The Ten Commandments Are... Series

---THE TEN(DER) COMMANDMENTS

Exodus 19:3-6

---ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS

Ex. 20:1-17

---A COMPASS

--- that shows us the way

Isaiah 30:21

---that leads to blessings

Psalm 19:7-11

---that guides to Jesus Christ

Romans 3:20-24

The Ten Commandments are the ten(der) commandments. Ron Mehl’s book by the same title will help you her. These are not a list of "THOU SHALT NOT’S" that are a set of boundaries set down by a loving a protective Father who wants the best for his children.

If you see them as a set of rules or as a ball and chain that weigh you down, you’ve missed the very heart of God.(I used a powerpoint slide of one of outreach marketing’s postcards that depict the Christian life as a ball and chain) Lving parents set down curfews, they set down boundaries. That’s not because they are trying to spoil the life of their child. It’s becasue they know best and they want what is good for their kid. Exodus 19:3-6 will help you here. That verse dosen’t sound like a ogre of a god, it sounds like a Father.

The Ten Commandments are all about relationships. The whole Bible can be boiled down to one word--relationships. Two types of relationships--ours with God and others with other people. From Genesis to the end of the Revelation the Bible focuses on how to have a close, intimate relationship with a holy God and our of that relationship who we can have healthy and holy relationships with others. If that is the focus on the Bible it is no surprise that the 10 Commandments are all about relationships as well. The first four have to do with our relationship with God and the last six deal with our relationship with others.

The Ten Commandments are a compass. This compass shows us the way we should go. Is 30:21 says thatGod says "this is the way, walk ye in it" Do we want to know how to please God. The 10 commandments are a good place to start. This compass leads to blessing as well. Ps. 19:11 says in keeping God statues there is great reward. We all want to know have to have the blessing of God on our lives. He’s told us right here how to do that. Finally, the most important thing that this compass does is guide us to Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:20 says that no man will be made righteous in His sight by observing the law. Rather through the law we become conscious of sin!!!! The law makes us aware of our sin and because of that we know that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and are freely justified by his grace that came thru the redemption made possible by Christ. When we come to Jesus by faith we are under the new covenant. Jeremaih prohisied about this when he said the law will be written on your hearts and put into your minds. Jesus does that for us.