Hearing the Word of the Lord

Pray: Psalm 1

Scripture: Matthew 5:17-48; Matthew 22:34-40

Hymn: Here is the Ten-Fold Sure Command (Lutheran Worship #331, sts 1-4)

The Ten Commandments

 Life Before God and Neighbor

The Law - It’s Giving, Summary, and Purpose

1.    The Law is written by God in the hearts of every person and is monitored by the conscience (natural law).

When Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and the conflicting thoughts accuse or perhaps excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. Romans 2:12-16

2.    The written Law was given by God through Moses on Mt. Sinai accompanied by threats of punishment (revealed law). Exodus 20:1-21 (Deuteronomy 5:1-21)

3.    The summary of the Law is undivided love for God (vertical) and love for neighbor (horizontal).

And [Jesus] said to him, "You shall love the Lord your god with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22:34-40

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Galatians 5:14

4.    The effect of the Law is (1) to curb coarse outbursts of sin and maintain order (1 Timothy 1:8-9), (2) to mirror sin and to silence the sinner before God (Romans 3:19-20), (3) to guide the Christian in the life of holiness (Psalm 119:9)

The Ten Commandments

Introduction

The Ten Commandments, or the Decalogue, are a summary of God's holy will (for the Biblical texts, see Exodus 20:1-21; Deuteronomy 5:1-21). God's holy will can be summarized in one word - love. "Love is the fulfilling of the Law" (Romans 13:10). The Ten Commandments are not simply a list of things to do or not to do, nor are they merely "biblical principles" to live by. Rather, the commandments describe the perfect relationship between God, us, and our neighbor, and they prescribe the actions and attitudes that God expects all people to have toward Him and their neighbor.

God did not give the Law to make us miserable, but for our blessing and benefit. The commandment guards the gift, so that we receive it rightly. For example, the 4th commandment deals with the gift of temporal authority in terms of parents, government and other authorities. The 5th commandment deals with the gift of human life, the 6th commandment with human sexuality, and so forth.

The heart of God's Law is the 1st Commandment - the undivided fear, love, and trust in God above all else. All the other commandments are commentaries, explanations, and expansions of the 1st Commandment. They teach us what the fear, love, and trust in God above all things looks like in everyday life. The Ten Commandments may be viewed as a wreath on which all the commandments are hung with the 1st Commandment running through them and holding them together.

The First Commandment

The Gift of God

You shall have no other gods.

What does this mean?

We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.

A.  God requires that we fear, love, and trust in Him

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Matt. 10:28

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. Matt. 22:37

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. Prov. 3:5

B.   That is, the Triune God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who is revealed through Jesus Christ

And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. John 17:3

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit....Matt. 28:19

C.   Above all things.

1.      "Coarse" idolatry worships the creation instead of the Creator.

Romans 1:18-32; Matthew 6:24; Colossians 3:5

2.      "Refined" idolatry worships the self instead of God

Genesis 3:1-7

If the heart is in a right relationship with God and this commandment is kept, then all the other commandments will follow of themselves. (Large Catechism, 20)

The Second Commandment

The Gift of God's Name

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.

What does this mean?

We should fear and love God so that we do not curse, swear, use satanic arts, lie, or deceive by His name, but call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.

A.  Where God's Name is, there He is present to save, bless, and be praised.

Exodus 20:24; Deuteronomy 12:4-7; 1 Kings 8:27-31; Matthew 18:20

B.   Forbidden: To curse, swear, lie, use satanic arts, or deceive by God's name

Leviticus 24:15; 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:10-12; Revelation 22:15; Romans 2:24 (false doctrine)

C.   Commanded: To call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.

Psalm 105:15; Psalm 124:8; Colossians 3:16-17

For truly to honor God's name means looking to Him and praying to Him for all consolations; as we have heard before, first the heart by faith gives God the honor that belongs to Him, and then the lips do so by confessing His name. (Large Catechism, 23-24)

The Third Commandment

The Gift of God's Word

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

What does this mean?

We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.

A.  Sunday in not the Sabbath Day.

1.      The Sabbath Day was a celebration of both creation and redemption.

Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 20:11; Deuteronomy 5:12-15

2.      The Sabbath Day is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, as are all other OT institutions.

Colossians 2:16-19; Matthew 12:1-18

3.      Sunday was chosen in freedom by the church because:

a)   the resurrection appearances of Jesus Christ (John 20:1.19.26)

b)   the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1)

c)   apostolic custom (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Revelation 1:10)

4.      Our ultimate Sabbath ("rest") is found in Christ (Matthew 11:28).

B.   Forbidden: To despise preaching and God's Word

Luke 10:16

C.   Commanded: To hold God's Word sacred, gladly hear and learn it

Romans 10:14-17

We observe holy days especially in order that people may have the time and opportunity, otherwise unavailable, for participation in the divine worship, for coming together to hear and to work with the Word of God and to praise God by song and prayer. (Large Catechism, 26)

A Simple Way to Pray

In 1535, Luther advised his barber, Peter, to pray from the text of the Catechism or the Scriptures in a four-fold way. "Out of each commandment I make a garland of four twisted strands." This can be used as a simple form for prayer from the Word of God. An easy way for us to remember Luther's four-fold way is with the acronym ACTS.

·         Adoration - praise God on the basis of what you have learned from this Word of God

·         Confession - confess to God how His Word has not had its way with you

·         Thanksgiving - thank God for the gift He has given you in His Word

·         Supplication - ask God to bless you through His Word

The beauty of this four part form is that it begins with God and ends with us. It is both a response to the Law (confession) and a response to the Gospel (adoration, thanksgiving and supplication). For example, a prayer on the 1st commandment might be prayed in the following way:

Gracious Father in heaven,

You have revealed yourself to be my God, who has created, redeemed, and sanctified me. You require that I fear, love, and trust in you above all things.

I confess that I do not fear, love, and trust in you with an undivided heart. I fear, love and trust in many things, often over and above you. I fear the loss of work and income. I love my possessions. I trust in my own abilities and intellect.

I thank you that you have given me this commandment to show me my false fears, loves, and trusts, and to rescue me from the gods that would devour me. I thank you for sending Christ, your Son, to save me from my idolatries.

Teach me, I pray, to fear, love, and trust in you with an undivided heart. Turn my heart from false gods to you, that I may ever know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent for my salvation.

Amen.

Closing Prayer

O almighty and eternal God, we implore you to direct, sanctify, and govern our hearts and bodies in the ways of your laws and the works of your commandments that through your mighty protection, both now and ever, we may be preserved in body and in soul; through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for the 1st Sunday in Lent, Lutheran Worship, p. 33)