Kids' Club: the 7th Commandment, Exodus 20:14 (Boys Only)

Introduction: Friends, so far we have surveyed 6 of the 10 commandments.

Who can share with us each of the commandments and do the associated motions? (allow for responses)

So friends, does the 6th commandment pertain strictly to our relationship with God or others? (allow for responses)

Tonight, friends, we’re going to look at the 7th commandment that reminds us of something that God has made that He wanted to be kept as very special.

Content and Explanation: Exodus 20:14 “14 “You shall not commit adultery.”

Friends, God is talking about how special He has made marriage.

Friends, adultery is where you are acting or thinking like you’re married with someone to whom you are not married to.

Friends, you don’t want to say anything that would make it seem like marriage is not special to God.

Friends, you don’t want to treat anyone in a way that makes it seem like marriage is not special to God.

Friends, the Lord wants you to act like you’re married when you are married.

That means you do not act like you’re married with someone to whom you are not married to before you’re married.

That means that you do act like you’re married with only person to whom you are married.

That means that, when you’re married, you don’t act like you’re married with someone to whom you are not married.

Friends, God made you special.

He made boys.

He made girls.

Friends, both boys and girls are made in God’s image!

He made it so that boys would grow up into men and marry women.

He made it that girls would grow up into women and marry men.

Friends, anything that goes outside of this go against what God has made.

Friends, when it comes to becoming a man who will one day be a husband, it’s not only that you treat marriage special but also that you commit now to following God’s Word in being a husband that pleases the Lord.

Friends, being a husband that pleases the Lord looks like learning now how to love your wife more than yourself.

Friends, the only person who has done this perfectly is Jesus Christ.

Now, friends, you might be thinking, “Wait, Jesus was never married!”

It’s true that Jesus never married a woman when He was here on earth.

However, we’re told in Ephesians 5:25 that Jesus loves the Church as a husband loves his wife, his bride.

Ephesians 5:25 “25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,”

Friends, what’s another word that we could use instead of “gave Himself up for her”?

Sacrifice.

Friends, you might be thinking, “Do I need to die for my future wife?”

Friends, that’s not the point of Paul’s instruction here.

Instead, Paul is giving us an example that says I’m going to put the needs of others above my own.

The truth is, friends, you can live this way even now.

When you’re at home and you have a sibling that wants to play with your toys when you want to, you can let them play with it first.

Friends, when you have a piece of candy that you know that your friends really likes but it’s the last one, you can give them that piece in demonstration of sacrificial kindness that pleases the Lord.

Friends, just because husbands are told here to love their wife, that does not mean that a wife is not to love her husband.

The Lord knows that husbands struggle with putting the needs of others above their own.

The Lord knows that husbands can be so selfish!

But, friends, with the Lord’s help, when you become a husband, you can also love your wife in a self-sacrificial way that puts aside your selfishness.

Friends, it’s also very important to remember that when it comes to being married, the Lord not only wants your actions to be right but also your thoughts.

Matthew 5:28 “28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Friends, God doesn’t just care about the things that you do.

He does care about your actions.

But, the Lord cares about your heart.

The things that you think are going to be the things that you may do someday.

The Bible reminds us that all actions start in the heart.

Proverbs 4:23 “23 Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.”

Friends, we have got to be incredible careful about the things that we look at that will influence the things that we think.

This is why, friends, God tells us that we need to renew our minds.

Romans 12:2 “2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Friends, we make our minds new by filling it with God’s Word and things that point us to the Lord and the things that He wants for us to do in order to please Him.

Application: Selfishness and pride

Friends God hates selfishness.

Romans 8:5 “5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”

Friends, the opposite of selfishness is self-sacrificial love that puts the good and needs of others before oneself

The truth is, friends, we’re all going to be tempted to be proud and selfish.

We’re all going to want to be first and have the best over the good and needs of others (ex. do you eat all your candy or do you share?)

Friends, I’m sure that you can think of areas where you have been selfish and proud.

Friends, these are evidences of sin.

God hates sin.

He must punish you because you’re a sinner.

He must punish you in a place called hell when you die and it’s permanent suffering and separation from God.

But, friends, Jesus lived a perfect life of obedience that we could not so that He could die as a sacrifice for our sins in our place to take the punishment that we deserve.

Also, friends, Jesus’ sacrifice further meant that we could have our sins forgiven!

And, friends, because Jesus lives, that means that all who believe on Him to save them from their sins will receive the Holy Spirit giving them new life empowered to live to please the Lord and fight against sin.

Friends, if you have yet to believe on Jesus to save you from your sins, please speak with Ms. Carrie or myself today.

But also, friends, I know that there are several of you here who have believed on Jesus to save you from your sins.

You might be thinking, “Pastor Bill, I struggle with selfishness.”

Friends, you can ask Jesus to forgive you of your pride and selfishness and He will!

Friends, you have the Holy Spirit that you can ask for help when you want to be proud or selfish and He will help you!

To help us remember to keep marriage special, let’s look at our Scripture memory verse.

Scripture Memory - Exodus 20:14 “14 “You shall not commit adultery.”

Ok, friends, take your left palm and hold it out.

Then, friends, take your 2 fingers on your right hand and place them on your left hand, like a husband and wife standing before a pastor saying their vows when they are getting married.

Then, friends, when we finish quoting the commandment, take your two fingers and hold them up and have them touch the tips of your fingers like it’s a husband and wife kissing to seal their marriage promise to one another.

Repetition - Exodus 20:14 “14 “You shall not commit adultery.”

Discussion Questions:

Who is the picture of the love that a husband should have for his wife? - Jesus

While God wants us to use our actions to please Him, what else does God want us to use to please Him that we talked about today? - our thoughts

Name one example of a way that you can live self-sacrificially. (Answers will vary)

Name one example of a way that you can live humbly. (Answers will vary)

Because God created marriage and told us not to commit adultery, what does that mean that God made marriage? - He made marriage a very special relationship

What did Jesus do to demonstrate his life for the church that is a picture of the love a husband should have for his wife? - He died on the cross for our sins