CHURCH ON RANDALL PLACE SERMON NOTES 11/25/07
“WHAT A LONG STRANGE TRIP IT’S BEEN; A STUDY IN DEUTERONOMY”
TODAY’S MESSAGE: “THE OTHER NINE” DEUTERONOMY 5:8-33
I. Introduction
a. Established the setting in which the 10 Commandments are set.
i. A covenant: The principles that give order to the relationship.
b. Today’s objective
i. Briefly overview the remaining 9 commandments to better understand how to live in relationship w/ the God who delivered us from slavery.
II. Divine Origin (22-33)
a. A Reminder that the laws given were of Divine origin
III. The Other Nine (8-21)
a. No Idols
i. To represent God in some natural form.
1. Akin to limiting God.
2. God is w/o limit and cannot be confined
ii. Does not forbid artistic expression (read about the tabernacle)
1. Moses raised an image of a serpent for healing.
iii. Results in servitude
b. Making God’s Name Empty
i. Regulates how God’s name would be used.
ii. Vain= (aiiws)) saw: Empty, light, worthless.
1. Do not lift up His name in a worthless manner
iii. How do we do this?
1. To Justify evil.
2. Hypocrisy: Making a profession and not living up to it.
3. Oaths: Using God’s Name as a means of getting what we want.
4. Rash Speech: Using His name as a by-word
5. Magically: by invoking God’s name your endeavor will be blessed.
a. To manipulate
iv. How do we use God’s name: The Name of the Lord is to be praised!
c. Sabbath
i. To be a holy day.
1. Set aside for a purpose. A distinct day.
a. Exodus emphasizes creation
i. Remember: He is God and we are not
b. Deut emphasizes redemption
i. He has delivered us and adopted us.
ii. You have six days to complete your work
1. Note: Your week is planned so that the seventh can be given to God.
2. Busyness often hinders worship.
a. The Sabbath was given as a blessing. Many see it as an obstruction to the “really” impt things, like work.
iii. Who keeps it? All people are given value
iv. What about today?
1. As a celebration of redemption we set aside Sunday.
d. Honor Mom and Dad
i. Both a command and a result.
ii. Give honor to parents: The command is not “obey”
1. One can obey but not honor. This is a heart issue.
2. Honor: To distinguish above.
iii. This command affects the whole community.
1. Society breaks down when we do not give value to parents
2. Parents are honored not because they are perfect but because of their position.
e. No Murder
i. 2 terms: grh (harag= to kill) a general term; jxr (ratzach= to murder) unauthorized taking of life, even unintentional
1. Ratzach does not refer to
a. Hunting, capital punishment, self-defense.
ii. Jesus related anger to murder.
1. The heart is a breeding ground for the act (James 4:1-2)
iii. Murder is forbidden even in the formative stage.
f. No Adultery
i. 2 terms: pan (naaph=adultery, sex w/ a married individual) hnz (zanah=fornication, used for a prostitute)
ii. Bible calls this a great sin (Gen 20:9) and great wickedness (Gen 39:9).
1. Adultery brings judgment on the individuals and the nation (Jer 5:7-9; 13:27).
iii. Marriage is a unique relationship, set apart.
1. It is not to be treated as common
iv. Jesus raised the standard to a heart issue, much like He did w/ murder.
g. No Stealing.
i. Don’t take other people’s stuff.
1. All things belong to God
2. We are to love one another
ii. Examples: Embezzlement, Fraud, Kidnapping, Not returning something lost, Failure to give what belongs to another (wages).
h. No False Witness
i. Emphasis is on legal or civil matters (Perjury).
1. God is concerned w/ justice. False testimony leads to the shedding of innocent blood.
2. Innocent suffer.
ii. Slander, spreading false rumors.
1. It can even be silence (Lev 5:1)
i. No Coveting
i. Inordinate or selfish desire.
1. It is a heart issue
2. A strong desire that will stop at nothing until it is obtained
a. Opens the door to break every other commandment.
ii. Less about possession and more about position. “I want to be in their place.”
1. It is self-centered and calls God’s provision into question.
IV. Conclusion.
a. God had established a new relationship w/ His people and was bringing them into a new land where they would prosper.
i. In order to live in right relationship w/ Him and be at peace these laws were given to ensure the relationship remained intact.
1. Remember: they were not given to est the relationship
b. When Jesus died He inaugurated a New Covenant.
i. Many live defeated lives because they have not aligned themselves w/ the laws governing that relationship.
