Return to the Commandments

Return to the Commandments (Not because you don’t know them, but as a reminder of them)

Read all of Deuteronomy 6.

Deuteronomy 6:17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee.

Having been delivered, by God, the children of Israel were commanded to diligently keep… to all the descendants of Abraham.

What does that have to do with us? Are we not under grace? Indeed, we are.

Are all Abrahams children?

Galatians 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Have we been delivered? Indeed we have, from death, darkness, and wrath.

· 2 Corinthians 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

· Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

· 1 Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Can we be redeemed and called the sons of God and not have a since of obligation to keep the commandments and statutes of God?

Are we too not called to be Holy even as He is Holy?

Can we simply be heirs according to the promise and not be obedient to Him who was obedient even unto death on the cross? Matthew 6:24, Jesus said, “you cannot server two master.” We cannot serve self and serve God. We cannot have two masters.

Did Christ come to abolish the Law or to fulfill it? He came to fulfill the Law.

Jesus said – Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Mathew 5:17-18.

If Christ fulfilled the Law, should we not also strive to as well? Not unto salvation, for we have been purchased, but unto sanctification and the process of being HOLY. But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 1 Peter 1:15.

What is the Law / What are the Commandments of God? – (in Exodus 20:1-17) But we will look at them from: Deuteronomy 5:1-22. READ Verse by verse as the Lord lead.

Back to Diligence

Our scripture text this morning calls for us to be diligent - Deuteronomy 6:17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee.

Diligence came up in Man Church this past week – Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

What is diligence? Diligence is what you do when you or your child had been diagnosed with a terminal illness you’ve never heard of.

If the Jewish people could not keep the Law, how shall we? Well, Jesus made it easy for us, first by being an example, and secondly by breaking down the Law to two commandments:

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22:37-39.

We are Commandment to love…

· That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:4

· Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8

· Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:10

It would seem to me that it is well within our means to fulfill the law even as Jesus did.

“And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers: 10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.” Deuteronomy 30:9-10.

Standing – Heads Bowed

– I wonder if there is anyone here this morning who is struggling to love

– I wonder if there is anyone here this morning who is struggling to diligently love someone

– I wonder if there is anyone here this morning who is struggling to be diligent in pursuing God