Today we start reading the book of Deuteronomy. Its message is very appropriate for believers in our days because it is Moses final exhortation to the Israelites before he dies.  He starts by saying, “It is eleven days journey from Horeb (where they camped before the mountain and Moses received the Ten Commandments)…to Kadesh- Barnea.”  The latter place is at the edge of their promised inheritance, and from there they sent out the spies!  Just 11 days journey; but instead of going on into the land, strong in faith because of all the wonders they had witnessed in escaping from Egypt their faith quickly evaporated and as a result they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.

All those 20 years old and over died in that wandering. “Not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land that I swore to give to your fathers, except …” (the two that had brought back a good report, and their families) [v.35-36]  Also many of the Levites, who are not counted with the 12 tribes, also entered the land, such as the younger sons of Aaron; they had proved faithful.

The opening 3 chapters of Deuteronomy show Moses recounting their recent triumphs after leaving the wilderness.  They defeated all the nations west of the Jordan.  But this final leg of their journey saw the death of those caught up in the temptations in Moab, those whose  vision was on the flesh, not on the promised land. That was the final purging of the people, then God saw them as being of a ready mind to enter the promised land.  

Now, can we draw a comparison to our days?  We are travelling through a spiritual wilderness as this is such a godless world.  How many are losing their faith and falling by the wayside, caught in the passing pleasures of this world? We can take examples from Moses, as surely Jesus did!  What do we read in Hebrews? “By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible” [11 v27].  We can endure our wilderness journey if we can see, with the eye of faith, him who is invisible.

 In his Gospel John records several challenging sayings of Jesus.  How are we to understand, “I and my Father are one” in today’s chapter 10 (v.30)?  In what sense are they “one”?  We know he prayed to his father all night on at least one occasion. (Luke 6 v.12) and in his prayer in the garden of Gethsemane he said, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” [Matt.26 v.39]  So we ask, in what sense was Jesus “one” with his Father when they had separate ‘wills’?  We will soon read [Ch. 14] and his words, “I am going to the Father for the Father is greater than I” [v.28].  

The solution to this conundrum unfolds in Ch. 17 in his final prayer before his betrayal. He is praying for his disciples and says, “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me” [v.10].  It was after his all night prayer (in Luke 6) that Jesus chose his 12 disciples (v.12-16).  Now note the verses which follow in John 17. Our Lord prays, “I am coming to you Holy Father, keep them in your name … that they may be one, even as we are one.” [v.11]    His prayer for his disciples is that they may have unity of mind, a unity of understanding creating a harmonious team in carrying on his work after he ascended to heaven. Up until this stage there had been times of jealousy, a competition “among them as to which of them was the greatest” [Luke 9 v.46]  

    Jesus, and God his Father, had a unique oneness – and this was to be the disciple’s role model. But Jesus extends his vision of oneness further, he prays, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us …” [v.20,21] 

All those who believe the original gospel as established by the disciples’ preaching should aim to be “one” in this wonderful way.  Those who have achieved and maintained this wonderful oneness will be the ones to reign with him when he returns to set up his world-wide kingdom.  Paul was very conscious of this and stressed this.  He counselled the Ephesians to “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace … just as you were called in the one hope … one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all” [Ch.4 v. 3-6]

 One of the best known and most quoted incidents in the life of Jesus is when “the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery” [John 8 v.3] and hypocritically asked him what judgement should be made. We deduce that their wily minds reasoned that if he agreed with their statement that “in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women” [v.5] they would carry this out and then put all the blame on him before the Roman authorities, for the Romans had taken away their right to put anyone to death – that is why later they had to bring Jesus to Pilate. If on the other hand Jesus said she should not be stoned, they would make a big point of this before all the people – saying he did not uphold the Law.  They expectantly asked him, “So what do you say?” [v.5]  He did not answer but “bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground” [v.6].  We are tempted to speculate what he wrote, maybe some account of her accusers sins!  

Then comes the sequel which most Christians know well, “he stood up and said, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her” [v.7].  The result was that “they went away one by one beginning with the older ones” [v.9].  Alone with the woman, Jesus asks, “ ‘has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘1’ ” But then he adds, “go, and from now on sin no more.” [v.10,11]

What a wonderful testimony to the mercy and compassion of Christ toward those conscious of their sins.   But how is it possible to “sin no more”?  Was Jesus asking the impossible?  John’s First Letter provides us with some words to think about as we look at this question.   He writes, “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil” [3 v.8].  We read 2 days ago Jesus said to his 12 disciples, “one of you is a devil.” [John.6 v.70], he knew Judas Iscariot had sold his soul to sinful ways.

Those who have not done so, but struggle with sin, should note what John writes in his epistle, “”let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.  By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything” [1 John 3 v.18-20]  It is good to read the whole context of the point John is making.

The Gospel of John is particularly soul stirring as we read it.  We learn much detailed information about parts of the ministry of our Lord, filling some of the ‘gaps’ in the other gospels. We learn that the centre of opposition to Jesus was in Jerusalem and this began quite early, see Ch. 5 v.1,18.  

Today’s chapter (7) begins by telling us; “after this Jesus went about in Galilee.  He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him.”  In Mark we are told how “the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, ‘He is possessed by Beelzebul …” [3 v.22]  So, because he spent much of his time in Galilee, the growing opposition went out to try to sow seeds of opposition to him there – and anywhere else he went.

Today we learn that Jesus returned to Jerusalem in the middle of the feast “and began teaching” and they “marvelled” at his teaching saying, “How is it that this man has learning when he has never studied?” [v.15]  This means, he never did like Paul did, who was “educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law” [Acts 22 v.3] 

To this Jesus answers, “My teaching is not mine but his who sent me.  If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am teaching on my own authority.” [v.16,17] How would they know?  Through having a good knowledge of the scriptures.  

    We can make a comparison here with Christianity today where Churches have seminaries to train people for the ministry.  Yet, in all our own contact with those so trained it becomes apparent that actual Bible reading forms only a minor part of their training: they are unfamiliar with many parts of it. The end of today’s chapter shows that the Jewish leaders argued that as “no prophet arises from Galilee” [v.52] they rejected him and all that he taught and the miracles he did.   But two of what we call ‘minor’ prophets, Nahum and Jonah, had come from that area – and in any case to reason that God’s prophets had to come from particular places was human thinking.  Today, just as much as in those days, if we are really serious about knowing God and the real truth about the divine message of salvation we must read His word regularly and act upon what we read after we have digested it carefully to get a correct understanding.
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 In the book of Numbers we now read of Moses giving his final instructions to the people as the LORD directed him. The people had completed their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, all the unfaithful had died and now their children under the leadership of faithful Joshua together with Caleb and the faithful Levites would cross the Jordan to enter the promised land.  It occurred to us that there is a parallel in this to what is to soon occur when Christ establishes his world-wide kingdom. Think about this.  The LORD tells Moses as they are “by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, ‘Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you pass over the Jordan …  then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you and destroy all their figured stones and destroy all their metal images and demolish all their high places.” [Ch. 33 v.50-52]

Similarly, when God sends Jesus back to this earth it will be a time of “punishing the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity” [Isaiah 13 v.11], but it will also surely be a time of removing all the things that people “worship” today!  All the things which are the equivalent of what the Canaanites had built and worshipped! Some of the things that will no longer exist are obvious; the Casinos and gaming houses for example.  If TV, DVDs etc are to continue to be available, there will be a huge purging of the godless things in them that pander to human lust. 

Jesus said, “The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin” [Matt. 13 v.41]. When the people of Israel entered the promised land initially they were full of zeal and destroyed cities like Jericho, but they failed to complete the work and so the warning of Moses we read today came true.  That which they “let remain shall be as barbs and thorns in your side and they shall trouble you” [v.55].

It is obvious, with Christ in control as the King of the world, this will not happen in his kingdom.  We need to make sure we develop a mindset now that will welcome and fully appreciate a cleansed earth. Pollution will be removed from the physical earth and also from the minds of the people.  Concerning the future Jerusalem God told Jeremiah, “I will bring to it health and healing … this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth” [Ch.33 v.6,9]  How wonderful to be there! 

Who did Jesus say the above words to – and why?   The detail of the discussions of Jesus in the Gospel of John make marvellous reading because they provoke us to think very deeply. This is a special benefit of the Apostle’s possession of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, for John later tells us that Jesus had said that the Spirit “will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” [14 v.26] 

In today’s chapter (5) Jesus encounters the Jews in the temple. They appeared, to some extent, to be seeking while at the same time their opposition to him was starting to build up.  Jesus reminds them of their attitude and interest in John the Baptist. “You sent to John … He was a burning and a shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for awhile in his light.” [v.33,35]   They were looking for the Messiah, “the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John” [Luke 3 v.15]   These Jews went for that reason, but they did not really know what they were looking for, they had read the Scriptures with one eye closed!  And does that not happen today!  Did they really believe in God?   Today, many still believe there is a God, but if you say, ‘Do you believe IN God?’ what do they say?  Many do not really know what you mean! 

Jesus words’ to these Jews provoke our thoughts on this most vital question, he tells them, “His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you”. [v.37,38] God’s word must “abide” – must come alive in our minds. Now the climax to the Master’s words! “I know that you do not have the love of God within you.” [v.42]  Their attitude proved this, Jesus had said, “you refuse to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive glory (honour) from people.” [v.41,42] See the meaning of that last comment? Their minds were centred on the here and now, human relationships and the potential for prestige; this is why the love of God was not within them.  Tragic really – and tragedy was to follow.  So we ask ourselves – is the love of God really within us? 

 Today, we have one of the best known verses in the Bible in our reading in John 3.  But sometimes verses which are well known can lose their power to influence our thinking.  It is verse 16 that is well known, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” 

We have sometimes deliberately misquoted this by leaving out the words, ‘not perish, but’ and those listening have usually struggled to think of what words we have omitted.  Jesus is saying what the alternative is – if we fail to believe. The ESV footnote suggests a slightly different way of translating this verse: “For this is how God loved the world …” See the point?  He “gave his only Son” to show his love – and the challenge to us is whether we will respond to his action in the sacrifice that Jesus made on the Cross. 

We all know that you show you believe in something by what you do, by the difference it makes to your life.  John goes on to write, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God,” he then adds, “and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest their deeds should be exposed.” [v.18-20]

The world today is overflowing with examples of this. We will read in Ch.8 that Jesus said, “whoever commits sin is a slave of sin” [v.34] and today the world is full of willing slaves.   Looking back at today’s chapter we see that Jesus also said, “He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way.” [v31]     There is no middle way – and why should there be!?  Let’s all make a greater effort to respond to the love of God in sending his Son into the world to light up the darkness, and realize more fully the ultimate meaninglessness of a life that lacks the eternal purpose that God offers to us.

The above is quoted from Proverbs 20 v.11. It then adds, “whether his conduct is pure and upright.”  It is saying that what we actually do – proves what we are really like – far more than by what we say.  It is known that we “teach” by example, which is why visual aids have become so much part of teaching.  Verse 7 tells us, “The righteous walks in his integrity – blessed are his children after him”.   They have been taught by example as well as words.

Another interesting proverb is “The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out” [v.5].  It causes us to ask – did we really think through our purpose in what we have done or are doing?  If we really are a person who considers our ways, a person who thinks carefully about all our intentions, then we will “draw it out” – like one who draws water from a well – but this takes time and effort.

Now ponder what verse 6 means.  “Many a man (person) proclaims his (or her) own steadfast love, but a faithful man (person) who can find?”  It is telling us that what we say, what we declare to be our motives, is sometimes not entirely correct; although it is not a real lie, because there is an element of truth in it.  How often do we say things “with reservation?”   

Sometimes statements are made, and agreement requested on some matter “without reservation.”    This reflects a sad state of affairs; it means we are acknowledging that so often we state our understanding or attitude about a matter, not fully meaning what we say.  This should not be so among those who believe they are or aim to be children of God, as Paul wrote, “we are children of God … then heirs – heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ provided … “ [Romans 8 v.16,17]  Look up the full quotation.  

Do fully faithful, truthful people exist?  “Even a child makes himself known by his acts ” – If we start when we are children aiming to do this, there is a good chance of us being that kind of person when we become adults.

 The 3^rd & 4^th chapters of Philippians contain many thoughts for deep spiritual meditation – if we will read them in the right frame of mind.  There are also a good number of verses in Proverbs (Ch.19) today which contain principles which are very valuable in helping us meet the challenges of life in today’s world.  They all link in with our need for “the peace of God” in a world which knows no peace.

We especially noted these Proverbs.  “Good sense makes one slow to anger and it is his (or her) glory to overlook an offense.” [v.11]  “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future” [v.20]  “Many are the plans in the mind of a man (or woman), but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” [v.21]  “reprove a man of understanding and he will gain knowledge” [v.25] “Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge” [v17], to which we can add, cease to read the Bible and you will be engulfed in worldly pursuits and ambitions – which while not necessarily bad – are simply an end in themselves.

Paul’s words are parallel to some of these but more embracing of eternity, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ … that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” [Ch. 3 v.8,11]   That “any means possible” must include “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” and which “will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” [Ch.4 v.7]  A component of that “peace” is rejoicing, but it is a spiritual rejoicing.  Paul stresses this, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice … the Lord is at hand, do not be anxious about anything.” [v.5,6]  Does that sound impossible?  So it is, but then again, we emphasize the words, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts”