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Exodus 20:1-21
20 And God spoke all these words, saying,
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 “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.
8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
13 “You shall not murder.
14 “You shall not commit adultery.
15 “You shall not steal.
16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
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 is your neighbor's.”
18 Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.
Watch the Sermon
Summary: Israel's wanderings in the wilderness lead them to Mount Sinai, the "mountain of God" where Moses previously encountered God in the burning bush (Exodus 3). Here, God reveals Himself and His will to His people through the Ten Commandments. These commandments are the foundation of God's law and hold weight for Christians, as nine of the ten laws are reiterated in the New Testament as expected of followers of Jesus. The one exception is the strict practice of the Sabbath, because Jesus Himself is our Sabbath rest.
Though God's revelation of the law is for the good of all people, it remains powerless to save as it does not change the heart. Instead, the law is meant to show us our need for a Savior, who will bear the consequences of our sins and fulfill the law for us. Therefore, the Ten Commandments remain a charter of conduct for the redeemed to reflect both God's beauty and His grace to the world, as we joyfully respond in obedience to the salvation we have received by grace.
Review & Apply
Why does God remind the Israelites of their deliverance from Egypt before listing the Ten Commandments?
How does this help us understand the relationship of grace to law?
What is revealed about God's character in the Ten Commandments? What might the the order of the commandments reveal?Why does Moses say God has come to test the Israelites?
When you look at the law, does it show you your desperate need for Jesus, or are you comforted by your own performance?
Are there aspects of the Ten Commandments that you have neglected? What would it look like to repent and seek to walk in light of God's will?
What does it mean for you that you are clothed in Christ's righteousness? (Isaiah 61:10, Revelation 19:7-8)
What is a proper fear of God and what is its purpose?
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