Sermon Central
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The Statutes Of Liberty
Contributed by Dan Jackson on Jul 9, 2005 (message contributor)
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1. The Statutes Of Liberty
Contributed on Jul 9, 2005
God is no cosmic killjoy. His Ten Commandments were not given to limit and destroy the freedom of His people. The purpose of God’s law is deliverance not domination. Obedience does not subjugate; it saves! The Ten Commandments are God’s “statutes of liber
“THE STATUTES OF LIBERTY” (Exodus 20:1-17) In New York Harbor the Statue of Liberty stands with torch held high. She faces the Atlantic Ocean and the old countries beyond, with her back turned toward the country she honors. She holds high the hope of liberty, not just to the United States, but ...read more
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2. The One And Only God
Contributed on Jul 9, 2005
The first commandment is not a hand-wringing tactic of a vulnerable deity. It is an invitation from the one, unique God of the universe to enter into relationship with Him.
“THE ONE AND ONLY GOD ” (Exodus 20:3) Someone wrote with biting sarcasm: I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine. I don’t want enough of him to make me love a ...read more
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3. The Object Of My Affection
Contributed on Jul 9, 2005
We substitute many things for the worship of the one true God. Idols never satisfy, but we still craft with our hands things that we hope will satisfy the longing of our hearts.
“THE OBJECT OF MY AFFECTION” (Exodus 20:4-6) You hear a word like the second commandment, and think “C’mon preacher, this is twentieth century America. We don’t have totem poles and fetishes here. Be relevant.” Did you see the comedy film, Cool Runnings? It’s about the first Jamaican bobsled ...read more
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4. What's In A Name?
Contributed on Jul 11, 2005
The word vanity, used often in the Old Testament, means “to empty of con-tent, to make irrelevant.” That’s what the The third commandment is about emptying God’s name of significance; making it irrelevant; identifying God as something He is not.
“WHAT’S IN A NAME?” (Exodus 20:7) I played in a golf tournament the other day. I was in a foursome with three men whom I had never met. (The tournament format required that we be paired together because we all had similar handicaps. I didn’t know these guys because I make it a practice to ...read more
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5. What A Difference A Day Makes
Contributed on Jul 11, 2005
God intended the Sabbath for blessing, we’ve turned into burden; meant for enjoyment, we’ve allowed it to enslave; created for our pleasure, we corrupt it into added pressure.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES! (Exodus 20:8-11) The newspaper editorialized: The world is too big for us. Too much going on, too many crimes, too much violence and excitement. Try as you will, you get behind in the race, in spite of yourself. It’s an incessant strain, to keep pace.…and ...read more
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6. A Priority For Family Living
Contributed on Jul 11, 2005
The fifth commandment is not directed at teens, but to families and children of every age. This is the first of the commandments dealing with human relationships.
“A PRIORITY FOR FAMILY LIVING” (Exodus 20:12) Parents of teenagers point to this commandment often. A father of four teens said, “There’s nothing wrong with teenagers that reasoning with them won’t aggravate,” and another said, “Insanity is contagious. You catch it from your kids.” An ...read more
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7. The Sanctity Of Human Life
Contributed on Jul 18, 2005
The commandment against murder is a statute of liberty, especially in light of Jesus’ interpretation in the Sermon on the Mount.
“THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE” (Exodus 20:13) The commandment against murder is a statute of liberty, especially in light of Jesus’ interpretation. In the Sermon on the Mount He said, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject ...read more
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8. The Sanctity Of Sex
Contributed on Jul 18, 2005
8th in a Series on the 10 Commandments. God’s Word speaks clearly of the grandeur of sex in marriage. It also warns of the grief of sex outside marriage.
THE SANCTITY OF SEX (Exodus 20:14) A pastor is always a little reluctant to address the subject of sex. Among his concerns is the choice of a closing hymn. One pastor preached on this subject and began to notice the congregational snickering in the middle of the sermon. It was then he ...read more
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9. It's A Steal, But Not A Bargain
Contributed on Jul 22, 2005
The 8th commandment forces us to look at our attitude towards possessions and our accountabilty to God
“IT’S A STEAL, BUT NOT A BARGAIN! “ (Exodus 20:15) We visited the Norman Rockwell Museum in Philadelphia and nostalgia gripped us as we remembered those great covers on The Saturday Evening Post. One of my favorites pictured an encounter in a butcher shop. A woman shopper and a butcher faced ...read more
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10. Ambush At Credibility Gap
Contributed on Jul 22, 2005
God hates a lying tongue. The 9th commandmant is amplified throughout the Bible as God warns against untruthfulness.
AMBUSH AT CREDIBILITY GAP Exodus 20:16 In David Letterman style, Rick Warren identifies Ten Great American Lies: #10 Your table will be ready in a minute. #9 One size fits all. #8 This will hurt me more than it hurts you. #7 I’m sorry I’m late. I got stuck in traffic. #6 The check is ...read more
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11. Getting A Grip On Greed
Contributed on Jul 24, 2005
The tenth commandment is different because it addresses attitude. The first nine commandments apply to actions. This one simply says, “Do not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor.” The sins of action are obvious. This sin of attitude is hidden, kn
GETTING A GRIP ON GREED Exodus 20:17 Newscaster Paul Harvey tells how an Eskimo kills a wolf. The grisly account offers insight into the destructive, devouring, nature of desire without discipline: The Eskimo coats his knife blade with animal blood and allows it to freeze. He then adds ...read more
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12. The Great Commandment
Contributed on Jul 28, 2005
This final message in the Ten Commandment series looks at Jesus’ response to a question about the greatest commandment. He concludes with one word: love.
THE GREAT COMMANDMENT Matthew 22:35-40 We have explored the liberating limits of the Ten Commandments through several chapters. Now we must conclude by looking at the New Testament passage where Jesus responds to a scholar’s question, “Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” He sums up ...read more