In this sermon from Deuteronomy 14:22–15:11, we continue our series through Moses’ final sermons by examining God’s instructions for the festival tithe, the triennial town tithe for the Levites and needy, the seventh-year debt release, and generous care for the poor among God’s covenant people. These laws were not burdensome requirements to earn favor but responses to God’s prior redemption and grace, teaching Israel to fear the Lord, rejoice in his provision, support gospel ministry, and reflect his compassion with…
In this sermon from Deuteronomy 14, we examine the Old Covenant food laws—along with related commands about mourning rituals, tattoos, and haircuts—that marked Israel as a people holy and set apart to the Lord. We explore the theological rationale behind these distinctions, centered on the contrast between life and death, and how they called God’s people to reflect his character as the God of life rather than the practices associated with paganism and decay. Turning to the New Testament, we…
We examine James 4:11-12, where James exposes the evil of Christians speaking against and judging one another. James shows how when we do this, we are despising God’s law and we are exalting ourselves as lawgivers and judges, when God is the only Lawgiver and Judge. We consider how sinful this sin is and how to avoid it by remembering our own evil and God’s grace, revelling in the law of love, and returning to our great and gracious Judge…
We examine Deuteronomy 13 and God’s instructions to ancient Israel regarding false prophets, family members, and entire cities that would entice his people into idolatry and covenant treason. This passage forces us to grapple with the seriousness of sin, the supremacy of loyalty to God above all other relationships, and the biblical principle of purging evil from the midst of God’s people. This sermon considers applications for the church and state today, while seeing how this same law ultimately points…
