Foundations – Exodus The Commandments Exodus 20:1-21 November 4, 2018
I. ANALYZING (noticing) the TEXT (2 Tim. 2:15)
A. FIRST things FIRST (v.3-6)
B. REVERENCE for GOD. (v.3-11; Mt. 22:37-40)
C. LOVE for OTHERS. (v.12-17; Mt. 22:37-40)
The 10 commandments. We’ve all heard them, right? Maybe we can’t recite them all, but if pressed we could get maybe 7 out of 10 from memory. Today we are going to take a look at the commandments, first at what they are, then why they are.
1. Have you ever noticed the sequence of the 10 commandments before? Does the order they are presented matter?
2. What does it mean for you to take the God’s name in vain?
II. ENGAGING (questioning) the TEXT (Heb. 4:12)
A. The QUESTION is WHY. (Deut. 31:16-18)
B. God PLAYS the long GAME. (Deut. 32:1-43)
1. A REVELATION of God’s NATURE. (Deut. 31:12-13)
2. A MIRROR cultivating HUMILITY. (Rom. 7:7; Jas. 1:23-25)
3. The WAY of WISDOM. (v.3-17; Ps 111:10)
After we have looked at what they are, and how they are put together, it’s important to engage with the text. Why are they there? Why did God choose to put them here, in black and white, at this point in the story? If we focus in on the questions there is quite a bit to see.
3. Kids Question: How do you feel when you break the rules? Does God love you even when you make mistakes?
4. Has the law cultivated humility in you? Has it cultivated shame? What is the difference?
5. Who do you know who lives with “wisdom”? How can you tell?
III. LIVING (applying) the TEXT – (Jn 8:32)
A. A CRASH course in REALITY. (Rom. 7:7-13)
B. Two gifts – FIREPOT and TORCH. (Gen. 15:1-17; Heb 9:15)
C. Embracing HUMILITY and WISDOM. (Prov. 2:1-5)
D. LOVE is the sign of GROWTH. (Rom. 13:9-10; Gal 5:14)
Finally we have to move from the text into day to day life. We often think the message of the 10 commandments can be summed up in the following sentence. “Just do it.” While that is true, God wrote this down to point us deeper than mere obedience. He uses it to dig around in the parts of our lives hungry for transformation.
6. How does the story of Abram’s covenant with God in Gen. 15 impact you?
7. What are some practical ways you can embrace humility and wisdom in your life?
8. Is your love for all people growing? Why or why not?