Amen & Awoman (Americas rejection of the 10 Commandments - Part 1) Leverett MA

Thank you for listening to this message from the ministry of Morse Corner Church in Leverett, Massachusetts.

Morse Corner is a non -denominational church that is committed to the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our church was founded in 1896 by two students of the famous evangelist

D .L. Moody. We seek to encourage and edify the body of Christ through the proclamation of God's word through the ministries of the local church.

If you'd like more information, visit our website morsecornerchurch .com. We hope you enjoy the message.

Psalms 33, starting in verse 1. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous, for praise from the upright is beautiful.

Praise the Lord with a harp, make melody to him with an instrument of ten strings. Sing to him a new song, play skillfully with a shout of joy.

For the word of the Lord is right, and all his work is done in truth.

He loves righteousness and justice. The earth is full of his goodness, of the

Lord. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap. He lays up the deep in storehouses.

Let all the earth fear the Lord. Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

For he spoke and it was done. He commanded and it stood fast.

The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing. He makes the plans of the people of no effect.

The counsel of the Lord stands forever. The plans of his heart to all generations.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. The people he has chosen as his own inheritance.

May God add his blessing to the reading of his word. Thank you. I want to begin by simply reading two verses.

The first is from Psalm 33, 12. Blessed is the nation whose

God is the Lord. And then Proverbs 14, verse 34, which says righteousness exalts a nation.

But sin is a reproach to any people. Let's pray. Our father and gracious God, by your word the heavens were made.

And all the host of them by the breath of your mouth. And may your name be kept holy.

And may the nations fear you. Let all the inhabitants of the earth stand in awe of you.

For you have spoke and it was done. You commanded and it stood fast.

Lord, please prepare our hearts and minds to receive what you have for us. Teach us through thy word and through thy spirit

I pray. It's in Jesus' name. Amen. Righteousness exalts a nation.

Proverbs 14, 34 is an important verse to consider.

And you think about that righteousness exalts a nation. Okay, what's the standard then of righteousness?

Well, thankfully, we don't have to wonder or guess or speculate. Because the scripture gives us

God's standard of righteousness. And I'd like you to turn to Exodus chapter 20, which is where we see that.

God's standard of righteousness, of course, is brought out in his law.

Here, more specifically, the Ten Commandments. And the thing that I would like to begin with pointing out regarding the

Ten Commandments. Is that the commandments were given to a nation. A lot of time we think of the commandments as applying to us or individuals.

And, of course, that's true. But it was given, the commandments were given to a nation.

And that verse that we read, Psalm 33. Blessed is the nation whose

God is the Lord. That was to be the Old Testament nation of Israel.

And remember something about them. They didn't choose God. Israel did not choose

God. God chose them. And God chose them so that they would obey and serve him.

And he gave to Israel his law. Which was written in what?

In stone. That kind of tells us something, doesn't it? God wrote his law in stone.

And in the Ten Commandments, what we see is not only the standard of righteousness.

But God's holy and righteous character. So, because God's standard of righteousness was given to the nation of Israel.

And because, as we will talk about, Israel was to be an example to all the world. These things apply to every nation.

Look at Exodus 20, verse 1. 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.

Now, that part obviously is specific to the Israelites. They were

God's chosen people. The Lord made a covenant with them. God and his covenant with them.

They were special people unto the Lord. As opposed to everyone else. So, there's something unique for Israel right there.

We see that. But, if we understand that God chose

Israel in the first place to be an example to the rest of the world.

We see in Isaiah 49, verse 6. The Lord says to Israel, I will also give you as a light to the

Gentiles. That you should be my salvation to the ends of the earth.

So, Israel was to be a shining example to the rest of the world.

They were to walk in the Lord's ways. As a living testimony. So that all the other nations would see them.

And say, how great is their God. And how close is he to them.

So, based on all of that. The commandments really do apply to the nations.

They are applicable to all. Let's read through them. And we'll go back over them in more detail.

Exodus 20, verse 3. The Lord says, you shall have no other gods before me.

You shall not make for yourself a carved image. Of 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.

Nor 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 generations of those who hate me. But showing mercy to thousands.

To those who love me. And do what? 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 the Sabbath of the

Lord your God. In it you shall do no work. You nor your son nor your daughter.

Nor your male servant nor your female servant. Nor your cattle nor your stranger who is within your gates.

For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the 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 upon the land. Which the Lord your God is giving you.

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.

Nor his male servant. Nor his female servant. Nor his ox. Nor his donkey.

Nor anything that is your neighbor's. This is the word of God.

So righteousness exalts a nation. Okay.

Step number one. Commandment number one. Exodus 20 verse 3.

What does it say? You shall have what? No other gods before me.

So when the Lord spoke these words to the nation of Israel. Here's what he didn't mean.

He didn't mean, well, you can have other gods as long as I'm first. And above all.

That's not what he meant. What he meant is you shall have no other gods. Period.

Isaiah 45 verse 5. He says, I am the Lord. And there is no other.

There is no God besides me. I think that's very, very clear.

So because we're talking about how righteousness exalts a nation. This isn't so much a sermon based on individuals and how we personally are doing.

This is the nation. We want God to bless our nation. So how is the nation doing with commandment?

Number one. Well, historically. Our nation has recognized the

Lord as the one true and living God. But as time goes on.

Our concept of God has become more generic. If I can put it that way.

In God, we trust. We all know is on our currency. And it begs the question.

In God, we trust. Okay. What God? Without making a clear distinction that we are referring to the

God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let's face it. In God, we trust can mean one thing to one person.

And something very different to someone else. Perhaps it's the

Freemason view of God. Or just a higher power. Muslims believe in God.

But their God has no son. Jews believe in God. Some of them anyways. But their

God is not Trinitarian. Father, son, and spirit. So effectively what we have.

Again, as time goes on. This has developed more and more. In our nation, we seem to have more of a generic.

I can use the term secular view of God. Where he's kind of kept at arm's length.

And it's kept intentionally vague. Which is why in Congress.

When they pass bills that defy God's standard of righteousness. They don't see any problem with that.

They don't see it as a contradiction. When compared to the statement engraved on the wall.

Literally, that's above and behind them. In God, we trust.

And now with this Congress. They have gone as far as to pray to the mother

God. They have prayed to the name of the Hindu deity.

Who has six arms. And they even end their prayers by saying. Amen and a woman.

As if a man had anything to do with gender. And it would be funny if it wasn't so sad.

My friends. Here's the bottom line. They're not speaking.

When they speak of God. They're not speaking about the God of the Bible. Unless we blame.

Or lay all the blame at the feet of our representatives. Remember, they are our representatives.

We voted them in. Well, I mean, not me. The second commandment.

Which is tied in to the first. Look at verse four. You shall not make for yourself a carved image.

Of any likeness that is of anything 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. Nor 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 generations.

Of those who what? Hate me. But showing mercy to thousands to those who love me.

And keep my commandments. That last part is really interesting. Isn't it? It kind of gives us some insight.

How do you know if a person truly loves God? See, anyone can say anything.

How do you know if a person truly loves the Lord? Well, they keep his commandments.

That's what he said. Thanks for listening. I'm Pastor Michael Grant from Moores Corner Church. If you'd like to listen to the complete message.

Or if you'd like more information about the ministry. Visit our website, moorescornerchurch .com

And we'd love to have you join us. Some Sunday morning. Here in Leverett. Until next time.