KNOWING AND LIVING FOR THE LORD THROUGH ALL GENERATIONS (DEUTERONOMY 6:4-9)

Great to see you this morning. I got a pause for a minute. Just look around at some faces. My name is Aaron Johnson I'm the youth director at Riverbend Community Church in Ormond Beach, Florida, and I've got a heart for you, honestly

I've been eager to get up here and spend some time with you guys and Get back to Jonesboro. I've been here twice already

This is my third time to Jonesboro and I'll explain that in a little bit But just to just to have connection with you as extended family in Christ to see your fellowship here last night

I had a great opportunity to to be amongst you spend time with you seeing you face -to -face hearing of testimony of What's brought you to this church how the

Lord is working through you and in you? In this midst and just very excited to spend continued fellowship today beyond our opportunity to worship this morning

We hate to be on a plane and and be leaving so quickly It's a it's a fairly rushed trip for us as Pastor Jerry mentioned

We'd love to come back and spend further time with you if we could but I get to Enjoy the privilege and the honor of sharing

God's Word with you this morning. There's nothing magical and and my oratory skills

Certainly, so if the rawness of the Word of God is enough for you today That's what I aim to be faithful to bring so I hope that's your prayer

This morning and whoever might fill this pulpit and I don't take that responsibility lightly you have Tremendous men that serve well here at this church that are faithful to the

Word of God They're servants of of the Lord in their study of the word. They exposit well I'm excited to jump online when

I care can to hear the sermons that are taking place here to see the decision -making of what's

What's coming from the word to shepherd you as a church? I believe it's been extremely faithful and great concentrations recently as a church to consider the

Essentials of a healthy church to consider discipleship to consider the depths of theology even into eschatology

It's exciting and risky, right? But praise the Lord for his faithfulness to us in the ministry of his word

Let me pray briefly before we continue, but I want the Lord to be over this. Okay Heavenly Father.

Thank you for our time together this morning as we fellowship as a family of Christians together in community

From Ormond Beach to Jonesboro and back to Ormond. What a great privilege it is to share in this body

Lord, thank you for the fruitful things that you're doing here in Jonesboro And not just through 12 five church there are other churches that are meeting this morning that are

Worshiping over your word that are praising your name Lord I pray that you continue to brought provide healthy churches in this community that put you first that are willing to submit to the fullness the whole counsel of the

Word of God and Lord that you would be magnified and exalted in this town

And beyond this town through the hearts of your people as you send others out Lord, thank you for the privilege and joy of being with your people this morning and attending to your word

And we pray these things in Jesus name. Amen All right. Well, like I said,

I'm not a stranger to this area my wife was born here in joint

Jonesboro and pastor Jerry and his family were part of Philadelphia was the name of the church exactly

Philadelphia Baptist and I've actually been over there to see that church where my wife comes from and It's we've had some time.

We've actually got family here this morning Uncle Mike and aunt Lisa are here and my kids love them to pieces

They love their dogs even more and that brings us back here But this is a great community and it's grown a lot over the years first time

I was here. My fourteen -year -old was one at the time and just to see the growth in this community since then is amazing.

There's no Loss for drive -thrus around here. I've noticed that's really cool the convenience of getting everything through a drive -thru

But there are some things that I want to encourage you in That I don't want you to ever take for granted.

Okay, if I could share just two Number one is the community and fellowship that you have together here as a church

That's been very Evident to us as pastor Jerry and I went back to get ready to to go to bed last night.

We were talking about Just the sweet testimony that's coming from each of you as we get to know you through various angles and avenues

You've been brought here to this church and you give testimony to what's happening here And that's the centerpiece and that is the

Word of God that's very exciting to hear and with that comes the fellowship of the faith and You're very eager to be a part of this and as Nathan has commended you

Before that fellowship that comes after service is so vital for a church It'd be very easy to come in be under the ministry of the word and then walk away

But the fibers are brought together in your togetherness, right? That's how the Lord builds his church.

It's part of Christ's design We'll actually get into that a little bit this morning as we're in his word, but there's a second thing I don't want you to ever take for granted

Shadrach's coffee Okay, seriously if you guys ever feel like you don't need to frequent that place that they're okay, and they go under I'm gonna be really mad

That's part of why I get back up here Shadrach's is the best. Anyways, if you guys can bring

Shadrach's to Ormond Beach, I'd be I'd be thrilled Well, I was I was saved.

I became a believer and Cherished my Savior Jesus Christ At 17 years old.

I grew up in a home that did not know Christ I grew up in a broken family around the time the

Lord saved me. My my parents marriage was falling apart it was led to divorce and the

Lord literally caused me out of desperation to pick up the dusty Bible off of the shelf in our living room and I started reading and By reading and reading and reading the

Lord simply brought me to the Savior and he saved me just in that rawness

That's why we know the power of salvation is in the Word of God. I sat night after night in my bed in private

I didn't even want anybody to know I was reading the Bible, but he saved me in that brought me to conviction of my sin to turn to to fall into repentance in faith trusting that Christ and Christ alone is all

I needed for salvation and Ever since then my he's been my greatest joy. I've grown in him.

I've been discipled in him I was ministered to under the the ministry of Roy Hargrave Nathan's father Spent many one -on -one times with him.

He poured into me during that time felt a call to ministry got a healthy discipleship from Pastor Roy in that as well and Very excited to to share that with you today.

It's really part of the The longevity of what Christ is doing in the hearts of his people wherever Geographically or even demographically, right?

He's working I joined Riverbend The what

I was excited about when I came to Riverbend was I Had spent 14 years in a church that really wasn't preaching the

Word of God And I remember the first sermon I heard Pastor Roy preach. I was on the edge of my seat

Didn't have a Bible with me yet because I didn't know that you're supposed to bring your Bible to church Nobody in my church ever did but I heard

Pastor Roy preach what I was reading at home For the first time it was matching my my home study and what was coming from the pulpit matched and I knew

I had found My home at Riverbend under the ministry of these men. I Was married to my wife

Laura Back in 2003 and what's funny is

Pastor Jerry took a photo of me as a new member in 1998 on November 29th and looking back years later came to discover

That particular date because I married his daughter exactly five years to the day After that that day of first meeting my father -in -law and we have four children

Jocelyn is 14 Eliza is 12. Natalie is 10 and Benji will be 8 next week and Raising four kids in our ministry.

They're part of our school at Riverbend Academy and Just seeking to bring them up under the fear and admonition of the

Lord Which is what we believe we're aimed to be stewards to do under his lordship So that's who

I am. I've been serving at Riverbend in a couple capacities I was first the student ministry assistant under Michael harsh at Riverbend These guys were under his ministry.

He spent 17 years there Transition into Riverbend Academy where I was a teacher for 15 years.

Erica was a teacher there also It was the athletic director there there also became the

Dean of students Working in student life and in that particular ministry and then transitioned back into the church side

Our current teaching pastor Scott Menez as he came aboard Was seeking to fulfill that position full -time and asked me to to come on to the church side

So I've been serving in that capacity for seven years loving the ministry that I have the leadership team that works with me and I want to share a part of that heart with you today as well as we consider

Deuteronomy chapter 6 Verses 4 through 9. So if you've got your Bibles this morning

Deuteronomy 6 verses 4 through 9 as As youth director at Riverbend.

I believe that I get to participate in One of the most exciting aspects of the church and I'm not alone in that I'm not alone when it comes to enthusiasm for next -generation ministry

It's a concentration in ministry. That's vital and While I'm excited and I'm not the only one that's excited.

I'm also not alone in the responsibility of it And we as a church believe that we must come together in our fellowship to be

Faithful to the Lord first and that means being stewards and being faithful to the next generation That is to come to not only teach them but to equip them also for the years ahead

It's not solely for the youth guy as some churches put them to task in Deuteronomy 6

Moses was speaking with the authority of God to a new generation in Israel and in this episode of Israel's history

Moses Contrasts the rebellion of the previous generation to the faithfulness and the constant grace of God Yahweh He's the covenant

God He does not abandon his promises nor his people and in chapters 4 through 11

Moses calls upon his new job this new generation to be more faithful than their parents were

So as we study Deuteronomy 6 4 through 9 specifically, I want to propose to you that in this text

We find that there are three practical truths to knowing and living for the

Lord through all generations So let's read Deuteronomy 6 verses 4 through 9

Hear O Israel the Lord our God the Lord is one you shall love the

Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might and These words that I command you today shall be on your heart you shall teach them diligently to your children and Shall talk of them when you sit in your house when you walk by the way when you lie down and when you rise

You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes

You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates Firstly, I want us to consider as we consider this text this morning that we should recognize that God is deserving of life devotion

We see this in verses 4 through 5 in verse 4. We see here

Hear O Israel here is a it's a call to listen To give heed to give attention to hear

O Israel Israel means that this is personal. It's a an address to God's chosen people a chosen nation and in this

Chosen people they find their corporate identity under Yahweh Consider this in this address here.

Oh Israel That the attention to the an individual cannot be separated from the attention to the corporate body.

It's a corporate belonging For the hearer for the individual in their midst he or she must be thinking

Israel that's me That's us Hear O Israel the

Lord our God The Lord Yahweh He's been making himself known to this people for generations all the way up to this point in Scripture they've come to know him through experience and Especially by his reputation.

They've been called to make his name great among the nations They're to exalt him their altars are for him consider even geographically where the nation of Israel was placed

At the center point of three continents as people pass through they were to exalt the name of Yahweh among the nations

Why because he's the faithful God the covenant -making promise -keeping

God the sovereign creator the protector the deliverer for Israel He's our

God. Well, isn't isn't he everyone's God? Our God here reminds

Israel and us as we study of all that he has been for them It should remind them of constant evidence that they have seen despite their lack of faithfulness to him.

He has been their God and this is an intimate relationship, maybe not quite as intimate as You and I have access to the veil is torn

Through Jesus Christ we have access to the Father But God's covenant relationship with Israel shows them and us

That God desires an intimate relationship. He desires to be near to his people his nearness

Having made a special covenant with Israel. It's an exclusive relationship. No other nation in the world can claim what

Israel had It's incomparable The relationship to God the

Father through covenant relationship is incomparable First Samuel 2 2 says there is no one holy like the

Lord Indeed, there is no one beside you Nor is there any rock like our

God? He's the great deliverer the provider the long -suffering one the only

God for the Israelites He has specifically set his affections upon Israel and Despite their false worship.

There are no true contenders. He alone is God He's to be the object of their loyalty and their allegiance

His is the glory to which they should exalt his name before the nations

He's to be glorified and he deserves it They should give ear to his instruction

Here Oh Israel the Lord our God the Lord is One the

Lord is one There's some debate theologically here over the meaning of the word one in this text.

The Lord is one could it be possibly that it's emphasizing a singularity as opposed to a plurality a

Monotheistic understanding as opposed to a polytheistic understanding one God versus the idea that there are many gods

Well, I believe the singularity of Yahweh being the only true God is true I don't think that's the meaning of the word one here in the text maybe it's some type of or pointing to some type of unity or Internal consistency within the

Godhead God the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit. Maybe it's a pointing to the

Trinity While that theologically is true, I'm not sure that's what the verse is saying here through the word one

Maybe it's pointing to a particular uniqueness about God. He's one -of -a -kind That he is

But I don't think that's what the text is pointing to if we rely on the context as good

Bible students I think if we determine a meaning that's particular This command that Moses gives gives to Israel and This word one here the

Lord is one is a response To the adulterous ways of Israel They have cheated against their

God No, not only is he the God for Israel he is

Yahweh alone They're called to narrow their focus in their relationship to God the

Father One of my favorite quotes in any movie Mel Gibson aim small miss small.

Amen Israel aim small miss small know your God you've entertained the worship of so many

False gods come to know Yahweh, so this is in contrast to all other gods

The gods of the nations that seemingly content contend for Israel's attention

Israel has been in the habit of entertaining their worship for whatever earthly gain these idols may represent.

I Love taking our students to Psalm 115 8. There's so many things that contend for our hearts worship, right?

Psalm 115 verse 8 says that basically those that worship false gods

False idols become like them what worth what value are false idols?

They're worthless Those that worship them become like them

Worthless were called to be image bearers were created to be image bearers to reflect the glory of God That's high privilege.

I Always encourage our families and students students at Riverbend when you have opportunity to share the gospel don't start with our sinfulness

Start with the high privilege in our creation We were created to be image bearers of the one true

God to reflect his glory That's high privilege and guess what we turn from that privilege

That's when we bring in the understanding that we're all inherently sinful having turned from God We are not good image bearers in our sin we are tainted image bearers our

Worship Israel's worship for should be for Yahweh alone Let's look again at verse 5

You shall love the Lord your God So what's Israel's proper response to their covenant -keeping

God? It's love. It's love We're going through Malachi and in high school youth group on Sunday mornings right now and and Malachi 1

Yahweh reminds Israel through the Prophet Malachi of his particular love for them and Their response to him is in dispute and they say in their heart of hearts.

How have you loved us? Really Israel Really how has

Yahweh loved you? Need we remind you of his reputation need we remind you of all the things he's done in your midst need

He remind need we remind you of the the truth of his counsel that brings fruit when we walk in his way

Love on the basis of covenant. This love is an attitude of one party that seeks the other to be well pleased

So love is the essence of covenant allegiance of that faithfulness

This love is not just a feeling it is an affection It's an affection of one party that seeks the other to be well pleased in Relationship to God the covenant maker.

It is an affection that results in cheerful Obedience to walk with him to walk when in his way it aligns with Yahweh It joins with Yahweh it seeks to be under his will

So consider the ways that we show our devotion and enthusiasm in this life.

There are a variety of ways that we show a Passion or enthusiasm or a devotion in this life, right?

Shadrach's coffee for instance. Okay, that's been evident me in me over the last 24 hours I love

Shadrach's coffee any sports fans in here. Do you love sports? Be honest. It's okay. It's church.

We can still Bring up the context of life, right? I'm a I'm a sports fan. I have been since I was two years old

If you have a favorite sports team, maybe a football team, you know that every given season

There's only one team out of the bunch that truly succeeds, right? The rest of them are all failures when it comes to what we're fighting for, right?

There's only one team that succeeds on a given year and how and what team name the team that's won every single year

There isn't one There isn't one. I'm an Ohio State fan There's a

Georgia sticker right behind me on the stage. All right, I felt the pain and agony of losing

I'm sure you have to Ohio State got a visit from ASU this year bad things happen for ASU, right?

Not everything works our way in sports. I'm a Cleveland Browns fan That's not the depth of depravity in sports.

I don't know what is Constant heartache Our teams constantly fail us for Israel their

God by reputation is one who makes promises and never fails He's the promise -keeping

God He's never failed them. He never Will he's worthy of their love of their commitment their allegiance and their obedience

Love the Lord your God While the address is to all of Israel the command resonates with the individual hopefully, right?

Heart of a people is made up of the hearts of individuals Here the

Lord through Moses Challenges the hearts of every Israelite with this command

They're called and commanded to love Yahweh and Yahweh alone

Yahweh specifically It's a centralized focus and allegiance a devotion a worship

Such a people with a heart for the Lord as they come together Much like I see here can say the

Lord is our God. The Lord is one By application, let's consider this.

This is a mandate given to a corporate identity Israel with individual impact and corporate manifestations

So the investment Should have both the individual and the entire body in mind

How might my worship impact you and how might your worship impact me?

When you worship something you talk about it Shadrach's coffee. Hopefully I don't worship

Shadrach's coffee, right? Well, we talked about what we're enthused about When you worship the

Lord when you worship Christ, I pray that you share him That you relate together in him

For you and me, it's Christ. Amen The veil is torn.

We have a fellowship with God the Father that we did not have before because we were set apart

Unhealthfully in our sin But through Christ we have a right relationship with God the

Father again, we can enter into his presence We have full worship with him whether we're studying our word and prayer in our closets or whether we're together as a body of Believers in the faith

Amen, the heart of a people is made up of the hearts of individuals

Can you share it? Can you relate together in it? So Israel, how are they to love

Yahweh? What is the manner or what is the extent to which they're to love their God?

Well scripture says here in Deuteronomy with all your heart with all your soul and with all your might or with all of your strength

So how is the individual impacted here when Israel hears that the individual hears it with all of your heart?

With all of your soul with all of your might The command penetrates to the individual

Be thoughtful as you study this text don't feel the urge that you need to Compartmentalize each of these aspects of heart and soul and mind.

They don't need to be separated rather it Promotes that each individual take inventory

Take inventory the heart the soul the might the strength right? It promotes an inventory of the whole self

It evokes a love that searches after its fullest extent and intensity. It is to be far -reaching within the soul and This reminds me of Psalm 139 if you love to be a student of the

Psalms, I love the transparency of the psalmist Specifically David as we read through the

Psalms. I think you guys are going through the Psalms as a church together Cling to that transparency because we need to talk that way more often, right?

Part of our worship is just speaking to God and realness about who he is About our shortcomings about our struggles and what we're walking through and you know what the

Lord's faithful to do Constantly remind us of his word Sometimes he even helps us to counsel ourselves in the truth and he brings our hearts around to worship in him

We tend to forget about the trials and the negatives of it rather We begin to enjoy the trial and what the

Lord's doing in us to grow us and that's not just true for the individual But also for the corporate body there to love

Yahweh Psalm 139 a favorite text of mine to teach because of The fullness or the extent that's brought about in in this text about God David alludes to in Psalm 139

Specific locations to ill illustrate simply the omnipresence of God that he's everywhere, right?

He says if I take the wings of the dawn as it races as dawn races across the horizon

Even there you are there If I dwell in the remotest parts of the sea and the uttermost recesses of the ocean even

There your hand will lead me. He's speaking to a fullness to an extent about God He's omnipresent.

He's everywhere He's everywhere Israel you're to love the

Lord your God with all of your heart with all of your soul with all of your might Israel your love for God is to know no bounds love with the all of you

Each individuals to love Yahweh with all of their heart with all of their soul with all their might

Love him with the all of you your entire being So this commitment is not meant to be exercised in modes heart soul might

But rather in the absolute in your everything Your thoughts your will

Your intentions your desires your energies your capacities Israel Yahweh is a faithful God Give yourself to him

Revere him fear him in a healthy way serve him Keep his commands walk according to his character cling to him

Trust him here. Oh Israel Listen to him So the main issue here

I think for Israel is whether or not Israel truly knows Yahweh to be their

Lord If they truly know him, they will love him if they love him.

They'll obey him Do you see that the

God of the Bible is the one true God? He's the one true God Have you come to trust in Christ provision of?

Righteousness and his substitutionary death on the cross for your salvation

Consider the the aspects of the gospel if we could take the truths of the gospel and put them together to build a structure

We will find a sound structure. The gospel is true and right and it fits it's reasonable

It's supernatural But it's reasonable The question is do you know him because you're standing on it or are you not?

Are you trusting it in it to support you? Are you trusting in the gospel alone for your salvation or are you adding anything to your faith in the gospel?

Is there anything that you are doing? to find the favor of God The best thing we can do is fully trust in Christ provision.

Amen If you know him as Savior then you must also come to know him as Lord.

It's not our will but his We can find obedience in him

Why because we're freed from the bondage of sin and death and we're freed on to obedience.

That's well -pleasing to the father We're free to walk in what he loves So not only should we fully devote ourselves to him.

Not only is Israel called to devote themselves to Yahweh their Lord secondly we also should prioritize attention to God's Word for ourselves and As scripture tells us for the next generation we see this in verses 6 & 7

Look at your Bibles again, if you will Verse 6 in these words that I command you today shall be on your heart

You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house when you walk by the way

And when you lie down and when you rise Moses has just commanded all of Israel to love the

Lord their God with all their entire being But how do they intend to do to do this or how should they intend to do this?

Well, the Lord provides the answer here in the text. He is faithful in his word. It's through these words

Moses says It's not limited to the immediate context that we find here in Deuteronomy 6 rather I think it's pointing to the entirety of the law of God that is presented by Moses in the greater context

These words is representative of God's words this has great significance in the complete hysterical narrative of Israel and their life and walking with Yahweh and beyond it's it gives vision to the whole of scripture

The importance of God's Word if we were to go back to Genesis 3 God's Word is vital we find in Genesis 3

His word was questioned and disputed in Genesis 3 twisted and misrepresented

Rejected and dishonored. What was the result the fall of man? Sin and entered the world through one man's sin

This opened the door for man to justify his or her own or his or her own sin and to seek autonomy apart from God and At the fall of man man walked out from under the lordship of God Out from under the lordship of Yahweh and his will by rejecting the authority of his word in Contrast with the authority given to God by Moses Israel is commanded to cling to God's Word These words which

I am commanding you today shall be on your heart So often

I think we we consider God's Word as something that we must submit to right that is true

But if we lead it leave it at just that it's cold, right? If we consider his affections for his people

The the value in his word, I think we'll think otherwise have you considered the

Word of God to be a gift? It is a gift in the the context of Israel's rejection of God Israel's now given away

Back into right relationship with God to be restored in right relationship with God and how?

through the Word of God and This Word of God is a progressive revelation you and I have the whole counsel of the word as we study it

We must study it Progressively, that doesn't mean liberally. I mean from cover to cover

Not to pull one book out from the other 65 but to study them in their wholeness and the

Lord is faithful to reveal himself From the beginning to the end and it is a gift and what is he doing through this?

He's seeking to redeem you And to restore you and me into right relationship with him.

Amen. It is a gift These words which I am commanding you today shall be on your heart

It is a gift The ultimate concentration here is not on works

We're broken in relationship to God rather. It's on faith and even for Israel We don't see specifically the told the totality of the gift of the gospel here yet.

That is being Revealed over time and the fullness of that comes

Especially can which can be celebrated as we've celebrated recently through the incarnation of Christ God with us

Emanuel. Amen But Israel is being pointed to that reality and it's the gift of his word and they're coming to come alongside him by faith

Faith in his word and his counsel and in his instruction is vital here because that is the means for their restoration

There's no other way they must be under his counsel to be under his counsels to be under his will

So what God is showing them through their lack of? Obedience is that their dilemma is resolved through the word

Through truth through counsel it points to them to the Messiah if the

Lord has brought you to faith in Jesus Christ, then he has done that through his word if You have the certain hope of being

Transformed into the likeness of Christ to love what he loves and hate what he hates then he's going to accomplish that through his word

Sanctification will come through the Word of God if the Bible's been enough to save you don't set it on your coffee table

It's the very means to which he'll bring you into the likeness of Christ Be faithful as a student of the word.

Are you grateful for this gift the Word of God? Give ear to his word lean in God's people are called to have an intimate relationship with the

Lord through his counsel. Amen Look at verse 6 again. Notice that this is a command commands demand a response

Will Israel draw near to the Lord's instruction or will they live their remaining days in rejection of his counsel?

It shall be on their heart God's laws to be perpetually kept in mind

Accompanying and informing man's will when he studied the Word of God I think one thing that you'll see is the word heart

Mind intentions desires and will as they're all brought up. They're synonymous. They go together

It's about the will of man if that's in subjection to the will of the Father Restoration is being had if it's in rejection of the authority of God's Word Man walks according to his will and his will only

It shall be on your heart So this should remind us to be cautious of what we allow to inform our hearts and to beg for our allegiance

Let's be careful here not to be legalistic, but let's be cautious movies books pithy memes social media trends

Advertisements even giving in to worldly fears. This doesn't mean that we need to stubbornly ignore

What is truly good in our midst that's freely given to us, right? But we want to avoid self -righteousness

Instead we want to practice biblical discernment This is a Romans 12

Church. Amen Romans 12 1 and 2 reminds us that the will of God is dependent upon the renewal of the mind for us and How do we have that we only have that through the word you want to think like he thinks you better know him through his word

The word is vital God's Word must inform the heart helping us to make decisions

So let me ask you as I often ask myself. What is the supreme word in your life?

What are you giving yourself over to my prayers that it's the Word of God? Deuteronomy 6 is not a blind call

Or merely it's a call to external obedience to Yahweh The Lord is after the heart

He hates empty forms of religion So it's not a called a blind external worship through some form of obedience.

That is empty of Heartful worship the Lord of God through his word Should be cherished consider

Deuteronomy 4 7 through 9. I'll read that for us Moses says for what great nation is there that has a

God so near to it as is the Lord our God whenever we call On him or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law

Which I am setting before you today Only be careful for yourself and watch over your soul diligently

So that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart

All the days of your life, but make them known to your sons and grandsons Israel walked seeing what the

Lord was actively doing. Maybe you feel cheated Scripture is faithful to tell us we have something even greater

We have the whole counsel of his word through which through this lens we can see

God walking with Israel We see through the progressive revelation of who he is of what he is known to do

The reputation of God is sound and he's worked it through his son Jesus Christ.

Amen We have the whole council so let us not forget the things which our eyes have seen through his word

Let them not depart from our hearts Make them known to your sons and grandsons and that brings us to verse 7

You shall teach them or repeat them diligently to your children your sons and and talk about them or Speak of them when you sit in your house when you walk on the road or walk by the way

When you lie down and when you get up or when you rise There's a specific

Manifestation or product of this sold -out devotion to the Lord and that's next generation ministry

It's investing in the next generation under the will of the Lord that they too may also know him and worship him

If Israel's well -being is dependent upon obedience to God's law Then they must share it with each successive generation

But this is interesting This is this is why the progressive truth the whole council of God is so vital for us

Because it's not in Israel's obedience that we find the way The greatest truth for us here is actually in Israel's disobedience

It's actually in Israel's disobedience that the necessity for commitment towards the next Generation is made vivid for you and me as Bible students

It's for you and me in Joshua 24 verses 14 and 15 We see Israel's original initial

Recommitment to the Lord under Joshua's leadership Joshua coming after Moses right verse 14 says now therefore fear the

Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth amen and Do away with the gods which your father served beyond the

Euphrates River and in Egypt and serve the Lord But if this but if excuse me, but if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the

Lord choose for yourselves today Whom you will serve whether the gods which your father's served

Which were beyond the Euphrates Rivers or the gods of the Amorites and whose land you are living

Maybe this sounds familiar, but as for me in my house We will serve the

Lord So I think both Deuteronomy 6 and Joshua 24 here

They they overlap and their focus on worship to the one true God Yahweh right and it's in response to the word of the

Lord This generation of which we read in Joshua 24 this generation served the

Lord with great longevity They were a faithful generation, but judges to which speaks again into this context

Should give us pause and why this is why the whole council feeds you and me as we're

Bible students judges to verses 7 through 10 looking at verse 7

It says the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who survived

Joshua Who had seen all the great work of the Lord which he had done for Israel.

Amen What tremendous fruit of the Lord's activity in their midst? But there if we move to verse 10, we find something interesting all that generation

Also were gathered to their fathers. That's a polite way of saying they all died, right? All that generation also were gathered to their fathers and another generation rose up after them

Who did not know the Lord? Nor even the work which he had done for Israel We cannot control the hearts of the next generation if you're a parent

Hopefully you've come to know you cannot control their heart when you think you can that's when you're gonna be the most frustrated

Obviously, we we want a parent. Well, we want to provide good structure help them understand Natural consequences that come with disobedience and sin, right?

But what we're after here just like what the Lord is after is we're after the heart. We're after the heart We cannot control the hearts of the next generation.

But what ministers to the heart? It's not my word. It's his word It's his word

What we can do is surely be faithful to our children to the next generation of all that the

Lord has done That's the impact of the word What's his greatest activity it's the ministry of his word on earth the word has come to us

Emmanuel God with us He is the word and he brings us his revelation if eternal life is dependent upon the saving and sanctifying power of Scripture then we must also as Israel's to faithfully share the word of God that we must do that as well to the next generation and Deuteronomy what

I love about Deuteronomy 6 4 through 9 here is it promotes a strong worth that work ethic and ministry the ministry of the word

It comes by sharing God's word right sharing reading memorizing Repeat it to them

Teach them teach bring forth meaning find applications speak to them talk to them about his word

It should be on the regular. It should be consistent when you sit in your house when you walk by the way

This is a command for a people that penetrates to each and every home each and every home and It's to be done in every life setting right every occasion looking for teachable connections parents

Or maybe you have opportunity to speak truth into the lives of others if you will anticipate

Opportunity to share God's truth in the context the regular context of life the

Lord will be Faithful to provide those opportunities just look for them anticipate them why because that's the activity that he's involved in He's working through the redeeming power and sanctifying power of his word.

Does this sound tiresome maybe? Think of all the other things we freely talk about without growing weary So not only should we fully devote ourselves to the

Lord and prioritize the Word of God in our lives and for the next generation But a third thought today as we study

Deuteronomy 6 4 through 9 is that we should agree with God that we must follow His lead we see this in verses 8 and 9

You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates a little application for here

I'm going to speak to fathers for a moment Fathers notice the process that we find in verses 6 and 7.

We're to be students of the word. It's on our hearts and Then we're to impress those upon our children as well as well.

Do you see the process there? It's vital for you and me first and then we tend to our children with the truth.

Amen Don't shy away from the lordship of God through the ministry of the word in your life

So this involves some surrender man, doesn't it it involves surrendering to it and expecting great change

And what the Lord is doing in our hearts It's okay to be transparent in that One of the greatest aspects of a church is the testimony of the power of the ministry of the

Word of God He's changing lives one of the things I enjoyed most and in your midst last night was just Hearing those sweet testimonies about the what the

Lord is doing and the centerpiece of that was Christ in his word Over and over again This means growth for you and testimony to the changing power of the word for others including your children

Including your spouses including your friends to see and to know the one true

God So verses 8 9 here bring the focus back to self and notice how the

Word of God is to govern lives You shall also bind them as a sign to your hand

The hand is representative of activity and practice So what you participate in and how you participate should be led by application of the

Word of God Consider is it right? Is it gentle? Is it kind? Is it truthful?

Is it sinful? Is it destructive? We're to be discerning according to the Word of God and his lead

Desire cannot get out ahead of us God's Word serves as a safeguard when temptation comes our way

What you give yourself to do is evidence of your true intentions and desires is it under the lordship of his will

It goes on to say and they shall be as frontlets on your forehead God's Word must lead

So this is a submission to the lordship of God the Word administered to the heart the mind the will

Intentions the attitudes of the inner man brings us into conformity with the

Lord's will so these These words have been taken very literally by some if you're familiar with phylacteries and literally attaching things to your forehead, right?

That we can scoff at that a little bit But I think we must be careful because there's a diligence in that and I think we're called the diligence, too

So rather than scoffing at that idea What we should do is examine ourselves to see how weighty we recognize this principle to be in our lives

Are we submitting to the leading of the Word of God? Are we submitting to the authority of the

Word of God in our lives? Do you read your Bible? Do you read your

Bible? Do you regularly give yourself over to the careful study of the Word of God? Do you invest in memorizing scripture?

It's good for you and me Some of my best prayers come with the scriptures that I know in my heart and mind

I can pray them back to him I see truth in it and it counsels me Do you speak of it with others that you may sharpen others in turn and in turn grow and your own understanding of the truth?

Do you biblically evaluate your habits in your own decisions? We can only do that under the counsel of his word

Verse 9 says you shall also write them on your doorposts of your house and on your gates so verse 8 couples

Again the heart and mind with the actions and practices of man and we see another coupling here in verse 9

It's how man submits to the Lordship of Yahweh in his home and also in the community

God's Word must govern what we do in secret at home how we conduct our relationships our marriages our

Parenting how we raise our children the God's Word must also govern how we conduct ourselves in Relationship to others in the community in the workplace at school

With the body of God's people and fellowship, etc In all these things praise the

Lord. We have the greatest example Jesus Christ he willfully submitted himself to the law of God and Walked in obedience to the glory of God the

Father and for the benefit of sinful man Let your will be done when under temptation by Satan Jesus affirmed the necessity of God's Word for living and devotion to God the

Father and in Matthew 4 4 and in verse 10 we see this verse 4, but he answered and said it is written man shall not live on Bread alone, but on every word that proof that comes out of the mouth of God verse 10

Then Jesus said to him go away Satan for it is written. You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him only the

Word and practice Living under the counsel of the

Word of God Serving in him under that counsel. Amen What a great example Christ secures for sinful man an understanding of God and his word and in John 1 4

It says in him was life and the life was what the light of mankind The word must govern our lives

Just on a practical side if I could I've had opportunity to work within our our youth ministry at Riverbend for a long long time

We're a pretty large church. We have a lot of resources. Okay in that because of that we are a unique church

So it doesn't take a large church to do what the Lord is commanding us to do Right, and I believe that that every church should lead within the context that each church has

Okay, so I want to encourage this you this morning, but let me share with you what we Commit to do in our midst in the context that we have the worst resources that are given to us

Okay I just want to share with you the heart of our ministry and what we do Because a lot of youth ministries today will bring out what is truly superficial to attract kids to it, right?

That's not the what the Lord is calling us to here and we're not shy about what the Lord is calling us to Here's a little bit about who we are.

We recognize that we're all in this together as a body We are not only called unto

Christ By salvation, but also unto a fellowship of believers This is by Christ's design and there's a

Philippians 3 pursuit here in Philippians 3. We see that fully devoted Life committed to sanctification in the heart, but that's true for the church, too

If it's truth for if it's true for the individual it's true for the body. Amen To lay hold of that for which

Christ Jesus has laid hold of us We recognize the significance of the home in Discipling the next generation.

So in that we're an equipping church a family equipping church We come right alongside that calling and walk in responsibility

In the responsibility of the body to serve the next generation in the Word of God We're committed to the exposition of Scripture as this church is we tend to teach through entire books of the

Bible when we're with our youth Even topical lessons usually follow one particular main text this protects that it's

God's Word being taught and not our own We have a team of youth leaders

It's a very careful team that we put together we observe over time We don't just plug warm bodies into working with our students

They receive training and basic hermeneutics how to study their Bible how to teach Scripture and through practice they grow and their ability to teach the

Word It's not left just for for youth leaders. It's also for students

I'm very clear about this if a student comes to know Christ by faith

They are right now a part of the church We don't need to wait until they're adults

We need to be careful that we don't just simply call them the church of tomorrow if they're in Christ They are the church of today and they can come right alongside you and serve you give them opportunity

I've been watching the fellowship of this church and the youth they come together and you know what

I see amongst them a fellowship that is sweet and it's Undergirded by your faith and your fellowship.

What a sweet thing being manifested here at 12 -5 Students receive training at our church toward their own

Bible study What greater gift can we give them than the ability to study the Word of God?

We teach them observation interpretation and application With the potential for opportunity that they might be able to teach occasionally as well.

We handle that very carefully Sometimes it's in a small group setting we come alongside them in their study and for certain individuals

We give them an opportunity to teach their peers that Prove proves to have an effectual work amongst our students.

It's the Lord working. It's rawness according to his word, right? So we're a family equipping church parents are encouraged to receive training.

We have Different ways that we do that. We have large group discipleship training programs

We have a soul care ministry. I know you guys have soul care back here on the table One of the great mentors in the faith in my life

Brian Sheely was busy writing soul care It's to take just a small handful of individuals through the word together

To know the Lord we have at our church. Just the beginnings of college and seminary has started

I was actually part of the first graduating class at our seminary and Guess what?

One of the greatest ways the Lord works is simply through one -on -one discipleship. You have that here The basics

Everything you need to be faithful to the Word of God under his will you have right here you have it

We're just aiming to be faithful as you are We're not ashamed of scripture in our youth ministry.

It's the primary means to gain the attention of our students. We believe in that It's not pizza. It's not dodgeball

We may partake partake in those things from time to time But every student that is faithful to come and every newcomer we are not shy to tell them.

This is why we meet It's to be under the will of the Father through his word We take every gathering as an opportunity to teach the truth we advertise the teaching of the word the opportunity to respond and worship and the encouragement of continued discipleship as the centerpieces of our

Sunday morning gatherings whether at church or in Individual classes when we meet on Wednesday nights and youth and all camps and retreats

He alone and his word is the centerpiece We provide training in scripture memory.

We promote student -led worship that involves a humble response to the Lord You have youth right up here leading and worship.

Amen We promote student -led worship that involves a humble response to the word We provide counseling to students and families

With the intention that we all willingly submit to profit from and enjoy the work of the word on our hearts

Does this list sound busy? Your elders need help Join them in this we do not baptize without full understanding of the gospel a

Response to the gospel that involves a life -changing impact and cherish the opportunity for public testimony to the power of the word

We trust in Christ's design of life on life Discipleship and treasure the wholeness of the local body the entire church

We don't wish to parachurch our youth which a lot of churches do So let me end with this

It's important that we consider the all of scripture when we minister to the next generation If we too heavily base our family discipleship or our youth ministry on Deuteronomy 6 alone

While we need to treasure Deuteronomy 6 if our whole focus is on Deuteronomy 6 alone

We we forfeit something we may fall prey to assuming that Intentionality and rigor under the law of God will keep our kids from sin.

Mmm. Be careful Man's sin problem is inherent in every one of us and every one of our children

The law is meant to do what to point us to our need for a Savior to show us that our

Savior has been provided Jesus Christ We're not careful We may impress upon our children that as long as they don't do as others do that are on the outside Then they'll somehow maintain a level of personal sinlessness that can

That can mar the opportunity for the gospel that can injure gospel receptivity and the lives of our children so consider this after after Moses gave the law to Israel and chapters 27 through 30 the end of the book

Moses places before Israel and ultimatum. He says this there's no gray areas

He says choose blessing through obedience or face devastation and exile apart from God life or death

Blessing or curse the fruits of righteousness or the destruction that accompanies sin and evil

So how can they choose life for their sake and for the sake of further generations? They can begin by loving

God who has made himself known to them and by listening to him I stress that by listening to their

God Here's what's interesting Moses admits to them by word of the

Lord right here in these end chapters that they will fall away All he's busy

Asking them to commit and an affection to the Lord that they would be

Surrendered to his word and yet he tells them that they will fail He'll fall from this and fall into the consequences of rejecting their

Lord. That's not that's why it's not in there maintaining Some level of just walking in obedience to God Something yet still needs to be treasured and what comes later in Scripture the gift of the

Savior the gift of the Savior Moses promises one day.

Well, he says sorry They will receive a tragic and horrific sampling of living apart from God in exile.

That's coming, right? but one day they will return to the Lord through a circumcision of the heart a gift of God's own doing and There's so much to be there's so much left unfulfilled as we're at this part of this progressive

Revelation of God in his story right at the end of Deuteronomy so much is yet not accomplished according to God's promises

This is just the end of the first five books of the Bible The seed promise has not been fulfilled yet Genesis 3 15 the future fulfillment of the incarnation of Christ has not yet come

But he's coming The blessing through Abraham has not been fully fulfilled From Genesis 12 we see that that promise and that is the lineage of Christ Christ is coming to to bless all the nations

The future reconciliation between a holy God and sinful man is not yet wrought But it's fulfilled through the finished work of Christ on the cross

The transformation and restoration of his people is not yet fully met

It is a continual work being wrought through the gospel of Jesus Christ So while these are left unanswered for Israel in Moses's time and contrast we have the whole counsel of God We're desperate for his word

Through it the Lord gives promise of making us new through repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ The gospel is not something to be ashamed of as Paul says it is the power of God to save and it's the power of God to sanctify that we may love what he loves and hate what he hates

So to have this without compromise you ready church to have this without compromise will likely mean forfeiting some of the things that seem natural in our culture

It's putting his lead first The world will not go that way. That's not the manner of the world

We can establish culture by putting his word first the authority of his word the counsel of his word

So think of this the fruits Of God's promises in our lives and the lives of the next generation and each each successive generation

Will involve putting the Lord's Word? first amen Let's pray

Heavenly Father. Thank you for this tremendous opportunity to share with brothers and sisters in the faith

Thank you for the sweet fellowship even over the course of 24 hours Lord that you've Provided a time to be together.

Thank you that the centerpiece of our fellowship is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ And the authority and counsel of your word well