NO OTHER GODS—Exodus 20:3, Isaiah 44:6-24
Read Exodus 20:1-3.
The first commandment seems like an easy one. I doubt that any of you is a secret worshipper of Baal or Zeus. You don’t kneel before a Buddha in your garden, or have a shrine to Hindu gods in your bedroom. How then is this commandment relevant for us?
WHAT is a god?
People WORSHIP gods, they TRUST gods to give them benefits, and they SERVE gods by their actions. Gods do not always take a physical form; they can be anything people WORSHIP, TRUST, or SERVE.
• What might people WORSHIP?
The origin of the English word “worship” is “worth-ship.” Worship is ascribing value to people or things.
An example of a false god in today’s world is the god of “More.” Americans value More because of what More promises: more toys in their garage, more rooms in their houses, more money in their paychecks, more exotic vacations, more fun on their weekends, more pleasure and excitement, more activities for their kids—more of everything.
Some people are not as materialistic. They place greater value on freedom, health, or approval and affirmation. Those are good things! Other people place high value on power and control, fame, success, or security. Those can be good things too.
Even good things can become like gods, if the value we place on them rivals the value we place on God and the things he values. If my physical health is more important to me than my spiritual health, or I dream more about being a successful pastor than I do about people coming to Christ, I am in danger of worshipping another god. If making your family look good is more important to you than bringing your children to Christ, you might be in danger of worshipping a false god.
• What might people TRUST?
Reader’s Digest reported in 2018 on a poll of the 100 most trusted people in America. The top 4 were actors: Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Denzel Washington, and Meryl Streep. Nobel Prize winners and Supreme Court justices were farther down the list, along with sports stars. Apparently, celebrities are trusted.
Of course, there is little danger that Tom Hanks will rival God for our trust. We are more likely to place too much trust in a retirement account, as a guarantee of a secure financial future. We might trust our fitness regimen to ensure our good health. We might place our trust in the government (or maybe not!), or in a political leader or ideology that promises to fix everything that is wrong with the world.
The most dangerous rival to God in our lives might be the god called “I.” Jesus warned about placing too much trust in our own ability to guarantee our future. He told the story of the rich man who trusted in what he stored in his barns, only to die and have nothing. He said, “Which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” Might worry be a sign of misplaced trust?
• What masters might people SERVE?
Most of us spend a good share of our time and effort on our work. We serve the boss or the company, and we serve our need to support ourselves and our families. We are not serving those as our gods; in fact, we can serve God through our work, as we support ourselves and are able to help others.
Jesus warned about another kind of service, however: “No one can serve two masters…You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24) If we live for work and the rewards it brings to us, or we are consumed by our pursuit of money and financial security, God will not be #1 in our lives.
People can take the place of God too, if they become our masters. Some people are driven by their need to meet the expectations of others. Some are desperately trying to earn the approval of a parent, even a parent who has died! Some feel compelled to measure up to the standards of their social group. Others are slaves to their own egos, and their insatiable need to prove their worth.
Evil powers also demand that we serve them. Paul said, “Do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires…For sin shall no longer be your master…” (Romans 6:12-14) Some people serve bad habits, addictions, or sins that have become rooted in their lives.
The gods we worship, trust, or serve, are not likely to be physical idols. They are anything or anyone who is a rival to God in our lives—that compete for our worship, trust, and service.
The first commandment God gives is, “You shall have no other gods before me.” You shall not worship them, trust them, or serve them.
WHY does God insist that we not have other gods?
Is God insecure or jealous of our gods? They aren’t really gods! In Jeremiah 16:20, God says, “Do men make their own gods? Yes, but they are not gods!"
If false gods are not a threat, why does God care if we worship, trust, or serve other them? Why should he care if we are driven by our desire for pleasure or possessions, or our lives are consumed by work? Why should God care if we live for the approval of other people or the success we crave? It doesn’t hurt him, does it?
God cares about our false gods because they keep us from seeking him as the true God. He wants us to know him—to worship, trust and serve him—so that can thrive.
The prophet Isaiah put it this way: Read Isaiah 45:16-24a.
Isaiah talks about the idols people make for themselves, perhaps out of wood or clay. Our idols are constructed of different materials: bank accounts, nice stuff, recognition, power. The point is the same: These things will not “save” us from wasting our lives. They will not bring ultimate joy and fulfillment.
God reminds us that only he is “a righteous God and a Savior.” Other gods will not bring us salvation. They will not bring forgiveness and make us righteous. They will not bring wholeness to our lives, and they will not give us eternal life. They will only get in the way of our relationship with the God who loves us, and wants to save us.
HOW can we keep this commandment?
Our first thought might be to eliminate God’s competition—but the competition doesn’t compare! If we truly understand God, we will say (as Isaiah predicted we would), “In the Lord alone are righteousness and strength.”
Our strategy for keeping this commandment is to put God in his place, as the only true God. When we are worshipping God, trusting God, and serving God, other things will remain in their place, not usurping God’s place in our lives. We are intentional about elevating our experience of God, through WORSHIP, TRUST, and SERVICE.
• We WORSHIP God
Worship is key to putting God in his place. When we worship, we are reminding ourselves that God is above all. He alone is the Creator and sustainer of life, the holy and righteous One, the Redeemer and Savior. He alone will judge all things, and he alone is able to give eternal life.
To put God in his place, we must worship with heart and soul and mind. When we spend time in nature, we take time to let our heart rejoice in the greatness of God. When we enjoy the blessings of life, we thank God for them. When we spend time with our family or friends, we celebrate God’s love with them.
Of course, we also worship at church. We do more than just sit and stand; we actively participate in the worship. How we participate may depend on our style of worship. Some people are naturally expressive, while others are more meditative. Churches often reflect the style of the people who belong. Whatever our style, we don’t just watch or reluctantly take part; we are focused on the goodness, grace and righteousness of God.
Music is a big part of worship, and in our church, we sing (some louder than others, but we try). Congregational singing is an expression of worth-ship; I don’t sing the praises of my car or my bank account, or even my wife. (Maybe I should do that.) I sing the praises of God, to please him, to encourage others, but especially to remind myself that he is worthy of highest praise. (That, of course, is why the music should be about God, not us. Is yours, preacher?)
Worship is not just music; it is whatever reminds us that God is worthy. It is giving, even if we do it online. It is seeing people in the sanctuary as God sees them—precious in his sight. It is bowing in prayer before the only One who hears and answers in power. It is hearing the word of God, as he speaks through his word and Spirit, and obeying the One who has redeemed for himself.
When we worship, we remind ourselves and others that God alone is worthy of our worship.
• We TRUST God
What actions show trust in God?
When we speak up against injustice, knowing that what we say is unpopular.
When we make a courageous moral choice, knowing it will cost us dearly.
When we do the right thing, even though it makes us unhappy.
When we give more money or time than is convenient.
When we speak the truth in love, knowing it might be risky to do so.
Some say actions speak louder than words, and these actions speak to us! They knock false gods off their pedestals—false gods of approval, money, and powerful people. They remind us that our lives are in God’s hands, and his hands are able to keep us from falling.
• We SERVE God
Paul says in Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
When you go to work, think about how you can do your work for the glory of God. The quality of the work you do, the way you serve your boss and your company, the way you treat people, and the way in which you make the world better—do it all to serve God.
When you come home to your family, love them as God loves them. Serve their needs, discipline your children, and give them a vision of a life with God. Do that in obedience to Christ.
When you give, when you volunteer your time, or when you spend time with people who share your interests, do it to benefit others, but even more, as service to God.
When you see your neighbors, go to the gym, or enjoy the good things of life, serve God as an “ambassador for Christ.”
As you set goals for your life, consider the call of God on your life. What can you do to support God’s passion for justice, truth, and compassion for those in need? What can you do to bring people to Christ, and help them grow as disciples? Who are the people God has called you to serve, in his name. Jesus said, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40) We serve God by serving others.
As we worship, serve, and trust God, we find our place in the glorious plan of God, and we fulfill our potential as God’s people, loved and chosen by God for his glory.
