DAY 1 – MAY 24
“BACK TO BASICS” (a study of the Ten Commandments)
TITLE: “AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER?”
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE
DAILY SCRIPTURE
KEY VERSE: “You shall not murder.” Exodus 20:13
As we begin to reflect on this commandment this week, I am reminded of the recording of the first murder in scripture. We read of the tragic event in Genesis 4. Adam and Eve gave birth to Cain first, and then, later, to Abel, his brother. The brothers developed two different professions. Abel was a shepherd or keeper of the flocks and Cain was a farmer or one who worked the soil. They chose different vocations and different ways of life, neither of which was condemned.
In time, Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. Abel also brought an offering, in the form of fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. Scripture records that the Lord responded differently to the two offerings. God responsed with favor on Abel and his offering, but He did not look with favor on Cain and the offering he had brought to the Lord. The text does not state why God chose Abel’s offering over Cain’s offering. However, it does tell us that Cain responded to this with anger and a downcast heart.
Scripture explains that the Lord spoke to Cain, asking him why he was angry and why his face was downcast. The Lord then confronted Cain with insightful and instructive words. The Lord graciously said to him, “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you but you must master it.” Genesis 4:7. The Lord graciously warned Cain and mercifully alerted him that his reaction was wrong and that his jealousy needed to be dealt with. The tragedy is that Cain did not master the sin crouching at the door, but was mastered by it. This setback embittered him toward his brother, Abel instead of leading him to repentance or a change of heart.
Cain spoke to his younger brother, Abel and invited him to go out to the field. While they were in the field, Cain yielded to the impulse to sin, attacked Abel and killed him. In the story, the Lord again appears on the scene, asking Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” The murderous, and, now lying, Cain responded with the words “I don’t know.” However, he said something more that is worthy of our consideration. He said with an obvious hardness of heart, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Genesis 4:9. This simple question strikes at the very heart of the matter. Though he disregarded any responsibility for his brother, the reality is that he did have a responsibility for hs brother. We are our brother’s keeper. What does it mean to you to be your brother’s keeper?
DAY 2 – MAY 25
“BACK TO BASICS” (a study of the Ten Commandments)
TITLE: “THE TRAGEDY OF SIN”
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE
DAILY SCRIPTURE
KEY VERSE: “You shall not murder.” Exodus 20:13
As we continue our study on this commandment, there is another murderer in the Bible who is very famous. He was a king, a leader of the people, who God richly blessed and raised up as the anointed king. He is even described in the Bible as a man after God’s own heart, yet he committed the sin of murder. I am speaking about King David.
We read about this tragic story that exposes the power and
awfulness of sin in II Samuel 11:1-27.
The story took place in the spring, which was the time when kings went
off to war. King David had sent Joab and the king’s
men and whole Israelite army out to battle, but David remained in
David sent word to Joab to send Uriah the Hittite to him. His hope was that he would come home and be with his wife so that he would think the child was from him. However, he refused to go to her while the army was camped in the open fields, and he went back to join the army. When David sent him back, he sent him with a letter for Joab. In the letter, David instructed him to put Uriah in the front line where the fighting was fiercest. Joab was told to withdraw from him so that Uriah would be struck down and die. In other words, David gave instruction that would result in him being killed.
Listen to the account of what took place in scripture. It says, “So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.” II Samuel 11:16-18.
This story exposes the tragedy of sin. David yielded to temptation and sought to cover up his sin with murder. As scripture records, this displeased the Lord. God confronted David through the prophet, Nathan, who brought it out in the light. Sin is never done in secret. God knows every thought we think and everything we do, and we are accountable to God. This story opens our eyes to the seriousness and tragedy of sin.
DAY 3 – MAY 26
“BACK TO BASICS” (a study of
the Ten Commandments)
TITLE: “YOU ARE IMPORATANT”
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE
DAILY SCRIPTURE
KEY VERSE: “You
shall not murder.” Exodus 20:13
A story is told of a man who
loved old books. He met an acquaintance who had just thrown away a Bible that
had been stored in the attic of his ancestral home for generations. "I
couldn't read it," the friend explained. "Somebody named Guten-something had printed it." "Not
Gutenberg!" the book lover exclaimed in horror. "That Bible was one
of the first books ever printed. Why, a copy just sold for over two million
dollars!" His friend was unimpressed. "Mine wouldn't have brought a
dollar. Some fellow named Martin Luther had scribbled all over it in German."
This old story speaks about
someone who did not know the value of what he had. He had a Bible that was very
valuable, but he discarded it. In this commandment, God reminds us that life is
valuable. The value of a life cannot be measured in terms of dollars. The
reality of human life is that it can never be replaced or restored once it is
taken.
We are valuable, for we are
made in God’s very own image. That is right. You are made in God’s own image.
Genesis 1:27 reminds us, “So God created
man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he
created them.” You are truly
wonderfully and fearfully made, as the Psalmist declared. He said, “For you create my inmost being; you knit me
together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and
wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was
not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven
together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days
ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
(Psalm 139:13-16)
Yes, you are created by God
in His very own image. You are a masterpiece created by the Master Craftsman.
You were created by God with purpose and meaning. The Apostle Paul wrote, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in
Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10. Your life is valuable, for
God created you for a purpose.
When I was a youth pastor
back in the seventies, I spent a lot of time writing music. I often would write
a song for a teenager to sing and then orchestrate it with a variety of
instruments. During that time of writing music, I wrote a song for a child to
sing in church. I had written or arranged songs for her teenage sisters to
sing, so I wrote a song for her. In closing this devotional today, let me share
the words from the chorus of that song with you:
“God made me, I’m important, His love and care to
show,
God made me, I will serve Him, Everywhere I go
God made me, To be like
Jesus, in everything I do.
Let me remind you, that’s why
God made You.”
DAY 4 – MAY 27
“BACK TO BASICS” (a study of the Ten Commandments)
TITLE: “A VIOLATION OF THE LAW OF LOVE”
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE
DAILY SCRIPTURE
KEY VERSE: “You shall not murder.” Exodus 20:13
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. Some time ago, Ted Turner stated that the Ten Commandments were obsolete. He said, "We’re living with outdated rules. The rules we’re living under are the Ten Commandments, and I bet nobody here even pays much attention to them because they’re too old. When Moses went up on the mountain, there were no nuclear weapons, there was no poverty. Today, the Ten Commandments wouldn’t go over. Nobody around likes to be commanded. Commandments are out!" Obviously, Turner is wrong when he declares that the Ten Commandments are outdated. They are relevant for each of us today. At the heart of God’s law is love. The commandments were given out of love for His people. They are centered in love, teaching us to love God and others. To say that the commandments are out is to say that love is out.
The apostle Paul wrote, “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman, has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” Romans 13:8-10.
Someone once wrote, “Bring back the love.” God has called us to love Him and to love others. Love for others keeps us from hurting others. Paul wrote, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32. The commandments call us to love our brothers and sisters. This commandment is a reminder that love values life. Murder is a violation of the law of love.
During the 17th century, Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of
The story of the gospel is the story of love. Some two thousand years ago, God gave His Son to be murdered so that we could be given life eternal. His death has given us life. The apostle Paul wrote, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. We are called to respond to His love by living by the law of love. Let us not violate the law of love in word, thought or deed.
DAY 5 – MAY 28
“BACK TO BASICS” (a study of the Ten Commandments)
TITLE: “SEARCH ME, O GOD”
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE
DAILY SCRIPTURE
KEY VERSE: “You shall not murder.” Exodus 20:13
This commandment calls us to value life. Because God is God in the community of
As Christians, we must allow this commandment to impact our daily thoughts. This commandment, like adultery, can be violated not only overtly, but as well in our mind and in our intentions. This is why what we watch on television, look at on the internet, read and listen to, really does matter. Have you taken some time lately to evaluate what you are listening to or watching? What gets in our mind reaches our heart. Jesus said, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” Matthew 15:19. God cares about the condition of our hearts. God cares about what we feed our minds because what feeds our minds impacts our hearts.
Paul addressed the issue of our thoughts when he wrote, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praise worthy- think about such things.” Philippians 4:8. What we think about in our minds matters. What we set our hearts upon matters. This is why Paul wrote, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:1-2.
In the New Testament, Jesus helps us to have a greater grasp of this command and what it means for our daily lives. Jesus expands on this sixth commandment in the book of Matthew. He says, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment’. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.” (Matthew 5:21-22. Jesus condemns angry contempt and all its cousins, such as animosity, malice, hostility, and malevolence. Jesus is saying that we must not think we are safe just because we haven’t shed blood. God cares about sin even when it is committed in the mind or in the heart.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24.