at Titus. We're going to go from the old to the new. So in preparation, you might want
to read through Titus during the week. But Deuteronomy 31, and Kirsty is going to come
and read verse 9.
It's page 210 in the Church Bible, starting on verse 14.
The Lord said to Moses, Now the day of your death is near. Call Joshua and present yourselves
at the tent of meeting, where I will commission him. So Moses and Joshua came and presented
themselves at the tent of meeting. Then the Lord appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud,
and the cloud stood over the entrance to the tent. And the Lord said to Moses, You are going
to rest with your fathers, and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign
gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with
them. On that day I will become angry with them and forsake them. I will hide my faith
from them and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and difficulties will come upon them.
And on that day they will ask, Have not these disasters come upon us because our God is not
with us? And I will certainly hide my faith on that day because of all their wickedness
and turning to other gods. Now write down for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites
and make them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them. When I have brought
them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised an oath to their forefathers,
and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting
me and breaking my covenant. And when many disasters and difficulties come upon them, this song will testify
against them because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. I know what they are disposed to
do even before I bring them into the land I promised them an oath. So Moses wrote down this song that day
and taught it to the Israelites. The Lord gave this command to Joshua, son of Nun, be strong and courageous
for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.
After Moses finished writing in a book the words of this law from beginning to end, he gave this
command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord. Take this book of the law and
place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. There it will remain as a witness against
you. For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If you have been rebellious against the Lord
while I am still alive and with you, how much more will you rebel after I die? Assemble before me all
the elders of your tribes and all your officials so that I can speak these words in their hearing
and call heaven and earth to testify against them. For I know that after my death you are sure to become
utterly corrupt and to turn from the way I have commanded you. In days to come disaster will fall upon
you because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord and provoke him to anger by what your hands have made.
I haven't got any notes but there's pens there if anybody would like a pen. We're going to be
looking at Deuteronomy 31 through to the very end 30 to 34. Not looking at everything but taking one
particular theme which I think is central to these few chapters. That theme is a difficult one. It's not easy.
I struggled with it myself in preparing and thought how can I really be saying this because it's not nice to hear.
But I trust that by the end we will be hugely encouraged. So let's pray and ask for God's help in this.
Our Father God we come to you as the living God who speaks his words so clearly to us.
And we ask that you would give us open hearts and open minds
to hear and to take on board what you are saying to us.
And that as we listen
we would be people who are driven
with arms open wide running
to the Lord Jesus our Savior.
pour out your spirit upon us generously.
Speak to us
as you did to the people then.
We pray in Jesus name. Amen.
Well we have not traveled very far.
In fact we are in exactly the same place
as we were back in chapter one.
God's people are still waiting to cross
the river Jordan into the promised land.
However, as we've been waiting to cross
Moses through a series of sermons
has reminded God's people
of God's persistent grace and goodness.
Despite their rebellious past and their disobedient lives
God will not give up on his people.
His chosen people who are his treasured possession.
He has rescued them from slavery.
He's given them a brand new beginning.
He has given them his word.
He has shown them how they're going to live in the new land
so that they can live in a right relationship with him.
Now as we get to the end of Deuteronomy
the long wait is finally over.
But before they cross into the promised land
the land of peace, prosperity and protection
Moses has one final sermon.
And this sermon is both shocking and surprising.
But through it all we will see that God's grace
is not just a past experience that we always look back to
but it is also a future experience
that we can enjoy.
First of all
the shock
our failure is predicted.
Look at verse 16 of chapter 31
verse 16 of chapter 31
And the Lord said to Moses
you're going to rest with your fathers.
In other words, you're going to die.
And these people will soon prostitute themselves
to the foreign gods of the land they are entering.
They are going to give their love,
their devotion to other things and other people.
They will forsake me
and break the covenant I made with them.
Verse 18
And I will certainly hide my face on that day
because of all their wickedness
in turning to other gods.
Now what an encouraging sermon to end with.
Listen up everybody
I've some great news for you
you're all going to fail.
For the last 30 chapters
Moses has been rehearsing
God's goodness to them.
He's told them about the beautiful land
that they're going to enter.
He's told them about God's good law
that he's provided.
But the reality is
while God is persistently gracious
his people are consistently rebellious.
And this isn't a warning to say
I'm telling you this so that you won't do it.
He's telling them as a reminder
of this is what you're like.
And to make sure that they never forget
what they are like
he writes a song for them to learn.
Look at verse 19
Now write down for yourselves this song
and teach it to the Israelites
and make them sing it
so that they may be a witness
for me against them.
When I have brought them into the land
flowing with milk and honey
the land I promise on oath
to their forefathers
and when they eat their fill and thrive
they will turn to other gods
and worship them
rejecting me
and breaking my covenant.
So he had to prepare a song
and write a song
and that song
has been recorded for us
in chapter 32.
Have a look at it there.
Here's the song
that he taught to them
that they all had to learn off.
It starts off quite well.
We actually sang a part of it earlier on
in verse 3 of chapter 32.
I will proclaim
the name of the Lord.
Oh praise the greatness of our God.
He is the rock.
His works are perfect.
All his ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong.
Upright and just is he.
Well that's as good as the song really gets.
Because then he begins to describe
what they're like in the song.
Look at verse 15.
Jeshurun
which is another name for Israel.
It means somebody who's upright.
A righteous person.
Well what did they do?
Verse 15.
They grew fat and kicked.
Filled with food.
He became heavy and sleek.
They had enjoyed God's amazing
generosity and graciousness.
But look at their response.
He abandoned the God who made him
and rejected the rock his saviour.
They made him jealous
with their foreign gods
and angered him
with their detestable idols.
They sacrificed to demons
which are not gods.
Gods they had not known.
Gods that recently appeared.
Gods your fathers did not fear.
You deserted the rock
who fathered you.
You forgot the God
who gave you birth.
Well welcome to our Sunday morning celebration.
This morning we're going to start
with one of our favourites.
Number 365 in the church praise book.
We are going to fail.
Let's sing together
as we remind ourselves
of how rebellious
and how sinful we are.
Let's join in together
shall we?
Starting at verse 15.
He abandoned the God
who made him
Not very tuneful
but I think you get the point.
Somehow
I don't think you'll find
that kind of song
or any other song like it
in a praise book.
Who needs to be reminded
of their capacity to fail?
It's not a very popular idea.
It's not very good
for our self-esteem
is it to be told
that you always fail?
After all
we know what we're like
don't we?
We don't need anybody
to tell us
what our hearts
are really like.
Do we?
Well reality bites.
As we have said before
this is not just
their story
of a people long ago
this is also
our story.
This is what we are like.
This is the heart
that God sees
within each one of us
and rather than
run away
from this awkward
and difficult truth
we need to face up
to the reality
of this truth.
Go back to chapter 31
verse 21.
Verse 21.
Look at the middle
of verse 21.
This is what God says
I know
what they are
disposed to do
even before
I bring them
into the promised land.
I know exactly
what they're going to do.
And it's no different
for us.
God knows
we're sitting here
in a worship
service
and he knows
exactly
that come Tuesday
I would have
said something
I ought not to have said.
He knows
that by
Sunday night
this very night
I will have been
thinking something
I shouldn't have been thinking.
And let's remember
this is not referring
to irreligious people
who have
never given God
a second thought
he's writing about
God's people
God's specially
chosen people
who have experienced
his grace
day after day
and this is what
he says about them
in verse 27
chapter 31
for I know
how rebellious
and stiff-necked
you are.
If you have been
rebellious against the Lord
while I am still alive
and while I'm with you
how much more
will you rebel
after I die
says Moses.
God knows
what we are like
and God
predicts
that we will
fail
and fall
time
and time
again.
well I said
it was hard
and it is difficult
and because
we don't like
to admit
failure
I think
we sometimes
live pretending
that we are
not as bad
as what we
actually are.
We try
and cover up
what our heart
is really like.
It's a little bit
like plastic
surgery.
You know
the 40 year old
who gets pumped
squeezed
and lifted
and struts
about like
a Hollywood
film star.
It's a fake.
It's a fraud.
They're afraid
to smile
in case
their face
cracks
and what's worse
everybody else
goes along
with it
and says
oh don't
they look
so beautiful.
But it's
all plastic.
It's not real.
So let me
ask ourselves
this searching
question.
Do we
live with
a plastic
spirituality?
Have we
just somehow
altered
the outside?
Pumped
ourselves up
with this
religious
exterior
and we
strut about
and we
come along
to meetings
and go
to other
people
as if
everything's
fine.
I don't
struggle.
I don't
have any
issues with
sin in my
life.
everything
is fine.
The worst
thing that
we can
do
is pretend.
If God
predicts
our failure
why should
we even
try and
hide it?
It seems
the best
thing we
can do
is face
up to
the reality
of who
we really
are.
look at
chapter 32
verse 44
Moses
came with
Joshua
son of
Nun and
spoke all
the words
of this
song in
the hearing
of the
people
and when
Moses
finished
reciting
all these
words to
all Israel
he said
to them
take to
heart all
the words
I have
solemnly
declared
to you
this day
so that
you may
command
your
children
to obey
carefully
all the
words
of this
law.
So
parents
our
children
have not
been born
into this
world
basically
good.
Our
children
are
basically
bad
and the
song was
there to
remind
them
but of
course
it's not
just
little
people
we're
just
bigger
children
aren't
we?
We get
it wrong
just as
much.
Verse 47
they are
not just
idle words
just kind
of things
written
just for
well for
whatever
reason
these words
are not
just idle
words for
you they
are your
life.
You see
it was
actually
good for
them
to sing
about what
they were
like
it was
good to
reflect
and see
what their
life was
like because
it's only
when we
see what
we are
truly like
that we
do fail
on a
continual
basis
it's only
then that
we will
actually see
our
desperate
need of
God's
grace
our
God's
grace to
us today
and God's
grace
every day
to come
well
that's
the
shock
our
failure
is
predicted
but then
second
the
surprise
our
salvation
is
provided
failure
there's
going
to be
but
don't
worry
Moses
is going
to come
to the
rescue
he
always
has
or
will
he
look
at
verse
48
of
chapter
32
on
that
same
day
the
Lord
told
Moses
go
up
into
the
Abraham
range
to
Mount
Nebo
to
Moab
across
from
Jericho
and
view
Canaan
the
land
I'm
giving
the
Israelites
at
their
own
possession
so
climb
up
that
mountain
and
look
at
the
land
the
people
are
going
to
get
there
on
the
mountain
that
you
have
climbed
you
will
die
and
be
gathered
to
your
people
how
could
that
happen
Moses
was
their
great
leader
it
was
through
Moses
that
God
had
rescued
them
from
Egypt
it
was
through
Moses
that
God
had
spoken
to
them
it
was
Moses
who
mediated
on
their
behalf
rescuing
them
from
certain
destruction
it
was
Moses
who
prayed
for
the
people
and
brought
about
blessing
instead
of
curse
it
was
always
Moses
who
got
them
out
of
trouble
time
and
time
again
Moses
always
came
to
the
rescue
so
now
can
we
begin
to
see
the
seriousness
of
their
situation
Moses
has
just
given
them
this
long
big
song
predicting
their
failure
which
they're
to
sing
to
their
children
and
everybody's
to
remember
what
failures
they
all
are
and
then
on the
other
hand
he
just
tells
them
I'm
going
to
die
so
who's
going
to
stand
in
for
them
now
who's
going
to
pray
for
them
when
they
fail
who's
going
to
mediate
for
them
when
God
responds
to
their
disobedience
and
that's
the
reality
of
what
we're
faced
with
by
the
end
of
the
book
that's
how
the
whole
sermon
finishes
the
last
part
chapter
34
is
all
about
how
Moses
died
and
we
don't
even
know
where
he's
buried
but
he's
dead
he's
gone
you're
going
to
fail
and
your
great
rescuing
prophet
is
dead
so
who
is
going
to
come
to
their
rescue
well
here
is
the
amazing
surprise
even
with
the
knowledge
of
future
failure
God
meets
us
day
by
day
with
future
grace
incredible
three
things
to see
God's
amazing
grace
meeting
us
in
our
failures
first
of
all
the
presence
of
God
go
back
to
chapter
31
verse
1
then
Moses
went
out
and
he
spoke
these
words
to
all
Israel
I
am
now
120
years
old
and
I
am
no
longer
able
to
lead
you
the
Lord
has
said
to
me
you
shall
not
cross
the
Jordan
so
we
know
Moses
is
going
to
die
so
who
is
going
to
lead
them
who's
going
to
go
before
them
well
answer
verse
3
the
Lord
your
God
himself
will
cross
over
ahead
of
you
he
will
destroy
these
nations
before
you
and
you
will
take
possession
of
their
land
verse
6
be
strong
and
courageous
do
not
be
afraid
or
terrified
because
of
them
for
the
Lord
your
God
goes
with
you
he
will
never
leave
you
nor
forsake
you
does
that
surprise
you
it
surprises
me
knowing
their
failure
knowing
that
they
would
have
this
song
of
failure
to
sing
knowing
what
their
future
lives
are
going
to
be
like
God
makes
this
promise
that
he
will
never
forsake
them
and
he
is
never
going
to
leave
them
not
only
is
he
going
to
bring
them
into
the
land
he
promises
to
fight
their
battles
for
them
and
that
he
will
stay
with
them
through
all
of
their
failures
Moses
of
course
is
going
to
die
but
God's
presence
is
going
to
remain
look at
verse
8
the
Lord
himself
goes
before
you
and
will
be
with
you
he
will
never
leave
you
nor
forsake
you
do
not
be
afraid
do
not
be
discouraged
now
is
that
not
what
his
people
experience
on a
greater
level
today
is
that
not
what
we
have
today
but
so
much
better
not
only
is
this
promise
true
for
us
that
God
will
never
leave
us
nor
forsake
us
but
now
by
his
Holy
Spirit
the
risen
Lord
Jesus
the
living
Christ
has
come
to
live
in
us
despite
our
continuous
failure
God
doesn't
abandon
failures
like
you
and
me
he
comes
to
them
he
not
only
intervenes
into
the
world
but
he
actually
comes
to
live
in
them
to
change
us
and
to
transform
us
and
to
deal
with
our
lives
so
we
become
more
like
him
God
doesn't
abandon
failures
he
comes
to
live
in
failures
second
the
word
of
God
Moses
is
going
to
die
but
God
will
continue
to
speak
his
word
to
his
people
look
at
verse
9
of
chapter
31
so
Moses
wrote
down
this
law
and
gave
it
to
the
priests
the
sons
of
Levi
who
carried
the
ark
of
the
covenant
of
the
Lord
and
to
all
the
elders
of
Israel
down
to
verse
11
when
all
Israel
comes
to
appear
before
the
Lord
your
God
at
the
place
he
will
choose
you
shall
read
this
law
before
them
in
their
hearing
so
although
Moses
is
going
to
die
God
has
provided
a
way
for
them
to
keep
hearing
his
word
it's
written
down
there'll
be
a
place
for
them
to
meet
and
it
will
be
spoken
to
them
so
verse
12
assemble
the
people
men
women
and
children
and
the
aliens
all
the
outsiders
living
in
your
towns
so
that
they
can
listen
and
learn
to
fear
the
Lord
your
God
and
follow
carefully
all
the
words
of
this
law
so
as
they
come
together
all
God's
people
they
are
coming
to
hear
God's
word
of
grace
remember
God
is not
calling
perfect
people
to
come
to
him
these
are
people
he
know
who
are
going
to
fail
and
he
provides
the
means
and
he
says
I
want
you
to
come
together
to
listen
to
this
word
he
commands
that
failures
come
and
listen
to
his
word
and
is
that
not
what
we're
doing
right
now
are
we
not
God's
people
who
have
been
assembled
together
as
we
are
now
to
hear
the
word
of
grace
here
we
are
sat
alongside
each
other
perhaps
we've
come
with a
kind
of
pretense
and we
don't
really
want
people
to
see
inside
our
hearts
and
maybe
we've
even
put on
a bit
of a
mask
to
God
but
you
know
what
he's
calling
us
he says
I want
you
to
gather
together
as
failures
people
who've
messed
up
time
and
time
again
this
past
week
people
who
are
going
to
mess
up
next
week
and
we
come
together
to be
reminded
of
God's
goodness
to us
in
Christ
again
and
again
and
again
in
the
words
of
Hebrews
it
says
let us
draw
near
to
God
let's
come
to
him
with
a
sincere
heart
that is
with
an
open
one
not
a
pretense
one
that's
real
and
honest
in
full
assurance
of
faith
having
our
hearts
sprinkled
to
cleanse
us
from
a
guilty
conscience
and
having
our
bodies
washed
with
pure
water
and
let's
not
give
up
meeting
together
as
some
are
in
the
habit
of
doing
but
let's
encourage
one
another
this
is a
gathering
here
of
people
not
of
plastic
spirituality
but
surely
people
who
can
come
open
and
honest
with
all
our
failures
we
shouldn't
arrive
in
here
and
be
shocked
that
somebody
has
done
something
wrong
or
said
something
they
shouldn't
have
said
we
are
who
we
are
gathered
failures
in
need
of
God's
grace
he
doesn't
reject
failures
he
gathers
them
to
meet
with
him
to
know
his
grace
that's
why
I'm
here
today
and
I
hope
it's
why
you're
here
so
the
presence
of
God
the
word
of
God
then
the
third
one
the
savior
of
God
in
many
ways
Moses
was
seen
as
their
savior
their
redeemer
he's
something
of a
hero
through
the
book
of
Deuteronomy
that's
how
the
book
finishes
look
at
chapter
34
verses
10
to
12
the
last
few
verses
chapter
34
verse
10
since
then
no
prophet
has
risen
in
Israel
like
Moses
whom
the
Lord
knew
face
to
face
who
did
all
those
miraculous
signs
and
wonders
the
Lord
sent
him
to
do
in
Egypt
to
Pharaoh
and to
all
his
officials
and to
his
whole
land
for
no
one
has
ever
shown
the
mighty
power
or
performed
the
awesome
deeds
that
Moses
did
in
the
sight
of
all
Israel
that's
amazing
isn't
it
a great
hero
but
he's
just
died
he's
dead
so
who's
going
to
take
his
place
well
as
we
were
reading
in
Deuteronomy
31
Joshua
was
going
to
come
he
would
take
over
but
the
point
is
here
that
there's
nobody
like
Moses
Joshua
would
do
a
good
job
but
there
was
nobody
as
great
as
him
as
Moses
well
that
is
until
the
final
and
ultimate
prophet
would
come
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
he
was
known
as
the
prophet
and
when
Jesus
came
into
this
world
he
did
many
miraculous
signs
and
wonders
he
healed
the
sick
he
calmed
the
storms
he
fed
the
hungry
he
raised
the
dead
he
did
many
more
mighty
and
miraculous
things
but
his
mighty
power
his
greatest
awesome
deeds
were
shown
supremely
through
his
death
and
resurrection
from
the
grave
because
when we
look to
Christ
to our
last
ultimate
and final
prophet
we
see
we
see
we
see
Jesus
on the
cross
all of
my
failures
all of
our
mess
and all
of our
sin
past
present
and
future
was
laid
upon
Christ
treated
as
that
disobedient
rebel
treated
as the
one
who
turned
away
from
God
so that
by faith
we would
be treated
and treasured
as his
chosen
child
and by
his
resurrection
he has
defeated
our
greatest
enemy
fought
the
greatest
battle
of
sin
and
death
defeated
them
and
destroyed
them
once
and for
all
so that
we would
be welcomed
into his
eternal
promised
land
heaven
itself
God
does
not
abandon
failures
he
comes
to
save
failures
like
you
and
me
so let
me
predict
something
this
week
this
day
you're
going
to
fail
and
I'm
going
to
fail
but
with
our
every
failure
we
will
be
met
by
amazing
grace
the
presence
of
God
never
leaving
us
with
us
that
word
of
grace
speaking
to
us
reminding
us
of
all
that
Christ
has
done
and
ultimately
running
to
our
saviour
Jesus
Christ
future
grace
will
meet
us
for
every
failure
and
when
we
do
fail
let's
not
run
into
a
quarter
and
hide
let's
not
put
on
a
mask
and
pretend
but
let us
run
to
Christ
who
has
his
arms
open
wide
to
find
grace
for
our
every
need
let's
pray
together