IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Our Relationship with God and Others

Date: Jan. 4, 2016

Passage

Exodus 20:1-21  (ESV)

And God spoke all these words, saying,

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

“You shall have no other gods before me.

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

13 “You shall not murder.

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

18 Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 20:2-3

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

“You shall have no other gods before me.

First, entering into a right relationship with God (1-11). The first four commands deal with our relationship with God. God reminded them of his grace. The commands of God become very sweet when accepted in light of God's grace. God wanted his people to worship him exclusively, for his salvation is completely affective. The Sabbath is a way to nurture a personal relationship with this God who cares enough to reach out to his people. The Sabbath day is set aside for rest and worship. It illustrates the fact that there is true rest in God for those who humbly come to him in faith.

Second, we are called to love our neighbor as ourselves (12-21). The last six commandments limit our freedom, requiring us to respect other's lives and property. They are not only given to build a just society. They are given to see our sinfulness and our great need for God. God showed his mighty power to help people fear him so that we could respect him, listen to him and obey him willingly. Pause and listen carefully to what God is teaching.

Prayer: Lord, establish right relationships between you and I and with others around us.

One Word: Love and fear God; love your neighbor

Daily Bread

“you Will Be My Witnesses”

Acts 1:1-11

Key Verse: 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Read More

Intro Daily

Today's Question

What are the ordinary, external ways Christ uses to bring us the benefits of redemption?

See answer and references