Deuteronomy 5
Moses reminds the people that out of the midst of the fire, of the fire, and thick darkness, God had spoken these "ten words" to the assembly at Mount Sinai (Exodus 20). These "words" were not just for the generation that died in the wilderness, but for their children and their children's children, that they might live well and long in the land.
I'm remembering the many hours that go into teaching confirmands these "10 words" and what they mean. I will try to refrain from being so lengthy this morning... We will see where I end up.
These 10 words or laws were broken down into two or summed up by Jesus as: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:36-40) I use these words of Jesus to help teach the confirmands how to memorize and learn the commandments. The first 3 (or 4 depending on your denomination) all pertain to how to live in relationship with God; how to honor Him. He is first, so we place Him first. The remaining commandments tell us how to live in relationship with others so that it may be well with us and that we might live long upon the earth.
Briefly here is what I tell my confirmands:
When an adult decides he's going to work day after day without ever taking a Sabbath - a day of rest - what happens? Answer: They get tired and cranky and pretty hard for the people around them to live with. Sometimes people even get hurt because they are so fried they aren't paying attention to what they're doing and accidents happen. If someone doesn't take the day to rest - some time to hear God's Word and to Worship Him - how will they ever come into closer relationship so that they might know His peace?
If you kill someone, what happens? Their friends and family become angry and they want your life in return. Life doesn't go so well for you and you may end up not so long upon the earth.
How about bearing false witness? Can gossip kill? Certainly. It kills the spirit. It kills relationships. And... it some cases it destroys lives. Gossip can hurt so bad that it might even push someone to taking their own lives. Bearing false witness kills. It would be the same as if you murdered someone with your own hands. That is why it can be said that one sin is not worse than another. (we'll maybe go there another day.)
How about coveting? Can coveting kill? Of course it can. It kills relationships, it kills our peace, it interferes with our love for God and for our fellow human beings. In some cases people are really killed because of envy and jealousy over material things. Life does not go so well and not so long for those who covet the possessions of others. I will not go through each of the commandments, you get the picture...
I remind my confirmands that God loved them so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die for them and ask them if this sounds like a God who would make up a bunch of laws just to keep them out of His kingdom in the first place.
Yes, I hold to the third use of the law - that is as a guide to the way in which we can live in relationship with God and with one another that it may be well with us and we might live long upon the earth.
But, they ask how about that horrible verse 9, why should they be punished for their parents sins? Think about family relationships for a minute... Do we not learn by what we've seen our parents do? Often (but not always) we follow in their footsteps. Let's say a parent is a thief or a liar or a murderer or otherwise breaking civil law and their children witness this lifestyle, will they not grow to think that this is a normal way to live? They will struggle because these sins will keep them from a loving relationship with God the Father and with their neighbors. This doesn't happen because God wants them out of His life - it's not about punishment. Their lives become chaotic because they have chosen (and sometimes they don't know any better) to put other "things" before God and neighbor and they themselves have hurt the relationships by not following the guides they've been given to live peaceful lives. We inherit the sin of our fathers and mothers and consequently we inherit the consequences of the broken relationships caused by those sins as well.
Too often, I think, we consider the law as something that only condemns. We all indeed fall short and deserve condemnation, but God is not all about condemning... That wasn't His purpose, after all wasn't He saving Israel from bondage when He gave this laws? And... why did He send Jesus? There must be more to the giving of the law than just setting up some rules to follow and if you don't, well... then... you know what happens! Children are taught that if they don't follow the law - they will end up in hell. Truth is... by not following these laws or guides to living in community, it can be like a living hell here on earth for those who do not know how to love or live in relationship with God or one another.
I am not writing off the other two uses of the law as a curb or mirror, but I think that we might benefit in our relationships if we took another look at the commandments as a guide to how to live life reconciled to God and one another.
I remember a friend from a Bible Study years ago. She said she never worried about the should not's of the law, only the shoulds... She said she tried to live her life not worrying about what she couldn't do, but what she could do and focused on that. That being: loving the Lord her God with all her heart and soul and mind; and loving her neighbor. After all, didn't Jesus say that all the law and prophets hang on these two commandments (or words)?
Time to get ready to go and shop for Toys 4 Tots so I guess I am finished with this morning's blog whether it's finished or not... May it be well with you and may you live long in the land.
Moses reminds the people that out of the midst of the fire, of the fire, and thick darkness, God had spoken these "ten words" to the assembly at Mount Sinai (Exodus 20). These "words" were not just for the generation that died in the wilderness, but for their children and their children's children, that they might live well and long in the land.
I'm remembering the many hours that go into teaching confirmands these "10 words" and what they mean. I will try to refrain from being so lengthy this morning... We will see where I end up.
These 10 words or laws were broken down into two or summed up by Jesus as: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:36-40) I use these words of Jesus to help teach the confirmands how to memorize and learn the commandments. The first 3 (or 4 depending on your denomination) all pertain to how to live in relationship with God; how to honor Him. He is first, so we place Him first. The remaining commandments tell us how to live in relationship with others so that it may be well with us and that we might live long upon the earth.
Briefly here is what I tell my confirmands:
When an adult decides he's going to work day after day without ever taking a Sabbath - a day of rest - what happens? Answer: They get tired and cranky and pretty hard for the people around them to live with. Sometimes people even get hurt because they are so fried they aren't paying attention to what they're doing and accidents happen. If someone doesn't take the day to rest - some time to hear God's Word and to Worship Him - how will they ever come into closer relationship so that they might know His peace?
If you kill someone, what happens? Their friends and family become angry and they want your life in return. Life doesn't go so well for you and you may end up not so long upon the earth.
How about bearing false witness? Can gossip kill? Certainly. It kills the spirit. It kills relationships. And... it some cases it destroys lives. Gossip can hurt so bad that it might even push someone to taking their own lives. Bearing false witness kills. It would be the same as if you murdered someone with your own hands. That is why it can be said that one sin is not worse than another. (we'll maybe go there another day.)
How about coveting? Can coveting kill? Of course it can. It kills relationships, it kills our peace, it interferes with our love for God and for our fellow human beings. In some cases people are really killed because of envy and jealousy over material things. Life does not go so well and not so long for those who covet the possessions of others. I will not go through each of the commandments, you get the picture...
I remind my confirmands that God loved them so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die for them and ask them if this sounds like a God who would make up a bunch of laws just to keep them out of His kingdom in the first place.
Yes, I hold to the third use of the law - that is as a guide to the way in which we can live in relationship with God and with one another that it may be well with us and we might live long upon the earth.
But, they ask how about that horrible verse 9, why should they be punished for their parents sins? Think about family relationships for a minute... Do we not learn by what we've seen our parents do? Often (but not always) we follow in their footsteps. Let's say a parent is a thief or a liar or a murderer or otherwise breaking civil law and their children witness this lifestyle, will they not grow to think that this is a normal way to live? They will struggle because these sins will keep them from a loving relationship with God the Father and with their neighbors. This doesn't happen because God wants them out of His life - it's not about punishment. Their lives become chaotic because they have chosen (and sometimes they don't know any better) to put other "things" before God and neighbor and they themselves have hurt the relationships by not following the guides they've been given to live peaceful lives. We inherit the sin of our fathers and mothers and consequently we inherit the consequences of the broken relationships caused by those sins as well.
Too often, I think, we consider the law as something that only condemns. We all indeed fall short and deserve condemnation, but God is not all about condemning... That wasn't His purpose, after all wasn't He saving Israel from bondage when He gave this laws? And... why did He send Jesus? There must be more to the giving of the law than just setting up some rules to follow and if you don't, well... then... you know what happens! Children are taught that if they don't follow the law - they will end up in hell. Truth is... by not following these laws or guides to living in community, it can be like a living hell here on earth for those who do not know how to love or live in relationship with God or one another.
I am not writing off the other two uses of the law as a curb or mirror, but I think that we might benefit in our relationships if we took another look at the commandments as a guide to how to live life reconciled to God and one another.
I remember a friend from a Bible Study years ago. She said she never worried about the should not's of the law, only the shoulds... She said she tried to live her life not worrying about what she couldn't do, but what she could do and focused on that. That being: loving the Lord her God with all her heart and soul and mind; and loving her neighbor. After all, didn't Jesus say that all the law and prophets hang on these two commandments (or words)?
Time to get ready to go and shop for Toys 4 Tots so I guess I am finished with this morning's blog whether it's finished or not... May it be well with you and may you live long in the land.
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