May 26, Reading 1 – Deuteronomy 4

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Trust and obey is the way to be happy in Jesus! Hebrews 12:1824 gives you a New Testament perspective on verses 9-14. We have come to Jerusalem Above and to Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant. This greater joy is yours!

SJA Notes

“To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides him.”

In this sermon Moses unpacks and works through the very important ramifications of the first commandment.

“You shall have no other gods before me.”

Moses exhorts the people to hold fast to the Lord, because He is like no other god!

  1. He spoke to them out of the midst of his great fire (be in awe, what god is like the Lord).
  2. He is a consuming fire (be warned, and be encouraged).
  3. He gave them righteous statutes and rules (acknowledge them, live by them).
  4. He is a jealous God (have no other gods but Him!).
  5. He is a faithful God (He will not leave or destroy or forget His covenant with His people).
  6. There is no other god such as Him (therefore keep His statutes).

Moses is imploring the people to remember! Remember that this is the all-power, all-knowing, all-seeing, all-everywhere God. Remember Him, and do not stray. Remember what He did, who He has shown Himself to be, and do not stray.

And while the people of Israel do the very things Moses speaks about in verses 25-27, the Lord did not forget His covenant (what Moses says in verse 31).

And all of this is true for us (and of us).

God has sent Jesus, who is the vine that we as sinners can be grafted into, bringing a new covenant (Hebrews 8 delves into this), His law in our minds and written on our hearts.

“For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?”

How much do we see Jesus here then, that God would draw so near to us as to come as a babe and suffer through this life to the cross!

Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

* Gracious Lord God,

We remember You today, our great God.

There is none like You, coming close to be near to us whenever we call upon You.

There is none like You, perfect in Your trinity relationship, sending one person of Yourself to earth to be a curse that we would obtain blessing.

There is none like You.

Please help us to remember!

Amen.

May 26, Reading 2 – Ecclesiastes 5, 6

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Don’t let the evils of life rob you of your faith in God and your pleasure in the ordinary joys of life.

SJA Notes

“… and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil …”

To accept our lot.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in righteous indignation at perceived inequality and injustice, our focus driven by our jealousy or our weakness – That we rail against God’s sovereign will for us.

It is hard when we see others in a different situation to us, particularly when that situation is graded as “better” by the world around us.

However, God is clear. Solomon’s words tell us pointedly,

“Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.”

THIS IS OUR LOT.

“Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil – this is the gift of God.”

God doesn’t ask us to feel guilty about having wealth and possessions that came about through His providence. And we should take care not to make others suffer this guilt either.

Instead we are to remember that our _lot_ is from the Lord.

Where we are in life, our situation, our blessings (temporal and spiritual, earthly and heavenly) – These are from the Lord.

It is HIS will that we submit under.

Peter’s words in 1 Peter chapter 5 are a fantastic exhortation to us in this!

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

* Sovereign God,

Thank You for Your grace and mercy to us.

You give to us what we do not deserve.

You do not give to us what we do deserve.

Please help us wrestle with our lot in life, the lot You have given us.

Your Will be done here on earth Lord God,

Amen.