1st October 2025

1st October 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Exodus 20:1-3 focus v2b)


Message (Alan Burke)


Have you ever arrived in the middle of a conversation, heard someone say something totally out of character and been shocked? I have and the thing is that what they have said hasn’t been out of character it has instead been taken out of context by myself. Like I’ll give you an example, I’m not trying to start anything spicy today but I’ve got a quote of someone who said, "I believe, in my heart of hearts, that this is our best, and last, opportunity,”. Now what is that about? What is the individual talking about? Is it a wife speaking of her view on marriage counselling? Is it a husband telling his wife that this is their last opportunity to travel round the world? Would fit the context of either I reckon. Or how about  this one “So I think we have really built strong foundations from which to build upon”. Now what is that about? Maybe it’s the builder speaking to the architect after they have had to dig down through the soft earth to find something more solid so that the foundations could hold the rest of the structure? Or what about groom on his wedding day speech telling those gathered how he feels about his new wife? I think it could work for both. Just so you’re not thinking I plucked these out of thin air, the first was from Tánaiste (Irish Deputy PM) Simon Harris speaking at the Troubles Legacy deal in September and NI’s first Minister Michelle O’Neill defending how our politicians spend more time gurning than anything else. 


Context is really important. When it comes to the Ten Commandments context is really really important. So often we think of the Ten Commandments we forget the context. What is the context, well it comes in the first two verses as the LORD speaks to his people saying “I am the LORD your God, who…” and what did he do for his people? Well he  “…brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” (Ex 20:2 NIV84). Let us not miss this, before the Lord gives his people the Ten Commandments, these covenant ideals, this way to live as his people, he reminds them how he brought them out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery and was all by his grace. The salvation that they had received was by the grace of God. Why were they to have no other gods before the LORD their God? It is because of his grace towards them! Why were they to not to use images of God? It is because of his grace towards them! Why were they not to misuse the name of the LORD? It is because of his grace towards them! Why were they to keep the Sabbath holy? It was because of his grace towards them! And for the second table of the law we might think they all make sense but why were they to keep the second table of the law, honouring their father and mother, not murdering anyone, committing adultery, stealing, lying, coveting was not simply because they make sense for a well ordered society but they were to keep them because of his grace towards them. 


The motivation for their obedience was his grace towards them. For us our motivation to do these things is just the same, it comes because of his grace towards us, a grace that has been shown in Jesus Christ for we have been redeemed from our slavery to sin. There is only one way to be made right with the LORD God, there is only one way to come before him and it’s not by doing your best, trying to keep the Ten Commandments, trying to live a good life, it’s not that those things are not the right thing to do, but none of those things will save you or make you right with God the only way to be made right with the Lord God is by receiving his grace. Receiving the rescue that he has provided through Jesus Christ, only when we realise just how truly helpless we are, our total inability to make ourselves right with him can we know the wonder of the salvation that is freely offered to all who will repent and believe. And if we love Jesus, as he says in John 14:15 we will obey what he commands. The reason why we obey is in response to the grace we have been shown. 


Even before the Lord gives his people these Ten Commandments, these covenant ideals, instructing them how to live as his people we see how it is all about his grace towards. Grace comes first. Only when we come to know that grace, only then can we live rightly before him, first we know that salvation and then it leads to a changed life and that changed life will be seen as we live according to his word, obeying his commandments. The change in our status, the salvation that began with God, comes by his grace will be seen for that salvation demands our devotion to him alone.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q88 What are the outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption?
A. The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption are, his ordinances, especially the Word, Sacraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation.
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