( Sermon Deuteronomy 30:11-14 ) [ German Sermon ] [ Announcements (German)281.54 KB ]
Move 1 Transitions in life
Dear congregation, today we are celebrating the transition into a new interim phase. You that you are here today have already accomplished a transition this morning when you prepared yourselves, left your homes to be here on time, entered the premises through the gate and stepped into our church.
Our life is characterised by transitions and some of these we celebrate in special services, such as baptisms, confirmations and weddings.
A ritual of transition for Moses is what we will be hearing about today. He needs to accomplish one last big task.
The book of Deuteronomy is called “Devarim – Words” in the Jewish tradition. It concludes the first part of the Hebrew Bible and contains God’s word for His people and the commandments for their daily life and for days of celebration.
Let us now listen to such a text of transition from Deuteronomy 30:11-14
Move 2 Uncertainties
Moses and the Israelites had been walking through the desert for forty years, heading for the promised land. They came from the bondage of slavery and now freedom is within reach. Soon they will be entering the promised land.
What will the future hold? We know that just as little as did Moses and the people of his times. Will we succeed in life? Just think of what has happened during the past months.
Just think of what has happened during the 40 years in the desert. People had been born who never got to know Egyptian captivity, others have died. For more than one generation had they been walking through the desert. Could anyone accuse them of having had their doubts along the way: doubts about Moses, about God, about the promises… ?
Fear is inherent to transitions. Even those transitions that we look forward to. And in all cases is there uncertainty about that which lies ahead of us. And transitions also always linked to farewells. Bidding farewell to youth, to being single, to loved ones.
Moses also knows that he will not be entering the promised land. He had grown old and is standing on the other side of the Jordan river, gazing across to the promised land. God had told him that he would not be crossing the Jordan. Joshua, whom he has called to be his successor, will be leading the people into the promised land.
Move 3 The farewell address
Forty long years – the energetic young man had turned into an old man. He had to bear with the heat, dust and rough terrain; with the complaints and disobedience of the people. Time and again he begged God to be merciful and not to punish the people for their trespasses. Moses is exhausted. He knows that he has reached the end of his life. Moses gives his farewell address.
He reminds the people of the ten commandments. If they observe these, their life will succeed. Then they will feel the communion with God and that will give them peace and quiet.
The farewell address must have taken a few hours.
What he had to say must have appeared to the people like a mountain. The words from Mount Sinai appear overpowering, impossible to live by.
When requirements are set too high, excuses are quickly sought for, ”I simply cannot remember the 613 commandments of the Tora.” “That’s just too much and too difficult, so let me rather leave it.”
In order to avoid that from happening Moses tries to comfort the people, telling them that the commandments are not overpowering and that the word of God is accessible to everyone.
That is why Moses says the relieving words, “For this commandment that I command you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. … The word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so you may obey it.”
That is decisive: in his word, God is very close to us.
Move 4 What makes God’s word so special
The end of the text is what is most important. There it says, “…so you may obey it.” As people we are enabled by God himself to let His words which he places in our hearts turn into deeds.
The 10 commandments are wise advice on how our life can succeed. They are to help us take the right decisions for our own life and for a harmonious life together.
And because the word of God is close to our hearts it can give us courage and confidence to do what is necessary. So that we may become the people that God intended: caring and responsible people.
Move 5 God’s word was and is and will be
From the beginning God’s word had the power to create things that had not existed. In the story of creation, we hear of God’s word that called the earth and human beings to life and gave them their purpose: God spoke and it happened. And it was good.
Many centuries later John the evangelist (1:1-4) states at the beginning of his gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life; and that life was the light for all mankind.”
Life in the light, that is what God wants for us.
His words touch our heart where, in the understanding of Hebrews and Greeks, everything that characterises us as human beings is concentrated. If we listen to our hearts carefully, we will hear what God wants from us. I am convinced of this.
No matter how empty or how full our heart may be, God is close to our heart. Closer than we may think. He does not desert anyone. Neither the Israelites in the times of Moses, nor his son Jesus Christ, nor us today. Nobody needs to think that the word of God is far removed.
We can read it in the Bible. We can tell one another about it. That is how the Bible came into existence. People spoke to one another before it was recorded in writing many centuries later. Stories were told word for word. And many people were moved by God’s word in their innermost.
And that is what is still happening today... over and again... that the truth shines in a word, that it moves and heals. That it can change a life. The word of God can touch us, just as it did in Moses’ times.
Us here that we can celebrate this service in our church. You all that you are celebrating this service at home.
For this word is very close to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so you may obey it.
Amen
