10 Words From God: part 1

God’s 10 Words: Exodus 20: 1-12 part 1

Intro:

Ex. 20:1-2 “And God spoke all these words: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”

There is a Voice with a Word for you and it’s upon Him to make the truth clear to you about Who He is, who you are, and where you come from. The purpose of your life matters to God and He will reveal Himself to you because He created you to have a relationship with Himself. You won’t live in existential uncertainty, you will know that there is a God and He is responsible for you. He takes it upon Himself to save you and will be the One who rescues you from whatever slavery you may end up in, no matter how you got there.

Worship

Ex. 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me.”

In a world and history full of gods, deities, ideas, and philosophies, Yahweh will convince you that there is only one God and teach you how to worship and obey Him. He wants you to know what is true, right, and good and has taken it upon Himself to make Himself known to you. You will come to worship Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Priorities

Ex. 20:4-6 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.”

It is confusing in life to know how to order your life and according to what values and priorities. God will reveal Himself to you in such a way that His words will reshape how you live your life. He will take first place in all things and become the light that you see all of life by, resulting in helping you navigate how to put the best things first and attend to the most meaningful things in life.

Speech

Ex. 20:7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

Words are sacred and powerful, by God’s words all things came into being. Your words matter. How you speak to God and how you speak to others about Him matters. God will teach you how to speak.”

How to be one who builds with one’s words instead of destroying. How to bring life instead of death, how to bring order instead of chaos with your words. You will learn to value the name of God in the fullest sense of what it means to truly comprehend the depth and meaning of knowing and speaking someone’s name in the most loving and committed way. To speak someone’s name is an act of covenant and commitment to cherish that name, to fully commit to being one who protects the one who is named, and a passion to continue to pursue the one whom you have come to know.

Rest

Ex. 20:8-11 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

You will find a rest for your mind, heart, and soul that truly liberates you from the concern of the immediate. You will learn to be loved and valued for who you are, and not just for what you do or produce. You will come to know the grace of God, which is the origin of the peace of God. Resting in Him is the gift of coming to know deeply the work God has done for you, and what he doesn’t expect you to do. Rest involves the understanding that you are not expected to be God, but freely receive what is given by God.

Honor

Ex. 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”

You will not have to fear the elder years of your life. You will be taken care of by those you have taken care of all your days. You will be valued and honored by those you love and who love you. Love will hold in you the last years of life, those who love you will put you to rest in death, as your love was there to welcome them to life. Your name will be spoken and not forgotten by those who know that life is lived most fully by the fruits of wisdom. Wisdom will overshadow you in the dusk of your days, like a bountiful harvest. People will eat from the fruit of your life and honor what you have given and leave behind within them. Together you will live and move and have your being in a multiplicity of relationships that give meaning to your life through loving and receiving love.