Be Doers of the Covenant, James 1:22
Introduction
The Israelites gathered at Mount Sinai were terrified of God and needed to know how to please a God Who is a Consuming Fire. How does one please a holy and terrifying God?
We Please God by Worshiping God Alone.
A. Exegesis
- Commandment 1, vv. 2-3–>No other gods.
- God is Creator and Lord of Creation
- God is Redeemer and Deliverer
- God is Judge and King
- Commandment 2, v. 4–>No idolatry.
- Bacchus–>drunken revelry
- Aphrodite–>sexual immorality
- Narcissus–>self-centered
- Cybele–>nature worship
- Artemis–>hunting, childbirth, and moon.
- Commandment 3, v. 7–>Honor the Name of God.
- Sin of profanity
- Sin of perjury
- Sin of perfidy–violating faith; a flippant and frivolous attitude toward God and sacred things.
- To sit in church slovenly, idly, unattentive and dozing is to take God’s name in vain.
- Singing praises in a meaningless fashion or making bold promises before God that we do not intend to keep.
- Commandment 4, v. 8–>Keep the Sabbath, Leviticus 19:30.
B. Illustration
Why do you go to church? To meet your friends, hear the preacher, to fulfill an obligation? These reasons are not wrong, but they do not represent our highest motivation. Our primary reason must be to worship God and Christ. Francois Fenelon was the court preacher for King Louis XIV of France in the 17th century. One Sunday when the king and his attendants arrived in the chapel for the regular service, no one else was there but the preacher. King Louis demanded, “What does this mean?” Fenelon replied, “I had published that you would not come to church today, in order that Your Majesty might see who serves God in truth and who flatters the king.”
C. Application: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, Matthew 22:38 & Deuteronomy 6:5.
We Please God by Respecting Others
A. Exegesis
- Commandment 5, v. 12–>Honor father and mother
- Yielding obedience in childhood.
- Expressing gratitude as adults
- Showing respect throughout life
- Commandment 6, v. 13–>Do not murder
- Commandment 7, v. 14–>Do not commit adultery, Love is sacred
- Commandment 8, v. 15–>Do not steal
- Gambling is stealing, something for nothing
- Overcharging
- Robbing God of tithes and offerings
- Commandment 9, v. 16–>Do not lie
- Half-truths are whole lies
- Slander
- Flattery and back-scratching
- Commandment 10, v. 17–>Do not covet / envy–the Secret Sin
B. Illustration
Some children were asked, “What is love?” One little girl answered, “Love is when your mommy reads you a bedtime story. True love is when she doesn’t skip any pages.”
C. Application–>Love your neighbor as yourself, Leviticus 19:18 and Matthew 22:39.
Conclusion
Are you a doer of the Covenant? If not, God demands judgment. But if we confess our sins and ask Jesus to forgive us, God forgives our sin.