Deuteronomy 34Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the LORD showed him the whole land—from Gilead to Dan, 2 all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea,

3 the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. 4 Then the LORD said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.”

5 And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. 6 He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is.

7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. 8 The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.

Deuteronomy 29-34The Realities of Life

It’s great to talk about…The fun events

Good timesUnique or interesting things

Not so exciting to talk about…Things that comprise most of our lives

Boring, sad, uninteresting or painfulFailure

Death and changeGrief

Failure was expectedIt was no surprise to God that his

people would failWe know this from his plans

Deuteronomy 299 Carefully follow the terms of this covenant, so that you may prosper in everything you do. 10 All of you are standing today in the presence of the LORD your God—your leaders and chief men, your elders and officials, and all the other men of Israel, 11 together with your children and your wives, and the aliens living in your camps…

God knew his people would fail to keep the covenantGod has two plans

A call to return; to repentA reading of the law -- in public

and aloud every seven years

Deuteronomy 302 and when you and your children return to the LORD your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, 3 then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you.

4 Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the LORD your God will gather you and bring you back. 5 He will bring you to the land that belonged to your fathers, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers.

Deuteronomy 3110 Then Moses commanded them: “At the end of every seven years, in the year for canceling debts, during the Feast of Tabernacles, 11 when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing.

12 Assemble the people—men, women and children, and the aliens living in your towns—so they can listen and learn to fear the LORD your God and follow carefully all the words of this law. 13 Their children, who do not know this law, must hear it and learn to fear the LORD your God…

If you hear the law at least once every seven years

Maybe you will remain faithfulBut if (when) you fail, God will have

compassion if you repent

Death and changeA natural part of life

It is not easyNever timely

We are never prepared

Deuteronomy 3248 On that same day the LORD told Moses, 49 “Go up into the Abarim Range to Mount Nebo in Moab, across from Jericho, and view Canaan, the land I am giving the Israelites as their own possession.

Deuteronomy 347 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.

Death brings about changeIt was an unwelcomed change

Change scares usIt can be intimidating

Deuteronomy 3410 Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 11 who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. 12 For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

Deuteronomy 3123 The LORD gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.”

The death of Moses brought changeA new leaderIntimidation

That’s not the way Moses did it Unrealistic expectations

Fears and concerns

Deuteronomy 34 9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD had commanded Moses.

Even with God’s blessingEven with Moses’ blessing

Even with the Spirit of God involvedChange was not going to be easy

Grief is how we express lossSadness

DepressionAnxiety

Loneliness

Deuteronomy 348 The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.

There are the official mourning timesBut we are all different

Many of us weep and mourn for years

Some things are very constant in the Old and the New Testament

FailureDeath and change

And grief

Putting it all togetherFailure is inevitable and is to be expected

Failure is important and necessaryWe do not have to stay in failure

We need to stop thinking about life in terms of failure

In terms of practicing living

Putting it all togetherChange is difficult for us

We become accustomed to life in a particular time and place

The ability to adjust says a lot about usChange happens; nothing stay the sameNo one is replaceable, yet everyone is

replaceable

Putting it all togetherDeath is a natural process

Grief is also a natural processGrief is not an illness

Grief can take weeks or yearsIt can not be manipulated

It says I cared

FailureDeath and change

GriefRealities we all experienceThey make us who we are

We are the Federated Church.

Our Mission is to…

Seek Christ, Serve Christ and Share

Christ.