We know we are supposed to love God, but what does that look like? Is it going to church?
Tithing? Feeding the poor? What does God really want from us? Let’s
re-encounter a passage from last week:
And he
said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all
your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This
is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall
love your neighbor as yourself. Matt
22:37-39 (ESV)
Do you think it’s possible to love with all your
heart, soul and mind (this side of heaven)? In what ways do you excel? Which
areas will require more work?
Last week, we also focused on the Ten Commandments. These are called “the Law”, and the first
four focus on the relationship with God. The remaining six focus on our
relationship with people.
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of
the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods
before me.
4 “You shall not make for
yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above,
or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to
them or serve them, for I the Lord
your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children
to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to
thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 “You shall not take the name
of the Lord your God in vain, for
the Lord will not hold him
guiltless who takes his name in vain.
8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to
keep it holy. 9
Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a
Sabbath to the Lord your God. On
it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male
servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is
within your gates. 11 For
in six days the Lord made heaven
and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day.
Therefore the Lord blessed the
Sabbath day and made it holy. Ex 20:2-11
(ESV)
Why did God feel it important to remind His people that He
brought them out of slavery in Egypt?
Who is to be the object of our worship? Why is that
foundational? Can we follow the remainder of the Commandments if we worship
another god? For instance, if you were focused on accumulation of wealth, would
it be more difficult for you to keep a Sabbath?
Why does God “visit the iniquity of the fathers” to other
generations? Can you think of a way that might happen even today? For instance,
a baby born to an addicted mother is addicted at birth. How often do we stop
and think of the consequences our sins have on others as well as
ourselves?
The third commandment tells us not to take God’s name in
vain – to treat it as worthless. Should this simply apply to our speech? How
can this apply to our entire lifestyle? Do your actions reflect well upon God –
do you “walk the talk”? Or are there areas where your Christian witness needs
improvement?
We hear God’s name spoken with disrespect nearly every day.
Years ago, this was not true. Why do you think that it’s more common to hear
Jesus’ name spoken with disrespect?
The Sabbath: how do you honor the Sabbath? You go to
church, but then? Do you take a shopping day? Do you go right back to work (if
you have to work on Sunday, do you take another day for Sabbath rest)? How
should we honor the Sabbath in 2012? Does it really have to look much different
than it did for the Israelites?
Looking at these commandments, what do you think it should
look like to love God? Are there areas that need improvement in your life? Do
you need prayer, or an accountability partner? If you do, email me – or call the
church. Don’t try to walk the Christian life alone. We can do it together!
See you Wednesday.
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