Deuteronomy 10:12-11:32

The First Commandment III: Today! Love and Obey God



What does God require of us?

to fear the Lord

to walk in all his ways

to love him

to serve him with all our heart and all our soul

and to keep his commandments



The first commandment states:

"I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt,

out of the house of bondage:

You shall have no other gods beside ME."



Notice again that Law is rooted in Grace.

The commandments of God are given not as a means to salvation,

but as a description of godly living.

We must never forget that our obedience is the response of grateful hearts,

overwhelmed with God's great love and kindness.

Because of the great redemption which God has given;

because of the mercy which he has shown,

therefore, live your lives as his holy people.



We saw last week that God chose us,

not because of any strength in us;

not because of our own righteousness,

but because of his great love,

and because he promised our fathers that he would.

Salvation is all of God.

He is the one who delighted in our fathers--in Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,

He is the one who chose their seed.

Notice in verse 15, that the word descendents, is the word seed.

We who are Abraham's seed by faith,

who have been united with Christ,

now share in those great promises.



Here in chapters 10 and 11,

Moses is bringing to a conclusion his exposition of the first commandment.

He has focused on what it means to have no other gods besides Yahweh,

and has repeatedly drawn us back to our need

to love the Lord our God with all our heart,

all our soul, and all our strength.

Moses offers us our motivation for why we should love and obey God TODAY.

Notice how often the word "today" appears in the text:

v13--keep the commandments which I command you today

v15--God chose the descendents of Abraham above all peoples, as it is this day

11:2--know today that I do not speak with your children, but with YOU

v4--God destroyed the Egyptians to this day

v8--Keep every commandment which I command you today--so that you may defeat your enemies tomorrow

v13--If you keep the commandments which I command you today...I will bless your harvest tomorrow

v27--blessings will come if you obey the commands which I command you today

v32--so be careful to obey the statutes and judgments which I set before you today



Why all this emphasis on "today"?

Because "today" is the day of salvation.

"Today" is the day that God is working.

And all throughout the history of Israel,

they would look back to that day--

--the day that God established his covenant with Israel

The exodus from Egypt and the giving of the Law at Sinai

was the most significant event in the whole OT.

Hence Moses focuses on this day as the central turning point of history:

from now on,

you must obey the Law that is given TODAY!

But wait, Moses,

The Exodus happened 40 years ago.

The Law was given at Sinai 40 years ago as well.

What's so important about "today"?

What's so important about that particular day when Moses renews the covenant?



In the NT we see the same sort of thing:

In Hebrews 3, we see the same focus on TODAY. (read 3:7-19)

Hebrews tells us that the Israelites failed to enter the land because of unbelief.

They did not believe God's promises.

They failed to listen to Moses on that "today"

--and so received the curse that Moses warned them about.

But in Christ, TODAY has come again.

You thought that the Exodus was a big event?

Well the coming of Jesus Christ was HUGE!

You thought that the giving of the Law on Sinai was important?

Well, the giving of Christ on the cross was infinitely more important!!

Just as Moses gave the Law TODAY--and all other days would look back to it,

so also, Jesus Christ is risen TODAY

--and every day both before and after, must look to that day!

So long as "today" is named,

so long as we partake of Christ's resurrection day,

we may hold fast the confidence steadfast to the end.

The Day of Christ--The Day of the Lord--is central to the Christian message.

Does this sound strange?

You know how in all of history, there are only two men--Adam and Christ:

the first Adam and the last Adam.

And you either live under the curse of Adam, or the blessing of Christ?

Well, there are also only two days in history: the first day and the last day!

Now, obviously there are all sorts of days in Scripture,

but the only two that really matter are the day that God entered his rest

(the seventh day--the Sabbath)

and the day that Christ entered HIS rest

(the first day of the week--the Lord's Day).

Listen to what Hebrews 4 says (vv1-10)

Moses' "today" is only a picture of what was to come.

Even when Joshua brought them into the land,

that was not the final rest.

When Joshua brought them into the Land,

that was a picture of the rest that Jesus would bring.

And on the first day of the week,

Jesus Christ rose from the dead.

On the first day of the week,

he ascended into heaven.

On the first day of the week,

he poured out the Holy Spirit.

And in doing so, he established a new "TODAY!"



Let me put it this way,

when a person does not know Christ,

they are living in yesterday.

they are behind the times,

out of step with what God is doing.

It's too bad Indiana doesn't use daylight-savings time,

it's a great example!

In Jesus Christ, the clock has jumped forward.

when a person does not know Christ,

they are out of date,

they are living in the old creation,

they are living in the first days,

they live in fallen time.

And someday, fallen time will end.

But when we become partakers of Christ,

we enter into TODAY.

we enter the last days,

the Day of the Lord,

the Lord's Day,

and we receive the promise that we will enter into our rest,

just as Christ has entered his.



We'll come back to this in a couple weeks when we look at the Sabbath commandment,

let me just say that when you start to look at time in this way,

it changes the way you live.

Every Sunday--every Lord's Day--is a reminder that Christ calls us to enter his rest.

It's not a burden to rest on Sunday,

it's a blessing.



But what's important for us to understand here in Deuteronomy 11,

is that "today," for Moses, is a picture of what "today" will become in Christ.

"Today" for Moses is the key turning point of redemption:

Because God has redeemed you;

Because you are no longer slaves,

therefore remember "today"

Structure your whole life around the commandments that I speak to you "today."

"Today" is to be the most important day of your life.

And for us,

the Day of Christ's death and resurrection;

the Day of redemption from sin and death,

is to be the most important day of our lives.

You are to structure your whole life around the Day of the Lord Jesus Christ.



But if our whole lives are structured around the Day of the Lord,

the result should be that we love and obey God.

And Moses offers two motivations for loving and obeying God

1. God's mercy in the past (11:1-7), seen through his acts in history and nature

It all starts with 10:14:

"Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God,

also the earth with all that is in it"

All of creation is ruled by God.

Nothing happens by accident.



Think of what he did to Egypt in the Red Sea--God rules the waters

Think of what he did in the wilderness--God provides food

Think of what he did to Dathan and Abiram--God rules the land

YOU have seen what God did in history and in nature.



And YOU have seen what God has done in Jesus Christ.

Think of what he did when Jesus calmed the storm--God ruled the waters

Think of what he did when Jesus fed the five thousand--God provided food



And we see these things today as well:

Paul says in I Cor. 10 that the crossing of the Red Sea was a picture of baptism;

God saved his people through water then,

and he now has washed us,

baptizing us into the death and resurrection of Christ

Jesus says that the manna in the wilderness, and the feeding of the 5000

are a picture of his feeding us with his own body and blood,

which we now receive through the Lord's Supper.

Every time someone is baptized;

Every time we come to the Lord's Supper;

we are reminded that God is the sovereign Lord of history and of nature,

and that Jesus Christ rules over all things for his glory and our salvation.



You have seen God's provision clearly in the history of this church:

He has provided this building,

He has provided the preaching of his Word,

He has provided the grace that binds us together as one body.

Moses says that because you have seen "every great act of the Lord which He did",

therefore, obey him.

You know that God blesses his people!

You know that Jesus Christ has given every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

therefore walk in his ways.



But Moses not only looks to the past,

he also reminds them of the promised future:

2. God's saving actions in the future--both in history (8-12), and nature (13-17)



You will possess the land--a land flowing with milk and honey--not like Egypt,

This is a land that God cares for.

You will be blessed in the land with bountiful harvests

so don't be deceived in your heart and turn away from God

--otherwise you will be cursed with bad harvests!



And we who are in Christ,

we have received such a promise.

God has promised us the New Creation,

a Land far more blessed than Canaan,

Moses says that "the eyes of the Lord your God are always on" the promised land, (v12)

but the Land which God has promised to us!

Not just his eyes are on it,

No, his very presence.

Rev. 22:1-5 says,

"And he showed me a pure river of water of life,

clear as crystal,

proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river,

was the tree of Life,

which bore 12 fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month.

The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

And there shall be no more curse,

but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it,

and His servants shall serve Him.

They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.

There shall be no night there.

They need no lamp nor light of the sun,

for the Lord God gives them light.

And they shall reign forever and ever."



That is the promised Land which God has promised to his people.

These are the blessings which shall belong to those who endure until the end.

So take heart!

Have hope!

Believe in God's promises!

Trust that he will provide the grace that you need.

And obey what he has commanded.

Augustine once said,

"O Lord, when you crown our merits,

you crown your own gifts"

In other words,

when God rewards and blesses our obedience,

he rewards us for what He himself has worked in us.

Why is God so gracious?

So that we might lift our voices and praise him all the more loudly!



So I would encourage you to meditate on the promises of God.

This week, turn to Psalm 23,

and reflect on how those promises are ours in Christ.

Look at passages which talk about the promises of God,

Gen. 12 & 17, Prov. 3, Isaiah 65-66, Matt. 25,

meditate on what God has promised to those who trust and obey.



How can you receive such blessings and avoid such curses?

In conclusion, Moses gives three applications:



1. lay up these words in your heart and your soul

v18

You must study.

Some people want the Christian life to be an easy thing.

They just want to come to church on Sunday,

hear a comfy little message,

and then go home feeling good.

Moses says that you shall put these words in your heart and in your soul.

The Word of God is to be lodged at the center of our lives.

Take time to memorize Scripture.

I once lived with a family that memorized Scripture by singing.

Within a few weeks they had half of Colossians memorized,

simply by singing a simple tune every dinnertime.

But the Word of God should be hidden in our hearts.

How can you obey God if you can't remember what he wants you to do?



2. teach them to your children

v19-21

When you are doing stuff around the house,

When you are driving your children to school events,

Before you go to bed at night,

When you get up in the morning,

every aspect of life should be centered on the Word of Christ.

This is why the first application is so important.

If you do not know the Word of God,

If you do not have a clear understanding of what Christ has done,

and who we are in Christ,

then you will fail in the second application.

If you don't know how to start,

or where to start,

come talk to me.

I'm here to help.

How many of you are doing some sort of family worship?

If you are not teaching your children daily,

you are not obeying God.

Children,

if your parents are not daily teaching you about God,

go to them,

and say,

"Daddy, Mommy, I need to know God.

Please teach me."

One of the best ways to do this is to memorize scripture together:

when I was a child my family and my church focused on scripture memorization.

Memorize key verses at first.

Then move on to whole passages,

or even books!

Start small,

but be consistent.

God promises in vv22-25 that he will destroy all your enemies if you obey him.

Is that legalism?

Not at all!

If you say you love God, but constantly disobey him, should God bless you?

Those who love God, as Jesus tells us, keep his commandments:

If you love me, keep my commandments:

and my commandment is this, that you should love one another.



The third applicaton comes back to the importance of "today."

v26-29

3. In chapters 27-28 we learn that the Israelites were to hold a special ceremony on Mt Gerizim and Mt. Ebal.

Mt. Gerizim is a rich, beautiful mountain.

Mt. Ebal is rocky and barren.

But they stand right next to each other as a picture of blessing and cursing.

God tells Israel that they are to have a special ceremony

in which they renew the covenant when they enter the land.

They are to remember "today",

the central day of God's salvation.

And for us who are in Christ,

we are to have a special ceremony in which we renew the covenant,

in which we are to remember "today"

--the day when Christ rose from the dead

--the day when Christ ascended to the Father,

--the day when Christ poured out the Holy Spirit.

That is what we do every Sunday.

That is what we are doing now.

In various ways we hear the blessings and curses of God proclaimed.

In our prayers, in our songs, in the Word, and in the Sacraments,

we speak and see and hear and taste

our Lord Jesus Christ.

He who became a curse for us,

so that we partake of his blessings.

Jesus took our curse on that cursed hill,

so that we might dwell on Mt. Gerizim.



This is the first commandment:

I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the Land of Egypt,

out of the House of bondage,

you shall no other gods but me.

You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart,

all of your soul,

and all of your strength.

Luther said that the first commandment was key,

for "where the heart is right with God and this commandment is kept,

fulfillment of all the others will follow of its own accord"





Benediction: Numbers 6