Make-up: January 9: The Commandments Intro

Make-Up:

We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.

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On Sunday, January 9th, we introduced the Ten Commandment Series. We will be having a 5-week series on the Ten Commandments. This week, we gave the introduction. listed below is a recap of the lesson:


Bible Text:
Deuteronomy 30:15–20; John 15:8–17; Joel 2:12–14

Lesson Focus:
God's Commandments, given in love, protect our lives, our relationships, and the rights of all people.

Big Question:
Why does God give us all these rules?

Key Words:
COMMANDMENTS, COMMUNITY, PROSPERITY, ADVERSITY




Definitions for Key Words

COMMANDMENTS: from military orders to God's Decalogue ("10 Words"), things we must do because of the wisdom and love that's behind them . (These aren't merely suggestions!)

COMMUNITY: the state of being connected to those who both offer and receive love and support from one another.

PROSPERITY: doing well; experiencing goodness in life.

ADVERSITY: suffering greatly; experiencing hardship in life.


Going Deep

Keeping the Ten Commandments (the Decalogue or "Ten Words") can sound incredibly daunting. There's a big threat here: God promises to punish those who don't obey his demands. If you've only ever heard about what a kind and loving God you have, words like these can come as quite a shock. You might ask, "Is that really what God is like?" The answer is "Yes, but . . ."

As harsh as these words about the Commandments may be, God has a good reason to speak them to us. We must remember that we're sinners who neither fear, love, nor trust God, nor do we love our neighbors as ourselves. So God's threat in this conclusion lets us know how extremely important these matters are to God. In the Ten Commandments God gives clear boundaries for our behavior, our attention, and our desires. God tells us exactly what's expected of us. The Commandments show how much God cares for us and the creation. These demands from God provide limits for our lives and give us a lifetime full of work caring for our neighbors and the creation.

The Commandments don't just tell us what we should and shouldn't do. More than anything, they reveal our sinful condition by pointing out how much we don't do. Since we like to fool ourselves into thinking that we're not really such bad people, the Commandments force us to look at who we really are and to tell the truth about ourselves. The Commandments work like a mirror, forcing us to face the fact that we are sinners through and through. Luther's interpretation of the Commandments says that the threat is real: God angrily condemns those who don't keep the Commandments. When we break the Commandments and don't do what we're called to do, God promises we will see the effects play out for generations.

The truth is that not a single one of us keeps the Commandments. Sinfulness is our condition from first to last breath. The word "curses" in Deuteronomy 30:19 brings to mind the events of Genesis 3 and the separation that sin causes between human beings and God, one another, and all of creation. These curses are evident both in the real-life consequences for our failure to keep the Commandments as well as in the collateral damage that sin afflicts on us even when there's no fault of our own. These effects can be hurtful and heartbreaking both to creation and to our Creator. God is very serious about limiting the damaging effects of sin. We see that when the Luther's explanation to the First Commandment calls us to fear God above anything else, that fear is a real thing.

It's a good thing that God's laws are not the only word God speaks to us. If the Commandments ultimately leave us in fear and trembling, that is only half the picture, and more must be said for God's message to be complete. God knows that if we were to try to trust God by our own reasoning or willpower, it would never happen. The Commandments show us that much. As strong as the Commandments' demands are, God's promise in Jesus Christ is even stronger. As you and your confirmands study the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the sacraments, you'll learn what Christ has done for you. Jesus came so that in him you would have a flesh-and-blood God to whom you can cleave. He has endured death on the cross to give you forgiveness, life, and salvation. If your sin condemns you, God shows you in Jesus how much God is willing to do to create trust in you. Jesus rose from the dead and continues to be present for you whenever and wherever you hear the good news.

That's the kind of God we don't just fear. Luther reminds us that we can also love and trust God above anything else. And we can learn to let go of ourselves and start giving our lives for others. A demand from God might not be able to change our hearts, but when God shows up in Jesus for us, we can't help but become new people. The Commandments focus on the things in life that really matter: making sure others have enough to eat, defending someone's rights and reputation, being faithful to your spouse, worshiping in community with other Christians, and the like.