This is the first sermon in a series of sermons on the Ten Commandments. This is an introductory message that addresses the purpose of the OT Law, different kinds of laws, law vs. grace, and the approach we plan to use as we look at each of the commandments.
The title is borrowed from a book by the same title written by a friend and former Bible College colleague, Dr. David C. Bubb.
(To download the MP3 file of this message click on the title above. To listen now online, simply click "play" button on the audio player above.)
Written excerpts:
Mother Basilea Schlink was a member of the order called, "The Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary." She lived in Germany and apparently was an outspoken critic of the Nazi holocaust. She wrote an article titled, "The Gift of God's Laws of Love." In that article she states,
The Ten Commandments, given at Sinai, shine forth with renewed force in the New Testament. they reveal God's heart to us, showing us what matters to Him and how He longs for us to respond. In fulfilling His requests, we will bring joy to Him, and peace will fill our hearts.
God's rules for living show us the way to happiness: [which is] loving Him and loving our neighbor. All God's commands are either an appeal to love or a warning against actions contrary to love, such as murder, theft, adultery, and slander. They are intended to keep us from sinning against love.I. The Purpose of the Law
A. It defines what sin is.
1 John 3:4 "Whoever commits sin transgresses the law for sin is the transgression of the law."
Romans 7:7 "...I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet."
Without the law, the conscience is dead and we don't even know that we are in complete opposition to God. But when we hear the law and understand our situation, the conscience is awakened and we are convicted. We then realize where we stand in relation to God.
B. It reveals our helplessness in performing what is right and good.
Romans 8:3-4 "For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son..."
The law had the ability to condemn, but it could not give us the power or ability to perform the expectations of the law. So, while I read or hear the law, my soul longs for deliverance from condemnation and victory over the frequent violations, but I only hear more condemnation from the unbending law.
C. It is designed to bring us to Christ.
Galatians 3:24-25 "Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith...."
The gospel of Jesus Christ is truly good news. But, in order for the good news to really seem like good news to us, we must learn what the bad news is first. That is the purpose of the law.
Looking for something to deliver us from the condemnation and guilt of the law, and to give us the ability to live righteously, we come to the cross of Jesus Christ and find forgiveness and new life.
II. The Different Kinds of Law
The most traditional approach regarding the laws of the Old Testament is to separate them into three categories: civil, ceremonial, and moral. Many scholars agree that it is not always easy to distinguish these categories. There are some laws in the O.T. that seem to fit more than one category.
Ceremonial laws, in particular, seem important for teaching us some tangible and elementary lessons regarding redemption in order for us to "graduate" to the spiritual and secondary truths of the atonement of Christ. In other words, it is just like the need to understand elementary math in order to advance to algebra and trigonometry in high school. When the N.T. talks about Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God," we can only grasp the meaning of that phrase because we have learned about the significance of the lambs used for sacrifices in the O.T.
III. The Comparison Between Law and Grace
A. Law is powerless to enable righteous attitudes and behaviors, but grace is the strength and power of God.
Romans 8:3, 11
B. Grace is the basis for mercy (that is, not getting the judgment we deserve), but does not cancel out the purpose of the law.
C. Grace implies that behavior should be better than it was under the law, since grace adds ability to live righteous.
IV. The Approach We Will Use in this Study
A. Negative: We will try to define the exact meaning of each command and the behaviors it condemns or requires.
B. Positive: We will try to explain the underlying positive principle that each command teaches.
C. Exposition or Explanation: We will try to give biblical principles and examples that illustrate how each command was applied in the Bible and can be applied today.
Conclusion:
To describe what I believe is God's design for giving the Ten Commandments let me illustrate with this example:
I picture it like a parent who erects a fence to keep his toddler from playing in the street. The father exhorts the child to play in the spacious yard where there are plenty of toys and legitimate things to occupy your interests. Behind this fence you will have lots of fun and will be happy. But if you go around or over the fence into the street you will get hurt very badly.
Then one day the child decides that the fenced yard is too narrow and too restrictive. There is so much more excitement and happiness to be experienced out on the outside of the fence. So, he climbs over the fence and begins to explore all the possibilities of his new-found freedom. But, tragedy strikes after the boy wanders into the busy street.
I can imagine the father weeping uncontrollably and asking, "Why didn't you obey? Why didn't you understand that I was only trying to save your life? Couldn't you see that I wasn't trying to restrict your freedom and happiness? I was trying to ensure it.
God's law is designed to help us "live life at a perfect ten!"
The next sermon in this series is: Who Do You Really Love? (link is available in blog archive on right)
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