Good News Club - Exodus 19:1, 16-20; 20:3-4, 7-8

Introduction: Friends, the last time that we were together, we saw how God saved the Israelites in an incredible way. He did this by making a way for them to cross through a sea by walking on dry ground. As the people saw God working, they celebrated what He did in song.

So, friends, the people have left Egypt but what are they going to do now? Let’s catch up with them as they are traveling around being led by the Lord Himself.

Content and Explanation: Exodus 19:1, 16-20; 20:3-4, 7-8

Exodus 19:1 “1 In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.”

Ok, friends, here are the people of Israel camped out in a wilderness that is near a great mountain known as Sinai.

Friends, I want for you to look up at the ceiling like you’re looking at a great big mountain.

Friends, God is going to give the Israel and us something very important from this mountain.

Notice what the people see next that simply is amazing!

Exodus 19:16–20 “16 So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. 19 When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. 20 The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.”

Friends, what an extraordinary sight!

I don’t know about you, but I would have been scared with the Israelites if I was there!

Friends, we have to ask ourselves, what does all this mean?

All these things, point to the way that even God’s creation responds to His presence.

He is great and His creation recognizes His greatness.

You know, friends, there is no one as great as God is.

In fact, there’s no one like God at all!

Not only is God great above anyone else but He’s also holy.

Being holy means that God is perfect and cannot sin.

Additionally, it means that He must punish sinners like you and me because we sin (define).

Friends, when we read how God’s creation responded to His greatness, we ought to be afraid because if we’re not saved, we deserve to be separated from the Holy God forever.

Friends, while Moses is on the mountain with the Lord, the Lord gives him some very special rules that we refer to as the 10 Commandments.

It’s important to know that keeping these rules doesn’t make you saved or earn heaven.

Instead, these are the things that someone does if they are God’s child.

Dogs bark and ducks quack.

Christians obey the Lord because they love Him!

Exodus 20:3 “3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.”

You see, friends, this means that God is first in our lives.

We prioritize knowing Him through His Word.

We seek Him in prayer to help us to live the way that we ought to.

Additionally, if God is first then there’s no room for substitutes.

Exodus 20:4 “4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.”

Friends, we can’t put anything above God.

Not people that we like, not actual things that would falsely claim to be god, not even what we want.

Friends, you can treat yourself like a god by doing only what you want to do.

Friends, let’s say that your teacher tells you to be quiet in class.

You want to continue talking, even though the teacher told you to stop.

Also, God’s Word makes it clear that we are to obey the authorities God has given to us, like teachers.

You are faced with a choice.

Are you going to listen and obey God demonstrating that He’s in charge of your life?

Or, are you going to listen and obey yourself, demonstrating that you are the god of your life?

Friends, if God is in charge of your life then it’s going to change what you talk about.

Exodus 20:7 “7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.”

Friends, many of us have probably heard that this means you should never say bad words.

While this is true, it goes beyond just kinds of words that we use.

This also includes how we say something.

You see, friends, God wants us to use our words in a certain way that helps everyone understand more about Him.

God is love, therefore our words should express love towards others and be kind.

God is truth, therefore, we must tell the truth to others instead of lying.

Friends, if God is first in our lives, He also transforms the way that we spend our time.

Exodus 20:8 “8 “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

You see, friends, God was telling the people of Israel that they were to set aside one day a week to be solely dedicated to Him.

Friends, God was telling the nation of Israel that their time was His time and He could tell them what to do with it.

Friends, God is the One Who controls our life and has the right to tell us what we should and should not be doing with our time.

For example, you may want to play when you get home (video games, with your toys, etc.).

However, you have homework that you need to do first that will be due tomorrow.

Friends, God has you given that homework to do.

The best use of your time would be to complete your homework and play later.

You’re faced with another decision.

If God is in charge of my life, will I do my homework that I’m responsible for?

Or, will I put it off and do what I want to do with my time?

Application: God wants you to love Him.

Friends, the only way that you’re going to want to live a life that puts God first is if you have God’s Holy Spirit living inside of you.

Friends, God’s Holy Spirit is the only One Who can empower you to live an obedient life according to God’s Word.

Friends, God’s Holy Spirit will live inside of you if the Lord Jesus Christ gives Him to you.

You will receive the Holy Spirit from the Lord Jesus Christ if you believe on Him to save you from your sins.

But, friends, I know that there are several of you in here who want to live to please the Lord like this.

Friends, seek the Lord in prayer that His Holy Spirit Who lives inside of you will help you to obey the Lord.

Seek the Lord to help you to remember God’s Word, like our new memory verse.

Scripture Memory - Mark 12:31a You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

For love, we’re going to cross our arms over our chest like we’re hugging ourselves (practice).

For neighbor, we’re going to put our right hand in front of our left hand.

Move the right hand forward.

Then block right and left hand parallel to one another.

For yourself, we’re going to make a fist with our thumb up and push out twice.

Repetition - Mark 12:31a You shall love your neighbor as yourself.