SkateChurch Recap
The Ten Commandments- Introduction
Before we can really understand the Ten Commandments, we have to know a little about them: how they got here, what they say, and why we have them.
How they got here:
It all began in the Garden of Eden, when sin entered the world through Adam and Eve. Sin became a part of the fabric of man, it became man’s nature. People are separated from God because of their sin. A few chapters later in Genesis we meet Abraham. Through Abraham, God begins to bring humans back to himself. Abraham and his wife, Sarah have a child named Isaac. Isaac and his wife, Rebekah, gives birth to a son named Jacob. When Jacob enters into the picture, our story takes a bit of a detour. He has a son, Joseph, who is betrayed by his other brothers. After a series of events, Joseph becomes second in command of all of Egypt. He forgives his brothers and his entire family enters Egypt. In Egypt, they prosper and multiply in number, just as God had promised Abraham. As they continue to grow and prosper, the old Pharaoh dies out and Joseph is forgotten. The next Pharaoh is cruel, and becomes nervous about this new blossoming people. To control the Israelites, he begins to treat them as slaves, making them do hard labor for little or nothing. He also gave the command that should any of the Hebrew women have baby boys, that those baby boys be killed. One lady had a baby boy, but she didn't want him to be killed. So she placed him on the banks of the Nile River. He was found by the daughter of Pharaoh. She told the mother to raise the child and when he had grown up to bring him back to her. She gave him the name of Moses. When Moses was older, he saw an Egyptian mistreating a fellow Hebrew slave, and Moses killed him. He was now a wanted man, so he ran. He ran away to the desert, where he lived for many years, working as a shepherd, and he married and had a family. One day, while Moses was out with the sheep, he encountered a burning bush. In this burning bush was God, and God then calls Moses to set the Hebrew people free. He calls Moses to go back into Egypt, approach the oppressive Pharaoh, and demand that the Hebrew slaves be set free. Moses goes, and after 10 plagues and some time, Pharaoh lets the Hebrews go. They cross the Red Sea and begin to wander in the desert, looking for the Promised Land. It is here that God gives Moses the Ten Commandments.
What they say:
The Ten Commandments are God’s stand and foundation for how Christians are supposed to live their lives. The first four commandments are the foundation of how to relate to God:
1. You shall have no other gods before me.
2. You shall not make for yourself an image.
3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord.
4. Remember the Sabbath by keeping it holy.
The last six serve as a foundation for our relationships with people:
5 . Honor your father and mother.
6 . You shall not murder.
7 . You shall not commit adultery.
8 . You shall not steal.
9 . You shall not give false testimony.
10.You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.
Let’s see what Jesus says when asked what the greatest commandment is in Matthew 22:34-40, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Why we have them:
The Law serves a purpose, it shows us what sin is and reminds us that we must strive to avoid sin. God knows that we are prone to sin, and that we are prone to stealing and committing adultery and prone to having other gods before Him. He gives us the Ten Commandments to show us that is what we are prone to do, yet, to be His holy people, we must avoid those things.
The Ten Commandments were given for life. They are God’s rules that are made to protect us so that we may be able to live life freely, without ever having to fear. John 10:10 says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
