LESSON 4 - PICK YOUR POISON
THE 1ST COMMANDMENT
The 1st commandment reads, "You shall have no other Gods." Pretty easy to keep this commandment? What's that you say? Not a problem? No other Gods in your God closet? Hmmm... Grumpy Pastor thinks you protest too much.
Do you believe in the God of sports? Of football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer? Do you believe in the God of money? Do you believe in the God of politics? Perhaps the God called family? Do you worship the God of country? Did you know even church can be a God?!?! Huh?
Grumpy Pastor believes in the Gods of sarcasm and knowledge. Both are false Gods for sure.
Luther writes in the small catechism about this commandment, "We are to fear, love, and trust God above anything else." So, anything that comes before the man (or woman) upstairs is breaking this commandment. Anytime we love some thing or person more than God, anytime we put trust into some thing or person more than God, we are breaking this commandment.
Now it seems pretty impossible not to break, doesn't it? See, the question isn't whether or not we believe in God. The real question is which God or Gods are we believing in?
Take a moment now to make a list. Do not do this list alone. Count everything in your life and your list buddy's life that comes before God.
Grumpy thinks you should learn a little history about this commandment and the biblical times from whence it came. Ancient Israel at this time was not monotheistic. Ancient Israel at this time was monolatrous. This means that they believe multiple Gods existed, but you didn't worship those other Gods. To explain this, let's watch this keechy clip of Charlton Heston...
Do you believe in the God of sports? Of football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer? Do you believe in the God of money? Do you believe in the God of politics? Perhaps the God called family? Do you worship the God of country? Did you know even church can be a God?!?! Huh?
Grumpy Pastor believes in the Gods of sarcasm and knowledge. Both are false Gods for sure.
Luther writes in the small catechism about this commandment, "We are to fear, love, and trust God above anything else." So, anything that comes before the man (or woman) upstairs is breaking this commandment. Anytime we love some thing or person more than God, anytime we put trust into some thing or person more than God, we are breaking this commandment.
Now it seems pretty impossible not to break, doesn't it? See, the question isn't whether or not we believe in God. The real question is which God or Gods are we believing in?
Take a moment now to make a list. Do not do this list alone. Count everything in your life and your list buddy's life that comes before God.
- How big is the list?
- Anything on it that surprises you?
- What did you learn?
Grumpy thinks you should learn a little history about this commandment and the biblical times from whence it came. Ancient Israel at this time was not monotheistic. Ancient Israel at this time was monolatrous. This means that they believe multiple Gods existed, but you didn't worship those other Gods. To explain this, let's watch this keechy clip of Charlton Heston...
It isn't so much implied in this campy snippet from the 60's, but if you look at the clip from the lens knowing that the ancient Israelites believed other Gods were real, then it makes sense. Why should we love our God? Because our God delivered us from Egypt. No silly golden calf did that. In our modern times, God delivers us from slavery (just not from Egypt). No modern false gods (sports, money, material things, institutions, country, or beliefs) can do that either.
So then what are we to do? Well, first remember that the Ten Commandments are a checklist of things we do wrong, and not a list of rules to follow so that we don't face the punishment of meany God. We're all guilty of this one. We all misplace our trust and hope. We might get on a little better if we put our trust in the right place.
In the book "The Color Purple," the character Celie tells Shug Avery, "I don't believe in God no more." This is Shug's response. Grumpy Pastor is pretty sure Shug Avery is a Lutheran...
So then what are we to do? Well, first remember that the Ten Commandments are a checklist of things we do wrong, and not a list of rules to follow so that we don't face the punishment of meany God. We're all guilty of this one. We all misplace our trust and hope. We might get on a little better if we put our trust in the right place.
In the book "The Color Purple," the character Celie tells Shug Avery, "I don't believe in God no more." This is Shug's response. Grumpy Pastor is pretty sure Shug Avery is a Lutheran...
