TEN

The 10 commandments - how many do you know?

A lot of people would have trouble listing the 10 - see how many you got from the list. Did you score more than 4? I hope so!! At least that would be a pass ; )

The 10 are basically divided into 2 groups - the first 4 relate to God, and the last 6 relate to People.

Now I want to ask you another question. If I took a commandment from each of the 2 groups and went out to the general population and surveyed people, which ones do you think they would agree with?

For example

1. From God's List : "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy" - Agree / Disagree
2. From the People's List : “You shall not steal" - Agree / Disagree

I would theorise that most people would completely disagree with the ones that relate to God and would agree with (and remember) the ones that relate to people.

I want to share with you something that absolutely stunned me today from Matthew 19:16 - 21. Please read carefully...
¹⁶ Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
¹⁷ “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
¹⁸ “Which ones?” he inquired.
Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, ¹⁹ honour your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbour as yourself.’ ”
²⁰ “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
²¹ Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Are you interested to know the secret to Eternal Life? - here Jesus tells the man.

I want to share with you what really stunned me about these few verses;

1. Jesus subtly but powerfully told the man he is God (v17)
2. When asked which commandments to keep, which ones did Jesus say? That's right - only the ones that relate to people. Jesus didn't mention ANY from God's list (v18-19). Since Jesus is God, doesn't that tell you how loving and kind Jesus is to not even mention the laws which people break every day that hurt and offend him. Think how hurt and offended you are when people break the laws from the people list against you!
3. The man still knew something was missing. Jesus answer was to sell everything "then come follow me" (v21). The thing that was missing was the man had no relationship with God! Jesus wanted the man to come and follow him and in doing that he would fulfil the remaining 4 commandments from God's list!

WOW!!! - Do you get it? I can't even put into words what that makes me feel about Jesus but  it sure makes me HAPPY!