v.3 - No other gods before me. The analogy he used was a groom at his wedding committing his faithfulness to his bride. He doesn't say "I will be faithful when I'm home, but when I'm on the road you should expect me to have other women." We were reminded of God's people, the Israelites, and how they wanted a King to rule them - just like the pagans had - then the Kings became worshipers of the pagan gods - an example given was how Solomon built temples for his wives' gods. I have read that before but Pastor shared that when he was in Israel in 2005 the tour guide showed them where those temples were built. They were on a mount HIGHER than the Temple Mount!!! Maybe that was the only available real estate at the time (me wondering) but that can also be interpreted that Solomon was building them to be higher than God.
vv. 4-6 - Do not make any graven idols / images - I had never heard this before but Pastor shared that some religions actually leave this verse out of the 10 Commandments! WOW! How do you leave out part of God's Word? He also said, "No one should have more fun than those who believe in Jesus - we should laugh more." Now THAT'S something I want in my life - more laughter. I find myself being so serious much of the time. He said, "Imagine taking God - so great, so mighty, so powerful . . . and reducing Him to a piece of wood - a graven image?" THAT's what people with idols do - they take their god and reduce it to a piece of wood or stone or something - not to worship, but for what they might get out of it. He reminded how when we make something with our hands - we have a great sense of pride in it and feel it is something much more valuable than something we may have bought that maybe came off an assembly line or something. When we make an idol of something we are making IT more valuable to us than God.
In v.5 God says I am a jealous God. Pastor recalled a time when he heard Oprah Winfrey say that her God is not a jealous God and that a jealous God wanted to control. He reminded us that God is not jealous "of" me, but "for" me. Just as those of us who are married wear a wedding ring as a symbol that we are taken / committed for life, God wants us for Himself. No idol will want us for itself - only God does and He doesn't want to share us with other "gods" - not because He wants to control us but because of His love for us.
Okay - so here's one that's going to hit us where it hurts (YIKES!) Pastor said, "the greatest idol today is technology. Every time our phone pings - regardless of what we are doing / who we are talking to - we have to check it. We totally disregard what we were doing in order to check it." We have become a slave to it - putting it before others. Are we making our phones into our idols? Does IT come first - even before the human being we are talking to or the activity taking place? (He talked about a man who answered his cell phone during his daughter's wedding).
v.7 - Do not take the name of God in vain. Vain means empty / deceitful. How do you feel when someone takes His name in vain in your presence? I remember researching this and actually put together a package that I've shared with many in the jails (feel free to email me for a copy of it) . . . "Is It Okay for a Christian to Drop OMG's?" The short answer is NO! Here's a snippet from that study . . .
The word translated “vain” means worthless, empty, inconsequential or false. It means that the object is lacking in value. God says don’t take my name and empty it of value by making it another common, inconsequential word.
This is because God’s name is synonymous with his God-ness. His name has to do with his essence and his actions. In other words, God’s name is about who God is and what God does. This is precisely why we see such a connection with glory, worship and God’s name.
Pastor said, "Jesus - is the sweetest name in all the world, except when spoken with scorn. God stands alone / He is holy and calls us to be holy.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus takes the 10 Commandments and makes them have deeper meanings. The holy life that Jesus calls us to is greater than the holy life of legalism (following to the letter of the law). WE are the Temple of the Holy Spirit. The 10 Commandments are given so that we can reflect His image." Remember that we were created in His image.
We were challenged to "Be a people who will hear the voice of God and walk with Him." The 10 Commandments were given to us so we can hear His voice and walk with Him.
May God continue to bless each and every one of you. Spread the Word.