Date: 3/17/2003
Time: 8:09:10 AM
I am using this one. Serman series on Covenant and committment. 1. Noah and sons 2. Abrahamic 3. Ten Commandments. Spoken Covenant to Written in stone Covenant. Shouldn't have God's spoken confirmation be enough? Yes. Did people take seriously? Is that why God wrote it in stone? I Think about the words, of Judge Wampner...Verbal Agreements with witness may hold up in court or may not. GET a Written Agreemnet. Get it in writing! Well, was God tired of pussyfooting around with people, so HE put it in writing... Covenant moving to committment (which I stressed in past two sermans) moving the people to action, Just DO IT! God gave a promise and put it in writing, what are you going do about it? (think COPS theme...what cha you going DO ACTION Call to ACTION!!! Pastor Mary in OHIO
Date: 3/18/2003
Time: 7:29:58 AM
Pastor Mary
I normally don't come to the Old Testament section, as I'm usually very late Saturday before I get to the wonderful comments in this site. Today is an exception, but I'm looking for a new twist, rather than preaching the obvious.
You have given me some wonderful ideas! In the Old Testament covenants, God stated his wishes for us in rather simple terms (at least they should have been regarded as simple! What did humans do with it all? Redefined it all into thousands of rules and regulations!!
In the Corinthians reading, we hear about God's foolishness being wiser than the wisest of humans. In our 'wisdom' we redefined God's simple commandments--and created a mess of unworkable laws.
Bringing in the Gospel, we get an image of all those laws in action--to the detriment of the real purpose of the worship center: worship! No wonder Jesus did what he did.
It's real simple -- worship and love God, and when you do that, the rest falls into place and you love one another! That just leaves me wondering -- why can't we keep it simple?
Blessings, Don in Ontario
Date: 3/18/2003
Time: 9:23:32 AM
I will use this passage and the Psalm to contemplate the paradox of orderliness of God's law and the foolishness of the cross. The primary question is, "How am I suppose to function in a world that God intended to be orderly when life actually seems so illogical?" We'll apply this question to the war in Iraq.
DSS
Date: 3/20/2003
Time: 5:33:07 AM
Are the Ten Commandments binding on Christians today?
John near Pitts.
Date: 3/20/2003
Time: 10:00:17 AM
An interesting question, John. I think I would have to say "yes," but maybe more in the vein of a vision rather than absolute law. As Christians, this Old testament Law is made easier for us to understand because Jesus has condensed them into two commandments: to love God with all our heart, soul and mind and to love our neighbour as we love ourselves. Moira Laidlaw, from Australia thens says for a children's time: "By loving God so fully, it follows that we love all that God loves. In other words, we'll treat all people as precious to God and we would also treat the whole world as precious to God, we understand ourselves to be precious to God." That seems rather timely when we consider the past 24 hours and what lies ahead for a people that is also precious in God's sight. So, yes, the 10 Commandments do have a place in what we believe today, but not alone; they have to be taken into the context of what it truly means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. It's been awhile but blessings to you all. Rev. Tim, Southern Ontario, Canada
Date: 3/20/2003
Time: 12:35:40 PM
Another thought. I was just reading some material from Ricard Fairchild at Sermon & Sermon. He refers to the Ten Commandments as "wisdom for all time." That makes me think, that rather than being black and white rules, the 10 Commandments are wise boundaries, common sense rules that we will live by simply because we are in covenant relationship with God and with one another, somehting this journey through Lent is all about. Rev. Tim, Southern Ontario, Canada
Date: 3/20/2003
Time: 12:36:17 PM
Pardon me for any spelling or grammer mistakes. Rev. Tim, Southern Ontario, Canada
Date: 3/21/2003
Time: 3:32:10 AM
John near Pitts asks if the Ten Commandments are binding on Christians today. In Luke 18 there is a young man who comes to Jesus and asks the all important question, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" The first thing Jesus reminds him of are - you guessed it - the Commandments. When the young man says that he has kept all of them, Jesus says that the man still has one more thing lacking. But Jesus never says that the commandments are not binding. In fact, I believe that in many places in the gospels we find where Jesus said obey the Commandments and then go one step further. Example; not only shall you not committ adultery, don't even think about it.(Luke 5:27,28) One last personal note. Instead of thinking that the Ten Commandments are "binding" me so that I cannot have a life, I think the Ten Commandments are setting me free so that I can have eternal life. As one who is always reading DPS, but seldom writing, I appreciate everything folks have to say on this site. JM in NC
Date: 3/21/2003
Time: 5:55:03 AM
I was using "binding" more in the sense of a legal term. Do we have to keep the Ten Commandments in the New Covenant? Are we bound to them?
My take is that no, we are not expected to keep the OT Law. If that's the case we would be keeping Saturday Sabbath and following a ga-zillion dietary laws.
I think a better question would be, if you love God with all of your heart, mind and strength then why wouldn't you want to keep the T.C.? Breaking or not obeying which one of these commandments would disqualify me from loving my neighbor as my self? Can you love your neighbor and want/take his possessions, those he/she loves?
We don't have to keep these commandments in order to be justified, but rather, why not keep them as a response to the salvation that God gives us?
Ever wonder how many folks who get bent out of shape because the T.C. are removed from government buildings (court house here in Pittsburgh) probably couldn't recite them let alone follow them? For that matter, ever wonder how many pastors write about these people not knowing the T.C. who can't recite them by memory either? (Blush)
John near Pitts.
Date: 3/21/2003
Time: 12:09:04 PM
Which commandments may we do without? Which of the seven deadly sins may we drop? According to the New York Times, a group of French chefs has petitioned the Pope to remove gluttony from the traditional of seven moral failings and impediments to spiritual progress. It is bad enought to be walking encased in blubber without being encased in sin. Let's get rid of these old fashioned commandments and sins! Do we really need them?
Yes we do! Picking and chosing commandments and sins can get us into a peck of trouble! Besides, dumping commandments and sins might be hazardous the economy. Where would Jerry Springer be without ANGER? Where would school spirit be without PRIDE? The command to rest [Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy] might be violating the sin of sloth! Motivation would get us nowhere without greed and envy.
Our culture is desperate for commonly held virtues, even if if it is illegal for a list of them to hang in government buildings!
Right now I am scattershooting this sermon, hoping that some form will overtake it by Sunday morning.
Happy homiletics,
Oklahoma Irishman
Date: 3/22/2003
Time: 5:32:31 AM
I love it when a single question skews the whole discussion... Are we bound by earlier covenants when we make a new one? I guess that depends upon whether a covenant between God and us contains a clause of limitations like "10 generations" or "after Aaron's last little offspring has passed away." Of course there is the problem of whether Christians should remain Kosher and keep the Clean/Unclean rules, etc... On the otherhand, I imagine we could arwgue that we are freed from the OT laws which Jesus himself broke (working on the Sabbath...) or can we sever ourselves from some more of the OT laws in the Spirit of what Jesus was doing when he said "the Sabbath was made for humankind, not humankind for the Sabbath." Either way, the 10 Commandments are still probably in full effect and binding upon us - unless God's no longer "The Lord Thy God..." in which case we are in the wrong profession.
PW of PA
Date: 3/22/2003
Time: 4:42:28 PM
Romans 3:
20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. 21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.
Righteousness or right standing does not come from obeying the Ten Commandments. It comes solely through the Grace of God in Christ Jesus. Any attempt to earn favor by keeping the Ten Commmandments places us in the realm of self-justification which as I understand it, is quite an unpleasant sacrifice.
Again, the Ten Commandments are kept BECAUSE we have been saved, because they are simply the tip of the iceberg when it comes to loving God with heart, mind and strength, and loving others as ourselves.
John near Pitts.
Date: 3/22/2003
Time: 6:50:47 PM
Hi everyone,
If a member can help me that would be great. - I need to check the archives on this passage, and don't have access anymore.
Last time I preached on this, I came up with 10 'guidelines' generally positively framed ways to live, emphasising that God's law was given to the Israelites after he had already saved them; this was their vision for how to live together in a new, free way.
Having moved churches I just preached that again, and now I'm unsure how much of the stuff was my own, and how much was inspired by here... none of my other sources have it, so this is the last point I might have cribbed it from. If someone can check for that would be great.
Thanks in advance LW(in Oz.)
Date: 3/22/2003
Time: 8:00:31 PM
Dear Oklahoma Irishman, I love your candor and humor -- I was literally laughing out loud! Here's hoping that some order - legal or otherwise has overtaken your shotgun sermon. God knows we've got enough guns going off right now, we don't need any from the pulpit. How can we find order in the current chaotic times? Are we liberating Iraq as Moses liberated the slaves - G.W. seems to think so, but how will they be led to order & self-governing as we justify breaking these very commandments in God's name?? Tough times - no clear answers. Rev Susan in CA