The Ten Commandments: An Introduction

Chain the Catechism:A topical study through the Lutheran confessions

Memorization Verse: Rom. 2:14-15 Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. NLT

Rom. 13:10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Two TeamsEarn your 10 cardsRoll dice & recite. Got it right? Keep it.Doubles = bonus turn11 = #112 = Wild Choice

10 Commandments Game

O Almighty Lord, and everlasting God, grant, we beg You, to direct, sanctify, and govern, both our hearts and bodies, in the ways of Your laws, and in the works of Your commandments. Through Your most mightily protection, both here and ever, may we be preserved in body and soul; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. (Gregorian Sacramentary, c. 6th cent.)

Opening Prayer

http://www.lutheran-hymnal.com/lutheranworship/lw331.mid

With a partner, write one sentence for each line of the acronym on the topic: The Ten Commandments: Knowing How God Wants us to Live. We will pray in round in 5 min.

P raise (You are…)R epentance (We have…)A ppreciation (Thank you…)Y ou (We need…)E veryone (Be with…)R esolve (Help us…)

Prayer Activity

What are all six chief parts of the Small Catechism (taken from the Bible alone)?

The Ten Commandments (14 weeks)The Apostle’s Creed (22 weeks)The Lord’s Prayer (10 weeks)The Sacrament of Holy Baptism (4 weeks)Confession (4 weeks)The Sacrament of the Altar (4 weeks)

+ Daily prayers (1), Table of Duties (6), Fruits of the Spirit (9), Spiritual Gifts (9)

Where we’re going: (2.5 years)

Topics•From breadth to depth….•A sloooooooow study

Here’s how Chain the Cat works. Daily you will:

Look for the TopicRead through the focus

questionsPRAYER on a bulletLearn a hymn verseRead scripturesTake notes to answer focus

questionsMemorize bold verses

Weekly Topic Introduction

Taking Notes Tips

Man has made 32 million laws since the Commandments were handed down to Moses on Mount Sinai... but he has never improved on God's law.  Cecile B. Demille

Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that the Ten Commandments are a historical document that contains moral, ethical, and legal truisms that any person of any religion or even an atheist can recognize and appreciate.  Cliff Stearns

Discussion Quote

If Moses had gone to Harvard Law School and spent three years working on the Hill, he would have written the Ten Commandments with three exceptions and a saving clause.  Charles Morgan

I think I have kept the Ten Commandments pretty well today…I don’t think I have broken a single one yet as far as I know. Ted Haggard

Discussion Quote

Questions: What are the Ten Commandments? How did God give them? Is the Law of God found only in the

Bible or did God reveal it in other ways?

What is the summary of commandments 1-3 (1st Table) and commandments 4-10 (2nd Table)? What is the summary of all the commandments?

What are the commandments really about?

What does God mean when in the Ten

Commandments He says, “You shall”?

Do the commandments apply to everybody or just Christians?

Teams: SS: Luther’s Preface and Co 2:6-7 M: Searching the Word of God T: Knowledge W: Jesus Stories on Study Th: The Search for Wisdom

Research Teams

The Ten Commandments are the Law of God. *God gave them in this order but did not number them:

What are the Ten Commandments?

When God created people, He wrote the Law on their hearts. Later he arranged the Law in Ten Commandments, wrote it on two tables of stone, and made it known through Moses.

Rom. 2:14-15 Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, 15since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.

How did God give His Law?

God wrote His commandments directly for the Israelites (Ex 19-20).

Exodus 31:18 When the LORD finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.

There are three kinds of laws in the Old Testament: the moral law, which tells all people their duty toward God and other people; the ceremonial law, which regulated the religious practices of the Old Testament; and the political law, which was the state law of the Israelites. Only the moral law was written into the human heart.

Bible narrative:

At Mount Sinai  1 In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on the very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. 2 After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.  3 Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you [a] will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites."

 7 So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the LORD had commanded him to speak. 8 The people all responded together, "We will do everything the LORD has said." So Moses brought their answer back to the LORD.

 9 The LORD said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you." Then Moses told the LORD what the people had said.

 10 And the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes 11 and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, 'Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. 13 He shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on him. Whether man or animal, he shall not be permitted to live.' Only when the ram's horn sounds a long blast may they go up to the mountain."

 14 After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. 15 Then he said to the people, "Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations."

 16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain [b] trembled violently, 19 and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him. [c]

 20 The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up 21 and the LORD said to him, "Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the LORD and many of them perish. 22 Even the priests, who approach the LORD, must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them."

 23 Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, 'Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.' "

 24 The LORD replied, "Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the LORD, or he will break out against them."

 25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.Exodus 20 The Ten Commandments  1 And God spoke all these words:  2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of

Egypt, out of the land of slavery.  3 "You shall have no other gods before [d] me.  4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on

the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.

 7 "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

 8 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

 12 "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

 13 "You shall not murder.  14 "You shall not commit adultery.  15 "You shall not steal.  16 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.  17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or

his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

 18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die."

 20 Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."

 21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

Idols and Altars  22 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites this: 'You have seen for yourselves

that I have spoken to you from heaven: 23 Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.  24 " 'Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, [e] your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you. 25 If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it. 26 And do not go up to my altar on steps, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.'

Bible Narrative: Ex 19-20

Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind/might.” (Matt. 22:37; Deut 6:5)

What is the summary of commandments 1-3 (First Table)?

What is the summary of commandments 4-10 (SecondTable)?“And the second is like it: Love your

neighbor as yourself” (Matt 22:39; Lev. 19:18: You shall not take vengeance of bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love yoru neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.)

Love is the summary of all the commandments.Rom. 13:10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore

love is the fulfillment of the law.

What is the summary of all the commandments?

It’s about love, love, love,That’s what it’s all about!Cause God loves us we love each other,Father, Mother, sister, brother,Everyone sing and shout, causeThat’s what it’s all about.

Sing it!

He means me and all other human beings.Matt. 5:19 Anyone who breaks one of the

least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Rom. 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.

Whom does God mean when in the Ten Commandments He says, “You shall”

The Sermon on the Mount: The Beatitudes: Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall

be satisfied.“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is

the kingdom of heaven.“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all

kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Salt and Light “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Christ Came to Fulfill the Law “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.  Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Anger “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,  leave your gift there

before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.  Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. 

Lust “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

Divorce “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’  But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Oaths “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil. 

Retaliation “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Love Your Enemies “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 

Bible Narrative: Jesus explained the meaning of the commandments for all people in Matthew 5

Questions:13) What are the 10 Commandments?14) How did God give His Law? Is

the Law of God found only in the Bible or did God reveal it in other ways?

15) What is the summary of commandments 1-3 (1st Table)

16) and commandments 4-10 (2nd Table)?

17) What is the summary of all the commandments? What are the commandments really about?

18) What does God mean when in the Ten Commandments He says, “You shall”? Do the commandments apply to everybody or just

Christians?Answers:13) The 10 Commandments are The

Law of God14) When God created people, He

wrote the Law on their hearts. Later he arranged the Law in Ten Commandments, wrote it on two tables of stone, and made it known through Moses.

15) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.

16) Love your neighbor as yourself.17) Loves is the summary of all the

commandments.18) He means me and all other human

beings.

Conclusion

Blessed Lord, who has commanded us to love one another, grant us grace. Having received Your undeserved bounty, may we love everyone in You and for You. We implore Your mercy for all; but especially for the friends whom Your love has given to use. Love them, O Fountain of love, and make them to love You with all their heart, that they may will, and speak, and do those things only which are pleasing to You. Amen (Anselm of Canterbury, 1033-1109)

Almighty and everlasting God, the Brightness of faithful souls, fill the world with Your glory, we pray You, and show Yourself, by the radiance of Your light, to all the nations of the world, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen (Gregorian Sacramentary, c. 6th cent).

Closing Prayer

1st Commandment: You shall have no other Gods. We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.

Next Week…

The Book of Concord: Small Catechism http://bookofconcord.org/

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