message

DANNY McLAMB
Pastor

Ten Commandments
Parts 1 & 2

PART 1 TEXT: Exodus 20:1-3

INTRODUCTION

There has been much talk recently about the removal of the Ten Commandments from the capitol building in Alabama. Christians around the nation were outraged by this ruling of the Supreme Court, and rightly so. God�s law is precious in the hearts and minds of His people, right? Recently, I heard a preacher on the radio commenting on this fact; Of the people who were outraged, how many have the Ten Commandments on the wall of their homes? Do you? I hope after this series of messages that you will post them in a conspicious place in your home, and more importantly, in your heart. Today, we will begin our look at the Ten Commandments, and we begin with God�s opening statements.

   I. A STATEMENT OF HIS NAME � He Is the 'I Am,' not the 'I was' or the 'I will be.' Not the 'I could be,' or the 'I would be,' or the 'I should be,' or the 'I might be.' Exodus 3:13-14, The I Am�s of Christ. The bread of life, The light of the world, the door, the good shepherd, the resurrection and the life, the way the truth and the life, the vine. The Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

     II. A STATEMENT OF HIS POSITION � the LORD, self-existent and eternal. He is Lord of all, He needs no other to exist. He is the triune God existing in three persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is the Creator and therefore has absolute power over His creation. He is to be worshipped and adored and glorified and served by His creation. Psalm 29:1-2

     III. A STATEMENT OF HIS POSSESSION �Your God � In this statement, God says 'I own you! You are mine!' Psalm 100:3-4; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

     IV. A STATEMENT FOR THEIR REMEMBRANCE � It was their God who rescued them from the hand of the Pharaoh. It was their God who spared them while all of Egypt reeled under the ten plagues. It was their God who went before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. It was their God who parted the Red Sea so they walked across on dry ground, and it was their God who destroyed the whole Egyptian army after they crossed. What more could slaves ask for?

     V. A STATEMENT OF HIS PREEMINENCE � He is to be preferred before all, and there are to be no others. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." 13-15, Psalm 48:14 "For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death."

     CONCLUSION: First things first. There is only one true and living God.

     Do you know Him?

     Do you love Him?

     Do you serve Him?

WARNINGS!

PART 2 TEXT: Exodus 20:4-6

INTRODUCTION

    In the first commandment, we were told the name of God. We saw His position, Lord, and His possession, your God. We were reminded of what He had done for the Israelites, and how He had freed them from their bondage to Egypt. Then we were told that He desires to be preeminent; that they were to have no other gods; only Him. Now, we hear warnings from God to His people. Warnings that should have kept them from many of the trials and tribulations they would soon face, but warnings that went unheeded. They are warnings alike for us today. Our God is a loving god, but He is also a jealous God and when wronged, a God of wrath. Though we are thousands of years past the first giving of these commandments, we would do well to heed these warnings today.

     I. A Warning about assuming God�s Position as Creator � Thinking that we could do a better job than God. Job 38:1-11, 40:6-14, 41:1-11

     II. A Warning about assigning God�s Praises to the created � There are two reasons anyone would worship an idol; (1) To satisfy their need to worship something, Isaiah 42:8 I am the LORD, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images. Psalm 115:4-8 STUPID! Isaiah 44:9-20 -- Charles H. Spurgeon in Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Vol. 11. Christianity Today, Vol. 40, no. 1. Said, � I believe a very large majority of churchgoers are merely unthinking, slumbering worshipers of an unknown God.� & (2) To be accountable only to themselves. Deuteronomy 4:15-24, Romans 1:18-25 specifically 24, 26, 28, 32, Deuteronomy 7:10 and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face.

     III. A Warning about assuring God�s Punishment on our descendents � Deuteronomy 4:25-28, Numbers 14:18 The LORD is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation. 32-33 But as for you, your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness, and your sons shall be wanderers in the wilderness forty years, and bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness.   Philip Yancey tells this story, As so many abused children learn, without forgiving those who hurt us, we cannot free ourselves from the grip of history. ... I have a friend whose marriage has gone through rough times. One night George passed a breaking point and emotionally exploded. He pounded the table and floor. "I hate you!" he screamed at his wife. "I won't take it anymore! I've had enough! I won't go on! I won't let it happen! No! No! No!"
     Several months later my friend woke up in the middle of the night and heard strange sounds coming from the room where his 2-year-old son slept. He went down the hall, stood outside his son's door, and shivers ran through his flesh. In a soft voice, the 2-year-old was repeating word for word with precise inflection the climactic argument between his mother and father. "I hate you ... I won't take it anymore ... No! No! No!"
     George realized that in some awful way he had just passed on his pain and anger and unforgiveness to the next generation. ... Apart from forgiveness, the monstrous past may awake at any time from hibernation and devour the present--and even the future.   Philip Yancey, "Holocaust & Ethnic Cleansing," in Christianity Today, August 16, 1993, submitted by Jay Martin of Manistique, Michigan.

     III. A Promise about receiving God�s Mercy for ourselves � 2 Sam. 22:26-28, 2 Chron. 30:8-9, Psa. 103:8-14.

     CONCLUSION: If you�re worshipping anything other than God, repent! Nothing or no one else can save you! Only God, who made you and remembers that you are dust; only He can save your soul. He sent His Son to die in your place. His mercy is reaching out to you today. Will you call upon Him for your salvation?

From the Pastor's Pen