The Ten Commandments II

We honor God by finding our contentment in Him

What does God expect from His people? Sometimes, you have to have a conversation to “define the relationship”. The Law serves as God’s way of defining His expectations for His people Israel. Last week, we saw God’s first expectation: Worship Him alone. This week, we are going to see the second set of commands: Honor people. What we are going to find out is that the way that we treat people is a direct reflection of our relationship with Him.

I. Honor Your Parents v. 12

Last week, we looked at the first four commandments, all of which demonstrated how we honor God in our particular worship of Him

Now, we see a shift in focus, towards people

The hinge is found in the first relationship of our lives, with our parents

We are called to honor our parents:

This is slightly different than raw obedience, an issue addressed in the New Testament

It is however a bridge from how we related to God and applying it to others

There is a pattern in each of our lives: We grow up

This is good and right, but growing up doesn’t simply mean moving on

There is a responsibility that each of us have towards our parents: we must consider their needs greater than our own, especially as they begin to decline in their ability to care for themselves

We honor them when we place their needs ahead of our own!

II. Honor God’s Justice v. 13

Next, we see one of the simplest forms of morality: we must not commit murder

The Bible addresses other forms of killing like accidental death, self-defense, manslaughter, capitol punishments, and death in battle in other places

However, what is being addressed here is a specific form of violence: taking the life of another person for self-serving reasons

There is never an excuse for this

God is the judge; life and death are in His hands

I may be angry, hurt, or confused, but life is God’s to give and to take

No matter my experience or my pain, I must honor God by treating the life of others as a sacred thing, belonging to Him

III. Honor Marriage v. 14

Third, we honor marriage, both ours and others

This command is simple and the prohibition is forthright

Sex belongs to husbands and wives, shared in the context of their marriage

This is from God and the restriction is for our good

The prohibition is a safeguard against unholy and ultimately destructive desire

When adultery takes place, the list of victims is practically endless

Dissatisfaction and inappropriate desires are challenges that every marriage will face; that is why honoring this commitment is critical

By honoring the covenant of marriage, we honor God, we honor our spouses, and we honor our neighbors as well

IV. Honor the Property of Others v. 15

Fourth, we honor others by not taking their belongings

Again, this is something fundamental; we understand how wrong it is at a basic level

I cannot honor someone without letting what is theirs be theirs

In some ways, we are also circling down into a tighter window of morality:

Hopefully, none of us here have committed a murder

Certainly more have committed adultery

But when we come to stealing, there are very few of us who have not transgressed this command

Increasingly, at this command we find more and more ways to excuse why it might actually be “good” to disobey the command or why we felt like it was necessary to take something that was not ours

Most frequently, we excuse it as something that “doesn’t really matter”. God has made it clear: He cares!

V. Honor the Truth v. 16

Fifth, we need to honor the truth; we must not lie by bearing a false witness against our neighbor

Telling the truth and treating the character of others with integrity matters

It is foundational for a just society, but it is also fundamental for healthy relationships

If we cannot trust each other, our foundations for sharing life together crumble rapidly

Why are we so bent towards lying?

Well, because it is frequently advantageous to us

We believe that we can get ahead, get revenge, or get our way by lying

We dishonor God when we dishonor others and disregard the truth!

VI. Honor Your Life v. 17

The final commandment is important for two reasons:

It sort of incapsulates “how-to” practice the previous five

If I covet someone else’s life, I will not honor parents, justice, marriage, property, or truth

Instead, I will excuse all sorts of bad behavior out of evil desire

James 1:14–15

[14] But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. [15] Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. (ESV)

It serves as a bookend to the first commandment

How do you live with contentment? You place your faith in the one God of Israel, the Lord

The final commandment, in effect, points us back to where we started

Do not look for contentment or satisfaction anywhere else; trust in the Lord!

The commandments are an invitation to believe God and trust Him for all of the details of your life

-Just this week, Suzanne and I were talking about this moment in our lives, as we watch our young adult children begin to launch out into life. We were discussing how hard it is, emotionally, to let go and let them grow into adulthood. How are we going to face it? The same way that we have faced all of the other challenges: We are going to believe God.

How can we know that God is worth trusting for the details of our lives?

Romans 8:31–32

[31] What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? [32] He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (ESV)

How do we remember?

We go to the Lord’s Table

Exodus 24:8

[8] And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.” (ESV)

Matthew 26:26–28

[26] Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” [27] And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, [28] for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (ESV)