The Blessings of Obedience and the Curses of Disobedience

God desires a people who will not leave him or forsake him, who will not worship other gods besides him, who will obey his commands, honor him as Lord, and keep coming back to him as long as their heart is pumping. And while this kind of loyalty will yield blessings beyond our imagination, disloyalty is threatened with curses unspeakable.

Sermon Outline:
I. Obedience leads to blessings untold.
The Condition:
The Blessings:
The Cause:
II. Disobedience leads to curses unspeakable.
The Condition:
The Curses:
The Cause:
III. So What?

Sermon Discussion Questions:
1. Covenant loyalty is a very big deal to God. Why do you suppose that is? How does the image of God’s people being his bride help us grasp the intensity of his love?
2. God’s blessings described in Deuteronomy 28 are primarily focused around physical and financial prosperity in the land. Should we expect physical and financial prosperity if we obey God’s commandments? (*Hint: in addition to New Testament texts like 2 Cor. 4:7-5:10, you may want to revisit Psalm 73 and Job 1-2.)
3. Not all hardship is a result of God’s response to our sins, but all of God’s curses are intended to function as discipline in the life of his people to turn us back to repentance and faith. Read Hebrews 12:3-17 and explain how we should respond to discipline.
4. Read John 15:1-11. How are Jesus’ words a further confirmation of the message in Deuteronomy 28?
5. How does understanding what Christ has accomplished for us at the cross turn obedience from feeling like a burden of “have to” to the joy of “get to”? Where in your life do you need to apply that gospel more personally so the “have to” becomes a “get to” again?