DAY 137 - BIG PICTURE IN A YEAR - THE EXODUS
THEN GOD SPOKE ALL THESE WORDS, SAYING, “I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD, WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT, OUT OF THE HOUSE OF SLAVERY. “YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME.
Exodus 20: 1-3
Reading: Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 4:6-7; Luke 10:27
God speaks to the newly formed nation of Israel, ex slaves with no national identity or constitution, and tells them they are to become a Kingdom of priests, a holy nation.
They have no idea what this looks like or what it means. For them to be transformed from what they are to what God has in mind, will require shaping and the institution of culture formers. And so He gives them the 10 commandments and the law. These laws don’t save them, they’ve already been saved, these laws show and shape how the people of God should behave.
As Deuteronomy 4:6 tells us, the law also shapes their testimony to the nations around them.
The 10 commandments can be summarized into 2 categories; those dealing with our relationship with God and those dealing with our relationships with one other. Jesus sums them up in Luke 10:27 – Love God and love others like yourself.
The world will know and see God’s love by our love for one another (John 13:35). Our behaviour as believers is about witness to the world not about earning or keeping our right standing with God.
How is your love for the body of Christ being displayed?
Prayer
Jesus, thank you that you first loved me! You displayed it by coming to earth and dying for me. Lord, help me to demonstrate my love for you by my love for my fellow believers.
For the family
For younger children
Read the 10 commandments to your kids and if there’s time do one of these crafts
For older children
Talk about why it is important to put loving God first and then loving people second and not the other way first, perhaps you would like to talk about what happens when we swop it around or leave the God out of it all together.