October 6 am

October 6 am, 2002 “God’s Top Ten” Ex. 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20

By Ronald E. George Jr. at the Fayetteville Baptist Church

Do you remember? A Sunday School teacher was telling her class all about the children of Israel: how the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea, how the children of Israel built the temple, and how the children of Israel made sacrifices."

Finally, a little boy put his hand in the air. "Please, Miss," he said, "didn't the GROWN-UPS ever do anything?"

Scripture Text: Ex. 20:1 (KJS) And God spake all these words, saying,

2 I [am] the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth: 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 13 Thou shalt not kill.

14 Thou shalt not commit adultery. 15 Thou shalt not steal. 16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that [is] thy neighbour's. 18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw [it], they removed, and stood afar off. 19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. 20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

I. Remember what God has done for you, because He loves you. He brought you out of Egypt. Jesus came to live in your place to fulfill the law. He died to pay for the sin you committed. He has delivered us from life that led to death and gave us life that leads to life.

II. Remember what God has said. This is the way to live with Him (God’s Top Ten!). God wrote the commandments down on tablets of stone for Moses to bring to the people. He made sure that the people wouldn’t forget what He had said. The first man, that God gave the commandments to, took them and broke them in a fit or rage. Moses had to go back on the mountain to get a new set of commandments. Have we decided that we want to live with God? Moses had decided that he wanted to, so when he broke the commandments he went back to the Lord for a new set. When we have broken the commandments have we gone back to the Lord? Will we go back to the Lord? The Lord is ready to give you a new set of commandments to keep. He is patient with those children of His that He loves so much.

“Cable TV mogul Ted Turner proclaimed himself "news king" yesterday, and declared the Ten Commandments obsolete.

Turner, creator of Cable News Network, told members of the National Newspaper Association in Atlanta that the biblical Ten Commandments do not relate to current global problems, such as overpopulation and the arms race.

"We're living with outmoded rules," Turner said. "The rules we're living under is the Ten Commandments, and I bet nobody here even pays much attention to 'em, because they are too old.

"When Moses went up on the mountain, there were no nuclear weapons, there was no poverty. Today, the commandments wouldn't go over. Nobody around likes to be commanded. Commandments are out." From Bible Illustrator.

III. Remember the way that God has shown: this is who He is. This is how you can live with Him. Will you go with Him throughout your life? Here are the top ten ways to live with the Lord. Without them you choose to go your own way.

1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image

3. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain

4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

5. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

6. Thou shalt not kill.

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

8. Thou shalt not steal.

9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor any thing that [is] thy neighbour's.

IV. Remember that God has come for you to test you so that you will not sin. Sin is a departure from God’s way for your life. He didn’t come to take your life, but to give you the best possible way of life to live. The people didn’t want to talk to God face to face, so the Lord sent Moses and Aaron. The people had gone far away from God, so when the time was right He sent His one and only Son to become our sacrifice. He has sent me today to give you this message.

How will we answer? To keep the commandments is to decide in your life to go with the Lord. This is the test from the Lord. He wants us to decide to live with Him and go with Him throughout our lives. This is why He gave the commandments and this is why He came and died for our sin. The commandments show us clearly the way we have chosen. How have you chosen? If you have chosen the Lord, will you take today of the bread and the cup that represents his sacrifice for us? Do this in remembrance of Him and His death and resurrection for you.