- Call to Worship – Psalm 119:1-8
Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the Lord!
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways!
4 You have commanded your precepts
to be kept diligently.
5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping your statutes!
6 Then I shall not be put to shame,
having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your righteous rules.
8 I will keep your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me! - Hymn # 407 Lord, Like the Publican I Stand
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
God's Will for our Lives – Romans 12:1-13
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Hymn # 433 I've Found a Friend, O Such a Friend
Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. 16 If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 17 But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, 20 loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”
Sermon: Life and Death
Sermon Notes
Today's passage can easily turned to mean something other than what is intended. Turning into obedience and prosperity. But we need to query.... Is that what is meant?
This passage is part of now Moses' last sermon to the people. Lessons given....if you disobey the Lord you will be punished. But if you repent that punishment will be lifted.
Moses gives the a choice
- Life/death
- Prosperity/poverty
- Obedience/disobedience
- Good/evil
- Blessing/curse
Life: following the will of God
God has given us guidelines that we are to live within.
Death is living outside God's will.
So love God. Do what he says....obedience that comes from a heart of love.
Do this and the Lord will prosper you in different ways.
Don't do this.....if you are one who hardens their heart to God. Your path will then lead to death.
Love God.
Turn not away from him.
So often the people of God turned away from him.
People hearing may have said "I can do this"
Others may have said "this isn't possible"
They will would see how hard it would be....it is just too easy to wander from him.
And so God gave us hope through his son Jesus Christ. Jesus who never wavered, never wandered, never disobeyed. This our Christ, this our very hope.
This passage calls to us today. Choose life, that is Jesus.
For he is our life and length of our days. This is is our good, our life. Life comes in Christ and he works in us to turn us more into him.
So which will you choose this day....life or death?
Closing Hymns
- Hymn # 596 Jesus Live and so Shall I
- Hymn # 316 Saviour, again to Thy Dear Name we Raise
- Hymn # 89–4 To the Great One in Three