Here's a challenge: Can you even recite, right now without looking, the seventh commandment? Probably not. But oh do you have that fourth one down and loaded for action!
We keep talking about keeping the Commandments....when in reality, we don't give lip service to any one of them except the fourth.
You think the other ones don't matter?
Are you telling....no, not telling...PREACHING to your kids to obey you? Honor you? When is the last time you heard a sermon on honoring your fathers and mothers? Never. In fact, we look the other way at society belittling parents. We have movies, TV, the internet, just telling kids to disobey their parents. And we don't say a word.
And that seventh one? Committing adultery. Again, society glorifies that. Encourages it! Right now the Adventist church allows women to be in a polygamist relationship in many countries. Yeah....the very church that chides people over and over about "keeping" all the commandments!
And gay marriage or relationships. Notice what the tenth one says? Don't covet your neighbor's wife. We talk a good talk about how creation exudes the fourth commandment....but look the other way in many cases about a man and woman. Not man and man. Or woman and woman. And have you noticed something quite peculiar about the mark of the beast? No buying or selling? Ironic that people are having businesses closed down because of their views on gay marriage. The whole Adventist church is in danger of being confronted with their views on gays and the lifestyle. That many laws proposed would make it hard for a church to actually adhere to a public opposition of the gay lifestyle.
But then, many of you approve of the church accepting it. Strange thought as we brow-beat people over the head with the fourth commandment, but are not really keeping all of the commandments.
We have really just gone overboard on The Sabbath. We make people take an oath to keep it. At the same time, we never make them take an oath to promise to honor their father and mother. We don't seem to care about that.
And oh boy do we have idols. From people to possessions. We let them overtake our lives and time. We can't wait to buy a new car. The latest computer. That big screen TV.
And maybe some of you don't know that God gave more commands than just 10. But we don't care about any command except keeping The Sabbath.
Sure. Make sure you mention this as you are standing before the throne. That you kept The Sabbath! That you made sure you had everything done on preparation day. That you made sure you were in church. This seems the basis for your salvation, so do it right. Be proud of that Sabbath keeping! It is the only thing some people tell others about. Jesus told us to go out and preach The Sabbath!
You don't think any others are important? Perhaps you overlooked Jesus calling out the pharisees and other church leaders for dishonoring their mothers and fathers.
Matthew 15
3 He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— 6 then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
9 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
9 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”
Jesus thought that commandment was quite important. Too bad we don't. We allow a continuing downfall of the family unit. And we can't but help getting back to the gay lifestyle thing. This commandment talks about mothers and fathers. Not obeying you father and father....keep that in mind as you triumphantly proclaim The Sabbath without any regard for any other commandment.
