The First Commandment

Text: Ex. 20:1-3

I. What is the First Commandment?

A. The Jewish view: “I am the Lord, your God, Who has taken you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery.”

1. In Deut. 4:13 “Ten Commandments” could be “Ten Declarations.”

a) This is not meant to lessen the force of the commandments.

b) It is only meant to show that these, rather than being commands, they are declarative statements that are true

c) It also supports the idea that the first declaration be as stated above, rather than the traditional Christian view

2. Their second commandment combines our first and second commandments into one

3. God establishes a relationship with us

a) On the basis that He is the Lord

b) On the basis of what He did for us

B. The traditional Christian view: “I am the Lord, your God...Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

II. The Need For Preaching on the Ten Commandments

A. To refresh our memory.

1. The Commandments divide neatly into two sections:

a) # 1-4 duties we owe to God - teach love for God - teach reverence for God - are vertical - instruct in doctrine

b) #5-10 duties we owe to people - teach love for others - teach respect for others - are horizontal - instruct in ethics

2. Everyone needs to be reminded of the basics

B. To reaffirm the absolutes.

1. There absolutely are absolutes

2. Society is post-modern

a) Mistaken belief that there are not absolutes

b) Mistaken idea that we create our own beliefs, morals, meaning to life

c) Excuses people use to excuse their actions or to justify the beliefs that they “arrive at” (taken from Dr. Laura)

(1) Notions of superiority (“I know what I am doing”)

(2) Arrogance (“I can handle this¾it won’t be a problem”)

(3) Elitism (“I should have this leeway because I do special things”)

(4) Stupidity (“This is really no big deal¾it’s just an experience”).

(5) Foolishness (“This really has no impact on who I am”)

(6) Shortsightedness (“My future will not be impacted by this”)

(7) Selfishness (“If you can’t handle it¾it’s your problem, not mine!”

d) Authorities people use

(1) I’m the one with the microphone

(2) I’m smart

(3) I’m a licensed...

(4) I’m a college professor

(5) I’m an author

(6) I’m the one they’re calling up

(7) I’m insightful

(8) I’m right because I’d do it that way

(9) I’m rational and can figure stuff out

(10)I’m confident

(11)I’m older and experienced in life

(12)I’m successful

e) Dr. Laura:

“I comes down to a very simple matter: Without God there is no objective maeaning to life, nor is there an objective morality.”

f) The truth is, we all want to live in a world where we can do as we please, but everyone else is obligated to live by moral standards so that WE CAN as we please.

g) Judges 21:25: "In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes."

C. They motivate repentance.

1. (Rom 3:20) "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

2. (Rom 7:7-8) "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, thou shalt not covet. {8} But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead."

D. To review God's guidelines for the good life.

1 John 5:3 "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous."

III. Why we should put God first

A. Because of Who He is

B. Because of what He has done

C. Because of what He will do

D. Three Meanings for "BEFORE ME":

1. “Instead of me.” We substitute something else for God.

2. “In front of me.” We snub God.

(EXO 20:5A) "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the lord thy God am a jealous God…"

3. “In addition to me.” We smother God out.

4. In Gen. 16:12, 25:18 it is translated “in hostility toward...”

IV. "Get our priorities right".

A. (Mat 6:33) "But seek ye first the kingdom of god, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

B. (Col 3:1-3) "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of god. {2} set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. {3} for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in god."

C. (Mat 6:24) "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve god and mammon."

Conclusion:

Next week we will look at specific ways men put things before God when we talk about graven images.