- Introduction
- Context
- Commentary
- Crossword Puzzle (✞-word)
- Crossword Puzzle Answers
- Bible Study Audio
- Bible Study Video
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
Introduction
Everyday let’s declare our dependence on the LORD.
For He has endowed us not merely with the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – but rights to eternal life, spiritual liberty, and the pursuit of holiness.
My brothers and sisters – thanks be to God – we have true freedom. Though, often, when we hear the word “freedom”, we think it means the ability to do whatever I want, whenever I want, wherever I want, and however I want to do it.
Yet, we do not merely have freedom from restrictions, but freedom for relationship – a new covenantal relationship through the blood of Jesus.
Christ paid our sin debt on the cross. And our Resurrected Lord allows for a reconciled relationship with the Father.
And though we thank God for our First Amendment Rights against government constraints, what’s more important is the First Commandment Right for God’s community.
As Americans, let’s use our freedom of religion to worship God in Spirit and in truth (Jn 4:24). Let’s use our freedom of assemblyto assemble for worship. Let’s use our freedom of speech to speak the Gospel.
We have been freed to be in a faithful, covenantal relationship with the LORD. So let’s be faithful with our thoughts, our words, and our deeds: full-bodied faith.
Thanks be to God, we are now free to serve.
Context
(forthcoming)
Commentary
(forthcoming)
Crossword Puzzle (✞-word)
Crossword Puzzle Answers
- Love Like the greatest two commandments (Mt 22:35-40), the Ten Commandments entail vertical ___ (i.e., obedient devotion) for God (Commandments I-IV; cf. Dt 6:5) and horizontal ____ (i.e., sacrificially striving for the good) for one’s neighbors (Commandments V-X; cf. Lev 19:18).
- Directions The Ten Commandments are the commands of the Creator – good ___ from God our Deliverer (cf. Ex 20:2).
- Slaves After a new Pharaoh comes to power, the Israelites become ___ in Egypt (Ex 1:8-11, 20:2).
- Worship Over and over again, through Moses, the LORD tells Pharaoh to let His people go so that the Israelites may ____ Him (Ex 7:16, 8:1, 20, 9:1, 13, 10:3).
- Dwell The LORD also brings His people out of Egypt so that He can ___ among them in the Tabernacle (a.k.a. the tent of meeting) (Ex 29:44-46). With His people, God seeks a godly relationship and a godly residence.
- Masters When the LORD delivers the Israelites from Pharaoh, they are not freed to live however they want. Essentially, they change ____ (cf. Ex 6:6-7).
- Serve Israel was freed to ___. They were to be the LORD’s obedient, treasured possession – a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Ex 19:5-6; cf. 1 Pet 2:9-10).
- Spoke Not Moses, or Aaron, or any prophet, but the LORD Himself ____ all the words of the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:1; cf. Ex 20:18-19).
- Words More literally translated, the Ten Commandments are the Ten ___ (Ex 20:1; cf. Ex 24:3, 34:28; Dt 4:13, 10:4).
- First Jews consider Exodus 20:2 to be the ___ of the Ten Commandments.
Bible Study Audio
(forthcoming)
Bible Study Video
Conclusion
(forthcoming)
Bibliography
- Alexander, T. Desmond. “Exodus.” In New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, edited by D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, and G. J. Wenham, 4th ed., 92–120. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994.[NBC]
- Allen, R. Michael. ET101 Law and Gospel: The Basis of Christian Ethics. Logos Mobile Education. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016.
- Cole, R. Alan. Exodus: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 2. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1973.
- Cross, F. L., and Elizabeth A. Livingstone, eds. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2005.[ODCC]
- Enns, Peter. Exodus. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2000.
- Feldmeth, Nathan P. Pocket Dictionary of Church History: Over 300 Terms Clearly and Concisely Defined. The IVP Pocket Reference Series. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2008.
- Geaves, Ron. Continuum Glossary of Religious Terms. London; New York: Continuum, 2002.
- Gilmore, Alec. “Constantine.” A Concise Dictionary of Bible Origins and Interpretation. London; New York: T&T Clark, 2006.
- Greidanus, Sidney. Preaching Christ from Psalms: Foundations for Expository Sermons in the Christian Year. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2016.
- Ingersol, S. “Williams, Roger (c. 1603–83).” Edited by Martin Davie, Tim Grass, Stephen R. Holmes, John McDowell, and T. A. Noble. New Dictionary of Theology: Historical and Systematic. London; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press; InterVarsity Press, 2016.
- Keener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Second Edition. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2014.
- Matthews, Victor Harold, Mark W. Chavalas, and John H. Walton. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament. Electronic ed. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000.
- Merriam-Webster, Inc. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003.
- Motyer, Alec. The Message of Exodus: The Days of Our Pilgrimage. Edited by Alec Motyer and Derek Tidball. The Bible Speaks Today. Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2005.
- Osborn, Noel D., and Howard A. Hatton. A Handbook on Exodus. UBS Handbook Series. New York: United Bible Societies, 1999. [UBS]
- Phillips, Elaine. “Exodus”. In The Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary. Burge, Gary M., and Andrew E. Hill, eds. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2012.[BIBC]
- Shelley, Bruce L. Church History in Plain Language. Updated 2nd ed. Dallas, TX: Word Pub., 1995.
- Stuart, Douglas K. Exodus. Vol. 2. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2006.
- Walton, John H. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (Old Testament): Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Vol. 1. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009.[ZIBBC]