Sermon Tone Analysis

Deuteronomy:12-26

 

! Introduction

      What machinery do you think of when you see this color of metal?

The distinguishing feature of John Deere is this particular shade of green.

What brand name do you think of when you see this symbol?

The distinguishing feature of Nike is the swoosh.

What city do you think of when you see this statue?

The distinguishing feature of New York City is the Statue of Liberty.

What are the distinguishing features of God's people?

What identifies us as believers?

In the next few minutes, I want to cover 14 chapters in the book of Deuteronomy, specifically, chapters 12-26.

The content of these chapters is a list of laws and decrees that God has given to Israel.

From chapter 1-11, we have studied and seen that God calls his children to follow His way.

In these chapters we have seen why Israel was called to follow God.

Now in chapter 12-26, Moses repeats many of the laws which had been previously given in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers.

In fact, the name "Deuteronomy" means "second law."

At the beginning of this section, Deuteronomy 12:1 says, "These are the decrees and laws you must be careful to follow..." At the end of this section, Deuteronomy 26:16 says, "The LORD your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul."

Why was Israel to be so careful to follow these laws?

The reason is given at the end of the section in Deuteronomy 26:18,19, "And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands.

He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised."

In other words, it was these laws which were to distinguish God's people as His people.

As we read these laws we find that some of them are rather peculiar and we may wonder why God wanted Israel to follow them?

However, as we study carefully, we see that underlying these laws are three primary concerns that God has for his people.

The three distinguishing characteristics of God's people were to be holiness, compassion and justice.

Although most of the specific laws are no longer applicable to us, the three primary concerns that God had for his people are still relevant to us.

Today God wants Christians to be a holy people, a compassionate people and a righteous people.

As we examine these things, we need to ask ourselves, Am I distinguished by these characteristics?

! I.                   A Holy People

!! A.                 These Are The Laws

      When we read Deuteronomy 22:22-24, we see laws that make a lot of sense to us.

These words say, "If a man is found sleeping with another man's wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die.

You must purge the evil from Israel.

If a man happens to meet in a town a virgin pledged to be married and he sleeps with her, you shall take both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death--the girl because she was in a town and did not scream for help, and the man because he violated another man's wife.

You must purge the evil from among you."

These laws make sense because we understand that it is not appropriate for God's people to be immoral.

But what do we make of 14:1-21.

Here we have a whole series of laws which speak about what they could eat and what they could not eat.

Why does it matter what a person eats.

Although some have seen the concern to be strictly dietary, the purpose of these laws is quite explicit.

In beginning of this section, in 14:2 it says, "you are a people holy to the Lord..." In the end of this section in 14:21 it says, "you are a people holy to the Lord..." The concern was holiness.

Why eating and not eating certain foods identifies Israel as holy is uncertain.

There are different ideas about that, including that the animals that are not to be eaten fall into certain catagories, such as carnivores or unusual animals, but most explanations fall short of complete satisfaction.

In spite of not being able to understand fully, the reason for not eating is quite plain and that is because they are to be God's holy people.

What is also noteworthy is that holiness was not relegated to what happened in the temple.

The food laws, helped the people understand that holiness has to do with all of life.

Being God's holy people reaches into every part of life, even the ordinary matter of what is eaten.

!! B.                 You Be Holy

      Holiness must also characterize us a believers today.

There are numerous New Testament passages that tell us that holiness is still a distinguishing feature of God's people.

For example, I Peter 1:15,16 says, "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'"

Israel had specific things that they were to do which would characterize them as holy.

We are not governed by these specific laws.

Today, God's Spirit teaches us how to be holy.

He prompts us to live in a certain way.

Nevertheless, holiness involves decisions about specific things.

What kinds of decisions have you made in order to live as God's holy person?

Have you decided not to watch certain programs on TV or certain movies because you want to be God's holy child?

Such an action would be appropriate.

Have you decided not to think certain thoughts because doing so would not fit with being a holy child of God?

That would be a right thing to do.

When you look at this shade of green you think John Deere.

When people look at you do they see holiness and think, "child of God?"

 

! II.

A Compassionate People

!! A.                 These Are The Laws

      In 22:1-4, we read that if you see your brother's ox straying, you are to catch it and bring it back to him.

Why?

We read further that if you see an ox wandering about and you don't know whose it is, you are to take it home, look after it and then when the owner comes to look for it, give it back to him.

Why?

In 22:6,7, it says that if you find a nest beside a road, you can take the eggs or the young, but not the mother bird.

Why?

In 24:10-13, a situation      is described in which your neighbour has given you his cloak as a pledge given to assure payment of a loan.

The neighbour is poor and his cloak is needed not only as a coat on cold days, but also as his blanket at night.

The law says that you are to give him back his cloak every night so that he can stay warm.

Why?

In 24:14,15, it warns that when you hire someone who is poor, you should pay his wages every night after work.

Why?

The essential element in all of these laws was a heart of compassion.

A second distinguishing feature of God's people was to be compassion.

Compassion was to be practiced in the details of life as they were to consider things from the other person's point of view.

This is exemplified particularly in the pledge returned at night and in the wages given daily "because he is expecting it."

God's people were to be distinguished by compassion.

!! B.                 You Be Compassionate

      As New Testament believers, we are also to be distinguished by compassion.

Many New Testament passages tell us that we are to love each other.

Colossian 3:12 says, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion...."

      We do not have the specific laws which Israel had.

Today, the Holy Spirit puts the love of God in our hearts.

But being compassionate people also involves decisions about how to show love in specific situations.

What kinds of decisions have you made in order to show compassion?

Perhaps you have decided, as an act of compassion to stop the car if you see someone in trouble.

Perhaps you have decided to give food or some money to a beggar when you see him.

Perhaps you have decided to try to try to understand things from the other person's point of view instead of critcizing.

These are decisions about acting with compassion.

When you see this swoosh you immediately think Nike.

When people look at you, do they see compassion and think, "This is a follower of Christ?"

 

! III.

Living By Justice

!! A.                 These Are The Laws

      There was a law that was common in all the ancient world at the time when this was written and that was the law of eye for eye, tooth for tooth and life for life.