to 21, which is on page 188.
The Golden Calf.
Remember this and never forget how you provoked the Lord your God to anger in the desert.
From the day you left Egypt until you arrived here, you have been rebellious against the Lord.
At Horeb you aroused the Lord's wrath so that he was angry enough to destroy you.
When I went up on the mountain to receive the tablets of stone,
the tablets of the covenant that the Lord had made with you,
I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
I ate no bread and drank no water.
The Lord gave me two stone tablets inscribed by the finger of God.
On them were all the commandments the Lord proclaimed to you on the mountain out of the fire on the day of the assembly.
At the end of the forty days and the forty nights, the Lord gave me the two stone tablets,
the tablets of the covenant.
Then the Lord told me,
Go down from here at once, because your people, whom you brought out of Egypt, have become corrupt.
They have turned away quickly from what I commanded them and have made a caste idol for themselves.
And the Lord said to me,
I have seen this people, and they are stiff-necked people indeed.
Let me alone so that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven,
and I will make you into a nation stronger and more numerous than they.
So I turned and went down from the mountain while it was ablaze with fire,
and the two tablets of the covenant were in my hands.
When I looked, I saw that you had sinned against the Lord your God.
You had made for yourselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf.
You had turned aside quickly from the way that the Lord had commanded you.
So I took the two tablets and threw them out of my hands,
breaking them to pieces before your eyes.
Then once again I fell prostrate before the Lord for forty days and forty nights.
I ate no bread and drank no water because of all the sin you had committed,
doing what was evil in the Lord's sight and so provoking him to anger.
I fear the anger and wrath of the Lord, for he was angry enough to destroy you,
but again the Lord listened to me.
And the Lord was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him,
but at that time I prayed for Aaron too.
Also I took that sinful thing of yours, the calf you had made, and burned it in the fire.
Then I crushed it and ground it to powder as fine as dust
and threw the dust into a stream that flowed down the mountain.
Thanks, Justy.
And if you jump over to Deuteronomy chapter 10, verse 1,
and we'll continue reading there.
Deuteronomy 10, verse 1.
At that time the Lord said to me,
Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones
and come up to me on the mountain.
Also make a wooden chest.
I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets,
which you broke.
Then you were to put them in the chest.
So I made the ark out of acacia wood
and chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones,
went up onto the mountain with the two tablets in my hands.
The Lord wrote on these tablets what he had written before,
the Ten Commandments he had proclaimed to you from the mountain,
out of the fire on the day of the assembly.
And the Lord gave them to me.
Then I came back down the mountain and put the tablets in the ark I had made,
as the Lord commanded me, and they are there now.
Well, please keep your Bibles open.
Deuteronomy chapter 9 and 10,
as we continue on in our studies in this fabulous book,
the big title we've given it is Hearing God's Grace,
and that's what we're going to do now.
So let's talk to God, pray us for his help,
and then we'll look at his word together.
Our Father God, we thank you so much for your word to us.
Thank you for the privilege of having many copies,
multiple copies of your word that we own.
But yet we know that without your Spirit speaking to us through them,
they remain lifeless.
And so we pray that by the Spirit of God,
you would speak life,
that you would change us,
transform us,
and showing us more of who you are,
your amazing character.
and how when we take that in to our own lives,
how it changes us.
So we ask for your help now this morning,
in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, Deuteronomy, as we have been saying,
is a collection of talks.
It's a series of sermons that Moses gives to God's people
just before they go into the Promised Land.
So in chapter 9, verse 1,
we read this, this little phrase,
Hear, O Israel.
It marks or signifies the beginning of a new talk
that Moses gives to the people.
And in this talk that we're going to look at this morning,
he tells the people two things.
So very simple for us this morning,
just two things we're going to get.
How they're going to get into the land,
and how they're going to stay in the land.
Two things, how they get in,
and how they're going to stay in.
Now let's remember,
40 years ago,
they tried to enter the land,
but they failed miserably.
Now, 40 years later,
they're back in exactly the same place again.
So what's going to be different?
Well, this is what Moses' talk is all about.
And he'll tell them that it's only because of God's mercy
that they're going to get into the land.
And it's only because of God's amazing mercy
that they will get to stay in the land.
Now, when we look at a book like this,
we might just think,
well, that's kind of 4,000 odd years ago.
That's history.
What's that got to do with me?
Well, as we read this story,
let's remember that this is also our story.
Because the way in which God works here
is also the way in which God works with us today.
The message is actually the same.
Because God is the one who brings us in
to a relationship with him.
Into, if you like, the ultimate promised land.
Life in all its fullness.
And it is God who will keep us in
that relationship with him.
Experiencing life in all of its fullness.
So, first, how God brings us in.
Our warrior.
Look at chapter 9, verse 1.
Hear, O Israel,
you are now about to cross the Jordan
to go in
and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you
with large cities that have walls up to the sky.
The people are strong and tall.
Anarchites.
Well, when you hear the word Anarchites,
you are meant to cower and hide under your chair.
Well, they were like giants.
These were people who won every battle.
Maybe it's perhaps how Ireland are feeling this afternoon.
You know what have been heard about them.
Who can stand up against the Anarchites?
Forty years ago,
they faced them
and they ran away from them terrified
and frightened.
Now they have to face them again on the battlefield.
And paddy power is not giving them great odds.
Everyone knows
you don't take on the Anarchites.
You'll get destroyed,
kicked off the park.
You might as well throw in your weapons now
and try and work out some kind of deal.
But,
look at verse 3.
Be assured today
that the Lord your God
is the one who goes across
ahead of you
like a devouring fire.
He will destroy them.
He will subdue them before you.
And you will quickly drive them out
and annihilate them quickly
as the Lord has promised you.
God
is going to fight for you.
God is the warrior
who is going to take you
and bring you
into the promised land.
I'm sure we've all seen
on the news recently
those fires
that were raging
across Australia.
Nothing
and no one
has been able to stop them.
They're too powerful.
They're too great.
Nothing
can quench them.
Well, God is pictured here
in verse 3
as a
mighty warrior,
one who is like
a devouring
fire.
Nothing
and no one
can stop
the awesome power
of God.
And the message
is simply this
that left to ourselves
and the people
left to themselves
are never going to get in.
They're going to be broken
and defeated.
But God
is the one
who goes ahead of us
clearing the way
making this path
so that they will be able
to cross over
and enter
into the promised land.
Now let's be clear
on why God
will fight for them.
Look at verse 4.
After the Lord
your God
has driven them
out before you
do not say to yourself
the Lord
well
he brought me here
to take possession
of this land
because of my
righteousness.
You know what?
God has given
this land to us
because of how
great we are.
God is doing
all of these things
for us
as a reward
because
well we've just
been so good.
God is fighting
for us
because well
quite frankly
we deserve it.
I mean look at us
look how great we are
compared to those
other lot.
Wow
God would do
anything for us.
Look at the rest
of verse 4.
No
it is on account
of the wickedness
of these nations
that the Lord
is going to drive
out before you.
It is not
because of
your righteousness
or your
integrity
that you are
going in to
take possession
of the land
but on account
of the wickedness
of these nations.
It's not
your goodness
that's going
to get you in.
It's the nation's
sin that God
must deal with
that will enable
you to go in.
You see
we have this
problem of thinking
that God works
on the basis
of our performance
and it goes
something like this
if I do
something for God
God is going
to do something
for me.
And it's like
we aim
to build up
these credits
and we have
this special
account with
God
it's called
the special
favour account
and we build
up credits
that we put
into it
and we kind
of do good
things
and we help
people
and we give
our money
to charity
we kind
of sponsor
somebody in
compassion
and we go
to church
and we do
this and we
do that
and well
we're kind
of generally
good clean
people
and then
when we've
built up
enough credits
and we
want something
or we need
something
well we kind
of cash in
our credits
and we pray
a prayer to
God and we
say
Lord I
need
and
well just
look at my
life
because I
have done
this for
you
do this
for me
I've earned
it
I deserve
it
no
that's wrong
look at
verse 6
understand
then
that it
is not
because of
your righteousness
that the
Lord your
God is
giving you
this good
land to
possess
for you
are a
stiff necked
people
you're
actually no
better than
the nations
that have
been here
before you
you're just
as wicked
and as
sinful
as they
are
the only
reason that
God is
going to
fight for
you
is because
of his
mercy
and the
only way
that you're
going to
get into
the promised
land
is because
of his
amazing
grace
you see
it's all
about
what God
has done
for you
not about
what we
can do
for him
it's all
because of
his amazing
mercy
so
God
is the
one
who
will
bring
us
in
because
he
is
our
warrior
well
second
how
God
keeps
us
in
the
mediator
remember
God
has
entered
into
a
special
relationship
with
his
people
and
that
special
relationship
was
called
the
covenant
we
come
across
it
a lot
in
the
old
testament
and
a
covenant
simply
means
a
contract
between
God
and
his
people
it's
a
binding
agreement
that
would
keep
them
together
and
enable
them
to
stay
in
the
land
and
at
the
heart
of
this
agreement
was
what
we
call
the
ten
commandments
which
is
something
that
Moses
here
recalls
in
chapter
nine
verse
seven
following
where
he
goes
up
onto
the
mountain
to
receive
the
ten
commandments
on
the
stone
tablets
we
pick
it up
in
verse
nine
Moses
says
when I
went
up
onto
the
mountain
to
receive
the
tablets
of
stone
the
tablets
of
the
covenant
this
disagreement
that the
Lord
had made
with you
I
stayed
on the
mountain
forty
days
and forty
nights
I
ate
no
bread
and drank
no
water
and
the
Lord
gave
me
two
stone
tablets
inscribed
by the
finger
of
God
on
them
were
all
the
commandments
the
Lord
proclaimed
to
you
on
the
mountain
out
of
the
fire
agreement
or
the
covenant
was
really
quite
simple
and
basic
anybody
in
kindergarten
would
get
it
and
it
went
simply
like
this
listen
guys
you
obey
the
laws
you
keep
these
laws
that
I
am
giving
you
and
it's
going
to
go
well
for
you
you'll
get
the
land
you'll
stay
in
the
land
you're
going
to
be
blessed
you're
going
to
have
peace
prosperity
your
borders
are
going
to
be
protected
you're
not
going
to
suffer
you're
going
to
have
everything
that
you
need
it's
going
to
be
a
good
life
obey
these
laws
and
you're
going
to
stay
here
but
you
know
what
if
you
disobey
these
laws
if
you
get
these
commandments
wrong
if
you
turn
away
from
me
I'm
going
to
destroy
you
I
will
do
to
you
what
I
have
done
to
the
other
nations
you'll
be
taken
out
of
the
land
quite
simple
obey
goes
well
disobey
trouble
and
here
Moses
is
reminding
them
of
this
covenant
this
pact
this
agreement
that
they
had
made
but
he
shows
them
how
they
failed
and
how
God
is
going
to
keep
them
in
look
at
verse
12
so
Moses
had
gone
up
to
the
mountain
to
get
the
tablets
and
now
he's
on
his
way
back
down
again
verse
12
then
the
Lord
told
me
go
down
from
here
at
once
because
your
people
whom
you
bought
out
of
Egypt
have
become
corrupt
they
have
turned
away
quickly
from
what
I
commanded
them
and
have
made
a
cast
idol
for
themselves
and
we
know
an
idol
doesn't
have
to
be
a
particular
stone
or
carved
out
image
an
idol
is
anything
that
we
put
in
place
of
God
anything
that's
more
important
to
you
than
God
is
an
idol
he
says
you
put
these
things
before
me
verse
13
and
the
Lord
said
to
me
I
have
seen
this
people
and
they
are
a
stiff
necked
people
let
me
alone
so
that
I
may
destroy
them
and
blot
out
their
name
from
under
heaven
and
I
will
make
you
that's
Moses
into
a
nation
stronger
and
more
numerous
than
they
look
if
I
have
to
destroy
them
I
will
do
it
but
I
will
build
up
another
people
who
will
take
their
place
that's
not
a
problem
for
me
says
God
so
I
turned
and
went
down
the
mountain
while
it
was
ablaze
with
fire
and
the
two
tablets
of
the
covenant
were
in
my
hands
when
I
looked
I
saw
that
you
had
sinned
against
the
Lord
your
God
and
how
you
had
made
for
yourselves
an
idol
cast
in
the
shape
of
a
calf
you
turned
aside
quickly
from
the
way
that
the
Lord
had
commanded
you
now
look at
verse
17
so
I
took
the
two
tablets
and
threw
them
right
before
all the
people
gathered
there
these
tablets
just
smashed
and
Moses
smashing
them
on the
rocks
was a
sign
that
this
agreement
this
special
relationship
between
God
and the
people
was
over
it
had
been
broken
in
fact
if we've
listened
carefully
to what
we've
just
read
we
will
have
seen
that
they
broke
the
contract
even
before
they
even
managed
to
set
foot
in
the
land
so
if
they
can't
keep
it
before
they
get
in
what
hope
have
they
got
of
keeping
it
if
they
do
get
in
but
look
what
happens
go
over
to
chapter
10
verse
1
so
far
we
see
they've
just
been
smashed
a
sign
that
their
relationship
has
just
been
broken
but
look
how
God
responds
chapter
10
verse
1
at
that
time
the
Lord
said
to
me
Moses
chisel
out
two
stone
tablets
just
like
the
first
ones
and
come
up
to
me
on
the
mountain
and
also
make
a
wooden
chest
also
known
as
the
ark
I
will
write
on
the
tablets
the
words
that
were
on
the
first
tablets
which
you
broke
then
you
are
to
put
them
into
the
chest
verse
5
then
I
came
back
down
the
mountain
and
I
put
the
tablets
in
the
ark
that's
the
wooden
chest
I
had
made
as
the
Lord
commanded
me
and
they
are
there
now
why
put
the
agreement
why
put
these
commandments
these
stone
tablets
into
a
wooden
box
what's
the
point
of
doing
that
well
if
they're
put
into
this
sealed
wooden
box
they're
protected
they
can't
be
broken
you
see
as
far
as
God
is
concerned
this
is
a
permanent
agreement
that
he
makes
with
his
people
when
God
says
I
want
you
to
put
the
tablets
of
the
covenant
this
agreement
this
relationship
that
we've
got
worked
out
together
he
says
when
I
say
to
you
put
them
into
the
ark
or
into
the
box
he's
saying
you
may
break
it
but
I
am
going
to
be
the
one
who
keeps
it
it's
God's
way
of
saying
to
the
people
I
am
committed
to
you
I
am
faithful
to
you
I
am
loyal
to
you
might
give
up
on
me
you
might
put
God
substitutes
in
my
place
you
might
say
that
your
family
or
your
work
is
more
important
to
me
than
anything
else
but
you
know
what
you
are
always
going
to
be
number
one
I
will
never
ever
give
up
on
you
chapter
10
verse
10
now
I
stayed
on
the
mountain
40
days
and
nights
as
I
did
the
first
time
and
the
Lord
listened
to
me
at
this
time
also
it
was
not
his
will
to
destroy
you
go
the
Lord
said
to
me
and
lead
the
people
on
their
way
so
that
they
may
enter
and
possess
the
land
that
I
swore
to
their
fathers
to
give
them
God
is
saying
I'm
not
only
going
to
get
you
in
but
I'm
going
to
keep
you
in
now
that's
incredible
but
let's
try and
make the
connection
here
because
what
has
happened
for
God
to
change
his
mind
because
they
broke
the
agreement
in
chapter
9
verse
14
he
says
I'm
going
to
destroy
them
I'm
going
to
blot
out
their
name
from
under
heaven
because
they
broke
the
agreement
the
contract
but
then
he
says
in
chapter
10
verse
11
he
says
well
it's
not
my
will
to
destroy
you
I'm
not
going
to
do
that
so
what's
happened
for
God
to
change
his
mind
well
the
answer
comes
in
the
middle
and
it
explains
in
a
deeper
way
why
God
is
going
to
keep
them
and
the
answer
is
this
Moses
prays
for
the
people
he
acts
as a
mediator
between
God
and the
people
he
intercedes
for them
so look
at chapter
9
verse 26
here we
have
Moses'
prayer
verse 26
of chapter
9
verse 29
13
they
their
are
those
is not asking God to do something that is against his character. He is pleasing, he is pleading
with God to act because of his character, because of his commitment and loyalty to his people.
He's saying to them, these are your people. They belong to you. They're your treasured possession,
your inheritance. So how could you turn your back on them? How could you leave them? How could you
destroy them? Verse 27 of chapter 9, remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Overlook
the stubbornness of this people. Overlook their wickedness and their sin. He's not saying to God,
could you just look the other way a minute while they're committing sin? Just don't look for a
minute and it'll be over. He's not going to like, forget about it or let's just pretend that it
never happened. That's not what overlook means here. He's asking God, do not treat them as they
deserve to be treated. They deserve to be destroyed and let go. But because of your character, because of
who you are, because of your promises and your commitment, because they're your people,
forgive them. Be merciful to them. You see, the only way they're going to stay in the land
is through a mediator. One who is going to stand in for them and pray for them and intercede for them.
You see, it's all about who God is and not who we are. It's not about our character, but God's character.
So God is the one who will keep us in.
Now, as we've said, this is not just history. This is our story too.
Because we're also people who need a warrior, who's going to bring us into that relationship with God.
We also need a warrior who's going to clear the path so that we might have life in all its fullness
and enter into the promised land, the ultimate land of new creation.
We also need a mediator who is going to keep us in that relationship with God and never let us go.
Well, in Jesus, we see the true warrior, the mighty warrior, the strong warrior.
But we also have the mediator, the one who prays on our behalf, interceding for us.
And in Jesus, the warrior and the mediator come together.
And we see Jesus as we read on through the Bible, as we see Christ.
He's the one who fights the battle for us.
The battle that we can never fight.
He fights, well, not the analogites.
But he deals with sin.
He defeats Satan through his death on the cross.
He clears the way, taking the blame for all of our sin, past, present and future,
so that we can enter into a relationship with him and enjoy him and know him.
But Jesus is our mediator.
And he continually stands in for us, speaking to the Father in our defence.
It's one thing getting in, but it's another thing staying in.
And I want us to get this right because so often it is taught and it is preached.
Well, Jesus gets you in, but it's up to you to keep yourself in by your good works.
Rubbish.
Get rid of that thinking.
Because every time I mess up and sin, every time we fail and we get it wrong,
Jesus is there continually speaking to the Father in our defence,
saying, I have paid for their sin on the cross.
I was destroyed for them.
Condemned for them.
Suffered hell for them.
So that they might enjoy life with you today and for all eternity.
Jesus brings us in and Jesus will keep us in.
So how does this change us?
Well, three things very simply that we can take away as we apply these two truths of God being our warrior
and God being our mediator.
The first thing is security.
If Jesus brings us in and Jesus keeps us in, we are forever secure.
Nothing and no one can take us out.
Not even sin, not even Satan, not even suffering.
We're safe forever through our faith in Jesus Christ.
No longer are we living a life of fear every time we sin thinking,
Oh, now I've suddenly come out again.
And I'm out of a relationship with God and now I'm in trouble.
No, because of our faith in Christ, we are forever secure in Jesus.
Nothing and no one can take us out of the grip of his faithful love.
That's the first thing we can take away.
The second thing is this, humility.
Because it's all about what Jesus has done for us, none of us here can say,
You know what? I deserve it.
Or I earned it.
No one here can claim to be better or greater or more superior to anybody else.
Nobody can say, I'm more blessed because of what I have done.
Do you remember what we read in chapter 9?
Three times it says, it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord is doing this for you.
It's not because of your righteousness.
In other words, it's all because of God's mercy.
Which means we become humble people.
That means we treat each other with mercy.
We don't hold grudges against each other.
We're not unforgiving towards each other.
We treat each other as Christ treated us.
We become humble servants because of what Christ has done for us.
So first it brings security.
Second it brings about a humility.
And third, responsibility.
Because of what we have experienced through Jesus,
it places on us not only a privilege,
but an amazing responsibility.
And I want us to take our example from Moses.
Because like Moses,
we need to pray on behalf of others.
We need to begin to be praying for our friends
and our family,
people who we know,
who have not yet entered in.
Because who's going to pray for them?
Are they going to pray for themselves?
We need to intercede.
We need to pray on behalf of
our friends and our family.
We need to pray for the nations,
the unreached nations,
the people that we were hearing about
as David came on Wednesday night in Thailand,
the places of Laos,
people who haven't yet heard.
Are they going to pray?
Today, one of the greatest religious festivals in the world,
the Hindu people,
are all going to be crowding down.
Tens of millions,
look it up on the internet,
tens of millions,
walking into the Ganges,
because the Ganges is going to clean their sin away.
Tens of millions,
lost.
Are they going to be praying to God?
Who's going to pray for them?
To intercede for them?
Well, like Moses,
we need to pray this prayer.
Verse 27,
chapter 9.
Overlook
their stubbornness
of this people.
Overlook their wickedness
and their sin.
Have mercy.
So we have an amazing responsibility,
but that privilege of talking to an awesome God
who longs to bring us in,
who longs to keep us in,
and to save us,
and rescue us.
We are secure.
We are humble servants.
And we are people who pray
for those who are not yet in.
Let's pray now.
Our Father God,
we thank you that you are an amazing God.
A God of mercy.
A God who has not only
brought us into a relationship with you,
life in all its fullness,
experiencing that life today,
looking forward to an eternal life
with you in heaven.
Not only have you brought us in,
but you are the God who will keep us in,
not because of our faithfulness,
but because of the faithfulness of God to us.
Thank you that we are secure in you.
Teach us humility.
And give us a heart.
Fill our lives with your spirit
that we might pray
on behalf of the nations
and pray for our friends and family.
We ask this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, we're going to sing together,
which takes up the theme of this...