2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. Matt 2:1-3 Assessing Jesus’ Age (1): Matthew does not give a specific date for the arrival of the wise men but sets it in the time of Herod the Great. At that time Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were still in Bethlehem. Following the Star (2): They followed or the star which led them to Jerusalem, the “capitol city,” a natural place to find a king. The star was not a natural phenomenon because of its movement. The men likely came in a large group because: (1) the importance of their journey, (2) the need for protection from thieves, and marauders (3) the commotion they caused in Jerusalem. They came to worship Jesus. Not to pay homage or respect, but worship. Why did the Star lead them to Jerusalem if that was not where Jesus, the King was located? o It was part of God’s plan o It was to alert the religious leaders that the Messiah had come Herod was Upset (3): They probably did not go directly to the palace since they were not on a diplomatic mission and lacked formal papers. It is likely they inquired among the residents about the new King and word got to Herod. And he was upset. A new king would meddle in his coveted position, interfere with his authority, and disturb his relationship with the Romans. In addition, “all of Jerusalem was disturbed, specifically the religious leadership. Further, Jerusalem was disturbed because the unstable Herod was disturbed. In what ways is Jesus a King? (1) He has authority (2) He is the Son of God (3) He has dominion – ownership (4) He is the leader How would you describe your journey to Christ? (1) A point in time (2) Developing a personal relationship at glacial speed  Who/What was the star the led you on your journey to Christ? (1) Sunday school teachers (2) Camp counselors (3) Pastors (4) Believing friends

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26 There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to your aid, the clouds in his majesty. 27 The God of old is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He drives out the enemy before you and commands, “Destroy!” 28 So Israel dwells securely; Jacob lives untroubled , in a land of grain and new wine; even his skies drip with dew. 29 How happy you are, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is the shield that protects you, the sword you boast in. Your enemies will cringe before you, and you will tread on their backs. (Deuteronomy 33:26-29)  In verses 6-25 Moses blessed each of the individual tribes. The next verses focus on the God of Israel, his power and his presence. Rescuer and Protector (26-27): The author describes God as riding to the rescue of his people and displaying his majesty over all the earth. He is triumphant unlike the gods of Egypt or the gods they would encounter in the promised land. Further, he would be their protector. He commanded the destruction of his enemies. The Lord will undertake for his people because he created them. He was a refuge for them and provided security in difficult times. They did not create him. He was not a god among many; he is the only God. Being the God of old meant he was present from the beginning of time. He was their dwelling place. They would live in the land, but ultimately their home was with and in the presence of God just as he has promised us today. Looking Ahead (28): Moses was looking ahead to the time Israel had subdued the Canaanites; a time when Israel would live in peace (dwell securely) because her enemies had been defeated. Further, the land would produce an abundance of grain and grapes for wine, and the Lord would provide dew and life-giving water for their crops. (29): Verse 26 points out how unique their God was. Verse 29 is the declaration that the Israelites were unlike any other people. They were a unique people, a people chosen and saved by God. He had set aside the land for his people. The verse continues by repeating that he, not the people, would be their protector (a defense) and their “Divine Warrior” or offensive weapon. “The battle is the Lord’s” and victory was theirs. This was an assurance that as God had been with them and, led them for forty years, he would be with them in conquering the Canaanites. In conclusion the narrative states that there is nothing like defeat to silence the boasting of the enemy and that the enemy would cower before Israel and lay defeated under her feet. The people went from being victims in Egypt to be victors in the promised land. Challenge: Do you worship things made by human hands? Is the Lord your dwelling place? How has the Lord provided for you? Are you ministering to people who are going through what you have been through? Heaven and earth, all the emperors, kings, and princes of the world, could not raise a fit dwelling-place for God; yet, in a weak human soul, that keeps His Word, He willingly resides. Martin Luther

This is the blessing that Moses, the man of God, gave the Israelites before his death. 2 He said: The Lord came from Sinai and appeared to them from Seir; he shone on them from Mount Paran and came with ten thousand holy ones, with lightning from his right hand for them. 3 Indeed he loves the people. , All your holy ones are in your hand, and they assemble at your feet. Each receives your words. 4 Moses gave us instruction, a possession for the assembly of Jacob. 5 So he became King in Jeshurun , when the leaders of the people gathered with the tribes of Israel. (Deuteronomy 33:1-5) The last chapters of the book of Deuteronomy describe Moses last message and days. The Blessing (1): It was a tradition for a Hebrew father to bless his sons as did Jacob (Genesis 49). Here Moses, nearing his death, blessed the descendants of Jacob. In his blessing He interceded for them, expressed a fervent desire for their future, and described what God to do for them. Here Moses was called a man of God; a title given to men throughout the Old and New Testaments who had a close vibrant relationship with the Lord. Protection (2): Moses said that just as God had led them from Mt. Sinai, he would be with them in the promised land. He reminded them of God’s protection during their journey and called them a mighty angelic or human multitude. Care for his people (3): This verse conveys God’s loving care and protection for his people., who, in response, would gather at his feet to receive his instructions and guidance. The imagery is one of submission, humility, and loyalty to him as their teacher. In turn he lifted them up by his words. He urged then to receive the messages as a nation and as individuals. God’s Teaching (4): The author refers to Jacob on his deathbed, gathering his sons to bless them. God’s instructions or teachings to his people were unlike any other religious instructions. God instructions were Israel’s life and the lens through which they were to view the world. Today, we live under his Word that provides spiritual nourishment, is a sword that cuts or penetrates to the deepest level of our being and reveals our true nature. The Lord as King (5): This verse states that “He became King.” Yet he was already King of Israel. The emphasis is that God had clearly demonstrated his power by leading his people victoriously from Sinai to Canaan. Jeshurun is a poetic name for the children of Israel. It means straight and carries the concept of uprightness and justice. As King he had authority as demonstrated by the plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, providing water and food, and the victory over the Amalekites. Moreover, he provides safety and security, comfort, and resources they needed. And he will keep his promises to his people as had for forty years. Challenge: Who do you trust to take you through life’s struggles? Has the Lord blessed you? Do you remind your children of God’s faithfulness. God's faithfulness means that God will always do what He said and fulfill what He has promised. Wayne Grudem

19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, 20 love the Lord your God, obey him, and remain faithful to him. For he is your life, and he will prolong your days as you live in the land the Lord swore to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20) Choose Life (19): This is a repetition of what has gone before: Life and death, blessings and curses. The command is to choose life through obedience. The Lord pointed to his creation (heaven and earth: power in storms and earthquakes instead of peace and calm) as a guarantee that what he said would happen if the people were disobedient. (Ancient covenants often contained a list of gods as witnesses.) It was a choice; a choice that they needed to make. Their decision would affect not only their lives but the generations to come. Total Commitment (20): Moses concluded his sermon by urging them to be totally committed in three ways: (1) love the Lord, (2) obey the Lord, and (3) remain faithful. They were to keep his commands close to their hearts and the Lord would provide life. He was the cornerstone of their existence. Further, he was about to fulfill his promise to give them a land of their own. Notice the new covenant parallel: by choosing to believe the Lord’s promise of salvation, we will be given eternal life and the indwelling Spirit. He is our cornerstone. The promise of both the old and new covenants is life. In both cases a decision is required. Then the battle begins. For the Israelites it was eliminating the pagan influence. In our case that means changing the way we think and act. Choosing God is to choose life. Challenge: Have you chosen life? Are you totally committed to the Lord? Are you experiencing the blessing of total commitment? If God is not at the center of your life, something else is. Timothy Keller

15 See, today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and adversity. 16 For I am commanding you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, statutes, and ordinances, so that you may live and multiply, and the Lord your God may bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you do not listen and you are led astray to bow in worship to other gods and serve them, 18 I tell you today that you will certainly perish and will not prolong your days in the land you are entering to possess across the Jordan. (Deuteronomy 30:15-18)  Prosperity and Adversity (15): The word prosperity in the Hebrew is much broader than financial resources. It meant being filled with Joy and kindness, having a sense of security as well as material, relational, and spiritual well-being. Adversity, on the other hand, referred to the unpleasant, evil, or cruel experiences that resulted from. This was a quick summary of the message on blessings and curses in chapter 28. Steps to Obedience (16): included (1) Love the Lord, (2) walk in his ways, and (3) keep his commands, statutes, and ordinances. God commanded obedience. By this God would multiply their families as well as their flocks and fields in the land they would occupy, indicating that they would prosper. This was in contrast with the earlier generation who had been slaves in Egypt. The Lord reminded the people that God would be with them in the challenges and difficulties that lay ahead. Moses exhorted the Israelites to be totally committed in following his commands and thereby receive his blessings. Obedience brings both quantity and quality of life to both individuals and community. Steps to Failure (17): He knows we fail to keep his statutes and ordinances. We are distracted by all that glitters in our society. We get tripped up by our selfish motives. Moses then laid out a five-step digression or slippery slope to disobedience. (1) It begins with the heart, that is observing all that sparkles; seeing the Canaanite’s freedom or lack of constraints; (2) a failure to listen to the Lord. (3) giving into temptation. (4) worshiping false gods and finally (5) serving those gods. Total Commitment (18) A decline in trust, faith, or obedience leads to death and a shorter life. Moses urged the people to make a total commitment while God’s faithfulness was fresh in their minds. He promised a long life and prosperity if they obeyed or disaster would overtake them. Challenge : Do you understand the difference between the dictionary and biblical definitions of prosperity? Do you see disobedience as a rejection of God? Have you been fooled into believing that there is no penalty for sin? But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)

11 “This command that I give you today is certainly not too difficult or beyond your reach. 12 It is not in heaven so that you have to ask, ‘Who will go up to heaven, get it for us, and proclaim it to us so that we may follow it?’ 13 And it is not across the sea so that you have to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea, get it for us, and proclaim it to us so that we may follow it?’ 14 But the message is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may follow it. (Deuteronomy 30:11-14) Chapter 30 is the conclusion of Moses final message to the people. In it, he exhorted them to obey the statutes and ordinances so they would be blessed. If they did not, they would be subject to curses He reminded the people of the Lord’s covenant with them and the need to keep their part to be successful in everything they did. He reassured them of hope for the future based on his demonstrated power and faithfulness in the past. The command referred to verse 11 is all the laws, statutes, and ordinances he gave to Moses. He told them that they were not too difficult to understand or obey. Obedience is possible. And through obedience came success. Verse 6 says: 6 The Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love him with all your heart and all your soul so that you will live. Understanding, believing, and obeying the Lord’s covenant was not beyond them. Knowing God’s commands does not require a journey or intense effort. Nor do the people need to seek a messenger. The commands came from heaven; they were right at hand. They were not lofty or unobtainable. The gods of the Egyptians and Canaanites were distant and did not express their desires. The gods were a product of their imagination, and their rules were not clearly defined. The people had to guess as to what their god’s wanted. In contrast, God’s covenant was perfectly clear and easy to follow. They did not have to search for it nor go to great distances to find it and then get someone to explain it to them. The message (singular), or God’s instructions were close. It was not confusing or rambling but consistent, clear, and unified. It established God’s redemption, forgiveness, restoration, and reestablished his relationship with the fallen. Moses said that the message was in their mouths. That meant that they had already repeated the truths. From their mouths it would enter their hearts and become the center of their being and control their thinking and behavior. Like leaven, it would permeate all areas of their life. It was not like the universe which was filled with mystery. The message was that there was no mystery to living the obedient life. All they needed to know was contained in the covenant that had been disclosed to them.  In Romans 10, Paul said: 6 But the righteousness that comes from faith speaks like this: Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up to heaven?” , that is, to bring Christ down 7 or, “Who will go down into the abyss?” , that is, to bring Christ up from the dead. 8 On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. , (Romans 10:6-8) Challenge: Are God’s commands, statures, ordinances, and laws easy to understand? How do you receive understanding? “Don't fall into the trap of studying the Bible without doing what it says.” -Francis Chan

29 “When the Lord your God annihilates the nations before you, which you are entering to take possession of, and you drive them out and live in their land, 30 be careful not to be ensnared by their ways after they have been destroyed before you. Do not inquire about their gods, asking, ‘How did these nations worship their gods? I’ll also do the same.’ 31 You must not do the same to the Lord your God, because they practice every detestable act, which the Lord hates, for their gods. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. 32 Be careful to do everything I command you; do not add anything to it or take anything away from it. (Deuteronomy 12:29-32)  The Battle was to be the Lord’s (29): Moses told the people that God would destroy the Canaanites and other peoples but that they were responsible for driving them out; they were his instruments. Under Joshua’s leadership the Lord gave the people instructions for defeating the Canaanites. The battle to clear out the Canaanites took five years. The people fought but the Lord brought the victories. No Distractions (30): The people were to worship him and not allow the worship and practices of the Canaanites to compromise the worship of the one true God. Nor were they to inquire or investigate Canaanite practices as it would become a distraction. The command is “Don’t even think about it!” They were to be single-minded. They were not to be distracted by the irrelevant. One Place (31-32): They were to worship one God in one place. They were to remain separate and distinct from the practices of the people/nations around them because their worship practices were depraved. (32) Again, the warning was to worship he Lord as he instructed them. Do not bring in or add any pagan practices nor remove anything from the Lord’s instructions. Merrill points out that we now have the Lord’s commands, laws, statutes, and ordinance in one place: the Word of God. Challenge : What distracts you in our private and public worship? What baggage do you bring to your worship? Do you come with a clean heart? “Worship is no longer worship when it reflects the culture around us more than the Christ within us.” A.W. Tozer

8 “You are not to do as we are doing here today; everyone is doing whatever seems right in his own sight. 9 Indeed, you have not yet come into the resting place and the inheritance the Lord your God is giving you. 10 When you cross the Jordan and live in the land the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and he gives you rest from all the enemies around you and you live in security, 11 then the Lord your God will choose the place to have his name dwell. Bring there everything I command you: your burnt offerings, sacrifices, offerings of the tenth, personal contributions, and all your choice offerings you vow to the Lord. (Deuteronomy 12: 8-11)  The call for a change in worship (8): The statement in v8 that “you are not to do as we are doing here today” an indication that they could not worship as prescribed by the book of Leviticus while they enroute to the promised land. Once they were in the promised land, worship would be different. Moses then warned the people that they are doing what was right in their own eyes. While the same thought occurs in Judges 21:25 concerning sinful living, what Moses was referring to the fact that they had no set pattern for worship. Moses was not condemning the people. He was redirecting them. Rest (9-10): Moses promised the people they would receive rest from wandering once they occupied the promised land. We know from the book of Joshua that it took five years to conquer the land. They could not rest until the land had been conquered. Moses linked rest and security to the elimination of the Canaanites. The author of the book of Hebrews warned his audience that they would not receive rest if they failed to keep the faith. He reminded them that the rebellious generation failed to keep the faith at Kadesh Barnea and never received rest. Believers receive rest by accepting the Lord’s offer of salvation and making him Lord. The Chosen Place (11): In verses 5-6 the Lord directed them to worship at one place. Here Moses states that the Lord would choose that place after the enemies have been removed. He also directed them to bring their first fruits, tithes, offerings, and sacrifices to the place of worship. Commentator Eugene Merrill points out that the Israelites had local altars. For example: Joshua built an altar to celebrate the entrance into the promised land, Gideon built one to acknowledge his encounter with the angel. Elijah built one to demonstrate God’s power over Baal. Challenge: Are you enjoying God’s rest? Is your personal worship away from distractions? "As worship begins in holy expectancy, it ends in holy obedience. Holy obedience saves worship from becoming an opiate, an escape from the pressing needs of modern life." Richard Foster