing Jesus’ body broken for us

XX please pray and give thanks for the juice symbolizing Jesus’ blood shed for us.

Let us eat and drink together.

Place the cups xxx

Sing a closing chorus.