2. The Mighty, Rescuing God Deuteronomy 4: 25-40 p. 166

Great Deception Bernie Madoff, securities fraud 2008, $64.8bn. Other than Enron ($78bn), largest fraud in history. Humans are prone to deception C.S.Lewis, Mere Christianity, “No peace apart from God” Deuteronomy: Choose Life. Walking as God commands – radically different society

1. The Tragedy of False gods Idolatry inverts the order of creation: Right submission: God  Man  Creation Wrong submission: Creation  Man  God Thomas Merton: “Every man becomes the image of the God he adores” Goes hand-in-hand with doing evil (v 25)

1. The Tragedy of False gods … Moses warns of the consequences (v 26-28): You will utterly perish You will not live long … be utterly destroyed Scattered among the people … few in number Serve gods of wood and stone.

1. The Tragedy of False gods … Brutal Irony: Worship idols for blessing, security, prosperity … … receive the opposite. Worship gods who cannot help, comfort, rescue C.S. Lewis “Mere Christianity” “God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from himself because it is not there.”

2. Joy of the True God Give up hope in anything else – find God (v 29) When they seek God with all their heart & soul Yhwh is merciful – not leave, forget, destroy (v 31) Moses points to the story they have just lived Did any people hear the voice of God? Has any God ever taken a people for himself?

2. Joy of the True God … The God who calls them to a new life … … is the God they have just seen work Because he “loved” and “chose” (v 37) The true God is nothing like we would expect

3. The LORD (YHWH) is God The reason for what God did: Know YHWH is God. There is no other (v 35, 39) But humans are easily deceived: Modern day idols: Work … success … “Phones” … Image … materialism … sex … money

3. The LORD (YHWH) is God … Ed Stetzer: “the most common sin in all of scripture … idolatry” Problem in Israel – did not worship YHWH alone. Wanted to hedge their bets Also our problem – Francis Chan: Imitate fall every time we choose our desires over God’s

False gods bring tragedy 3. The LORD (YHWH) is God … God acted in history that the people would know YHWH is God, there is no other. Moses’ exhortation: Keep your soul diligently (v 9) False gods bring tragedy The true God brings Joy

– Living It – The Mighty, Rescuing God Has there ever been such a great rescue in history? “YES” God acted in power to establish a people (v 34)

– Living It – The Mighty, Rescuing God To establish a people from all nations … God acted in humble sacrifice Col. 1:13-14 “he delivered us from domain of darkness” Remember: This is the only God. There is no other.