Commandment 1: Don’t Let Anything Get In Between You and I

Scrolling through twitter in the morning: Use NDI. These things are taking my attention because their are things taking my attention and my affection in the morning. We live in a polytheistic culture that manifests itself through the algorithm that is always trying to get my attention. And if Im not careful the athletic display of Lebron James or the potential solving problem power of a new gadget takes me away into reverence or worship.

Definition of Idolatry..

Before launching into our study, I need to define idolatry. Martin Luther's larger catechism discussion of the first commandment ("You shall have no other gods before Me" [Ex 20:3]) included "whatever your heart clings to and relies upon, that is your God; trust and faith of the heart alone make both God and idol."' I might add here, "whatever your heart clings to or relies on for ultimate security." "The idol is whatever claims the loyalty that belongs to God alone." These are good and basic definitions of idolatry. The word idolatry can refer to the worship of other gods besides the true God, or the reverence of images. According to both the ancient Near East and the Old Testament, an idol or image contained a god's presence, though that presence was not limited to the image.3 The ultimate biblical assessment about the purported divine reality behind idols is well summarized by Christopher Wright:

adoration, worship

ISRAEL LOVES IDOLS

The People of Israel came out of Egypt. Egypt as with many ancient nations acknowledged that there were many beings that one could worship. They were polytheistic in nature. They worshipped this god for rain. This God for Sun. This god for the harvest. This god so that they would be fertile and be able to bear children. Israel has come out of the same culture and showing signs everyday of their grumbling ways. They have no spiritual direction. They have no vision. They will give themselves t anything that moves, anything that at the moment will make them feel good. We see evidence of this in the 32nd chapter when Moses leaves for two seconds and they make a calf throw the calf a party and give vibe out to the music of worship, in the frequency of moo. These folk are in trouble because these demons they are worshipping are taking everything and leaving nothing in return. They’ve got no spiritual integrity. And their no going to last out here running after a new love every week. Ooh wait. that’s another message.

We Love Idols

There is trouble in our lands we have a many God culture. We have images that we worship while we scroll. How many of us are being controlled by the algorhith. You see a nice picture and you start to think about how you can have someone like that. They;ve got a nice shiny product that appeals to your soul and you are ready to buy it. We don’t make our Gods with our hands anymore, we just buy them from China through Amazon. We don’t read our bible

Confused? Idols leaved you drained and restless and tired. Yahweh is the only one who gives and needs nothing from whom he gives too. He is worthy.

Money, jobs, political parties, ideologies, compete for our attention.

We christians//non-christians are particularly susceptible to idolatry. We have to look at sin differently. Sin isn’t just breaking the rules. We sin anytime we do something. Our problem is that we are looking at something other than God for your happiness. We have been rejecting the true God and worshipping and idol. Anxiety. Anger. Put the chart up of idolatry…

Power Chart

Questions:

What are your Idols. What’s driving you. What have you placed in front of God. How do you answer this question. Life only has meaning if Im what…. What’s keeping you from fulfilling with your church Jesus mandate for his people.

Jesus is Devoted to His Father for Behalf of UnDevoted Israel.

Exodus 20:1–3 ESV

1 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

The law is prophecy — explain:

The POINT. Jesus showed us what it meant to put God above all else by giving his life on our behalf, in fulfillment of the prophecy of the law.

Illustration; I’m looking for a player that is 6’8 and above. runs 4.4. jumps 40 inches. wieghs 250 pounds......

Illustration: When People take tests on behalf of other people. This one was legitimate.

Israel struggles with idolatry through it’s history. It is thrown out of it’s land because it doesn’t love it’s God., However Jesus shows true devotion to His Father his people, and his land by give his life and rising to now be Israel’s and the worlds’s true God if they will listen.

Jesus is so devoted to the covenant that he gives his life in obedience to the father. He doesn’t put the satan, his reign, his glory, his body in front of his devotion to the father. Nothing gets in between him and his daddy.

Jesus lived the and received the covenant blessings. Jesus received the covenant curses for Israel’s lack of devotion and died for you.

Jesus is is great for us, so that we don’t have to be. Jesus is working all things out for our good. He knows every tear and every hair. He takes care of us so we don’t have to look for somebody else to do it for us.

Jesus is Devoted to His Father on our Undevoted Behalf.

It’s always been the good news, that has been the motivation.

You don’t have to get yourself together. He loves you as you are.

Romans 5:8 ESV

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Ds and Rs have never loved us. A Bride should never chase anything that is not chasing it. Jesus considers you the rose.

Jesus is devoted to his bride. and we are his bride...

We are loved, and we fulfill that commandment, by loving people like us, and loving people unlike us. Jesus is the model of what it means to have true devotion. We give up our life to fulfill his mission, as he gave up his life to fulfill ours…

Devotion to God means the sacrifice of our lives to what means something to him. The people around me are created in the image of God. What does it look like to sacrifice my lives for them - that they may see the Lord more fully.

We are loved, so let’s not let anything get in-between us and the one who loves us.

Exodus 20:1–3 ESV

1 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

The Ten Commandments are a prophecy...

I am the Lord Your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery == Jesus.

The POINT. Jesus showed us what it meant to put God above all else by giving his life on our behalf, in fulfillment of the prophecy of the law.

What does it mean for us? Fall in love with the one who gave his life for us, and give our life because he is worthy of that.