The Whole Story
Deuteronomy 6
We live in a culture that tells many lies
about what faith should be. One prevailing lie about faith in our time is that
faith should be kept private. Culture tells us that faith should be kept to
yourself. It’s not something that should impact our lives.
God has a different idea of what faith should
look like. Our relationship with God should impact every single part of our
lives. Faith should be at the center of our lives, determining what the rest of
life looks like. In Deuteronomy 6, Moses instructs how faith should be dominant
in our lives.
Moses clarifies that what we believe is the
most important thing about us. Thus, he delivers the “Shema,” the cornerstone
of the Old Testament theology. “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is
one.” The declaration, though simple, is earth-shattering in its theological
implications. Moses clarifies that there is only one God, the Lord over all
things.
What is the response to such a serious
theological statement? As the people of God, we should love the Lord with all
our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. Later, a Jewish Rabbi will teach His
followers that this is the greatest commandment in the faith.
Believers should have a faith that is so
serious that they love the Lord more than they love anything else in the entire
world. That Rabbi’s name was Jesus. Listen today as we hear the
long-established words of our faith. Look at the Shema, and you will see that Jesus
is here, even in the Shema.
Bottom Line:
Your love for God determines your life for
God.
Sermon Recap:
- Deuteronomy 6 is foundational to the Israelite people and to us today. The “Shema” helped Israelites understand who God was and understand their response.
- One of the best ways to love God is by remembering the Lord for who He is and what He has done for us.
- Loving God requires us to love with everything we have. This is a lifelong commitment.
- Deuteronomy 6 teaches us that another way to love God is by raising up the next generation to love the Lord.
Deuteronomy 6:1-15
“Now this is the commandment — the statutes
and the rules — that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may
do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, 2 that you may
fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his
statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life,
and that your days may be long. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to
do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as
the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with
milk and honey. 4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You
shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on
your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall 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. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and
they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the
doorposts of your house and on your gates. 10 “And when the Lord your God
brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac,
and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities that you did not build, 11
and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you
did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you
eat and are full, 12 then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you
out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 13 It is the Lord your
God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. 14 You
shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you — 15 for
the Lord your God in your midst is a jealous God — lest the anger of the Lord
your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the
earth
The
Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Dt
6:1–15.
Discussion Questions:
How does recognizing God’s oneness shape the
way you prioritize Him in your daily life, especially when other ‘gods’ (like
work, hobbies, or relationships) compete for your attention?
In verse 5, we’re called to love God with all
our heart, soul, and might.
Which of these areas do you find easiest to
give to God, and which is hardest? What’s one step you could take to grow in
the harder area?
Verses 6-7 urge us to keep God’s words on our
hearts and teach them diligently to our children.
How have you seen faith passed down (or not)
in your own family or community? What’s one way you could be more intentional
about sharing God with the next generation?
Deuteronomy 6:10-12 warns against forgetting
God when life gets comfortable.
What’s a blessing in your life (like a home,
job, or family) that could tempt you to rely less on God? How can we keep
gratitude alive in those moments?
Jesus quotes the Shema in Mark 12:29-30 as
the greatest commandment.
How does His life and sacrifice deepen your
understanding of what it means to love God fully? How might that inspire you
this week?
Closing
Applying the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) to
daily life begins with anchoring our routines in the truth that “the Lord our
God, the Lord is one,” letting His singular authority shape our priorities.
Practically, we can love God with all our heart, soul, and might by starting
each day with prayer or Scripture, aligning our desires and energy toward Him —
perhaps reciting the Shema itself as a reminder. Throughout the day, we weave
His commands into ordinary moments: discussing a Bible verse over breakfast
with family, listening to worship music during a commute, or pausing to thank
Him before bed. For those influencing others, like children or friends, we
model this love by sharing what God’s teaching us — maybe explaining a faith
lesson during a walk or praying together at night. It’s not about perfection
but consistency, letting God’s Word dwell in us richly (Colossians 3:16) so
that our lives, from sunrise to sunset, reflect a wholehearted devotion to Him.
END
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