“Living as Free people”
SERMON Title: Living as Free people
SCRIPTURE: Exodus 20:1-3 (ESV)
Introduction:
The Ten Commandments given to us in the Bible are often perceived as outdated, not applicable in modern society, or contentious in driving people into legalism. We will dive into a new sermon series where we examine each Commandment and seek the Lord’s divine purpose and significance for us.
Overview:
The context of how the Ten Commandments were received
Preceding the giving of the Ten Commandments is the detailing of the Israelites being delivered from bondage as slaves under Pharaoh’s reign.
The Lord is demonstrating His love to them through the giving of the commandments. Not as the way to secure salvation, but as a reflection of the Lord’s love for His people. The Israelites were to grasp they have been saved, because of the Lord’s unfailing, perfect, and steadfast love.
The Lord intended for the Israelites to embrace their new identity and new purpose. They were to become free people and the Ten Commandments were to help them resist the ways of the fleshly world.
The 1st commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me.”
God’s call over His people is one of allegiance. But it is not a one-sided plea, it is a mutual demonstration of allegiance for one another.
God’s protection over idols
This 1st commandment was given to protect the Israelites from the destructive nature of idolatry.
In Egypt at this time, there was an idol for anything and everything. Though the Israelites were delivered from this environment, the promised land of Canaan was very similar. The temptation to worship other idols was very high.
Idolatry
We indirectly turn to idols through forming idols in the things we find security, allegiance, adoration, and commitment to.
What is an idol? It is anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give. (Tim Keller, Counterfeit gods)
We turn to idols to be saved from insignificance, embarrassment, and meaninglessness. We think idols are the be-all and end-all; they will fix everything.
We need to guard our hearts so we do not turn things into an idol that we worship from within. We turn the good thing God gives us into an ultimate thing, and eventually this becomes an idol in our lives.
Some other examples: parenting, money, appearance, a political party/ideology, financial security, career trajectories, church, retirement, etc.
The list is endless.
God gives us the 1st commandment because He understands the destructiveness of idolatry: idols promise comfort but end up enslaving us instead.
Idolatry reveals our deepest longings. Whatever we worship and serve wrongfully in the place of God, reveals the cheap imitation of what we are truly searching for.
Social media (connection); political parties (global security); material wealth and beautiful exterior (want to be seen); achievements (acknowledged).
Application:
To take down our idols, we need:
To name and identify the idol(s) in our life - what’s the thing if you went without in your life, you would have no sense of self?
Lay them before God, so He may set you free from the enslavement of seeking significance in these idols.
Sermon reflection questions:
What is the idol(s) in your life you are choosing to worship and replace the role of God’s power and authority in?
How does the good news of our Lord who yearns to free us tell you about the new life you can have in Him?
