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“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.” DEUTERONOMY 5:6-7 The Ten Commandments lay out what loving God and loving your neighbour looks like (5:6-21). The first four commandments tell us what it means to love God: You shall have no other gods before me (5:7) You shall not make an idol (5:8-10) You shall not take the Lord’s name in vain (5:11) Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy (5:12-15) The last six commandments spell out what it means to love your neighbour: Honor your father and mother (5:16) You shall not murder (5:17) You shall not commit adultery (5:18) You shall not steal (5:19) You shall not bear false witness (5:20) You shall not covet what God has given to your neighbour (5:21) Martin Luther said that the entire book of Deuteronomy is an exposition of the Ten Commandments: Chapters 6-18 apply the first four commandments, explaining what it means for God’s people to love him. Chapters 19-26 apply the last six, explaining what it means to love your neighbour as yourself. Chapters 27-34 set out the blessings of obedience to these commands, and the curses of disobedience. You could say that the entire book of Deuteronomy is an exposition of love. God is love, and those who are His people are called to a life of love. The commandments tell us what this love looks like. That is why love is the fulfilment of the law (see Rom. 13:10). If you love God with all your heart and you love your neighbour as yourself, you will have done all that God commands you. How does this change your view of the commandments? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” DEUTERONOMY 6:4-5 One of the best-known passages in the Old Testament says: love God “with all your heart” (6:5) and keep His commands “on your heart” (6:6). We are talking about a personal, spiritual relationship with Almighty God, formed by faith and characterised by love. The Gospels tell us about an occasion when a teacher of the law asked Jesus, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” (Mark 12:28). Now that’s a good question. Of everything that God has said, what matters most? What is it that God really wants of me? Jesus answered: “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31). Then Jesus said, “On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 22:40). Everything that God says to you, all that He calls you to do, can be summed up in these two things: Love God with all your heart. Love your neighbour as yourself. Are these the most important concerns in your life today? If not, what is? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“I stood between the LORD and you at that time.” DEUTERONOMY 5:5 Here is an easily overlooked reason to cultivate the fear of the Lord. Fearing the Lord will lead you to seek a mediator. When God came near on Mount Sinai to give the Ten Commandments, the people cried out, “This great fire will consume us. If we hear the voice of the LORD our God anymore, we shall die” (5:25). So the people said to Moses, “Go near and hear all that the LORD our God will say, and speak to us all that the LORD our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it” (5:27). Then Moses said, “The LORD said to me, ‘I have heard the words of this people, which they have spoken to you. They are right in all that they have spoken’” (5:28). It was a good thing that they saw their need of a mediator. When you see the fire on the mountain, when you see the awesome holiness of God, when you see that “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:31) and that “our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29), you will want to find a mediator too. The fear of the Lord drives us to Jesus Christ. God has provided a better mediator than Moses. Moses went up into the presence of God; Jesus Christ has come down to us. We have a better place than Mount Sinai to learn the fear that love brings. When Jesus went to the cross, the fire of God’s judgment on human sin was poured out on Him. He went into the fire for us. He entered our hell on the cross. img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-146085 aligncenter" src="https://www.openthebible.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/black-O-e1697725247321.png" alt="" width="61" height="59" /> Have you felt the need for a mediator between yourself and God? What role has the fear of the Lord played in your faith? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

Here are three more things that will motivate you to cultivate a proper fear of the Lord. Fearing the Lord will elevate your worship. “Therefore, let us be grateful…and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe” (Heb. 12:28). When the fear of the Lord is lost, worship is trivialised and adoration is replaced by entertainment. But when people become gripped with a massive vision of the glory of God, and when God’s people can say, “We have seen the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,” worship is lifted and God’s people come before Him with reverence and awe. Fearing the Lord will make you more like Jesus. “The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him… the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD” (Isa. 11:2-3). These words describe how Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of the fear of the Lord. To be filled with the Spirit is to delight in the fear of the Lord. That’s how it was with Jesus. Professor John Murray says, “The fear of God is the soul of godliness.” When we fear the Lord, we become more like Jesus. Fearing the Lord will deliver you from other fears. “Blessed is the man who fears the LORD… he will not be afraid” (Psa. 112:1, 8). Knowing this God and seeing that He is for you, strengthens you to face all other fears. Think about a time when the fear of the Lord made a difference in your life. Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

How can we cultivate the right kind of fear? Here are three things that will motivate you: Fearing the Lord will give you wisdom. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psa. 111:10). When God carries weight in your life, you will be on the path of wise decisions. How does God view what I am doing and saying? Without this fear, you will make the wrong decisions, and choose the wrong paths. Fearing the Lord will keep you from sin. “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin” (Ex. 20:20). Driving a car without good brakes is a disaster waiting to happen. The fear of the Lord is a brake against sin. It holds you back. You feel an impulse to sin, but you say, “How can I do this when God is watching?” The more you know of the fear of the Lord, the stronger your defence against sin will be. Fearing the Lord will motivate you in evangelism. “Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others” (2 Cor. 5:11). Since we have felt the weight of the judgment that is to come, we seek to persuade others. Paul says later on that the love of Christ “compels us” (2 Cor. 5:14, NIV), but here he starts with fear. A church that ceases to believe in hell may do a great deal of good in humanitarian and social action. But it will not evangelise. It is those who have learned the fear of the Lord who will be compelled to declare His glory. Which of these motivates you the most? Why? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

With you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. PSALM 130:4 We usually think of fear and love as alternatives. Where there is fear, there is no love; where there is love, there is no fear. But love and the right kind of fear are inseparable companions. Fear is like cholesterol. There is a bad kind, and if it goes up, your health will get worse. But there’s also a good kind, and if it goes up, your health gets better. So, we want to cultivate the right kind of fear. We want less of the bad kind and more of the good kind. If the only kind of fear was the bad kind, then Psalm 130:4 would say, “With you there is forgiveness, so that you may not be feared.” That is, since you are a God who forgives, we don’t need to fear you anymore. We could forget about fear and focus on love. But that is not what the psalmist says. He says precisely the opposite: “With you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” So, there is a kind of fear to which you are introduced when you are forgiven. Forgiveness is a massive gift of love that brings you into the right kind of fear. This is what the Bible means by the fear of the Lord. John Bunyan says, “Godly fear… flows from a sense of the love and kindness of God to the soul.” This is not a fear that we grow out of; it is a fear we grow into. We are to fear God as we love Him, and we are to love God as we fear Him. What do you know of this fear that comes from the forgiveness and love of God? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. 1 JOHN 4:18 We know that perfect love casts out fear, but what is the kind of fear that love casts out? The fear that keeps you hiding from God. When Adam sinned, he hid from God. He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid… and I hid myself” (Gen. 3:10). The fear that kept Adam from God was better than not fearing God at all. It was far better for Adam to hide from God than to walk around the garden as if nothing were wrong. At least he knew that his sin was a problem. It is better to have a sense of shame over an evil you have done than to be shameless. But when God came into the garden, His love overwhelmed this fear as He reached out to Adam in grace. The fear that keeps you from serving God. We see this in the parable of the talents (see Matt. 25:14-30). The lazy servant dug a hole and hid his master’s money in the ground, and when the master came back, the servant said, “I knew you to be a hard man… so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground” (25:24-25). It is better to bury the money than to spend it on riotous living like the prodigal son. But when you know that your Master loves you, you can do much better than burying His talent in the ground. What fears are keeping you from fully enjoying and serving God? Have you considered the possibility that God’s love can remove those fears? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!” DEUTERONOMY 5:29The fear of the Lord is better described than defined, and there may be no better place to begin than in Deuteronomy 5.This chapter begins with Moses recalling how he had given the Ten Commandments to the people of God. The whole event was terrifying. Try to imagine it—darkness, the blast of trumpets, the sound of a voice (God’s) so amplified that you could hardly bear to hear it. But overwhelming all of that was a massive blaze of fire that descended on the mountain.The fear of the Lord was pressed in on Moses and the people of God that day, and Moses described the scene again in Deuteronomy 5, because he wanted those of us who weren’t there to see and feel the holy fire of the presence of God.When the fire of God came down on Sinai, God’s people caught a glimpse of the day of judgment. The Judge of all the earth came down, and they saw His holy fire. They were in awe, and they were able to say, “Look at who saved us, and look at what we have been saved from.”But God knew how quickly this impression would wear off, so He said, “Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments” (5:29). That was the Word of God to these people, and it is His Word to us today. Have you felt the fear of the Lord and the weight of what He has saved you from?Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life.” DEUTERONOMY 4:9Repentance and faith are not only what unbelievers do to become Christians. Repentance and faith are what believers do to live the Christian life.God calls us to a life of repentance and faith—that is, a life in which we sustain an ongoing struggle against what is in us by nature, by laying hold of what Christ has for us by grace.In order to live the Christian life, we need to be realistic about what is in us by nature. By nature, we are rebels who treat God’s kindness with contempt, blame others for our problems, resist God’s Word, and refuse to believe. So, every day we have a fight on our hands.In order to live the Christian life, we need to lay hold of all that Jesus is for us. The Son of God loves us. He gave Himself for us. He reigns in heaven, and nothing happens to us except what has first come through His loving hand.It is possible to be a Christian atheist: A person who believes in God, but lives and acts as if He does not exist. The people who came out of Egypt received God’s promises, experienced His provision, and carried His name. But they lived, thought, and acted in unbelief. It is one thing to profess faith—to say you believe—and another to speak and act and live with faith. Are you realistic about what is in you by nature? Are you laying hold of all that Jesus is for us?Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“Not with our fathers did the LORD make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive today.” DEUTERONOMY 5:3As a new generation stood on the verge of crossing the river Jordan, which way would they go? Would they follow what was in them by nature, or would they receive what was theirs by grace?You need to know that your life is being shaped by two great events that happened before you were even born. What’s in you by nature goes all the way back to the garden of Eden. What can be in you by grace goes all the way back to the cross of Christ.Owning what is ours by nature is what the Bible calls repentance. We need to own what is in us by nature. We need to be clear about what we are up against in living the Christian life. “Lord, by nature I am a rebel who treats your kindness with contempt, blames others, resists your Word, refuses to believe, and deserves Your righteous judgment.” Owning what is in you by nature is where repentance begins, and that is how it continues.Owning what is ours by grace is what the Bible calls faith. You need to own what is yours by grace. You need to know who you are in Christ. You need to be clear about what this Saviour has done for you. By grace, God has made a covenant for you. He has sent His Son to redeem you. He gives His Spirit to empower you. Faith says, “This is mine.”Repentance begins when you own what is yours by nature. Faith begins when you own what is yours by grace. Are you following what is in you by nature? Or are you receiving what is yours by grace? Which way will you go?Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“The LORD our God made a covenant with us...” DEUTERONOMY 5:2What hope did the people have of getting into the Promised Land? And what hope is there for us? Where can we find the power for a fresh start?In Deuteronomy 5, we see something wonderfully strange: “Moses summoned all Israel and said to them… ‘The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb’” (5:1-2). Now the people were probably thinking, “Moses, don’t you remember? Most of us weren’t even born, and the rest of us were just little children!”Moses would have said, “I know. But I’m telling you, God made a covenant with us!” Then Moses declared this amazing truth: “Not with our fathers did the LORD make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive today” (5:3).What is true for these people is also true for us! God made a covenant of grace before we were born and it is for us. The covenant is that He will redeem sinners like us for Himself through His Son. This covenant is not written on tablets of stone; it is sealed in the blood of Jesus Christ.There was a man hanging on a cross and He is the Son of God. His body was torn. His blood was poured out. And He said, “My body is given for you. A new covenant is sealed in my blood, which is poured out for the forgiveness of your sins.” The power for a fresh start is found in the covenant God has made with us. Do you see how God has provided a fresh start for you, before you were born, in the new covenant of His Son?Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

Then you answered me, ‘We have sinned against the LORD. We ourselves will go up and fight, just as the LORD our God commanded us.’ And every one of you fastened on his weapons of war and thought it easy to go up into the hill country. DEUTERONOMY 1:41God told His people to go into the land of Canaan, but they were afraid and refused to go. Then, once the people of God realised that they had messed up, they decided to try and put it right. They would fix their disobedience, with a new effort to obey God.But God warned them, “Don’t go up, because I will not be with you. You will be defeated by your enemies.” Yet they insisted on going up in their own strength, and they were completely defeated (1:41-46).You may realise that you are totally messed up. “Yes, I see it. I am a rebel against God. I treat God with contempt. I blame others for what’s wrong in my life. I resist the truth. I refuse to believe. I am under the wrath of God. What hope is there for me?” So perhaps you decide to turn over a new leaf and try to put things right in your own strength.But turning over a new leaf won’t work, because turning over a new leaf doesn’t change you. Becoming religious won’t alter what’s in you. Trying harder is never the answer. All that happens, when you turn over a new leaf, is that what’s in you gets written on a new page. Can you think of a time when you messed up and then tried to “fix it” by trying harder?Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

You would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. DEUTERONOMY 1:26Our sinful impulses affect not only how we relate to God but how we relate to circumstances, God’s truth, and our human condition.By nature, we resist the truth: Moses said to the people, “Do not be in dread or afraid of them. The LORD your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness…” (1:29-31)Moses is pleading with the people. But they are afraid. The life-giving Word of God doesn’t go in. It makes no difference. By nature, we are always seeing but never perceiving, always hearing but never understanding (see Mark 4:12).By nature, we refuse to believe: “In spite of this word you did not believe the LORD your God” (Dt. 1:32). God was beside these people in the pillar of cloud and fire, and yet still they would not trust Him. They refused to believe (see Num. 14:11).By nature, we are suspicious of God. We hold back. We do not trust Him. None of us are neutral when it comes to faith. By nature, we are antagonistic toward God, unwilling to believe.By nature, we are under the wrath of God: “The LORD heard your words and was angered, and he swore, ‘Not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land that I swore to give to your fathers’” (Dt. 1:34-35). By nature, we are alienated from God and under His wrath. Heaven is not for us. We have no basis on which to enter the good land He has promised.This is the human condition. By nature, this is our condition. This is who we are. This is what sin has done to us. This is what we need saving from. Where have you been giving into fear? Are you quietly suspicious or antagonistic toward God?Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

Not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land that I swore to give your fathers. DEUTERONOMY 1:35What was in the nature of the parents was also in the children. And what was in these people is also in us.By nature, we rebel against God: “Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God” (1:26). Our corruption goes deeper than a few sins and mistakes. By nature, we resent God. We resist His authority over our lives. By nature, we want to assert our independence from God. We want to be our own saviour and our own lord.By nature, we treat God with contempt: “You murmured in your tents and said, ‘Because the LORD hated us he has brought us out of the land of Egypt…’” (1:27). Deliverance from Egypt was the extraordinary miracle of grace in the Old Testament, but sin made the people so twisted that they saw God’s miraculous deliverance as a plot that God was working against them.This same impulse is in us. By nature, we hold back praise for God’s goodness and blame him for evil instead. By nature, we say, “Here I am in a desert, and it’s all God’s fault.” By nature, we insult God and treat the goodness of God with contempt.By nature, we blame others: “Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying, ‘The people are greater and taller than we’” (1:28). When the spies came back, ten of them said that it would be too difficult to conquer the land. Here the people blame the spies. “It’s all their fault.”By nature, we blame others for all our problems. What’s wrong is always somebody else’s fault. By nature, we see a two-by-four in every other eye, and not even a speck of sawdust in our own. Where have you seen your own impulse to resist God’s authority, treat God with contempt, or blame others?Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God.” DEUTERONOMY 1:26Every adult who came out of Egypt in the exodus eventually died in the desert. None of them entered the Promised Land. So, everyone who entered the Promised Land was under 40 years old and had been born in the desert. This was a young nation with no one over age 60 except for Moses, Caleb, and Joshua.So when Moses says, “The LORD our God said to us in Horeb, ‘You have stayed long enough at this mountain’” (1:6), he is talking about something that happened 40 years ago when most of the people weren’t even born and many of the rest were too young to remember.Notice what Moses says, “You would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD” (1:26). “You murmured in your tents and said, ‘Because the LORD hated us’” (1:27). “You did not believe the LORD your God” (1:26, 27, 32). Why is Moses saying these things to them?If you had been in the crowd that day, you might have raised your hand and said, “Excuse me, Moses. Why are you saying this to us? This wasn’t our fault. It was our parents’ fault!”Is Moses blaming the children for the sins of their parents? No! His message is simple: What was in your parents is also in you. You will face the same temptations and the same struggles they did. What defeated them, you must overcome. What are some temptations, struggles, and defeats from your family’s past that you must learn from and overcome?Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“The LORD our God said to us in Horeb, ‘You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Turn and take your journey, and go…’” DEUTERONOMY 1:6-7To move from being a person with a faith to a person with a mission, you must also break free from your fear of the future.God was calling these people to do something that none of them had ever done before. Moses told them that they were going to live in houses. How do you do that when the only thing you have ever known is sleeping in a tent? Moses told them that they were going to plant crops and raise harvests. How do you do that when the only thing you have ever known is gathering manna that comes from heaven? God was leading them to a place that they had never been and to a life they had never known. New experiences always bring new fears.God’s people were facing two challenges: Can we break free from the past, or will it always shape us? Can we overcome our fear of the future, or will it always hold us back?Moses spoke to the people about the call of God— because when God calls you He gives you the power to break free from the defining power of the past. And Moses spoke to them about the love of God—because it is the love of God that empowers you to overcome your fear of the future. The people heard the call of God, they experienced the love of God, and 70 days later they moved into the Promised Land. What fears about the future may be holding you back from being a person with a mission?Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses spoke to the people of Israel according to all that the LORD had given him in commandment to them. DEUTERONOMY 1:3The generation that died in the desert believed in God. They had experienced God in the miracle of the exodus, but they acted in unbelief. Warren Wiersbe said, “Unbelief wastes time.” Forty years were lost through fear and unbelief.So, the great question in Deuteronomy is: How can people with a faith become people with a mission? How can you move from being a person with a faith to a person with a mission?Think about the people listening to Moses less than 100 days from entering into the land of Canaan. They were all born in the desert. They didn’t know anything else.Now imagine you are one of them. God has been good to you. He has provided manna every day. You believe in Him. You are grateful for all He has done for you. But your whole life has been shaped by the instincts and choices of your parents. They were believers, but they were so cautious, so afraid of risk, and that has become defining for you.So, the only faith you have ever experienced is a faith that leaves you wandering around, experiencing God’s provision, but not doing anything to advance His purpose in the world. You’re a believer, but your life has no defining mission. If your life is going to count for God, you need to break free from being defined by your past. Is there anything from your past that might be holding you back from the mission that God is calling you to pursue?Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“Now rise up and go over the brook Zered.” So we went over the brook Zered. And the time from our leaving Kadesh-barnea until we crossed the brook Zered was thirty-eight years, until the entire generation, that is, the men of war, had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them. DEUTERONOMY 2:13-14After 38 years in the wilderness, the last of the fighting men of that generation died, and God finally told Moses to move forward. That brought God’s people right to the threshold of the Promised Land, ready to cross the Jordan River. So they set up camp there, and Moses spoke to them for the last time. Deuteronomy records what God taught His people during the final 70-day countdown to entering the Promised Land.It took 40 years for the people to get to the Promised Land. Now God was preparing this new generation for the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead. Moses began with a flashback: “Let me take you back before any of you were born. We were at Horeb, and God called us to move forward. If your parents had believed God, you would have been born in Canaan. But fear took over, and so you were born in the desert and that’s all you have ever known. Now God is calling you! It’s your moment of opportunity. It’s your moment of destiny.”This is a story about God’s people facing a major transition. This book is God’s Word for people on the threshold of an entirely new experience, believers on the cusp of something new. God is bringing new opportunities, new challenges, and new blessings. You need to be ready. Are you facing a major transition? Do you feel that you’re ready? Why or why not?Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“Go in and take possession of the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to them and to their offspring after them.” DEUTERONOMY 1:8God had given the Promised Land to Abraham and his descendants. However, three generations later (Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph), there was a famine in the land, and the family to whom God had given His great promises left for Egypt, where they eventually became slaves.That dark era of oppression lasted 400 years. Then the people called out to God, and He raised up Moses, who led the people out of Egypt in the exodus. God then made a covenant with them at Mount Sinai, in which He would be their God and they would be His people.In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses recounted what happened next when God’s people went to Mount Sinai, where God gave them the Ten Commandments: “The LORD our God said to us in Horeb, ‘You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Turn and take your journey, and go… See, I have set the land before you. Go in and take possession of the land…’” (1:6-8).God organised the people and when it was time for them to move forward, they appointed leaders and sent out spies to survey the land (1:9-25). But then fear set in, and the people were unwilling to go up, grumbling against the Lord and losing heart (1:26-28).God said about that generation: “Not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land that I swore to give to your fathers” (1:35; see also Num. 14:23). So the people wandered in the desert for an entire generation. They could not go back to Egypt. They could not go forward into the Promised Land. They were stuck—a believing people going nowhere. Have you ever found yourself feeling stuck?Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness...DEUTERONOMY 1:1Deuteronomy is especially for three groups of people.Deuteronomy is for those trusted with leadership.When he sits on the throne… he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law… he shall read in it all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law (17:18, 19).This is a book for everyone who leads. It is for fathers, mothers, elders, pastors, and missionaries. If you are going to lead others, you need to know this book.Deuteronomy is for all God’s people.You shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones… that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law. (31:10, 11, 12).This book is about God’s will for the lives of His people. Children need to hear what is in this book. It is for families. It is for the whole church.Deuteronomy is for people who have forgotten the Lord.More than 800 years after Moses spoke these words, God used this book to ignite an extraordinary change in Israel. God’s people went through some dark times under kings who did great evil. For example, during Manasseh’s 55- year reign this book was completely forgotten. The result was a generation that did not know the Lord and could not tell good from evil or truth from error.When Josiah came to the throne, the high priest found a copy of Deuteronomy in the temple and read it to him. Josiah tore his robes, gave himself to prayer, and launched a reformation that changed the nation. God has used this book powerfully in the past, and He may well use it in your life. Do you think this book is for you? Why or why not?Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” JOHN 8:12 If you follow Jesus, you will never be in total darkness. He may lead you through some dark places, but the darkness will never be all-consuming. One day He will lead you through the darkest valley, the valley of the shadow of death. But even there, He will walk with you. His light will shine in the darkness, and the darkness will not overcome it. Follow Jesus, and you will be able to say with David, “The LORD is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear?” (Psa. 27:1). What does the future hold? None of us knows. Might you face serious illness? That is possible. But if you do, you will have the light of life. Could your children face some great trial or trauma? That is possible. But if they do, they will have the light of life. Could our whole world descend into chaos? That is possible. But if it does, we will have the light of life. If you are facing a time of great darkness, hear what Jesus says to you, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Perhaps you are in a dark place right now. What can you do to move nearer to the Light? What should you avoid doing so that you do not move away from the Light? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

The sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. MALACHI 4:2 Starlight is the witness of God’s people in a Christ- rejecting world. But, one day, we will see the full light of the sun. A glorious day is coming. The Lord Jesus Christ will return in power and glory, and when He comes again, the whole world will be flooded with light. The dead will be raised. All that has been hidden in darkness will be exposed (1 Cor. 4:5). There will be a new heaven and a new earth, and God’s people will enter the full joy of their inheritance: And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. (Rev. 22:5) We will live in the light of the presence of the Lord forever. Malachi says that day will be like the sunrise on a glorious new morning. “The sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings” (Mal. 4:2). The Old Testament era was like moonlight. The three years of our Lord’s public ministry were like a floodlight. Today, we are living in the era of starlight. But that is not the end of the story. A new day is coming when Christ will return in power and glory. Knowing that the era of “sunlight” is coming—bringing full healing, restoration, joy, and love along with it—how does that help you to live for Jesus Christ today? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as [stars] in the world, holding fast to the word of life. PHILIPPIANS 2:14-16 Jesus said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). He also said to His disciples, “You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14). And here in Philippians 2, we are told that Christian believers who hold fast to the word of life shine like lights (or stars) in the world. How will the light of Christ be seen in the world today? It will be seen through believers who hold fast to the truth. The New Testament is full of this theme: In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matt. 5:16) For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. (Eph. 5:8) This is our calling. We must be done with the deeds of darkness because we belong to the light. God’s plan is that people will see the light of Christ through His people. And God has placed His people in every dark corner of the world to shine as stars. Where is your dark corner? Are you shining? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

Jesus spoke to them, saying,“I am the light of the world.” JOHN 8:12 The Old Testament era can be described as moonlight. But then Jesus came into the world, and the three years of our Lord’s public ministry can be described differently. Jesus was in the temple when He said, “I am the light of the world” (8:20). This took place either during or immediately after the Feast of Tabernacles. During the feast, four large lamps were lit in the temple courts. The whole area was bathed in light. D. A. Carson writes, “Men… danced through the night, holding burning torches in their hands and singing songs of praise. Some sources attest that this went on every night of the Feast of Tabernacles with the light from the temple area shedding its glow all over Jerusalem.” This was more than the light of the moon. Today we would call these “floodlights.” People came to the temple to see these lights, much like people today would enjoy looking at Christmas lights. The lights were lit at the beginning of the feast and were put out at the end. The people went home in darkness, aided only by the light of the moon. It seems likely that one evening during the feast, after the lights went out, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (8:12). The coming of Jesus Christ was like a great burst of light in this dark world. In His light, the blind received their sight, the deaf came to hear, lepers were cleansed, and the dead were raised to life (Matt. 11:5). “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6). How has Jesus helped you see yourself better? How has He helped you see God better? How has He helped you see the world around you (including other people) better? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” JOHN 12:46 This is our sixth statement from Jesus about why He came into the world. The entire human story can be described in four stages, and in each of them, the light of Jesus shines in a different way. The Old Testament era, from creation to the birth of Jesus, could be described as moonlight. The moon does not have its own light, but during the night, the moon reflects the light of the sun. Jesus cannot be seen directly in the Old Testament, but He is there all the way through, like the light of the sun reflected by the moon. That is why Jesus said, “The Scriptures… bear witness about me” (John 5:39). B. B. Warfield said, “The Old Testament can be compared to a room fully furnished but dimly lit; the introduction of light brings into it nothing that was not there before; but it brings out into clear view much of what was in it but was only dimly perceived before.” The law shows us why we need Jesus, the sacrifices show what we need Him to do, and the promises show what He would accomplish when He came. Can you think of a place in the Old Testament where you can see the moonlight of Jesus? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be open to you.” MATTTHEW 7:7 How are you going to live with the losses, difficulties, and disappointments of your life? Jesus came that you may have life—and have it abundantly. He came so that you would have all you need for all that you face in every season and circumstance of your life. Do not be satisfied with a small measure of life—a little faith, a little peace, a little joy. Jesus Christ has more to give than any of us has received. How do you get more? You get more in the same way you got what you have in the first place—by coming to Jesus. Jesus desires for you to ask Him and seek Him, so that you might receive from Him. Think again about the picture of Jesus knocking at the door of your life. This person, who is knocking on the door of your life, knows you. He may seem like a stranger, but if you invite Him in, you will find that He knows everything about you. He knows who stole your joy, peace, love, or faith. He knows the full extent of what has been taken. The person knocking on the door of your life is not a thief. He says, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). He has more to give than you will ever be able to receive in this life. Jesus loves you and He gave Himself for you. He has life in Himself, and He is able to give you life, because He laid down His life for you. When you see who it is that knocks on the door of your life, and what He can give, you will freely and gladly open the door and welcome Him in. Can you hear Jesus knocking on the door of your life today? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” JOHN 10:10 Some people have twisted these words to mean: “Jesus came so that you can have everything your heart desires— health, wealth, and happiness.” But that is a complete misunderstanding of this verse. All believers experience trouble and loss. Jesus said that if we follow Him, we must be ready to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily. So, what does an abundant Christian life look like? Here are seven things Jesus possesses and is ready to give you: 1. More peace. Jesus came to give us peace. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you” (John 14:27). And He can give us more peace than any of us has yet received. 2. More love. No one can measure the breadth, length, depth, or height of the love of Christ (Eph. 3:18-19). Jesus has more love to give than any of us has yet experienced. 3. More joy. Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11). Jesus can give us more joy than anyone has yet felt. 4. More faith. Jesus is “the founder and perfecter” of our faith (Heb. 12:2). He brings it into being, and He brings it to maturity. Jesus can give more faith than any of us has yet exercised. 5. More repentance. “The grace of God has appeared… training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions” (Titus 2:11-12). Jesus can give deeper repentance than anyone has known. 6.More strength. When Paul was struggling under a heavy burden, God said to him: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). Jesus can give more strength than any of us has yet enjoyed. 7.More hope. “‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him’” (Lam. 3:24). Jesus can give us the hope that we need. How does this compare to your expectations? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“I came that they may have life.” JOHN 10:10 You may read these words of Jesus and think, “I already have a good life. I’m content and happy. I don’t need Jesus.” Yes, but your life is on loan from God, and what has been given to you can be taken away from you. For Jesus it is different. The apostle John made this remarkable statement about Him: “In him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). Life is in Jesus. He holds it as His own possession: “For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself” (John 5:26). Life is in Jesus, and no one can take it from Him. He gives this life to whoever He wants to (John 5:21). In the Old Testament, God made Himself known to Moses through a burning bush: “The angel of the LORD appeared to [Moses] in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed” (Ex. 3:2). A fire burns so long as there is fuel. Throw on more wood, and the fire will keep burning. It depends on the wood for its fuel, and when the wood is consumed, the fire will go out. But Moses saw a fire that was self-sustaining. It burned, but it did not consume the bush, because it did not depend on the bush for fuel. In revealing Himself like this to Moses, God was telling us that He has life in Himself. No one gives it to Him; and no one can take it from Him. If your life is loaned to you by God, then can you ever really say that you do not need Him? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” JOHN 10:10 A thief will do whatever is necessary in order to get what he wants. A thief will take away what is yours and leave you with less than you had before. Perhaps your faith, hope, and love, which once seemed to burn brightly, are now like a flickering candle. Water has been poured on the flame of your joy, and you find yourself saying, “Something within me has died.” Here is a question that you can ask yourself (or another person): “Who stole what you had?” The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. So, “Who took what you had and destroyed it?” How do you deal with thieves? Jesus said, “All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them” (John 10:8). If you listen to thieves, they will take away everything of value. They will steal, kill, and destroy. If you have been robbed of faith, hope, and love, you will likely find that, somewhere along the way, you have been listening to the voice of a thief. And your recovery will begin when you listen to a different voice. The first step in recovering what you have lost is to listen to the voice of Jesus. And the first thing He says is that you must learn to recognise the voices of thieves. You might be able to say to someone you love, “I remember when you had great joy in serving the Lord. There seemed to be a bright flame of faith burning in you. But someone has taken that away from you. Who was it?” Or as Scripture says, “You were running well. Who hindered you?” (Gal. 5:7). Do you need to ask yourself this question? Or is there someone in your life you could ask? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” JOHN 10:10 This is our fifth statement from Jesus about why He came into the world. Jesus Christ is not a thief. He did not come into the world to steal from you. He came into the world to give something to you. He did not come into the world so that you would have less. He came into the world so that you would have more. Picture your life as a house. Jesus is outside, knocking on the door. He says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). Imagine you are sitting in your living room and there is a knock at the door. You are not expecting visitors, so you pull back the curtains and peek through the window to see who is outside. What you see will determine whether you open the door. You would never let a thief into your house. So, if you fear that Jesus may be a thief, if you think that your life will be less if you let Him in, then the door of your life will be locked and bolted to keep Him out. There are many people who see Jesus as a thief: “If I let him in, He will take away my freedom to do what I want to do. He will forbid what I enjoy. So, there is no way that I am ever going to open the door of my life to Him.” But if you were to see and believe that Jesus came to give you life, you would have a different response. When He knocks on the door, you would pull back the bolt, remove the chain on the latch, open the door, and gladly let Him in. Jesus said, “I came that they may have life.” Do you believe this? Will you open the door of your heart to Jesus? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“Everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life.” JOHN 6:40 Suppose this world was ruled by a dark power, and the planet was under the control of an enemy who sought your destruction. Further, suppose this enemy sent his evil son into the world to get his will done. There would be no Christmas. How could we celebrate the birth of the one who came to destroy us? Instead of four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John— sounding out the good news, you would have four alarm bells, sounding out the bad news. Instead of, “I have come down from heaven to do the will of him who sent me,” you would hear, “I have come up from hell, to do the will of him who sent me.” However dark this world seems, it is not ruled by some dark power. God, in His abundant goodness, offers eternal life to every person. Jesus did not come into the world to condemn it, but to save it. Why would you run away from a Saviour like this? Why would you stand at a distance from Him? If you come to Him, He will never cast you out. Come to Him and believe in Him. Receive from Him the eternal life that He offers to you. Your hope is not based on your feeble hold on Christ, but on His sure grip on you. C. H. Spurgeon preached, “Never fear that there is anything in the secret purposes of God which can contradict the open promises of God.” The will of the Father for all who believe is eternal life. This means resurrection. You will be completely redeemed and no part of you will be lost. Will you take God at His Word today? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life.” JOHN 6:40 Some people are strong-willed. Perhaps you are driven, determined, and persistent. Once you get hold of something, you won’t let go. But how strong is the will of Almighty God? When God determines to do something, nothing in heaven or on earth—or hell—can stop Him. Jesus is telling us what God has determined to do. God has the gift of eternal life, and He wants you to receive it. Eternal life is more than life that never ends. Sinners in hell have an unending existence, and the length of it will be a burden rather than a blessing. Everlasting life is only a blessing if its quality can match its quantity. “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). Eternal life will be forever blessed, because it will be a life in the presence of God. You will know and enjoy the God who made you and the Saviour who redeemed you. The quality of your life in the presence of God will match its quantity. God offers you eternal life, but there is something for you to do. You must look on Jesus and believe in Him. The first statement is explained by the second. To look on the Son simply means to believe in Him. It is to trust who He is, what He has done, and what He has promised to do. Look to Jesus and receive what He has promised to do for you. The Father’s will is that everyone who believes in Jesus will have eternal life. You may have wandered away for years, sinned in a very dark and twisted way, or followed another religion. Listen, it is the will of the Father that everyone who believes in the Son should have eternal life. Are you included in “everyone”? If not, what is holding you back? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“This is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.” JOHN 6:39 In John 17:12, Jesus said that none of His people will be lost. But here in John 6, Jesus says that no part of you will be lost. What does that mean? Jesus is referring to the resurrection body. This is made clear when Jesus says that He will “raise it up on the last day.” When the moment of death comes, the soul is separated from the body. The body will be laid to rest, and over time it will decay. God said, “For you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Gen. 3:19). However, this is not the end of the body. When Jesus said that He would “lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day,” He was saying, “Not only will I save each one of you, but I will redeem each part of you. I will not lose your soul or your body. I will lose nothing of all that He has given to me.” Over time, your body declines: your eyes need stronger glasses, your hearing needs some assistance, your aches and pains increase, and your mind gets slower. You experience a sense of loss, and the worst thing about this is that you know it is not going to get better. But the will of God is that every part of you will be redeemed. The mission of Jesus is more than saving your soul. He came to bring you, body and soul, into the joy of His presence forever. No part of you will be left behind. Your hearing, seeing, remembering, running, singing, and dancing will all be wonderfully restored and raised to a new level in a body modelled on the resurrection body of Jesus. And all this, Jesus says, is the will of God. How does this truth strengthen you today? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” JOHN 6:38 Jesus tells us that He came down from heaven. In other words, His life did not begin in the manger. Before He lay in the arms of Mary, He was at the right hand of God the Father in heaven. No prophet or religious leader could make the same claim. Heaven was and is His home. Why did Jesus come down from heaven? His mission was to get God’s will done, just as He taught His disciples to pray, “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). Jesus is telling you, “This is why I came into the world: to do the will of Him who sent me.” God has a plan, a purpose, and a will, and He gets them done through Jesus Christ. “This is why I am here,” Jesus said. “I left heaven and came down to earth, and I came to get the will of the Father done.” The word for at the beginning of the verse means that this verse is an explanation of the verse that came before. “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37). “The reason I came into the world was to get my Father’s will done. He gave certain people to me, and His will is that nothing given to me will be lost.” Jesus was ready for whatever it took to get the Father’s will done—and what it took was the cross. So, when Jesus came to 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.26:39). He went to the cross and laid down His life as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all who would believe. And this is how God’s plan to redeem His people was accomplished. How did Jesus get the will of God done? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” JOHN 6:38 This is our fourth statement from Jesus about why He came into the world. What is God’s will for your life? What does God want you to do? What does God have in store for you? These are questions that every believer has asked. Much of God’s will is secret (Dt. 29:29). He leads us a step at a time, and we follow Him in discerning the path of wisdom. But here, Jesus gives us an inside look at God’s will, revealing the will and purpose of God for every believer. The Father has given people to His Son. These people come to Jesus, and He receives them: “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” (John 6:37) If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are a gift from God the Father to His Son Jesus Christ. Here is how you can know that this is true: all the people who have been given by the Father come to the Son; so, if you have come to the Son, then you can know for sure that you were given by the Father. Then Jesus makes another remarkable statement about the Father’s will: “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me.” (John 6:39) In other words, “The Father has given certain people to Me. These people will come to Me, they will look to Me, and they will trust Me as their Saviour and Lord. And I will never let them go.” Aren’t you glad that Jesus came into the world to do the will of God? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” LUKE 5:32 In those days, and today, there are three responses to Jesus. “I am too good to need repentance.”A Pharisee once prayed, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector” (Luke 18:11). Let’s assume that this man was living a good moral life. Are you sure that you have nothing to repent of? Nothing at all? Does your conscience never trouble you? Are you sure you’ve loved God with all your heart? Have you really loved your neighbour as yourself? Stop kidding yourself. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). This is the reason why Jesus came into the world: He came to call sinners. And He says, “I have not come to call the righteous.” So, if you keep insisting on your own righteousness, Jesus has nothing to offer you. “I am too bad to find repentance.”It is easy to get the idea that Jesus is looking for a certain kind of person with a good track record. But when Jesus saw Levi sitting at his tax booth, He said, “Follow me.” Jesus came to call sinners. Aren’t you glad? If He came to call the righteous, no one would ever be called. And if no one were called, no one would ever follow. And if no one followed, no one would ever be changed. “I will follow Jesus and pursue repentance.”Jesus came to call sinners, and that means He came to call you. Put your finger on the word sinners and say, “This means Jesus calls me!” He came into the world to bring grace for you. He came so that change would be possible for you. Change happens in the company of Jesus, so follow Him and trust yourself to Him. Then you will have the joy of discovering what He can do with your life. Which of these responses is most like yours? How so? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” LUKE 5:32 What is repentance? Is it beating up on yourself? If repentance is beating up on yourself for your failures, then why would Jesus say there is joy in heaven over a sinner who repents (Luke 15:7)? Why would heaven rejoice over people beating up on themselves? The repentance to which Jesus calls us is something to celebrate. That is why Levi’s first act of repentance is to hold a feast. “And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them” (Luke 5:29). Repentance is not a miserable journey of self-loathing and regret. Repentance brings joy in heaven, and if there is joy over repentance in heaven, there will be joy in repentance for you. Repentance happens as you follow Jesus. Some think you must clean up your life and get your act together before you can follow Jesus. But if repentance was something you had to do before you follow Jesus, it would be a barrier that none of us could ever get over. Repentance happens when you follow Jesus. The message is not, “Repent so that you can follow Jesus” but, “Follow Jesus and you will be able to repent.” Repentance deepens over time. We see this in J. I. Packer’s definition of repentance: Repentance is turning from as much as you know of your sin to give as much as you know of yourself to as much as you know of your God. As you follow Jesus, you will see more of your sin, you will discover more of yourself, and you will come to know more of God. And as your repentance deepens, you will become more like Jesus; and as you become more like Jesus, your joy will increase. Turn Packer’s definition of repentance into a prayer. Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. LUKE 5:28 How did Levi respond to Jesus’ call? He left everything. The other disciples were fishermen. When Jesus called them, they left their nets and followed Him. But they had a trade to return to if things didn’t work out. Levi was in a different position. The Romans would not have welcomed him back. This was an irreversible decision, and Levi made it. When you follow Jesus, you will have a new way of life. Jesus called Levi to a new and completely different life. The call was not to add “believing in Jesus” to his old way of life. It was a call to leave his old way of life for something new, which he would find as he followed Jesus. When you follow Jesus, you will have a new identity. Levi had been known as a tax collector, but now he would be known as a disciple. People would remember what he had been, but what he had been would no longer define him. He was now a follower of Jesus. His life became an example of the change Jesus brings. When you follow Jesus, you will be part of a new community. Levi had his own community. When he held a party in Jesus’ honour, he had a long invite list, and clearly the people he invited came. They wanted to meet this Jesus who had such an impact on Levi that he had left his lucrative career. The other disciples were fishermen. They paid taxes, and they would have despised tax collectors. Levi came from a different place socially, educationally, politically, and financially. The other disciples would never have had anything to do with Levi, but when Levi followed Jesus, these men became brothers. Jesus meant more to them than all that made them different. How has following Jesus changed your life? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“Follow me.” LUKE 5:27 Why would Jesus choose a man like Levi to be His disciple? As a tax collector, Levi had baggage. Wasn’t it obvious that a man like this, who was known for his corruption and collaboration with Rome, would be a liability? The Pharisees grumbled, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” (Luke 5:30). The disciples were probably asking the same question. “Jesus, why don’t you stick with fishermen like us? We may not have a fancy education like Levi, but at least we are known to be hardworking people who earn an honest living.” Why did Jesus call Levi? Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). The call of Levi is a marvellous example of grace. Jesus calls the least likely and the least deserving. To Levi, who practiced extortion in his seedy little tax booth, Jesus said, “Follow me.” To the thief on the cross, a violent man who had hurled abuse at Jesus, He said, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). And who would have imagined that Jesus would call Saul of Tarsus, who hated Christians and everything they stood for? Saul, who became known as Paul, confessed, “Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy” (1 Tim. 1:13, NIV). Why? Because “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1:15). That is grace! God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. (1 Cor. 1:27-29) If there is hope for Levi and Saul of Tarsus, then there is hope in Jesus for you. Which one of these characters—Levi, Saul, or the thief—is it hardest for you to imagine Jesus choosing? Why? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” LUKE 5:32 This is our third statement from Jesus about why He came into the world. Luke records the story of Levi who became one of the twelve disciples: Jesus “went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth” (Luke 5:27). The fact that Levi was a tax collector tells us two things: First, Levi was brilliant—you had to be if you were a tax collector. He most likely spoke three languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. And he was a skilled accountant who kept meticulous records. Second, he was also a part of a system that was riddled with corruption. Since tax collectors were local people who had signed up to work for the Roman government, they were hated. They collaborated with the oppression of Roman rule, and they were notorious for extortion. Tax collectors routinely added a “surcharge” that they kept for themselves, and Rome turned a blind eye to this. In fact, Levi had the power of Rome behind him. The people had to pay whatever he demanded, so he made a lot of money and enjoyed a comfortable life. Levi was a gifted man who had become part of a corrupt system. And he was a man who had no qualms about adding to the burden of his neighbour in order to make life better for himself. When Jesus saw Levi in action at his tax booth, he would have been actively breaking the eighth command (You shall not steal.); the ninth command (You shall not give false witness.); and the tenth command (You shall not covet what belongs to your neighbour.). How would you react if you saw a man like this taking advantage of poor and vulnerable people? We might be disgusted by him, but Jesus came into the world to call sinners to repentance, and He said to this man, “Follow me” (5:27). What is your gut reaction to Jesus calling sinners like Levi to follow Him? Why? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” MATTHEW 10:32 God has fixed a day when Jesus will return as judge (Acts 17:31). He will say to some, “Enter into the joy of your master” (Matt. 25:21). He will say to others, “I never knew you; depart from me” (Matt. 7:23). Whoever denies Him in this life, He also will deny before His Father in heaven. When you make your decision about Jesus, you must do so in the light of that day. When you ask, “Am I going to confess Him before men?” you must also ask, “Do I want Him to confess me before the Father who is in heaven?” If you are holding back from committing yourself fully to following Jesus, it may be because you have only counted the cost on one side. You see what you might lose if you follow Jesus. But you are missing what you will gain if you follow Jesus: “Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven.” Jesus came so that when the day of judgment comes, you might enter into the world of peace and joy where God will dwell with His people and wipe all tears from their eyes. Here is what it means to follow Jesus: if you will confess Jesus as Saviour and Lord, and take up the cross that He lays before you, He will confess you before the Father in heaven. When the day of the Lord comes, Jesus will say of you, “He is Mine! She is Mine!” And you, by His grace, will enter the world of peace and love that God has prepared for all who love Him (1 Cor. 2:9). Have you given any thought to what it will cost you if you do not follow Jesus? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” MATTHEW 10:37-38 Suppose your son or daughter puts pressure on you to stop following Jesus. Or your mother or father puts pressure on you to stop following Jesus. He or she is opposed to Jesus; you are for Him. You must decide. Will you listen to Jesus who says, “Follow Me,” or will you listen to a loved one who says, “Give Him up. There is a better life for you to pursue”? Each of us will have to decide, and Jesus tells us how to make this decision. We must count the cost, and there are two sides to this calculation. What will it cost me if I follow Jesus? What will it cost me if I do not? You must first count the cost of following Jesus. There will be a cross; there will be a sword. God will bring a cross into the life of every follower of Jesus. Thomas Boston said, “God had one Son without sin, but no son without a cross.” A cross will always be present in your life. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him… take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). The cross you carry may change, but in every season of your life, there will be some cross for you to bear—some cost for you in following Jesus. What is the cross in your life now? How is God using this cross to make you more like Christ? Take time to thank God for His perfect will and ask Him to give you joy in perseverance. Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. ISAIAH 2:4 God promised that one day there will be peace on earth— crime, violence, and wars will cease. A world of wars will give way to a world of love. That day will come. When? He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples. (Isa. 2:4) The Bible refers to this as the day of the Lord. So, when Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth,” He was saying, “The day of the Lord has not yet come. I did not come into the world to judge between nations and decide disputes for people.” If Jesus had come to judge between nations, He would have appeared in a blaze of glory, surrounded by an army of angels; not in a manger, surrounded by lowly shepherds. The earth shook when God came down on Mount Sinai to give the Ten Commandments, so if Jesus had come into the world to judge, the whole planet would have been shaken. The Roman Empire would have collapsed in a moment and King Herod would have been brought to justice. So, here we come to the simplest and most basic question about Christmas: Why was Jesus born as a baby? “I did not come to judge the world but to save the world” (John 12:47). This is why Jesus was born into the world as a baby and why He went to the cross. Peace will come when Jesus judges the world. But when He came into the world on that first Christmas, He did not come to judge, He came to save. He came to make a way in which sinners like us—who would never be qualified to enter the world of peace and righteousness that He will establish—might be saved. Is it clear to you how Jesus will bring about peace in the world? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” MATTHEW 10:34 Jesus never endorsed or promoted violence. When Peter used his sword against the armed guard who came to arrest Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus healed the man and said, “No more of this!” (Luke 22:51). The gospel can never advance by violence or by conquest. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD” (Zech. 4:6). So, what did Jesus mean when He said that He came to bring a sword? Jesus had just warned His disciples that they would be persecuted for His sake (Matt. 10:17-18). Then He said, “When they persecute you in one town flee to the next” (10:23). Jesus does not say, “If they persecute you,” but “when they persecute you.” They will come after you; they will do all in their power to stop you. There is no doubt about who holds the sword. The sword is in the hands of those who oppose Jesus, and it is raised against His disciples. Jesus warned that those who oppose us will include some in our own families. A man will be set against his father, a daughter against her mother, and so forth (10:35-36). Many families know this tension, and if Jesus had not come into the world, this tension would not exist. So, the effect of the coming of Jesus will be a separation, a distancing between His disciples and some of those whom they love. When Mary and Joseph went to the temple, they met an old man, Simeon, who took Jesus in his arms and said to Mary, “A sword will pierce through your own soul also” (Luke 2:35). The coming of Jesus brought a sword for Mary, too. Loving Jesus as she did, how she must have grieved over the world’s hatred of Him. How has the coming of Jesus brought a sword into your life? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” MATTHEW 10:34 What an astonishing statement! This is our second direct, personal statement from Jesus about why He came into the world. What does it mean? Jesus, the master teacher, anticipates a common misunderstanding: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth.” His point is that it would be entirely natural for those who believe in Jesus to think that He had come for the purpose of bringing peace. God had promised a day when Messiah would come: “To us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). When Jesus was born into the world, angels filled the skies and said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace” (Luke 2:14). So, it would be natural for believers then and now to think that the coming of Jesus into the world should mean peace on earth. But Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth.” Don’t expect this. We need to hear these words. Two thousand violent, war- torn years have passed since Jesus was born. And when we sing Christmas carols about peace on earth, someone might reasonably think, “These are nice sentiments, but peace on earth is a long way from the world we live in.” If Jesus came to bring peace to the earth, the last 2,000 years have been a spectacular failure. God has promised that one day there will be peace. The day will come when crime and violence and wars will give way to a world of love. But that day has not yet come. Did you include this in your top three reasons why Jesus came? Why or why not? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ROMANS 8:3-4 If Jesus had not come into the world, all we would have is the law. And if all we had was the law, we could never be forgiven or changed. But God sent His Son into the world, “in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us” (8:4). How is that possible? The Pharisees believed it was a matter of effort. But Jesus was not simply a good moral teacher. So, if we want to please God, we simply follow His teaching? No. The problem is that in trying to be something you are not, you will eventually find yourself saying, “I can’t keep this up.” Jesus came to bring about a new covenant, and the central blessing of this new covenant is that God will write His law on our hearts: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts” (Jer. 31:33). Jesus came so we could live new and different lives that are pleasing to God. How does this change of heart happen? “I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules” (Ez. 36:27). The Holy Spirit will enable you to live a life that is pleasing to God. His power will make the difference between a struggle in which you are destined for defeat and a battle in which you will have ultimate victory. Are you trying to be righteous by your own effort? Or by relying on the power of the Spirit? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” MATTHEW 5:20 The scribes and Pharisees devoted their entire lives to the pursuit of righteousness. To follow the law was their vocation. So, how could our righteousness ever exceed that of the scribes and the Pharisees? Jesus was scathing in His critique of the Pharisees because their “righteousness” was arrogant. The Pharisees liked to pray where they could be seen, but Jesus told His disciples to do their praying in private: “When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matt. 6:6). The Pharisees also liked people to know what they were giving, but Jesus said to His disciples, “When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” (Matt. 6:3-4). Jesus also criticised the Pharisees because their righteousness was external: “You clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence” (Matt. 23:25). People look at the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. Jesus was saying, in effect, “If you are going to enter heaven, you need a better righteousness than the Pharisees.” At this point, someone might say, “This is why we need to trust Jesus as Saviour so that we will have His perfect righteousness, which is better by far than that of the Pharisees.” That is true. But it is not what Jesus is saying here. Jesus is calling His disciples to the pursuit of a righteous life: “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:20). Jesus calls us to pursue a better righteousness, one that is humble and comes from the heart. Where do you see glimpses of arrogant or external righteousness in your own life? Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeish www.openthebible.org.uk

“I have not come to abolish [the Law or the Prophets] but to fulfil them.” MATTHEW 5:17Jesus came into the world to fulfil the Law and the Prophets, and He did this in His death.The prophets had spoken of a suffering servant who would be “pierced for our transgressions” and “crushed for our iniquities” (Isa. 53:5). And in the Psalms, David described the suffering of a man whose hands and feet would be pierced (22:16). He would be mocked (22:7). His bones would be pulled out of joint (22:14). His clothes would be divided by casting lots (22:18). He would cry out in agony, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” (22:1). And when Jesus went to the cross, these prophecies were fulfilled.The law prescribes penalties as well as requirements. Blessings would follow obeying God’s law. Curses would follow breaking God’s law. “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them” (Gal. 3:10). We have an obligation to the law of God that we have not fulfilled, and our failure to fulfil the law brings a curse.But Jesus came on a mission to fulfil the law. He fulfils the requirements of the law in His life, and He paid the penalties of the law in His death: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’” (Gal. 3:13). The curse that would have been on us, fell on Him. That is why, “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1).Are you still living as if you are under the curse of the law with all its guilt and condemnation? Or are you resting in the finished work of Jesus?Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeishwww.openthebible.org.uk

“I have not come to abolish [the Law or the Prophets] but to fulfil them.” MATTHEW 5:17Jesus came into the world to fulfil the Law and the Prophets, and He did this in His birth and in His life.The prophets had spoken about the One who was to come, on whom the hope of the world depends. The prophet Isaiah said that a virgin would conceive and bear a son (Isa. 7:14), and when Mary bore Jesus, this prophecy was fulfilled. The prophet Micah said that the One who would rule and shepherd God’s people would come out of Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2, 4), and when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, this prophecy was fulfilled.The law tells us what God’s revealed will is for us. Jesus said to the disciples on one occasion: “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work” (John 4:34). Jesus loved doing the Father’s will. It was food to Him, and He could say supremely, “I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart” (Psa. 40:8).Another time Jesus said, “I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38). He also said, “He who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him” (John 8:29).By God’s grace, we can sometimes say that we do things that please the Father, but only Jesus could say, “I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” Jesus could honestly say, “I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love” (John 15:10). Jesus fulfilled—lived out—everything that the law requires of us.Can you imagine how much joy and peace Jesus must have had, knowing that He was fulfilling everything that His Father required of Him?Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeishwww.openthebible.org.uk

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. MATTHEW 5:17This is Jesus' first statement about why He came.A good teacher anticipates misunderstanding, and here, Jesus corrects a false assumption. Many people think the Bible says: 1) we are all sinners under the condemnation of God’s law; 2) Jesus came to pay the price of our sins; and 3) now we can get on with our lives much as we did before, but we must always remember to thank Him.But this is a complete misunderstanding of the Bible. Jesus said that He did not come to abolish the Law and Prophets. And then He adds, “For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (5:18).One day, heaven and earth will pass away. On that day, God will create a new heaven and a new earth. This old planet will be renewed and restored, and it will be finally released from its pain and groaning. And when that day comes, the law will pass away, because its work will be done. The righteous will be declared “not guilty,” and the wicked will be condemned.When that day comes, the prophets will pass away because all that they predicted will be accomplished. Faith will be turned to sight. God will be with His people and He will wipe all tears from our eyes. The new heaven and the new earth will be the home of righteousness, and the wicked will be outside forever.But until that day comes, the Law and the Prophets remain. Jesus did not come into the world so that we might say, “There is no more law.” The law stands as God’s definition of righteousness. God tells us what a good life looks like, and it would be a complete misunderstanding to think that because Jesus came, we have no more duty toward the law of God.Did you include this in your top three reasons why Jesus came? Why or why not?Written by Colin SmithRead by Sue McLeishwww.openthebible.org.uk