Obsolete Or Absolute? Series

Series: The Big 10

(Based on a series by James Merritt)

“OBSOLETE OR ABSOLUTE?”

EXODUS 20:1-20

OPEN

Today we start a series of messages called The Big 10. When you hear that term, you probably think about the regional college athletic conference featuring teams like Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin. The funny thing is that the Big 10 has thirteen full-fledged member schools and one associate member – Johns Hopkins – for a total of 14. Go figure.

If you didn’t grow up exclusively with the metric system, you’re more likely accustomed to the number 12. There are 12 inches in a foot, 12 months in a year, and there were 12 disciples.

But don’t underestimate the importance of the number 10. We have 10 fingers and toes on our bodies. There are 10 numerals in your phone number. There are 10 dimes in a dollar, 10 yards in a first down, and 10 hot dogs in a package (even though the buns come in packages of 8). And don’t forget that the 10 lords a leaping

The number 10 is a significant biblical number. When you come across the number 10 in

Scripture, it signifies completeness. No other standard is as complete as God’s code of ethics. And so, we begin to look at this body of scriptural teaching we call the 10 Commandments. Today’s message is, “Obsolete or Absolute?”

We view the 10 Commandments as obstacles to try to find our way around or as roadblocks that detour our search for joy in this life but in reality they’re a gift from our Father. They reflect his very nature. The 10 Commandments are God’s code of ethics. We should look at the principles in God’s code as fatherly advice. It’s like we go to our dad to ask for guidance and God puts his hand on our shoulder and says, “Listen my child, life works better like this…”

He gave us these words for our own protection.

Sometimes as parents, we have to make decisions with our children’s best interests in mind but they’re not popular decisions with our children. God gave us these words because he was looking out for our own best interests but we his children find them to be unpopular. As time passes, our culture finds these words to be less and less popular and endearing

These words have been around as a guiding light for close to 3500 years. They transcend region, culture, and generation. Simply put they work for everybody. Given to us by the one who designed us, they are tailor made for quality living in this world.

Ex. 20:1-20 – And God spoke all these words: 2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 You shall have no other gods before me. 4 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. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7 You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. 8 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 12 Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. 13 You shall not murder. 14 You shall not commit adultery. 15 You shall not steal. 16 You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. 17 You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”