Year in the Bible Daily Reading:
Exodus 19-21; Psalm 33; Ephesians 5 Listen to Today's Reading
Exodus 20:1-17
And 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 bondage. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your manservant, or your maidservant, or your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God gives you.
“You shall not kill.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor’s.” Exodus 20:1-17 (RSV)
Maybe not the way you learned the Ten Commandments? Here is a shorter version that may be more familiar.
- You shall have no other gods.
- You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
- Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
- Honor your father and your mother.
- You shall not murder.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
- You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.
- You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his cattle, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Our youngest son’s family live in Omaha and their neighborhood is alive with signs. Blue dots, red dots, rainbows, Black Lives Matter, Go Huskers!, I Love Public Schools . . . and this time of year, a variety of political candidate signs. A multitude of ways for people to disagree! And yet, it’s a very friendly place. On July 4th, several blocks of their street are closed off for a parade. A king & queen, chosen from the neighborhood, sit in the back of a pick-up truck with families and lots of kids on foot, bicycles, scooters all running to keep up. Also, every year, a recently moved in neighbor is chosen to host an open house so people can get to know them. Conversations happen across driveways, with dog walkers and people out for an evening stroll.
Their neighborhood could be a poster for the Ten Commandments!
Let me explain. The Ten Commandments can be divided into three parts or, as the parts are sometimes called, the Prologue and the 2 “Tables”.
The Prologue is verses 1 & 2. In the Prologue, God reminds us of our history together, establishes a relationship with us and then gives us the law. Relationships build trust. When we trust each other, we respect and listen to each other.
The first Table is verses 3 – 7 or commandments 1 & 2. These commandments point us toward a relationship with God. In order to be in a relationship with God we need to turn away from our selfish thoughts and actions. We need to turn away from the things that we want instead of trusting and listening to God.
The second Table Is verses 8 – 17 or commandments 3-10: These commandments describe how to have a relationship with our neighbor. I think so often we think if we follow the Ten Commandments we will have a better life, and I’m not saying that isn’t true. But the commandments aren’t so much about us as they are about our neighbors. About loving our neighbors. If we follow the commandments, we make our neighbor’s lives better. And what happens then? Our neighbors love us in return.
That’s what I think we see in our son’s neighborhood. They may have very different views on the issues of the day, but they treat each other with love and respect. And when you are treated with love and respect, you respond in the same way.
Finally, no matter how hard we try, we will never perfectly follow these commandments. So, it’s good to remember that through Christ’s death and resurrection, we have been freed from the power of sin. The Law/Commandments show us what that freed life looks like. Jesus frees us to live that life, even though we know it won’t always be perfect.
Questions for Reflection:
- What’s the hardest part about loving your neighbor?
- I’m quite certain that all of the people in our son's neighborhood are not Christian, and yet they are living in a way that reflects God’s presence in the world. How would you explain that?
Prayer:
Lord, in your infinite wisdom, you have given us laws that help us live in peace with our neighbor. Through Christ’s love and sacrifice, may we be a force of change that brings that peace to the world. Amen.
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