Summer Road Trip 2023: #4 Commandment
Genesis 20:1-17 Victory Fellowship
July 16, 2023 - Rev. Roderick Grabski
Summer Road Trip 2023
Learning the major events in the history of God and people will give you a clearer understanding of the Bible and its life-changing message for today. We’ll simplify it by using seven simple keywords:
#1: Creation, #2: Sin, #3: Promise to Abram, #4: Commandment, #5: Jesus, #6: Salvation, #7: Heaven
God gave the Ten Commandments to his people through Moses to give a framework for how God wants people to live in order to love God and people. The commandments are listed in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. There are two tablets of the Ten Commandments.
The first four are the God and Man relationship and the next six are the human-to-human relationship. Our relationship with God effects our relationship with people.
Man relating to God
• You shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3)
• You shall not make for yourself an image. (Exodus 20:4)
• You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God (Exodus 20:7)
• Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy (Exodus 20:8-11)
People relating to People
• Honor your father and your mother (Exodus 20:12)
• You shall not murder. (Exodus 20:13)
• You shall not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14)
• You shall not steal. (Exodus 20:15)
• You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor (Exodus 20:16)
• You shall not covet (Exodus 20:17)
What do we do with the Ten Commandments? Jesus said,
"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-20)
We must fulfill the Law – but how do we do that? Paul wrote to the Galatians in 3:23-29:
But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise.
The Law points to the need for Christ. When it comes to fulfilling the Commandments, Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40).
Jesus’ forgiveness puts us with right standing with God. Our love for Jesus compels us to follow His commands.
PRAYER
SONG: Red Letters
Exodus 20:1-17 (HCSB) Then God spoke all these words: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. Do not have other gods besides Me. 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. You must not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the fathers’ sin, to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commands. Do not misuse the name of the LORD your God, because the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses His name. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: You are to labor six days and do all your work, 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 slave, your livestock, or the foreigner who is within your gates. 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. 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. Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not give false testimony against your neighbor. Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
