The Ten Commandments - Part 1

SCRIPTURE

Exodus 20:1-1720 And God spoke all these words, saying,2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.3 “You shall have no other gods before me.4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.13 “You shall not murder.14 “You shall not commit adultery.15 “You shall not steal.16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.17 “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.” (ESV)

It is important for a Wingman to go back and review some of the basics of what we believe and why we believe it. For the next two weeks we will focus on studying the 10 Commandments. The 10 Commandments are about freedom and protection for God’s people. They are not about drules to restrict us. God gave these commandments as a way to bless His people. They are positive, not negative.Not long after God’s people were delivered from Egyptian slavery, He gave Moses these 10 Commandments, or 10 laws, that summarized all of the law of God. The first four commandments address our relationship with God. The last six address our relationship with others. On Mount Sinai, God gave Moses the commandments. Even the atmosphere of thunder, smoke, fire, and the mountain quaking gave evidence that Almighty God was there and that these 10 laws were coming directly from Him.I. Put God First Every DayExodus 20:33 “You shall have no other gods before me. (ESV)This will not be easy because you have enemies of the world, the flesh and the devil. You must daily, intentionally put God first. That means that you are committed to pleasing Him more than pleasing any person on earth; that nothing or no one is ever placed above Him and His will for your life; and you consult His Word daily for direction and speak to Him in daily prayer. Nothing or no one comes before God.II. Allow God to Be as Big as He IsExodus 20:4-64 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. (ESV)Our God is bigger than ________. Our God is greater than ________. (You fill in the blank.) J.B. Phillips wrote a book and titled it, Your God Is Too Small. Never minimize God. An idol is anything that you put ahead of God or instead of God. You protect your passionate commitment to Him refusing to allow anything or anyone to pull you away from His will. You guard against anything that lessens God in your life. When you maintain that kind of relationship with the Heavenly Father, you are giving your children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren a godly heritage. You pass down your faith. However, you can also pass down your non-faith. Further, when you serve the true God, you break the vicious cycle of sin that you would pass down.III. Give God and the Things of God the Utmost RespectExodus 20:77 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. (ESV)Respect God, be in awe of Him, revere Him, and fear Him. The name of God is holy. To use His name in vain means to use it in an empty and hypocritical way. It’s referring to God in a way that does not show Him your utmost reverence. Also, the idea is to not use God as a way for personal gain. You show the fear of God by revering God’s Word; God’s House, the church; and God’s Day, Sunday. You strive to live a life that represents God and His character.IV. Keep God’s Maintenance ScheduleExodus 20:8-118 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (ESV)God has provided a wonderful maintenance schedule for your body, emotions, and spirit. Following that will help you live in freedom from stress.The word “Sabbath” means rest. God created the world in six days, and on the seventh day He rested, giving us an example. The Sabbath was a day to allow your body, emotions, and spirit to recharge. This provides time to spend with your family and important relationships. The day of worship on the Sabbath was transformed into the day of the Lord on Sunday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The early Church worshipped on Sunday, highlighting each week the resurrection. Christians must do everything possible to protect the day of worship making it a weekly priority, and not optional.I challenge you today to renew your commitment to following these four commandments that focus on your relationship with God. Next week we will consider the last six commandments that give attention to your relationship with others.