Deuteronomy 4:31 - The History of Israel

Deuteronomy 4:31

For the Lord your God is a compassionate God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.

Message: The History of Israel

Time: Deuteronomy was written around 1406 BC, at the end of the forty years of wandering endured by the nation of Israel. Deuteronomy restates God’s commands originally given to the Israelites some forty years earlier in Exodus and Leviticus. Deuteronomy asserts Moses as author (1:1; 4:44; 29:1). 

What the Lord is Saying: Christianity needs its history. Its history defines its present. Tabletalk referred me to I Corinthians 10:11 -- Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come -- and I also saw the words of Matthew Henry (1662-1714) that he wrote about the first 14 verses. 

I Corinthians 10:1-14 

(Paul says:) Let me show you the harm of being in communion with idolaters. Think of the Jewish nation. Through a miracle they were led through the Red Sea, where the pursuing Egyptians were drowned. It was to them a typical baptism (burying the old life or bad ways of the Egyptians and birthing new life or freedom coming through the red sea). And then provided manna, a type of Christ, to be fed on, living forever from bread of heaven. Christ is our rock - in which we drink the water from the stream provided, we are refreshed. Yet they got caught up in simply sitting on their privilege or even their profession of truth. This is an example for you and I, don't crave what they craved. Remember their sins as an example of what not to do. God gives us the command and we are to follow it. Some were destroyed by the serpent for not fearing God. Nothing in this Scripture has been written in vain. We are to be wise in it and learn from it. Others have fallen and so may we. Our security against sin is to not trust ourselves. God has not promised to keep us from falling, if we do not look to ourselves. To this word of caution, a word of comfort is added. Others have like burdens, and like temptations: what they bear up under, and break through, we may also. God is wise as well as faithful, and will make our burdens according to our strength. He knows what we can bear. He will make a way to escape; he will deliver either from the trial itself, or at least the mischief of it. We have full encouragement to flee from sin, and to be faithful to God. We cannot fall by temptation, if we cleave fast to him. Whether the world smiles or frowns, it is an enemy; but believers shall be strengthened to overcome it, with all its terrors and enticements. The fear of the Lord, put into their hearts, will be the great means of safety.

What a great reminder this is of the words of Scripture and how they have been written over and over to teach us, to provide us examples, to remind us of the importance of following and trusting God. That Israel and how they lived can impact us today. That God is faithful and cleaving and clinging to him is what matters most. We are not to rest is our own accomplishment but instead rest in the Lord. 

Today's passage, Deuteronomy 4:31, I notice is translated "the Lord your God is a compassionate God" or "The Lord your God is a merciful God." Compassionate or merciful. Both ideas are focused on God toward others - one expressing concern and the other relief. God remembers His people - all of them, whether Jew or Greek. And throughout history we can see and watch His dealings with His people and learn from those interactions. He makes promises to His people. They are obedient but also not. He disciplines them for their sin, punishes them. Like them, we are His people of faith and so we can learn from their interactions and hopefully learn how to live in a more honoring way towards God. 

And in this verse today is the reminder that God is with us: the promise that (1) he will not fail me; (2) he will not destroy me; (3) he will not forget me. God made a covenant, a promise and He will not forget. 

As I learn from these stories and situations how to better live, I can always know that God will be with me and will not forget me. 

Summary: God is with us and will always be with us and I/we can learn from all of the interactions He has with His people throughout time. 

Promise: The Lord has promised always to be with His people. 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for history and the reminder today that You created it all and throughout history you have been with your people, keeping them close to You and through all of those interactions, good and bad, today, now, I can learn from them still and can learn how I am to live and bear fruit in this world. You are sovereign over all. You are working. Keep me focused on You, not ever sitting on what You have provided, but being active, no matter my situation. You are in me. You are with me. And you are always capable of carrying me through all of life's situations. Thank you God. Thank you Lord. Thank you Savior. Don't let me forget. I need to remember and remember that all that I do is by your strength. 

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John 13:12-17 - The Example of Jesus

John 13:12-17

12 And so when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments, and reclined at the table again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, the Lord and Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master; neither is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. 

Message: The Example of Jesus

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."  

What the Lord is Saying: One of the first things I notice here in this passage is the dual application Jesus gives here of washing feet. In verse 11, He mentions being made clean. And now He also points to the idea that we are to follow or practice the acts that Jesus has done. 

    Luke 6:31 - Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.
    John 13:34 - A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you,     that you also love one another. 

    Matthew 6:12 - And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

In the previous passage, Jesus made it clear to me that being His disciple, being in the Kingdom of God is first found through trusting and accepting Jesus and then we follow through by keeping the commandments of God. Seek Him First though. And then these other things follow. And yet, I do understand that by themselves, these are principals that we want to have in our lives. These are ideas that should be in the hearts and minds of people always - to not simply be served. 

Matthew 10:24-25 - A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master.

Again, people have roles and duties, but that does not make anyone better than another person. And yet the reality is religion has at many times painted a different picture, a picture that makes it seem like religion is controlling people and how they think. But at the heart of the matter here is that we are to be servants and treat others the way you want to be treated. 

This is a tough principal I think sometimes in our lives now to apply - as our world continues down a course of not coming from its foundation of Christian living or defined by biblical ideals, but is shifting what is deemed right and wrong, it challenges the Christian on how they are to live and respond in these situations. I remember my good friend Bobby and I walking together in the mall many years ago and he wondered about a friend that is practicing homosexuality and wondered if he would be invited to their same sex wedding if he would attend. It was a challenging question and one I don't think we were able to resolve with an answer at the time. And yet many would not see any issue with a response either in an affirmative or not. I think these are hard situations in our lives and so I think we need to extend perhaps a little grace to one another even as we have different opinions. 

A prominent pastor and Bible teacher recently gave a response on his national call-in show of him counseling a grandmother's question of whether to attend one of these same-sex or transgender marriages and stating she could go (starting at 16:09) to maybe surprise her with a response that perhaps she wasn't expecting. And yet this response was immediately rejected by a prominent Christian pastor. 

Now I am not saying here there is a link with foot-washing and celebrating sin, but there does seem to be a principal here of the way we treat one another, even the way we treat one another when we disagree. Do we continue to live alongside these people and show them respect or is our response only to address their sin and show that their response to sin will keep them from the kingdom of God, if that is what we believe. I think it is a hard situation and response and so I think it needs grace. 

But this passage is more specifically giving the teaching that as we receive service towards us, we are to return that service to others. We are not to take a position that we are higher or mightier or on a different level from others. We are to remain servants. And yet from that I went off on treating others the same and then wondered if that treatment affects how sinners might trust in Jesus. And so maybe I am just concluding these are hard situations for me to apply. 

Summary: Disciples of Christ must be willing to do what Jesus was willing to do, including acts of service. 

Promise: From Tabletalk -- we can imitate Jesus in being willing to go to great lengths to meet the needs of others. We should begin our service at home, putting the needs of our spouses and children ahead of our own. But we should also put others ahead of us wherever else we may go.

Prayer: Lord, your principals that you give us move me to compassion and serving others. I want to be a person that is about love and yet stand firm on the fact that we are each sinners in need of being restored to You for salvation. Help me to understand these texts and perhaps not get too sidetracked by their meaning as even I have probably done in this lesson. Thank you Jesus for washing the disciples feet and being a servant and being different and showing all mankind that You are different. Give me guidance and forgiveness of others as well, even those I disagree with. 

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