Tawa Baptist

Worship

Scripture: Deuteronomy 12:1-7

Video Link: https://youtu.be/PRaDm5F3LH8

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Distinctive worship
  • Tangible worship
  • Joyful worship
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Preaching is a bit like serving tea. In any sermon you will normally have three ingredients. The text of Scripture, an explanation of the text and then hopefully application of the text. Text, Explanation, Application. T.E.A. spells tea.

Application is the practical part which connects the message to everyday life. The preacher usually gives some examples of how the text applies but ultimately it is up to the listeners to put God’s word into practice.     

The book of Deuteronomy, as a whole, can be thought of as three speeches by Moses to the people of Israel as they stood poised at the edge of the wilderness, about to enter the Promised Land.

Moses’ second (and largest) speech, in chapters 5-26, is shaped very much like a sermon with a text, an explanation and some application. The text Moses is preaching from is the ten commandments of Yahweh, found in chapter five.

In chapters 6-11 Moses explains or unpacks the meaning of Yahweh’s ten words. In a nutshell, the most important thing is love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength. That’s the main point of the sermon, the lens through which the law is to be understood and life is to be lived.

Then, in chapters 12-26 of Deuteronomy, Moses outlines various ways in which loving God applies in everyday life. In other words, here are some laws and decrees (some practical things) you can do to demonstrate your love for God.   

Over the past three months I have been explaining the meaning of each of the ten commandments and how these apply for us today, in the light of Jesus’ teaching. This morning we continue our series in Deuteronomy by focusing on chapter 12, part of the application of Moses’ sermon.

In chapter 12 Moses gives some practical instructions about how the Israelites are to worship God once they enter the Promised Land. When it comes to worship, this is what loving God looks like. From Deuteronomy 12, verses 1-7 we read our text…

These are the decrees and laws you must be careful to follow in the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you to possess—as long as you live in the land. 2 Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains, on the hills and under every spreading tree, where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods. 3 Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and burn their Asherah poles in the fire; cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places. 4 You must not worship the Lord your God in their way.  5 But you are to seek the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; 6 there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. 7 There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

As I mentioned before, Deuteronomy 12 is mainly concerned with how loving God applies to worship.  Three things to keep in mind. Worship of Yahweh is to be distinctive, tangible and joyful. First, let’s consider the distinctive nature of Israel’s worship.

Distinctive worship:

After a war is finished, the land is often littered with unexploded mines, live artillery shells and booby traps. The retreating army leave a trail of destruction behind them. Before the civilian population can return and rebuild, the army engineers need to clear the ground of dangerous ordinances. 

If the image of cleaning up after a war seems a bit far removed from life in New Zealand, then imagine you have a wasps’ nest in your garden at home. You don’t tolerate the wasps. You get someone in to destroy their nest.

Likewise, if you have rats running around in your ceiling, you don’t fold your hands and do nothing. You exterminate the rats. And, if you have a poisonous plant (maybe a stinging nettle) growing in your garden, then you don’t leave it there. You kill the plant and remove it.

In verses 2-3 of Deuteronomy 12, Moses instructs the Israelites to destroy all the paraphernalia associated with Canaanite religion. God Almighty is completely different from the fake gods of the Canaanites. Yahweh does not want people thinking that he is in any way like these false gods. Therefore, the Israelites are to worship the Lord Almighty in a distinctive way.  

Although the gods of the Canaanites were not real, the way the Canaanites practiced their religion had very real and destructive consequences. In verse 31 of Deuteronomy 12 we read…

31 You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.

Destroying any visual reminders of Canaanite religion was like extracting unexploded land mines or getting rid of a wasps’ nest or exterminating rats or removing a stinging nettle. It was a basic health & safety requirement.

Rather than worshiping Yahweh anywhere they felt like, the Israelites were to gather at one central place for their rituals of worship. That place would be decided by God.

The Canaanites had many gods that they worshipped in many places. Israel had one God whom they worshipped in one place. Israel’s worship of Yahweh was distinctive in its oneness.

The place God chose for people to come and offer their ritual sacrifices moved. At one time the Tabernacle and the ark of the covenant was located in Shechem, then Bethel, then Shiloh and eventually a temple was built in Jerusalem.

Not that God’s presence was limited to that one place. Rather, the central place of worship acted like the hub of a wheel, holding the nation together.   

As Patrick Miller explains, the emphasis is upon the Lord’s choice. The central activity of Israel’s life, which is the worship of the Lord, is fully shaped and determined by the Lord. [1]   

The point is, for Israel’s worship to be distinctive it needs to be pleasing to God, first and foremost. We don’t worship to please ourselves. We worship to please God. We don’t act like Canaanites and do whatever we think is right in our own eyes. We do what is right and good in the eyes of the Lord.

If someone invites you to their birthday party, you come at the time they say, to the place they are celebrating at and you bring a gift, something you know they will enjoy or at least find useful.

You don’t come too late or decide you are going to celebrate at a different venue. And you don’t come empty handed or with a gift you know they won’t enjoy. It’s their party, not yours. It’s about them, it’s not about you.  

How does this apply to us today? Well, a worship gathering is like God’s party. He is the host and we are his guests. Yes, we hope to have a good time at the party. But really it’s not about us. It’s about God and what he wants.

So, if there are some songs in the Sunday service you don’t like, you don’t get upset, because it’s not about your entertainment. You sing to the best of your ability. Or, if the prayers (and speeches) seem too long, you remember, it’s not about my convenience. We are here to celebrate God. Likewise, you don’t ignore the other guests at the party. You talk with them and you get along with each other for the honour and pleasure of the host.

Church is not a shopping mall. We don’t worship God for our own gratification or self-fulfillment. We worship God because he alone is worthy. If God meets us and makes us feel good while we are praising him, then that’s a bonus, a gift to treasure. It’s not an entitlement.

Earlier in the service we heard a reading from John 4, where Jesus has a conversation with a Samaritan woman about worship. The woman says…

19 “Sir, …. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

21 Jesus replied, “…a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem…  22 the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks…”

What Jesus is getting at here is that the one centre for true worship is no longer a place but a person. And Jesus, the Messiah, is that person. Jesus the Christ has made a new covenant with God for us. Therefore, Jesus is the one through whom we worship God.

As Jesus said, ‘where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them’. This means we worship best when we gather with other Christian believers. And the thing that is meant to make our worship distinctive is our love for one another in Christ.

Okay, so that’s the first thing; Israel’s worship was to be distinctive from the nations around them. They were not to conform to the pattern of this world. The second thing is that Israel’s worship was to be tangible. 

Tangible worship:

Virtual reality is a term we have become familiar with in recent years. Virtual reality is a computer generated simulation of a three dimensional image that can be interacted with in a seemingly real way.

Virtual reality is an oxymoron though, because it is not physically real, it is intangible. You can’t eat and be nourished by a virtual sandwich. And, if you hit your thumb with a virtual hammer, you won’t do any damage nor feel any pain.

Israel’s worship was not virtual reality; it was tangible reality, worship with real substance and real consequences. It was physical as well as mental and emotional. From verse 6 we read…

6 there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.  

The sacrifices and offerings listed in verse 6 are real tangible physical things. They mainly include animals and crops, produce of the land, things you could eat and drink. Israel’s worship was not virtual, it was tangible.  

Burnt offerings refer to sacrifices that were burnt whole as an offering to the Lord. The ancient Hebrew word for a whole burnt offering is holocaust, which took on a new meaning after world war two. 

Most of the other sacrifices and offerings listed in verse 6 could be shared with the Levites, the priests and the poor. So, it wasn’t like the lamb or the cow was completely destroyed every time. Often the meat or the grain or the wine was put to good use in feeding people.

The tithe was meant for sharing with those in need. A tithe is 10 percent of the year’s produce or harvest. In today’s terms it is 10% of your income. In ancient Hebrew thought, the tithe was like rent paid to God for use of the land. Sort of like a share-milker pays a percentage of their income to the farm owner.

The distinctive thing about the tithe though is that God (who is effectively the King and land owner) charges a relatively low rent. By comparison, a share-milker pays around 50% of their income to the land owner. The Lord only asks 10%

In fact, God is so generous he doesn’t keep the 10% rent for himself. He doesn’t need it. Instead the Lord God directs that the tithe owing to him be given to the poor and marginalized, including the Levites (who did not own any land because they were devoted to the Lord’s service).

These days we don’t sacrifice animals as part of our worship of God. Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross to atone for our sins fulfills the law and ends the need for animal sacrifice. Actually, Israel’s animal sacrifice in the context of worship, pointed to Jesus’ sacrifice.   

However, the end of animal sacrifice does not mean the end of tangible worship. As Christian believers, we still offer real, tangible, substantial sacrifices to God. Only the sacrifices we bring are not to atone for sin. They are an expression of our love for God.

When we come to church on a Sunday morning, we might be sacrificing a sleep in or time at the beach. That is tangible worship. When we sing songs in church we are offering a sacrifice of praise. That too is tangible worship, particularly if we don’t feel much like singing.

When we make automatic payments into the church’s bank account or put money in the offering bag; when we buy treats at the bake sale; when we give cash to World Vision or to mission work or the local food bank; we are sacrificing money and worshipping God in a tangible way.

When we volunteer to serve in the life of the church or to help a neighbour in need, we are offering our time, our talents and our energy (very real and tangible things) as an act of worship to God.

One of the most tangible ways we worship God is with our bodies. In Romans 12, Paul says: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  

We have a tendency to think of our bodies as our own to do with as we wish. But in Christian thought, one’s body is an instrument for God’s purpose.

When we take care of our bodies by maintaining good rhythms of sleeping, eating and exercise, then we are honouring God for the gift of our body in a very real and tangible way.

When we put our body to work in service to God; when we use our hands to help people and not harm them; when we use our tongues for kind words, not gossip; when we use our ears to listen with care; then we are offering our bodies in real tangible worship to the Lord.

Worshipping God with our bodies also means abstaining from those things that are harmful to us, like illegal drugs or too much alcohol or sleeping around. And for some that may feel like a real sacrifice.

The point is, worship is not just something we do on Sundays or on special occasions like Easter and Christmas. Tangible worship of God is a whole of life thing. As the prophet Micah famously said…

And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humblywith your God.

Justice, mercy and humility are not abstract or ethereal things. They are real, tangible, down to earth actions which lend integrity to our profession of faith. 

Worship of the living God is to be distinctive, tangible and joyful.

Joyful worship:

Joy is not exactly the same as happiness. Happiness is a pleasant feeling that happens to you, almost at random. Like when a butterfly lands near you, or a baby smiles at you or your sports team has a win. Happiness is a quick energy that picks you up, then dumps you soon after. We can’t really manufacture or control the circumstances that precipitate happiness. 

But joy is more intentional than that, more purposeful, less random. Joy is low GI. Joy is a sustained, slow release kind of energy that comes from hope.    

Joy is the fruit of hope. If your hope is to be reunited with loved ones, then joy isn’t just the good feeling you get when that reunion happens. It is also the positive energy that comes from anticipating that reunion before it happens.

If your hope is to live in peace, with justice, then joy isn’t just the good feeling you get when the war ends. It is also the energy that enables you to keep pressing forward in battle and win the war.

If your hope is to reap a good harvest (and get a good return), then joy isn’t just seeing the crop in the barn (or the money in the bank). It is also the energy to do the mahi (the work), to plough the soil, sow the seed and water the crop.

If your hope is to be raised in glory with Jesus, then joy isn’t just seeing Christ return. It is also the energy to endure and be faithful in this life.

Joy is the fruit of hope.

In Deuteronomy 12, verse 7, we read: There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you. 

For ancient Israel, worship wasn’t just singing songs, saying prayers and listening to the sermon. It also involved staying for the shared lunch. Worship of Yahweh is meant to be a joyful celebration, a party which includes everyone.

Now, it would be fair to say that we don’t always feel like rejoicing when we come to church. The circumstances of our life may be difficult and putting on a happy face feels wrong. We just can’t fake it.

Well, you don’t have to fake it. You don’t have to pretend to be happy when something bad happens to you. You are allowed to grieve. If you can’t be honest with God, then it’s not a right relationship, much less a joyful one.

Joy is the fruit of hope and we only begin to hope when life is difficult. Usually the journey to joy requires us to pass through the valley of lament.

But even when you are in the valley, you can still look forward in hope to a time when God will wipe away every tear. You can rejoice in faith that life won’t always suck. Jesus is making all things new and he will redeem your loss in his way and his time.    

The joyful worship celebration envisioned by Moses, in Deuteronomy 12, is like a sign post pointing forward to the Messianic Banquet at the end of time, when those who love Jesus will be reunited with him in the greatest party the world has ever known.

Conclusion:

Many centuries after Moses, William Temple offered his vision of worship, which illuminates something of what Jesus meant when he talked about worshipping God in Spirit and in truth. William Temple writes…

Worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness; the nourishment of mind with His truth; the purifying of imagination by His beauty; the opening of the heart to His love; the surrender of will to His purpose – and all of this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable.                     

Father God, help us to worship you in Spirit and in truth, we pray. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • Why does Moses insist that Israel worship the Lord their God in a distinctive way? In what ways was Israel’s worship meant to differ from Canaanite worship? In what ways is Christian worship today (meant to be) distinctive from the prevailing culture?
  • What do you think Jesus meant when he talked about worshipping in the Spirit and in truth (in John 4)?  What might this mean for us today?
  • Why do we no longer need to sacrifice animals as part of our worship of God? What tangible things do you do to worship God? How do you worship God with your body?
  • How does the ancient practice of tithing reveal the generosity of God?
  • Discuss / reflect on the difference between joy and happiness. Where does your joy come from? What is it you hope for?
  • Make some time this week to reflect on William Temple’s vision of worship, then spend time in adoration of God.   

[1] Patrick Miller, Interpretation commentary on Deuteronomy, pages 131-132. 

Tawa Baptist

Honesty

Scripture: Deuteronomy 5:20; 19:15-19

Video Link: https://youtu.be/_3dB1FprMWo

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Honesty promotes justice in the court room
  • Honesty promotes trust in the neighbourhood
  • Honesty promotes humility in the heart  
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Let’s begin with a simple multi-choice question. When was the first time you can remember telling a lie? Were you: A. under the age of 10; B. over the age of 10; C. I have never told a lie; Or D. I can’t remember, it was too long ago.  

I expect most people would answer either A. under 10 or D. I can’t remember. If you answered C. (that you have never told a lie) then you are either Jesus or you are telling a porky. Lying is probably the easiest, most inclusive, all-age sin there is. Almost anyone can lie. And, eventually, everyone does.

Today we continue our series in Deuteronomy. We are up to that part (in chapter 5) where Moses reiterates the ten commandments of Yahweh. This morning our focus is the command, ‘You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour’, in verse 20.

The general aim with this commandment is to be honest and tell the truth. Honesty promotes justice in the courtroom, it promotes trust in the neighbourhood and being honest with ourselves promotes humility in the heart.

Honesty promotes justice in the courtroom:

In the context of the ten commandments, you shall not give false testimony is primarily about not lying in a court of law. Or not perverting the course of justice in other words.   

For society to function in a peaceful way there needs to be justice. And justice depends on people being honest and telling the truth. In the ancient world they didn’t have forensic science like we do. They weren’t able to check for finger prints or DNA and so eye witnesses were essential for providing evidence.

In Deuteronomy 19, verse 15, we read…

15 One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

The requirement for two or three witnesses (whose testimonies agree) provided a safe guard against miscarriages of justice. However, this safeguard was not full proof. It was still possible for two or three dishonest people to conspire against an innocent third party. And so Deuteronomy 19 goes on to say…

16 If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime, 17 the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time. 18 The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite, 19 then do to the false witness as that witness intended to do to the other party. 

We see a number of examples of false witnesses in the Scriptures. One such example is found in the book of Esther.

There we read how Haman trumped up false charges against Mordecai. Haman was so confident of his plot he constructed gallows in anticipation of Mordecai being found guilty. As it transpired, Haman’s false testimony was uncovered and Haman himself was hung on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai.

Perhaps the most famous example of people bearing false witness though was at the trial of Jesus. In Matthew 26 we read…

59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find any [who could agree], though many false witnesses came forward.

Ironically, Jesus was put to death for giving truthful testimony about himself. When the high priest asked Jesus if he was the Christ, the Son of God, Jesus replied, “Yes, it is as you say.” No one in that court believed him, despite the evidence of his miracles, his fulfilment of Scripture and his followers.    

Okay, time for another multi-choice question. You don’t have to put your hand up for this one by the way. Simply consider what you might do. Here’s the scenario…

Your best friend was involved in a car crash but fled the scene before the police arrived so they could not test his blood for alcohol. You were seen with your friend at the pub the night of the crash but you were not in the car at the time. You are required to take the stand in court as a witness.

The prosecution asks if you saw your friend drinking the night of the crash. You answer ‘yes’. Then they ask you, how much was he drinking? You know that it was enough to put him over the limit but you don’t want to make things worse for your best mate. How do you answer?

Do you: A. tell the whole truth, it was four jugs of beer and two shots of tequila; B. fudge the truth to cover for him, it was only half a pint of beer; C. Lie by saying you can’t remember; Or D. remain silent and refuse to answer.

In this scenario you are not being tempted to get someone into trouble for something they haven’t done. You are being tempted to withhold the truth in order to protect a friend who is clearly in the wrong. Is it okay to do that?

Well, no. When Deuteronomy 5, verse 20, talks about giving ‘false’ testimony, the word false, means empty testimony. As Daniel Block explains, the concern is testimony that does not move the case forward, that hedges the truth or detracts from the pursuit of justice with misleading or trivial responses. [1]

In the context of a courtroom, the purpose with the command to not give false testimony is to ensure justice is done. Fudging the truth or leaving out crucial facts or pretending you can’t remember or saying nothing, are not allowed if those strategies derail the course of justice.

Okay, so we’ve talked about not giving false testimony in the context of formal legal proceedings. What about outside of a court of law. How does the command to not give false testimony apply in the neighbourhood? And by the neighbourhood we mean in the home, at school, in the work place, in your street, and so on.    

Honesty promotes trust in the neighbourhood:

In Leviticus 19 we read: Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.

And, jumping ahead to the New Testament, in Ephesians 4 we read: Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbour… 

These verses are talking about being honest in our everyday relationships with the people in our neighbourhood. If the primary purpose of being honest in a court of law is to promote justice, then the primary purpose in being honest with our neighbours is to promote trust.

The air in the atmosphere we breathe is about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% other gases. As much as we need oxygen to survive, too much oxygen is harmful. In fact, breathing pure oxygen will kill you.

Honesty is like oxygen to the atmosphere of our relationships. We need honesty in our relationships. Honesty keeps trust alive. But too much honesty will kill the relationship. Honesty needs to be tempered with the nitrogen of discretion.

Discretion is not lying. Discretion is choosing when to speak and when to hold your tongue for the sake of the relationship; for the sake of trust.

For example, if you meet a friend at a café and as part of the conversation say, very loudly so everyone can hear, ‘how are your hemorrhoids?’ Or, ‘your breath smells really bad’. Or, ‘that dress makes you look fat’ Or, something else that might be honest but also embarrassing for them, then you will undermine trust and kill the friendship. There is such a thing as being too honest.

Being honest doesn’t give us a license to disclose other people’s business. In the context of the neighbourhood, honesty needs to be tempered with discretion, otherwise no one will trust you.

Imagine you are waiting by the coffee cart on the Main Road here in Tawa when one of the cool kids, someone quite successful and generally liked by everyone, starts talking with you while you are waiting for your morning fix. The conversation begins innocently enough but then takes a turn for the worse.

This popular person, who you admire, starts talking about another person’s failure behind their back. There may be some foundation to what they are saying but it is not entirely true and it certainly is not kind, much less anyone else’s business. How do you respond?

Do you: A. collude with them by agreeing; B. listen and say nothing; C. call them out (and correct them); or D. subtly change the topic of conversation.     

I guess most of us would like to think we had the courage to call them out and correct them, even though that might make us the target of their gossip with someone else. But I imagine most (if not all) of us have employed all four strategies at one point or another.

In 1st Corinthians 13, Paul describes the most excellent way, saying…

5 Love does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, 

Honesty can be a brutal thing, if it is not motivated by love. We may harm others with our words and then justify ourselves by saying, ‘I was just keeping it real’ or ‘I was only being honest’.  Yes, love rejoices with the truth. But that does not mean love is insensitive or that it takes pleasure in seeing people hurt.

The truth is too big for any of us to know. We don’t have the full picture and so we need to be honest with ourselves and admit the limits of our understanding. Our words need to be motivated by love and humility. We must be careful not to dishonour others with our words. We need to protect the reputation of others.

As a teacher, Robyn sometimes has kids coming to her telling tales. She poked her tongue out at me. Or he peed in the pool. There may be some truth to these tales but there isn’t much love.

Robyn has an acrostic she uses with the kids in her class. It spells the word THINK. (I’ve shared this with you before.) She tells her kids to THINK before they speak. Is it True? Is it Helpful? Is it Inspiring? Is it Necessary? And is it Kind? If it is true, helpful, inspiring, necessary and kind then it is worth saying.  

The apostle Paul summed it up in Ephesians 4 when he said…

Say only the good things people need to hear, that will really help them.

When our words are honest and kind, we foster trust in our relationships. Trust is the foundation really. Without trust there is nothing to build on and the neighbourhood collapses.

These days our neighbourhood is not just a physical place. Many of us also inhabit a virtual online neighbourhood. We live in the information age. There is so much data at our finger tips, on the internet. Unfortunately, not all of it is true. The recent pandemic has revealed the power of misinformation to mislead people and undermine trust.  

Jesus teaches us to be discerning in what we accept as true and what we filter out as false. In Matthew 7, Jesus says…

15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 

Jesus wants us to be discerning about what we accept as true because buying into a lie makes it harder to trust and easier to become cynical.

Okay, so we are talking about the importance of being honest. Honesty promotes justice in the courtroom, it promotes trust in the neighbourhood and being honest with ourselves promotes humility in the heart.

Honesty promotes humility in the heart:

Jesus had quite a bit to say about keeping our heart honest. Jesus was particularly tough on religious hypocrisy. A hypocrite is an actor, someone who gets by in life by pretending to be something they are not. Listen to some of the things Jesus said to the religious leaders’ faces, from the gospel of Luke…

39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 

41 But… be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

46“And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

An ignorant person might hear those words and think, Jesus is taking a shot at all professional clergy. But he’s not. Anyone can be a Pharisee. You don’t even have to be a believer to be like the religious leaders Jesus is describing here. Those words fit for anyone who is dishonest with themselves.  

Imagine you are in church singing a worship song. You are finding the song difficult to sing. Not because the music is complicated but because the words are pricking your conscience. All to Jesus, I surrender, all to thee I freely give. I will ever love and trust you, in your presence daily live. I surrender all…

You know in your heart that you are failing to live up to those words. It’s not that you have a sensitive conscience. In fact, your conscience hardly ever bothers you, which (truth be told) is how you like it.

But the Spirit is present, this particular day, and you know Jesus is putting his finger on something in your life, something you would rather not face. Perhaps some dodgey dealings at work or school. Or maybe you are cheating on your boyfriend or being violent with your wife or neglecting your children. 

Whatever it is, do you: A. ignore your conscience and sing louder; B. lip sync without actually singing the words; C. stop coming to church altogether; or D. put things right and return to church the next Sunday to sing with a clear conscience.

Hopefully we would all do D. put things right and sing with a clear conscience. Having said that, I’m all too aware that sometimes we human beings are tempted to use religion as a cloak of invisibility, to hide what’s really going on in our personal lives.

Now, I’m not suggesting we stop singing worship songs in church every time we do something wrong. If we did that, no one would ever be able to sing.

The point is we need to be honest with ourselves and with God. Other people can’t see into our hearts but God can. There is no fooling him. We don’t have to be perfect to call ourselves a Christian but nor can we fake it.

When we mess up we need to confess our wrong doing to the Lord, do what we can to put it right and continue following Jesus in faith, trusting ourselves to God’s grace, without pride or pretence. 

One of the ways we keep our heart honest is through the spiritual discipline of self-examination and confession. Confession is when you tell God (aloud) what you have done wrong. When confession is done well, it releases us from guilt and enables to walk humbly with God.

Trouble is, we don’t always do confession well. We may spend too much time examining our heart and become too critical of ourselves, not allowing any room for grace. Or we might go to the other extreme and charge through life without any self-awareness, leaving a trail of hurt people in our wake.     

When I was a teenager, I remember attending a church service. The guest speaker was talking about the value of confessing our sins to each other. Not wanting to be hypocrites, and perhaps also wanting to unburden their conscience, a number of people got up and confessed their deepest darkest secrets to the whole congregation.

In hindsight, I don’t think that was a good idea. While there is a place for accountability, perhaps with a mentor or in small groups, it doesn’t really work in a bigger gathering. Some people over shared and others didn’t share anything. The whole exercise just made people feel awkward or misunderstood and consequently more disconnected, which defeats the purpose of church.

Confession works best when done in the same context in which we committed the wrong doing. For example, if you lie to a colleague, one on one, then you put that right by confessing the truth to that colleague, one on one. You don’t need to tell the whole church what you did.

However, if you stand up in a church meeting and say something false or hurtful, then you put that right by admitting your mistake in a church meeting. Confession works best when done in the same context in which we committed the wrong doing.    

Conclusion:

We’ve talked this morning about the importance of honesty. Honesty promotes justice in the courtroom, it promotes trust in the neighbourhood and being honest with ourselves promotes humility in the heart.

But are there any circumstances when it is okay to lie? Well, if the purpose in being honest is to promote justice, trust and humility, then we may be forced to lie if telling the truth would undermine justice, trust and humility.

One last multi-choice question to illustrate what I mean. Imagine you live under a ruthless dictatorship, one in which the authorities are hell bent of eradicating anyone with red hair. The ruler of the country has lost his mind. People with even a hint of ginger in their beard are being hunted down and sent into exile on Stewart Island to shuck oysters.

The law is completely ridiculous. Having red hair is not a moral issue. There is no justice in this decree. It undermines human dignity, destroys trust and promotes bigotry and prejudice.

Do you: A. set up a secret hair salon in your basement to dye people’s hair black; B. Dye your own hair red in solidarity; C. lie to the authorities to protect your red headed neighbours; or D. report people with red hair to the police.

I think, in an extreme situation like that, lying to the authorities is (paradoxically) a more honest option than reporting red heads to the police.

(My apologies to people with red hair and anyone living on Stewart Island. I mean no disrespect. I’m 98% sure this scenario would never happen.)

Let us pray…

Father God, we thank you for Jesus who shows us what it means to hold grace and truth together. Help us to be honest with you, honest with our neighbours and honest with ourselves. May justice be upheld in our courts of law. May trust be strengthened in our neighbourhoods and may we walk humbly with you. Through Jesus we pray. Amen.  

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading these Scriptures and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • When was the first time you can remember telling a lie? What happened? How did you feel? Were you able to put it right?
  • Why is it important to be honest? What does honesty promote? 
  • Can you recall a time when someone lied to you? What happened? How did you feel? Was your ability to trust affected? If so, how? 
  • How might we handle a situation in which someone talks negatively to us about someone else behind their back? How do we maintain trust?
  • Is it ever okay to lie? If so, under what circumstances? What principles can we use to guide us?
  • How might we keep ourselves honest? What does healthy confession look like in practice? Make some time this week to examine your heart, confess your short fallings to God and make things right with others if necessary.

[1] Daniel Block, NIVAC Deuteronomy, pages 166-167.

Tawa Baptist

Security

Scriptures: Deuteronomy 5:19; 19:14; 23:15-16, 19-20, 24-25; 24:6-7, 10-15, 19-22; 25:13-16 and 1st King 21

Video Link: https://youtu.be/voWPWYrYbm0

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Generosity, not greed
  • Security, not anxiety
  • Trust, not threat
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

When I was growing up in the 1970’s people didn’t lock their house during the day. You trusted your neighbours and complete strangers for that matter. If you popped down to the dairy to pick up a bottle of milk, you could leave the keys in your car, with the engine running, and not give it a second thought. You felt safe, like no one was going to pinch your stuff.

It’s not like that now. Almost every week we hear reports of ram raids and smash and grab crimes. Just two weeks ago I noticed a $200 charge on our credit card for something we had not purchased. Theft through the internet. We quickly cancelled the card to stop any further loss.

Many of you have got rid of your landline phones, partly because we use cell-phones now but also because many of the calls we get on our landline are scam artists, trying to weedle their way in our bank account.

It used to make me angry, especially when I thought of someone more vulnerable being taken advantage of. But then I thought, how desperate must someone be if they are having to resort to committing fraud for a living.

Even the post is suspect now. You take a risk sending anything of value in the mail. A number of times we’ve had things going ‘missing’ in the post.   

All these nasty little experiences breed cynicism and anxiety, undermining our sense of security and our ability to trust.

Today we continue our series in Deuteronomy. We are up to that part (in chapter 5) where Moses reiterates the ten commandments or the ten words of Yahweh. This morning our focus is the command, ‘You shall not steal’, in verse 19.

You shall not steal is perhaps one of the broadest commandments. It covers a wide range of activity. On the face of it, you shall not steal affirms the right to own personal property and provides protection for one’s material assets.

When we look at Deuteronomy as whole we get the sense that, you shall not steal is about fostering trust between people. It’s about promoting security in the neighbourhood. The kingdom of God is to be a place of generosity.

Generosity not greed, security not anxiety and trust not threat, this is the kaupapa or the purpose with the command not to steal.

Moses gives heaps of examples of how, you shall not steal, applies in daily life. Let’s start with land. The right use of land has to do with generosity. All too often human greed gets in the way.  

Generosity, not greed:

In Deuteronomy 19 we read: 14 Do not move your neighbour’s boundary stone set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess.

To move a boundary stone is to take land that does not belong to you. These days moving your neighbour’s boundary stone would equate to building a fence in the wrong place, so as to disadvantage your neighbour. In ancient Israel moving a boundary stone reduced your neighbour’s capacity for growing food.

Worse than this though, it was an offence against God. You see, land for the ancient Israelites, was not privately owned by individuals. Land is owned by God.

The Lord allocated portions of the Promised Land of Canaan to the various tribes of Israel. Each tribe and clan and family were to act like kaitiaki or guardians, caretakers of the land entrusted to their care. The section of land you were responsible for was to stay in your family and be passed down from generation to generation.

You could use your allocation of land to graze your sheep or grow your grain but you could never sell the land. If a family fell on hard times they could lease their land, for a specified period of time, to someone else from their tribe (ideally a close relative) but they could never permanently sell it.

As a safe guard, once every 50 years, the allocations of land were to be returned to the original family holdings.

In first Kings chapter 19, we read how king Ahab (arguably the most evil king Israel ever had) wanted to buy Naboth’s vineyard so he could grow vegetables. Ahab basically told Naboth to name his price.

Naboth, who was a regular citizen and also a God fearing man, said ‘no’ to king Ahab. ‘God forbid’ that I ever sell my land to anyone. In Naboth’s mind, Ahab was essentially trying to bribe him to move a boundary stone.

Ahab started sulking around the palace and so his wife, Jezebel, arranged to have Naboth killed so that Ahab could seize Naboth’s field. God responded by sending the prophet Elijah to pronounce judgement on Ahab and Jezebel.

We might wonder how this story applies to us in our world today, because we buy and sell land all the time.

Well, the situation of ancient Israel is not exactly the same as contemporary New Zealand. I don’t think we should interpret the law of Moses to be saying we can’t buy and sell land ever. Selling your house to buy a new one is simply a practical necessity in the world in which we live today.

We need to look deeper than the letter of the law in order to find its spirit. The purpose (or kaupapa) of the law is generosity not greed. The land is one of God’s generous gifts to us. It is part of God’s hospitality to humanity. If we misuse the land for our own selfish gain, then we are essentially treating God’s generosity with contempt. We are stealing from God.

In practical terms, not moving your neighbour’s boundary stone, means people should not be pushed off their land. Big business interests need to give way to people’s welfare. In particular, the real estate of indigenous people needs to be respected and restored where it has been stolen.   

We do well to think of ourselves as caretakers of the land and of our neighbours. With this in view, the idea of protecting fertile land, so it cannot be turned into housing or carparks but rather used to grow crops, is a sensible one. 

The command to not steal also applies to paying a fair price for things. If land is being sold under a mortgagee sale, that is no excuse to drive the price lower in order to get it for a steal (as the saying goes). As believers we need to pay what it is worth. That is what it means to be generous and not greedy.

So, generally speaking, as long as no one is being taken advantage of, it’s okay to buy and sell land in New Zealand today. In any property transaction though, we need to be thinking of how that transaction will affect others.

For Christians, the Promised Land of Canaan is a symbol or a metaphor for the Kingdom of God. Through faith in Jesus we get a share in God’s kingdom. As believers in Christ we are meant to be more attached to Jesus than we are to land. God is our eternal home, our place to belong.

So, not moving a boundary stone (in a spiritual sense) means not abandoning our faith in Jesus. It means not selling out for some temporary short term gain. It means staying loyal to God, like Naboth did.      

Security, not anxiety:

Closely related to this principle of generosity is the idea of security. In Deuteronomy 23 we read…

24 If you enter your neighbour’s vineyard, you may eat all the grapes you want, but do not put any in your basket. 25 If you enter your neighbour’s grain field, you may pick kernels with your hands, but you must not put a sickle to their standing grain.

These verses help us to see where the line is drawn between reasonable use and theft. The spirit of the law here is to encourage land owners to be generous, not stingy. At the same time, the law provides a measure of food security for the poor. Generosity and security are held together in these verses.  

In a by-gone era people who were starving in Europe got sent to jail (or to Australia) for stealing a loaf of bread or a handful of potatoes. This kind of hard line punishment against the poor, who are already in a vulnerable position, is not condoned by the Bible. 

That said, I don’t think you can help yourself to grapes and apples when you are walking through the fresh produce section of the supermarket.

It is Moses’ intention to promote security, not anxiety. In Deuteronomy 24 we find another example of food security…

19 When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. 

The Lord Almighty (Yahweh) was generous to his people up front, without them having to do anything to earn his favour. The farmers were to pay Yahweh’s generosity forward by leaving plenty of produce in the field for the poor to collect. Boaz famously did this for Ruth.     

I guess we do something similar when we leave garage sale items outside for the wider community to help themselves to.

When the principles of generosity and security are practiced, the poor do not need to be anxious. Of course, being poor or in need is not the only cause of stealing. Some people will steal anything, without any good reason.

Here, at church, we’ve had brass door latches taken, small shrubs stolen out of the garden and copper pinched off the roof. I’m not sure why people would steal from a church? What I do know is that the cost of those thefts was far greater than the value of the items stolen.

Quite apart from the physical damage burglars do to a building, on forcing entry, there is also the damage a burglary does to one’s soul. I’m talking about the erosion of trust, the heightened anxiety you might experience going into an empty building at night and that feeling of being violated in some way.

Thieves don’t just take your stuff; they can potentially rob you of your peace of mind. Who wants to live in a society where you are always looking over your shoulder, always second guessing your neighbour’s motivation?   

By the same token, when someone takes care of your stuff, it has a restorative effect on your soul. It helps you regain some capacity to trust. It makes you feel more positively connected, more at home in the neighbourhood.

In Deuteronomy 22, we read…

If you see your fellow Israelite’s ox or sheep straying, do not ignore it but be sure to take it back to its owner… 

It is not enough simply to avoid stealing. We need to actively protect our neighbour’s stuff. This is about being your brother (or sister’s) keeper. It’s about providing security and reducing anxiety in the neighbourhood.

Probably the worst kind of theft is kidnapping. Taking another human being against their will in order to exploit them in some way. This is also known as people trafficking or slavery.

Literally hundreds of thousands of people are trafficked throughout the world each year. Some are forced into the sex trade and others are made to do manual labour for next to nothing. People trafficking is revolting to God.  

In the case of stolen goods, the law of Moses stipulates that what was stolen be replaced at least two fold. But for the one who steals other people, the prescribed punishment is death. That is how serious it is.   

I don’t expect anyone here is a slave trader as such but we have probably all purchased an item of clothing made by an exploited worker at some point. Perhaps the least any of us can do is buy fair trade goods whenever we can.

The problem is we are disconnected from the supply chain. So it is often impossible to know if we are making ethical purchases.

The slave trade is the opposite of God’s law. Kidnapping for exploitation is greed in an extreme form. It threatens the life of those who are enslaved and it creates anxiety in those who wish to do the right thing.

No one is beyond God’s redemption though. Although Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, Joseph was (in the end) able to forgive his brothers saying: What you intended for harm, God intended for good.    

Trust, not threat:  

Okay, so the purpose of God’s command to not steal is to encourage generosity not greed, to promote security not anxiety and to foster trust not threat within the neighbourhood.

Poverty was a real threat for some in ancient Israel. God’s concern and practical care for the poor is seen again and again in Deuteronomy.

For example, in chapter 24, verses 14-15, we read: 14 Do not take advantage of a hired worker who is poor and needy… 15 Pay them their wages each day before sunset, because they are poor and are counting on it.

Sometimes the rich and middle class don’t have too many clues about how the poor live day to day. We may be completely unaware of the realities our neighbours face. God’s law requires us to put ourselves in other people’s shoes and consider things from their perspective.

We need to be thinking, how can I promote security in my neighbourhood? How can I alleviate my neighbour’s anxiety? How can I promote trust? Paying a fair rate in a timely way helps with all three.   

Sometimes, when it is difficult to make ends meet, people may be forced to borrow money. The law of Moses prohibited charging interest on loans to fellow Israelites, although they could charge interest to foreigners.

This might seem like a double standard to us but in all likelihood the foreigners Moses had in mind here were probably not poor. They might be merchants who bought and sold goods for profit. 

So the distinction is between commercial loans and compassionate loans. It is okay to charge a reasonable rate of interest on commercial loans because the borrower is not hard up and they are using your money to make a profit.

But it’s not okay to charge interest on compassionate loans to the poor because that would be profiting from someone else’s misfortune. That would be like stealing from the poor.

A compassionate loan lets people keep their dignity because they are going to pay it back, it’s not charity. At the same time, an interest free loan is generous not greedy. It promotes security and reduces anxiety in the neighbourhood.

Whether the lending is commercial or compassionate, these verses warn against loan sharking and charging unfair rates of interest.

But there is also an encouragement, for those who can afford it, to offer small interest free loans to help family members or fellow believers who are in need. Of course, common sense dictates that you should never lend more than you can afford to lose.       

In verse 6, of Deuteronomy 24, Moses talks about security for debt and how lenders are to relate with those who have borrowed from them. That is, in a trusting way, not in a threatening way. Moses says…

6 Do not take a pair of millstones—not even the upper one—as security for a debt, because that would be taking a person’s livelihood as security.

And, in verses 12-13 we read:12 If the neighbour is poor, do not go to sleep with their pledge in your possession. 13 Return their cloak by sunset so that your neighbour may sleep in it… 

To take someone’s millstone as security for a debt was like taking their fry pan or their bread mixer. It was a threatening thing to do, because without a millstone the poor borrower couldn’t make bread.

Taking a poor man’s cloak as pledge was also a threatening thing to do. Without their cloak they might be too cold to sleep at night.

Moses wants to prevent the haves from intimidating the have nots. He wants people to use their power (their money) to help the poor. This requires lenders to trust God and not threaten people by taking things that are vital for their survival.

Yes, there will be times when you lend to someone and they won’t repay you. Nevertheless, God will act as guarantor for the financially vulnerable. If you loan money in good faith to help someone in need and they fail to repay you, the Lord will see that and credit it to you as a righteous act.

Trust, not threat is the purpose or the kaupapa at work in the law here.  

Another form of theft (which undermines trust) is the use of dishonest weights. Scales that disadvantage the buyer. In Deuteronomy 25, Moses says: 15 You must have accurate and honest weights and measures… 16 For the Lord your God detests anyone who deals dishonestly.

In today’s terms that means more than just having accurate scales. It means not winding the odometer back when selling a second hand car. It means not misleading people about the discount they are getting by inflating the retail price. It means not skimping on the meat in a steak and cheese pie. It means not pumping chickens with water to make them heavier. It means being honest with nutritional information on labels.   

Honest weights support trust. Dishonest weights threaten trust. 

Conclusion:

This morning we have heard how the command not to steal applies in a variety of areas of life. The purpose with this command is to promote generosity and discourage greed. The intention is to create a sense of security in the neighbourhood and reduce anxiety. You shall not steal is also about fostering trust between people and preventing threat.

When we look at the life and ministry of Jesus, we notice the Lord was not really that attached to material possessions. His main concern was for eternal life with God the Father. Following this train of thought, our greatest love needs to Jesus, for it is in and through Christ that we have eternal life with God. 

When we are more attached to Jesus than things like money, cars, clothes, houses and furniture, then material possessions will hold less sway over us. It’s not that material things are bad. They are useful and we still need them in this world. But at the end of the day we will lose all that stuff anyway. You can’t take it with you. But nothing invested in God’s kingdom is ever lost.

Let us pray…

Gracious God, thank you for your generosity to us. May we be generous like you. Forgive us for the times we have threatened the poor, through our own ignorance and self-interest. Forgive those who have stolen our stuff, robbed our peace of mind and undermined our trust. Holy Spirit, strengthen our attachment to Jesus we pray. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading these Scriptures and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • What was the world like when you were growing up as a child? How is it different today?
  • Have you been through the experience of being robbed? What happened? How did you feel / respond? Conversely, have you ever stolen from others? Why did you do this? How did stealing affect you?
  • How might the command not to move your neighbour’s boundary stone apply to us today?
  • In what ways did the law of Moses provide security for the poor? What can we do to strengthen security and reduce anxiety in our neighbourhoods today?
  • Why is the slave trade (kidnapping) so offensive to God?  When is it okay to charge interest on loans and when is it not okay?
  • What practical things can we do to strengthen our attachment to Jesus?
Tawa Baptist

High Fidelity

Scripture: Deuteronomy 5:18 and Matthew 5:27-28 & 31-32

Video Link: https://youtu.be/Pva-KR5maAE

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • What is adultery?
  • Strengthening marriage
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Kia ora whanau and good morning everyone.

Normally my messages are rated PG but today’s sermon is more like an R16. Content may disturb. 

If I say the word, Hi-Fi, what am I talking about? [Wait]

That’s right, a Hi-Fi is a stereo system, for playing music. Hi-Fi is short for High Fidelity, meaning high quality sound reproduction.

Fidelity is another word for faithfulness. So a High Fidelity sound system is one which faithfully reproduces the original music to a high standard. A Hi-Fi sound is a pure sound, unadulterated.

Today we continue our series in Deuteronomy. We are up to that part (in chapter 5) where Moses reiterates the ten commandments or the ten words of Yahweh. Today our focus is the command, ‘You shall not commit adultery’, in verse 18.

In actual fact, God wants us to do more than just avoid adultery. His real intention here is for marriage to be high fidelity. Because a high fidelity marriage clearly reproduces the faithfulness of God and the faithfulness of God is music to the ears of his creation.

When we look at where adultery is placed among the ten commandments, we see it comes between murder and theft. In some ways, adultery is like murder in that it (usually) kills a marriage and breaks up a family. At the same time, it is also like theft in that it takes something precious that does not belong to you. 

The command prohibiting adultery is about protecting marriage. When you protect marriage, you protect families and when you protect families you strengthen society.  

Our message today puts the instruction of Moses (in Deuteronomy) alongside the teaching of Jesus (in the gospel of Matthew). Broadly speaking, we will look at what adultery is and how we might strengthen marriage.

What is adultery?

First though, what do we mean by adultery? Well, from a contemporary secular perspective, adultery is voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than his or her spouse.

Or to put it more plainly, adultery is when a person who is married willingly has sex with someone they are not married to. Usually my sermons come with pictures to illustrate what I mean, but it doesn’t seem appropriate in this case.  

The Bible agrees with the secular definition of adultery, except that Jesus takes it even further.

In Matthew 5, Jesus says…

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 

So by Jesus’ (kingdom of God) definition, you don’t need to have sex in order to commit adultery. You can be guilty of adultery without touching anyone. 

Like much of Jesus’ sermon on the mount, the Lord is setting the bar of holiness very high indeed. There are a couple of things to clarify here.

Firstly, Jesus appears to be addressing married men in these verses, for he says anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery. Is he being sexist? Does this mean that only men can commit adultery and that women are not culpable?

No. Jesus is not being sexist. Women are just as capable of adultery as men and can be just as guilty. We need to understand that Jesus was speaking into a patriarchal culture. In a patriarchal society men are in control and women are generally subservient to their husbands. So there is a power imbalance.

As I read it, Jesus is addressing married men because they are the ones with the power. He is telling men to be responsible and use their power to protect their families by guarding against adultery.

At the same time, I think Jesus is undermining a common male prejudice that women are the problem; that women are somehow to blame for adultery. It’s her fault for dressing like that. Or it’s her fault for flirting with me in that way.

Jesus is not having any of that. Guys, you can’t blame women for your own selfish desire. That’s not fair. A man needs to take responsibility for controlling himself. He needs to keep it in his pants, especially in a society where women are not treated equally.  

Okay, so what does Jesus mean by looking at a woman lustfully? Well, lust is the hunger or the desire to possess someone else for your own self-gratification. Let me explain by way of example. And for this example to work you need to think of yourself as married.

You might be taking the train into the city when you notice someone who looks quite attractive. You think to yourself, they’re handsome or they’re beautiful. You don’t stare at them though. You don’t want to possess them for your own self-gratification. Instead you check the emails on your phone and your mind quickly moves on to its next thought. That is not lust or adultery.

But what if, in that scenario, an impure thought momentarily and involuntarily enters your mind. You quickly caste it out with a silent prayer, then distract yourself by doing the daily Wordle. Is that adultery? No. That is not adultery. That is temptation.

Temptation is that thin line between right and wrong. Temptation is the doorway to evil deeds. In the scenario I just described you did not cross the line of temptation. You backed away from it. Well done you.

Okay, so when does it become adultery? Well, you are on the train. You see the beautiful person. An impure thought enters your mind but this time, instead of distracting yourself with the Wordle, you welcome the thought in. You start undressing that person in your mind or you imagine them in the shower. Okay, now stop imagining. (I did warn you, this message is R16.)

If you entertain that kind of fantasy you have crossed the line of temptation and you have committed adultery with that person in your heart. You have wanted to possess that person for your own self-gratification.

You might say, that’s disgusting, I would never think like that. The truth is you don’t know the depths of your own heart. None of us knows what we might do given the opportunity. Remember how king David fell. He watched Bathsheba from a distance as she bathed naked and then he sent for her so he could sleep with her. So he could possess her for his own self-gratification.

Having said that, I don’t want you leave here today thinking, everyone is undressing me with their eyes. Most people are not thinking about you at all.

The point is, we have to be very careful with our thoughts. Thoughts are like seeds. A good thought grows into good actions. But the seed of a bad thought bears the fruit of all sorts of wrong doing. Where lust is the root, adultery is the fruit. Jesus wants us to nip adultery in the bud and prevent wrong doing before it has a chance to bear fruit. 

Choose prevention, not perversion. Choose self-denial, not self-gratification.

We are talking about what adultery is and what it means to look at someone lustfully, because by Jesus’ definition lust qualifies as adultery.

Now at this point some of you may be thinking, what about pornography? How does that fit with Jesus’ definition of adultery? Well, pornography encourages lust. Pornography provides the means for self-gratification. So, by Jesus’ standards, the use of pornography is a form of adultery.

The ancient Greek word for sexual immorality, in a general sense, is porneia, The English word pornography comes from the Greek word porneia. Pornography literally means ‘sexually immoral images’.  

In mainstream media, the use of pornography is accepted as normal and okay, provided it doesn’t involve children. But for Christians no form of pornography is acceptable, whether you are married or single.

Some people might say, ‘What’s the problem with pornography? No one is getting hurt’. That is simply not true. People are being hurt by pornography.

The use of pornography has the potential to destroy a marriage. God’s intention is for a husband and wife to give themselves to each other fully. If the husband is giving part of himself to dirty magazines and dodgey websites, then his wife is not getting the best of him.     

Deeper than this, pornography hurts the one who uses it. The more someone uses pornography the more likely they are to have impure thoughts about random strangers on the train. Pornography distorts our perception. It causes us to see other people as objects for our own self-gratification. Things to consume rather than human beings made in the image of God.

Whether you are married or single, please (for your own sake) do not go down the path of using pornography. It will put you in a prison that is very difficult to escape from.  

Deuteronomy 5, verse 21, reads: “You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife”.

In Catholic and Lutheran tradition, this verse (about not coveting your neighbour’s wife) stands alone as the ninth commandment. It is not lumped together with coveting your neighbour’s house and donkey. Wives are qualitatively different from houses and cars.

In the Greek version of the Old Testament, the word translated as covet is the same word Jesus uses for lust in Matthew 5. Lust / covet, same word in the original Greek. This is because coveting (like lust) is about the hunger or the desire to possess someone or something for our own self-gratification.

The implication here is that adultery isn’t just about sexual desire. Adultery can be about desiring someone else’s spouse for any reason. For example, a woman may covet her neighbour’s husband because he is good at earning money. In that case the lust isn’t sexual, it’s about greed or insecurity.    

Adultery doesn’t always present itself as so obviously evil. More often the temptation to self-gratification presents itself as something good, at first, but we don’t realise the path we are on until too late.

Returning to our train scenario. Imagine someone sits beside you on the train. You don’t have any inappropriate thoughts. You talk about the weather.  A couple of days later you sit together again and they share a few small details of their life. Turns out they work in a government department.

The weeks go by and you look forward to your daily commute. Your train buddy is easy to talk to. You feel comfortable with them. One day, their hand brushes against yours. It feels electric. You wonder if they felt it too. 

You find yourself thinking of them more and more after that. Innocent enough thoughts. You wonder what they might be having for dinner, whether they are watching the same TV programme as you, what they are planning for the weekend, that sort of thing.

Over the course of weeks and months you learn bits and pieces of their story. How their husband or wife left them to raise a child on their own. You feel a kind of empathy for their situation and before long you imagine yourself coming to their rescue, being their white knight or their Fraulein Maria.

Next you find they are populating your every waking thought. You become jealous when you see anyone else talking with them. You start going to the gym more often and eating a little less to get in shape, just in case.

At the same time, you pull away from your own spouse. You stay later at work, you talk less when you come home, you are more irritable with your family and you choose to withhold sex from your husband or wife.

Occasionally, you have a twinge of guilt but it soon passes. How can this be wrong when I feel so good? Besides, you are not sleeping with your train buddy (at least not yet). But still, your loyalty is divided. You are having an affair of the heart. You are trapped in a fantasy, an illusion which gratifies your ego or at least dulls the pain you feel. This too is a form of adultery.

Okay, so we’ve talked about the physical act of adultery, which is normally preceded by mental and emotional adultery, an adultery of the heart. But there is another kind of adultery too. In Matthew 5, verses 31-32, Jesus says…

31 “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

This is high fidelity stuff. Again, Jesus’ words here need to be understood in their proper context. A man in ancient Jewish culture could divorce his wife simply by writing her a letter of dismissal. Jewish women had no legal right to divorce their husband. It was a patriarchal society. Power imbalance.   

The conservatives of Jesus’ day said the only justifiable cause for divorcing your wife was if she was guilty of sexual immorality of some kind (porneia). The liberals, on the other hand, said a man could divorce his wife for anything. Maybe if she burnt the dinner or if he decided he liked the lady on the train more.

Not all husbands were so callous. Some loved their wives and remained loyal to them. But, by and large, men at that time felt entitled to send their wife away at a moment’s notice.

This was incredibly unfair to women, especially when we remember they had no social welfare benefit to fall back on and career options were limited.

Jesus took a hard line approach on the issue of divorce because he could see men were abusing the law at the expense of women and children. Some husbands were using a loop hole to get rid of their old wife so they could marry a new one. Serial monogamy. That is effectively the same as adultery, just with a thin veil of respectability.

Jesus is saying, it’s not okay guys for you opt out of your marriage commitment for your own convenience. Men, you need to stay loyal to your wife.

Now I imagine there will be some here who have been through the pain of divorce and remarriage. These words of Jesus are not meant to condemn you. Jesus’ intent is to protect those who are most vulnerable.

Your attitude to marriage and the reasons for your divorce may be entirely different from the problem Jesus was addressing in the first century. If you have left a marriage because you were abused or abandoned or betrayed, that’s a different matter. 

Whatever the circumstances of your divorce, God is gracious. I believe the Lord is willing to forgive anyone who is genuinely repentant.

The other thing I want to make plain is that, by Jesus’ standards, almost everyone listening to this is guilty of committing adultery, if not in deed then in their heart. And so no one here has the moral high ground. We are all in need of God’s mercy and forgiveness.

Returning to the main point. As Christians we are called to high fidelity in marriage. For us, marriage needs to be about commitment, not convenience. Divorce, in order to trade up to someone you like better, is not allowed for believers.

Strengthening marriage:

Okay, so now that we have explored what adultery is, let’s turn to something more positive. How do we strengthen marriage? How do we improve fidelity in marriage? I have three D’s for you: Discipleship, delight and disclosure.

Many people these days look to marriage as a means for self-fulfilment. They approach marriage with the mind-set of what can I get out of this? How can this benefit me? How can this make me happy? Me, me, me.

That sort of expectation puts way too much pressure on a marriage. As soon as one partner is unhappy, they look for a way out.

There are benefits and happiness in being married but marriage can also be difficult at times. A husband and wife need to be prepared to weather some unhappiness and stick with each other through the tough times.  

When Jesus talked about marriage it was often in the context of discipleship.    A disciple is a student or an apprentice. A disciple of Christ is someone who is learning to be like Christ. Marriage is one way to learn to be more like Jesus. It’s not the only way but if you are married it is probably the main way.

When we think of marriage not as something that fulfils me but rather as an opportunity to love and serve our partner, even when that involves sacrifice, then our expectations will be far more realistic. Over time, we will strengthen our marriage relationship, we will build our character and become more like Christ.

For example, there might be times in your marriage when you go months (perhaps longer) without having sex, due to illness or busy-ness or whatever.

If that happens you don’t think, where can I go to get some satisfaction? (Maybe I’ll take the train to work today.) No. As a disciple you think, how can I learn to be more like Christ through this experience? Jesus was celibate. I too will practice self-control and find other ways to be intimate with my spouse.

Another example of how discipleship works: In any marriage there will be little things that irk you about your partner. Small frustrations. Maybe they always leave the toilet seat up or they put the milk bottle back in the fridge when the bottle is empty or they don’t replace the toilet roll or they throw the tooth paste out before it has been fully used, or they restack the dishwasher after you’ve already done it, or something else that might annoy you.

Those moments of frustration are part of your discipleship. They are an opportunity to develop patience and show grace, as Jesus does for us.      

Our second D stands for delight. Husbands and wives can strengthen fidelity in marriage by delighting in each other. This means having fun together in a whole variety of ways, including enjoying each other’s bodies.

As we read in Proverbs 5: 18 May your fountain be blessed, may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. 19 A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love.

Although that verse is addressed to a man, it applies to women as well. Wives, may you rejoice in the husband of your youth, may his fountain satisfy you always.

The point is, when a husband and wife are looking for ways to make each other happy, they will have no need to look elsewhere.

Disclosure is another way to strengthen fidelity in marriage. Disclosure is about being open and honest with your spouse. Not keeping secrets. Now, as a pastor, I can’t tell Robyn everything about my work. There are some things people tell me in confidence and that stays with me.

Disclosure in marriage means answering any question your partner asks in relation to you and your relationship together. It means letting your spouse have access to your phone, your computer and your diary. It also means paying attention and listening well to what your husband or wife is saying to you.     

Disclosure, being honest, is not always easy to do. It is a learned skill. It takes patience and time. Saying the first 90% of what you need to say is relatively painless. It’s the last 10% of your truth that tends to hurt. But at the intersection of truth and love, trust is formed and intimacy is allowed to breathe.

Viewing marriage as a pathway of discipleship, delighting in your spouse and learning the art of graceful disclosure, all these things strengthen fidelity in marriage.  

Conclusion:

There’s one more thing I want to share with you, a single verse from Deuteronomy 24, which reads: 5 If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married.

Moses was wise. This is about laying a good foundation in your marriage. And its great advice for anyone who is married, whether it’s been one year or 50 years. Don’t just avoid adultery, foster high fidelity in your marriage. Bring happiness to your wife or husband.

Let us pray…

Loving God, you are faithful through all the seasons of life. By your standards most of us are guilty of adultery, if not in deed then in our hearts. Forgive us we pray. Whether we are married or single, may you satisfy our hunger for love. May our relationships be characterised by commitment, not convenience. By self-giving, not self-gratification. Through Jesus we pray. Amen.

Next week we look at the commandment about not stealing. I expect the message will be rated PG. So you should feel more comfortable, unless you are a burglar. May God bless you (and be careful on the train this week). 

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • What is adultery? How does a secular understanding of adultery differ from Jesus’ teaching on adultery? What is adultery of the heart? Where do you draw the line?  
  • Why did Jesus specifically address married men in Matthew 5:28?
  • How might we deal with impure thoughts? How might someone recover from pornography?
  • Why did Jesus take a hard line approach against divorce in Matthew 5:32? Why did Jesus insist on such a high standard of fidelity in marriage? 
  • What difference does it make thinking of marriage as a pathway of discipleship, rather than a pathway to self-fulfilment?
  • What practical things can people do to strengthen fidelity in marriage?
Tawa Baptist

Honour

Scripture: Deuteronomy 5:16

Video Link: https://youtu.be/Lt475BHSMYs

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • What?
  • Why?
  • How?
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Many of you of will be familiar with the TV show, The Repair Shop. In The Repair Shop people bring in broken family heirlooms for a team of skilled crafts people to restore.

First the family come in and tell the story behind the item they want repaired. Then the item is worked on, before the family return for the great reveal. Tears inevitably follow.

I like The Repair Shop because it is essentially about redemption. Not only is the object itself redeemed but, at a deeper level, honour is restored.

Time and time again we hear how people are having the item restored to honour a parent or grandparent. The object itself becomes symbolic of the relationship. Restore the broken object and in some way you have honoured the person who gave you the object.

This morning we continue our series in the book of Deuteronomy. You may remember we have been working our way through Moses’ reiteration of the ten commandments. Today we pick up the commandment to honour our parents. From Deuteronomy 5, verse 16 we read…

16 “Honour 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 the Lord your God is giving you.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Our message today focuses on three questions in relation to this verse: what, why and how? What is honour? Why do we honour our parents? And how do we honour our parents? First let’s consider what honour is.

What?

In English the term honour is associated with words like esteem, reverence, respect, dignity and integrity. Honour can be a noun (a naming word) or a verb (a doing word). As a verb, honour is about treating someone with respect and it’s about fulfilling our obligations, making good on our commitments. An honourable person does the right thing by themselves and others.

Esteem, respect, dignity, integrity and the like, all fit with the Biblical meaning of honour as well. But there is another nuance to the meaning of honour in the context of Deuteronomy. The Hebrew word for honour (kabbed) means the opposite of curse.

Elsewhere in the law of Moses the command to honour your father and mother is stated negatively and with a punishment. In Leviticus 20, for example, we read: If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death.

Cursing, in this context, does not mean using foul language with your parents (although we should avoid swearing of course). Cursing is the opposite of honouring. To curse means to treat lightly or with contempt. To regard someone of little account. To treat a parent without dignity or without worth. [1]

If cursing one’s parents is the opposite of honouring them, and cursing equates to treating them lightly or with contempt, then to honour your parents is to treat the relationship as a weighty matter, something of great importance. Your parents’ well-being is not to be taken lightly.  

We might look at Leviticus 20, through our 21st Century western lens and think, ‘Whoa, the death penalty for cursing your parents is a bit harsh isn’t it?’

Well, I don’t think Jesus wants to condemn someone to death for mistreating their parents. Jesus would be looking for a way to redeem that person.

In Luke 15, Jesus tells the parable of the Prodigal Son. When the younger son asked for his share of the inheritance before his father had died, he was basically cursing his father. That was like saying, ‘I wish you were dead’.

To then go away and waste his father’s money on sex, drugs and rock n’ roll was to treat his relationship with his mother and father lightly or with contempt.     

In Jesus’ parable, the father does not kill the prodigal son for cursing him. The father welcomes him with open arms and gives him a place of honour. It is the kindness of God that leads people to repentance.

Having said that, we need to honour the law of Moses by seeking to understand it in its original context.

The commandment to honour your parents was given primarily to adults. Yes, young children are to honour their parents too but we shouldn’t think that every time a small child or a teenager got a bit grumpy with Mum or Dad, they were dragged out to be stoned. No.

The law of Moses was all about protecting the weak and the vulnerable. And, in the context of Deuteronomy 5 the weak and vulnerable are aging parents. Honouring your father and mother is about adult children taking care of their parents, not neglecting them or abusing them.  

Getting old is not easy. It’s tough. It comes with more pain and more challenges. Everything is harder and takes longer. The powers you possessed as a younger person seem to drain away.

The law of the jungle says, ‘Survival of the fittest individual’ and ‘Look out for number one’. But the law of Moses says, ‘No, no. We are all in this together. It’s survival of the kindest community’. The people of God take care of the elderly and infirm.

Okay, so when Moses talks about honouring your parents, what he means is, treat your relationship with your parents as a weighty matter, something of great importance. Don’t take your parents’ well-being lightly. 

Why?

But why should we honour our parents?  Well, the rest of verse 16 gives us two reasons why…

Firstly, because the Lord your God has commanded you.

This means, parents have a God given authority in relationship to their children. God has authorised parents to protect, provide for and teach their young children. Parenting is a sacred responsibility. 

Now let me be very clear. When I say that parents have a God given authority in relationship to their children, I do not mean that parents can do whatever they want where their children are concerned. No.

Parents are not authorised to abuse or neglect their children. They simply have a right to protect, provide for and teach the children God has entrusted to their care. So it is in this context that children have an obligation before God to accept the security and wisdom their parents have to offer.

Maybe, when you were young, your parents did not have the means to provide you with everything you wanted. Maybe you got the cheap jeans instead of the Levis. Maybe you missed out on the overseas trip or the new bike. Honouring your Mum & Dad means appreciating what they were able to provide and not despising them or resenting them for what they could not afford.   

Raising a family is hard work. Most parents are doing the best they can under the circumstances. Unfortunately, we often don’t figure that out until we become parents ourselves.

As our parents get older the relationship changes and the roles reverse so that adult children become responsible for protecting and providing for their elderly parents. This is the right and honourable thing to do.

Jesus was pretty strong on this idea of honouring your parents. In Matthew 15 the religious leaders ask Jesus why his disciples don’t wash their hands and Jesus responds by saying to the Pharisees…

3“And why do you disobey God’s command and follow your own teaching? 4 For God said, ‘Honour your father and your mother,’ and ‘If you curse your father or your mother, you are to be put to death.’ 5 But you teach that if people have something they could use to help their father or mother, but say, ‘This belongs to God,’ 6 they do not need to honour their father.In this way you disregard God’s command, in order to follow your own teaching.

Charity begins at home, as my grandfather used to say.

We are talking about why we should honour our parents. Firstly, because God commands it and secondly (from Deuteronomy 5, verse 16)…

…so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

Now, this promise is best interpreted in community terms, not in individual terms. The promise here is not so much long life for each individual child who obeys their parents. It’s more the benefit of social stability for any society in which children generally honour their parents. [2] 

In other words, when we honour our parents it is good for everyone. The family is the basic building block of society. Good family relationships are the glue that hold a society together and enable it to function well.

When large numbers of families break down, so does the fabric of society. But when families function well, looking after each other, society flourishes and the nation as a whole lasts a long time in the land.

If you think about it, taking care of the elderly is your insurance. If you have treated your parents well, your kids will see that and be more inclined to treat you well. What goes around comes around.

So, we honour our parents because God commands it, because natural justice requires it and because it benefits society, which in turn benefits us personally.

How?

We’ve talked about the what and the why, of honouring our parents. Now let’s consider the how.

Perhaps the best way of honouring your parents is by the way you live your life. Being a blessing to your parents. Not causing your parents grief or worry or anguish by the choices you make. Relating well with your siblings so that family get togethers are a source of joy and not conflict.

If your parents and grandparents have made sacrifices to give you a good start in this world, then give them a good return for their investment.

I never met my great-grandfather but I was given his Bible. In the front of the Bible are written these words: “Special prize, presented to Albert Anderson for essay on the life of Joshua… 28 October 1908”     

I am told that Albert was a devout Christian who took his faith seriously and apparently had some aptitude for Biblical study.

Six years after receiving this Bible, Albert put his tools down (he was a carpenter) and enlisted in the New Zealand Expeditionary forces to fight in the First World War. He came home to New Zealand five years later.

On his return Albert kept his faith and attended church regularly, but I don’t think he was ever quite the same. People called him ‘silent Albie’ because he didn’t talk much.

After the war his wife died and the great depression of the 1930’s followed. Life was not easy for him. He did not have the same opportunities or choices that most of us enjoy. Albert died of cancer before reaching old age.

I sometimes wonder how his life might have turned out if he didn’t go to war or if his wife didn’t die so young or if university had been an option for him. Would he have pursued his love of the Bible and become a preacher? Would he have chosen a different path? Who knows?

What I do know is that I honour his life, his suffering and his hardship by the way I live my life and by making the most of the opportunities I have been given. How do you honour your parents and grandparents?

In Ephesians 6, the apostle Paul has this to say about how children are to honour their parents: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  2 “Honour your father and mother”

Hmm? Do we really have to obey our parents? Well, the context suggests the children Paul is addressing here are young. Because, in verse 4, Paul gives some advice to parents saying…

4 Fathers,do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

The children in this context, therefore, are still at home and dependent on their parents. More importantly though the children are being told to obey their parents in the instruction of the Lord. So obedience is required when parents are teaching their children to follow Jesus.

Paul is encouraging Christian parents to think of themselves as making disciples of their children. Parents are like missionaries to their children. You don’t have to go overseas to make disciples. Discipleship starts in the home. Don’t leave the internet to raise your kids.

In Luke chapter 2 we come across a story from Jesus’ childhood. The story ends with Luke saying that Jesus was obedient to his parents.

Jesus’ parents were Godly people, even if they didn’t quite understand their son. By submitting to Mary & Joseph, Jesus was essentially submitting to God, his heavenly Father, who entrusted Jesus to Mary & Joseph’s care.

Obviously, if parents tell a child to do something that is clearly wrong or immoral, the child does not need to obey. Our first allegiance is always to God. 

Ideally, we are aiming for a mutually respectful relationship with our parents. One in which they consider for us and we consider for them. If, as adults, our parents ask something of us that we can’t do, then we have a conversation with them and try to arrive at a solution that works for everyone.    

Sometimes, in mid-life, we may feel like the meat in the sandwich. On the one hand we have teenage or young adult children who still need our support and, at the same time, we have aging parents who may also need some help.

To make things more difficult we often don’t live in the same city. It’s a lot harder to help family from a distance. Sometimes life’s circumstances force you to make a difficult choice. At the end of the day you can only do what is in your power to do.

When Jesus was hanging on the cross, about to die, his options were limited. His earthly father Joseph was dead. He was the eldest son. How would he honour his mother in that most difficult of all situations? One of the last things Jesus did was entrust his mother’s care to his best friend. In John 19 we read…   

26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman,here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

It wasn’t in Jesus’ power to look after Mary himself, so he delegated her care to someone he trusted implicitly.

Honouring our parents is about doing the best we can for them under the circumstances. Sometimes that might mean inviting them to live with us, in our home. Other times it will mean supporting them to live in their own home. Or, if they need a high level of support, it could mean visiting them regularly in an aged care facility. What is the best you can do by your parents?  

Thinking of difficult choices, how do you honour both parents when they are separated or divorced? How do share yourself around at Christmas? How do you navigate special occasions? How do provide care and support when your mum & dad won’t even talk to each other let alone live under the same roof?

How do you honour both parents if you are in a conversation with one parent who is saying not very nice things about the other?

Don’t buy into their narrative. Ask God to help you write a better narrative. Don’t submit to false guilt. You are not responsible for the choices your parents have made. At the end of the day you can only do what is in your power to do. You can’t be in two places at once. You can’t keep everyone happy all the time.

Do the best you can to honour both parents but make sure you leave room to honour yourself as well. Make sure you give yourself space to breathe.   

Some wounds are slow to heal. What do you do if your parents have hurt you? Perhaps your mum or dad were incompetent as parents. Maybe they were absent or neglectful or even abusive. Do you still need to honour them? The short answer is yes, but what that looks like might be different depending on the situation.

As Christians we are guided by the Spirit of Jesus, a Spirit of grace & truth. The truth is, no parent and no child is perfect so we need to have some measure of grace and not sweat the small stuff.

God is able to use the imperfection of your family for good. In fact, having a perfect upbringing isn’t that helpful in this life because it doesn’t prepare you for the world. The world we live in is not perfect. The world is not always easy or kind. Learning to relate with challenging people is a useful skill.

That being said, even grace has its limits. In extreme situations, where a parent has done serious harm and can no longer be trusted, it may be necessary to cut the relationship off for your own survival. This should not be done cynically or lightly. This is a weighty matter that requires deep wrestling in prayer.

In a situation like that, honour may take the form of asking God to forgive your parents so that you can both move on without doing further harm. Honour may also mean breaking the cycle of violence and getting help for yourself in order to learn a better way of relating to your own kids.    

Conclusion:

Remember, honour is about doing the right thing, the good thing, by your mum and dad. In the normal course of events, honour means being committed to make the relationship work well. And that involves staying in touch regularly.

It is significant that the last verse in the Old Testament speaks of God sending his prophet to restore the relationship between parents and children. Let it be the last word of this sermon too. From Malachi chapter 4 we read…

5 “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents;

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • What does honour mean to you? What does honour (kabbed) mean in the context of Deuteronomy 5? Can you think of any examples of children honouring their parents in the Bible?
  • Why should we honour our parents?
  • How do you honour your parents and grandparents? What is the best you can do for your parents?
  • When must we obey our parents? When is it okay to not do what our parents ask?
  • How might someone honour a parent who has hurt them? 
  • What were/are your parents like? Can you think of something they did for you, when you were young, that was really helpful? If they are still alive could you ring them and thank them? If you can’t ring them, thank God for the good they did. 

[1] Refer Patrick Miller’s commentary on Deuteronomy, page 84. 

[2] Refer John Stott’s commentary on Ephesians, page 241.

Tawa Baptist

L.O.V.E.

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Video Link: https://youtu.be/ncW1DISd1kQ

Audio Link: https://soundcloud.com/tawabaptist/sermon-3-jul-2022-love

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Love for God is Loyal
  • Love for God is Obedient
  • Love for God is Voluntary
  • Love for God is Educational
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Last Tuesday a parcel arrived for Robyn in the post. It was relatively large, about 600mm square. The parcel contained a flat pack table, that Robyn wanted me to assemble for her classroom.

While I quite enjoyed woodwork at school, flat packs are not my favourite. Flat packs tend to be a bit of a lottery. Sometimes they go together okay and other times, there are pieces missing or the instructions don’t exactly line up with the pieces you are given.

When it comes to assembling flat packs, you give yourself the best chance of success by reading the instructions all the way through first. The other thing I find helpful, is having a picture of what the finished product is supposed to look like. That way, if the instructions are a bit vague, you can at least see what you are aiming for.

As it turned out, this particular flat pack was decent quality. It had good instructions and a picture of the finished product on the box. I managed to assemble it without any trouble, while watching the sports news and the weather. The things we do for love.

Today we continue our series in Deuteronomy. Among other things, Deuteronomy contains detailed instructions on how to assemble the flat pack of Israel’s life in the ancient world.

In this morning’s passage, which focuses on the opening verses of Deuteronomy 6, Moses shows the Israelites a picture of what the finished product is supposed to look like. The Israelites need to keep this bigger picture in mind because it makes sense of the details. From Deuteronomy 6, verses 1-9 we read…  

These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3 Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. 4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

These words, about loving God with all your heart, all your soul and all your strength probably sound familiar because we hear them on the lips of Jesus, who identified loving God as the greatest commandment.

But what does it mean to love God? True love for God involves at least four things. Love for God is Loyal, Obedient, Voluntary and Educational. L.O.V.E. spells love.  First let us consider loyalty.

Love for God is Loyal:

Sylvester Stallone once said: “I learned the real meaning of love. Love is absolute loyalty. People fade, looks fade but loyalty never fades.”

We might not expect that sort of wisdom from the man who played Rocky and Rambo, but I think there is more to Sly than meets the eye. He is right on the money with that quote. Loyalty is at the heart of true love. I guess a life time of working in Hollywood and the fickleness of fame showed him what matters.

In Arthur Millar’s play, ‘The death of a Salesman’, the main character Willy says, “You can’t eat the orange and throw the peel away. A man is not a piece of fruit.”

What Willy means is that you can’t treat a person like he is a piece of fruit. You can’t take the best out of him and then chuck him away when he is used up. That’s not loyalty. Loyalty is about remaining faithful, sticking with someone through thick and thin. Accepting the person, peel and all.

The Bible is full of stories of loyal love. There is Ruth’s loyal love for Naomi, Jonathon’s loyal love for David, Barnabas’ loyal love for Mark, Moses’ loyal love for Israel, the Father’s loyal love for the prodigal, Jesus’ loyal love for Simon Peter and so on.   

One of the key messages of Deuteronomy is, remain loyal to Yahweh the Lord. Do not turn aside to the right or the left. Do not worship any other gods. Stay on track with God Almighty. Don’t treat the Lord like an orange.

In verses 4-5 we read: 4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.   

These verses are known as the Shema which means ‘hear’. For centuries Jews have recited these words as part of a daily ritual of prayer.

Verse 4 is sometimes translated ‘the Lord is one’ and other times, ‘the Lord alone’. This is not an either / or choice. The original Hebrew embraces a both / and meaning.

To say, the Lord is one, points to the wholeness, the oneness, the unity and integrity of God Almighty. God is wholehearted in his commitment to the promises he makes. God’s loyalty is undivided. This means, if we are going to be in a relationship with God, we must give Him our undivided loyalty too.    

To say, the Lord alone, points to the reality that there is no other god. It connects with the first of the Ten Commandments, ‘You shall have no other gods before me’.

The Lord God Almighty is not in competition with anyone or anything else. There is only one God, therefore, to worship anything else is a lie, a falsehood, a meaningless fantasy. Again, this belief calls for our undivided loyalty to the one true God. 

When we hear the word love we may be inclined to think of a nice, warm fuzzy feeling. An emotion, like falling in love. Sometimes good feelings accompany love but not always.

Loyalty is the backbone of love. Loyalty enables love to stand under the weight of gravity. Loyalty provides strength with movement. Without loyalty, love is like a jelly fish; beautiful to look at but with no skeleton, no integrity, just a nasty sting in the tail.

We might also compare loyalty to the roots of a tree. The deeper the roots of loyalty go the more resilient the tree of our relationship with God. But if the roots of loyalty don’t run deep, then when dry times come, the tree of our relationship withers and dies.  

So that’s the first thing: to love God is to be loyal to him. Closely connected to loyalty is the idea of obedience. 

Love for God is Obedient:

If you grew up in the 80’s you are probably familiar with the movie the Princess Bride. It is a story of loyal love. The story begins with a boy sick in bed with a cold. His grandfather comes over to his house to look after him and reads him a story from a book.

In the book we are introduced to the heroes, Westley and Buttercup. Buttercup is a farm girl and Westley is a farm hand. Whenever Buttercup wants something Westley answers with the words, ‘As you wish’. He obeys her, doing just what she asks, simply because he loves her.

At the end of the movie, after the boy’s grandad has finished reading the story, the boy asks him to come back and read again tomorrow and the grandad answers, ‘As you wish’, because he loves the boy. 

Deuteronomy is peppered with commands, decrees and laws and with the encouragement to obey the Lord, so things will go well for you in the land.

In verse 5, we are told the essence or the DNA of all the commands and laws and decrees of Deuteronomy…  

5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

This is the picture on the box, showing us what the finished product of a life of obedience to God looks like. This is what we are aiming for. This greatest commandment makes sense of all the detailed instructions. The main reason we obey God is because we love him.   

The heart, in Hebrew thought, refers to a person’s inner life. Not just our feelings but our mind and our will, or our decision making faculties, as well.

The meaning of the word soul can have a different nuance depending on the context, but in this verse the soul refers to our whole self, including our physical body and our life force or vitality.

The word translated as strength, in verse 5, is more than just your physical energy or your ability to bench press heavy weights. Your strength here includes your wealth, your money, your time, your tools, your social influence, your house, your skills and talents, as well as your livestock (if you a farmer) or your car (if you live in the modern world).

Your strength basically equates to the resources at your disposal.  

The point is, love for God involves using everything we are and everything we have in obedience to God’s purpose.

So, for example, loving God with all your heart, soul and strength means paying a fair price for things, even if that might cost a little more, because we know that God wants us to do justly and not rip other people off.

Of, if you are in the place of the seller, loving God with all your heart, soul and strength means charging a fair price, rather than letting the market decide.

I know Christian landlords who are charging their tenants significantly less than the market rate because they are motivated by love for God, not love of money. 

Love for God is Voluntary:

This obedience of love is not an empty, heartless, fulfilling of duty. Nor is it a callous, mercenary, self-interested obedience, so that God will bless me. The obedience God wants is voluntary, motivated by love. In verse 6 we read…

6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.

In other words, the obedience of love isn’t just for show. Our obedience needs to come from the heart, from the core of our self, from the inside out. Not because we have to, but because we want to. True love for God is voluntary.

As much as I don’t like assembling flat pack furniture, I will volunteer to do it for Robyn because I love her. I don’t hold Robyn in my debt for assembling her table. I take pleasure in being able to help her. In fact, I would feel jealous if she asked anyone else.

If you are a parent of small children, then you may not like changing nappies but you volunteer to clean up your child’s mess because you love them. You don’t keep an account of all the money you spend on nappies and wipes in order to invoice them when they are older. You don’t even think of it as a debt.

Or, if you are a parent of teenagers, then you may not like picking your kids up from wherever they happen to be in the middle of the night, but you volunteer because you love them. You don’t expect your kids to pay you like an Uber driver. You may not even expect them to thank you. You are just pleased to have them home safe. Love is its own reward.    

Or, if you have a friend in hospital, then even if you don’t like hospitals you may still volunteer to visit because you love them. You don’t expect your friend to entertain you when you arrive. Nor do you tell them all your troubles. You are there for them, to listen and be present so they know they are not alone.

When we volunteer to help others, out of a heart motivated by love, we are imitating God our Father. God’s love for us is voluntary. God is not obligated to us in any way. God takes care of us, even though there is often nothing in it for him. And he does not count the cost.  

Now when we say that ‘love for God is voluntary’, we are implying that true love is an act of freedom. Love is not involuntary, like a sneeze or the hiccups or an obsession of some kind. Love is a conscious choice. In fact, we cannot love God unless we are free. God sets us free so we can love.  

The Israelites had to be set free from their slavery in Egypt and from their fear, before they could truly volunteer to love God with their all. What things are binding you? What things are holding you back from loving God more fully? What hurts from the past do you still carry?

Okay, to recap what we’ve covered so far: Loving God with all your heart, soul and strength is the greatest commandment, the one that makes sense of all the other laws and decrees. Love for God is loyal, love for God is obedient and love for God is voluntary.

As nice and neat as this sounds, it’s a pretty tall order. Loving God with all your heart, soul and strength, all the time is not easy. Do not despair though. The ‘E’ in our L.O.V.E. acronym stands for educational.

And by ‘educational’ I mean love for God is a learning process. We aren’t expected to know everything all at once. Nor are we expected to never make a mistake. But we are expected to learn from our mistakes.       

Love for God is Educational:

Those of you who watch the TV show, The Simpsons, will know how every episode starts with Bart writing lines on the board at school. I’m not sure if teachers still make students do this but I remember having to write lines on the odd occasion.

Zig Ziglar is quoted as saying: “Repetition is the mother of learning, the father of action, which makes it the architect of accomplishment.”

There is truth in this I think. The more we repeat something over and over again, the more it sticks in our memory. That’s true, not just of writing lines, but of anything we attempt to learn.

Remember when you first started to learn to drive. Everything was a bit stressful and unfamiliar. You were trying to remember to look in the rear vision mirror, while changing gear and keeping an eye on your speed limit. After a couple of months though it becomes second nature.

Returning to Deuteronomy 6, from verse 7 Moses says…

7 Impress these commandments on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

This is education by saturation, learning by repetition.

We probably never learn more than when we have to teach someone else.

Deuteronomy always has its eye on the next generation. Moses doesn’t want the people to forget. He wants them to remember and pass on God’s law of love to their children and grandchildren and so on.

Verse 7, instructs adults to talk to children about God’s commands in the everyday circumstances of life. You see a rainbow you talk about the hope we have because of God’s promises. You watch a movie with a redemption arc in the story line, you find a way to connect it back to Jesus. The kids get grumpy and have a fight, you talk about forgiveness, once they have calmed down enough to listen.

When you sit down for a meal you say a prayer to thank God. When you put your kids to bed at night you read a Bible story or two. When you start the day you recite the Lord’s prayer together. These are just some of the ways we might apply verse 7.

Thinking of verses 8 & 9, we might not tie Bible verses to our hands and heads but some of you may have a fish symbol on your car or perhaps a cross stitch Bible verse hanging on your wall. When I was younger, and had time for hobbies, I used to make small wooden crosses and give them to people as gifts. Maybe you have decorated a cake with the words ‘Jesus loves you’.

Use your imagination, be creative. What can you do to remind yourself and the people in your household of God’s law of love?      

Conclusion:

The night before his crucifixion and death Jesus said to his disciples:

Whoever accepts my commandments and obeys them is the one who loves me.

This means we love Jesus by obeying his commands.

In a few moments we will share communion together. Communion is a time to remember God’s love for us in Christ. Jesus opens the door to friendship with God. It is Jesus who makes it possible for us to love God.

Where we have failed to be loyal to God, Jesus has been loyal for us.

Where we have failed to obey God, Jesus has obeyed for us.

Jesus volunteered for the cross, because of his love for God.

By following Jesus in faith, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we receive an education in loving God.

Grace and peace to you on the journey. 

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • Have you ever assembled a flat pack before? How did it go? Are you the kind of person who reads the instructions first or do you prefer to wing it?
  • What is loyalty? Why is loyalty important to love?
  • Why do we obey God? What is the difference between obedience motivated by love and obedience driven by duty? Who do you obey?
  • Discuss / reflect on the meaning of Deuteronomy 6:5 ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength.’
  • Who do you volunteer for? What things are binding you or holding you back from loving God? What hurts do you carry from the past?
  • What can you do to remind yourself and the people in your household of God’s law of love?    

Outtakes

This idea that love for God is educational isn’t just an Old Testament Moses thing. It’s a New Testament Jesus thing too. Jesus taught his disciples the meaning of love and in turn commanded them to make disciples also.

Incidentally, the word ‘disciple’ simply means student or apprentice. To be a disciple of Christ just means we are learning to be like Jesus.

We shouldn’t compartmentalise discipleship exclusively into some form of church programme. Christian discipleship doesn’t only happen when you are listening to a sermon or attending a Bible study group or doing your personal devotions. Learning to love God encompasses all of life. 

Discipleship, learning to be like Jesus, happens in singleness and marriage, when you are at work or play, whether you are well or sick.

Tawa Baptist

God’s No

Scripture: Deuteronomy 3:21-29

Video Link: https://youtu.be/Ytjj0JHzE1A

Audio Link: https://soundcloud.com/tawabaptist/sermon-26-jun-2022-gods-no

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Moses prays
  • God answers
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

In 1969 the Rolling Stones released a song: You can’t always get what you want. I don’t know what Mick Jagger and Keith Richards meant by the lyrics but, given it was the end of the 60’s, one might guess the song reflected a certain felt disappointment that the social change promised by the prophets of that decade had not been delivered.

In these days, of hyper-individualism, the song has become a kind of personal lament, when things don’t go our way.   

This morning we continue our series in the book of Deuteronomy by focusing on the closing verses of chapter 3, in which Moses does not get what he wants. From verse 21 of Deuteronomy 3 we read…

21 At that time I commanded Joshua: “You have seen with your own eyes all that the Lord your God has done to these two kings. The Lord will do the same to all the kingdoms over there where you are going. 22 Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you.”

23 At that time I pleaded with the Lord: 24 “Sovereign Lord, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do? 25 Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan—that fine hill country and Lebanon.”

26 But because of you the Lord was angry with me and would not listen to me. “That is enough,” the Lord said. “Do not speak to me anymore about this matter. 27 Go up to the top of Pisgah and look west and north and south and east. Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan. 28 But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see.” 29 So we stayed in the valley near Beth Peor.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

In this reading, Moses prayers and God answers Moses’ prayer, although not exactly in the way Moses might have wanted.

But before we get into Moses’ prayer let me recap where the Israelites have got to. You may remember from last week how the Lord instructed Israel to approach the Promised Land from the East being careful not to pick a fight with Edom, Moab or Ammon, and Israel obeyed.

Well, after that, there were two small kingdoms (Heshbon and Bashan), on the east side of the Jordan, which Israel had to pass through to get to the Jordan river. Israel tried to pass through these lands peacefully but king Sihon and king Og would not allow it, so Israel were forced to go to war against them and the Lord gave the new generation of Israelites victory.

Now the path was cleared for the people of Israel to cross the Jordan and take possession of the land of Canaan. Moses wanted to cross over with the Israelites too and so he prayed to ask God’s permission.

Moses prays:

Have you ever played the spinning broom game? This is when you hold a broom close to your body, looking up at the end of the handle, while spinning around a few times. After you have spun you then have to step over the broom.

To the casual observer it seems quite easy but for the person doing the spinning it is a lot harder than it looks. Trying to keep your balance after having spun several times is really difficult. You have to pause and be still for a wee bit to get your bearings and reorient yourself.

Life can be a bit like the spinning broom game at times. We can find ourselves going around and around in circles focusing on the same things and it throws us off balance. Prayer is one thing we can do to reorient ourselves.

With prayer we make time and space to be still and to shift our focus off the broom handle of life’s chores and onto the God of eternity. One of the main purposes of prayer is to connect with God, to realign ourselves with his will. We find our true north when we focus on God in worship. 

When Moses approaches God in prayer, he doesn’t start by telling God what he wants. Moses begins by focusing on God and what the Lord has done. In verse 24 Moses says…

24 “Sovereign Lord, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do?

Verse 24 is an example of adoration of God. By focusing on God in adoration, Moses stops spinning and reorients himself.  Moses isn’t trying to butter God up in order get what he wants. Moses is getting his head straight; he is realigning his perspective by speaking the truth about God.

When we listen to the Lord’s Prayer we notice the first half of it is all about God. Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.   

Jesus taught us to pray in this way because it reorients us toward God, it shows us the true north of heaven.  There is no me, my or I in the first half of Moses’ prayer or Jesus’ prayer.

So, next time you are in a spin. Next time life is going too fast and you feel like you are losing your balance, so you don’t know which way is up, take some time to stop and be still and focus on God. Tell him and yourself some things you know to be true about the Lord. Simply adore him and let your perspective return.

Only after Moses has focused on God in adoration does he then attempt to step over the broom handle and ask for what he wants, saying in verse 25…

25 Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan—that fine hill country and Lebanon.”

This is quite remarkable really. Moses is the better part of 120 years old by this stage and he isn’t yet tired of this life. Moses has had a taste of what God can do and he wants more. After 40 years of frustration, doing the hard yards and wandering in the wilderness, Moses wants to see the fruits of his labours. And who could blame him.

Moses describes the land beyond the Jordan as fine. Elsewhere it is spoken of as fertile, a land flowing with milk and honey. I’ve never been to Palestine but I’ve seen images and not many people would describe it as fine these days.

It’s not rolling green pastures or thick native bush like we have in New Zealand. More the opposite really. Not sure why people make such a fuss and spill so much blood over it?

Well, most probably it was a fine and fertile land during the time of Moses, all those centuries ago. But now, due to the impact of man and erosion, the land is less appealing.

Perhaps though it wasn’t just the physical characteristics of the land that excited Moses. More likely it was the hope that the land embodied.     

As Moses himself indicates, he was keen to see more of the works of God. He saw how the new generation of Israelites obeyed God and he wants to see more of that obedience of faith. Not only that but Moses is keen to see more victories by the Lord’s hand, as when God defeated king Sihon and king Og.

God answers:

Unfortunately, you can’t always get what you want. The Lord responded to Moses saying…  

“That is enough. Do not speak to me anymore about this matter…”

Apparently, this was not the first time Moses had asked God if he could enter the land.

God’s answers to our prayers are like a traffic light. We usually get one of three responses from God. Green for yes, amber for wait and red for no. On this occasion Moses is not able to change God’s mind. It is a firm no.     

In verse 26, Moses says…  

26 But because of you the Lord was angry with me and would not listen to me.

Moses is referring here to an incident that happened years earlier in the wilderness. At one point (in Numbers 20) when the people were complaining about not having any water to drink, Moses asked the Lord what to do.

The Lord told Moses and Aaron to speak to a particular rock in the sight of the Israelites and it will pour out its water. But Moses was in a spin. He had lost his balance. Moses was angry with the people and said to them, ‘Listen you rebels, must we bring water out of this rock for you?’ And then he struck the rock twice with his staff.

Water did come out of the rock and the people drank but God was not happy. So the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honour me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”

According to this verse, Moses did two things to offend God here. Firstly, Moses did not trust God enough. He hit the rock twice, when God had told him to speak to the rock. And secondly Moses did not honour the Lord as holy in the sight of the Israelites.

To say that God is holy means that he is set apart, he is different from anyone or anything else. God is one of a kind. There is nothing else in all creation as good or pure or powerful or loving as God Almighty.

When Moses said, ‘must we bring water out of this rock for you?’ he by-passed the Lord. God and God alone is the only one who can bring water out of a rock. This was an opportunity for the people to see the holiness of God in action. Moses didn’t give God the credit or the honour. Moses treated something holy (a life giving miracle of God) as if it were common or profane.

This was out of character for Moses. This was not what we normally observe with the great man. His sister Miriam had just died, so Moses was grieving. More than that though, the people were being really difficult. They were always pushing back on something, so obstinate, so obtuse. Moses’ frustration was understandable.

When we consider Moses’ long and faithful service to the Lord and all the challenges he faced, we might think God was being a bit harsh in refusing Moses entry to the land. Surely God could wink at Moses’ indiscretion this once and make an allowance. But to go down that path in our mind is to misunderstand the holiness of God.

God was not being unfair to Moses by saying ‘no’. The Lord punished others in the wilderness for their mistakes. It wouldn’t then be right or fair for the Lord to give Moses a free pass. Even though Moses is the leader, he was still subject to the Law as much as the people were.

Faithful service to God does not make God obligated to us in any way. Faithful service to God is what we should be doing anyway. It’s like Jesus said to his disciples in Luke 17…

7 “Suppose one of you has a servant ploughing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? 8 Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? 9 Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

Sometimes we human beings forget our place. Sometimes, when we are busy spinning around that pole, we become disoriented and think that God is there to give us what we want. And while the Lord is gracious and he does help us in so many ways, we need to remember that God is the boss and we are the workers. God is free to say ‘no’ if he thinks that is best and we need to respect his ‘no’.  

Three times in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus said to God the Father, ‘Take this cup from me’, but God said ‘no’ and Jesus accepted God’s will for him.

Three times the apostle Paul prayed for God to remove his thorn in the flesh but God said, ‘No, my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’.

Sometimes we need to persevere in prayer. Jesus taught that. But after having persevered, if the answer is still ‘no’, then we need to let it go and give our energy to those things God is saying ‘yes’ to.

What prayer do you keep repeating in the hope that God might change his mind? What personal request, in your life, has God answered with a ‘no’? I know for some people this will be a painful thought.

The temptation when God says ‘no’ is to throw our toys out of the cot and go ahead and do what we want anyway. We need to resist that temptation. We need to be still and reorient ourselves through worship and prayer. We need to let God be God and say with Jesus, ‘Not my will Lord, but your will be done.’

Returning Deuteronomy 3; in verses 27 & 28 we see the grace in God’s no. In verse 27 we read what God said to Moses…

27 Go up to the top of Pisgah and look west and north and south and east. Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan.

God doesn’t let Moses cross the Jordan but he does allow Moses to see the land from a distance.

Moses standing on top of Mount Pisgah looking on the Promised Land, reminds me of the Mount of Transfiguration, when Moses and Elijah (representing the Law and the Prophets) stood with Jesus in all his glory.

Moses may not have entered the land of Canaan physically but God gave Moses something far greater. The Lord allowed Moses to stand in glory with Jesus. 

Jesus fulfilled the purpose of Moses life, just as he fulfils the purpose of our lives.  

If God says ‘no’ to your request, just wait. He might have something better in store for you later.  

From verse 28 the Lord continues his instruction to Moses, saying…

28 But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see.”

Joshua was Moses’ assistant. Moses was Joshua’s mentor. Even though Moses was not allowed to cross the Jordan to take the land, the Lord was saying the new generation of Israelites would. Moses could rest in the knowledge that his life’s work had not been in vain.

The name ‘Joshua’ means The Lord saves. The Greek form of the name Joshua translates to Jesus – so Joshua points to Jesus, the ultimate successor to Moses. It is Jesus who leads us to the Promised Land of God’s kingdom.

To his credit Moses does what God tells him to do. In verses 21 and 22 Moses encourages and strengthens Joshua, saying…

21 “You have seen with your own eyes all that the Lord your God has done to these two kings. The Lord will do the same to all the kingdoms over there where you are going. 22 Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you.”

On the face of it Moses appears to be telling Joshua to be brave and courageous in battle, because the Lord (Yahweh) will fight for them and give them victory over the Canaanites. But there is more going on here than a simple pep talk.

In verse 29, we read that the Israelites were staying in the valley near Beth Peor, at this stage.

Geographically, Beth Peor was the last stopping point on the east side of the Jordan. But Beth Peor also had theological significance. According to Numbers 25, Beth Peor was the place where the old generation of Israelites yoked themselves to Baal. So Beth Peor was where Israel had betrayed God. It was a place where pagans practiced their religion. 

Beth Peor then, represented Israel’s failure. It was a spiritually dangerous place. A place of religious temptation.  

Joshua needs all the assurance he can get, not just for military success but (more importantly) to remain faithful to God Almighty and resist the religious alternatives offered by the Canaanites. [1]

To paraphrase Walter Brueggemann: The community of faith is not defined by its past (which is strewn with bad choices) nor by its current context (which breeds despair). Rather, the community of faith is defined by its deep elemental connection to God who can be trusted in every risky circumstance. [2]

In other words, Joshua does not need to be afraid of the so called gods of his enemies. Nor does he need to rely on his own skill or courage. Joshua and Israel need to trust the Lord God Almighty. He will do right by them.  

What is your Beth Peor? What is your moment of failure, your spiritually dangerous place, where you are most vulnerable to temptation, most susceptible to spinning out of control and losing your balance?

Do not be afraid. All our Beth Peors were nailed to the cross with Jesus. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ.

Conclusion:

Let us pray…

Sovereign Lord, you have shown your greatness, your love, your grace, your truth, your power, your holiness in the person of Jesus Christ. There is no other god in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do. Help us to remember you are the master and we are your servants. Keep us faithful to your call, especially when your answer to our prayers is ‘no’. Through Jesus we pray. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • Have you ever played the spinning broom game? What happened? What did it feel like? How do we reorient ourselves when we have lost our balance or perspective?
  • Why do Moses and Jesus teach us to begin prayer with worship and adoration for who God is and what he has done?
  • Why do you think Moses wants to cross the Jordan to see the Promised Land? Why does God say ‘no’ to Moses’ request?
  • Have you ever prayed for something and had God say ‘no’? What happened? How did you feel? How did you respond? In hindsight, are you able to see God’s grace in his ‘no’?
  • Discuss / reflect on Jesus’ parable in Luke 17:7-10.
  • What is your Beth Peor? Ask Jesus’ forgiveness (if you haven’t already) and imagine your mistakes being nailed to the cross. Jesus does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Declare the truth that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ. Start each day this week by giving your mind to thanks and praise for what God has done in Christ.    

[1] Refer Walter Brueggemann’s commentary on Deuteronomy, page 46.

[2] Ibid, page 50.

Tawa Baptist

God of Nations

Scripture: Deuteronomy 2:1-22

Video Link: https://youtu.be/JfIeZYvwFjE

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • God’s greatness
  • Israel’s obedience of faith
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Kia ora koutou and good morning everyone.

How many countries do you think there are in the world today? Take a guess.

Well, the precise number is disputed but according to the United Nations there are 195 countries in the world. But, according to FIFA, 211 countries are eligible for the world cup. So, if you guessed anywhere between 195 and 211, then well done. You’ve done enough for a mellow puff.  

Today we continue our series in Deuteronomy focusing on chapter 2, verses 1-22. In this passage Moses sheds some light on God’s governance of those nations who will be Israel’s close neighbours. 

Last week we heard how the Israelites failed to enter the Land of Canaan and were sent back to wander in the wilderness for the better part of 40 years. Now it is the turn of the next generation of Israelites. Will they do better than their parents?

From the end of Deuteronomy chapter 1 we pick up the story. This is Moses speaking to the Israelites, on the edge of the land, as their sojourn in the wilderness comes to an end…

46 And so you stayed in Kadesh many days—all the time you spent there.

2 Then we turned back and set out toward the wilderness along the route to the Red Sea, as the Lord had directed me. For a long time we made our way around the hill country of Seir. 2 Then the Lord said to me, 3 “You have made your way around this hill country long enough; now turn north. 4 Give the people these orders: ‘You are about to pass through the territory of your relatives the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, but be very careful. 5 Do not provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, not even enough to put your foot on. I have given Esau the hill country of Seir as his own. 6 You are to pay them in silver for the food you eat and the water you drink.’” 7 The Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything. 8 So we went on past our relatives the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. We turned from the Arabah road, which comes up from Elath and Ezion Geber, and travelled along the desert road of Moab. 9 Then the Lord said to me, “Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any part of their land. I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession.” 10 (The Emites used to live there—a people strong and numerous, and as tall as the Anakites. 11 Like the Anakites, they too were considered Rephaites, but the Moabites called them Emites. 12 Horites used to live in Seir, but the descendants of Esau drove them out. They destroyed the Horites from before them and settled in their place, just as Israel did in the land the Lord gave them as their possession.) 13 And the Lord said, “Now get up and cross the Zered Valley.” So we crossed the valley. 14 Thirty-eight years passed from the time we left Kadesh Barnea until we crossed the Zered Valley. By then, that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the Lord had sworn to them.  15 The Lord’s hand was against them until he had completely eliminated them from the camp. 16 Now when the last of these fighting men among the people had died, 17 the Lord said to me, 18 “Today you are to pass by the region of Moab at Ar. 19 When you come to the Ammonites, do not harass them or provoke them to war, for I will not give you possession of any land belonging to the Ammonites. I have given it as a possession to the descendants of Lot.”

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

It might not seem like it at first, but this passage is full of good news. Mainly the good news of God’s greatness, but also the good news of Israel’s obedience of faith. First let’s consider God’s greatness.

God’s greatness:

In the 1870’s Thomas Bracken wrote the words of a poem titled, God defend New Zealand. This poem would later be set to music and become the national anthem of our country.

The opening line (in English) begins with the words, ‘God of nations…’. These three words pay homage to God’s greatness. The Lord God is in fact sovereign over all the nations of the earth. That means God is in charge. God draws the boundary lines. He places peoples of different cultures where he decides.

Thomas Bracken got this idea, that the Lord Almighty is the God of nations from Moses.

In Deuteronomy 2, Moses traces the journey of the next generation of Israelites as they approached Canaan. On this occasion, the Lord instructed Israel to enter the land from the East. This meant travelling up through the nations of Edom, Moab and Ammon.   

The Lord instructs the people to be very careful when passing through Edom and not to pick a fight. Treat the Edomites with respect because they are your brothers & sisters and because the land they occupy was given to them by God.

As it turned out the Edomites were so afraid of the Israelites they wouldn’t allow them through their heartland and so Israel had to go around the outskirts.

Likewise, when Israel came to the nations of Moab and Ammon, the Lord gave the Israelites the same instructions; to respect the Moabites and Ammonites because he (the Lord) had given the Moabites and Ammonites the land they occupied as their possession. 

The point, which is repeated here, is that the Lord Almighty is the God of nations. He isn’t just the national God of Israel. Yahweh is greater than that. He rules over all the countries of the world, allocating land as he deems right.

As we read in the New Testament book of Acts…

26 From one man God made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’

These verses tell us that God allocates land to various people groups at different times in history so that people will seek a relationship with him. So that humanity would come to understand that God is the ground of our being.

Israel were not to try and take land given by God to others. They were to respect the boundaries the Lord had put in place and be content with the land God had provided.

Returning to Deuteronomy 2, we also see the greatness of God’s grace.

The land of Edom was occupied by the descendants of Esau. Esau was the twin brother of Jacob and the Israelites were the descendants of Jacob, so Edom & Israel were closely related.

Even though Jacob was the one to inherit God’s promise to Abraham, the Lord did not forget Esau, who sold his birth right for a bowl of stew. The Lord blessed Esau’s descendants and made room for them too.

In a similar vein, the Moabites and the Ammonites were the descendants of Abraham’s nephew Lot. The Israelites were descended directly from Abraham, so that made Moab & Ammon part of Israel’s family tree.  

Lot’s sons, Moab & Ben-Ammi were conceived through incest. But, in spite of this less than ideal start, God (in his amazing grace) blessed Lot’s descendants and made room for them as well.

You might be wondering, so what does this have to with me? Well, the point of application is that God is greater than our mistakes. He is greater than our sin and selfishness. 

Do you have regrets over poor decisions you made in your youth, like Esau? That’s no problem to God. He has the ability to redeem your regret and turn it into something good.

Do you have skeletons in your family closet, like Lot’s family did? That’s no problem to God. He has the ability to turn what you would rather hide into something good.

In verses 20-22 Moses specifically says that God drove the Zamzummites out of the land of Ammon, just as he drove the Horites out of the land of Edom. Moses is underscoring the greatness of God’s power and authority here. The Lord Almighty moves nations around the world like pieces on a chess board. We might not always understand what’s going on but God knows what he’s doing.  

You may remember from last week how the previous generation of Israelites failed to enter the land of promise because they were afraid of the people living there. These people were known by various names. Rephaites (which means ghosts), Emites (which means terror), Anakites (which means giants) and Zamzummites (which refers to a threatening sound). [1]  

With names like that, no wonder the Israelites were scared. For those of you who are familiar with Harry Potter, these people had a Voldemort like reputation. Or if Stranger Things is more your style, then these people were like the mind-splayer, filling the Israelites with fear and dread. Or if you are into Star Wars, then the Rephaites, Emites and Anakites were like Darth Vader and the Imperial Guards.

Moses mentions their demise as a reassurance, to the next generation of Israelites, not to be afraid. Given that God drove the ghosts and the terrorists and the giants out to make room for the Edomites, the Moabites and the Ammonites, then how much more will God do for Israel.  

Again you may ask, that’s all good and well for Israel but what has this got to do with me? Well, the point of application is that our God (the God of nations) is greater than your worst fears. So if God is for you, then you do not need to be afraid.

There’s one other aspect of God’s greatness I want to draw your attention to in these verses from Deuteronomy 2. I’m not sure what to call it? Is it God’s winsomeness? Is it his disinterested virtue? Is it his goodness and generosity? Is it steadfast love? Theologians might call it ‘prevenient grace’. 

Whatever adjective we give it, this quality of God’s greatness is so subtle, so understated in the text, we could easily miss it.

The Moabites did not worship Yahweh, the Lord Almighty. They worshipped a deity called Chemosh. Likewise, the Ammonites did not worship Yahweh either. They worshipped a deity called Milkom. [2]   

And yet, even though the Moabites and the Ammonites were not loyal to Yahweh, the Lord Almighty (the God of nations) still fought on their behalf to give them their portion of land.

What has this got to do with you? Well, God’s action in helping a people who did not know him points to what Jesus did for us. In Romans 5 Paul writes…

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 

We don’t know the half of what God has done for us. Before we were even born God was at work to provide for us, to care for us and to save us. I don’t know what the word for that is but it speaks of God’s greatness. The greatness of his love.

There is so much good news in today’s reading from Deuteronomy 2. While the main focus of the good news is the greatness of God, we must also acknowledge the good news of Israel’s faith.

Israel’s obedience of faith:

According to the United Nations, the median age of the New Zealand population is currently between 38 and 39 years old and increasing. By the year 2050 the median age is expected to be around 44 years old. Back in 1970 the median age was relatively low at around 25.6 years.

To put that in context the global median age has increased from 21.5 years in 1970 to just over 30 years old today. About a quarter of the world’s population is under the age of 14.

In verse 14 of Deuteronomy 2 we read…

14 Thirty-eight years passed from the time we left Kadesh Barnea until we crossed the Zered Valley. By then, that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the Lord had sworn to them. 

That means, by the time the Israelites passed through the nation of Moab, there would be no one older than 60 years of age (with the exception of Moses, Caleb and Joshua). Most of the people would be under the age of 50.

Very few would have any memory of their exodus from Egypt, much less the experience of being oppressed as slaves. Almost the entire population would know nothing except life in the desert. Pretty much everyone would have buried their parents in the wilderness.

We don’t know what the median age of the Israelites would have been at that time in history but one would guess it was maybe around 20 years old, give or take. Pretty young in any case. 

The generation, or time in history, you are raised in tends to have an influence in shaping the way you are. Generally speaking, people who were born around the same time are more likely to share similar experiences in life and to exhibit similar behaviours and attitudes.

Sociologists have identified four generational archetypes which appear to repeat themselves over the course of a century. There is the hero generation (born between 1901 and 1924). Also known as the GI generation or builders, these people lived through the great depression of the 1930’s and fought in the Second World War.

Then came the artist generation (born between 1925 and 1942), also known as the silent generation because they lived in the shadow of the hero generation.

After that came the prophet generation (born between 1943 and 1960). We know them as baby boomers. Some of the prophet generation became hippees.

The next generation (mainly children of the boomers) are the nomad generation (born between 1961 and 1981). These people are sometimes called Gen X, or the latch key generation because they grew up relying on themselves.

In theory, the Millennials (born between 1982 and 2002) start the cycle again as the new hero generation.

The exact years for these generations is disputed. Different experts dice up the generations differently, so don’t get hung up on the details and don’t put too much weight on it. I share it with you today to illustrate the point that each generation is different from the one before. 

The new generation of Israelites (that Moses is addressing in Deuteronomy 2) were different from their parents. The next generation had not been scarred in the same way by the experience of slavery in Egypt. They were not as afraid as their parents. They had been raised in the wilderness as nomads.

During their time in the wilderness they learned to trust God because, despite the difficult circumstances in which they were raised, they knew from personal experience that God had always been faithful in providing manna and quail and water. God had always looked after them.

Now they were about to transition to a more settled existence, with land of their own, they needed to be heroes in taking hold of God’s promise.

Verse 8 of Deuteronomy 2, appears quite unremarkable at first glance. Verse 8 reads: 8 So we went on past our relatives the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. We turned from the Arabah road, which comes up from Elath and Ezion Geber, and travelled along the desert road of Moab.

On the face of it this verse seems to simply describe Israel travelling by map.

But what verse 8 implies is truly remarkable. This next generation of Israelites obeyed God. They were different to their parents. The Lord (Yahweh) told them to be careful and not attack the Edomites and the Israelites trusted the Lord, doing exactly what he asked of them.

This is what is known as the obedience of faith. Not doing what we think is best but trusting God and doing what he asks, even if it doesn’t make sense to us at the time.   

I imagine it must have been tempting for Israel to see an opportunity here and go for a land grab. Israel had the upper hand. They knew the Edomites were afraid of them. Israel could have taken advantage of Edom’s fear and attacked. But they didn’t. Israel showed restraint.

Often we associate faith with doing something brave or extraordinary, and it can be that. More often though faith takes the form of exercising self-control and not doing anything stupid or selfish. Moving through the land of Edom, Moab and Ammon, without taking advantage of the locals, was a test of faith that Israel passed.

By obeying Yahweh in this way, Israel were demonstrating their faith in the Lord. They were effectively saying, ‘We believe that Yahweh is in charge. The Lord Almighty is God of nations and he will provide land for us’. 

This is next generation faith. This is good news. This is Israel doing justly, showing mercy and walking humbly with God.  

Conclusion:

Deuteronomy 2 touches on some sensitive issues for us. In particular, the issue of land and who has the right to possess it. Disputes and wars to do with land in the Middle East have been simmering and boiling over for centuries.

Every night we see glimpses of the war in Ukraine on our TV’s and laptops. And we, in the West, are shocked and appalled that Russia thinks it is entitled to invade the Ukraine. Presumably there are some in Russia who think they are taking back what was theirs in the first place.   

Here in New Zealand, we have our own history of land grabbing. Greedy, ruthless men in the 19th Century, who cared more about money than anything else, dispossessed Maori of much of the land they occupied. But even before the European came, Maori were taking land from each other. Iwi against Iwi.  

While the Bible wants to affirm that the Lord Almighty is God of nations and he alone has the right to determine who has possession of the land and where the boundary lines fall, the historical reality is that human beings (in their fear and greed and hubris) continue to transgress God’s boundaries.

I have no interest in passing judgment on who is right and who is wrong in disputes over land. I don’t have the knowledge or the wisdom, much less the authority, to decide those sorts of matters.

I’m just a pastor of a small church, in a land that seems to be forgetting God. My job is to remind people of God and to help people understand the Bible so we know how to relate with God and with our neighbours. I don’t have all the answers. In fact, a lot of the time I’m just trying to figure out what the right question is. But this I know to be true. God is just and merciful.

That means, there will be a reckoning for those who transgress the boundaries that God puts in place. It also means that those who have been treated unjustly will be restored.

In the meantime, we need to remember that Jesus is King. He is Sovereign over all the earth. And one day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • What good news do you see in Deuteronomy 2:1-22?
  • What are we saying about God when we sing, “God of nations…”? Why does God allocate land and set geographical boundaries for various people groups? (Refer to Acts 17:24-28)
  • Do you have regrets over decisions you made in the past (like Esau)? How has God redeemed your regrets? (If you are still waiting for God’s redemption, what would you like Him to do?)
  • God provided land for the Moabites and the Ammonites, even though they did not worship Him. Consider God’s loyalty to you throughout your life. Looking back, in what ways has God been at work in your life to care for you and draw you to himself, even before you believed in him?  
  • How was the next generation of Israelites different from their parents? Which generational archetype do you identify with the most and why? (E.g. hero, artist, prophet or nomad.)
  • What is meant by the phrase ‘obedience of faith’? Can you think of a time in your life when you trusted and obeyed God? What happened?

[1] Refer Daniel I. Block, NIVAC Deuteronomy, page 84.

[2] C.f Daniel I. Block, NIVAC Deuteronomy, page 84.

Tawa Baptist

Last Words

Scripture: Luke 24:44-53

Video Link: https://youtu.be/cYNN9ua1JCc

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Continuity
  • Commission
  • Ascension
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

A few years ago Eddie Murphy starred in a movie called A Thousand Words. Jack McCall (played by Eddie Murphy) is a fast talking literary agent, a bit loose with the truth. One day a tree appears in his backyard. The tree has a thousand leaves on it. Each time Jack says a word a leaf falls off the tree. When all the leaves are gone the tree will die and so will Jack.

Jack learns the value of his words and of speaking the truth. But with so few words left what is most important to say? Despite the changes he makes, Jack is misunderstood and loses his relationships with those closest to him.

In the end, the tree has only three leaves left. How will Jack use his last three words? I won’t spoil it for you. But think about this. If you had only 1000 words left, how would you use them? What would you say and who would you talk to?

Last Thursday was Ascension Day in the church calendar. Ascension is the day we remember and celebrate Jesus’ return to heaven.

For forty days after his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples on earth. He spoke with them, ate with them, restored them and generally reassured them that he was, in fact, risen from the dead in every sense. They weren’t seeing a ghost, nor was his resurrection just a cute metaphor.

Then, forty days after rising from the dead, Jesus was taken into heaven where he sits at the right hand of God, interceding for us, representing us to God.

This morning we take a short break from our series in Deuteronomy to consider Jesus’ ascension in the gospel of Luke. From Luke 24, verses 44-53 we read some of the last words of Jesus to his disciples on earth…

44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” 50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Three words to give you a handle on this passage: continuity, commission and ascension. Jesus joins the dots for his disciples, showing them the continuity in God’s plan. Jesus commissions his disciples to be his witnesses to all nations. And Jesus ascends to heaven.

Continuity:

In trying to come up with an illustration for the continuity of God’s plan, I googled ‘oldest business in the world’ and found this list of companies.

The oldest company still running today is a Japanese construction firm established in 578 AD. Apparently the Japanese are quite good at continuity planning. The five oldest companies in the world all come from Japan.

The oldest companies in Ireland and the UK are both pubs. Interestingly, seven of the oldest continuously running companies are hospitality related businesses.  

But none of these companies even comes close to the oldest tree in the world. Experts reckon the Great Basin Bristlecone Pine is over 5,000 years old. That’s roughly 1,000 years older than Abraham.

It turns out the Bristlecone Pine has survived so long because of the harsh conditions it lives in. Very cold temperatures together with high winds contribute to a slow growth rate which creates really dense wood. This in turn makes the Bristlecone Pine resistant to insects, fungi and rot.

Despite the Bristlecone Pine’s longevity, it still can’t boast the continuity of God’s plan of redemption which has been unknown centuries in the making. Long before Abraham and the Bristlecone Pine, God was at work to restore humanity to himself.

In Luke 24, the risen Jesus says to his disciples…

44 “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 46…This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day…

To say, ‘This is what is written’ is the equivalent of saying, ‘It has been God’s plan all along.’ In other words, the new is not the new. Rather, it is the old properly interpreted. [1]

Three times during his earthly ministry Jesus told his disciples plainly that the Messiah must suffer, die and then be raised from the dead. But it seems the message didn’t get through.

The disciples were still taken by surprise when Jesus was arrested, falsely accused, beaten and crucified. Sort of like we are often taken by surprise when things seem to go pear shaped for us. 

In verses 44 & 46, Jesus reminds his disciples that what happened with his death and resurrection was all part of God’s plan of redemption. Jesus’ suffering was in continuity with what Jesus himself predicted and with what the whole of the Old Testament was saying in relation to the Messiah. 

Perhaps, in some ways, the purpose of God and the people of God are a bit like the Bristlecone Pine. Both have survived for such a long time, not in spite of harsh conditions, but because of harsh conditions.

The church has fallen out of favour with mainstream New Zealand society in recent years. We are not persecuted but we are misunderstood and marginalised to some degree. Church attendance, generally across most denominations, has been declining and we might wonder what the future holds.

When times are tough we need to remember, tough is to be expected. That does not mean we fold our arms and do nothing. To the contrary we do everything we can to bless and prosper the church. And we continue to offer God’s hospitality to a world which is angry with him or ignoring him. We maintain a growth mind-set and we remain open to what the Spirit of God is doing.

In verse 47 Jesus says: “…and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem…”     

God’s plan did not finish with Calvary. Jesus’ ministry of preaching repentance and forgiveness continues with his followers from 2,000 years ago, right up to the present day.   

The more thoughtful among you may be thinking, ‘Wait a second. Aren’t repentance and forgiveness about discontinuity?’ And you would be half right.

Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change in behaviour. Repentance is essentially a realignment of one’s whole life toward God. When we repent we discontinue the path we are on in order to follow Jesus.

Likewise, forgiveness is about release or letting go. Forgiveness goes hand in hand with repentance. Forgiveness releases us from the guilt and shame of our past mistakes so we are free to realign our lives to follow Jesus.

While forgiveness and repentance do imply a disconnection from our old way of life, at the same time, they enable us to walk in continuity with God’s way. 

Continuity does not necessarily mean the same old same old. Continuity does not exclude change. Continuity may require repentance and forgiveness. Continuity may mean we have to adapt to new and different ways of doing things.

I’m guessing those businesses that have lasted centuries in Japan managed to do so because they were able to flex and move with the times, without discarding their core values.    

At the end of the day we remember the continuity of the church does not depend entirely on us. The church belongs to God and he won’t let his purpose fail. Perhaps this is why Jesus spoke about continuity just before commissioning his disciples.         

Commission:

When we look at the word commission we notice it is actually two words: com and mission.

Com derives from a Latin word meaning ‘with’.

And mission refers to a special assignment or task.

So the word ‘commission’ literally means mission with. In this context, the mission is with Jesus.  

Jesus doesn’t just give his disciples a mission or a task to do and then say, ‘See ya. Bye. I’m off now.’ No. Jesus com-missions his disciples. In other words, he is with his disciples in the mission he gives them. He sends them out with training, help and support.

You see, commissioning isn’t just a one-time event. Commissioning is a process. To become a commissioned officer in the army you have to undergo some sort of officer training. Either that, or rise up through the ranks. There might a special commissioning ceremony at the end of the training process to formally recognise you as an officer, but without the training you wouldn’t be commissioned. The training is part and parcel of the commission.

From the time Jesus called his disciples he had been commissioning them. As the disciples watched Jesus’ example and had a go doing the things Jesus did, they were in the process of missioning with Jesus.

Relating that idea to our context, when we serve in some aspect of the life of the church, like Sunday school or youth group or when we enter into a mentoring type relationship with another believer, we are doing mission with Jesus.

In verse 45 of Luke 24 we read…

45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
                                                                              

This opening of the disciples’ minds is part of their commissioning also. Jesus doesn’t send his disciples into the world blind. He gives them understanding of the Scriptures so they know why they are to preach repentance and forgiveness. 

We might be quite intrigued as to what Jesus said to open their minds. Perhaps what Jesus did here was to give his disciples a different lens through which to read the Bible.

When we read the story of David slaying Goliath or Joseph forgiving his brothers or Abraham having faith in God we might be inclined to think, this is about me. I need to be like that. I need to have courage like David or grace like Joseph or faith like Abraham.

And while the Scriptures can be applied in that way, the Bible is not primarily about us. The Bible is first and foremost about Jesus. So the shepherd king David, points in some ways (although not in every way) to Jesus. Just as Joseph and Abraham and others point to Christ in their own ways.

Jesus is the key. When we read the Bible asking ourselves, ‘what does this say about Jesus?’, then (with the Spirit’s help) our mind is unlocked to understand.

The most obvious verses relating to the disciples’ commissioning though are verses 48-49, where Jesus says…

48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

The disciples are witnesses of Jesus’ ministry, his suffering, his death and his resurrection. Jesus is simply asking his disciples to bear witness to what they have seen, heard and experienced.

I like what John Stott says about Christian witnesses…

The Kingdom of God is His rule set up in the lives of His people by the Holy Spirit. It is spread by witnesses, not by soldiers, through a gospel of peace, not a declaration of war and by the work of the Spirit, not by… political intrigue or violence. [2]

Sometimes we make evangelism or mission more complicated than it needs to be. At its core, mission is about sharing our experience of Jesus with others. We may not have physically seen the risen Jesus, like the disciples did, but we can talk about the difference Jesus has made in our own life and in the wider world.

We may not have been present at the last supper but we can break bread with our neighbours and work mates. We can pay forward the hospitality and warmth we ourselves have enjoyed with God.

In verse 49 Jesus refers to the promised gift of God’s Spirit, power from on high. The Holy Spirit is the most vital and real connection we have with Jesus. Without the Holy Spirit we cannot carry out Jesus’ mission.       

Not only does the Holy Spirit empower Christian believers to share the good news about Jesus, the Spirit also empowers people who do not yet know Jesus to become believers. The Holy Spirit works with both the transmitter and the receiver of the message to create connections with and for God.

Jesus joins the dots for his disciples, showing them the continuity in God’s plan. Jesus commissions his disciples to be his witnesses to all nations. And Jesus ascends to heaven.

Ascension:

Next weekend is Queen’s Birthday weekend. In actual fact Queen Elizabeth II was born on the 21 April 1926, which means she is 96 years old.

Queen Elizabeth was crowned the monarch of England on the 2 June 1953. This Thursday will mark 69 years since her coronation.

When Queen Elizabeth ascended to the throne in 1953, she wasn’t just walking up some stairs to sit on a fancy chair in a big church. She was changing her relationship to all the people of England. She was becoming their sovereign, their queen. That relationship is an objective reality, which is true for all people of England, whether they support the monarchy or not.

From verse 50 of Luke 24 we read about Jesus’ ascension to heaven.

50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.

Jesus’ last words to his disciples were words of blessing.

With his ascension to the right hand of God in heaven, Jesus’ relationship with all people everywhere changed. This means Jesus is officially our Sovereign, our King. That relationship is an objective reality, whether the people of this world believe in Jesus or not.

Now, when we read that Jesus was taken up into heaven, we must not think that Jesus literally went into the sky to float around in the clouds. Heaven is not in the physical sky. Heaven is in another realm, not limited by our laws of physics. Heaven is God’s home, hidden behind the curtain of this material world.

Nor should we think of Jesus’ ascension as his absence from earth. While it is true that Jesus is not physically walking around like he did 2000 years ago, he is still present in a spiritual sense.

Before he ascended to heaven, Jesus could only be in one place at a time. Now he has ascended, Jesus can be everywhere and anywhere at the same time by his Spirit and through his people. The ascended Jesus is not limited by our understanding of time and space.

You don’t build a house not to move into it. If the universe is God’s house, then Jesus’ ascension is Jesus moving into the house. Likewise, you don’t buy a car not to drive it. If the universe is God’s car, then Jesus’ ascension is Jesus getting behind the wheel.   

The other thing that often gets overlooked here is that Jesus ascended as a human being. This means a human being is in charge of the universe. Not a frail, imperfect, flawed human being, but a perfect, gracious, divine human being who has walked in our shoes and understands how difficult this life is.       

Our King was not raised in a palace. He was raised in a working class home. He is a man of sorrows, familiar with pain and loss, joy and love. Jesus gets you.  

When Jesus descended to earth as a baby born in a manger, he came to represent God to humankind. Jesus shows us God’s character, his heart, his intention.

By the same token, in ascending to heaven, Jesus represents humankind to God. Theologians call this the vicarious humanity of Christ.[3] Vicarious is a word which means, experienced by way of someone else. As in, we live vicariously through Jesus. We experience closeness with God vicariously through Jesus.

This means when we pray, however imperfectly, Jesus takes our prayers and makes them acceptable to God. It also means that Jesus has already lived the perfect life in our name and on our behalf. So when we mess up, we do not need to despair. God is not focused on our mistakes. He sees us as perfect in Christ.

This does not give us a license to do whatever we want or to be slack. To the contrary it provides us with the motivation to align our life style with Jesus, because it is his name and his reputation that we carry. As followers of Jesus, other people experience Jesus vicariously through us. 

Our church’s vision statement is Christ in community. This means a number of things. One of the implications of this statement is that, by God’s grace and with the help of the Holy Spirit, the wider community encounters Jesus through us.

It is a thing of wonder that Jesus would use us, as imperfect and foolish as we are, to be his representatives (his salt & light, his body) in this world.

Conclusion:

The gospel of Luke finishes in the same way it began, with worship in the temple. From verse 52 we read…

52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

By worshipping Jesus in this way, the disciples were acknowledging that Jesus is divine. In the gospel of Luke, Jesus’ last words were words of blessing and the disciples’ last words were words of praise.

Let us join our voices now, in continuity with the disciples, as we sing…

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty.   

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • If you had only 1000 words left, how would you use them? What would you say and who would you talk to?
  • Why do you think Jesus emphasised the continuity of God’s plan with his disciples? Has there been a time in your life when things went pear shaped? Looking back, are you able to see the continuity with God’s purpose in those circumstances? 
  • In what ways do you (or have you) done mission with Jesus? Are you (or were you) conscious of the Holy Spirit’s empowerment? If so, how?
  • What would you say, from your own experience, if someone asked you about Jesus? Or, what could you do to show Jesus’ warmth and hospitality to others?
  • What do we mean by the vicarious humanity of Christ? What are the implications of Jesus’ ascension for us?
  • Choose a story or a verse from the Old Testament. What difference does it make when you read this story / verse asking, ‘what does this say about Jesus?’

[1] Refer Fred Craddock’s Interpretation commentary on Luke, page 291.

[2] John Stott’s commentary on Acts, page 42

[3] See for example T.F. Torrence.

Tawa Baptist

The Cross

Good Friday Reflection: Four dimensions of the cross

Video Link: https://youtu.be/XnyM2pIaKUw

Good morning everyone.

John 19:28-37

A reading from the gospel of John chapter 19, for Good Friday. This is John’s account of the death of Jesus. From verse 28 we read…  

28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.  31 Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down.

32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.

35 The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” 37 and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Four dimensions of the cross:

The cross of Christ has many dimensions. Today we briefly touch on just four of those dimensions: Relational, Psychological, Global and Physical.

First and foremost, the cross of Christ is relational. Jesus came to restore our relationship with God and our relationships with each other. Through faith in Jesus our sins are forgiven. In fact, our sins were nailed to the cross with Jesus.

And so, when we face the cross we face our mistakes; those things we might prefer to ignore or forget. We also face the hurts we have received.

Jesus taught us to pray: Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. What things do we need to ask God’s forgiveness for? And, who needs your forgiveness? We need God’s grace to forgive others.

Another aspect of Jesus’ suffering is the psychological dimension. Jesus was forced to wear a crown of thorns. This crown of thorns was a cruel joke of the soldiers, a parody of Jesus’ claim to be a King.

The physical anguish of the thorns digging into his scalp points to the psychological anguish Jesus suffered. Jesus was betrayed by one of his closest friends. He was deserted by his disciples, separated, mocked, alienated and alone in a crowd. Most people did not see him for who he really was.

The prophet Isaiah foretold how the Messiah would be a man of sorrows, acquainted with the bitterest grief.

Many people these days live with psychological trauma. Many people struggle with the yawning chasm of loneliness. Many are exhausted by anxiety and the toll of emotional pain and grief. Perhaps you can identify with Jesus in this way.

The Spirit of Jesus intercedes for us with groans and sighs too deep for words.

The cross of Jesus has a global dimension as well. You see, Jesus was innocent. The accusations against him were false. Jesus did not deserve to die. Through the cross, Jesus stands in solidarity with all those who suffer injustice, wherever they are in the world.

There are many in this world who suffer injustice. The people of Ukraine are hanging on the cross of war, through no fault of their own. Millions of people hang on a cross of slavery and unfair trade. Millions more find themselves on the cross of abuse or poverty, not by their own choice but by the callousness and greed of others. 

Isaiah said of the Christ: A bent reed he will not break and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out till he leads justice to victory. The justice Jesus will bring to the earth is global, reaching every corner of the earth. And it is a justice that restores.

The fourth aspect of the cross, we are thinking of today, is the physical dimension. Jesus suffered in his body. He was beaten, scourged and crucified. He was thirsty too, after having lost so much blood. The physical pain Jesus endured is unimaginable.

We are coming through a global pandemic. But even without the pandemic, many in our world suffer sickness in other forms and are feeling the pain of hunger and thirst in their bodies.

The prophet Isaiah said of the Messiah: by his stripes we are healed. The healing in view here is both physical and spiritual. Jesus’ suffering is the source of our ultimate healing and wholeness.

Our environment is suffering too. Deforestation, global warming, extreme weather events, dirty water, plastic in our oceans and our food chain. The whole planet is physically sick. Jesus came to make all things new. ‘All things’ includes the whole of creation, not just human beings.

The cross of Christ has relational, psychological, global and physical implications for all people everywhere.

I invite you to take some time now to pray into these four areas.

Examples of things you could include, in your prayer, in relation to each of the four dimensions of the cross…

Relational: What things do you need to ask God’s forgiveness for? Who do you need to forgive or make peace with? Pray for God’s grace to forgive.

Psychological: Pray for someone you know whose mental health is suffering. Pray for people who are lonely. Pray for those who are suffering the grief of losing a loved one. Pray for those who are overly anxious or afraid.

Global: Pray for those who are suffering some form of injustice. E.g. Unfair trade / modern day slaves, the poor, survivors of abuse, refugees displaced by war or famine, the people of Ukraine, etc.  

Physical: Pray for the healing of our bodies and our environment. Pray for someone you know personally who is unwell. Pray for an end to the Covid pandemic.