1.
Please
pray with me. May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock,
and our Redeemer. Amen. The message from God’s Word today comes from
Deuteronomy 4:1-2 & 6-9, our Old Testament reading for today. It’s entitled, “Hear the Word of the Lord.” Dear
brothers and sisters in Christ.
2.
It’s
been said, “The Church is never more than
one generation away from extinction.” This statement finds support in the warning
found in today’s Old Testament Reading. There Moses writes this concerning the
works of the Lord, “Make them known to
your children and your children’s children” (Deuteronomy 4:9). Each generation
has the responsibility of passing on the works of God to the next generation. While
much of this teaching happens in the setting of a local congregation, the
Christian instruction that happens in the home, in our own family, is key. This
teaching is always centered in Jesus Christ, the one through whom our Lord has
worked the mightiest work of all—our salvation. That same Savior promises that
even the gates of hell won’t prevail against His Church!
3.
Here
in Deuteronomy 4, Moses addresses the Israelites as they are about to make the
momentous change from the wandering days of the Exodus to their settled living
in the Promised Land. Many changes will take place in their lives. But instead
of altering the Word of God to conform to their new situation, they are to live
in their new home in conformity with what God has spoken. In the same way, the centuries between Moses
and us do not invalidate what the Holy Spirit says. The temptation to alter the
words of the Bible to conform to the circumstances of our lives, to bring them
into line with present day worldly wisdom and make them more palatable to
modern tastes, is as great as anything the Israelites faced. But it’s precisely
by conforming to the world that the church loses its God-given wisdom. Only the
church which faithfully clings to the Word will have the wisdom and
understanding to make it a light shining in a dark place.
4.
What
would you identify as the prevailing religion in the United States of America? Most
of us probably regard America as being a “Christian” nation. While we recognize
that other religions are certainly represented in our land, we often assume
that the majority of the population still adheres to the historic teachings of
Christianity. But, did you know what the
prevailing religion in our country actually is? According to verifiable surveys
and statistics (such as George Barna’s national survey results published in The Index of Leading Spiritual Indicators [Dallas:
Word, 1996]), it’s one you may never have heard of. It’s called syncretism.
5.
Syncretism
means combining the teachings, doctrines, and philosophies of different
religions into a new hybrid. It means choosing from among the different ideas
of the various religions to fashion a spirituality that suits one’s own tastes.
For example, syncretism might embrace the Christian view that Jesus is the
divine Son of God, but then also agree with the views of Eastern religions that
there might be other paths into God’s presence and power (e.g., meditation, a
sincere attempt at “good living,” etc.). Syncretism might agree that there is a
supreme being and an afterlife but reject the notion that there is a Satan or a
hell.
6.
Through
our Old Testament text today, then, God proclaims to us a very countercultural
message: Don’t add to, or subtract from, my Word! No editing, revising,
picking, or choosing allowed! Because it’s only my unaltered Word that can
adequately unveil your deepest problems and needs and bring you true healing,
life, and peace.
7.
At
the time of our text, Israel was about to enter the Promised Land (v 1). The
Israelites would be faced with ongoing temptations to adopt, and adapt, some of
the religious views of their pagan neighbors. Many of these practices were
detestable to God and lethal to the soul, even if they had a perverse appeal to
fallen human nature (e.g., sexual immorality in Canaanite fertility rites,
witchcraft, soothsaying, fortune-telling, materialism, etc.). God wanted his
people to remain spiritually alive (connected only to him, the one Lord and
giver of life), and to shine the beacon of his life to their neighbors (vv
6–8). He promised to empower them in faith and obedience as they held tight to
his Word (Torah).
8.
Our
temptation to syncretism is sometimes just as obvious. (Examples: sexual union
outside of marriage; consultation with horoscopes, palm readers, or psychics;
materialism; the belief that one can “get right” with God and get to heaven if
he or she is sincere.) In fact, I’m sure that some persons here today have
engaged in those views and practices. As politically incorrect as it may sound,
God makes it clear to us: “Turn away from
them. Turn toward my Word of truth and live!” If an idea or practice
doesn’t come from the true God and his life-giving Word, then it comes from the
god of this age, the father of lies, Satan, who wants only to kill and destroy
(Eph 2:2–3; Jn 8:44; 10:10).
9.
Our
choosing what we want to believe may also be more subtle and more dangerous. Are there sections of the Bible that we pass
over or under-emphasize because they suggest too much personal involvement? How
about this one? Get busy and make disciples of all nations—including your own
friends, neighbors, coworkers, and relatives—because Judgment Day is drawing
near (cf. Mt 28:18–20). Or: If you have two tunics or extra food share with
those who have none, including those in inner cities or foreign countries (cf.
Lk 3:11). These commands, of course, come from the Bible—and God means
everything that he says!
10.
Are
there sections we add to the Bible because they make us feel more secure? Like
this one: Blessed are those who try to be at least as nice as their neighbors
are and don’t do anything too outrageously bad, for they shall inherit the
kingdom of heaven. Or: God so loves the world, that he looks favorably upon all
people who are trying to be good, so that no one will perish and none of us
will have to share our faith.
11.
These
false views, no less than the more obvious ones mentioned earlier, come from
Satan. If we don’t repent of them they will lead to spiritual death for
ourselves and for a world full of people who need to hear God’s unedited
message of salvation through faith in Christ alone.
12.
Thankfully,
despite our shameful inclination to edit God’s Word to our choosing, God
doesn’t edit, retract, or diminish the covenant promises he made to us at
Baptism. He has chosen us! He remains our God just as surely as he remained the
God of wayward Israel in our text. He still claims us as sons and daughters for
the sake of Christ, who died for us (Rom 3:25). He still promises to completely
forgive all who turn to him in repentance and faith (Is 55:7). He still
reserves a place for us in heaven (Jn 14:1–4). He still pledges to remake us
into his holy people through his Holy Word (Eph 2:10).
13.
We
then find ourselves at the same point today that Israel did in our text. Whatever
unfaithfulness has happened in the past is over and gone (atoned for by Christ).
A bright and exciting future as God’s chosen, missionary people awaits us under
God’s forgiving and empowering Word. The key question is, Do we truly want what
God offers? Remember that he offers only “package deals”—forgiveness and
transformation! Entry into the “promised land” of salvation through liberation
from this world and its ways!
14.
You
are in the right place to receive what God offers! God proclaims his entire
unedited Word to you here. He summons you to hear and believe what he wants to
teach you that you may live (v 1). He
loves us too much to tone down his guilt-producing warnings and condemnations
concerning our syncretistic attitudes and behaviors. Be glad about that! God
wants to spare us from self-reliance, apathy, worldliness, and destruction! He
wants us to be exclusively his own. He wants us to call out for the help,
deliverance, and guidance only he can give (v 7).
15.
He
won’t tone down his promise to forgive us for the sake of Christ, either. God
is near. (v 7). He’s among us as our incarnate Savior and brother (Jn 1:14). He
appears at his table with his own body and blood for the remission of our sins.
His life-giving Spirit dwells in us through Baptism and propels us through the
proclaimed Gospel. He gives this as a gift. How’s that for a “package deal”!
16.
Ultimately,
the “wisdom” and “understanding” (v 6) that shine the brightest in our
missionary work among the nations is the “wisdom of the cross” (cf. 1
Corinthians 1). We witness to the God who has saved the world—even sinners like
us—through the atoning sacrifice of his Son, in keeping with his everlasting
covenant. We humbly and compassionately “hold out the word of life” to other
confused people in a syncretistic age. We “shine like stars in the universe”
(Phil .2:15–16), reflecting Jesus—the only true light! Amen. May the peace that passes all understanding
guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus until life everlasting. Amen.
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