Bible Studies for Life: November 20

Communicate God’s Word • Deuteronomy 6:1-9

By Laura Lee Leathers

It only takes a spark to get a fire going/And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing/That’s how it is with God’s Love/Once you’ve experienced it/You spread the love to everyone/You want to pass it on.

I learned the words to the song, Pass It On, by Kurt Kaiser, when I attended a weekly Wednesday night youth group many years ago — and yes, it was a kumbaya moment!

Merriam-Webster describes “pass it on” as an idiom. It means “to tell other people something one has been told.” This is precisely what Believers are called to do: pass on the Good News of Jesus.

Over the past several weeks, we have studied why building your life on God’s Word is necessary. Today, we conclude the unit with the message that God commands you and me communicate the heart-changing news of God’s mercy and grace to a world that has no fear of God.

Obedience to God’s Word benefits us and others (Deuteronomy 6:1-3 ESV). In chapter five, Moses called the nation of Israel together and gave them the Ten Commandments. He tells them to hear, learn, and be careful to obey the Commandments as they transition into the land of milk and honey. Out of God’s abundance and grace, obedience by the Israelites would bring fruitfulness.

God commanded Moses to teach the law to the people. The word is translated from the Hebrew word, “lamad,” which means to learn and instruct (see Psalm 119:68,108 and 143:10). The command also included the ability to follow the instructions.

Stop and take a moment to read Psalm 119. Highlight the words statues, judgments, testimonies, commandments, law, and precepts. Doing this helps us to see the significance of learning and teaching Scripture.

In verse two, the phrase, “that you may fear the LORD your God,” is for the present and future generations. Proverbs 1:7 reminds us that fearing (respecting) the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

Other benefits are “that it may go well with you, and you may multiply greatly.” It wasn’t based on the present generation. Instead, it was based upon the covenant of God to the nation’s fathers:  Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Love for God compels us to trust and obey Him (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).  Verses four through nine are known as the “Shema.” It was the Jewish confession of faith, repeated twice daily by devout people.

“The LORD our God, the LORD is one” (v. 4) speaks of monotheism. The next verse is known as the Greatest Commandment. It requires a wholehearted commitment of love for God. In Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus talked about this verse and added the Second Commandment: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Therefore, as Christ followers we are commanded to love with all our heart, soul, and might. Presbyterian minister Vernon McGee (1904-1998) puts it this way: “Salvation is a love affair. We love him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). And because of His great love for us, we learn daily to trust Him.”

Love for others compels us to share God’s Word at every opportunity (Deuteronomy 6:6-9). Where are these words to be located first and foremost? Verse six tells us they “shall be on your heart.”

Let’s look at the breakdown of the ways God’s law and testimonies are to be shared. First, “teach them diligently to your children.” To teach a subject, you must know it yourself.

Next, “talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” As you go about your daily activities, discuss God’s Word. Tell them and show them how you depend upon God’s Word, why it is sufficient, and how Scripture guides your decisions.

The Jewish people also “wore portions of Scripture in little containers called phylacteries on their forehead and left arm” (Matt. 23:5). If you have been to Israel, you will find the mezuzah (a small container holding Scripture) at the entrance of a hotel room or a home.

“Each occupant is to touch the mezuzah reverently each time he or she passes through a door (Ps. 121:8). It was a sign that the house was to be a sanctuary for the Lord and a place where the Word was loved, obeyed, and taught” (Be Equipped, Acquiring the Tools for Spiritual Success, by Warren W. Wiersbe).

Ask yourself, “How am I communicating God’s Word?” One thing is sure: wherever God has placed you, He will equip and empower you to share His Word — from center of your home to the entire world.

Laura Lee Leathers is a freelance writer and a member of First Church, Lexington.