Midsummer brought the start of our Sunday morning walk of faith through the Ten Commandments. At every step of the way, my unwavering encouragement has been simple: You must view the Commandments through the lens of Jesus. That means you read God’s Law with eyes of love, and you embody God’s Law with a heartContinue reading “First and Greatest: How to Live Your Best Life Ever”
Tag Archives: Ten Commandments
Another Day in Paradise
Technically speaking, God’s Tenth Word tackles coveting. “Thou shall not covet” your neighbor’s house, or your neighbor’s spouse. Not another’s servants or hired help. Not a donkey or an ox – or anything else that belongs to your neighbor. Or a friend, and even a stranger. Just so we’re all on the same page, toContinue reading “Another Day in Paradise”
Meet My Friend Jeff
When you do more than scratch its surface, you discover a treasure-trove of faithful living concealed deep under the weight of the Eighth Commandment’s thunderous prohibition against theft. As I suggested last Sunday, the Spirit through the Eighth Word compels hard questions – pondering and wondering if people richly blessed with lots of money, mostContinue reading “Meet My Friend Jeff”
Sticky Fingers
Over our two months of exploration, a couple major attractions should be overshadowing our walking tour of the Ten Commandments. What I hope first captures your attention are the positive aspects of the Commandments – the holy attitudes and loving behaviors that the Lord prefers and encourages. Those Words of Life, first given to MosesContinue reading “Sticky Fingers”
Too Few Are Noticing
A death with dignity and compassion it was not. Those pieces still recognizable as a cricket lay bottom side up. The missing parts, presumedly, composed the linear slick of black goo scuffing the gray floor, on the shoulder of the steel-blue track at the Wellness Center. Passers-by the deathly scene included countless walkers and runners,Continue reading “Too Few Are Noticing”
Multitasking: Really, just stop it!
Earlier this year, the writer Oliver Berkman teetered on the brink of feeling overwhelmed by life – its responsibilities, its expectations, its demands. Inflicting the emotional low blow was the ambient anxiety that comes as a standard feature of life these days. So, in an effort to restore some measure of his sanity, Mr.Continue reading “Multitasking: Really, just stop it!”
Take Not in Vain
Unless you live in a monastery or convent, you don’t have to listen too hard these days to hear God’s third commandment take quite a verbal beating. Plenty of folks don’t even break a sweat when casually invoking God’s name to make themselves look more trustworthy or electable, even though they oftentimes are actuallyContinue reading “Take Not in Vain”
No Graven Images
Within the ancient words of the Old Testament dwell 613 commandments regulating everything from soup to nuts. And we’re exploring the first 10 – through the lens of the New Testament’s greatest commandment: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and soul, and mind; and love your neighbor as yourself – asContinue reading “No Graven Images”
No Other Gods before Me
Over the years, I’ve preached sermon series on any number of themes, but for no reason in particular, the one topic I haven’t touched in depth is the Ten Commandments. So, for the next 10-or-so weeks, we’re going to be unpacking that list of do’s and don’ts – given by God to Moses, aContinue reading “No Other Gods before Me”
Liberty Isn’t Lawless Living
Standing bare-footed before a burning bush and attending nervously to the address of God, the Old Testament prophet Moses receives a daunting task: “Go and free my people from slavery in Egypt.” Thus said the Lord in the Scripture lesson from the book of Exodus that we heard last Sunday. Moses reluctantly obeys his intimidatingContinue reading “Liberty Isn’t Lawless Living”