Sermon Tone Analysis

There Is Only One God-20 1-3

Exodus 20:1-3

As we take a look at the Ten Commandments

I want us to understand there is more than the Ten Commandments than we read on the surface

Right in the middle of the book of Exodus God gives us the Ten Commandments

But He spends the next several chapters explaining them

We looked at a return to the Ten Commandments last week and God’s Moral law that is those laws that God gives us that help us to conform to God’s character

The Ten Commandments really have three functions

• They serve like a mirror to convict us of sin

• They serve like a bridle to restrain us from doing wrong

• They serve like a lamp to clarify what is right

When we think about morality in our society

What is the basis of morality?

Who can be absolutely sure what is right and wrong?

You know the world offers various opinions

And what we here is it is left up to you to formulate your own values, your own morals, your own ethics

And so we are encouraged with ideas of taking what a person wants, doing what a person wants, saying what a person wants, a believing in whatever a person wants

And these results have been tragic

We are losing control of society and the world

Sin and evil are sweeping the world and running rampant

We look around and some might say that sin and evil seem insurmountable.

And humanly there seems to be no answer to the problems of society

But there is good news

See the solution does not lie with man, it was given thousands of years ago,

God gave man a plan for order within society

That plan the Ten Commandments

See the Ten Commandments will work within any generation-if man will just institute and enforce them

God’s Ten Commandments can bring order to the world.

How can you say that?

Because the Ten Commandments were given by God Himself!

See the Ten Commandments are not based upon

The prejudices and morality of men

The latest popularity polls

The worldly desires of people

The purposes of government

And this morning we begin our walk through the Ten Commandments looking at the first one

See the basis of the Ten Commandments had been set in Stone, in the Rock of Ages, in the One who is the Alpha and the Omega, who is the beginning and the End, the First and the Last

God Himself is that basis

And that is where we start with the first commandment

Read Verses

1) God’s Existence-vs. 1

a) The basis for the first commandment is God’s existence

b) I mean let’s be frank this morning if you do not believe that God exists then belief in the first commandment does not matter

c) But you know what God does exists

d) You know how I know Gen. 1:1

e) Gen. 1:1—“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

f) Vs. 1 says, then, some versions use “and”

g) Listen God created the world and gave His commandments to the people He had created

h) And God declares Himself it is not argued or debated

i) And because God exists He is bound to show man how to live

j) He is bound to give His commandments to the people He created

k) That is what the Ten Commandments are

l) They are the commandments of God Himself

m) The commandments that tell us how to live

n) The basic laws of society

o) The basic laws that govern human relationships and the relationship between God and man

p) See this was not a compromise between us and God…okay God we want these rules and we do not really like these

q) God Himself is the Person who worked out and spoke forth the Ten Commandments.

r) 1 Ki.

8:23—“He said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart,

s) God spoke and there were the Ten Commandments

t) What did God speak?

u) “all these words”

v) Men try to make false gods speak and sometimes even claim that they do speak, or claim that they have been given some revelation from God

w) Mormons and Joseph Smith-That his book of Mormon is some new revelation of God that is actually better than the Bible itself

x) Jer.

10:5—“Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot walk!

Do not fear them, For they can do no harm, Nor can they do any good.”

y) Ro. 1:19-21—“because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.

‎20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

‎21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

z) The Lord God, who is the only true and living God, has chosen to speak to us.

aa) Moreover, He has chosen to speak in a way that can be clearly understood

bb) How did He speak to us?

cc) Through His written Word, Scripture

dd) Through the Living Word, Jesus Christ

ee) God did not leave us in the dark wondering how to live

ff) God has spoken to man and declared His Word to man, but more than just speaking, God has seen to it that His law is written down for man

gg) Here is a thought, God has spoken to us, telling us how to live notice what Scripture declares

hh) Rom.

15:4—“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

ii) 2 Pet.

1:21—“for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

jj) And God gave us the living Word of God notice what Scripture declares

kk) Jn. 1:1-5—“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

‎2 He was in the beginning with God.

‎3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

‎4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

‎5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

ll) Heb.

1:1-2—“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, ‎2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

mm) The first basis of the Ten Commandments is seen in God’s existence

2) God’s Name-vs. 2

a) The second basis is God’s Name

b) “I am the Lord your God”

c) He is my God

d) God’s name is great

e) In ancient Hebrew times that name of God would not be spoke out of reverence and fear

f) He is Jehovah

g) He is Yahweh