The Ten Commandments - Pt.2
February 6 - March 13, 2022
Kingdom Love
March 13, 2022 • Michael Krause
One of the things that we've seen over and over again during this study of The Ten Commandments is that what God describes in them is more than just a way to live in the world, but a way of Being in our soul. The commandments don't merely describe things we should or shouldn't do, but attitudes of heart we should cultivate. Since that's true, it makes sense that the last one of these commandments doesn't address something going on in our lives, but something that happens in our heart. Why is it that the final commandment talks about the inner attitude of coveting, the inner desire to grab something for ourselves? And what would it look like for us to live lives where we "do not covet"?
Honest Love
March 6, 2022 • Michael Krause
Have you ever been lied about or been the victim of the rumour-mill, where jealous or hate-filled people have spread malicious and salacious gossip about you that just isn't true? The Bible says that a good reputation is more valuable than great wealth, that it is better to be well thought of than it is to be on the Forbes Billionaires list with Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. That is why it is so emotionally devastating to have people spreading falsehoods about you. And yet, in jealousy or hatred, every single one of us has done this to someone else, often without batting an eye. What would it look like to be people who speak to and about others in a Ten Commandments kind of way, who never "bear false witness"?
Generous Love
February 27, 2022 • Jeff Lockyer
Have you every been the victim of a mugging, theft, or had someone break into your home? On the one hand, they are only "things." Yet, on the other, it is an incredibly violating experience. One that can leave anger, distrust and fear in its wake. That's why the home security industry is expected to grow by almost 20% in the coming five years: because we want to protect what is ours from being stolen by others. Despite that, it is surprising just how comfortable we are with the theft that we ourselves so casually and uthinkingly perpetrate in the lives of others. In what ways have we all been guilty of theft? And what does it look like to live a life that does "not steal"?
Faithful Love
February 20, 2022 • Mandy Kasper
One of the dangers of a list like The Ten Commandments is that it feeds our insatiable desire for self-righteousness. Those who have not broken these commandments feel a smug self-satisfaction, and those who have are saddled with crippling judgement and shame. And this is probably nowhere more true than with the commandment: "Do not commit adultery." Statistically speaking, more than a quarter of all marriages have experienced unfaithfulness, and 33% of all pastors have admitted to "crossing the line." And among those that haven't—married and single—nearly all are equally guilty of breaking this commandment. Given that truth, what would it take for all of us to "not commit adultery"?
Life-Giving Love
February 13, 2022 • Michael Krause
How would one commit the perfect murder? It is a question that people have mused about for a long time. It would have to be one where there are no witnesses, no relationship to the victim, no obvious motive, and a plausible, defensible alibi. The crime scene would need to be squeaky clean, and the weapon would need to vanish without a trace. Maybe under those conditions, someone could get away with murder. Or, maybe we've all been getting away with murder. The Bible says "Do not kill," which few of us have ever done. But what if we have all been, and continue to be guilty of breaking this commandment? What does it look like to be a person who does "not kill"?
Honouring Love
February 6, 2022 • Michael Krause
Joyce Maynard once said, "The portrait of my parents is a complicated one, but lovingly drawn." This statement probably resonates for many of us. Our relationships with our parents are complicated. For some, they are largely filled with joy and gratitude. For others, they contain a lot of sadness and regret. For most, they are comprised of a significant mixture of both. Regardless of how complicated your relationships with your parents, what does it look like to consistently draw your parents with love? How we best love those who brought us into this world, and those who brought us up in this world? What does it mean to "honour your father and mother"?