22nd February 2025

22nd February 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Exodus 20v1-21)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


I grew up in East Belfast during the 1980s and was very aware that I was a Protestant. I had no real idea of what that meant but I was sure that I was right and I was a good solid Prod. It might therefore surprise you that in my family home we had multiple smiling buddhas. They were little ornaments that sat around the house and I think that’s all they were. None of us were buddhist and the little ornaments were purely for decoration. I have no idea what happened to them but they weren’t brought to Ballynahinch and for that I am glad.


The Ten Commandments leave us no room for idols on the mantle piece or in our hearts. What is forbidden in the first commandment? The WLC answers “The sins forbidden in the first commandment are atheism, in denying, or not having a God; idolatry, in having or worshiping more gods than one, or any with, or instead of the true God; the not having and avouching him for God, and our God; the omission or neglect of any thing due to him, required in this commandment; ignorance, forgetfulness, misapprehensions, false opinions, unworthy and wicked thoughts of him; bold and curious searching into his secrets; all profaneness, hatred of God; self-love, self-seeking, and all other inordinate and immoderate setting of our mind, will, or affections upon other things, and taking them off from him in whole or in part; vain credulity, unbelief, heresy, misbelief, distrust, despair, incorrigibleness, and insensibleness under judgments; hardness of heart; pride; presumption; carnal security; tempting of God; using unlawful means, and trusting in lawful means; carnal delights and joys; corrupt, blind, and indiscreet zeal; lukewarmness, and deadness in the things of God; estranging ourselves, and apostatizing from God; praying, or giving any religious worship, to saints, angels, or any other creatures; all compacts and consulting with the devil, and hearkening to his suggestions; making men the lords of our faith and conscience; slighting and despising God and his commands; resisting and grieving of his Spirit, discontent and impatience at his dispensations, charging him foolishly for the evils he inflicts on us; and ascribing the praise of any good we either are, have, or can do, to fortune, idols, ourselves, or any other creature.”


That was a big paragraph but well worth our time and attention. Atheism which denies the existence of God must go. We cannot worship the Lord and also give our adoration to other so called gods. Wicked thoughts about the Lord must not be allowed to stand. Turning our backs on the Lord  (apostatising) breaks the first commandment and praying to anyone or anything other than Almighty God is prohibited - you should not pray to your “guardian angel” nor should you ask Saint Christopher for protection on your travels. Having a favourite Christian teacher who becomes the lord of our faith and conscience is outlawed and stamping our feet when God’s ways are not our ways is not a path we should not walk.


Brothers and sisters, as we consider these things I think we realise the foolishness of those who boldly claim successful obedience to the whole Ten Commandments. The law is rightly used when it shows us our sin and causes us to run to Jesus. How often have I neglected my duty before God! How often have I failed to trust Him! How often have I sought to put Him to the test!


In response to the first commandment let us pray, “Father God, we thank you for the obedience of Christ, without it we would be lost. Jesus had no other gods before your face and we ask that you would keep us from idols, unbelief and all manner of false gods. When we are at our best we are unprofitable servants only doing our duty but even so Lord God, sanctify us and keep us from all sin not least against your first commandment. May we have no other gods before your face. For Christ’s sake, amen.” 


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q14 What is sin? Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.
​