FLCBenton, Congregational Podcast

Deuteronomy 15:19–16: 22, Moses continues working through various commandments and issues that will be especially relevant once the Israelites get into the promised land, and the Lord chooses the central place of worship. Matthew 13:44–58, Jesus concludes the day of parables with three more parables about the nature of the kingdom of God: the net, the pearl of great price, and the hidden treasure.

Deuteronomy 14:1–2, 22–23; 14:28–15:15, will there be poor in the holy land? Answer: yes, and no! Matthew 13:24–43, the people were expecting the kingdom of God, but they weren’t expecting it to come in the form in which Jesus is bringing it. Thus, the parable of the weeds.

Deuteronomy 13:1–18, The Lord, may we’ll test you with a false prophet, a false prophet, who works wonders and miracles, and sounds ever so wise, but if God does that, he’s already given you the answer to the test! Matthew 13:1–23, he who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Deuteronomy 12:13–32, a little bit about eating animals, those that are offered in sacrifice, and those that are not. A very brief introduction to the idea of kosher food. Matthew 12:38–50, a wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign from God, yet God graciously gives to every generation many signs – especially the sign of the resurrection of Jesus.

Deuteronomy 11:26–12:12, the blessing of obedience – that is, clinging to God, and the curse of disobedience – that is, running after other gods. Also, the idolatry of worshiping the true God, using the methods of the idolatrous pagans. Matthew 12:22–37, if anybody was casting out, demons, Jesus was, and that means the kingdom of God had come near. Also, what it means that we are justified or condemned by the words of my mouth.

Deuteronomy 11:1–25, the promised land, the obedience of God’s people, and the abundant life. Matthew 12:1–21, the proper place and purpose of the Sabbath day in the kingdom of God.

Deuteronomy 9:23–10:22, what does the Lord our God require of us, other than our whole selves?! Matthew 11: 20–30, once unrepentant, or not, once wise, or not, Jesus calls you. He will give you rest.

Deuteronomy 9:1–22, the lessons the Israelites should learn, and should not learn, with their entering in to the land of Canaan. Matthew 11:1–19, fasting and self denial, or feasting and celebration? Jesus’ world wanted neither, and our world wants neither.

Practical advice for good living is all very fine, but something greater is here!

Deuteronomy 8:1–20, he humbles us, to lift us up, he disciplines us, as a man disciplines his son – because he loves us! Matthew 10:24–42, just as we share in the authority of Jesus, so his people share in his suffering. But in the end, everyone who acknowledges Jesus, Jesus will acknowledge him before the father in heaven!

Deuteronomy 7:1–29, the joys, and the burdens, of being the only nation on earth that God chose! Matthew 10:1–23, what Jesus was doing in chapters 8 and 9, he now gives authority to his apostles to do in chapter 10.

Deuteronomy 5:22–6:9, hearing the voice of the Lord, two tablets of stone, and the core of obedience and faith for the ancient Israelites, the great Shema. Matthew 9:1–17, something new is happening with the coming of Jesus of Nazareth, and it doesn’t always fit well with the old ways!

Deuteronomy 5:1–21, the 10 “Words“, with special emphasis on the second “word”, “you shall have no other gods before me”, and a little bit on the fourth “word”, “remember the sabbath day by keeping it holy”. Matthew 8:18 – 34, someone says to Jesus, I will follow you wherever you go. Jesus says to another follow me. Jesus’ dealing with both these would be followers needs some explaining.

Deuteronomy 4:21–40, Moses sums up before getting specific: do not corrupt God‘s word, do not worship creatures as God, and acknowledge that there is only one God! Matthew 8:1–17, Jesus heals an unclean leper, cleanses an unclean gentile, and heels a multitude who have come to Him.

Deuteronomy 4:1–20, Moses exhort the people to hold the words of God dear! Matthew 7:13–29, Jesus exhort his disciples to hold His words dear!

Deuteronomy 3:1–29, the terrible judgment of the Lord on the Canaanites, and the apportionment of the land among the first three tribes. Matthew 7:1–12, do not judge, and do not cast your pearls before swine. What??

Deuteronomy 2:16–37, having passed by three lands that the Lord was not giving them, the Israelites wage war on Sihon, King of the first land that the Lord wad giving them. Matthew 6:16–34, the key to the low anxiety life: treasures in heaven!

Deuteronomy 1:37–2:15, we finish the story of Israel’s refusal to go into the promised land, and jump forward 38 years, as they pass through certain lands, that the Lord is NOT giving them, on the way to the land that He IS giving them. Matthew 6:1–15, yesterday we talked about the morality of the new covenant kingdom, today, we talk about religious practices of the new covenant kingdom.

Deuteronomy 1:19–36, what should’ve been a straightforward move from the foot of Mount Sinai into the promised land, becomes a nearly 40 year period of waiting and striving and spiritual discipline in the wilderness. Such is life with God! Matthew 5:21–48, the fulfiller, and transformer of the law explains its original and true meaning to the citizens of the new covenant kingdom.

Deuteronomy 1:1–18, Moses, on the plains of Moab, explains and summarizes and goes over again all that God had commanded his people over the last 40 years. Matthew 5:1–20, we are introduced to Jesus’ actual teaching methods and contents, as he describes for us the character of the citizens of the kingdom of God.