God’s Requirements - What Does God Require of Us?
What it takes to follow God
Text: Deuteronomy 10:10-22
The Occasion
After the tablets were written a second time by the hand of God.
Moses stayed on the mountain with God for forty days and nights.
Moses was given God’s message for Israel
What the Lord God REQUIRES (v. 12-13)
Fear the Lord
Walk in all His ways
Love Him
Serve the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul
Keep His commands and statutes
IT IS FOR YOUR GOOD
THIS IS NOT NEW INFORMATION FOR MOST OF US
“Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to [a]fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the Lord’s commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today.”
God has the Right to His Requirements (especially among His peoples)
Because God is the Lord, and Maker, and Sovereign over all creation.
ecause He has set His love on His people, and chose them for His special affection, direction, and protection.
Because of the infinite superior greatness of God in all His attributes and perfections.
Because God cannot be bought or bribed as He already owns it all and needs nothing from us.
Because He is just, compassionate, and merciful.
Footnotes:
1. v. 14 Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the [d]highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it.
2. v.15 On your fathers did the Lord set His affection to love them, and He chose their descendants after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day.
3. v.17a For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God
4. v.17b who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.
5. v.18 He executes justice for the orphan and the widow,
and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and | clothing.
Moses’ Instructions to Israel concerning How to follow God
v. 16 Be willingly identified with Him “So circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer” Circumcise your hearts. Circumcision was the ancient physical identification of the Covenant people of God.
v.. 16 Willingly submit to His influence
Stop resisting His work in your life
v. 20 “You shall fear the Lord your God;
you shall serve Him and cling to Him,
and you shall swear by His name.”
v. 20 Revere Him - Fear of the Lord, awe and reverence / great humility and submissiveness to His greatness
v. 20 Serve Him - Work for Him - “I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” Romans 12:1
v. 20 Cleave to Him - To join-together, cling to, or adhere or stick together.
v. 20 Make and keep your promises to Him -
Bind and commit oneself by swearing or taking
an oath
The Heart Compelled to Follow God
1. He is worthy of a life of grateful worship.
2. He is intimately pursuing a love relationship with individuals (you!)
3. He has done great and awesome things,
including pursuing us and saving us by the blood of Jesus Christ.
4. He has kept and always keeps His promises.
5. He pours out His favor and affection on His obedient peoples.
Footnotes:
v. 21 Because God is worthy of all praise - He is worthy of a life of grateful worship
v. 21 Because God is your God - He is intimately personal in pursuing, calling and redeeming individuals
v.21 Because God has done great and awesome things for you (which you have seen and know!) He has pursued, redeemed and saved you by the blood of Jesus
v.22 Because God keeps His covenants - He has always kept and will always keep all His promises to us
v.22 Because God pours out His favor on His obedient peoples
Disobedience is a failure to recognize or fully
believe or appreciate one of these 5 statements
Following God is the result of all the daily decisions that we make in our hearts and minds.
Our daily decisions reflect what we truly believe about God and what is best for us.
These questions deserve serious consideration:
Why don’t we follow God?
Why don’t we fully commit ourselves to Him before all else?
Why do we not walk in full compliance with His will?
Why do we not love Him with all our heart and life?
Why do we persist in partial obedience, and casual Christianity?