Text:
Deuteronomy 23:3-5:
3 An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever:
4 Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.
5 Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee.
Romans 8:28:
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Theme:
The Changing Power of God’s Love
Introduction
- The book of Deuteronomy, as the remainder of the Pentateuch, of which Deuteronomy is the 5th book, is believed by contemporary scholars to have been a writing adopted by Moses, or, simply put, written by someone else other than Moses. However, there are many portions of information that leave many believing that it was written by Moses.
- The book of Deuteronomy consists chiefly of three discourses delivered to the people of Israel by Moses a short time before his death. They were spoken to all Israel in the plains of Moab, in the eleventh month of the last year of their wanderings.
- These addresses to the people are followed by what may be called three appendices, namely
(1) a song which God had commanded Moses to write;
(2) the blessings he pronounced on the separate tribes; and
(3) the story of his death and burial, written by some other hand, probably that of Joshua.
- The text is an excerpt that refers to the rejection of the Ammonite and Moabite people from the congregation of the Lord.
- Two Reasons:
- They did not hospitably provide water and/or food to the children of Israel when they left Egypt.
- They hired Balaam to curse the children of Israel.
- Isn’t it a blessing that we can be a part of the Kingdom of God through Christ and don’t have to suffer because of our ancestors’ wrongdoing?
- All because “the Lord thy God loved thee”.
- What is God’s Love?
- We know that God embodies true Love. In 1John 4:16, it explains, “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”
- John 3:16 shows the extent of God’s Love à “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
- Jesus explains the superiority of God’s Love. John 15:13-14 says, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
- God’s love manifests itself in our lives through its power and ability to change situations and people.
- Deuteronomy 23:5 of our text gives God’s love in action, “Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee.”
- In this text, God’s Love changed the very curse charged to be given to the children of Israel to a blessing for them instead.
- Let us look at this Changing Power of God’s Love!
- Two Reasons:
Body:
- The Changing Power of God’s Love
- God’s Love shown from God to Us
- Titus 3:3-7 explains it well:
- For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
- But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
- Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
- Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
- That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
- 1John 4:9 then summarizes, “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”
- God’s Love shown from Us to God
- 1John 5:1-3 explains:
- Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
- By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
- For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
- Our love towards God is manifested in our obedience to His Word
- God’s Love shown from Us to Others
- 1John 4:11, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”
- 1John 4:20, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?”
- Our love towards God is manifested in our love for His creation, our fellow man or woman.
- God’s Love shown from God to Us
- LOVE is the essence and fervency of our live in Christ.
- Ephesians 5:2, “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”
- It is God’s LOVE that CHANGES our lives thoroughly!
- We love God!
- Amos 5:14-15, “Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph”
- God loves Us!
- Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
- We love Others!
- Colossians 2:2, “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;”
- We love God!
Conclusion:
- As in our text, the Changing Power of God’s Love can turn a curse into a blessing.
- I thought my life was a curse, but God’s Love changed me one day!
- As the gospel song says,
“He touched me. He touched me.
And, O, what joy floods my soul
Something happened and now I know
He touched me and made me whole.”
- Sometimes my days get rough, but God’s Love changes me IN my situation.
- As Romans 8:28 explains,
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
- God’s Love has made a difference in my life! He Changed Me!!!!!!
- I once was lost, but now I’m found
- I used to hate, but now I love
- I used to curse, but now I bless
- I used to fear, but now I stand
- The Changing Power of God’s Love!!!!
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