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Show THE WORD, NO LAUGHING MATTER Deuteronomy 5: 1 _JYen i1 do some silly things, welt laugh) only many years later regret it training. When we forget or say something stupid, we think it is a laughing matter often at the expense of somebody else's pain. The shortcomings of others is no laughing matter. Lack of preparation for a job to be done or a career is no laughing matter. It has been nearly 40 years of wondering around, up and down the wilderness and Moses is still trying to make sure the people are ready to enter the promised land. They are not yet fully in tune with the rights and privileges of for lack of proper 1 laughing matter that they are still not ready. Many of us grow weary wondering how long does it take to get ready for the promises the land of promise. It is not of God? Like the children of Israel, wait and grow tired of waiting. It is almost like and wait.' we military practice, 'hurry up There are some things that we would do well to remember while we are waiting. Maybe God sees our faults and failures and is giving us time to get ready. Notice that "Moses called to all everybody got the word, that everybody could hear, that nobody is left without the good news of the kingdom. It is not just "some" of the people. He speaks to the young and Israel " ... He makes sure that 2 i) the old, the prosperous and the poor, the rural and the urban, the right and the wrong. No matter who they are, he calls Maybe one of the reason we keep on waiting is that some have not had opportunity to hear the call. Maybe out to them all. the Lord that we very soon tarries the Word. Some following even expect to so that all am was and might hear still in the are afar off. I when Jesus come soon distant, reminded that being crucified, one disciples followed in the distance. The younger prodigal son got in trouble of the when he went to the far country. So, here is Moses gathering up the people for kingdom business and preparing them to enter the promised land. Furthermore, Moses says the people 3 are to "Hear, 0 Israel, the statues and judgments which I speak to your ears this day." Listen, sisters and brothers, boys and girls, it is time to hear the Word of the Lord. We listen to almost everything else but the Word of God falls often of deaf ears. We listen to the that more and more seems to be news nothing but bad. We listen to the cries of politicians which resound with nothing of substance. We listen to the false religions gods only to trust in false hope. God has spokesmen declaring the unfailing and eternal Word and man-made of the Lord and we must listen to its proclamation. Can I remind you that everything else will one day fail? Isaiah 40: 8 says, "The grass withereth, the 4 flower fades: but the word of or God shall stand forever." to say and is today. Then, saying God has it for us something to hear Moses says the purpose of the Word of God is "that ye may learn them, and keep and do them." God wants us things with the speaks. First, we are to to do three Word that He LEARN the Word of the Lord. That is to say apply yourself to knowing what the Word of the Lord says. Read the word, think about the word, meditate the word. Be enlightened by the on Word. Assimilate the Word. Master the Word. Serve and finish your apprenticeship even if you have to bum the midnight oil. Learn the Word of the Lord until it drips 5 drops of honey from a honeycomb. Second, KEEP the word out like of the Lord. Don't let it drift away from you. Hold on to it. Make it your companion. Let it dwell in your head as well as your heart. Third, we are to DO the word of the Lord. Our feet constant ought to take us there. Our hands to handle the Word. John the ought Apostle picks it up and writes, "The word became flesh and dwelt among us." (1: 14) Paul writes to the Romans, "How the shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? (1 0: 14) Hear yet Hear yet The Word of the whom 6 Lord! Hear the Word-let it in. Learn the Word-become acquainted with what God is saying. Keep the Word-have the word in your heart. Do the Word-get where you hand and feet it down are. 7. |
