Introduction

* Centrality – The quality of being essential, the most important.

* Centrality of our Christian faith – The Word of God

* <Ro 10:17>: Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

Read <Deu 31:1-2,9-13>.

1 Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel: 2 “I am now a hundred and twenty years old and I am no longer able to lead you. The Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not cross the Jordan.’

9 So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the Levitical priests, who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel. 10 Then Moses commanded them: “At the end of every seven years, in the year for cancelling debts, during the Festival of Tabernacles, 11 when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing. 12 Assemble the people—men, women and children, and the foreigners residing in your towns—so they can listen and learn to fear the Lord your God and follow carefully all the words of this law. 13 Their children, who do not know this law, must hear it and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”

Some interesting records of last words

– Beethoven, the renowned composer: “I will hear in heaven”.

– Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister: “I’m bored with it all”.

– Karl Marx, the German Philosopher: “Last words are for fools who hasn’t said enough”.

– Steve Job, Apple CEO: “Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow”.

Background

* Moses, as the most renowned leader of Israel is leaving the world.  

* Paganistic cultures and religions in Canaan.

* War is awaiting Israel at the Land of Canaan.

* When we are in perplexity, the world often tells us to follow our heart or believe in ourselves.

* Yet Moses point Israel to the Word of God.

4 core principles from <Deu 31:9-13>

1) The authority of God’s Word.

* People ask: Why should we listen to it after all?

* <verse 9> So Moses wrote down this law…

* The distinctive office of Moses – The prophet of God, being given the revealed Word.

* Only Prophets and Apostles speak directly for God, i.e. His inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word.

2) The teachers of God’s Word.

* <verse 9> – (Moses) gave it to the Levitical priests, who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel.

* They preserve, study, transmit, explain and apply the word.

* This office is equivalent to the modern-day Bible teachers or pastors.

* Modern Cultural trends – People are believing lesser in expertise.

* Danger of spirituality – People think they don’t need pastors and bible teachers now.

* Important to respect those who bring the Word to us, and pastor us with it.

3) The hearing of God’s Word

* <Verse 10>: Then Moses commanded them: “At the end of every seven years, in the year for canceling debts, during the Festival of Tabernacles, 11 when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing. 12 Assemble the people—men, women and children, and the foreigners…

* God’s word is best heard in a covenant community.

* God designed His word to be received in a corporate and collective setting. 

* Yet, our individualistic culture wants our religion to be private.

* God’s spirit is with his people when they hear it as a GROUP.

* Imagine a pep talk for a sports team.

* Receiving the Word in a community not only unites us to God, but also unites us together as a people. It also unites every individual family.

* <verse 13>, “then the children who do not know this law will hear it…”

* Receiving the Word together as a family gives the standard of absolute truth to a family.

* Having the sense of awe in corporate worship.

4) The whole purpose of receiving the Word.   

* <verse 12>: so they can listen and learn to fear the Lord your God and follow carefully all the words of this law.

* <Verse 13> (their children) must hear it and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”

* The whole purpose – May know God and be like God.

* Only God’s Word can change the human heart.

* God’s word is the means of grace by which we become like Him.

* Martin Luther: “I simply taught, preach and wrote about God’s word. Otherwise, I did nothing…. The Word so greatly weakened the papacy that no prince or emperor ever inflicted such losses upon it. I did nothing. The word did everything”.