Questions Moses Asked

“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.” Deuteronomy 30: 19—20

Some choices in life are agonizing. It’s almost impossible to decide which way to go. When you feel like you have to choose between the lesser of two evils, it can cause you significant stress, to say the least. And when you are tempted to indulge in a custom-made-just-for-you sin, it can be incredibly difficult to make the right decision.
But every once in a while we are blessed with easy choices. No-brainers. Decisions like: “What flavor of ice cream will I get?” “What story should I read to my child?” ‘Which golf course should I play today?” “Which friend should I call?” “What should I get my daughter for her birthday?” These choices are fun. It’s pleasure to make them. Many times, the answers are obvious.
Here’s a few more choices to consider. Would you like life or death? Do you prefer prosperity or destruction? Ridiculous questions, aren’t they? Who in their right mind would choose death and destruction over life and prosperity? That’s not really much of choice, is it?
And yet these are exactly the questions Moses asked God’s people during their desert pilgrimage. He asked these questions because God asked him to. He asked them because, unfortunately, they needed to be asked.
Is it life you want, or death? Would you prefer prosperity or destruction? If it’s life and prosperity you want, Moses says, then love the Lord your God; walk in his ways; keep his commands, decrees and laws—then you will live and increase and you will be blessed.
If it’s death and destruction you want, Moses says, then just let your heart turn away from God; disobey him; go ahead and find a false god to worship. That is a sure recipe for disaster, if that’s what you’re looking for.
When phrased that way these are ridiculous questions, aren’t they? Who in their right mind would choose death and destruction over life and prosperity? That’s not really much of a choice, is it? The right way to go is obvious, isn’t it? Then why is it so hard for us to choose it? Why do we doubt that God is right?
The answer, of course, is sin. Each one of us was born with a terminal illness, passed on to us from the generations before us. That disease is called sinfulness. Because we are infected with sin, our hearts are naturally turned away from God. Our default setting is disobedience. We are drawn to other gods, and we worship them freely. Even though there is a part of us that knows that God’s way is the way of life, we still choose death and destruction when we choose monetary wealth as our god, or when we choose worldly success at all costs as our god, or when we choose sports and leisure as our god, or when we choose a relationship with another human being as our god, or when we choose ourselves as our god. It’s so easy to say, “Who in their right mind would choose death?” And yet our actions betray us. They’re a record of destructive choices. It turns out the questions Moses asked are not as ridiculous as they seemed.
So, will you choose life? Will you turn away from the gods of your own making and turn to Jesus Christ? Will you turn to Christ—the only person who ever kept God’s commands, laws and decrees perfectly? The only one who ever loved God in total faithfulness? Will you turn to Jesus, God’s own Son, for the forgiveness that only he can give? Will you come to Christ, who purchased your full pardon by his bloody death on the cross? The Lord Jesus is your life. He is your way out of the bad choices you have made. He is the way to the land God wants to give you. He is God’s love in human flesh and bone—sent here to meet his Father’s demands for you—to be your substitute in punishment—to share his resurrection with you---and to be your source of love for God. The Lord Jesus is eternal life—and He is yours. He (and all that He is) was given to you in the sacrament of Baptism. With the water and the name of God came a connection to Jesus that has constant benefits for you. With water and the name of God came faith itself—the ability to receive the great gifts God gives, like hands reaching out to receive a birthday present. That same gift of faith enables you to actively pursue God’s way of life.
Look at everything God wants to give you. Life. Prosperity. Forgiveness. A new start. Purpose. Love. Everlasting life in heaven. He does not ask you to earn these things. He simply asks for your love. He asks you to listen to His voice. He asks you to hold fast to Him, to hang on and to trust in him. He asks you with an almost desperate love, will you accept these gifts I’m giving? Will you treasure them? Will you choose life, so that you and your children may live?
Not much of a choice is it? It’s a no-brainer. Thanks be to God. Amen.

September 8 and 9 + Pentecost 15