One Legacy | Deuteronomy 7-8

How should God’s chosen people respond to the severity of God’s judgment and the kindness of his redeeming grace to secure his legacy to the next generation?

To secure God’s legacy, God’s sovereignly chosen witnesses must realize and appropriately respond to…

I. The severity of his judgment over obstinate sinful humanity with sober-minded humility (Deuteronomy 7).

     a. The reality of humanity’s sinful condition and God’s righteous judgment: How can you justify a God who commands the extermination of entire nations? Because of his love–God’s plan to rescue humanity from its self-destructive tendencies–the mystery is not why does God destroy some but why does God not destroy us all? (cf. Luke 13:1-5) (Deuteronomy 7:1-5).

     b. The witness of God’s chosen people – Developing humility: Called to be holy (7:6), called to experience the grace and love of God (7:7-8), called to the life-giving faithfulness and fruitfulness of God (7:9-16), called to outlive and outlast the pagan cultures around (7:17-26).

II. The kindness of his redeeming grace upon his covenant people with grateful loyalty (Deuteronomy 8).

     a. Awakened to the kindness of his redeeming grace: The power of his life-giving word and his new life (Deuteronomy 8:1-10).

     b. The witness of God’s people – Do not forget (remember), fighting pride: do not neglect God’s word in prosperity (Deuteronomy 8:11-20).

God’s judgment is the bitter medicine

that must be administered with humility so that the sweetness of God’s grace

may exchange pride for gratitude in our sinful humanity.

1. Confronting people in sin is not easy but it is necessary. God does not want the death of the sinner but that we should all proceed to repentance. Humility is the necessary character trait of the messenger for others to receive God’s grace. Who is God calling you to speak his truth in love?

2. Grace is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance. How much has God forgiven you? Because we freely received his grace and forgiveness, he calls us to also share freely motivated by gratitude.