Intro: One cartoon depicts Moses standing on top of God’s Mountain, holding the two tablets of the Ten Commandments. The prophet is beaming. “Hey these are great.” He says enthusiastically, “From now on nobody will have trouble distinguishing right from wrong.”
We know that is not true today! Many reject the wisdom and teaching of the Ten Commandments. Why is that? Think about the Ten Commandments. Written on stone speaks of their longevity, written on both sides clearly speaks of their comprehensive completeness, written by the finger of God speaks of divine nature and direction.
The ten words are simple yet profound words that show us how to respond rightly to God and man. Why do so many people have a difficult time distinguishing right from wrong?
I would like to tell you it isn’t so much distinguishing between right and wrong as much as deciding to do right.
God’s words sound like a trumpet blast to call us to a point of decision. Joshua said clearly in his farewell address to the nation of Israel choose this day who you will serve. The Ten Commandments and especially this first and foundational of them all loudly and clearly call us to decide to live God’s way.
I. The first word is a call to recognize God
Exodus 1.2 “I am the Lord your God.”
A) Acknowledge that God is
It is as if God is saying “Now hear this, I Am!!” What a clear statement of the reality of God. Realize that there is a creator and controller of the universe. The Bible is speaking of the fact of God.
Listen to Psalm 53.1 “The fool has said in his heart there is no God.”
Jerry Vines said it well “A man is a fool who denies a fact. So, a man must be the supreme fool that denies the supreme fact.”
Here in Psalm 53.1 in the KJV you find the words there is in italics. Once again these are inserted by translators to help more clearly convey the meaning of the passage. Without the italicized words it reads “The fool has said in his heart no God.”
The fool says I’m not interested in nor do I need this creator and controller of the universe. Imagine that you were at lamberts café. Lamberts is the home of throwed rolls. They are also the home of bringing pan of food to your table. They offer Macaroni and tomatoes, fried okra, blackeyed peas, and so many wonderful southern style foods. If they offer you any of these foods and you say no, no okra. You are not saying the okra doesn’t exist. You are saying I don’t want any of that. I don’t need any of that at all. That is what the fool says I don’t need any of that at all I’m just fine. I’m in no way interested in God. How sad since this word is supposed to call us to recognize that He is God, and He is God alone.
B) Acknowledge that Jehovah is God alone
Exodus 1.3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.”
Isaiah 45.12b “And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me.”
God is insisting that all other gods (little g) are frauds. In the New testament Jehovah is perfectly pictured in Jesus Christ. This is an exclusive Claim. It is not politically correct, or popular, but is pure truth.
Jesus said in John 14.8 if you’ve seen me you’ve seen the Father. I and the father are one.
Acts 4.12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved”
There is none that compares to Him. There are many supernatural creatures in the universe, angels, demons, but there is only one Supreme being God Almighty.
In this first command God is saying I am the one and only true God and I claim your worship by right of Who I am and what I have done.
In these words we are called to acknowledge Jehovah, Jesus Christ as the sole divine authority for life, the sole focus of our worship.
As much as it is a call to recognize Jehovah alone, it is a call to reject other gods.
II. The first word is a call to reject all other gods(little g)
Why if God is God alone would we be given the command to not have any other God?
Even false God’s have a kind of spiritual power over their worshippers. Many false god’s are demons in disguise. To understand this you have to understand where Israel was in their journey with God. The Israelites had come out of a polytheistic or many god Egypt. They were headed to Cannan who served and or worshiped multiple gods. The Egyptians bowed down and worshipped the gods of war, love, light, darkness, fields, and rivers to name a few. They bowed down to half man half animal depictions of their gods. The Israelites were no better. Ezekiel 20.7,8 God clearly told all Israel to get rid of the Egyptian gods, but the people of Israel failed to do so.
God was trying to show them that he has no rival. This was a clear call to reject all the false gods that they worshipped. Because they would not reject them God specifically and systematically crushed and destroyed the gods of the Egyptians.
He was one by one breaking their control over His people. Why is that so important?
Because you become like the object of you worship.
Some may say that Buddha, Krishna, Allah, and any of the other thousands of names of God are the same as the Living God, Jehovah, Jesus.
But listen to Isaiah 42.8 “I am the Lord, that is my name! I will not give my glory (worship) to another or my praise to idols.” Jesus said it this way I am the way truth and the life no one comes to the father but by me.
This is a very exclusive word!! Clearly and loudly the voice of many waters calls us to reject all other gods but The Lord God. Jehovah.
So what is the big deal if they are false gods? The old gods never really die, they often come back with new names and different clothing.
In America today many bow to the almighty dollar. Whatever, wherever, however to get more money. 2 Timothy 3.4 says “people become lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. Is it much of a stretch that people go to arenas and have no problem sitting or 3 to 5 hours on hard seats, scream holler and cut up. But one hour one day at church is too much.
Has sports become a god in America? What about leisure time? I know many people that work only to get to the weekend to spend time doing what they want. The 4th word says honor the Sabath and keep it holy. That is a day set aside to recognize and reverence God and Him alone.
God is telling us to reject the false god’s it is not enough to acknowledge Him as God we are also called to reject anything else that would dominate us and distract us from a relationship with Him. Reject the sorry substitutes. They can’t redeem you, they can’t provide for you.
Life dedicated and devoted to anything other than the one true God will ultimately be full of depression, despair and finally death.
Listen to Psalm 135.18 “Those who make [idols] are like them; so is everyone who trusts in and relies on them.
You will become like the object you worship. Look at many Americans and what do you see?
Anger, greed, covetousness. Reject the false gods so that you do not become like them.
III. Reverence the one True God.
It is not enough to simply recognize the one true God. It is not enough to reject the false gods. This first word from the lips and finger of God is not simply a call to mental acknowledgement. It is a call to moral agreement with God.
James 2.19 tells us that the demons believe that God is one a shudder. The fear what God will do to them.
The greatest challenge for me as a pastor is not preparing for sermons, or making my meetings, or counseling. It is to not let all the things I have to do as pastor strangle my relationship with God almighty. If the tasks I have as pastor are allowed to take away from my time and devotion to God then they have become gods with a little g.
That is why God has set a healthy guideline in this first of ten words to us. Have no other god’s before me. It would be ludicrous to have a relationship with anyone and not have guidelines. Here God has set up the foundational ground rule. He and He alone is God and only he deserves you allegiance, your affection and your attention.
He not only wants you to recognize He is God, He wants to be your God!
It is not enough to merely say He is God for the demons of hell recognize that!!
God desires for you to sing the wonderful song I am His and He is mine.
LOVED WITH EVERLASTING LOVE
LED BY GRACE THAT LOVE TO KNOW
GRACIOUS SPIRIT FROM ABOVE
YOU HAVE TAUGHT ME IT IS SO
OH THIS FULL AND PERFECT PEACE
OH THIS TRANSPORT ALL DIVINE
IN A LOVE WHICH CANNOT CEASE
I AM HIS AND HE IS MINE
HEAVEN ABOVE IS SOFTER BLUE
EARTH AROUND IS SWEETER GREEN
SOMETHING LIVES IN EVERY HUE
CHRISTLESS EYES HAVE NEVER SEEN
BIRDS WITH GLADDER SONGS O’ERFLOW
FLOWERS WITH DEEPER BEAUTY SHINE
SINCE I KNOW AS NOW I KNOW
I AM HIS AND HE IS MINE
HIS FOREVER ONLY HIS
WHO THE LORD AND ME SHALL PART
AH, WITH WHAT A REST OF BLISS
CHRIST CAN FILL THE LOVING HEART
HEAVEN AND EARTH MAY FADE AND FLEE
FIRSTBORN LIGHT IN GLOOM DECLINE
BUT WHILE GOD AND I SHALL BE
I AM HIS AND HE IS MINE
BUT WHILE GOD AND I SHALL BE
I AM HIS AND HE IS MINE
Conclusion: Has God ever gone from being just God to My Lord and My God? If we only recognize him that is not enough. If we only reject false gods that is not enough. Here is a call to relationship and reverence. To know, love, and honor God almighty. Just Jehovah, Just Jesus. That is God’s word to you and me.
