The Ten Commandments (9 and 10)

Let's look at the 9th and 10th commandments as most Protestants count them.

Lying

Exodus 20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

False witness is not just verbal, but also the example we set as Christians. If we go to Church faithfully, but are known as swindlers in business, or filthy mouthed neighbors, or sleazes who undress women with our eyes, or opinionated bullies, or habitual liars, then we are bearing false witness to the faith we represent by not living it as we should.

Yet, we live in a world of lies. Science is a mixture of fact and the myth of naturalism, which denies even the obvious evidence all around for a God. Politics has become so untrustworthy that longtime faithful members of political parties are becoming independents. Advertising is assumed to be lies, because even if the truth is told, only advantages are told and disadvantages are not. History is continually being revised as the atrocities buried by past generations come to light.

None of us can possibly know all knowledge about everything, so it is quite logical that we will inevitably believe some lies, and when we tell those untruths to others, we are bearing false witness, even if unintentionally. Even the most careful among us cannot help but believe and pass on some lies. It’s the nature of being finite. Perhaps that’s why the songwriter was inspired to compose in Psalm 116:11 that, “all men are liars.”

Thank God for His mercy.

Covetousness

Exodus 20:17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

To covet means simply to desire or take pleasure in, and the context means something that is not ours. At the feast of tabernacles people were encouraged to eat “whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth…” (Deuteronomy 14:26 KJV). God wants us to take pleasure in things that we rightfully own or can buy, when we have gotten those things without swindling our neighbor, or stolen. When we have earned something through honest work, ethical pricing, equitable trading, paying fair wages to our employees, and have worked diligently for our employers, then we can rightly enjoy whatever our soul lusts for.

However, if our neighbor owns things through dishonest means or swindling, because of an unjust last will and testament, or some other form of greed or injustice, then those of us who are deprived or been swindled still have a command not to covet. Covetousness causes nations to go to war and steal land or encroach on another’s fishing rights. Covetousness causes people to engage in dishonest forms of capitalism, and causes the business environment to be a dog-eat-dog, distasteful place to be. Covetousness causes murder, adultery, and theft. This tenth command, as most Protestants count it, is an introduction to the spirit of the law.

How many of us want something that someone else owns? Yet doesn’t the Shepherd’s Psalm 23 encourage us, “I shall not want?” Is it really saying that, “I shall not have any need to covet what is not mine?”

But, we are all tempted by covetousness. If a fancy car drives by on the road, or we see a beautiful house, or something alluring is advertised, or a member of the opposite sex walks by wearing clothing that advertises the human body, do we have a difficult time not lusting? Can we learn to be satisfied? Paul did. He said, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” (Philippians 4:11 NASB) Thank God for His mercy.

The Ten Commandments (7 and 8)

Let's look at the 7th and 8th of the Ten Commandments as most Protestants count them.

Adultery

Exodus 20:14 You shall not commit adultery.

This is not just a command only against the physical act, but in the spirit of the law, Jesus warned in Matthew 5 against careless glances, which by extension would include pornography and wearing attire that places temptation in anyone’s way, and careless touches, which could include lingering during a “holy kiss” (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:26) or a “holy hug” as is often custom in the west. He also warned against careless divorce, which would also lead to adultery.

Our society’s values are geared towards adultery rather than seeking to prevent it, by mixing genders in the workplace. In the name of equality, we put temptation before men and women and endanger the most precious building block of our society, our marriages. The wise and upright Christian must be constantly on guard because this world has thrown caution to the wind.

Now, there is probably not a man or woman on earth who has never looked or touched and lusted. Thank God for His mercy. Thank Jesus for His sacrifice.

Theft

Exodus 20:15 You shall not steal.

Avoiding theft is something that is hard to obey, even in the letter. How many of us have stolen honor from someone to whom we ought to have given it? How many of us have stolen even just a moment of work time from an employer, or just and fair wages from an employee, because they were too shy to demand it, or because corrupt employment law did not demand it? How many of us have stolen from our future spouses the purity of a monogamous sexual relationship, because we have been with other partners before marriage? Do I need to go on?

How many manufacturers steal from customers daily in either the quality of merchandise or the price charged? How many food processors steal from the health of their clients by including potentially dangerous chemicals or producing packaging that contributes to our environmental garbage pile that we all live in?

How many steal from God by robbing Him of honor? Do we cheer loudly at a sports game or respectfully salute at a veteran’s parade, but yawn when God’s Holy Word is preached, or roll our eyes when a song with good and holy words is not sung in our favorite music genre? How often do we rob the church of joy by tearing it down with nit picking criticism instead of building up the church and those weary souls who lead us? How often do we excuse stealing from the poor and needy, which is a God-given mandate through the entire Bible, but instead Christians excuse voting against welfare or vote for politicians who want to oppress tired and hungry illegal immigrants escaping crime and poverty in their homelands?

Can we avoid stealing in spirit? I doubt it. We are experts at giving ourselves excuses. The reader may have found an excuse or two as the above examples were listed. Thank God for His mercy, and thank Jesus for the cross.

The Ten Commandments (1 and 2)

Let’s take a look at the Ten Words or Ten Commandments as they are also called. They are introduced by the words, “I am the Lord your God.” Let’s look at that in more depth.

Exodus 20:2 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

The Exodus experience is a history that is attested to in archaeology, with historically accurate place names, characteristic four-roomed housing, and parts of ancient Egypt with semitic place names. However, the spiritual lesson for us today is also important. What is the spirit of the declaration that begins the Ten Commandments? It tells us that the God we worship is also intent on freeing His people from every form of slavery today.

What forms of slavery exist today? We are too often slaves to debt, slaves to jobs which do not pay enough to cover the cost of living, slaves to slumlords, slaves to a corrupt food industry, in some countries we are slaves to governments that do not allow freedom of worship, some of us are slaves to a prison system that frequently jails small-time crooks and often only fines those who steal millions from customers, slaves to an advertising world that makes the world look ugly, slaves to utilities that take a monthly bite out of our bank accounts, in the United States many are slaves to a healthcare system that can rob people of their homes, and on it goes.

Why are we still figuratively in Egypt, in one form of slavery or another? We have forgotten the God who frees us. We are not truly free, even in “the land of the free.”

No other gods

Exodus 20:3 You shall have no other gods before Me.

Most pastors care for small churches and their salary is a large percentage of the local church’s budget. Some church people complain about what they pay their pastors, without a thought for the millions we all pay sports stars, or CEO’s of companies that often have questionable morality. But, one of our gods is money and we do not value those who teach us about the one true God as we ought to.

Another of our gods is materialism. It drives the economy. Rather than encourage saving, advertisers and governments alike encourage spending, because we live the lie taught by economic theories which are driven by environmentally and financially unsustainable growth. A great blight on the Church is the preaching of a materialistic false gospel. Rather than a self-sacrificing Jesus, we worship a tooth-fairy Jesus, who grants our every wish.

Idolatry

Exodus 20:4-6 You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

A Jewish Talmud version of the Ten Commandments numbers this together with having no other gods. A lot of people don’t realize that there are over half a dozen variations on how the Ten Commandments are numbered. The Talmud, Reformed Protestants, Septuagint, Lutheran Protestants, Samaritan, Augustinian, Catholic, and Philo all number them differently. However, none of the various enumerations of the Ten Commandments, leaves a commandment out, as some seem to believe. The words are all there, even if the numbering is different.

So what is an idol? First of all, it is not an image. Neither a two dimensional painting, nor a three dimensional statue are idols of and by themselves. All one has to do is look at the Tabernacle to see that. God commanded that two dimensional tapestries of pomegranates and cherubs be woven into the curtains of the Tabernacle and these were not idols. The three dimensional covering cherubs over the mercy seat were statues, but not idols.

When does a picture or statue become an idol? When it is bowed down to and worshipped, it becomes an idol. The bronze snake on a pole, which has become a symbol of medicine, was at first not an idol. God commanded that it be made in Numbers 21, and those who saw it were protected from snake bite.

However, the same three dimensional object began to be worshipped as an idol and so had to be destroyed as we read in 2 Kings 18. What is worship? The original Hebrew in Exodus 20:5 is clear. What is specifically forbidden is bowing down to or serving a likeness as subjects, as any good Hebrew lexicon will show.

So the spirit of the law here is also quite clear. What do we build and subsequently bow down to or serve as subjects? The list could be very long indeed. Everything from jingoism to personal property, from family names or businesses to our own church institutions, and the list goes on.

The lesson of the bronze snake is very relevant to the Protestant Reformation. A once viable Church which had carried the message of the Gospel for centuries, had also become corrupt. The imperfect human institution had become an idol, whereby many Christians were bowing down to and serving it instead of the one true God. Any institution that refused repentance had allowed its rules or itself to become an idol.

An impressive saying that our Reformed friends discuss is “reformed and always reforming.” The motto may be an ideal, but is largely ignored by we who are Protestants, because we have become much like the ancient western Church, stubborn and unrepentant. Or, it may be used for watering down the gospel and adopting worldly values, thus labeling modern apostasy as a new reformation.

Obviously, some of us are Protestant because we see so much in Catholicism that is wrong, but we must admit that our churches are also far from perfect. That’s why we all need Jesus and His perfect sacrifice, because none of us can measure up to the perfect law of God. May God have mercy on all of us.

The Secret Behind the Ten Commandments

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

Sermon: Fixing America, Part 3 — The Opposite of Blasphemy

Intro

We have all bad-mouthed authority figures behind their backs — criticized a law officer, grumbled about a boss or complained about our parents. Worse, we have all taken God’s name in vain.

Goal

Let’s understand how blasphemy destroys us and our country and how praise of God is an answer to fixing America.

Sermon Plan

We will look at your name and God's Name, our best friend’s name, the purpose of the law, hired hands, the one true church, that abundant life, addiction, shepherds, pastors and the opposite of blasphemy.

Your Name, God's Name

Your name is a mark of identification. It labels who you are. The mention of your name carries the honor and reputation you may have in the community, good or bad. How would you like it if your name became a swear word. When something bad or surprising happened, would you like it if people cursed your name? Would you like your name being used for abuse, swearing and generally considered to be a worthless or dirty word? In Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 one of the Ten Commandments asks us not to use God’s name in vain. That means that we respect his name and not use it for evil, lying and similar vain and useless purposes. How should we treat the name of the Good Shepherd (John 10:10-18), the one who lay down his life for us?

Our Best Friend’s Name

Imagine that we had a best friend who loved us more than any other. Suppose that best friend sacrificed everything for our welfare including dying to save our lives. Would we want to bad-mouth that person? Would we like it if others started bad-mouthing that person’s reputation? Would we feel uncomfortable if others used his name as a swear word? As a part of his covenant with ancient Israel, God asked them not to abuse his name (Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5). The shepherds of this world (politicians, industry leaders and yes, even church leaders) can not care for us in the same way as the Good Shepherd (John 10:10-18). Jesus loves us as no human being possibly can. How do we treat the name of the Good Shepherd? Ought not his name be revered more than any other?

Purpose of the Law

Imagine someone who loved us more than anyone, yet we turned our backs on him. Not only that, but we bad-mouthed that person, ruined his reputation and used his name as a swear word. Yet, despite all that, he died to save us. Even after he did so, we continued to abuse his name. That is what the law teaches us (Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5), that all human efforts fail. The gospel teaches us that God still sent his Son to do what we cannot. That is why Jesus is called the Good Shepherd (John 10:10-18). He knows that his sheep are weak and cannot follow the rules. Those who use the law to puff themselves up do not yet understood the law. The purpose of the law is to humble us and prepare us for the gospel.

Reading of the Text: Read John 10:10-18

The One True Church 

Official Catholic teaching is that it is the one true church. Official Orthodox teaching is somewhat alike. Official teaching of a number of denominations large and small is very similar. Yet, they cannot all be the one true church. Such exclusive thinking is not new. There were times that even Jesus’ disciples were caught up in such mentality. John 10:10-18 adds something interesting to this discussion. Jesus said that he had other sheep not of this fold or sheep pen. The “one true church” mentality on the human level stinks of politics and egotism. I like to call it “exclusive franchise” thinking. There certainly is one true church, but there is nothing in the Bible that specifically speaks of God having just one exclusive organization of human beings. It appears that God’s flock exists in more than one sheepfold.

The Abundant Life

When we read that Jesus came that we may have life to the full, the abundant life, we may read into the passage a purely materialistic abundance. We may assume that this passage means accumulating things, when it actually refers to an abundant life (John 10:10-18). An abundance of things can actually detract from an abundant life. Jesus said that we ought to be on our guard against greed because life does not consist of an abundance of possessions (Luke 12:13-21) but in being rich towards God. So, what is the abundant life? It is a life filled over and above our necessary dullness. It is a superior life, a life that is remarkable, one that is lived with greater honor. It is life devoted to the things of God, a life lived within the sheepfold of Jesus.

Addiction or Abundant Life

What would be our society’s greatest addiction? When we speak of addiction, we may think of alcohol or drugs, but those are not our world’s greatest addictions. Our economy relies upon creating addictions to products. Two of our greatest addictions are unhealthy foods and materialism. Advertising deceives us that material goods make an abundant life and politics deceives us that fixing America begins with a materialistic solution. We are constantly lied to that materialism and degenerate foods will create the abundant life. Yet, Jesus warned against greedy materialism because that is not life (Luke 12:13-21). Jesus came that we might have truly rich and satisfying lives (John 10:10-18). Attending church regularly is important, because Jesus gathers his sheep to give them a better life. Fixing America and each of us having a full life begins in his sheepfold.

The Hired Hand

Who is your pastor? That person is not the Good Shepherd, but a hired hand. That is the terminology used in John 10:10-18. All pastors read those words and say to themselves, “I hope that is not me.” Yet it is all pastors except the one, Jesus Christ. We must face the fact that we are being described here. Even Jesus’ disciples ran away during difficult times. Only by the power of the Holy Spirit can any of us stay and fight. Pastors often compare themselves by how big their congregations, how long they have served, how many books they have written or other egotistical comparisons. From this passage success as a pastor is not measured by such silly standards but by standing firm when the wolf attacks. A great pastor is one willing to die for their congregation.

Shepherds

I grew up spending summers on my uncle’s sheep farm. Though I learned a lot about sheep, I did not learn much about shepherding. Later I became pastor of a rural church with many sheep farmers. Though I learned a lot more about sheep from them, I still did not learn much about shepherding until I met Robin. She was a shepherd. There is a difference. Sheep farmers have thousands of sheep, but Robin had a small flock and knew each one by name. Sheep often flee a sheep farmer, but when Robin took a small can of grain and shook it, they came to her and they knew her voice. That’s an advantage of small churches. Jesus is like Robin. He is the Good Shepherd and calls us into his flock to be cared for individually (John 10:10-18).

Pastors

The word pastor is one of the least used words for a church leader in the New Testament, but a very meaningful one. Whereas other words carry meanings like envoy, servant, older person, teacher and overseer, the word pastor means a shepherd. Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:10-18), and every human pastor is an assistant to him. As churches grow larger it becomes impossible for one pastor to provide individual care and so assistant pastors or small group leaders become the hands-on pastors of the flock. Whatever level of pastoral care can be given is vital because there is nothing more important to Jesus than his flock. All pastors know that they are inadequate and totally incapable of providing what Jesus would, yet we count it a privilege to love and be loved by the flock of Christ.

The Opposite of Blasphemy

We live in a world where every boss is criticized, where every leader is disrespected and the super-wealthy are automatically suspected of greed. There is plenty of reason to criticize a fellow human being. After all, we all fall far short of any godly ideals. A temptation that we all face is having that jaded, skeptical attitude towards God. Yet, Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:10-18). What does that mean? It means that, even though we are tempted to blaspheme his name because we are worn out by the constant corruption of fellow human beings, Jesus really is not like that. Instead of abusing his name and using it as a curse word, he really deserves the exact opposite. Jesus truly deserves praise, honor, love and abundant thanks for the full life that he bestows upon his flock.

Outro

We are all tempted to grumble against God and taking his name in vain is not censored in the media when barnyard and sexual swear words are. Fixing America starts by praising the name of him who created us instead of cursing God. We need to get back to praising and honoring the name of God.

Sermon: Fixing America, Part 2 — Dead Idols, Living Savior

Intro 

Our world is filled with idols — 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 and religious doctrines. 

Goal 

Let’s understand how idolatry destroys our country and how worship of our triune God is the only answer to fixing America. 

Sermon Plan 

We will look at the commandment against idolatry. Though there are many idols we could discuss, we will specifically look at the idols of exclusivity, false gospels and the golden calf of impatience with God. We will see that our idols are useless and dead, whereas our Savior is alive.

Pictures, Statues & Idols 

Some people think that any picture or statue is an idol (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5) and so refuse to allow statues of biblical heroes or pictures of Jesus in their churches. Is that the case? What does the commandment against idolatry really mean? It does say not to make an image of anything in heaven, on earth or in the water. However, it also says not to bow down to them. Can we look elsewhere for an answer? Yes we can. We may notice that the mercy seat was covered by two statues of cherubs, images of things in heaven. We may also notice that the tent covering the tabernacle contained pomegranates embroidered into its fine tapestry. Those are images of things on earth. The difference is that those statues and pictures were not worshiped. Nobody bowed down to them. 

Modern Idolatry 

Idolatry is worshiping an image of anything in heaven above or here below (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5). An image is something made by human hands. In spirit it means that in today’s world we have hundreds of idols which we worship. The list could include such things as 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, religious doctrines and so on. Is there anything wrong with these things? Just as there was nothing wrong with a bronze snake on a pole, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with these modern man-made images. The idolatry is in worshiping these things. 

The Idol of Exclusivity 

Bowing to the idol of exclusivity is a form of self-worship (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5). This happens when patriotism becomes jingoism or denominational loyalty becomes bigotry. It is easy to idolize our opinions and exclude those who believe differently. Jesus welcomed thousands and fed them, ate with prostitutes and other sinners. Even after all his disciples had abandoned him, when he arose from the dead, he rejoined them blessing them with peace (Luke 24:36-49). The idol of exclusivity blinds us to the reality of Jesus and his inclusiveness. On both sides of modern debates over gender, sexual orientation and social justice we can easily exclude those who Jesus would not. Inclusion does not mean that we have to agree on everything, but that we welcome even those with whom we disagree on some things to mutual fellowship in Jesus. 

The Idol of the Prosperity Gospel 

The idol of the prosperity gospel is a heretical counterfeit (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5). It denies our calling to suffer. That does not mean that God does not give health or wealth. However, this false gospel perpetuates the idea that true believers ought not suffer, or that poverty and sickness are results of our personal sins, when the exact opposite is often true. This bogus gospel which claims to be spirit filled, is in reality idolatrous and materialistic. Part of the Christian life is willingness to suffer with Christ (Romans 8:17), to follow his steps in sacrificing our lives for others (1 Peter 2:21). Jesus did not sin, yet suffered for us, rising again on the third day and promising power for us from on high (Luke 24:36-49). Simply reading what Jesus taught helps avoid this deception. 

The Golden Calf of Impatience 

While Moses was on Mount Sinai alone with God, Israel built an idol (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5) — a golden calf (Exodus 32). The people grew impatient with Moses’ absence. They wanted leadership that they could see. Aaron weakly bowed to the people’s wishes, built an idol and threw a party. The people ran wild and thousands died. Jesus too had informed his disciples of what must take place at the cross (Luke 24:36-49) but they still scattered. Rather than patience with God’s plan, they had built up an idol in their minds of immediate salvation from Roman oppression. We too are impatient with God. When we don’t see immediate results from God or church leadership, we too take matters into our own hands. We create the golden calf of impatience. Let us wait in patience for God to provide. 

Reading of the Gospel

Let’s read today’s Gospel text Luke 24:36-49.

Worthless Idols 

Idols are variously described as vile, disgusting, detestable, vain, worthless and useless in the Bible. When we worship a fashion, a gadget or a drug, we are worshiping a dead thing, an idol (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5). Anciently, idols were cast, or sculpted by human hands and worshiped as if they could help. Idols can be set up in the heart (Ezekiel 14:7-8). In 1 Samuel 15:23 arrogance and stubbornness are tied into idolatry. It describes idolatry of the ego. When we are arrogant and stubborn we are worshiping ourselves. An idol is something that cannot help at all when disaster strikes (Jeremiah 11:12). An idol cannot release us from failure, which is what remission of sins means (Luke 24:36-49). Ultimately, only God can save us from our human problems. Everything else is a worthless idol. 

Dead Idols, Living Savior 

Whether made from molten metal or carved from wood, an idol is a death thing (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5). Even the idols of our minds are fabrications in our hearts. We are people who cannot live beyond the grave on our own. The great difference between and idol and Jesus is that Jesus is alive. An idol is dead. Jesus rose from the grave. An idol is useless to save. Jesus lives to save. In Luke 24:36-49 he addressed his disciples after his resurrection and promised a power that no idol can provide. It is a power that all of us can have. It is not a power that is from within us or that we can create. It is a power from completely outside of our human ability. It is a power from on high, from heaven alone. 

Outro 

We are all tempted to worship the idols that we have all created. Fixing America starts by destroying the idols we have created. We need to get back to worship of the true God — Father, Son and Holy Spirit — in him alone is salvation and no other.

Sermon: Fixing America, Part 1 — No Other Gods

Intro 

Fixing America does not begin with politics but with God. Which gods do we worship? Do we worship money, status, our legal system or do we worship the God of heaven? 

Goal 

I want us to understand how breaking the commandment “you shall have no other gods before me” destroys our country and how worship of our triune God is the real answer. 

Sermon Plan 

We will look at the Ten Commandments and focus on the one against other gods. Though there are many false gods we could discuss, we will specifically look at the gods of Mammon, status and legalism. We will see how Thomas finally realized the truth about Jesus as “my Lord and my God.” 

Counting 10 Commandments 

Most people don’t realize that there are at least four different ways of counting the Ten Commandments from Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. Eastern Orthodox and Protestant reckonings are similar, except that Orthodox Christians count the prologue in with the first commandment. Jews separate out the prologue as the first word or commandment. Catholics and Jews both combine the ban on other gods and idolatry into one commandment. Catholics then divide the ban on coveting into two. We must also remember that these passages do not use the term Ten Commandments, but the words. Even other places where our translation reads Ten Commandments, the original language is just the ten words. However we count them, they are wonderful principles which would go a long way to solving any society’s problems. Politics largely discounts these remarkable solutions to fixing our country. 

National Gods 

Using the Protestant and Orthodox counting of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5) the first contains the words, “You shall have no other gods before me.” This counting separates the first two commandments into bans on gods and idols. The word for gods is Elohim, which is much broader in meaning than our English word. It includes gods, angels, judges and other great and mighty ones. The words do not therefore ban angels, judges or other heroes of our society. They do forbid placing any such individual before the God of heaven. What gods have we placed before the Lord of the Universe? Our politics puts money before God. Our education puts science before God. We put self before God. We put our way of life before God’s way. We have elevated many gods before the God of heaven. 

The God of Money 

What would a nation look like that does not worship Mammon (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5)? If we used money as a tool instead of worshiping it as a god, how would lives look? Would banks eliminate bloodthirsty fees? Would CEO’s take modest salaries instead of gross excess? Would the pricing of goods and services be fair from the farm to the table? Would politicians focus on doing what’s right instead of money? Would predatory and deceptive pricing be gone? Would employee pay improve because employers are no longer greedy for big money? Would a work week be less stressful, because our needs are satisfied without working overtime or two jobs? Would lawyers and doctors and drug companies charge affordable fees instead of plundering our purses? Would people’s needs come before money? There is such a regime, the kingdom of God. 

The God of Status 

What would a nation look like where status was not worshiped as a god (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5)? Would people be less valued for their celebrity, clothes, jewelry, cars, yachts, private jets and mansions that they own than the character that clothes them? Would the cars we drive be less important than the integrity that drives us? Would ordinary people be celebrated because they live honest and upright lives? Would fame and fortune be less important than morality and personal sacrifice? Would the genuine love of a family be more important than the hollow cheers of an adoring crowd? Would respect and decency be more important than flashy jewelry and exposed flesh? There is a place where fame and fortune are totally irrelevant. It is a place where righteousness and faith are highly honored. That place is everywhere where God reigns. 

The God of Legalism 

When crime escalates and dishonest business practices are widespread, we turn to the god of legalism (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5). Can more laws save us? There are so many laws nowadays that recent news reports claim that we all break the law at some point. Our laws have made us a nation of criminals. Ancient Israel had the most perfect law ever devised, without corruption, given by God. However, it became a god that was worshiped more than the God who gave it. It became ineffective and burdensome because it was applied in the letter and not the spirit. It also failed because the people failed. Just as our laws make us all criminals, so too did the Old Testament law make us all sinners. There is a solution to law, but for that we must go to the Gospels. 

Failing the No-Other-Gods Test 

The law about no other gods (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5) is wonderful. Why is it so impossible to keep? The Sermon on the Mount reveals that if we have thought wrongfully in our hearts, it is the same as if we have done wrong. With that being the criteria we all fail. We have all had other gods before God. We have all put money ahead of God. We have worshiped celebrities as Saviors before Jesus. We have thought, “There ought to be a law against ...!” But, the real answer is a change of heart, repentance. The answer lies in what Thomas realized in John 20:19-31 [read aloud]. When we see Jesus as “My Lord and my God” and that it comes by faith, then we will understand salvation. Let us worship our triune God because no other deserves the honor. 

Outro 

We are so tempted to place other gods before the true God. Money, which is a mere tool, we worship as a god. Status, which is nothing but a delusion, is a god we worship. In trying to solve crime which starts in the heart, we have created so many laws that we are all now criminals. Fixing America does not start in the political arena, but in repentant hearts of faith. We need to get back to worship of the true God — Father, Son and Holy Spirit — in him alone is national salvation and no other. Fixing America begins at home in each and every individual's heart.