NBBC KC: The First Commandment, Exodus 20:1-3

Introduction: Friends, I’m so excited that we get to study the 10 Commandments this term!

What we’re going to see is more than just a bunch of rules. Instead, we’re going to see how God loves us and has given us instruction to live by as a result of our relationship to Him.

Along the way, we’re going to learn creative ways to help us remember the 10 commandments.

So, let’s dive right in by looking together at the first 3 verses of Exodus 20.

Exodus 20:1–2 “Then God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”

Friends, Who is it that’s speaking here?

God, that’s right!

Friends, because we’re reading God’s Words here that He spoke, God is still speaking to us today!

In fact, every time you open the Bible, you have the opportunity to hear from God!

Therefore, any time that we open God’s Word, we want to listen carefully for what it is that He wants us to know about Himself and about us.

Notice, friends, that God doesn’t start off right away by saying, “You will … or … You won’t.”

Instead, God reminds them about something.

What is the something that God reminds them of?

First, He reminds the Israelites that He’s their God (“the Lord your God.”)

Friends, if I were to say, “the baseball bat, your bat,” what would I be saying about the baseball bat and you?

That it belongs to you, right!

Friends, this is God’s way of saying that Israel belonged to Him because He was their God.

And, friends, as we’re going to learn next week, this means that Israel cannot have any other gods.

Notice, friends, is God describing for Israel a relationship to Him with Israel that had come and gone?

No!

God says, “I am.”

He was talking about something that was real for Israel right at that very moment.

Additionally, God didn’t say, “I will be the Lord your God.”

Meaning, friends, that God wasn’t about to tell Israel that they had to obey God’s commands in order to become His people/children.

You know what, friends, that hasn’t changed.

We don’t have to obey God’s Word to become His people/children.

Instead, we obey God’s Word because we already belong to Him!

Think about it this way, friends.

If you play sports and you’re part of a team, do you play like you belong to the opposing team?

No!

Why?

Because you don’t belong to that team!

Playing like you belong to another team when you’re already on a team is wrong!

We don’t think very highly of people who start playing on one team and then in the middle of the game switch teams!

Friends, notice how God demonstrated for Israel His relationship to them.

Additionally, God reminds them about what He’s done for them because they belong to Him.

What did the Lord do for Israel?

He brought them out of the land of Egypt!

Friends, what an understatement this is!

Think about all God did to bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.

He spared Moses’ life when he was a baby to ultimately have Moses lead the people out of Egypt.

He sent 10 plagues that demonstrated God’s authority over everything from animal life, to bugs, to water (the Nile River), to health (boils), to light and darkness), to even life itself (the 10th plague).

God parted the Red Sea and led the people on dry ground while Pharaoh and his army went through and got stuck in the mud to ultimately have the waters come crashing on them, destroying Pharaoh’s army.

Friends, God even led His people with a visible manifestation of His presence with them in a Pillar of Cloud by day and a Pillar of Fire by night.

Friends, why did God do all of these things for Israel?

They belonged to Him.

If you take of the things that belong to you, it’s because those things are special to you.

Friends, God loves Israel!

And, because He loves Israel He delivered Israel.

Because God loves and delivered Israel, He gave them instructions to live by.

Notice, friends, God was able to do all of these things but was Israel able to deliver themselves from Egypt?

No.

In fact, what were the Israelites in comparison to the Egyptians?

They were the slaves of the Egyptians.

Friends, this brings us to the final reminder that God offers to Israel here.

Finally, God reminds them about something that they experienced.

As a slave, the Israelites were under the complete control of the Egyptians.

The Egyptians could take the life of an Israelite at will - like in the episode where Moses’ life was under threat just because he was a baby boy!

The Egyptians could make the work easier or lighter on the Israelites, like in Exodus 4 where Pharaoh told the taskmasters to make the Israelites work extra hard by getting their own materials to make bricks.

Friends, there was nothing that they could do to save themselves from Egyptians slavery because they knew that Pharaoh would use his might to take control of them again if they were to do anything.

Friends, God has reminded the people of how He demonstrated His relationship to Israel by delivering them from an enemy they were helpless against.

Now, God specifies that He has important instructions that they must live by because He is their God who saved them from an enemy they were powerless to free themselves from.

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

Friends, we’re going to talk more about what is another god next week.

But for now, I want you to focus in on the word “before”.

What does it mean to put one thing before something else?

You are demonstrating what is important; what takes priority.

Friends, we make choices like this everyday.

Do I play video games or do my homework?

Do I watch tv or clean my room?

Do I share my toys or play by myself?

You see, friends, this forms the foundation for all of the other commandments.

If the Israelites understood that because God chose to deliver Israel because of the relationship that He has with them, then He’s first and they would do everything that He says.

But friends, you might be thinking, what a sec Pastor Bill, I’m not an Israelite!

I wasn’t a slave in Egypt.

I didn’t cross through the Red Sea.

I didn’t have Pharaoh and his military breathing down my neck.

I’ve never seen God’s presence manifested in a pillar of fire at night or a cloud by day.

How does this affect me?

Friends, God has made a way of deliverance available to every one of us.

That deliverance is not from Egypt.

It’s from something far worse, sin.

Sin is anything that we think, say, or do that displeases God.

Friends, we’re all sinners who not only think, say, and do things that displease God but want to!

Friends, because of this, we deserve to be separated from God’s presence forever in place called hell.

But, friends, through Jesus’ perfect life, sacrifice on the cross for our sins, and coming back to life to never die again, we can be saved from this penalty that we deserve.

God will make us His children - not because we’ve obeyed, but because of His compassion!

God will give us a new heart, where His Holy Spirit will live and empower us to want to do what’s right.

Friends, this is why we want to obey God’s Word - because He’s changed us as we have believed on Jesus to save us.

Friends, if you have yet to believe on Jesus to save you, please talk with me about what the means.

I recognize, friends, that some of you in here have believed on Jesus to save you and you’re trusting Him alone.

Friends, God wants us to remember that He’s the One Who chose to rescue us from our sins.

Not only does He deserve the praise for this but also our devotion - that He and His priorities and his instructions to obey would be our priorities.

Friends, we need God’s Holy Spirit to help us to live this way.

Conclusion:

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

Friends, to help us remember this verse, I want for you to hold up 1 finger.

We normally hold up this finger to tell someone to wait just a moment while you do something else.

When we do this, we’re telling someone that we have prioritized doing one thing before we do something else.

Friends, God always has the priority in our life.

So, hold up one finger and let’s say our memory verse together - Exodus 20:3 “3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.”

I want for you whenever you practice your memory verse to hold up one finger as you say it.

Friends, seek God’s Holy Spirit to help you to make it your first priority to live to please the Lord according to His Word.

Discussion Questions:

Who is it that begins speaking to Moses and Israel in Exodus 20:1-2? - The Lord

How does God speak to us today? - through the Bible

Who were the slaves of the Egyptians? - the Israelites

Who did God save that He was going to use to lead Israel out of Egyptian slavery? - Moses

How many plagues did God send to prove His authority over animal life, the weather, light and darkness, health, and death? - 10

Name one of the Plagues. - Turning the Nile River into blood; frogs; gnats; flies; locusts; livestock dying; boils; hail; darkness; death

What happened when the Israelites cross through the Red Sea? - they walked on dry ground

What happened when Pharaoh and his army attempted to cross the Red Sea? - they got stuck in the mud and were drowned

What did God use to manifest His presence with Israel by day and by night? - a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night

Could Israel save itself from Egyptians slavery? - no