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What Does the Lord Require? · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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We can turn back together to our reading in Deuteronomy chapter 10.
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! We're going to look at the last part of the chapter, verse 12, down to the end.
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Deuteronomy chapter 10, verse 12, where it asks the question there,
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And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you but to fear the Lord your God,
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to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart
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and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord which I am commanding you
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today for your good, and so on.
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What's your favorite book of the Bible?
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I don't know, maybe you have one, maybe you have many different books of the Bible that you like turning to,
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depending what kind of situation you're in in life or just what's on your mind.
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There can be many different places that we turn.
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It might be going into the Old Testament, you enjoy reading some of the narratives there about events that took place a long time ago.
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It might be to the book of Psalms or Proverbs, where there's much wisdom given to us, much kind of direction.
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It might be the prophets that you enjoy, where you see God speaking through them,
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warning people and telling them of events that are to come.
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Perhaps you go into the New Testament, you enjoy the Gospels and how they speak to us of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ,
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and how he came and what he did.
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We read accounts, events that happened.
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We read great depths of understanding of who God is and who Jesus is.
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You see the book of Acts, and you enjoy that accounts of the Gospel spreading through many different people to many different places.
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And then you read the letters of Paul and others writing to churches that have been established.
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Or you come into the book of Revelation, and you begin to wonder about what is ahead.
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What is the book of Revelation talking about?
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There's so many different parts of Scripture.
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There's such a variety to us.
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There's such a wealth of learning in it.
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And we can go to different parts, depending what's going on in our minds.
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But where does Deuteronomy feature in that variety of what you read?
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How often do you turn to the book of Deuteronomy and think, I want to go into Deuteronomy?
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It's such an encouraging book.
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It's maybe not one that comes to mind immediately.
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And yet, when we go into it, as you read through it, there's so much to take from it.
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When we maybe think to ourselves, as many people do,
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I'm going to read the Bible from the beginning to the end.
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I mentioned this before, how often people can start reading in Genesis.
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And we were in Leviticus a few weeks ago now.
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And very often, that's where people get bogged down,
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where people kind of come to a shuddering halt.
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It gets into us talking about things maybe we don't understand, we find difficult to read.
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And sadly, many people can come to a conclusion of their reading from beginning to end in Leviticus.
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And you don't get as far as Deuteronomy.
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You miss out on what Deuteronomy speaks about because it's got a wealth of things to say to us.
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Such an important book as we see it in the Old Testament.
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But its importance is also seen in how often it's mentioned in the New Testament as well.
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Gordon Wenham, a writer, a theologian, describes it in this way.
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He says it's the linchpin of the Old Testament.
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It's what holds everything else together.
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So it's an important book.
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And it's seen how important it is and how often it's quoted in the New Testament.
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You might be surprised that along with Genesis, Psalms, and Isaiah,
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it's the most quoted book in the New Testament.
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So why is it so important?
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What's its significance?
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And has its significance waned, if you like?
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Is it less important today?
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It was written many thousands of years ago.
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And yet the truths that we find in it for the there and then, as Moses is leading a people into the promised land,
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are very much truths that we need for the here and now as well.
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They speak very much into our day.
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And it was written at the time when Moses had led the children of Israel out of their captivity in Egypt,
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led them through the wilderness and leading them to the border of the promised land.
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And here he is, if you like, renewing the covenant with his people.
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God reminding them of the promises that he has given to them.
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And here in chapter 10, if you just look back into chapter 9,
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you see it's just after the incident with the golden calf,
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where the people of God had got tired of Moses being away from them.
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Where is he? Why isn't he coming back?
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And then saying, he's not coming back.
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And they said, let us make a golden calf to worship in place of God.
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And this is what they did.
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And Moses, when he came down, he smashed the tablets of the Ten Commandments.
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That's why we read in chapter 10,
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these new tablets of stone with the Ten Commandments were being given.
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This was the incident around this time,
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around these events that we're reading of in chapter 10.
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And it kind of makes it even more remarkable just how God speaks to them in chapter 10,
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the kind of mercy that he shows to them.
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And Moses is preaching here about their need for an allegiance to God.
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That as they go into the promised land,
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a land filled with many different temptations,
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and especially the choices of what God to worship,
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because the place would be full of idols and false gods
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that they could choose to worship.
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Moses is saying, if you want to know blessing and favor from God,
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you are to worship him alone.
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You are to worship God alone.
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And there is a relevance for ourselves today.
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Because we read here about the temptations that these men, women, boys and girls
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were going to face in all the variety,
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all the choices that they would have going into the promised land.
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So many things taking them away from God.
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So many false gods that would be around saying,
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this is who you need to worship.
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This is what you need to do.
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When Moses is saying, no, if you want to know blessing and favor,
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you must worship God and him alone.
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And so as we see here in chapter 10,
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what we see is a God who shows real compassion,
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real grace, real mercy towards these people,
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despite their sin,
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and calls them to worship him alone.
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And that's the wonder of what it says to us as well today.
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That if we want to know blessing and favor from God,
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we must put our trust in him as Lord and God of all.
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That we can only love him because he first loved us.
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And that's what he shows in this passage.
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Many of God's people have spoken about how God has blessed them
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as they have been faithful to him
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in many difficult and different situations.
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Take, for example, a man called George Muller.
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He lived in the 1800s, 1805 to 1898.
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And you may have heard many accounts of George Muller.
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He built orphanages down in England.
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And many, many children passed through these orphanages.
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Many were helped, given food,
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given a place to sleep, a place to rest,
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but also given and shown the love of Jesus Christ.
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And he did this without a personal salary.
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It wasn't like he was being paid directly for doing this.
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And he relied on God to supply money
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and to supply food.
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And there's remarkable accounts of how they prayed
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when there was nothing and God provided.
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And he was a man of faith.
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And God rewarded that faith.
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And he had a motto on his desk.
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He had a motto that he looked at for many, many years,
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over many years of wondering where things would come from,
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wondering how they were going to go on.
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This motto brought comfort and strength in times of need.
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And the motto was this.
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It matters to him about you.
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It matters to him about you.
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Just a few words.
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And it was based on 1 Peter 5, verse 7,
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where it says that,
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Cast your cares upon the Lord,
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for he cares for you.
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So he had this motto,
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it matters to him, to God, about you.
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That he knew that God was with him.
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And he saw this in many different ways.
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And he testified of this over many, many years.
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Over all his life,
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he testified to the goodness of God.
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And that's the kind of testimony that Moses is wanting,
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the people of God then to have,
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and for ourselves to have.
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That here is a God that we can rely upon.
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A God who we matter to.
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It matters to him about you.
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That is a wonderful way of looking at life.
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It matters to him about you.
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But that love of God then leads us to ask,
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well, how do we give back to him?
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What do we show to him?
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And as we take up our reading here in verse 12 of chapter 10,
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Moses is really showing,
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this is just how much you matter to him.
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And there's three things we want to take from this passage.
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The first thing is that there's a requirement
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put before the people.
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Then there's a reminder given to them about who God is.
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And then there's a response called for.
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There's a requirement, there's a reminder,
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and there's a response called for.
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And so the reminder that we see is in verse 12.
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And now, Israel, what does the Lord require of you?
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There's a question.
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And this question comes just after they've been reminded about
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how God has been almost kept from pouring out his wrath upon them.
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In verse 10 and 11, it says,
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I myself stayed in the mountain that first time for 40 days and 40 nights.
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And the Lord listened to me that time also.
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The Lord was unwilling to destroy you.
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He could have.
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That's the reality of what sin brings.
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It can bring devastation.
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It can bring destruction upon us.
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The wages of sin is death.
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And so it's in light of this,
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the Lord was unwilling to destroy you.
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And then it goes on in verse 11.
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And the Lord said to me,
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Arise, go on your journey at the head of the people
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so that they may go in and possess the land
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which I swore to their fathers to give them.
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So you see, this comes in the midst of mercy.
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It comes in the midst of God's grace.
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God did not destroy them as he could have.
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And then it comes into verse 12.
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And now, Israel,
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what does the Lord your God require of you?
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So there's a challenge.
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God loves you,
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but what does that mean in terms of how you view God?
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And then it gives us an answer
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as to what the Lord requires of you.
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But to fear the Lord your God,
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to walk in all his ways,
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to love him,
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to serve him,
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to keep his word.
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There's a summary of these things there.
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What does the Lord require?
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To fear the Lord,
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walk in his ways,
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love him,
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serve him,
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and keep his word.
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And that's not just for their day.
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There's a great reminder to us
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of what the Lord requires of ourselves today.
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Fear the Lord.
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That means a right reverence
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towards God.
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Walk in his ways.
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Love him.
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Serve him.
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Keep his word.
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Moses was the leader assigned to the people.
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Then God had chosen him
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to lead the people out of Egypt
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into the promised land.
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And so Moses is one who is,
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he is almost speaking to himself there,
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first and foremost.
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He's part of this.
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He was to lead them.
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Well,
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he was to live like this as well,
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to fear the Lord,
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to walk in his ways,
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to love him,
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serve him,
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and keep his word.
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It wasn't just applying to the people.
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It was applying to himself.
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And that is the way that we are to live.
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That is the way that God is asking of ourselves today as well.
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From every one of us,
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this is how we are to live.
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We are to see the reality of the situation that we are in,
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where the Lord could destroy us in our sin,
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but where the Lord is merciful,
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but the Lord makes demands of us.
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And that's to come from the top right down to the bottom.
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Tomorrow it may be that we have a new prime minister
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over us as a nation.
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And you would love it
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if this is what was being spoken of
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as a new leader is appointed.
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What does the Lord require of you
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as you become prime minister?
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To fear the Lord,
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to walk in his ways,
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to love him,
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and serve him,
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and keep his word,
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it would be wonderful.
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And we pray that a day would come
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when that would be so.
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But it's required of all leaders,
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of all with responsibility.
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There's a man called Max Dupree.
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He was an American businessman
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and a Christian as well.
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He died in 2017, I think it was,
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but he wrote many books,
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and especially about what it meant to be.
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He said,
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a good leader.
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And he said this,
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the first responsibility of a leader
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is to define reality.
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Leaders need to have a good picture
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of what is really going on around them.
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And they need to help others
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take an honest look at this reality.
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That is what's required of a leader,
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he was saying,
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to know the reality of what's going on around
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and to look at this reality.
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Well,
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Moses was aware of the reality of the situation.
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He was aware of what was going on around
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and what was going on ahead of them
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as they were going into the promised land.
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He was aware that they could be so easily led astray.
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The reality of idols,
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the reality of temptations,
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the reality of people being led away from God.
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He was aware of the reality of all of these things.
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But he was also aware of the reality of what God could do.
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He was aware of the reality of who God is.
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And you just have to turn back another,
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to chapter 8,
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verse 11.
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And there you see,
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as he was speaking
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to the people before they go into the promised land,
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what does it say?
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In chapter 8,
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verse 11,
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take care lest you forget the Lord your God
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by not keeping his commandments
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and his rules and his statutes
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which I command you today.
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This is the word of God through Moses.
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Take care lest you forget
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the Lord your God.
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Because that's how easily it happens.
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That's how quickly it happens.
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And you see it does
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as you go on.
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But God is giving a requirement to them here.
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And what is required is not to follow Moses.
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Good, I lead it as Moses was.
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But it's to follow God.
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To follow him.
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To fear God.
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To love God.
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To walk in his ways.
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To serve him.
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And to keep his word.
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And what does he require of us today?
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Exactly the same thing.
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To be aware of the reality in which we live.
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A fallen world.
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A sinful world.
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But to be aware too of the reality of a great
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and an awesome God.
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A God who is far more powerful than we are.
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And so there's a requirement first.
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The second thing we see here is a reminder.
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And what a powerful reminder it is for us as well.
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In verse 14 and 15.
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Behold to the Lord your God belong heaven
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and heaven of heavens.
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The earth and all that is in it.
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Yet the Lord set his heart and love
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on your fathers and chose their offspring
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after them.
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You above all peoples
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as you are this day.
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Moses here reminds the people
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of who God is.
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And he does it in two ways.
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The first thing is you see
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the enormity of God.
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The awesomeness of God.
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Behold the Lord your God.
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To the Lord your God belong heaven
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and heaven of heavens.
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The earth and all that is in it.
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Everything.
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Everything.
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The world.
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And all of the creation
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that we see around us
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belongs to God.
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Just like Psalm 96.
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For great is the Lord
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and greatly to be praised
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because he made
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the heavens
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and earth.
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This is the reality of God.
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This is the reality of God
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to Moses
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that he is showing to the people
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then that he is showing
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to us today.
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To God belong all
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of these things.
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The heavens declare
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the glory of God.
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We see it
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all around us.
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His creation
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and the wonder of it.
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So God is
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an awesome
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a powerful
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God
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a creator God
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as we see in verse 14.
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But then you go into
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verse 15.
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Yet the Lord
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set his heart
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in love
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on your fathers
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and chose their offspring
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after them.
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You above all peoples
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as you are
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this day.
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It's amazing that you think
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as you are
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this day.
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How were they
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in that day?
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They had just come
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from a place
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where they had made
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the golden calf.
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They just come
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from a place
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where they had been
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disobedient
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to God
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where they had turned
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their back
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on God
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and made their own
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God
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to worship.
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Yet God says
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yet
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the Lord
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has set his love
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on your fathers
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and upon you
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despite how you are.
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It's amazing.
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It's a powerful
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it's a wonderful
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reminder
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with such care
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and attention
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God has given
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to us
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to you
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and to me.
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the people
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are called
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there to follow
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and worship
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God
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not just because
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he rescued them
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out of Egypt
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not just because
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of the wonders
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that they were
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seeing around them
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not out of a sense
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of guilt
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although
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many would say
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that
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that is how
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Christians come
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to worship
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the Lord Jesus
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it's out of a sense
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of guilt
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that's not how
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we come
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to worship
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God
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it isn't either
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because God
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commands
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as if we've got
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no choice
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in the matter
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God doesn't just
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dictate
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to us
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no
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instead
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the Lord
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is powerful
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the Lord
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is loving
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the Lord
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is gracious
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towards us
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and when we see
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the love
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of God
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when we realize
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the grace
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of God
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as the people
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here have seen
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it
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making the golden
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calf
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and yet in
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verse 10
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it says
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the Lord
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was unwilling
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to destroy
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you
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they see
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the love
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of God
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and it is
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that love
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of God
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that surely
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moves them
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to see
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their need
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of him
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and surely
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it is that love
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of God
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that moves
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us to see
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how much
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we need
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God as well
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that despite
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our sin
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that despite
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all that we
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do that is
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wrong
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that despite
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our turning
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our back
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on him
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almost again
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and again
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and again
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that yet
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he has shown
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great love
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towards us
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because he is
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a covenant
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God
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a covenant
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is a promise
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a promise
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from God
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and it is that
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covenant love
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that God
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shows again
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and again
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and again
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throughout his word
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the steadfast love
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of God
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as the psalmist
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so often
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says
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that unchanging
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love of God
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despite
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our changeableness
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in this world
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so that as it
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says there
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in verse
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15
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you above all
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peoples
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even as you are
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this day
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even as you are
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this day
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even as you are
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even as I am
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this day
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sinners
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falling short
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of the glory
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of God
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again and again
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and yet
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we have this
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powerful reminder
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of his great
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love
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and where do we
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see this love
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where do we
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see this grace
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shown to us
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well it says
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there the Lord
22:51
was unwilling
22:52
to destroy
22:53
them
22:53
well where do we
22:55
see it is when we
22:56
go forward
22:56
into the New Testament
22:57
when we go
22:59
forward and see it
23:00
in the person
23:00
of Jesus Christ
23:01
that God
23:03
desired that
23:04
none be lost
23:05
and how would
23:06
this be
23:07
how could
23:08
this be
23:08
but that God
23:10
sent his own
23:11
son
23:11
to die
23:12
for our sin
23:13
why
23:15
because he
23:15
loved us
23:16
for God
23:17
so loved
23:18
the world
23:19
that he gave
23:20
his son
23:20
a remarkable
23:22
truth
23:23
and
23:25
although he's
23:26
speaking here
23:26
to the children
23:27
of Israel
23:28
as we go
23:29
forward into
23:29
the New Testament
23:30
we are reminded
23:31
that through
23:32
faith we are
23:33
part of these
23:34
people too
23:35
1st Peter
23:36
chapter 2
23:37
speaks about it
23:38
but you are
23:40
a chosen
23:40
people
23:41
a royal
23:41
priesthood
23:42
a holy
23:43
nation
23:43
a people
23:44
belonging
23:45
to God
23:45
that you may
23:46
declare the
23:46
praises of
23:47
him who
23:48
called you
23:48
out of
23:49
darkness
23:50
into his
23:50
wonderful
23:51
light
23:51
once
23:53
you were
23:54
not a
23:54
people
23:55
but now
23:56
you are the
23:56
people of
23:57
God
23:57
once
23:58
you had
23:58
not
23:58
received
23:59
mercy
23:59
but now
24:00
you have
24:01
received
24:01
mercy
24:02
who is
24:03
that for
24:04
it is
24:05
for all
24:05
who will
24:06
believe
24:06
in the
24:07
Lord
24:07
Jesus
24:08
Christ
24:08
he has
24:09
shown
24:09
his
24:10
love
24:11
to us
24:11
through
24:12
Jesus
24:13
Christ
24:13
Stuart
24:15
Townend
24:16
in his
24:16
great hymn
24:17
said
24:17
how deep
24:18
the
24:18
father's
24:18
love
24:19
for us
24:19
how vast
24:20
beyond
24:21
all measure
24:21
that he
24:22
should give
24:23
his only
24:24
son
24:24
to make
24:25
a wretch
24:25
his treasure
24:26
why should
24:27
I gain
24:28
from his
24:29
reward
24:29
I cannot
24:30
give an
24:31
answer
24:31
but this
24:33
I know
24:33
with all
24:34
my heart
24:34
his wounds
24:35
have paid
24:36
my ransom
24:38
we are
24:39
reminded
24:39
so often
24:41
about the
24:41
love
24:42
of God
24:43
a wonderful
24:44
love
24:45
a love
24:45
like no
24:46
other
24:47
we don't
24:48
deserve it
24:49
but in
24:50
mercy
24:51
he shows
24:52
it
24:53
he is
24:54
the maker
24:54
of the
24:55
heaven
24:55
of heavens
24:56
the heaven
24:57
and heaven
24:58
of heavens
24:58
the earth
24:59
and all
25:00
that is in
25:00
it
25:00
he is a
25:01
powerful
25:01
he is an
25:01
awesome
25:02
God
25:02
yet the
25:04
Lord
25:04
has set
25:04
his heart
25:05
on love
25:05
on his
25:08
people
25:08
it's a
25:09
wonderful
25:09
reminder
25:10
we are
25:11
reminded
25:11
of God
25:12
and his
25:13
love
25:14
but the
25:15
third thing
25:16
that we
25:16
see here
25:17
is that
25:17
this
25:17
calls
25:18
for a
25:19
response
25:19
this
25:21
calls
25:21
for a
25:21
response
25:22
and we
25:22
see this
25:23
in verse
25:23
16
25:24
through to
25:25
verse
25:25
22
25:25
it
25:28
demands
25:29
a
25:30
response
25:31
we think
25:32
again of
25:33
covenant
25:33
here
25:34
covenant
25:35
this
25:35
bond
25:36
between
25:36
God
25:37
and his
25:37
people
25:38
we are
25:39
reminded
25:39
of how
25:40
God
25:40
always
25:41
keeps
25:42
his
25:42
side
25:43
and how
25:44
we so
25:44
often
25:45
fail
25:46
and yet
25:47
it's an
25:47
unchanging
25:48
love
25:48
despite
25:49
our
25:50
disobedience
25:51
but it
25:52
calls
25:53
for a
25:53
response
25:54
and that
25:54
response
25:55
is seen
25:55
in verse
25:57
16
25:58
circumcise
26:00
therefore
26:01
the foreskin
26:02
of your
26:02
heart
26:03
and be
26:04
no longer
26:04
stubborn
26:05
for the
26:06
Lord your
26:07
God
26:07
is God
26:08
of God
26:08
and Lord
26:09
of Lords
26:10
the great
26:11
the mighty
26:12
and awesome
26:13
God
26:14
that is
26:14
who
26:15
he is
26:16
circumcised
26:17
therefore
26:17
the foreskin
26:18
of your
26:19
heart
26:20
what kind
26:20
of response
26:21
is this
26:22
he's
26:24
talking to
26:25
them here
26:25
and saying
26:26
do not
26:26
be so
26:26
stubborn
26:27
do not
26:28
be so
26:28
stiff
26:29
necked
26:30
any
26:30
longer
26:31
instead
26:33
circumcise
26:34
the foreskin
26:36
of your
26:36
heart
26:37
now
26:37
when you're
26:38
reading
26:38
through the
26:39
Old Testament
26:39
you see
26:40
that
26:40
circumcision
26:41
was to
26:42
be
26:42
administered
26:42
to
26:43
young
26:44
boys
26:44
it was
26:46
their
26:46
sign
26:47
of
26:47
belonging
26:48
to
26:49
God
26:49
it was
26:50
an
26:50
outward
26:50
sign
26:51
to
26:52
circumcise
26:53
the foreskin
26:54
was an
26:54
outward
26:54
sign
26:55
but here
26:57
God
26:57
is saying
26:57
circumcise
26:58
the heart
26:59
and so
27:01
how could
27:02
they possibly
27:02
do this
27:03
it wasn't
27:03
to be done
27:04
in a
27:04
physical
27:05
way
27:05
but it's
27:06
saying
27:06
it's not
27:07
just to be
27:07
outwardly
27:08
that they
27:09
shall
27:09
change
27:09
the
27:11
change
27:11
is to
27:11
be
27:11
inward
27:12
the
27:13
change
27:13
is to
27:14
be
27:14
within
27:14
your
27:15
heart
27:15
because
27:17
we can
27:17
so often
27:18
be
27:19
stubborn
27:19
what does
27:21
it mean
27:22
to be
27:22
stubborn
27:22
I'm sure
27:24
I don't
27:24
have to
27:24
explain it
27:25
to you
27:25
I'm
27:26
stubborn
27:26
for many
27:27
of you
27:28
are stubborn
27:29
we have
27:29
it
27:30
by nature
27:31
in our
27:32
stubbornness
27:33
there's an
27:34
unwillingness
27:35
to do
27:36
things
27:36
any way
27:37
but the
27:37
way
27:38
that we
27:38
want
27:38
thinking
27:39
that we
27:40
know
27:40
better
27:41
and that
27:43
was certainly
27:43
the case
27:44
with the
27:44
Lord's
27:44
people
27:45
in
27:45
Moses'
27:46
day
27:46
it was
27:47
with
27:48
Moses
27:48
himself
27:49
you see
27:49
it
27:49
in his
27:50
own
27:50
experiences
27:51
in life
27:52
but God
27:54
is calling
27:54
them here
27:55
no longer
27:55
to be
27:56
stubborn
27:57
like this
27:58
but instead
28:00
to open
28:01
your hearts
28:02
not just
28:04
to have
28:04
an outward
28:05
sign
28:05
that people
28:06
might say
28:06
you belong
28:08
to God
28:08
but so
28:10
that that
28:10
is seen
28:11
from the
28:11
very core
28:12
of your
28:12
being
28:12
which is
28:13
what the
28:13
heart
28:13
is
28:14
that the
28:15
transformation
28:15
comes
28:16
from the
28:17
inside
28:18
out
28:19
so it was
28:21
to be a
28:22
complete
28:22
transformation
28:24
and this
28:25
transformation
28:26
is what
28:26
would lead
28:27
them then
28:28
to walk
28:29
in the ways
28:30
of God
28:30
to fear
28:31
the Lord
28:31
to walk
28:32
in his ways
28:32
to love
28:33
him
28:33
to serve
28:33
him
28:34
and to keep
28:35
his commands
28:35
because
28:37
an outward
28:38
sign only
28:39
doesn't do
28:40
that
28:40
and we
28:41
see that
28:42
ourselves
28:42
today
28:43
when we
28:43
think of
28:44
our own
28:45
signs
28:46
of
28:46
what it
28:47
means to
28:48
be a
28:48
believer
28:48
in the
28:49
New
28:49
Testament
28:49
baptism
28:50
and the
28:51
Lord's
28:52
supper
28:52
these are
28:53
things that
28:54
we can be
28:54
partakers
28:55
of
28:56
we can be
28:56
baptized
28:56
in the
28:57
church
28:57
we can even
28:59
come and
28:59
sit at the
28:59
Lord's
29:00
table
29:00
it can be
29:02
seen by
29:02
others
29:03
but it's
29:03
no guarantee
29:04
that we
29:05
are transformed
29:06
and especially
29:08
transformed
29:08
inwardly
29:10
because if it's
29:11
just an outward
29:12
sign it almost
29:13
doesn't mean
29:14
anything
29:14
and so God
29:16
is here
29:17
saying this
29:18
transformation
29:18
must come
29:19
from within
29:21
and you must
29:22
allow God
29:23
to be the one
29:24
who changes
29:25
you from
29:26
within because
29:27
you cannot
29:28
we cannot
29:29
change
29:30
ourselves
29:31
and so
29:32
what God
29:33
is saying
29:33
here is
29:34
in order
29:35
to live
29:36
right with
29:37
me
29:37
in order
29:39
to serve
29:40
me right
29:40
in order
29:41
to love
29:42
me
29:42
in order
29:42
to keep
29:43
my commands
29:44
circumcise
29:45
the foreskin
29:46
of your heart
29:47
be no longer
29:48
stubborn
29:49
don't feel
29:51
you know
29:52
best yourself
29:53
don't feel
29:55
you can find
29:55
your own way
29:56
in this
29:57
you need
29:58
God
29:59
we need
30:01
God
30:01
every one
30:02
of us
30:02
we are
30:04
stubborn
30:04
in so many
30:05
different ways
30:06
we show it
30:07
so often
30:08
but if we
30:10
want to know
30:11
the love
30:11
of God
30:12
if we want
30:13
to love
30:13
God
30:14
as we
30:14
should
30:15
then our
30:16
hearts
30:17
need to
30:17
change
30:17
our hearts
30:18
need to
30:19
be open
30:20
to him
30:21
a stubborn
30:23
heart
30:23
here and as
30:24
we see it
30:24
throughout
30:25
scripture
30:26
is often
30:26
described as
30:27
the horse
30:28
with a bit
30:28
in its
30:29
mouth
30:29
and when
30:31
the horse
30:31
refuses
30:32
to turn
30:33
but you
30:35
have to
30:35
let God
30:36
take the
30:37
reins
30:37
let God
30:39
take
30:39
command
30:40
and only
30:42
then
30:42
are we
30:43
guided
30:43
in the
30:44
right
30:44
direction
30:45
and so
30:47
we see
30:48
here
30:48
the wonder
30:49
of who
30:50
God is
30:50
we see
30:51
the requirements
30:51
that he
30:52
gives
30:53
in light
30:53
of his
30:54
mercy
30:54
unwilling
30:55
to destroy
30:57
you
30:57
even
30:57
though
30:57
he
30:58
could
30:58
but then
30:59
that
30:59
demands
31:00
a
31:00
requirement
31:01
to love
31:02
the Lord
31:02
to walk
31:03
in his
31:03
ways
31:03
to serve
31:05
him
31:05
to obey
31:06
his word
31:06
it
31:08
brings us
31:10
to a
31:10
reminder
31:11
that he
31:11
is a
31:11
great
31:12
God
31:12
and yet
31:12
he
31:13
still
31:13
loves
31:13
us
31:14
but then
31:15
it asks
31:16
well what
31:16
is to be
31:17
our
31:17
response
31:18
our
31:19
response
31:20
is
31:20
not to
31:21
be
31:21
stubborn
31:21
of
31:22
ourselves
31:22
but to
31:24
open our
31:25
hearts
31:25
to him
31:26
that he
31:27
might come
31:27
in and
31:28
dwell
31:28
in our
31:29
hearts
31:30
and as
31:31
he does
31:31
he directs
31:32
us
31:32
in every
31:33
step
31:34
that we
31:34
take
31:35
the people
31:36
of God
31:37
here in
31:37
Deuteronomy
31:38
were going
31:39
into the
31:39
promised
31:40
land
31:40
to know
31:42
God's
31:42
blessing
31:43
they had
31:44
to be
31:44
obedient
31:44
to him
31:45
the same
31:47
is true
31:47
for ourselves
31:48
today
31:49
we may not
31:49
go into
31:50
the promised
31:50
land
31:51
as it's
31:51
seen here
31:52
but to go
31:52
into eternity
31:53
to know
31:55
his blessings
31:55
in life
31:56
we are to
31:57
be obedient
31:58
to him
31:59
so what
32:01
does the
32:01
Lord require
32:02
of you
32:02
does he
32:04
require you
32:04
to fear
32:06
him more
32:06
to walk
32:07
more closely
32:08
with him
32:09
to love
32:09
him
32:09
to serve
32:10
him
32:11
to obey
32:11
his word
32:12
to realise
32:13
the awesome
32:15
power he
32:15
has to see
32:16
the love
32:17
that he has
32:18
shown
32:18
and to open
32:20
your heart
32:20
to receive
32:22
by his
32:23
grace
32:23
that love
32:24
and love
32:26
him
32:26
with all
32:27
your heart
32:27
let us
32:28
pray
32:29
Lord our
32:32
gracious
32:33
God
32:33
we thank
32:34
you for
32:34
the great
32:35
concern
32:36
you have
32:36
for us
32:37
the mercy
32:37
that you
32:38
show to
32:38
us
32:38
we are
32:40
a people
32:40
who just
32:41
like the
32:41
people we've
32:41
been reading
32:42
off could
32:42
so easily
32:43
have been
32:43
destroyed
32:44
by you
32:44
but we
32:46
thank you
32:46
that you
32:46
spared us
32:47
by your
32:48
grace
32:48
and by
32:49
your
32:49
mercy
32:49
and teach
32:50
us Lord
32:50
your ways
32:51
teach us
32:52
to love
32:53
you
32:53
teach us
32:54
to serve
32:54
you
32:55
teach us
32:56
to obey
32:56
your commands
32:57
and to see
32:58
the wonder
32:59
of all
33:00
that you
33:00
do for
33:00
us
33:01
and to
33:01
have our
33:01
hearts
33:02
opened
33:02
by your
33:04
spirit
33:04
to receive
33:05
all of
33:05
these
33:06
things
33:06
for we
33:07
ask it
33:07
in your
33:08
mercy
33:08
and grace
33:09
to us
33:09
we ask it
33:11
in Jesus
33:11
name
33:12
amen
33:12
we're
33:17
going to
33:18
sing in
33:19
conclusion
33:19
to God's
33:20
praise
33:20
in
33:20
Psalm
33:21
119
33:22
and
33:22
sing
33:22
Psalms
33:23
version
33:23
Psalm
33:26
119
33:27
page
33:28
165
33:31
and sing
33:33
the
33:34
section
33:34
verse
33:35
129
33:36
to
33:36
136
33:38
a
33:40
Psalm
33:40
that
33:41
throughout
33:42
the
33:42
Psalm
33:42
it
33:42
shows
33:43
us
33:43
how
33:43
the
33:43
word
33:43
of
33:44
God
33:44
directs
33:45
us
33:45
we sing
33:46
here in
33:46
verse
33:47
129
33:48
to
33:48
136
33:49
your
33:50
statutes
33:50
Lord
33:51
are
33:51
wonderful
33:51
so I
33:52
obey
33:52
them
33:53
from
33:53
my
33:53
heart
33:54
your
33:54
words
33:55
as
33:55
they
33:55
uphold
33:56
give
33:56
light
33:57
and
33:57
truth
33:58
to
33:58
simple
33:59
minds
34:00
impart
34:01
we'll
34:01
sing
34:01
this
34:01
section
34:02
these
34:02
four
34:02
verses
34:03
the
34:03
tune
34:03
as
34:03
Walton
34:04
we
34:04
stand
34:05
to
34:05
sing
34:05
to
34:06
God's
34:06
praise
34:06
song
34:08
to
34:10
hear
34:11
such
34:13
its
34:13
Lord
34:14
a
34:15
wonderful
34:17
so
34:18
I
34:20
obey
34:21
them
34:22
from
34:23
my
34:24
heart
34:26
give
34:27
words
34:28
as
34:29
they
34:30
unfold
34:32
give
34:33
light
34:34
and
34:35
truth
34:36
to
34:37
sing
34:38
lives
34:40
in
34:41
heart
34:43
with
34:44
open
34:46
light
34:47
like
34:48
pant
34:49
and
34:50
year
34:51
to
34:52
know
34:53
the
34:54
lost
34:56
that
34:56
you
34:57
proclaim
34:59
show
35:01
me
35:02
!
35:04
the
35:04
to
35:06
those
35:10
who
35:11
love
35:12
and
35:13
praise
35:14
your name
35:17
I
35:18
read
35:20
my
35:21
footsteps
35:22
in
35:24
the
35:25
word
35:26
let
35:27
sing
35:28
not
35:29
glory
35:30
this
35:33
way
35:34
the
35:35
man's
35:36
oppression
35:38
said
35:41
they
35:42
pray
35:43
that
35:44
here
35:45
commands
35:47
I
35:48
may
35:49
obey
35:51
!
35:53
upon
35:54
your
35:56
seven
35:57
shine
35:58
your
36:00
face
36:01
teach
36:02
me
36:03
the
36:04
statutes
36:06
you
36:07
have
36:08
made
36:10
my
36:11
eyes
36:12
shed
36:13
strings
36:14
of
36:15
bitter
36:16
tears
36:18
because
36:19
your
36:21
love
36:22
is
36:23
not
36:25
obey
36:26
after the
36:29
benediction
36:29
I'll go to the
36:30
door to my
36:31
right we'll
36:31
close with
36:32
the benediction
36:32
now may
36:33
grace
36:34
mercy
36:34
and peace
36:35
from God
36:36
father
36:36
son and
36:37
holy
36:37
spirit
36:38
rest
36:39
upon
36:39
and abide
36:40
with you
36:40
all
36:40
now and
36:41
forever
36:42
more
36:42
amen