The Call to Live

Deuteronomy 30:1-20

 

  1. I. A Cry for Repentance (Deuteronomy 30:1-10) The call to live begins with a cry for repentance. Lord help me! Jesus save me! I must turn from myself, my sinfulness, to the only one who can save me, Jesus Christ. A turning away from sin must occur.
  2. a.  The placement for repentance (v.1) Moses is telling them that exile is coming. We get this exile from Deut. 29:28. Most scholars believe that Deuteronomy was written around the reign of King Josiah, so they weren’t in exile by the Babylonians or Assyrians yet. We know that exile is during Daniel’s time. That exile will cause many to realize that they can’t save themselves! I pray that you’ve come to a place today in which you realize, I cannot save myself from my sin. Moses is telling the people in verse 1, you will fail! Moses reminds the people of Israel that it wasn’t long ago that you were held in Egypt, you were made to wonder in the wilderness because of your disobedience, and you will be held in exile because of your disobedience. Isn’t this beginning of the gospel? The gospel is good news, because we’re bad people! The curse of Genesis 3 means that we are dead men and women in desperate need of Jesus Christ! You were placed here today to hear that you can have life!

What is repentance? It is the turning away from sin in order to turn to Christ! It is not being sorry that you were caught, but it is a deep heart felt sorrow for disobeying God. 2 Cor. 7:10 “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.”

  1. b. The promise of restoration (vv. 2-10) Look at verse 6. Ezekiel and Jeremiah refer to this as the New Covenant that they prophesied about. Paul shares this in Colossians 2:11 “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,” This is the promise of life in Christ! Deut. 30 is the gospel displayed in the Old Test! Choose Life! Choose Christ!
  2. II. The Choice for Life is Reachable (Deuteronomy 30:11-14) The work done by Christ on the cross makes eternal life reachable. Paul restates a lot of Deut. 30 in Romans 10:5-11 “For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” It’s simple, believe! If you can’t believe know that Satan is blinded you and spiritual surgery, spiritual warfare must occur. Two passages really apply to those who are blinded and captive now. 2 Cor. 4:4 “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” and Col 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”

III. The Correct Response is Life (Deuteronomy 30:15-20) It appears that Springdale has decided for the Green Family

a. The Certainty of Eternal Death (vv.17-18) Matt 13:42 “and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matt 25:30 “And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Luke 16:23-24 “and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.”
b. The Comfort of Eternal Life (vv.19-20)

How do I choose life? You place faith in Jesus Christ by acknowledging your need for Him to save you from your sins. Listen to Romans 10:9-11 again, “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”