In verse 1, Moses summoned all Israel and said,
Hear, O Israel, the decrees and the laws I declare in your hearing today.
Learn them and be sure to follow them.
The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb.
It was not with our fathers that the Lord made this covenant,
but with us, with all of us who are alive here today.
The Lord spoke to you face to face out of the fire on the mountain.
And at that time I stood between the Lord and you to declare to you the word of the Lord,
because you were afraid of the fire and did not go up to the mountain.
And he said, I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
You shall have no gods before me.
You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above
or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
You shall not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.
Punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God,
for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy as the Lord your God has commanded you.
Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.
On it you shall not do any work, neither you nor your son or daughter,
nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals,
nor the alien within your gates,
so that your manservant and maidservant may rest as you do.
Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there
with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.
Therefore, the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath.
Honor your father and your mother as the Lord your God has commanded you,
so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land your God has given you.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
And you shall not covet your neighbor's wife.
You shall not set your desire on your neighbor's house or land,
his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey,
or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
These are the commands the Lord proclaimed in a loud voice to you,
to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire,
the cloud and the deep darkness.
And he added nothing more than he wrote them on two stone tablets and gave them to me.
Okay.
Thanks, Johnny.
Concern for those who've been asking how we are.
We're doing all right.
It's a case of 60-40 at this stage rather than 40-60,
if you can work that out, doing better and on the mend.
So thank you.
But keep praying for me as I preach.
I have water, but I need God's strength.
So keep your Bibles open, please, to Deuteronomy.
Well, we're going to look a little bit at chapter 4 as well, just briefly, and chapters 5 and 6.
This is from the body of Jesus.
This is yours.
Oh.
Sorry, there is another announcement.
Reality at 6, half 6 at Maria's.
So, all those involved, see you there.
Well, let's pray.
Father God, we thank you so much for your love, your kindness, your goodness expressed in so many different ways.
Thank you for your word.
Thank you for your commands, for your laws.
And as we look at them together, help us to see what they are to us today.
And help us to see what they point us to.
Encourage us through this morning.
And bless us richly.
We ask this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, when I was a kid, I had this, what you might call a love-hate relationship with my parents.
Most of the time, we were getting on great.
Fun family times, going on holidays.
A mum and a dad who supported me, who cared for me deeply.
But then there were occasions when I would get really angry and annoyed and think they were the worst parents in the world.
And you're probably sitting there thinking, hey, you didn't have the worst, I had the worst.
No, you didn't.
I'd go up to my room, huffing and puffing.
What are they saying?
All that sort of thing.
And what would get me so worked up was, they would tell me that I couldn't do something that I really wanted to do.
Like, watch telly at half ten at night on school days or something.
Or that they would tell me I had to do something that I really didn't want to do.
Like, help out my brother or sister.
You see, I enjoyed their love, but I hated their laws.
And in some ways, that's the problem with Deuteronomy.
Because Deuteronomy is all about law.
That's what Deuteronomy means.
It means a second law, a retelling of God's law.
Look at chapter 4, verse 44.
Chapter 4, verse 44.
This is the law Moses set before the Israelites.
These are the stipulations, decrees, and laws Moses gave them when they came out of Egypt.
Now, who wants to read something like that?
Why not talk about good stuff like God's love or God's compassion?
Why spoil it all by talking about God's laws?
Why not talk about good stuff like that?
You see, God's law is one of the major stumbling blocks for people to Christianity.
People just read something like this and they say,
See, it's all about rules and regulations.
Things you must do and things that you can't do.
It's restrictive and oppressive.
God is nothing more than a big bully, a ruthless dictator who just makes up rules to spoil our fun and to take away our freedom.
Well, in chapter 5 and 6, we are introduced to God's law.
What is well known as the Ten Commandments.
But surprisingly, God's love is not opposite to God's law.
Just as my parents, well, they actually did love me and care for me,
and they gave me laws because they did love me.
Well, so God gives us his law because he cares and loves us.
We're going to look at three big things here in regards to the law.
The first one is this.
The reason for God's law.
God gave his law in the context of a loving covenant.
Look at verse 1 of chapter 5.
Moses summoned all Israel and said,
Hear, O Israel, the decrees and laws I declare in your hearing today.
Learn them and be sure to follow them.
The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb.
That was Mount Sinai.
It was not with our fathers that the Lord made this covenant,
but with us, with all of us who are alive here today.
You see, like the promises we make in marriage to our spouse,
so God's covenant is his promise towards his people.
His passionate, eternal commitment towards his people.
A commitment to bless them.
A commitment to be with them.
A commitment to give them a land.
To save them.
To give them life in all its fullness.
And because of his promise,
God would do what it would take to keep his people.
In fact, God would lay down his life for us.
God, who made his commitment to his people,
would die for his people to ensure that that relationship would stay for all eternity.
Now, it's in that context that God gives his law.
God is not a dictator.
God is not a bully.
He is deeply committed to us, his people.
We're given two reasons for his law.
First, to remind us of his amazing grace.
Look what God says to the people before he even gives a single law.
In verse 6.
I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt,
out of the land of slavery.
I am the God who has graciously rescued you.
I delivered you from your chains.
I freed you from slavery.
This whole theme of grace is picked up again in chapter 6.
Have a look at verse 10 of chapter 6.
Verse 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,
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
when you're sitting down in the chair rubbing your full belly,
be careful that you do not forget the Lord
who bought you out of Egypt,
out of the land of slavery.
You see, the laws were there to remind them,
hey guys, listen,
everything that you have,
where you live,
the land that you have,
is all been graciously and generously provided to you by God.
Or look down at chapter 6, verse 20.
In the future,
when your son asks you,
Dad, what is the meaning of the stipulations,
the decrees and the laws that the Lord our God has commanded us?
Well, tell him,
Son, it was like this.
We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt,
but the Lord bought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.
Before our eyes,
the Lord sent miraculous signs and wonders,
great and terrible,
upon Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household.
But he bought us out from there
to bring us in and give us the land
that he promised on oath to our forefathers.
You see, the law is there to teach them
that grace covers their whole life.
It stretches back into their past,
to their rescue from Egypt,
and it stretches forward into eternity,
to the future,
as they get ready to go into the promised land.
So every time we ask the question,
why do we have God's law?
Why must we obey O God?
Well, the answer is simple.
Because God has been incredibly gracious to us.
Because God, in our sense,
is the one who has rescued us.
He is the one who has freed us
from slavery to sin and death.
God is the one who has promised us a future,
an eternal home in heaven.
Not because of what you do,
but because of who he is.
So God gives us his law
so that we will never forget,
but always remember
his amazing grace towards us.
Which brings us to the second reason for the law.
To show us how to live
in relationship with this God
who has rescued us.
Look at the headlines
of chapter 5,
the Ten Commandments,
starting at verse 7.
Let's just go through them.
Just the headlines.
You shall have no other gods before me.
Verse 8.
You shall not make for yourself an idol.
Verse 11.
You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
Verse 12.
Observe the Sabbath day.
Verse 11.
16.
Honor your father and your mother.
17.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not give false testimony.
Verse 21.
You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.
And you shall not set your desire
on your neighbor's possessions.
These Ten Commandments
show us how we are to live
in relationship with God.
The first four,
if you look there,
all relate to God.
How we should view God.
How we should respect God.
How we honour God.
The last six
all relate to other people.
How we should live with each other.
How we should treat each other
within society.
Now while we could make this division
and this distinction,
we've got to be careful
that we don't separate them.
You see,
how we love each other
is a sign of how we love God.
So for example,
I can't say,
oh I worship God.
But then at the same time say,
I'm sick and fed up of Kirsty.
I think I'll have another wife.
You can't do that.
You can't separate them.
Similarly,
you can't say,
I won't have any other God.
God is my only God.
But then at the same time,
make work
or your family
more important than God.
Look at chapter 6,
verse 4.
Hear,
O Israel,
the Lord our God,
the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God
with all your heart
and with all your soul
and with all your strength.
These commandments
that I give you today
are to be upon your hearts.
In other words,
to love God
God
is to take
all of his commands
to heart
and it's to live them
all out.
So to show that I do
love God
with all my heart,
strength and soul
means
loving
my neighbour,
means loving
all those
within my community
with the commandments
that God has given me.
So God gives us
the law
so that we will know
how to live
in relationship
with him
and with the people
that he has put
around us.
Now before we move on,
I want us to notice
the order
in which
the law came
and it's vital
that we see this.
The rescue
from Egypt
came first,
the relationship
in the promised land
came second.
Now we've got
to get that right.
Grace comes first,
then comes the law.
You see,
God
did not give them
the law first
and say,
if you obey
this law perfectly,
if you
keep it
the way
I've given it to you,
then
I will rescue you
and then
I will bring you
into a new land.
No,
God didn't say that.
God says,
because I have
rescued you,
because I have
delivered you,
I give you
my law
so that you can
live
in relationship
with me.
So the law
is given
to remind us
of God's
amazing grace
and how we are
to live
in relationship
with God.
God's
So that's the
reason for the law.
Thanks,
Ralph.
Second,
there's a problem
with God's law.
Moses reminds
the people
of what happened
when they
received
God's law.
Look at chapter 5,
verse 23.
Here he is
on the mountain
reminding them
of what had
happened.
He says,
verse 23,
when you heard
the voice
out of the
darkness,
while the
mountain was
ablaze with
fire,
all the leading
men of your
tribes and your
elders came to
me.
And you said,
the Lord our
God has shown
us his glory
and his majesty
and we have
heard his voice
from the fire.
Today we have
seen that a man
can live
even if God
speaks with him.
But now,
why should we
die?
this great
fire will
consume us
and we will
die if we
hear the
voice of the
Lord our
God any
longer.
Now, do you
see the
tension in
those verses?
They want to
hear God's
voice.
They want to
hear God's
law because
it's good.
But they're
also afraid if
they hear God's
voice, if they
do get God's
law, that
they will die.
look at
verse 26.
For what
mortal man
has ever
heard the
voice of the
living God
speaking out
of the fire
as we have
and survived?
You see,
they want to
hear, they
want God's
law, but
they can't
handle God's
law.
On the one
side they know
that God's
law is good
and it's
beautiful, but
they also know
on the other
side that it is
dangerous and
condemning.
So they've
got this
tension, we
want it, but
we can't
handle it.
You see, God's
law brings
life and
death.
Keep your
finger there in
chapter 5 and
6 and jump
forward to
Deuteronomy
chapter 30.
These verses
sum up, if
you like, the
great tension
that exists in
the law.
Deuteronomy
chapter 30,
verse 15.
See, I set
before you
today life
life and
prosperity,
death and
destruction.
There's the
two things,
life and
death.
Verse 16,
for I command
you today to
love the
Lord your
God, to
walk in
his ways,
and to
keep his
commands,
decrees,
and laws.
Then you
will live
and increase
and the
Lord your
God will
bless you
in the
land you
are entering
to
possess.
But,
verse 17,
if your
hearts turn
away and
you are
not obedient,
and if
you are
drawn away
to bow
down to
other gods
and worship
them, I
declare to
you this
day that
you will
certainly be
destroyed.
You will
not live
long in
the land
you are
crossing
the
Jordan
to
enter
and
possess.
Go back
to chapter
5.
So do
you see
the tension
there?
By keeping
the law
and following
the law,
it's going
to go
well for
you.
But the
opposite is
also true.
If you
fail to
keep this
law,
it's going
to be
disastrous
for you.
God will
punish you.
God will
condemn
you.
And that's
the tension.
So the
people,
they want
God's law,
they love
God's law
because it's
going to be
good for
them.
Think of
it like
this.
If you
could
imagine
if we
could all
keep these
Ten Commandments,
we would
have the
most perfect
of communities.
Imagine a
community where
instead of
everybody being
self-centered
and always
looking after
what they
want,
they are
God-centered.
And God
is their
priority.
community.
Imagine a
place where
looking at
the fourth
commandment,
we understand
what work
is and
what rest
is and
we have
that balance
completely
right and
there's no
exploitation of
employees and
there's no
abuse.
Imagine a
community where
children honour
their parents
and that
all goes
right and
where parents
equally look
after their
children correctly.
Imagine a
community where
there's no
murder and
we can expand
that out to
language of
hate and
retaliation and
anger.
Imagine a
community where
there's no
adultery,
either of the
physical kind or
the internet
kind,
where there's
no stealing
and that
doesn't just
mean taking
sweeties from
the shop,
it means
knocking off
early from
work or
not paying
taxes or
people charging
for things that
are more
expensive than
what they
really are,
where proper
business practices
happen.
Imagine a
community where
there's no
lies or
unhealthy
desires.
This all
flows out of
the Ten
Commandments,
you see,
it's not
bad,
it's actually
good.
And this is
the kind of
community that
we all long
for and no
wonder the
people are
saying,
yes, we
want God's
law.
We do want
it because it
is perfectly
good for us.
But the
more we
commit ourselves
to God,
the more we
realise how
incapable we
are of
keeping this
law.
It's too
big.
It's too
great.
We break
it every
single day.
We don't
love God
with all our
heart and
all our
soul and
all our
strength.
We love
me.
And that's
the tension
that we
face.
We want to
do what's
right.
we want
God's
law because
it creates
a beautiful
life.
It brings
about a
great
community.
But the
deeper that
we get
into it,
the more
that we
try to
live it
and enjoy
it,
the more
it actually
overcomes
us and
we actually
drown in
God's
law because
we fail
and we
fall all
the time.
look at
chapter 6
verse 25.
Look what
the people
say.
If we
are careful
to obey
all this
law before
the Lord
our God
as he
has commanded
us,
that will
be our
righteousness.
If we
can do
everything
that God
asks of
us,
we will
live in
this beautiful
relationship
with God
and with
each other.
Everything
is going
to be
perfectly
good
if we
can do
it.
But that's
the problem
of the
law.
And that's
our problem
too.
We want
it.
We long
to obey
it.
Because it
creates the
most beautiful
and perfect
of life
and community,
we know
it will be
good for
us.
But we
just can't
keep it.
it.
We fail
and we
fall
miserably
all of
the time.
So what
are we
to do
with God's
law?
Well that
brings us
to the
third
aspect,
the
solution
to God's
law.
Thankfully
God has
done something
about our
inability to
keep God's
law.
Look at
chapter 5
verse 4.
chapter 5
verse 4.
The Lord
spoke to you
face to face
out of the
fire on
that mountain.
Moses says,
at that
time I
stood
between the
Lord and
you to
declare to
you the
word of
the Lord
because you
were afraid
of the
fire and
did not
go up
the mountain.
Moses,
do you see,
stands in
for the
people.
He stands
between God
and the
people.
He acts
as a
mediator.
Now I
think we're
used to
mediators.
We have
them whenever
there's a
breakdown in
a relationship
between two
parties.
We've seen
it on this
island.
We have
political
mediators,
as was the
case for the
Good Friday
Agreement.
Someone's
speaking on
behalf of the
other parties.
We have
marriage
mediators who
are there to
help bring the
separated couple
back to each
other.
Well in his
role as a
mediator,
Moses was
there to
speak to
God for
the people
and Moses
was there to
speak to
the people
for God.
Look at
chapter 5
verse 26.
The people
said,
for what
mortal man
has ever
heard the
voice of
the living
God speaking
out of the
fires we
have and
survived?
So they
said to
Moses,
verse 27,
go near
and listen
to all that
the Lord
our God
says.
Then you
tell us
whatever the
Lord our
God tells
you and
we will
listen and
obey.
It sounds
easy enough,
doesn't it?
But here's
the difficulty.
Moses could
only tell the
people what
God would
do.
Look,
everyone,
if you keep
the law,
God is going
to bless you.
This is what
he's going
to do for
you.
If you
break the
law,
God is
going to
punish you.
And all
Moses could
do on the
other side
was he
could only
report to
God what
the people
would do.
Well,
God,
you know,
the people
have promised
that they're
going to
listen to
you and
obey you.
That's his
only function
as a
mediator.
Well,
the fact
is,
they did
not listen
and they
did not
obey.
And although
Moses was a
mediator,
he could do
nothing to
make the
people obey.
Moses had
no power
in himself
to change
their life
or behaviour.
So it
seems at
this stage
it's more
of a
problem
than a
solution.
But God
knows the
people and
God does
not give
up on
his people.
God
longs that
we would
love him
and obey
him.
Look at
verse 29.
Oh,
he says,
oh,
that their
hearts
would be
inclined to
fear me
and keep
all my
commands
always
so that
it might
go well
with them
and their
children
forever.
This is
the cry
of a
deeply
passionate,
loving,
and committed
God.
Oh,
that their
hearts
would be
inclined to
me.
This is
the cry
of a
heartache.
God's
deepest
longing,
God's
greatest
desire
is that
we would
love
him,
that we
would
obey
him,
that we
would
want
to
do
it.
And
God's
heart
breaks
when we
turn away
from him.
And he
won't give
up on us.
And he
won't give
up on his
people.
So God
in his
grace
provides
another
mediator.
He sends
a better
and greater
mediator,
the perfect
mediator,
Jesus
Christ.
Because in
his role
as mediator,
Jesus comes
to stand
in for
us.
Jesus is
the one
who came
into the
world to
represent
us.
My life
becomes
his life
and his
life becomes
my life.
Well,
how does
that work
out?
we'll
get these
two ideas.
First,
Jesus loved
and obeyed
God perfectly
for us.
Jesus
kept the
law that
we could
never keep
on our
behalf.
Jesus,
when he
walked this
earth,
was the
only one
who could
truly say,
I loved
God with
all my
heart,
with all
my soul,
and with
all my
strength.
Jesus
kept the
Ten
Commandments
perfectly.
He never
got any
of them
wrong.
He obeyed
God's
law for
us,
so that
we might
freely receive
the blessings
of God,
that we
might enjoy
God and
a relationship
with him.
So that's
what he does
on one
side.
But it's
so much
more,
because on
the other
side,
he doesn't
just keep
the law,
Jesus
takes the
blame for
our
disobedience.
He takes
the failure
to keep
the law
on himself,
and he
suffers the
punishment
that we
deserve.
That's what
his death
on the
cross is
all about.
The
judgment
that Jesus
received
was a
judgment
for you
and for
me.
And he
stands in
for us.
He takes
the hit
for us.
Jesus
suffered
hell,
which is
like an
eternity
without
commands.
where
everybody
does
as they
like,
destroying
one another,
wrecking
one another.
And Jesus
suffered
hell for
us so
that we
might enjoy
heaven and
eternity with
him where
everybody does
obey and
everybody does
everything perfectly
right.
We can
summarize it
like this
on the
screen.
it's
there.
Jesus
was
treated
as a
lawbreaker
for us
so that
we might
be treated
as a
lawkeeper
like
him.
That's
what he
did for
us.
So,
what does
that mean
in terms
of the
law today?
What's our
relationship
with the
law?
Does it
mean we
just throw
the law
out?
We don't
need the
Ten
Commandments?
Sure,
Jesus died
for us
and forgave
us.
That's
all right
now.
I don't
need the
law.
Well,
no,
remember
what we
said at
the
beginning.
Rescue
came first,
then came
the
relationship.
Grace
comes first,
then comes
the law.
God
doesn't give
us the
law and
say,
listen
guys,
if you
obey this
law perfectly,
I will
love you and
I will
care for
you and
I will
give my
life for
you.
If you
keep this
law perfectly,
I will
accept you
and welcome
you.
No,
God never
says that.
God
says,
because I
have kept
the law
for you,
I love
you.
Because I
was punished
as a
lawbreaker
for you,
I welcome
you and
I accept
you.
Because I
died for
you,
I give
you my
good
law.
A
law not
there so
you can
try and
earn my
favour,
but a
law that
is there
to say,
follow this
law as
a way of
saying,
thank you
that you
are my
saviour.
It's not
there to
earn favour,
but to
say thank
you for
being my
saviour.
God's
law is
a good
law,
because it
points us
to Jesus
and helps
us to
see our
need of
Jesus.
But Jesus
then in
turn brings
us back
to the
law and
says,
follow the
law as
a way of
saying thank
you to
me for
all that
I have
done for
you.
Let's
pray.
Amen.
Our
Father God,
we thank
you for
your good
law.
We thank
you that
you have
given us
your words
so that
we know
how to
live.
And we
pray that
as we
read your
law,
as we
seek to
follow it,
it would
remind us
daily of
your amazing
grace,
of how
you have
rescued us
and blessed
us and
given us
so much.
And help
us in the
days,
the hours,
the moments,
where we're
so conscious
of us
failing,
that we
would run
to Christ
and remember
that he is
the one who
has not only
kept the
law for
us,
but taken
the punishment
for breaking
the law.
and he
has given
us new
life in
its place.
So help
us to
live in
the light
of that
today.
Help us
to live
in the
light of
that in
our
relationships
within
our
family,
within
our
community,
in our
places of
work,
and help
us to
show the
grace of
God to
those around
us as
we seek
to follow
your ways.
We pray
this in
Jesus'
name.
Amen.
So in
response to
what we've
heard this
morning,
particularly
Jesus'
role as
our
mediator,
we're going
to sing
before the
throne of
God
above.
We're
coming
seated.
This
serves as a
good introduction
to our
time around
the Lord's
table.
So we
just want
to continue
that
thought
or that
idea of
Jesus as
our
mediator,
the person
that stands
in the
gap for
us,
between us
and a
righteous
and Holy
God.
Amen.
Before the throne of God above
I have a stronger, perfect plea
A great high priest whose name is love
Whoever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on his hands
My name is written on his heart
I know that while in heaven he stands
No tongue can bid me hence depart
When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within
Upward I look and see him there
Who made an end to all my sin
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free
But God the just is satisfied
To look on him and pardon me
Behold him there, the risen Lamb
My perfect, spotless righteousness
The great, unchangeable I am
The King of glory and of grace
One with himself I cannot find
My sinful soul is healed by his blood
For life is his with Christ on high
With Christ my Savior and my God
The King of the Lord
And cond complètement
We are dead
And then we areHHH
First, we areVS
And then we are eventually