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Sunday Services at 9 & 10:30 a.m. Wednesday Schedule: Crosswalk at 5:15 p.m. 200 East 38th Street Marion, Indiana 46953 (765) 674-8541

Living Words: The Ten Commandments • I will only worship Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. • I will idolize nothing, spiritual or material. I bow before God alone. • Your name is Holy, God. I will only speak it with reverence and honor. • I will set aside time for God alone. I will value God's gift of the Sabbath. • I will honor my parents and my elders and in doing so, honor my Heavenly Father. • I will value life and its sanctity, for God is the giver of all life. • I will honor my marriage commitment as well as that of others. I will invest myself into them by honoring my spouse. • I will be grateful for that which I have been given, and I will respect that which belongs to another. • I will speak the truth in love and in humility. • I will be glad for my brothers and sisters. I will not covet what is theirs and not my own. Living Words Jeremiah 31:31-34 (August 31, 2008) 1. The Jews of Jesus' time had hundreds of laws and we now have thousands of laws. How are these laws different from the Ten Commandments? • The Ten Commandments are simple and straightforward; often just a few words. Our laws tend to be wordy, detailed, and difficult to understand. • The Ten Commandments describe a covenant between God and His people. Our laws describe rules and procedures imposed by our representatives on society. • The Ten Commandments show no favoritism for any faction. Our laws often favor a certain constituency or location in order to foster some behavior that is perceived to be beneficial. • The Ten Commandments describe moral & ethical behavior. Our laws often assume we are immoral and unethical and need to be forced to do acceptable things. 2. Based on the sermon and the Bible passage, what are some of the purposes God had for giving us the Ten Commandments? Order society (starting with those going into the Promised Land out of Egypt), restrain evil, preserve justice & equality, set boundaries, and keep us away from something that will destroy our lives. 3. Pastor Steve observed that most adults in the U.S. will strongly defend the applicability and usefulness of the Ten Commandments in every day life, but few can name them. How can both of these be true? We have been raised understanding that the laws of our society ultimately reflect back on the Ten Commandments. Thus, we understand their foundational role in concept. That has nothing to do with actually knowing each of the Ten Commandments and what they mean individually. The remainder of this series will help us work through that. 4. Today's sermon describes three ways in which the Ten Commandments can be read. a) What is the first? Law. As a description of ethical and moral behavior. b) At this first level, what are the roles of God and man? King and servant; teacher and student; master and slave. c) Is it possible to keep the Ten Commandments if you are at the first level? No. We are simply given a set of rules that we do our best to keep in mind and follow to the extent we can. d) At the second level, what can the Commandment be read as? Marriage vows. As a description of a relationship. e) At this second level, what are the roles of God and man? Husband and wife. f) Is it possible to keep the Ten Commandments if you are at this level? No. We want to honor and do good for the other based on our love for them, but we all know that marriage vows are broken on a too regular basis. Half of all marriages between Christians end in divorce even though we vow to remain together until death parts us. g) At the highest level, what can they can be read as? A heart transplant. h) At this level, what are the roles of God and man? Friends, as was true in the Garden of Eden (see Ezekiel 36:33-36). No longer are the Ten Commandments rules that are written on stone, but they are written on our heart; we have internalized them to the point that it is in our very nature to follow them. i) Is it possible to keep the Ten Commandments if you are at this level? Yes. In fact, it would be against our nature to not follow them. This is the goal of striving for holiness. We are transformed such that God is in control, and we want what God wants. 5. Read Jeremiah 31:31-34 and summarize in your own words what these verses say to you. • v. 32: describes the purpose of the Ten Commandments as the basis for His chosen people to live together once they reached the Promise Land after coming out of Egypt. • v. 33-34: then describes how those who love God should strive for an even closer relationship with God in which they would have a heart for God. All would know God and want to do his will. Because of this, all sins would be not only forgiven, but also forgotten. 6. What would be the impact on your community if all Christians kept the Ten Commandments? • We would develop a Christian fellowship based on mutual trust • Others would become aware of their shortcomings as they contrasted their lives with those of the Christians. • We would be in a much stronger position to act as the feet, hands, and mouth of God, such that our impact would be multiplied many fold. Questions by Dennis Brinkman and Don Sprowl Impossible God Hosea 14:1-9; John 16:13-15 (September 7, 2008) 1. Read Exodus 20:4–6 and paraphrase the second of the ten commandments. Don't create or worship idols. 2. How does your understanding of the second commandment fit with Pastor Steve's characterization of this as "worshipping the right God rightly"? We should only worship God, and we should worship Him in the manner that he has established; which does not involve special trappings or man-made rituals. 3. Having listened to the sermon, how would you describe the term "idol," and what examples come to mind of things that we might use as idols? An idol tends to be something that is manmade which we then worship, such that it comes between us and God. When we become more invested in a ritual or an icon than it simply worshipping God, it has become an idol. 4. Pastor Steve described the original relationship of God and man using John 1:1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Why is this a problem for mankind and why might that cause us to seek idols? God wants a relationship with us in which He is with us at all times: a divine consciousness. On the other hand, we want someone or something that we can see, touch, hear, smell, and control. We end up making objects (Jeremiah 10:1–5) or music or words on which we rely (worship?) more than God, because they are tangible. 5. What characteristics of God make him "impossible" for us to deal with at times? • He seems invisible: we don't see Him active in our daily lives • He seems silent: we don't hear Him leading us, helping us make decisions, answering our prayers • He seems hidden:bad stuff happens to us and He doesn't jump in to prevent it. We seek Him, but we can't sense His presence. Creating idols overcomes these problems, because they are visible, we can cause them to make noise (or say real words), and they aren't hidden because we control them. 6. When looking at the second commandment through the lens of the Law, what do we see related to the worship of God? (Include examples) There are to be no graven images that substitute for God. Thus, we must remove anything that has come between us and God. This would include places, rituals, people, and things on which we feel dependent in order to worship God (to get us in the mood). We should depend on nothing but God, and our relationship with Him should be such that we can worship Him anywhere, anytime, and in any manner available. 7. When looking at the second commandment though the lens of a Vow, what do we see related to the worship of God? Our worship is done through a love for God that demands our desire for a relationship with Him and, ultimately, our loyalty to Him only. Thus, the second commandment is meant to inspire that love and loyalty. 8. When looking at the second commandment through the lens of Nature, what do we see related to the worship of God? [NOTE: Pastor Steve did not get to this in the first service. If he didn't cover it in the service for which the DVDs and CDs were made, you should probably delete this one.] When we possess God's Holy Spirit and it possesses our mind, body, and strength, then God is participating in every action we take. Everything we do is an act of worship, because we are doing it with and for God. (see Ephesians 4: 20-24 – We are the image of God to others; they see God through us when we are doing His will.) 9. Hosea 14:1-9 is an encouragement to turn away from any idols and an invitation to form a right relationship with God. Read these verses and talk about practical ways in which you can apply them to your life. Nothing humankind can do or make will save us from our sinful nature. We need to acknowledge that God alone is the Creator and Lord of our life. (v.9) . . . "for the ways of the Lord are right, and the righteous will walk in them . . .". Every day in everything we do we need to be aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit within us and be thankful. Whether we are in a beautiful sanctuary, a parking lot, an office, a classroom, or our homes, we should have an attitude of worship that acknowledges that God is in charge and we are privileged to have such an intimate relationship with Him. Questions by Dennis Brinkman and Don Sprowl Whatever is True - Seventh in a series on The Ten Commandments 1. Read Exodus 20:16 and paraphrase the ninth of the ten commandments. Do not tell lies. 2. Given the wording of verse 16, to what kind of a setting does this commandment seem to be referring? Why might that be important? A legal proceeding of some kind. Some translations talk about "false testimony", while others use "false witness." In either case, it sounds like something from a court room. Our legal system depends on honesty and openness, so that makes sense. In fact, we insist both that what people say be the truth, but also that they reveal all the facts when asked. 3. In Pastor Steve's sermon, he pointed out that the Jews have two options for how they would approach telling the truth. What were they? a) The truth is more important than people, so we should just tell it like it is and let the chips fall where they may. One is not tempted to lie or tell a half-truth in this approach. b) Determine the truth and then find a more graceful way to say it. In this approach, the dignity and worth of the recipient is weighed in the balance. The truth should be presented in such as way that it edifies the receiver. 4. Does one of these two seem more in line with the Ten Commandments than the other? Both have possible good and bad aspects. The first is honest and open, but may be very hurtful, while not being beneficial. The second can end up being watered down and misunderstood. As always, it is critical that we seek God’s guidance through the leading of the Holy Spirit in everything we do and say. If our goal is to reach out to our fellow man as God would want us to act within a Christian community, we will be given the words to say when the time comes. 5. Pastor Steve used Ephesians 4:25 to 5:2 as the primary Bible passage for the sermon. Let's start with Eph. 4:25. Read it and try to figure out why telling the truth is so important. Not telling the truth disrupts unity, undermines trust, and destroys relationships. If our goal is to live together in community, then we must have a mutual trust that is built upon a history of integrity in everything that we do and say. 6. Ephesians 4:26-27. When is anger a good thing? When it is an appropriate response to an inappropriate situation, such as witnessing obvious child abuse and informing the authorities. If your anger causes you to go into action and to right a wrong on God's behalf, then it is a good attribute. 7. Ephesians 4:28-32. What do these verses have to do with no bearing false witness? Don't these verses go well beyond our topic of not bearing false witness? If we call ourselves "Christians", but live in a way that is not reflective of the Bible, then we are living a lie for everyone to see. We are being dishonest with ourselves and with those around us. Our daily actions should reflect our relationship with God 8. Eph. 5:1-2. How are these two verses related to what we just said about the preceding five verses? This underscores what we just said. We should be imitating Christ – loving others as he has loved us. 9. Once again, we need to look at this commandment from three different aspects. First, how do we read the ninth commandment as "Law." Don't tell lies about someone or to someone. Tell the truth and represent things fairly. Do not swear falsely to your neighbor or oppress them by saying untrue things. Do not falsely manipulate people by misleading them. 10. How does it change as we look at the ninth commandment as a "Vow"? We are to be a people of integrity, seen as trustworthy. There must be a sanctity to what we say (see Matthew 5:33 to 37. Let your "yes" be yes and your "no" be no.). Lying divides us, but God wants us whole and living as community. If we are a disciple of Christ, there is never a time we are not a disciple of Christ. Thus, we must be truthful in all things, so that we honor the name of Christ as Christians. 11. Paul then takes the concept up to the third level - "Nature." How would you describe this implementation of the ninth commandment? The Holy Spirit should possess us, including our tongues, so that we will be useful to God. Thus, we will want to build people up with everything that we say. It is not enough to say things that are accurate, you must use your speech to edify those in need: encourage them, listen to them, linger, interpret what they have said, touch them appropriately, and then encourage them with words that God will give you. Don't tell the truth for truth's sake, but use words to build up another. 12. Pastor Steve observed that when a culture is a "false witness" culture, people will believe the accuser, especially if the accusations are sensational, and not listen to the accused as they try to defend themselves. Does that ring true to you? Can you give examples where that has happened? How do we approach that as Christians? In our society of tabloids, 24-hour news shows, and blogs on the Internet, the more bizarre and exaggerated the story, the bigger the audience. Your group should be able to present lots of stories about actors, athletes, and other personalities who have convicted by insinuation, only to be exonerated later (with much less fanfare). We need to put ourselves in the predicament of those in the situation and be more considerate and loving of all involved. To spread lies is as bad as to initiate them in the first place. Questions by Dennis Brinkman and Don Sprowl The Inheritance - 8th in a series on The Ten Commandments 1. Read Exodus 20:12 and paraphrase the fifth of the ten commandments. Honor your father and mother, so that you might live a good and long life. This is the first of the commandments to contain a promise at the end. 2. Now read this same commandment in a New Testament context in Ephesians 6:1-4. In what way has the commandment been changed? Now, instead of talking about living in the land (as one might assume to be the Promised Land of Palestine), verse 3 now talks about living long on the earth. Thus, this clearly applies to all people and potentially broadens the scope of the commandment in other ways too, as we will discuss later. 3. In verse 1 we are told to "obey" our parents, and in verse two we are told to "honor" our father and mother. Is there a difference between these two? a) To obey is to do are you are told. You don't have to like it, or agree with it, or even have any positive feelings toward the person you are obeying. It is a finite relationship, which ends when we establish our independent existence. b) To honor is to treat with respect, love, and thoughtfulness - to submit willingly to another's authority and expertise. In this case, there is no end to this kind of a relationship. 4. Pastor Steve suggests that this fifth commandment has a broader application that we see on the surface. Read 1Peter 5:1-4 and see if you can see how those verses relate to the fifth commandment. In the body of believers, there are those we call "elders" who act in a parental role for newer Christians. Peter calls us to treat them with the same respect we treat our biological mothers and fathers (or more). 5. Peter instructs those called to be leaders of the church ("elders") to do many things. List as many as you can find in these verses and then see if they relate in any way to the role a parent has with their children. a) Shepherd God's flock (notice that elders are acting on behalf of God) As parents, we are to shepherd or nudge or children in the way that God would have them to go. We can't force them, but we can train them, encourage them, establish a strong relationship with them, such that they are inclined to follow our lead. b) Lead out of eagerness to serve, not from obligation. As parents, we should not look at raising our children as a job forced upon us, but as a privilege given to us by God to help prepare new workers for His kingdom. It is a work of love, and the rewards can be beyond measure. c) Serve in order to give to others, not to get something for yourself. As parents, we quickly figure out that the newborn is helpless and needs us for everything. We joyfully provide for that new life and continue providing in slowly decreasing proportion until they are ready to go off on their own. We do this because we love them, not because we think we will be rewarded at some future date with a huge return on investment, although most parents will tell you that they feel repaid many times over by the joy their children and grandchildren bring them. d) Lead by example, not by force. It is easy as parents to try to teach with words-but not very effective. It is harder to teach by example (because sometimes we aren't very good examples), but much more effective. 6. In 1Peter 5:5-7 the spotlight shifts. Who is being addressed here, and what are they told? The young Christians are to subject themselves humbly to the guidance offered by the elders. By learning from those who have already gone through many trials, they will become better prepared to take on the role of elder when their time comes. In addition, they are to learn to rely on God by laying their problems at His feet and learning to trust Him to lead them through the tough times. 7. Pastor Steve described our culture as "collapsing toward the middle". What does that mean and why might it be the source of problems? In modern western society, the youth (and even children) desire and are encouraged to act older than they really are. There seems to be a rush to act like adults (at least some aspects of adulthood) long before they are mature enough to understand the consequences of such actions. On the other hand, as we get older, we do everything in our power to try to look and act younger than we really are. It is as if we are either afraid of or embarrassed by our advancing age. Society seems to place great value on youth and young adults, while old people fee marginalized. Thus, there would appear to be an optimum age (20-somethings???), and everyone who is not that age is trying desperately to pretend that they are. 8. What is the role of the church in all of this? The church is in a perfect position to bring all of the generations together in a constructive interaction. The activities and organizations within a church give opportunities for the elders to interaction and shepherd the younger members in a safe and sincere manner. At the same time, the church can train the younger members to respect and honor in humility those who have gone before them while realizing that their time to be elders will come soon enough. 9. Once again, we need to look at this commandment from three different aspects. First, how do we read the fifth commandment as "Law". Honor our parents by giving them a place in our lives that is above that of other people in our lives. We are to respect them, esteem them, and speak well of them – even if they have not been perfect parents. They are still our parents, and we honor God by honoring our parents. (see 1Timothy 5:4) 10. How does it change as we look at the fifth commandment as a "Vow"? We are to love our parents as we love God. Even if they do not return the love, we should try to stay involved in their lives, while offering them opportunities to stay involved in ours. We should seek to bring the best out in them. 11. Paul then takes the concept up to the third level: "Nature". How would you describe this implementation of the fifth commandment? We broaden our scope of honor and respect to all of those who serve as "elders" or "shepherds" in our lives. We establish a community of humility and natural submission to one another. And when we reach the stage of life at which we can begin serving as elders and shepherds for those who follow behind us, we do it willingly and lovingly. We honor God by honoring what He has given to the other generations. 12. Pastor Steve observed that Jesus did not always treat his mother and father as we might expect. What is the source of that seeming difference? His focus was on His Heavenly Father, who had sent Him to earth with a very specific role. God is clearly the role model for our parents, so loving and serving God should be our top priority. Having said that, we are also to honor our earthly fathers and mothers by treating them with love and respect. As He died on the cross, Jesus made sure His mother was going to be taken care of. (John 19:26-27) 13. What is your reaction to Dr. Todd Voss's comment that we should "do what is best for our parents?" That can be difficult to do as we walk humbly in submission to our elders. Children (as he was when dealing with his mother) do not necessarily have the knowledge, insight, or maturity to discern what is best. As our parents age and become less able to take care of themselves, it can become tempting to take over their lives and too quickly begin acting as if we are the parents of our parents. We must always treat them as the parents and honor them and respect them in that role. Having said that, because we love them, we sometimes have to act on behalf of God to help them get the best out of life. It is a difficult and awesome responsibility, but as long as we approach it with prayer, love, and respect, God will honor our efforts. Questions by Dennis Brinkman and Don Sprowl We Can Do This: 9th in a series on The Ten Commandments 1. Read Exodus20:14 and paraphrase the seventh of the ten commandments. "Don't have sex with someone to whom you are not legally married." 2. Pastor Judy said that this could be reworded to be a positive instead of what seems to be a punitive command? How would you word the seventh commandment as a positive statement? Be faithful to your spouse and enjoy the richness of the relationship that results. 3. This commandment applies not only to those married, but also to those who are not married. How is it that choices we make when we are not married can affect what happens in your relationship when later you are married. a) We can pick up bad habits (such as visiting Internet porn sites) that are difficult to break even after we are married. b) Memories of things we have done can stick with us for a long time afterward and come back to mind long after we have entered a marriage relationship c) We can cross paths with people we hurt before we got our act together and at best that is an awkward situation for our new spouse to have to deal with. 4. On the first level, as "Law", what is the significance of the seventh commandment? It's pretty simple. Just don't commit adultery. Even the secular world recognizes that infidelity weakens (if not destroys) marriages. Crumbling marriages weaken society. It's more than just making babies to populate the next generation. The very fabric that holds society together depends on strong family units. 5. Jesus then takes it to the next level. Read Matt. 5:27-32. How does this broaden the scope of the seventh commandment? Now it is not just the physical act of having sex with someone who is not our spouse, but it is even thinking about it that is a sin. Our thoughts and desires now come into question, because the mind and heart are so tightly bonded. 6. Thus, on the second level (Vow) Jesus commands us not to lust. Given the saturation of the press and entertainment industry with sexual images and messages, who do you keep yourself from having stray thoughts once in a while? We are still vulnerable to sin, so by ourselves we not going to be able to remain unaffected. However, we can pray that God will fill our lives (and therefore our minds) with things that are important to Him, such that we will have no room for the wrong stuff. Having done that, we can then begin taking action to make that happen. By consciously selecting the things we read, view, and listen to, we can fill our lives with things that do not contribute to breaking the seventh commandment with our minds or our bodies. By loving our spouse (to whom you have made a marriage vow) and thinking constantly of them, we can focus on being faithful, which leaves no time for the wrong influences. 7. On the third level (Nature or Calling) we see that God has a very special plan for this marriage relationship that mirrors His plan for the church as it relates to Christ. Read Ephesians 5:21-33. What are the features of marriage as God environs it? It is not about what one should expect from the other in the relationship, but what you are invited to give. We submit to one another as a gift of reverence to God. Marriage is more than a commitment; it is one of God's divine strategies created to help renovate humanity to our original potential. As we begin to get that right, we begin to get our relationship with God right. 8. Pastor Judy stated that a good marriage can cause us to become holy and blameless. How is that possible? Isn't that God's job? If we believe that we act on God's behalf toward other people, why would we not fill that role with our spouse? To the extent that we can practice true love, respect, and honor toward our spouse, are we not then better equipped to do that with God? In the same way, we are not going to change God, so our focus should not be on changing our spouse. Thus, there clearly are direct connections between working on making our marriages strong and building up our relationship with God. 9. In what ways did Christ demonstrate that He loved the church? He left heaven, shared his dreams with the early believers, lived with them, and finally sacrificed everything for them. He thought about the church and her needs. 10. Is there a parallel between those expressions of love exemplified by Christ and a marriage relationship? We leave our parents, share our dreams with each other, live together, and willingly sacrifice whatever it takes to make our marriage strong and enduring. We think about our spouse and their needs, rather than focusing on our own. 11. How does all this relate to the admonition for spouses to submit to one another? Submission is an invitation to partner. It is a voluntary attitude of subjecting yourself to the other. We listen to each other, minister side-by-side, respect each other, honor each other, and cooperate with each other. None of that can happen if we aren't in a loving relationship that looks a whole lot like Christ's love for the church. Questions by Dennis Brinkman and Don Sprowl