How Heavy Is Your Dad? (33mb)

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This is the sixth message in a series of sermons on the Ten Commandments. This message covers the fifth commandment about honoring one's parents.

Written Excerpts:

Exodus 20:12 Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you. (NKJV)

Introduction:

Would you agree that we are living in a culture where there has been a great loss of respect and honor for parents and for authority in general? Would you also agree that our society seems to flaunt rebellion against authority and the breakdown of meaningful relationships?

Our message today continues the series of messages on the Ten Commandments which all contain important principles God has provided in order for us to experience a life that is filled with joy and true happiness. Why? Because we are living them the way He designed.

V.        Honor your father and your mother.

A.        Negative Meaning: Do not disrespect your parents.

As we have been doing with the previous commandments, we want to take a look at some of the key words in the Scripture passages in order to get a better understanding of the meaning God intended.

“Honor” – The O.T. Hebrew word here carries the basic meaning of “to be heavy, or weighty,” a meaning which is only rarely used literally, the figurative use is more common. It implies the idea of a person that is a “weighty” person in society; honorable; impressive; or worthy of respect. (Theological Wordbook of the OT)

In the Ephesians 6 passage (verse 2), the Greek word that is translated “honor” is a word that literally means: “set a price on,” “estimate,” or “value.” (Wuest)

B.        Positive Principle: Family structures are sacred.

I believe that the primary positive principle that is taught with this command is that God has specifically designed the appropriate structures for families and therefore, they are sacred, or holy.

I also believe there are at least two more subordinate principles that this command covers. First, because family structures are sacred, we understand that relationships are of highest value. Second, because family structures are sacred, we understand that chain-of-command, or authority structures are also very important.

I add these “subordinate principles” because I don’t believe any of the other Commandments address these issues that are certainly emphasized elsewhere in God’s Word.

C.        Exposition:

There are at least three lessons that I think we need to learn as we talk about the proper exposition of this commandment

1.  This command requires that we value our parents and increase the influence of our parents.

If we go back for a moment to review what we said about the definition of the Hebrew word, it carried the idea of making someone a “weighty” person. The idea expressed is that in everything a child does the respect of their parents is at stake, and God says do everything you can to make your parents “heavy” or “weighty.”  Conversely, do not do anything or say anything, etc., to reduce your parents’ “weight” or respect in the community.

With this understanding of what it means to honor someone, then our responsibility and our ability to perform the requirements of this command do not end when we become adults ourselves. We still bring either respect and honor or shame and disgrace whether we are children, young adults, middle-aged adults or even senior citizens. Actually, this aspect of honor continues even after our parents are dead and gone.

If we properly understand the impact of this emphasis, then we will understand that it not only has to do with how I behave toward my parents when I am around them and at home with them, but it also applies (and perhaps we could say it especially applies) to my behavior when I am away from them with my friends and going about my business in the community.

I remember one time I got in trouble in high school (maybe I should say one of the times I got in trouble! L). I can still remember the principal asking me, “What would your parents think if I called them and told them what you did?” Believe you me, I instantly sent up a prayer that thankfully was answered! In reality, what he was really asking was this: “What kind of parents do you have anyway?” In the eyes of that principal at that moment, my behavior had reflected very badly on the reputation of my parents.

We have just covered the O.T. emphasis. The N.T. word for “honor” adds the concept of giving an evaluation or appraisal of someone or something and giving them the proper esteem, respect and value that God says we should.

(Wuest) “To honor someone therefore is to evaluate that person accurately and honestly, and treat him with the deference, respect, reverence, kindness, courtesy, and obedience which his station in life or his character demands.”

Now, I recognize that some people have real problems right here, because they have had parents that really didn’t deserve respect and honor no matter how you “slice it.” So, that brings me to the second lesson from this command.

2.  This command emphasizes the importance of relationships in all facets of life.

I’m convinced that the Bible is very clear about one thing: God is not merely interested in conformity to rules. God is infinitely concerned with motives and attitudes and other aspects of life that accompany the rules. I don’t believe you can read through the Bible and cover all the references that pertain to parent and child issues without coming to the conclusion that people are more important than rules.

Look at Ephesians chapters 5 & 6. Verses 1-2 of chapter 6 deals with how children are to respond to parents and parents to children, but if you look at the whole context beginning with 521, the whole passage talks about submission, respect, honor and service that should govern the lives of parents, wives, husbands, children, slaves (workers) and masters (employers).

The emphasis comes out very clearly that we must remember that these individuals are not just parents, but they are brothers and sisters in Christ. These are not just my children, but they are my brothers and sisters in Christ. And so with masters and slaves. Why? Because even though positions are important, they aren’t as important as the people in those positions.

The reason children need to honor and respect their parents, is because it fosters wholesome and godly relationships. The reason parents (fathers) are instructed, “Do not provoke your children to anger,” is because it will nurture and develop a wholesome relationship that can remain beautiful and valuable for a lifetime.

The reason employers and workers are to give the proper respect to each other is because they are both valuable and equal in the sight of God. To do otherwise destroys any potential for a wholesome and beautiful example of how God can bond people together in godly relationships.

Because of this, we agree with the common truth that “respect isn’t something that can be merely demanded or required, but true respect and honor must be earned.” You can force someone to obey you, but that doesn’t mean that they will respect you.

The third and final lesson I believe we can learn from this command is…

3.  This command emphasizes the need for and the importance of authority structures.

I’ve already stated that the primary principle here has to do with family structures. However, if you read through the Bible in both the O.T. and the N.T. you will find that God has a lot to say about authority structures in every area of life. Someone has identified four different authority structures that are taught in Scripture: family, government, church, and business (employment).

Where would our society or any society be today if there were no authority structures and chain-of-command to follow? God designed it all for a reason and a purpose in order to produce an orderly and productive society and world. Without some type of structure that includes authority, we would have chaos in every strata or level of our society and culture.

So this fifth commandment addresses that need by pointing out the first and most basic authority structure – the family. Someone has to have the final word. Someone has to have the final responsibility. And, in order to have this work properly, all those in the chain-of-command under the head must recognize the importance of harmonious cooperation based on proper honor and respect of those who are over us. When authority and respect breaks down in the home, it breaks down in every other level of society.

Conclusion:

As we bring this message to a close, I know that there are those here today who have experienced the pain of abuse from those who were in authority, whether in the home, the school, at work, etc. The horrible actions of some of them in no way can be justified, no matter how you look at it.

Because of that you still struggle today with being able to properly show honor and respect to that person or persons. If you were honest, you would admit that you have no desire to improve their reputation or their “weight” in the community. They don’t deserve it. I know I can’t take the time today to address all of those concerns, except to say that if you struggle with those issues, God cares and He offers healing for you.

On the other hand, the actions of some very bad people doesn’t destroy or do away with the original plan and intent that God has for our lives. His plan is still the best. Sin, disobedience and rebellion against God has always marred relationships that God intended to be beautiful and harmonious.

If you’re struggling with issues, listen to the words of this closing hymn: Saviour, Like a Shepherd Lead Us.

Next sermon in this series is: Image Is Everything (link available in blog archive on right)

The Manufacturer's Design (42mb)

(To download an MP3 file of this message, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the play button of the audio player shown above.)

This is the fifth sermon in a series of messages on the Ten Commandments. This message discusses the fourth commandment regarding the Sabbath Day.

Written Excerpts:

“The Manufacturer’s Design”

Exodus 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 

Introduction:

There are times that I have stopped to read the directions for assembling some product or repairing something. For me, however, reading directions usually comes AFTER I have spent considerable time trying to figure it out by myself! J

I don’t know why that is. I suppose it is some hidden, genetic code in the male gender that signals weakness or ignorance when one has to “consult the manual.” Or, on the other hand, it signals some type of super intelligence or victorious conquest when one figures it out on his own.

Whatever we were trying to figure out suddenly became much clearer once we learned how it was meant to work as designed by the manufacturer.

I think that this analogy fits quite well as we introduce the fourth commandment in our series of messages on the Ten Commandments. As implied with the title I have chosen for today’s message, this commandment really relates to how we were made by our Master Designer or “Manufacturer.”

IV.       Remember the Sabbath Day to Keep it Holy.

This is the first of only two commands out of ten that were given in a positive format rather than negative. So, if I were to state this command in a negative way it would be like this:

A. Negative Meaning: Do not violate the sanctity of the Sabbath.

There are a couple of words in this commandment that probably ought to be defined before we “dig into” this command.

“Sabbath” – in its various forms carries the idea of “put an end to,” or “come to an end.” As such, it also includes the concepts of “cease” or “rest.” (Theological Wordbook of the O.T., Harris, Archer & Waltke)

“holy” – includes the dual concepts of “separated or set apart for a specific purpose” and “cleansed from impurities.” It included the idea of being distinct from that which was common or profane.

With these definitions in mind, the command literally requires God’s covenant people to observe a day that was reserved for rest from labor and other mundane pursuits and the advancement of spiritual or sacred pursuits.

B. Positive Principle: Time and rest are sacred.

This commandment, like all the others, teaches us more than just the avoidance of certain activities in order to conform to a set of rules, but it promotes a principle that is intended to enhance the quality of life as designed by God. After considerable thinking and studying, I have concluded that the positive principle being promoted by this command is that “rest is sacred.” If rest is sacred and if time should be allotted specifically for rest, then it follows that a broader principle must also be included here: “time is sacred.”

In other words, God has granted every human being a gift called time. We all receive the same allotment of time for each day, but we are not all granted the same allotment of days in our lives.

Some authors (Dr. Laura Schlessinger, et.al.), have pointed out that, while man has been granted the ability to be creative and can create many things, time is something that only God can create and therefore it is sacred. This means that we must recognize our responsibility to use it wisely and that includes intentional time reserved for renewing our connection to God.

C. Exposition:

Let us take a look at some of the lessons that this principle is teaching us about God, about ourselves and about life.

1. The Bible defines appropriate observances of the Sabbath during ancient times.

When we attempt to interpret OT Scriptures and commands such as this one on the Sabbath, it is important to get a grasp of how it was understood by OT authors, as well as finding out any additional insights that are brought to light by NT authors. There are several passages that reveal to us what the biblical authors had to say about the observance of the Sabbath.

a. It was a day to abstain from all secular work such as: treading wine presses and the carrying of burdens. (See Ex. 20:9-11; 23:12; 31:15; Lev. 23:3; Num. 15:32; Deut. 5:14-15; Neh. 13:15-19; Jer. 17:21-23)

Exodus 31 passage is especially interesting as pointed out by one OT Commentary (Jamison, Fauset and Brown), because the reminder about Sabbath observance is in the context of building the Tabernacle. Evidently the Israelites were not to think that the “holy work” of building a Tabernacle for God could override the observance of the Sabbath.

This prohibition also carried over to animals and servants, which seems to use the Sabbath to promote the equality of all people. In the culture of that period masters could require servants to do their bidding every other day of the week, but on the Sabbath the servant is worthy and deserving of rest just as much as the master.

b. It was a day to abstain from seeking their own pleasures. (See Isaiah 58:13-14)

It’s not clear what all this included, but if you read this passage, there is a distinction between seeking their own delights and pleasures and delighting themselves in the Lord.

c. It was a day to abstain from merchandising. (See Neh. 13:15-21)

d. It was a day of worship, spiritual instruction and renewal. (See Num. 28:9; Ezek. 46:3; Luke 4:16; Acts 13:14)

2. The Sabbath was a reminder to the nation of Israel.

a. It was a reminder that God created and then observed the Sabbath.

In the Exodus 20 passage, the reason behind the command is tied to the activity of the Creator. God created the day, He blessed the day, He sanctified the day, all as a vivid reminder that God is sovereign over time.

In all that God created He proclaimed it “good.” After the creation of man, He pronounced His creation “very good.” But, after creating the day of rest, He is described as blessing it and sanctifying it. One writer believes that this suggests that the climax of creation was not the creation of man, but the creation of the Sabbath. (V. Hamilton, Theological Wordbook of the O.T.)

b. It was a reminder that they are no longer slaves in Egypt.

In Deuteronomy 5:15, as Moses is repeating the law for the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land, the reason or motivation given for the command is that they were once slaves in Egypt.

Apparently God gave the commandment to honor and hallow the Sabbath as a way of reminding them that when they were slaves, they never knew what it was like to have a day of rest. Sabbath rest is a perpetual reminder of their former slavery and their current freedom. The Sabbath day was a time to celebrate freedom from slavery and the freedom to worship the Lord God. They no longer had some tyrant dictating to them what to do and when to do it and who to serve, but they had the freedom to serve the Lord.

3. The Sabbath was a sign of God’s covenant relationship. (See Ex. 31:13, 17; Ezek. 20:12, 20)

In all four of these verses the Lord is reminding the people of Israel through Moses and the Prophet Ezekiel that the Sabbath was given as a sign that they had been “sanctified” by God. God sanctified the day back in Genesis. But He also sanctified (separated out from the common) His people and the Sabbath was the sign of their special standing or relationship with God.

Yes, these verses originally were given to the nation of Israel as a covenant sign. However, most Bible scholars believe that promises made to Israel as a nation, apply to the church in a spiritual sense as the “New Israel” that the Apostle Paul applies to all those who believe. So, it is still appropriate for the true people of God to observe a day that highlights and emphasizes a covenant relationship with the Lord of heaven.

As a sign it reminds them that they were “owned” by the Lord of heaven, not by the rulers of the secular world around them.

If I were to apply that concept to our situation today, I would think of it like this. The Sabbath day reminds us that we too are in a covenant relationship with God. He is our Lord, not anyone or anything else. We are not ruled and controlled by any tyrant, by our jobs, by our possessions, or even by our passions and desires. We belong to the Lord and the best way to demonstrate that is to honor the day that He sanctified as a day to put aside all worldly pursuits and demands and focus our attention on him.

4. The Sabbath was made for man… but Christ is Lord of the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27-28)

There are a few important points that stand out in these verses.

a. Man wasn’t made for the Sabbath.

Jesus seems to be affirming here that just conforming to a rigid rule here is not the goal nor the desire. I believe that it highlights a truth that we can say about all of God’s commandments: (which I had mentioned at the very beginning of this series) God has given us His Word, His commands and His principles for our own benefit, not for the benefit of the command. The primary message of Jesus and the whole New Testament is to get away from the rigid legalism or worship of the laws and get our hearts and minds focused on the Lawgiver and His desire for our wholeness and wellbeing – a wholeness that is based in a vital relationship with Him.

b. The Sabbath was made for man.

Jesus affirms that the intention of our heavenly Father all along was for our blessing and our benefit.

If I could go back to the analogy I started this message with – God is our creator (manufacturer) and He knows how we are designed and how we ought to be “maintained.” He knows how important it is for us to physically take a day of rest from work, pressure and demands of life in order to be renewed in spirit, soul and mind. If we neglect to follow the “instructions / directions” of the manufacturer, then we ought not be surprised when the “machines” break down from exhaustion and “running on empty.”

God gave us this principle for our own benefit. We need regular days to rest from the “rat race” and reorient our lives; to refocus our priorities; to rediscover why we are really here and where we are ultimately going; to be reminded of what’s really important.

c. Christ is Lord of the Sabbath.

Jesus is proclaiming His authority as the Lord over the Sabbath.

Yes, He is letting those Pharisees know that all the laws and their interpretations are ultimately subject only to the authority of God. He is letting them know that all the interpretations and rigid rules man had added to the original commandment didn’t have authority over Him. At the same time, He is letting them know that no man has the right to overrule or redefine God’s laws to suit his own plans and desires.

Conclusion:

I readily admit that this is one of the hardest of the commandments to interpret and apply to our current age because of the various statements of Jesus and the Apostle Paul. However, I am firmly convinced that neither of them advocated the “repeal” of the fourth commandment. They both seem to be arguing against legalism and rigid conformity to rules rather than a relationship with the Father through the Son and Holy Spirit.

We don’t want to be legalistic. That means we don’t want to get so rigid and demanding so that we “put heavy burdens on others that we are not willing to carry ourselves.”  That means we don’t want to be constantly looking for “loopholes” that make it look like we are following the law, but we still get to do what we want.

Having said that, neither do we want to be irreverent and disobedient to the Lord. I truly believe that God will honor those who will honor Him by practicing the Sabbath concept even in this day and age.

It really is no surprise that the church is in such dire need of a spiritual awakening and is in moral decline. Most of the church these days doesn’t really take the time out of their schedules to really concentrate their heart and soul on spiritual pursuits.

Many feel that if they show up at a worship service they have fulfilled their obligation to God for this week and it’s on to business as usual for the rest of the day and on into the week. God didn’t design us that way. Let us purpose to give God an opportunity to slow us down enough that He can really reveal Himself to us in a new and vital relationship.

The next sermon in this series is: How Heavy Is Your Dad? (link available in blog archive on right)

Words Mean Things

(Audio recording of this sermon is not available at this time due to technical difficulties.)

This is the fourth sermon in a series of messages on the Ten Commandments. This message is about the third commandment, using the name of the Lord in vain.

Written Excerpts:

“Words Mean Things”

Exodus 20:7 “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.” (The use of the double negative means God will hold him guilty.)

Introduction:

Today we are continuing our series of messages on the Ten Commandments. We want to take a look at the third commandment and discover some important principles and lessons for our daily walk of faith.

As you can see from the title of the message, we are going to be discussing our speech in today’s message. I came across some pretty brilliant little tidbits regarding talking that I thought would be worth sharing. These were borrowed from Illustrations Unlimited, edited by James Hewett.

¶         If your mind should go blank, don’t forget to turn off the sound.

¶         If nobody ever said anything unless he knew what he was talking about, a ghastly hush would descend upon the earth. - Sir Alan Herbert

¶         Blessed is the man who, having nothing say, abstains from giving wordy evidence of the fact. - George Eliot

¶         Saving face is often accomplished by keeping the lower part of it shut.

¶         There is nothing wrong with having nothing to say—unless you insist on saying it.

Well, there might be a good deal of wisdom in these little quotes. Of course the book of Proverbs in the Old Testament also has quite a bit to say about the use of the tongue. One thing that the Third Commandment teaches is that our speech is important and “words mean things.”

Let us turn our attention to this command that God has given so we can learn some important lessons from it.

III.       Thou Shalt Not Take the Name of the Lord Thy God in Vain.

A. Negative Meaning: Do not use God’s name in a worthless or irreverent manner.

The word “vain” comes from a Hebrew root word meaning “to be empty” in the sense of “to be without substance, to be worthless.” In has also been defined as “false” or “deceptive.”

The word is usually translated in the OT as vain or vanity, but it is also translated as false, falsely or lying. In fact, the same word is used in Deut. 5:20 (where the TC’s are repeated) and it is used in the ninth commandment – “Do not bear false witness…”

Some writers believe that one of the specific practices being addressed with this command was the use of God’s name in an oath in order to give more credibility to the oath-taker, even though the person never intended to fulfill their vow or tell the truth. There are many more ways that people misuse the name of God, which we will discuss in a few minutes.

B. Positive Principle: Speech is sacred. (Words mean things!)

One writer (Walter Kaiser, Toward OT Ethics) proposes that the positive principle of this command is “the sanctity of verbal worship;” in conjunction with internal and external worship already mentioned in the first two commandments. With this view, apparently the author believes that the command is primarily talking about insincere prayer or irreverent worship toward God including prayers, songs, and speech.

However, after reading a number of different authors I have come to the conclusion that it might be better to explain the positive principle as the “sanctity of speech.” After all, if we truly understand the full meaning of worship, we know that it is more than just going to church, reading our Bibles and praying. Our whole life is to be lived as an act of worship to God.

Words really do mean things! So, it is vitally important for us to evaluate the kind of messages and values we convey by the speech that comes out of our mouths. People around us can learn a lot about our faith, our values and our ethical principles by listening to the way that we talk.

Yes, the command is specific in the sense that it is talking about the vain or irreverent verbal use of God’s name. But, the ultimate application of this principle includes all of our speech and our behavior, not just the times that we are verbally worshiping.

C. Exposition:

What are the lessons that this principle teaches us? I believe that there are at least 4 lessons.

1. God’s name may not be used to propagate a lie.

I already stated that some authors or scholars indicate that this command specifically dealt with the practice of swearing an oath in God’s name without any intention of being honest.

See Leviticus 19:11-12 “You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. ¹²And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.”

All of my life I have heard folks use the name of God in various conversational settings to confirm or authenticate what they were saying was the truth, but they knew all along that they were telling a lie.

Jesus said that we were speak in such a way that “your yes be yes and your no be no.” In other words, our reputation and character should be such that everyone who knows us automatically knows that they can trust whatever we say. We don’t need to swear an oath in order to reinforce the validity of our claims.

However, this command does not forbid the practice of using God’s name in a court setting.

In Deut. 6:13 Moses tells the people of Israel “You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him, and shall take oaths in His name.”

Of course, the assumption is that the person taking an oath in God’s name in a court of law would be doing it in sincerity, honesty and integrity. To do so otherwise would not only make the person guilty of perjury, but would make them guilty of breaking the third commandment regarding the sacred use of God’s name.

2. Disobeying public or private vows taken in the name of God is a violation of this command.

There are a lot of different ceremonies (religious and civic) where people make public promises or vows in the name of God to fulfill certain duties. Those ceremonies include such things as weddings, child dedications, church membership ceremony, or taking an oath of office for some public political office.

They promise to fulfill their obligations to their spouse, their child, their church or the general public with the help of God and as they shall answer to God. For some of those people, they know when they recite the vow that they do not intend to practice or honor it. Others, start out with good intentions, but for various reasons neglect their promise. These are examples of taking the name of God in a worthless or vain manner. It is a serious thing, dear friends, to make a promise in God’s name to fulfill certain obligations.

3. Any irreverent or casual use of God’s name is a violation of this command. (Including substitutes for His name.)

Scholars have pointed out that names carried significant meanings in biblical times. There are many examples cited in Scripture when men’s names were changed when they had a significant encounter with God. Their names before and after the encounter often carried great spiritual significance. So it was with God. One writer pointed out that in contrast to the pagans and heathens around the Israelites, God did not choose to reveal His glory or character with images or idols, but He revealed Himself by His name.

Whenever we invoke the name of God or use the name of God in our speech we are referencing the very nature, character and reputation of God. Therefore, to lightly, flippantly and irreverently throw His name around in casual conversation seems to be a clear violation of this command. There are a lot of “good Christian folk” who are guilty of saying “God,” “Lord,” or “Jesus” in jest or as expletives in their everyday conversation. I believe that this deeply grieves the heart of God.

4. We can take the name of God in vain by the way we live and behave.

The word “take” can be understood as “take up” or “carry.” It portrays the image of a person who “carries” the name of the Lord by virtue of the fact that they claim to be a follower of God or a follower of Jesus Christ.

Dr. Laura Schlessinger (The Ten Commandments), states it like this, “…actions, behaviors and positions that we take in God’s name must not defame His name. History is pock-marked with episodes of torture, murder, rape and plundering all in God’s name. This, of course, is a deeper profanity.”

Lev. 19:2 “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.”

 (Dr. Laura) “Since it is our duty to emulate God… a clear way to sanctify God’s name is to behave in holy ways, even and especially under threat and coercion.... [With some] kinds of behaviors [we] profane the name of God because it is through our actions that His will, intent, and character is made evident on the earth for all peoples.”

Matt. 6:9 “…Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.”

When we pray, "Let your name be hallowed (holy, sacred)," we are not asking God to make His name or His character more holy than it already is. We are asking that His name may become more holy and sacred among the people with whom we dwell. That is primarily accomplished by our testimony and our lives that we live before them.

For example, 1 Tim. 6:1 “Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed.”

When we are hypocritical in our speech, our attitudes and our behaviors, then it is very likely that we are causing God’s name to be degraded in the minds of those who watch us and hear us and work with us.

I believe that this is the essence of truth found in the Third Commandment. If we claim to be Christian, then we better act like a Christian and talk like a Christian and demonstrate the attitudes of a Christian.

 Alexander the Great had a soldier brought before him who faced court-martial for misconduct. The man stood before the great commander with trembling knees. “What is your name?” he was asked.

“Alexander, sir,” the man replied.

There was a pause. Again the Emperor asked, “Soldier, I asked you before, ‘What is your name?’”

“My name is Alexander!”

With a face red with fury, the commander shouted again, “What is your name?”

“Alexander,” came the meek reply.

Alexander the Great stood up and faced the man. “You either change your name or change your conduct.” (Randall Denny, Tables of Stone for Modern Living)

Conclusion:

Back in the 1960’s my Dad finished up his schooling and his apprenticeship for barbering and he was ready to open his own shop in Meadville. We all helped him clean, paint and get the place ready to open up for business. One of the things Dad had made especially for his new business was a sign for the wall that read, “No Profanity Please.”

There were two reasons he did that. One, so parents would feel comfortable bringing their children into his shop. Two, so he could glorify God by taking a stand against vulgar and profane conversation.

What kind of impression would people around me have of God by listening to the way that I talk? What impressions will I give to people around me about Jesus Christ by the way that I talk?

Dear friends, I want you to remember that I have stated from the very beginning of this series that the purpose of the law of the Lord is to make us aware of any areas where we have been missing the mark or falling below God’s standard of holy behavior. Let us not get discouraged or angry or defensive if we have been convicted by the Lord on any issue. Let us seek the Lord’s forgiveness and pray for His grace to enable us to change our conduct in order to bring glory to His holy name.

Also, I want you to know that it is never my intention to proclaim judgment or condemnation and then leave you “hanging” to figure out what you can do about your need. I am always available to provide spiritual counsel and assistance to anyone who is troubled and wants God’s help in your life.

Let’s stand together for a closing prayer.

The next sermon in this series is: The Manufacturer's Design (link available in blog archive on right)

Got Truth?

What is truth?

Is there any such thing as absolute truth?

Will we ever reach a point when we know everything there is to know? What if we had a nation full of Einsteins? Would that make it possible to eventually know everything that there is to know? Our automatic response to these rhetorical questions is "no."

For many people then, it brings them to the same conclusion reached by an agnostic named Herbert Spencer who stated, “No man has ever been known to penetrate with his finite mind the veil which hides the mind of the infinite. The Infinite cannot be known and agnosticism is secure.”

You see, we are always learning some new truth and none of us can imagine a time when we will have learned all that there is to know. Ideas and propositions that were considered certainties just a few years ago are proven to be inaccurate as we discover new truths.

These facts have caused many to conclude that there is no such thing as absolute truth (something that remains true for all people, in all places, for all times). There is one slight problem with such a conclusion. To say, “there is no absolute truth,” is a logical contradiction, because that statement itself would be an absolute truth!

If we do assume there is no absolute truth, then we have no real stable foundation for life. If there is no absolute truth, then ultimately nothing can be trusted and we are inevitably led to despair.

But wait. There is an alternative to despair. It sounds too simple – too good to be true, but the answer is faith.

Since our knowledge of truth is always expanding, it would seem that truth, in the absolute sense, is infinite in nature. Consequently, for a moment it might seem that Spencer was right and it really is impossible for finite beings to know absolute truth.

However, there is one possibility that hasn't been mentioned yet. What prevents truth from being revealed by an infinite being? It is logically possible for an infinite being to know absolute truth, and therefore capable of revealing that truth to finite minds if desired. Well, my friend, that is exactly what the Bible claims.

The Bible declares, “Thy Word is truth” (John 17:17). The infinite, eternal God has not left us to stumble in the darkness of ignorance and despair. He has revealed truth to us, because He wants us to know Him. This knowledge liberates us from the prison of hopelessness and despair. “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:32).

In addition to this, we can also have a genuine relationship with the one who boldly declares, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Jesus Christ is God’s truth personified. His Spirit will also “guide us into all truth” (John 16:13).

Do you have truth? Do you have Christ? Do you have faith to believe the truth revealed in God's Word?

Don’t go another day without Him. Yield your entire life to Him today and he will give you truth to guide you each and every day. He will also give you eternal life so you can continue to explore all of His truth forever.

To make a commitment of faith in Him right now, pray this prayer: God, I thank you for revealing your truth in your Son, and in your Word. The truth is, I’m lost and I need your salvation. Forgive all my sins and come into my life right now. Make me what you want me to be. Right now I place my trust in the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross. I thank you for saving me from my sin, my error, and my despair. Amen.

The Pursuit of God (25mb)

(To download an MP3 file of this message, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the play button of the audio player shown above.)

This is the final sermon in a ten-part series on the attributes of God. This message summarizes the lessons of the series and urges an intentional pursuit of a deep, meaningful, and personal relationship with God.

Written Excerpts:

Psalm 42:1-2; Psalm 63:8; Hosea 6:3

Introduction:

The title for today’s message is: “The Pursuit of God.” This title is borrowed from A.W. Tozer who published a small book by the same title.

I have repeatedly emphasized the fact that knowing about God is not the same as knowing God. So, today I hope to finish this series of sermons by challenging all of us to pursue God; not just a knowledge about Him.

As we wrap up this series today I just want to share two or three brief observations.

I.          The Lord seeks for us.

Ez. 34:11 “For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.”

The context includes God’s rebuke of the “shepherds” or leaders of Israel who were more concerned with their own welfare than they were for the “sheep” (i.e. people). So, God responds that He will seek for His people.

Luke 19:10 “the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

The context of this passage is the story of Zacchaeus.

Rev. 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

This passage implies a personal, intimate, inter-personal relationship.

II.        He delights in our seeking for Him.

Ps. 53:2 “God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.”

It’s as if God is longing and searching for any that will reciprocate by seeking Him.

A. Seeking Him includes obeying Him.

Throughout the books of Kings and Chronicles the Scripture records the stories of various kings in Israel who either did or did not seek the Lord. In the context of those passages, seeking the Lord usually meant that the king and the people followed the commandments and obeyed the Lord. If they did not obey the commandments then they were described as those who did not seek the Lord.

We can conclude therefore that sincerely seeking the Lord means that we want to obey Him and please Him. To state it in another form, we conclude that it is impossible for anyone to be passionate about seeking a personal and intimate relationship with the Lord and still have no desire or concern for obeying His will.

B. Seeking Him involves more than obedience.

1. While obedience is important, motivation and purpose is just as important if not more important in seeking the Lord.

2 Chron. 20:19 – King Hezekiah reinstated the Passover and invited all the people of Judah and other surrounding areas to join in the celebration. Some of the people had not satisfied all the normal requirements for ritual cleansing as required in the law, so Hezekiah prayed for them that the Lord would pardon “everyone that prepareth his heart to seek God.”

The lesson in this passage seems to be that seeking the Lord does include obeying what the Lord requires, but when knowledge of the requirements is lacking, then it is the spirit of the soul and the motivation of the heart that pleases the Lord.

It is a temptation for those of us who have walked with the Lord and studied His Word for years and tried to be obedient to His commands to be critical of others who do not have the knowledge we have.

If we are not careful, we can completely overlook or miss the true desire and motivation of younger Christians who haven’t had the knowledge of the truth. We that are older need to inspire and nurture the seed of desire that is in their hearts to seek the Lord.

2. Seeking and finding the Lord includes a level of joy and gladness in the Lord that cannot be found elsewhere.

Ps. 40:16 “Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.”

We need to distinguish here that we are not seeking an experience of joy or an experience of anything in particular, we are seeking Him. When we truly find Him and know Him, then the joy, peace and other experiences that go along with that will be there.

Conclusion:

The other day I was thinking about a couple of different extremes that I have seen among many Christians.

On the one hand I’ve seen those whom I would describe as Christians that have accepted salvation as a “fire insurance” against going to hell. They recognize the necessity of confessing their sins and putting their faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They understand that this is required in order to go to heaven and miss hell. As long as they get this “transaction” taken care of, they don’t seem to care about anything else related to living out their faith.

They really do not seem to have a strong desire to obey God’s commands or to seek God’s will. They do not seem to desire to be in His presence or with His people. They seem to be preoccupied with the same goals and pursuits as everyone else around them in the world.

On the other hand are those Christians whom I would describe as feverishly trying to do everything just right in order to satisfy God’s stringent demands. They continually deal with guilt feelings over their failure to achieve perfection in one or more areas of life. They worry and fret about not measuring up and somehow missing heaven at the end of life.

It would appear that they have never really known the joy of living in a loving relationship with Jesus. They’ve never really known the thrill of a vital, personal sense of His Spirit pouring out His love and blessing.

I pray that our series of messages have informed us more about God’s nature and being. But, more than that, I hope they have inspired each of us to want to know Him in a greater, more personal and intimate relationship through the abiding presence of His Holy Spirit.

May it be true about us as described about Peter and John in Acts 4:13, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.”

May it be our passion to live in such a way that people around us will know that we have been with Jesus.

To Tell You the Truth

(The audio files of this message are not available due to technical difficulties.)

This is the ninth sermon in a ten-part series on the attributes of God. This message concludes the category of attributes that some theologians refer to as Moral Attributes, and it discusses the attributes of truth and sovereignty.

Written Excerpts:

Exodus 34:6 “And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.”

Introduction:

We are nearly finished with our series of messages on the attributes of God. Today, I expect to finish speaking about the attributes of God, with a possible final summary message to wrap up the series next week.

Remember that our aim in getting to know God is to take the information we have learned and use it for meditation. Meditation is more than simply casual review, but truly “ruminating” [chewing] on it, thinking of all implications and ramifications, and then applying it personally to my own life.

Let us continue our discussion of the “moral attributes.”

III.       Moral Attributes

Defined as those qualities in the nature of God that He shares with moral beings who are created in His image, and those qualities that refer to His government over free, intelligent and moral beings.

A. Holiness, Righteousness and Justice.

We talked about the holiness, righteousness and justice of God; the absolute purity of God’s nature.

B. Love, Mercy and Grace

We also spoke about His everlasting love that prompts Him to freely give mercy and grace. Grace means giving of favors that we do not deserve, and mercy means withholding of punishment that we do deserve.

C. Truth

Today we are going to speak to you about God’s nature of truth.

Truth is another of those words that has endured a great deal of decay and manipulation in meaning. I read a little story that sort of illustrates the kind of thing that has been happening.

1. Definitions of Truth

(Ronald Nash, Life's Ultimate Questions) “…a property of propositions [claims] that correspond to the way things [actually] are.”

Someone else has said that truth is: “The best explanation of the facts that exist.”

Truth is the quality of being consistent, genuine or authentic, and without contradiction.

(J.I. Packer, Knowing God) Truth in the Bible is a quality of persons primarily and of propositions secondarily: it means stability, reliability, firmness, trustworthiness, the quality of a person who is entirely self-consistent, sincere, realistic and undeceived.

(H.O. Wiley, Christian Theology) Truth includes both veracity and faithfulness.

2. Observations about the truthfulness of God from Scripture.

a. Truthfulness is essential to the nature of God.

Exodus 34:6; Numbers 23:19a; Deut. 32:4; Ps. 31:5; Daniel 4:37; Romans 3:3-4a

These and other passages found throughout the Scriptures teach us that the very nature of God is truthfulness and all His actions and works are consistent with His nature, and therefore are also true. His nature is consistent and without contradiction. There is no insincerity, hypocrisy, or deceit in His divine nature.

God is often described in stark contrast to the sinful, fallen nature of man who is prone to deceitfulness and lying. This trait started in Adam and was passed on through generation to generation.

The Devil is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44)

b. Truthfulness is eternal (just as God is eternal).

Exodus 34:6; Psalms 57:10; 100:5; 146:6

There is as much of a chance that God will cease to be true as there is for God to cease to exist. Remember that God is immutable (unchanging) in His essential nature.

c. God’s commands are true. (Packer)

Ps. 119:151 “Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth.”

Everything God requires of mankind in the form of commands and ordinances are exactly consistent with the divine nature of God and the nature of man as we were meant to be.

Dr. James Packer says that the commandments of God are defined as truth for a couple of reasons:

1) God’s design for human life and behavior as defined in His commandments will never deviate. In other words they possess a permanence about them.

2) The commandments tell us the unchanging truth about ourselves.

He goes on to explain that by following the commandments of God, which are truth, we develop our souls and lives into the moral image we were created to be. But, if we do not follow His commandments we destroy our souls and character until we de-humanize ourselves in spiritual death.

d. God’s judgments are true.

Romans 2:2 “But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.” [i.e. those things described in the closing verses of chapter 1.]

When anyone chooses to violate the commandments of God, then judgment is proclaimed and executed in exact accordance with the nature of the offense and the nature of God who has been offended.

e. God’s promises are true. (Packer)

This aspect of truthfulness has more to do with the idea of faithfulness which we already discussed in an earlier message.

To review, however, let me just say that God can no more fail to keep His promises than He can cease to be God. Truthfulness and faithfulness are two aspects of the same character trait or attribute.

f. Truthfulness is expected of God’s people.

Exodus 20:16 “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.”

I will probably come back to this point again in some future sermon, but let me just say that God expects truth in His people. That means there is no place in the Christian’s life for any hypocrisy or insincerity regarding the practice of faith and obedience.

D. Sovereignty

The final attribute of God that we wish to briefly discuss today is the attribute of sovereignty. We are including this under the heading of moral attributes as well, because it relates to God’s rule or government over the creation and over free, intelligent, moral beings.

1. Definition

Sovereignty is related to the attribute of omnipotence or almighty power that we discussed several weeks ago. It simply means that God is the only absolute ruler over all of the universe.

Ex. 15:18 “The LORD shall reign for ever and ever.”

2. Observations

Based on several of the previous attributes and qualities we have already studied about God, and in conjunction with them, we believe that the sovereignty of God means that:

a. God does not control nor decree everything that happens.

We really do not have the time to dig too deeply into this issue today, but we believe the Scriptures proclaim that God made man in His image, and that image includes the aspect of free-will. Therefore we believe that God voluntarily structures His sovereign rule and control in such a way so to allow mankind the ability to exercise free choices.

b. God does know everything that happens.

We have already talked about the omniscience or unlimited knowledge of God. There is nothing that free individuals can do that is outside of the scope of God’s infinite knowledge.

Yet, we have clearly stated that God’s awareness of everything actual and everything potential does not cause it to take place. He does not exercise control in that sense. 

c. God never loses control of His overall purposes for the world and mankind.

Even though individuals who are created with a free will in the image of God do sometimes make decisions and choices that are opposed to the will of God, yet none of them can frustrate the overall plan and purposes of God for the world and for the rest of humanity.

For example, there is no human being that had the ability to thwart God’s plan of redeeming fallen humanity. There is no human being who has the ability to thwart God’s coming judgment day. God is truly the only absolute ruler of the universe and He is still in control today.

God isn’t wringing His hands and worrying about what the Republicans or Democrats are going to do that might mess up His purposes.

God has repeatedly shown throughout Scripture and human history that He has the ability to take really messy situations and the horrible choices and actions of wicked, disobedient people and turn them completely around and use them for something beautiful and good in the long run or in the final analysis.

I’m happy to know that I serve the Lord God, who is the creator, sustainer and ruler of this entire universe. He is not only my sovereign Lord, but He is my Savior, Redeemer and Friend!

Conclusion:

As I stated at the beginning of the message, I plan to finish this series of messages next Sunday by summarizing what we have been learning and making some final applications.

But I hope this message today has helped you to better understand the nature of God. I hope something was said to not only enlighten your understanding, but to encourage your heart in faith.

The final sermon in this series is: The Pursuit of God (link is available in the blog archive on right)

Worship Methods Do Matter (31mb)

(To download an MP3 file of this sermon, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the play button of the audio player shown above.)

This sermon is the third in a series of messages on the Ten Commandments. This message discusses the second commandment, "Do not make any graven image."

Written Excerpts:

Exodus 20:4-6 “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image…”

John 4:24 “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

Introduction:

Let me just offer a reminder from our introduction a couple of weeks ago… God’s Word says that His law is what makes us aware of our need for Christ and the power of His Spirit. So, as we go through this ongoing study on the Ten Commandments, let us keep our minds and hearts open to anything that God wants to point out to us about our lives. Let us be alert to any areas we need to confess. That is, areas where we have failed to live up to His standard and His will, and then let us ask for His power and grace to enable us to live pleasing to Him.

In our last discussion we addressed the first commandment in which God established who we were to worship or who is to be the focus of our affections and lifestyle. Today we are going to address the question of how we must worship the Lord.

II.     Thou Shalt Not Make Any Graven Image

A. Negative Meaning: Do not use material objects to represent God.

Let me give the definition of some words that are used here as we explain the negative meaning.

(v.4) The word “graven” is - pesel: A noun meaning idol, a graven image. This word comes from the verb pāsal, meaning to hew or to cut, which was done to create an idol. (The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament – QuickVerse)

The word “likeness” a Hebrew word meaning likeness or similarity. (The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament – QuickVerse)

[The word] applies to any real or imagined pictorial representations of deities. (Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Toward Old Testament Ethics)

(v.5) “bow down” – A verb meaning …to prostrate oneself, to crouch, …to humbly beseech, to do reverence, or to worship. The primary meaning of the word is to bow down. This verb is used to indicate bowing before a monarch or a superior and paying homage to him or her.     (The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament – QuickVerse)

So the command is literally forbidding the use of any images carved in the likeness or similarity of anything in heaven or earth and meant to represent God as a means to facilitate our worship.

The classic violation of this command is the worship of the golden calf that was crafted by Aaron while Moses was up on the mountain. They bowed down before this idol that they watched Aaron create and they said, “These be thy gods O Israel which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” (Ex. 32:4)

It seems that they really were giving credit to the Lord, but they wanted a material, tangible object that they could see. They apparently didn’t like the idea of an invisible God.

B. Positive Principle: External worship is sacred.

As we have already stated earlier, this command does not refer to the object of our worship (i.e. other gods, or false gods). That issue was already addressed in the first commandment. Rather, it has to do with the manner of our worship to the true God.

The positive principle I mentioned a moment ago, “external worship is sacred,” means that each one of us needs to periodically evaluate whether anything we are doing in worship is distorting the true nature of God and leading us down the path of eventually placing more emphasis on the form than we are on God Himself.

C. Exposition – Now for the exposition of the commandment.

How are we to understand the meaning and apply this command in everyday life? What are the lessons we need to learn?

1. The command does not forbid pictures or items that symbolize various aspects of our faith.

God Himself gave instructions to Moses for the creation of artistic representations on the veil in the Tabernacle (W.C. Kaiser). There appears to be a distinction and sometimes a “fine line” between the use of pictures, sculptures and images to represent and symbolize key aspects of our faith, versus using them to represent deity in our worship.

(Beacon Commentary) Sculptured work was used in the Tabernacle… and in the first Temple… Idolatry consists in making an image an object of worship and ascribing to it the powers of the god it represents. If pictures or images of people [or any other beings/objects] are looked upon as possessing divine powers and are adored, they become idols.

Even in the New Testament, the emblems used in the Lord’s Supper were commanded by our Lord as an ongoing memorial of His sacrifice. I acknowledge that fact that the bread and the juice are not “carved images.” They are real food. However, it is possible that one could begin to think of the emblems as representing the Lord Himself rather than something the Lord has done.

Incidentally, I think this might be a possible argument to support the Protestant view of communion over the Roman Catholic view (transubstantiation).

2. Images distort our perceptions of God and what He is like.

Images cannot properly represent “spirit,” omni-presence, infinity and other qualities of God.

(Beacon Comm. – quoting Rawlinson) As the first commandment asserts the unity of God, and is a protest against polytheism, so the second asserts His spirituality, and is a protest against idolatry and materialism.

Is. 40:18 The prophet asks, “To whom then will ye liken God? Or what likeness will ye compare unto him?”

This is a rhetorical question that has no answer. God is so far above anyone or anything we know that there is nothing that could adequately represent His being or likeness.There is nothing that represents His spirituality. There is nothing that can adequately represent His infinity. There is no possible way to materially represent any of His divine attributes.

3. Images require worship to be limited to certain locations.

It doesn’t have to be a carved idol in order for this error to occur. Many people fall prey to this error in other ways as well.

I’ve already mentioned the misunderstanding that some have regarding communion. They act as though they are in the presence of God at the Lord’s Supper, but not at other times or places in their lives.

It can be: church buildings, certain people, or specific objects that “make us feel closer to God.” Whatever that “image” is, it can be a violation of the second commandment if it makes me think of God in terms that are not consistent with His true nature.

God is everywhere at all times and He is Spirit, so that means I can be in His presence and communicate with Him anywhere at anytime. This was the error Jesus addressed with the Samaritan woman at the well when she asked Jesus which was correct, worshiping God in the mountain or in Jerusalem.

4. Images can become so important that they eventually become the object of worship.

It truly appears as though the Lord is trying to get us to realize that even though the carving of an image or idol seems innocent enough at first (after all, it’s only for the purpose of helping me worship God better), it is inevitable, over time, that the image will become so important to us that it becomes the object of our worship and adoration. This can also be true about rituals and forms that have become more important than the Lord Himself.

5. This command can apply to false mental images.

(David Bubb, Living Life At a Perfect Ten) “This principle deals with your picture of God which affects the way you worship God…. This second commandment shows us that as we worship, we must never reduce God to some figment of our imagination or to some distorted view.”

Some people can honestly say that they have not carved out or molded any kind of image and bowed down to it. But, they have images and concepts in their mind about God that are nothing like what the Bible says God is. They too have violated the spirit of this commandment.

Conclusion:

Dear friends, God declares that He is a jealous God. We talked about that in our discussion of the first commandment. He won’t tolerate a divided affection or loyalty in our heart. Our heart and soul must be wholly committed to Him.

Neither will He tolerate our worship being directed to Him through a man-made image. The stated reason is because He is a jealous God. Nothing can compete for our worship.

The next sermon in this series is: Words Mean Things (link available in blog archive on right)