Today we will open up the second commandment that deals with graven images. There should never be anything that gets in the way of our worshiping God in truth and in spirit. Let me pose this question to you: What is love? If we were to listen to all the many definitions through modern music or through the ideas placed upon the movie screen we just might find that answering that question becomes much harder to do because of the various descriptions that are being presented. But what is love? The bible teaches us that God is love. Probably the most definitive statement on love is found in John 3:16.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
And probably the greatest definition of love is found over in 1 Corinthians 13 from a modern translation and it says:
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (MSG)
4 Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head,
5 Doesn't force itself on others, Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
6 Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
7 Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.
It's true that we could talk all day about how much we love God and even sing songs of our devotion to Him. But probably the best way we can show that love is by what we do. Jesus said in a very short sentence some of the most profound words ever spoken to that affect...
John 14:15 (KJV)
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
There are two commandments that Jesus readily pointed out from the Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mt. Sinai that get to the very heart of what it is to love God...
Matthew 22:37-40 (AMP)
37 And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect).
38 This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment.
39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.
40 These two commandments sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets.
There are a lot of people worshiping God through the aid of some graven image whether that is in the physical form or within the person's imagination. Remember the first commandment has to do with worshiping the right God. The second commandment has to do with worshiping the right God in the right way. We need to learn how to worship God in the right way and without a man made idol; because how we worship matters as much as...who we worship. Worship requires two things as noted from Scripture.
John 4:23-24 (KJV)
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
There is a place for emotion within our worship of God, but let it be in all truthfulness, not being reactionary to what is being suggested to us because we don't want to feel awkward for not doing what everyone else is doing. That is acting and is not being truthful. God does not like it when we use some kind of aid to worship Him either. Why do I say that? It is because these particular aids often misrepresent Him in a way that He is not. In other words, the use of statues, crosses, or some other materialistic religious icons; and even imaginative mental aids that we sometimes use doesn't fully represent Him properly. What usually develops out of these types of aids that we often use in our worship is that we tend to create the image of God through those representatives to which we are using; and we should know that God is unsearchable in all that He is. Therefore, how could we possibly rely on our own perspectives to define Him? He is called the invisiable God. How do you make something to aid in your worship of an invisiable God if you don't know what He looks like or what He is like? These things usually diminish the right perspective of Him in our eyes. Therefore, we know Him from His Word and nothing else.
I am reminded of the pastor who got fed up with his worship team bickering and fighting over their musical instruments and different parts to which they couldn't agree on. So, one Sunday morning he decided to clear out all the instruments from the stage and when the worship team arrived he told them that they were going to worship God with their voices. If I am remembering the story correctly the worship leader was so convicted that he wrote the song called, "Heart of Worship." The point is that we often get very distracted in our worship by becoming so concentrated on duty, details, performances and such. God is a living God and those who will worship Him will do it in spirit and in truth.
We cannot edit God to fit our individual ideas of Him that suits more to our personal liking. The idea is not to make God into our image, but for you and me to be made in His image and in His likeness. If the image is false then the thought of God will become false; and it will end up producing a character that is false. Remember the Scripture teaches that the true son's of God walk by the spirit. If you recall there was a story where Moses was meeting with God on the mountain while Aaron his brother and the children of Israel were waiting down at the Ponderosa. Due to the length of days that Moses was gone from them the people got anxious and came to Aaron to inquire what they should do. What does Aaron suggest? Bring all your gold, earrings and other items containing gold and let's melt them down and make a graven image. You know the story. Aaron along with the other craftsmen formed a golden calf to which the nation of Israel worshiped God through this idol.
The children of Israel had witnessed the true God in their deliverance out of Egypt albeit that perspective of Him was obscured through the aid to which they were using to worship Him in the golden calf. This is the major problem with graven images is they skew the genuine into looking or being like something they are not. Therefore, the 2nd Commandment tells us that we are not to make any graven image. Now let us look at the third commandment that also deals with our relationship with God which helps us to know how to love Him properly. This of course is that we are to never use God's name in vain. That word vain deals with several ways that people use the name of God in a wrong manner. Isn't it amazing that out of all the religions in the world God's name is the one used to cuss? Have you ever heard anyone say after they clobbered their thumb with a hammer, "Oh Buddha or Hare Krishna!" No. But you have heard someone say, "Jesus Christ!" This is one way that we can use God's name in vain. Another way is by swearing by God's Holy name. It's when someone says, "I swear to God it's the truth, man!" Someone who has to swear by God's name is more likely to be a habitual liar. We can also use things like, "Oh, my God!" You can even use it when you text messages, OMG (Oh My God!). The point is, the word "vain" means to use it in an empty, insincere or frivolous and meaningless way. It's to use that name that is above every name in such a way that it becomes common and without any substance or reverance.
But perhaps the most horrific way that God's name is taken in vain is through hypocrisy. This is the person who says something like; "Lord, Lord," but they never do what He says. Jesus was recorded in Scripture as saying to a certain group after they had boasted in all that they had done in His name, and He told them: to be gone from me for I do not know who you are. Hypocrisy is better defined as an actor. This is what hypocrisy really means. This is far more offensive to God than anything.
Matthew 7:21-23 (NLT)
21 "Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.
22 On judgment day many will say to me, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.'
23 But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws.'
Finally in closing, commandments number four. Remember to keep the Sabbath Day holy. As we have seen already the first four commandments deal with our relationship with God. The last six deal with our relationship with others. Saturday is considered to be the Jewish Sabbath day and it always will be. But the question is do we keep the Jewish day of rest or does it have a different meaning for us that are now in the New Covenant as believers in Jesus Christ? I suggest the latter; let me explain. Saturday of old was the Sabbath day and will always be Saturday under that old system; but here is how we should view it. For instance, this is the only commandment out of the Ten Commandments that is not repeated in the New Testament. Every other commandment was repeated in various ways as a standard God expected to remain intact and some were even made to be deeper at the heart level. In example:
Matthew 5:21-22 (NLT)
21 "You have heard that our ancestors were told, 'You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.'
22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.
Matthew 5:27-28 (NLT)
27 "You have heard the commandment that says, 'You must not commit adultery.'
28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
So, Jesus actually took things to a deeper level. From the external attempts of trying to follow rules and regulations to actually being able to from the heart. This is exactly what Jesus came to do, not to do away with the Law of the prophets as some believe, but to fulfill them and then by writing them in our mind and hearts they would be an inner expression through His life lived in us. Isn't it an interesting thing to note that while God walked among us in the flesh He was constantly being accused of not keeping the Sabbath day holy? Jesus reminds us that man was not created for the Sabbath, but rather the Sabbath was created for man. Jesus never taught anyone to keep the Sabbath. He came to fulfill it...He was to be our rest. Again, you won't find any teachings from the disciples of Jesus Christ within the New Testament as to keeping the Sabbath. In fact, the Christian's began meeting on the first day of the week (Sunday) because that is when Jesus rose from the grave. Sunday does not become the Sabbath...Sunday is Sunday, but it is a day set apart to worship the Lord just the same. As a matter of fact, Scripture criticizes those who would make a big deal out of the proper or certain day regarding the Sabbath.
Colossians 2:16-17 (NLT)
16 So don't let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths.
17 For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.
So, is there any principle for us to gain here then? Yes, of course there is! We all need a day of rest to reflect on God's goodness to our lives. The Sabbath was given as a day of rest for God's people, and we all need to rest in it as well. We need to take time to recharge ourselves spiritually. Be still and know that He is God. Even Jesus Himself pulled away and took the necessary time to be with God, His Father.
Mark 6:30-31 (MSG)
30 The apostles then rendezvoused with Jesus and reported on all that they had done and taught.
31 Jesus said, "Come off by yourselves; let's take a break and get a little rest." For there was constant coming and going. They didn't even have time to eat.
Did you know the next 24 hours your body is going to work very hard?
Your heart is going to beat 103 thousand and 6 hundred and 89 times...
Your blood is going to travel 168 thousand miles...
You're going to breathe 23000 times...
And you're going to inhale 4 hundred and 38 cubit feet of air...
You're going to eat 3 ½ pounds of food...
You will drink 2.9 Qts. of liquid...
You will speak 4 thousand 8 hundred words (and that is just one phone call for a female). Sorry, I couldn't help myself. : )
You're going to move 750 muscles and you will exercise 700 million brain cells. NO WONDER YOU FEEL TIRED!
Just like the early church we are going to need to shut down everything and get together with other believers and worship our God. It is here that we can get into the Word and have fellowship with one another. This is the principle that we can draw from the fourth commandment as believers in the New Covenant.
Matthew 11:28 (MSG)
28 "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest.
You know the great thing about being a Christian is that we don't have to do a bunch of things to earn the approval of God. This has already been accomplished at the cross where Jesus met the righteous requirements to purchase us from out of the hands of our adversary. Every other religion says do this or do that! Christianity says, "DONE! IT IS FINISHED! IT"S COMPLETED! IT"S BEEN SATISFIED!
Therefore, we don't do things to be loved by God...we do them because we already know we are loved by Him. Therefore the things we follow from His commands are in response to His love for us. In addition, I want to show my love not by what I say or in what I sing about regarding Him...but in how I live my life. In Jesus' words, "If you love me keep my commandments." This is the greatest way that you can show your love for Him. Do what He says!
Colossians 3:20 (Phillips NT)
20 As for you children, your duty is to obey your parents, for at your age this is one of the best things you can do to show your love for God.
