Deuteronomy 11:1-9

  July 1, 2012   Deuteronomy 11:1-9 1 Love the Lord your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always. 2 Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the Lord your God: his majesty, his mighty hand, his outstretched arm; 3 the signs he performed and the things he did in the heart of Egypt, both to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his whole country; 4 what he did to the Egyptian army, to its horses and chariots, how he overwhelmed them with the waters of the Red Sea as they were pursuing you, and how the Lord brought lasting ruin on them. 5 It was not your children who saw what he did for you in the wilderness until you arrived at this place, 6 and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when the earth opened its mouth right in the middle of all Israel and swallowed them up with their households, their tents and every living thing that belonged to them. 7 But it was your own eyes that saw all these great things the Lord has done. 8 Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 9 and so that you may live long in the land the Lord swore to your ancestors to give to them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey. In our Christian walk there are many times where we lose sight of the basics. First, is that it is Christ who saves us from death but we forget that we are to live a life that shows that we have been saved. Last week I talked to you about whether it is better to be an heir or to be a servant. If it is true that you desire that God is glorified in all the world, then what does that mean? Can you give God glory only in your private life and not do so when you out to live in the world? Or must you live a life that is giving him glory no matter where you live so that God truly is glorified? How you use a word changes the entire meaning of what you say. In today's passage Moses is simply telling the people to observe the commands of God. He is telling them all that to do whatever it is, whatever position you are in to be an representative of God. If you raise daughters as if they were boys how would those girls end up? A daughters or as sons? Do you not teach accordingly? As a Christian are you taking all the responsibility of all your positions and doing it well? As a parent, church member, business person. Moses tells them that if they want to live long and blessed then they are to follow God and his commands. Do people want to succeed? There can be no success without discernment. If you do not know what your goal is and what the purpose of what you are doing then there can be no success. So what do you use to decide what is important or not? Is it based on your emotions? Children use their emotions to decide what they want. What will they learn? If they see their parents in a loving relationship what will they learn? If they see their parents always arguing and fighting, and hearing one parent speak evil of the other, what will the children learn? Do you realize that everything you do, you are teaching your children to do? Moses speaks to the people and tells them that they had learned all about God and His commands from their parents. He tells them to go forth and live the life that will give the success by obeying God and his commands. When the people crossed the Jordan did those occupying the land freely give the Israelites what they wanted? They went to war. If I do not take what is promised I cannot receive. If I do not walk the path that God has shown me in obedience and Iive that life, I cannot receive the land that is promised to me. In Canaan there will be enemies that want to take what is mine. In all of heaven, there is not a bit of evil or hell. In the promised land, I must wipe out all that is evil. If I do not I cannot be completely victorious. I must fight that Spiritual battle daily with the word of God. I must decide to stand up and fight. If you think that you can freely cross the Jordan and easily walk into the promised land, will you succeed in taking what it yours? Without the battle will your life be representative of that of Christ? After their first battle, Joshua used man's method and lost. When they turned back to God they were given an even greater victory. We must follow God and use His ways to fight our battles. The only way you will be remembered in you family history as one who was great in serving God then you must seek God everything that you do everyday. The family was given to you so that you can find all the blessings God has for you through it. To make the family complete each of you must do your part as one who follows Christ. Jesus says he does what he saw the Father do. Then you must do what Jesus did so that you can please the Father also. The day we are raptured is the day of judgement. We forget that we all will be judged. The five foolish brides had lamps and had oil, but they lacked the oil to participate in the banquet. Do you live the life that keeps burning? Are you living like the disciples? If you do not turn from your sin and live in obedience, you will not make it in the end. I cannot hide the sins in my heart and think that I will be one with Christ. I must confess openly to him all that I have done and turn from all of it. When the one you love desires to see you but you make excuses and do not meet them, the that relationship will be broken. If Christ desires to meet with you then it does not matter the time or place, meet with Him. If Christ tells you to forgive, to love why do you keep being stubborn and refusing to do so. If you keep it up there will be no relationship with Christ. Through the family you are to learn to practice the teachings of Christ, but you do not do it. You waste so much time doing useless things rather than trying to communicate with your spouse. Some people golf, watch TV or do whatever it is but do not try to listen to their spouse. Are you using all your strength to do what God commands? Why do you refuse to apologize for your mistakes, you think that by buying a gift or taking the other out to eat the problem is resolved but it is not. Our relationship with Christ is reflective of our relationships in our family. Can the things you desire be achieved through your stubbornness? We must take a look at ourselves and see if we are truly living a life that follows God. Or families are to be holy, clean and perfect so that God will accept our worship. It is in our struggle to make the family complete that God can be seen in our lives. May you live the life that gives glory to God.   Sermon by pastor KyungJin Park Translated by Miguel Park http://cafe.daum.net/truelightchurch1004