Intro: If you’ve been following the news at all, you know
the Pres. Clinton has been impeached. Some people think that what
he did was minor, no big deal, and even if he is guilty, he doesn’t
deserve impeachment. Others say that he violated the law and needs
to be punished.
Had Clinton been able to see into the future, that his behavior
would have such huge consequences, I’m sure he would not have
committed those acts.
Often times what we see as minor issues get blown up into major
issues. Molehills are made into mountains.
In Exodus 20 we have listed the 10 commandments. Some of you might
admit to have violating a few of them. Some might acknowledge that
you have broken most of them. I’m going to show that all of
us have broken all of them. And if that’s the case, we’re
in a world of hurt.
You shall have no other gods before me. You
shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven
above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
Can’t worship any other gods. Can’t make an image of
God. There are no other gods.
You might think you are not guilty of this one. You don’t
worship Zeus or Apollo, or Vishnu, and you don’t bow down
to idols.
BUT—you break this command when you put anything before God.
God demands 1st place. Anything less is breaking this command.
Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD
thy God in vain;
Taking God’s name in vain means to misuse the name of the
Lord. People were swearing oaths in God’s name, and then not
fulfilling their vows.
BUT—Jer 7:9-10 "'Will you steal and murder, commit adultery
and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have
not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which
bears my Name, and say, "We are safe"-- safe to do all
these detestable things?"
God’s name stands for his character. Thus, when we behave
in ways contrary to his character, we are dragging his name thru
the mud, sullying his character.
Also, using God’s name in an empty or improper way is taking
God’s name in vain. Swearing, cursing, etc.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
The Sabbath was Saturday. The Jews were supposed to rest on the
Sabbath and remember God.
We don’t worship on the Sabbath day anymore. We worship on
Sunday in commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus on Sunday.
The idea about keeping one day of the week holy still applies. "Holy"
means separate or distinct. We set aside Sunday as a special day
to remember the Lord.
So, if you’ve not set aside Sunday as a special day to serve
the Lord, you’re guilty of breaking this command.
Honor your father and your mother,
so that you may live long in the land the
LORD your God is giving you.
The command to honor goes far beyond the command to obey. You can
obey without honoring.
"To honor" means to hold someone in high esteem. It means
to revere them.
So, if your relationship with your parents is less than honorable,
you have disobeyed this command.
You shall not murder.
I’m sure most of us here have not broken this commandment.
BUT—Matt 5:21-22: You have heard that it was said to the people
long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject
to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother
will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother,
'Raca, 'is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You
fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.
Jesus said that one could break this command by having a hateful
attitude and using hateful language. You don’t have to actually
kill someone to break this commandment. If you hate someone, you’ve
broken it.
You shall not commit adultery.
Adultery is sex between two people who are not married to each other.
It’s common in our society for people to commit adultery.
Maybe some of you have broken this commandment already.
BUT—it’s not necessary to actually commit adultery to
be guilty of it. Matt 5: 27-28 You have heard that it was said to
the ancients, "You shall not commit adultery." But I say
to you that whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has already
committed adultery with her in his heart.
Jesus says here that lust is just as serious a sin as is adultery.
If you’ve lusted, you’ve broken this commandment.
You shall not steal.
This one is clear. All of us know what robbery is.
BUT—what about taking something that we have no right to?
What about pilfering?
.16 You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
This would be telling lies about other people.
BUT—this also includes things like spreading rumors, gossip,
and slander—tearing others down by telling falsehoods.
Thus, if you’ve gossiped or spread rumors, you’re guilty.
"You shall not covet . . . anything
that belongs to your neighbor."
Coveting is a wrongful desire to have something that does not belong
to you.
It’s virtually certain that all of us have coveted.
Coveting is actually a serious sin. Ephesians 5:5 says that covetousness
is akin to idolatry. Heb 13:5 says our life should be lived without
covetousness.
Conc:
What’s the point of this whole message? That, whether you
know it or not, you have broken the Law of God. The 10 Commandments
are in the Old T, but 9 are repeated in the NT, and most are strengthened.
Further, James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and
yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
You might think, "I’m not perfect, but I’m not
that bad." Yes you are.
Do you see how sinful man is? Do you see how far removed from God
we are? Do you see how impossible it is for any sinful person to
impress or please God? We are thoroughly, absolutely, positively
sinful. We have broken God’s Law. We are all guilty before
God.
The Law states God’s will for man. He wants us to keep it.
We have not. We have offended a holy God. We have trespassed his
commandments. Repeatedly.
Only one solution: repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ.
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