And He added No More

Monday 3-7-16 (Colonia, Uruguay)     

Scripture reading for today:  Deut 5 - 6   Psalm 43   Mark 14

S=Scripture  O=Observation  A=Application  P=Prayer  SOAP for the soul.

S. Deut 5:22 "These words the LORD spoke to all your assembly, in the mountain from the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and He added no more. And He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.”  NKJV

O.  Moses has just repeated the ten commandments.  It is interesting that although Moses wrote many laws for the Israelites related to foods, clothing, animals, sacrifices, etc... God spoke these commandments to the entire congregation of Israelites at the foot of the mountain with a loud voice... and “He added no more.”

A.  The trouble with us as religious leaders is that we sometimes want to “add more.”  One church I knew as a little child had many rules about women’s hair (a bun in the back... that we, in fun, called a “glory knot”), length of sleeve to the wrist, length of skirt to the ankle, type of shoes, color of stockings... and the men could wear whatever they wanted.  The Pharisees “added more”.  Jesus saw through their shallow “holiness” and revealed their evil hearts underneath their religious clothing.  God gave out his list of basic rules... and “He added no more.”

P.  Lord Jesus, thank You for coming to fulfill the law of Moses.  I don’t have to feel bound about what mixture of cloth I am dressed in or how many holy tassels dangle from my robe.  You wrapped up the whole law of Your Heavenly Father in a few words: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."  (Matt 22:37-40)  And You added “no more”... although You enlarged on the meaning of this in Your great Sermon on the Mount.  You said, if we love You, will keep your commandments.  You won me with Your love when I was a little child.  I do love You, Lord... and I want that love to be with my whole heart, soul and mind.  Amen.  

Ralph