Prelude
Can politics, science, or education fix our world? What if everyone kept the Ten Commandments? Is it even possible for a nation to keep the Ten Commandments?
Purpose: What are the Ten Commandments for?
Plan: Let’s look at Exodus 20 and the purpose of the Ten Commandments.
1) No Other Gods
Exodus 20:3 gave us the letter of the law, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” The word “gods” is very broad in Hebrew and includes angels, judges and other great heroes. Jesus taught us the spirit of the law, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.” (Matthew 4:10) In the west, we tend to worship materialism and money, but Jesus taught us, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24)
2) No Idols
Should we refuse statues or pictures in our churches? The mercy seat was covered by two statues of cherubs. The tabernacle was embroidered with pomegranates. But, nobody bowed down to or worshipped those statues and pictures. Jesus said, “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33) What is first in our lives? Is it cars, homes, skyscrapers, boats, airplanes, electronic gadgets, racial or gender superiority, real estate, property, science, education, medicine, constitutions, legal systems, nationalism, celebrities, drugs, brand names, political parties, capitalism, government, free enterprise, unionism, the economy, consumer goods, status, titles, position, money, gold, oil, stocks, bonds, central banks, materialism, leisure, religious traditions, food or God?
3) God's Name
In Exodus 20:7 we read, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” Even in the Church God’s name is spoken in vain. How should we treat the name of the Good Shepherd (John 10:11-18), the one who lay down his life for us? In the Lord’s example prayer, we pray the opposite of blasphemy, the opposite of taking His name in vain, “Hallowed be Your name.” (Matthew 6:9). We all fail to honor God’s name. God deserves the exact opposite of blasphemy: praise, honor, love and abundant thanks.
4) Sabbath
The Sabbath shows love to God and love to neighbor in rest from work. Ancient Israel strayed and God swore, “They shall not enter My rest.” (Hebrews 3:7) But, “we who have believed do enter that rest” (Hebrews 4:3). Was that rest the promised land? “For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.” (Hebrews 4:8-10) Jesus gives us rest (Matthew 11:28-30) when we abide in him (John 15:1-8).
5) Honor Parents
In Exodus 20:12 we read, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” Paul repeated this command in Ephesians 6:1-3. What would happen to a society where parents are dishonored? Would we have a vicious and hateful society? How did Jesus honor His heavenly Father (John 15:9-17)? He obeyed God. Our children grow up learning to be selfish. Yet the love of an unselfish parent can teach us to love each other. A self-love that takes life from others destroys the taker. A love that gives life is the greatest love of all.
6) Murder
Exodus 20:13 says, “You shall not murder.” Jesus taught the spirit of that law, “whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ [worthless] shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ [stupid] shall be in danger of hell fire.” (Matthew 5:22) What’s the opposite of murder in our hearts? A spirit of murder has nothing to do with the Spirit of God, expresses itself in hatred and division. The Holy Spirit guides us in the opposite direction, love and unity, deeper love for God and neighbor (1 Corinthians 13).
7) Adultery
Exodus 20:14 says, “You shall not commit adultery.” Adultery breaks marriages and families, and spreads mistrust and disease. Jesus explained the spirit of that command, “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28) Jesus did not condemn a woman caught in adultery, but told her to sin no more. He did not come to condemn the world (John 3:1-17). We also know that it is not our business now to judge. We have hope because of “Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thessalonians 1:10)
8) Stealing
Exodus 20:15 says, “You shall not steal.” Excessive fees, immoral legal charges, taking of native lands, or stealing time are all theft. Jesus explained two opposite motives, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) Paul further explained, “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.” (Ephesians 4:28) Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)
9) False Witness
Exodus 20:16 says, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Bearing false witness proceeds out of the heart (Matthew 15:19). A true witness delivers souls (Proverbs 14:25). A fourfold witness testifies about Jesus: John the Baptist, the works that Jesus did, God the Father, and the Scriptures (John 5:31-40). Dogmatism is often a symptom of ignorance because those who love truth are not always so sure of their opinions. In Matthew 5:33-37 Jesus discusses courts attempting to guarantee true witnesses by contrived swearing of oaths. Rather than relying on such hocus pocus, Jesus said simply, “let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’”
10) Covetousness
Exodus 20:17 says, “You shall not covet.” National leaders ought to hate covetousness (Exodus 18:21). Modern governments have far exceeded a ten percent tax (1 Samuel 8:10-18). Covetous people rob others of their inheritance (Micah 2:1-5). To someone defrauded of an inheritance by a greedy brother Jesus said not to covet what others have stolen, because they are the losers (Luke 12:13-21). The Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man (Luke 16:19-31) condemns not sharing with the poor. Covetous swindlers will not be in the kingdom of heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). Covetousness causes war and conflict (James 4:1-4) and false religion (2 Peter 2).
Outro
Jesus reveals that those who think they are righteous because they have kept the letter of the law, are woefully lacking in understanding the spirit of the law. If we’ve thought it, it’s the same as if we’ve done it. The Ten Commandments are not an end in themselves, but expose the shortcomings in our hearts and lead us to Christ. We all sin, and the penalty is hell. That’s why Jesus paid the price and gives us a free pass to eternal peace, if we’ll put our trust in Him.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Exodus 20; Matthew 4:10; Matthew 6:24; Matthew 6:33; John 10:11-18; Matthew 6:9; Hebrews 3-4; Matthew 11:28-30; John 15:1-8; Ephesians 6:1-3; John 15:9-17; Matthew 5:22; 1 Corinthians 13; Matthew 5:28; John 3:1-17; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; John 10:10; Ephesians 4:28; Acts 20:35; Matthew 15:19; Proverbs 14:25; John 5:31-40; Matthew 5:33-37; Exodus 18:21; 1 Samuel 8:10-18; Micah 2:1-5; Luke 12:13-21; Luke 16:19-31; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; James 4:1-4; 2 Peter 2
