“Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.” Exodus 20:3-6

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

The Bible tells us: “What doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul…” (Deut. 10:12); “Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deut. 6:5); and, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Prov. 3:5).

Therefore, Luther explains this commandment: “We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.”

The question is: Do we? Do we truly fear and respect the LORD God enough that we hear and obey all His commandments? Do we sincerely love Him with all our heart, soul and mind, or do we just pay lip service? Do we trust Him in all things and believe that his Word and His ways are truly good and right even when our own thinking and understanding would tell us otherwise?

While we may not make graven images out of wood, metal or stone, we do often seek to make our god in our own image – we think of God on our terms and with our views rather than accepting the holy God of the Bible. We prefer a god who winks at sin and is satisfied with our efforts to please him instead of the holy God of the Bible who condemns every sin in thought, word or deed and demands perfect righteousness (cf. Matt. 5:17-20, 48).

And, if we truly have no other gods before the LORD God, why is it that we so often neglect His Word, fail to worship and serve Him from our hearts, disobey His commandments? Do our own interests, our jobs, our families ever come before the LORD?

Perhaps one of the easiest self-checks is to simply look at our worship and devotional life. Do we take church attendance and letting Him minister to us with Word and Sacrament lightly, as something we can skip when it is not convenient? Do we love God enough to read His Word daily and to share it with our family members and those with whom we come into contact? What about our giving? Do we seek to honor Him and give to Him all we can from the heart, or do we do only the least we think is required or expected of us?

Disobedience to this commandment is no small matter! Look at the judgments of God upon His people for their failure to obey this commandment! When they became lax in their fear, love and trust in the LORD God, and when they began to join together with the peoples around them in their pagan worship, God’s judgments came upon them – they suffered famine, wars, diseases, death and destruction.

And yet we seem to think that we can be lax in our love for God and that we can join together with those around us who worship and serve other gods besides the Triune God of the Bible or that we can join together in the worship and service of those who teach false doctrine or tolerate open disobedience to God’s commandments. If we do not repent, God’s judgments will come upon us, as well.

God says: “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images” (Isa. 42:8). He warns: “I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me” (Ex. 20:5).

God calls upon us all to repent, and that is not just to say the words, “I’m sorry, forgive me,” and then continue on in our sinful ways. It is to agree with God that we are wrong and that we have sinned and to agree that we deserve nothing but His eternal wrath and punishment for our sins. And it is to look in faith to Christ, to His holy life and His innocent sufferings and death in our stead for our sins, and to believe God’s promise that He will pardon our sins and accept us as his dear children when we trust in Christ Jesus and His atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world.

The Bible tells us: “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them … Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us” (Gal. 3:10, 13).

The Bible tells us in John chapter 3, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:14-18).

Jesus, who had perfect love for God, who trusted Him in all things, who always honored God and obeyed God’s commandments, was lifted up on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of the world and all who look to Him in faith will live – they have God’s pardon and forgiveness!

And, of course, as a fruit of true faith in Christ, we will also then begin to desire to fear, love and trust in God above all. We will want to hear His Word and worship Him and we will desire to obey all He commands us in His Word. We look to Christ’s perfect obedience alone for our salvation; but the Holy Spirit, working in those whom he has brought to faith in Christ, also regenerates us and gives us new thoughts and desires which are in accord with God’s Word.

I, therefore, ask you before God: Do you acknowledge that you have sinned? Do you confess and agree with God that you are guilty and deserving of his wrath and punishment?

Do you trust that Christ Jesus has truly redeemed you from the curse of God’s law? That He fulfilled the law’s righteous demands and then took your sins upon Himself, along with the sins of the whole world, and suffered your just punishment when He died upon the cross?

Do you also believe that Jesus, in the Sacrament, gives you to partake of His body and blood which was given and shed that your sins might be forgiven you?

As a fruit of your faith, do you truly desire and seek God’s help to amend your life and live it in accord with God’s Word?

If you are truly sorry for your sins and look to Christ and His atoning sacrifice upon the cross for pardon and forgiveness, I announce unto you the grace of God and, in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. +

“And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Luke 10:25 (Read Luke 10:25-37)

Responding to this question from a man who sought to be justified by his own works, Jesus directed him to God’s law. We are to love God with all our being and to love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves (Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18).

The Jewish lawyer was testing Jesus with the question: “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

When Jesus asked him, “What is written in the law? how readest thou?” he answered, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”

Jesus responded: “Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.”

And, indeed “the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good” (Rom. 7:12). The problem is as Paul describes in Romans 7:10-11: “the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.” And, in Galatians 3:21, he writes: “Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.”

Therefore, if a person were able to love God and neighbor perfectly in his thoughts, desires, words and deeds, he could earn his way into heaven. The problem is: Who can?

This lawyer, wishing to justify himself but, perhaps, now a little troubled over his own love for his neighbor, questioned just how far this command extended with the question: “And who is my neighbour?”

And with the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus teaches us that our neighbor is not only the person next door, our friends, or even those whom we might consider worthy of our love and respect. Our neighbor includes anyone and everyone with whom we in some way have contact or the ability to help and serve. Our neighbor includes all people.

Like the good Samaritan, we should care for the stranger in need, even if he is our enemy. Cf. Matt. 5:43-48. We should not be as the priest and the Levite in this parable who, probably out of fear for their own safety, passed by the man who had fallen among thieves and was in need of help. They failed to love their neighbor. But the Samaritan risked his own safety and gave of himself even more than most would expect in order to help.

And, if we truly love our neighbor as we love ourselves, we will use every opportunity and do all that we can to help those in need.

But back to the question of what we must do to inherit eternal life, who has such love for God and his neighbor?

The Bible points out the problem: “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23), and “there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not” (Eccl. 7:20). No one has such perfect love for God! And while men may think they love their neighbor, this parable reveals our utter failures here, as well!

Yet, for those who have come short of the demands of God’s perfect Law, there is another way to be justified and acceptable to God, and that is through faith in Jesus Christ who had perfect love for God and neighbor and then took our sins (even the sins of the entire word) upon Himself and suffered our punishment. Cf. Romans 5:6-8.

All who look to Jesus and His cross in faith are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24; cf. v. 21-26; 10:4; John 3:14-18).

We cannot justify ourselves with God’s commandments as this Jewish lawyer sought to do; but through faith in Christ Jesus who died for our sins and rose again, we stand forgiven and justified in God’s sight (Rom. 3:28; Eph. 1:6-7). And then, as a fruit of our faith, we seek to love our Lord and Savior above all things and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves (1 John 4:9-11, 19.).

“Oh, teach me, Lord, to love Thee truly with soul and body, head and heart, and grant me grace that I may duly practice fore’er love’s sacred art. Grant that my every thought may be directed e’er to Thee. Amen.” (The Lutheran Hymnal, Hymn #399, Verse 5)

[Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.]

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 bondage.” Exodus 20:1-2

What right did God have to give these commandments to the people of Israel? Why should they listen to God’s commandments and obey him? God tells us the answer.

He says, “I am the LORD your God.” He is JEHOVAH God, the Creator of all things. He is the Triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – the only true God! He also redeemed His people from bondage in Egypt. In fulfillment of His promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, God brought the people out of Egypt and was leading them to the land of Canaan, where He would fulfill His promise to send the Seed of Abraham – the promised Messiah and Savior – through whom all the nations of the earth would be blessed (cf. Genesis 22:18). This is why God had the right to give these commandments to His people. He is the LORD God, their Maker and Redeemer! And this is also why the people should have listened to these commandments and gladly and willingly obeyed them.

God has every right to demand that we, too, obey His commandments; for He is the LORD God, our Maker and Redeemer – we belong to Him! He created and formed each of us in our mother’s womb (Cf. Psalm 139:13-16). He made us for Himself – to live for Him and serve Him.

But instead of loving Him and serving Him, we love and serve ourselves. As fallen sinners, we do not and cannot keep God’s commandments as He requires.

Yet, because of His gracious love and mercy, the LORD God also redeemed us and won salvation for us by sending His only begotten Son into the world to suffer and to die upon the cross for our sins and then rise again on the third day! And God, by the gracious working of the Holy Spirit through His Word, bought us to know and trust in Christ Jesus as our Savior. He rescued us from sin and death and gave to us, for Christ’s sake, forgiveness for all our sins and new life.

And so, we are the LORD’s – and doubly so! He made us, and even though we have come far short of keeping His commandments, He paid the just penalty for our sins, redeemed us and made us His own again! He delivered us from our bondage under sin and is leading us to the promised land of heaven, which is ours, entirely as His gracious gift in Christ!

Therefore, the LORD God has every right to give us His holy commandments and to expect obedience! And, as His redeemed children – having His pardon and forgiveness for all our sins and failures for the sake of His Son, Jesus Christ – we have every reason to gladly and willingly obey Him!

O LORD God, our Maker and Redeemer, we give You thanks that You have both made us and, by Christ’s shed blood, redeemed us. Help us to gladly and willingly submit to Your holy commandments. Amen.

[Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

“And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.” Mark 7:32-35

Why did Jesus take this man aside from the crowd, put His fingers in the man’s ears, spit, touch his tongue, look up to heaven and sigh and then say “ephphatha,” which means “be opened”? Have you thought about this?

Was this some magical incantation which Jesus did to heal this man? Or was Jesus simply communicating through means what it was He was about to do for this deaf and partially mute man?

Think about it. How could Jesus communicate to this man what He was about to do for him? He couldn’t hear, so additional communication was necessary.

Jesus was about to open his ears so he could hear. So, Jesus put His fingers in the man’s ears. He was about to unloose this man’s tongue, so he spit, drawing attention to the mouth and then touched his tongue. By what power was Jesus about to do this miracle? By the power of God in heaven, and so Jesus looked up to heaven. Jesus sighed, indicating He was about to call upon the power of God in prayer. He then said, “ephphatha,” which means, “be opened,” and the man’s ears were opened so that he could hear and his tongue loosed so that he could speak plainly.

And how does God deal with us who are dead in our trespasses and sins (cf. Eph. 2:1ff.), deaf to His Word and blind to the promises of the Gospel? He calls men to preach and apply God’s Word to us, rebuking our sins and sinfulness and offering and assuring to us the blessings of forgiveness of sins and life eternal which Christ won for us when He fulfilled all righteousness and then suffered and died on the cross, making full atonement for our sins and the sins of the whole world and rising again in victory (cf. 1 John 1:8-9; 2:1-2; Gal. 3:13; 1 Pet. 1:18ff.; 2:21ff.; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; A.C. V).

And, sometimes, when we are troubled over our sins, this is done in private confession and absolution. We confess our sins to the pastor and the pastor, in the name and stead of Christ, absolves and forgives our sins for Jesus’ sake (cf. James 5:16; John 20:22-23).

In the waters of Baptism, God assures us that our sins have indeed been washed away and that we have become children of God through faith in Christ Jesus (cf. Titus 3:3-7; Col. 2:11ff., Eph. 5:25ff.; Acts 22:16; Gal. 3:26ff.).

In the Lord’s Supper, Christ gives us to eat and drink of His very body and blood which were given and shed for us upon the cross for our salvation (cf. Matt. 26:26-28; 1 Cor. 11:23ff.). And He does so that we might be assured that, as partakers of His atoning sacrifice, we also are partakers of the blessings He won for us with His atoning sacrifice.

Thus, Jesus doesn’t just choose to save us and put His hand over us from heaven and make us clean; He reaches out to us with the Gospel and Sacraments, using preachers He has sent to share with us individually and personally, as well as corporately, the blessings of forgiveness of sins and eternal life He won for us when He died on the cross for all sins and rose again.

Why? He desires that we grasp in faith what He has done for us and still does for us by the gracious working of His Holy Spirit. He desires that we truly believe and take comfort in the Gospel, being assured that indeed our sins are forgiven in Christ Jesus and that He will not condemn us in the final judgment but give to us the everlasting joys of heaven (cf. John 5:24).

Our Lord Jesus uses the preaching of the Gospel and the right administration of His Sacraments that we might be assured that, no matter how great our sins have been, we have in Christ a Savior. Through faith in Christ Jesus, we sinners are acceptable in God’s sight; in Him “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:6,7).

God, grant to us such faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.

“And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14

How do we come to God in worship and prayer? At times we feel that God should hear and answer our prayers because of all our efforts to obey Him and faithfully serve Him. We look around us and see so many who call themselves “Christians” but disobey God and disregard His Word. They are unfaithful! They have sinned and compromised their faith!

In contrast, we feel that God should certainly hear our prayers and accept our worship since we have been faithful to God’s Word and have given up much to follow Christ. We are not unfaithful as others are!

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican was told by Jesus to those “which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.”

When we feel that God will hear and answer our prayers or accept our worship because we have been faithful Christians and are not unfaithful as are so many others, we are praying in a similar fashion as the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable. Rather, we should come to God as did the humble tax collector who knew of his own sinfulness and unworthiness before God, for “this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

When we come to God in worship and prayer, we should come humbly, acknowledging our sin and unworthiness before God. With the publican, we join in praying: “God be merciful to me a sinner.”

Since Christ has died for our sins and is risen again, we can also come before God with the assurance that He forgives our sins and hears and answers all our proper prayers (cf. 1 John 5:11-15). One might even say that we come to the LORD God in humble boldness — humble because we are unworthy sinners, but in boldness and in faith because Christ died for us and has redeemed us (cf. Heb. 10:19ff.).

Before Thee, God, who knowest all, with grief and shame I prostrate fall. I see my sins against Thee, Lord, the sins of thought, of deed, and word. They press me sore; I cry to Thee: O God, be merciful to me! O Jesus, let Thy precious blood be to my soul a cleansing flood. Turn not, O Lord, Thy guest away, but grant that justified I may go to my house at peace with Thee. O God, be merciful to me! Amen. (“Before Thee, God, Who Knowest All,” The Lutheran Hymnal, Hymn # 318, Verses 1,3)