The Ten Commandments
Notes
Transcript
Reopening
Reopening
We will begin meeting again on July 5th, three Sundays from today. We will have an early morning service at 8:30am and we will continue to post our service online at 11:00.
Prayer —
Three weeks ago we looked at Exodus 19 at how God wanted to create a nation on earth that He would live among and in right relationship with so that the rest of the world would be drawn to Him. The purpose of the nation of Israel was to draw all nations to Himself. He said they would serve the role of priests to the nations. Let’s read it again.
1 In the third month from the very day the Israelites left the land of Egypt, they came to the Sinai Wilderness. 2 They traveled from Rephidim, came to the Sinai Wilderness, and camped in the wilderness. Israel camped there in front of the mountain. 3 Moses went up the mountain to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain: “This is what you must say to the house of Jacob and explain to the Israelites: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you will carefully listen to me and keep my covenant, you will be my own possession out of all the peoples, although the whole earth is mine, 6 and you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.”
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God forms the nation at Mt. Sinai by offering them a covenant relationship with Him and they accept. He starts off by speaking where they all could hear Him, and the scripture says that His voice sounded like the thunder. And this is what He said to them.
1 Then God spoke all these words: 2 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. 3 Do not have other gods besides me. 4 Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. 5 Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, 6 but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commands. 7 Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God, because the Lord will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses his name. 8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: 9 You are to labor six days and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female servant, your livestock, or the resident alien who is within your city gates. 11 For the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy. 12 Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 13 Do not murder. 14 Do not commit adultery. 15 Do not steal. 16 Do not give false testimony against your neighbor. 17 Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. 18 All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the ram’s horn, and the mountain surrounded by smoke. When the people saw it they trembled and stood at a distance. 19 “You speak to us, and we will listen,” they said to Moses, “but don’t let God speak to us, or we will die.” 20 Moses responded to the people, “Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, so that you will fear him and will not sin.” 21 And the people remained standing at a distance as Moses approached the total darkness where God was.
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Now we call this the Ten commandments, but this is the first part of the larger section that’s referred to as the law. These are God’s laws. They show us how we are to live. They show us how to be like God. This is how God would live. The law shows us how to be holy. But in serving that purpose, it also serves another very important purpose. It shows us that we have all sinned.
7 What should we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! But, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law. For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.
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So the law convicts us of our sin in order to bring us to repentance and to recognize our need of a savior, and it also shows us how to live holy lives, pleasing to God. So the law is supposed to bring us to God, show us how to walk with God, and to keep us humble as we walk with Him. But Paul knew that many people were misusing the law, just as many do today as well, so He warned Timothy to not think that the law is somehow bad, but to realize that it is good as long as it’s used appropriately.
8 But we know that the law is good, provided one uses it legitimately. 9 We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoral and males who have sex with males, for slave traders, liars, perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching 11 that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which was entrusted to me. 12 I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because he considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry—13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
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The law is meant to convict people of their sins so that they would repent and be saved.
The law is meant to show us what a holy life looks like, aka, what God looks like.
The law keeps us humble by showing us that we all sin and are guilty and that only by God’s grace are we saved, because no amount of obedience to the law can erase our guilt of breaking the law. (Example 75 years of perfect obedience to the law does not make a person not guilty of breaking the law if they murder someone)
1 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time.
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We should all be praying for and interceding for our president and leaders and authorities so that we may lead peaceful holy lives. For this is pleasing to God who wants everyone to be saved. Are you saved?