April 30 2023
April 30 2023
Frankie / General
Christian Faith and Life / Christian Life / Deuteronomy 8:1–6
1. The essence of Christianity lies not in religious doctrines or intellectual pursuits, but in the transformative experience of a new life through Jesus Christ. The reason for Jesus' death and resurrection was not to impart philosophical or theological knowledge, but to offer us a life of following Him, abiding in God, and living for the glory of Jesus, guided by the Holy Spirit. Now, take a moment to close our eyes and contemplate the eternal life that Jesus has made available to us - a life lived in fellowship with Him. The life that God bestows upon us is not one governed by our own will or desires, but rather by His will and for His glory. It is a life that can only be lived by faith in God's Word and in Jesus Christ, not by our own understanding.
2. Understanding and applying God's salvation to our lives is crucial because it enables us to live a transformed life after receiving Jesus Christ. As Christians, our lives can be divided into two distinct periods - before and after salvation. We are not saved by intellectually believing in Jesus, but only by believing in His sacrifice, love, and resurrection. It is through this salvation that we are empowered to live as followers of Jesus. However, Jesus knew that even after our salvation, we may struggle to live the transformed life that God intends for us, solely by our own willpower. To address this, He promised to send the Holy Spirit to guide and help us live according to God's law. Therefore, before delving into 1 Peter, it's essential to understand the significance of living in dependence on the Holy Spirit and obeying God's law. Let us read Deuteronomy 8:1-6.
Deuteronomy 8:1–6 (NKJV)
“Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers. And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you. “Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.
3. Reading, understanding, and applying the Bible to our lives is essential because it is through Scripture that we can gain insight into God's will, plan, and covenant. The Bible comprises 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament, which together provide a comprehensive understanding of God's message. While it is true that in the first century, only the Old Testament was the Scripture, the Word of God, it wasn't until the fourth century that the New Testament, as we know it today, was adopted into the canon. However, regardless of any theological debates, the 27 books of the New Testament are significant because it is the Word of God and they provide us with a model for interpreting God's way of salvation and His covenant as revealed in the Old Testament and how God accomplished His covenant through His Son Jesus Christ. Prior to the existence of theological books and commentaries, the New Testament served as a valuable guide for interpreting and understanding God's Word. Therefore, the New Testament is an essential component of the Bible and offers us a lens through which we can gain a deeper understanding of God's message.
4. The central theme of the Old Testament is the establishment and fulfillment of God's covenant of salvation which is the work of Redemption. However, many of us have been conditioned to believe that the Israelites of Old Testament times were only saved if they adhered to the law, especially Torah. This notion has been reinforced through sermons and teachings that emphasize the conflict between law and faith. It is often emphasized that being saved by following the law is not right because it relies on our own doing a work to be a righteousness, rather than faith in Jesus and His grace alone. While it is true that the Old Testament highlights the importance of following God's laws, the ultimate message is one of salvation through faith. The Israelites were saved not because of their ability to follow the law perfectly, but rather because of their faith in God's promise of salvation. This promise was ultimately fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ, who offered salvation through His grace and sacrifice. Therefore, it is essential to understand that the Old Testament points towards the promise of salvation through faith in God. The message of the Old Testament is not one of legalism but of faith in God's covenant of salvation, which was ultimately fulfilled in the coming Messiah, who is Jesus Christ.
Galatians 3:21–25 NKJV
Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
5. In the Old Testament, when God saved the Israelites, it was referred to as redemption. This term meant that God was taking His people from one place to another, specifically from a place of hardship or struggle to a place of safety and prosperity. The concept of redemption was crucial because God promised to deliver Israel from their difficult situation and bring them to the land He had promised them. The word redemption carries a deep significance, as it highlights God's promise to provide for His people and bring them to a better place. Through redemption, God demonstrated His faithfulness to Israel and His willingness to provide for their needs.
Psalm 105:5–6 (NLT)
Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given, you children of his servant Abraham, you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones.
Psalm 105:23–24 (NLT)
Then Israel arrived in Egypt; Jacob lived as a foreigner in the land of Ham. And the Lord multiplied the people of Israel until they became too mighty for their enemies.
Psalm 105:26–27 (NLT)
But the Lord sent his servant Moses, along with Aaron, whom he had chosen. They performed miraculous signs among the Egyptians, and wonders in the land of Ham.
6. Psalm 105 offers a powerful depiction of how God's redemption of Israel was accomplished through praise. It is clear from this passage that Israel's salvation was not achieved through adherence to the law, but rather through God's covenant and will alone. The Exodus journey serves as a prime example of this truth. It is important to note that Israel did not achieve their salvation through their own will or actions. God did not give them the Ten Commandments while they were in Egypt and say, "If you keep these commandments, I will save you." Instead, God's covenant and will were the driving forces behind Israel's redemption. Through His covenant and will, God led Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land, fulfilling His promise to His people. This highlights the fact that God's salvation is not earned through human effort or merit, but is a gift given to us according to His grace and sovereign will.
Exodus 3:1–3 NET
Now Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to the mountain of God, to Horeb.The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from within a bush. He looked—and the bush was ablaze with fire, but it was not being consumed!So Moses thought, “I will turn aside to see this amazing sight. Why does the bush not burn up?”
Exodus 3:7–8 LEB
And Yahweh said, “Surely I have seen the misery of my people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their cry of distress because of their oppressors, for I know their sufferings. And I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from this land to a good and wide land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.
7. The Law, also known as the Ten Commandments, was given to the Israelites two years after God had delivered them from Egypt, while they were still in the wilderness. It was meant for them to follow as they entered and lived in the covenant land that God had promised them. The purpose of the Law was to guide them in living their lives as saved people who were already redeemed by God.
Exodus 19:3–6 NIV
Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
8. The passage we read today is one of the last three sermons that Moses delivered to the Israelites as they looked towards the promised land of Canaan. In this part of his sermon, Moses explains why God saved them and why they spent 40 years in the wilderness. He highlights the importance of the manna and the humble living according to God's will. It is not a life that they earned through their own efforts or merits, but a life that is solely based on God's will. The saved life that God has given them is one of living according to the word that God has given them.
9. The Old Testament and New Testament both offer views on God's salvation, but they are not in conflict. In the New Testament, we learn that God's promise of salvation has been fulfilled through the coming of Jesus Christ. This isn't a mere human invention or philosophical idea - it's something that God has accomplished, and it represents his righteousness.
Romans 3:19–20 NKJV
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Romans 3:21–24 NKJV
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus
10. Jesus Christ exemplified God's righteousness through his sacrifice and resurrection. He became the righteousness of those who have faith in him. As a result, we are able to receive salvation from God, without cost or any need for us to earn it. This is similar to the way God humbled the Israelites. The Israelites recognized that their deliverance from Egypt wasn't due to their own power or merit, but was solely the result of God's word and actions. Similarly, our salvation isn't based on our own abilities, but is entirely due to the grace of Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross.
Ephesians 2:8–9 M:BCL
Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing!
1 Corinthians 15:10 M:BCL
But because God was so gracious, so very generous, here I am. And I’m not about to let his grace go to waste. Haven’t I worked hard trying to do more than any of the others? Even then, my work didn’t amount to all that much. It was God giving me the work to do, God giving me the energy to do it.
11. As I reflect on my life's journey, I must confess that it hasn't unfolded according to my own plans or abilities. I never had a particular interest in God or a desire to become a pastor. Even though my passion was for studying English, I never imagined that I would one day be serving in a Canadian church. In fact, I struggled with English grammar and had to have it explained to me multiple times by a friend. My natural inclination is to prioritize worldly success and philosophical pursuits over religious ideas. However, God directed me toward the most abstract and solely God-centered concepts, regardless of my interests or aspirations. When I was looking for a next church for the ministry, I had no idea our church was looking for a new pastor. I just knew I wanted to keep doing ministry work in Saskatchewan, but I never thought I'd end up in Yorkton. But as I reflect on my life, I can only acknowledge that every experience I've had, both good and bad, has been because of God's amazing grace and love.
The love of God is greater far Than tongue or pen can ever tell
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell
The guilty pair bowed down with care
God gave His Son to win
His erring child He reconciled
And pardoned from his sin
O love of God how rich and pure
How measureless and strong
It shall forevermore endure
The saints and angels song
12. How can we come to believe in God? How can we confess Jesus as our Savior? It's only possible because of God's grace, love, and the righteousness of Jesus Christ. We didn't earn our salvation by keeping the law; rather, God knew us, called us, and led us to know Him. He came to us and revealed His righteousness so that we could understand it. That's why we're here. We stand before God by His grace alone, and it's only through the righteousness of Jesus Christ that we can live a righteous life. Let's give glory to God and praise Jesus Christ alone for His grace and love. He alone is our way, our life, and our salvation.
13. Benediction
Jesus, your love is beyond measure. The grace you have bestowed upon us is so immense that we are humbled to call you our Savior. You loved us so deeply that you sacrificed yourself on the cross to save us and rose from the dead to become our righteousness. We cannot attain righteousness on our own, but you have given it to us so that we may live as righteous people in God's sight. We desire to live by the grace that you have shown us. Please guide us, and help us to praise you for your grace each day. May we live this week solely by your grace.
Ephesians 2:8–9 M:BCL
Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing!
In your great name, Amen.