8/30/15 Do not add to or take away from...

Rembrandt painting via Wikimedia Commons

“You shall not add to the word which I command you, neither shall you take away from it, 

that you may keep the commandments of Yahweh 

your God which I command you. ”

- Deuteronomy 4:2 (WEB)

Intro: Psalm 15 & Deuteronomy 4:1-2

I. Sins of Commission - Do Not Add To...

10 Commandments → 613 total commands (http://www.jewfaq.org/613.htm)
     Aren't there enough commands without adding any?
     No one was able to keep all the true commands – except Jesus

There is a need to know what God has said!
     If you think you have come up with a great new law, then I am sure God has already thought of it and it is already in the Law!
     If God hasn't thought of it, then it probably isn't that great of an addition

Hear what Jesus said about this specific problem during His day – Matthew 23:1-4 (v.4)

"Moses seat" at the Chorazin synagogue. Bible.ca

II. Sins of Omission - Do Not Take Away From...

Jesus addresses this issue too – Matthew 23:23b-24 

     Notice this is the same chapter of Matthew as earlier
     This text comes from a passage of Matthew where Jesus strongly addresses issues

Which is harder? – not to add to or subtract from?

Ovoid Shaped Strainer. Terracotta, slip, Height: 5 1/2 in. (14 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 09.889.654. Creative Commons-BY

III. Our Mission - Keep The Commands... (Deuteronomy4:6-9)

If this feels like a familiar sermon → well, it should be familiar (see v.9)

     our task is to make sure this message is proclaimed over and over again!

“this will show your wisdom & understanding to the nations”!
     The nations will say what nation has – “gods near them” & “such righteous decrees & laws”
     They were unique! → so are we today!

Conclusion:

Hebrews7:17-22 
    if these truths were true in OT → how much more for NT (today)!