Hello, I'm Dale Leamon. 00:00:30.11\00:00:32.59 I'm from Battle Creek, Michigan. 00:00:32.60\00:00:34.89 And I'm really glad you've decided to join us today 00:00:34.90\00:00:37.78 as we study God's word together in depth. 00:00:37.79\00:00:40.85 But before we do that, 00:00:40.86\00:00:42.58 let's bow our heads for a moment of prayer. 00:00:42.59\00:00:45.82 Father in heaven, I'm so thankful for your word 00:00:45.83\00:00:49.49 and I know that those who are viewing this program 00:00:49.50\00:00:51.83 are also very anxious to know the truth 00:00:51.84\00:00:54.49 and they love the Bible and I pray that your spirit 00:00:54.50\00:00:57.59 will just accompany this time together 00:00:57.60\00:01:00.67 that we may understand your will for us 00:01:00.68\00:01:03.13 and rejoice all the more in the gospel. 00:01:03.14\00:01:05.67 In Jesus name we pray. Amen. 00:01:05.68\00:01:09.97 Our topic which we'll be covering for several sessions 00:01:09.98\00:01:17.37 together is the Ten Commandments. 00:01:17.38\00:01:20.27 Now don't all stand up and clap your hands 00:01:20.28\00:01:22.46 and rejoice and say hallelujah at once. 00:01:22.47\00:01:25.20 I know that even a lot of Christians are 00:01:25.21\00:01:27.13 not that enthusiastic about the Ten Commandments. 00:01:27.14\00:01:30.34 Sometimes when we say, let's talk about God's law 00:01:30.35\00:01:34.35 we hear people saying, 00:01:34.36\00:01:36.18 I don't want to talk about the law, 00:01:36.19\00:01:37.44 let's talk about grace. 00:01:37.45\00:01:40.54 Well, when people say that, 00:01:40.55\00:01:41.57 they just reveal that they don't really know 00:01:41.58\00:01:45.11 the meaning of God's Ten Commandments 00:01:45.12\00:01:48.07 because the gospel is in the Commandments. 00:01:48.08\00:01:51.65 We usually read the Commandments "Thou shall not." 00:01:51.66\00:01:55.46 "Thou shall not." 00:01:55.47\00:01:56.79 Well, the words are there, aren't they? 00:01:56.80\00:01:58.71 And it sounds like don't, don't, don't. 00:01:58.72\00:02:02.27 Nobody likes to hear don't, don't, don't. 00:02:02.28\00:02:05.53 However, there's another way of reading "Thou shall not." 00:02:05.54\00:02:09.44 It can also be read you won't. 00:02:09.45\00:02:13.21 In other words, it can be read as a prediction 00:02:13.22\00:02:15.59 instead of as a command. 00:02:15.60\00:02:17.70 You won't behave in this way 00:02:17.71\00:02:19.36 and you won't behave in that way. 00:02:19.37\00:02:21.79 And when we read it, that way, 00:02:21.80\00:02:24.73 we see that the Commandments are actually promises. 00:02:24.74\00:02:28.71 Tremendous, beautiful, gospel promises of the lifestyle 00:02:28.72\00:02:34.68 and the behavior that God intends to produce 00:02:34.69\00:02:38.95 in his people, so in that way, 00:02:38.96\00:02:41.60 the Commandments become a prediction, 00:02:41.61\00:02:43.90 a prediction of the victory 00:02:43.91\00:02:45.39 that God will have in the lives of his people. 00:02:45.40\00:02:49.07 In fact, I suppose most of you have heard the law 00:02:49.08\00:02:52.08 referred to as the Law of Liberty. 00:02:52.09\00:02:55.58 It was James who expressed it that way. 00:02:55.59\00:02:59.47 It is a Law of Liberty, isn't it? 00:02:59.48\00:03:01.21 Because, God gave the law to reveal to us the liberty 00:03:01.22\00:03:06.71 that He was going to give us over sin 00:03:06.72\00:03:09.14 and selfishness and self rule and idolatry 00:03:09.15\00:03:13.28 and all the other things that the Commandments 00:03:13.29\00:03:15.69 predict God's people will no longer 00:03:15.70\00:03:19.67 experience in their lives. 00:03:19.68\00:03:23.73 As you know, the Commandments start out with 00:03:23.74\00:03:27.47 "Thou shall not," but there actually is a preface 00:03:27.48\00:03:32.07 to that first don't and that preface is found 00:03:32.08\00:03:37.50 in Exodus Chapter 20, the second verse. 00:03:37.51\00:03:41.59 Where we read, "I am the LORD your God, 00:03:41.60\00:03:46.63 who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 00:03:46.64\00:03:51.40 out of the house of bondage." 00:03:51.41\00:03:56.35 You see that preface shows us 00:03:56.36\00:03:58.89 that God has already delivered Israel and He gives them 00:03:58.90\00:04:04.87 His Commandments after He sets them free. 00:04:04.88\00:04:09.21 In Egypt they were not free to obey Him. 00:04:09.22\00:04:12.44 They were tied to the rigors of labor 00:04:12.45\00:04:18.02 under the Egyptian building program 00:04:18.03\00:04:21.00 that made it impossible for them to really 00:04:21.01\00:04:23.30 give their attention to God. 00:04:23.31\00:04:25.23 They were surrounded by idols and false Gods. 00:04:25.24\00:04:27.91 They were forced to work seven days a week, 00:04:27.92\00:04:29.78 so they couldn't even have a Sabbath. 00:04:29.79\00:04:32.05 They were required to do many things 00:04:32.06\00:04:35.27 that were out of harmony with God's purpose. 00:04:35.28\00:04:37.95 And so as you know, God sent Moses and the people 00:04:37.96\00:04:40.73 were delivered and set free 00:04:40.74\00:04:43.59 and then He gives them His Commandments. 00:04:43.60\00:04:46.07 The next verse, Exodus 20 and verse 3 00:04:46.08\00:04:50.05 expresses the First Commandment. 00:04:50.06\00:04:52.15 And what does it say, 00:04:52.16\00:04:54.48 "You shall have no other gods before Me." 00:04:54.49\00:04:58.61 Now I'm reading that from the New King James Version, 00:04:58.62\00:05:03.11 which says it much more like I like to hear it. 00:05:03.12\00:05:06.70 You shall have no other gods before Me. 00:05:06.71\00:05:08.77 Because I've set you free, because I've delivered you, 00:05:08.78\00:05:12.64 because I've taken you out of bondage now, 00:05:12.65\00:05:16.50 you won't have any other gods before Me. 00:05:16.51\00:05:18.42 In other words, it's a prediction, 00:05:18.43\00:05:20.40 it's a prophecy, it's a promise of what 00:05:20.41\00:05:23.32 God is doing for His people rather than a stern Commandment. 00:05:23.33\00:05:28.65 Some people, you see, read the Commandments 00:05:28.66\00:05:31.61 from a false view of God. 00:05:31.62\00:05:33.97 As if God is saying because I've done so much for you, 00:05:33.98\00:05:36.30 now you've to worship Me. 00:05:36.31\00:05:38.01 No, that's not what He's saying at all. 00:05:38.02\00:05:39.22 He is saying, because I've delivered you, 00:05:39.23\00:05:41.66 now, I'm going to make myself your favorite person. 00:05:41.67\00:05:45.57 And you will want to worship only Me. 00:05:45.58\00:05:49.55 Well, of course, there's a good reason 00:05:49.56\00:05:50.98 why we naturally don't find ourselves in harmony 00:05:50.99\00:05:55.54 with God's Commandments. 00:05:55.55\00:05:57.53 We aren't there yet in other words. 00:05:57.54\00:05:59.88 We look at the law and the reason 00:05:59.89\00:06:01.78 we find it challenging and we don't necessarily 00:06:01.79\00:06:04.34 always like to hear it even is because we recognize 00:06:04.35\00:06:07.12 that it doesn't yet perfectly represent the way we're living. 00:06:07.13\00:06:10.00 We're still falling short. 00:06:10.01\00:06:11.74 We're still failing in many respects. 00:06:11.75\00:06:14.81 Even Christians still fail in many respects. 00:06:14.82\00:06:17.71 Why is it that, that we fail? 00:06:17.72\00:06:19.62 If God made these promises so long ago, 00:06:19.63\00:06:22.30 isn't He keeping His promises? 00:06:22.31\00:06:24.53 Well, Romans 7 and verse 14, 00:06:24.54\00:06:27.29 explains our human condition and I'm afraid 00:06:27.30\00:06:29.57 we all find ourselves in this condition. 00:06:29.58\00:06:32.07 "For we know that the law is spiritual, 00:06:32.08\00:06:35.63 but I am carnal, sold under sin." 00:06:35.64\00:06:41.90 So you see, even though the law is beautiful 00:06:41.91\00:06:47.49 and even though it predicts the life 00:06:47.50\00:06:49.60 that we'll have with Christ forever and even though 00:06:49.61\00:06:52.41 we desire to be in harmony with God's law, 00:06:52.42\00:06:55.50 we do have within us that flesh nature, 00:06:55.51\00:06:58.30 that carnality, we were sold, 00:06:58.31\00:07:01.22 the whole race was sold. 00:07:01.23\00:07:03.21 Adam sold us, didn't he, in the garden so long ago. 00:07:03.22\00:07:08.50 And so we find ourselves unable to respond 00:07:08.51\00:07:13.16 to the spiritual law but you know I'm so glad 00:07:13.17\00:07:16.67 that we wake up to that early in our experience becuase 00:07:16.68\00:07:19.74 it just shows us again that the law has to be a promise. 00:07:19.75\00:07:24.18 It can't be something we can do for God. 00:07:24.19\00:07:25.96 It has to be something He does for us. 00:07:25.97\00:07:29.37 And so we see that, rather than resent the law, 00:07:29.38\00:07:31.71 we just need to look at it as a precious promise 00:07:31.72\00:07:35.14 that the Lord is making to us of what He is doing for us, 00:07:35.15\00:07:39.40 has done for us through Christ, 00:07:39.41\00:07:41.43 and will do for us in a complete way, 00:07:41.44\00:07:44.99 as we continue to walk with Jesus. 00:07:45.00\00:07:50.05 Well, another scripture which explains our condition 00:07:50.06\00:07:55.24 is in the chapter just following Romans Chapter 8 and verse 2. 00:07:55.25\00:08:01.88 Here the Apostle Paul says, 00:08:01.89\00:08:03.35 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus 00:08:03.36\00:08:07.73 has made me free from the law of sin and death." 00:08:07.74\00:08:12.34 Moses delivered Israel from Egypt and Jesus 00:08:12.35\00:08:18.42 has delivered His people from the Egypt of sin. 00:08:18.43\00:08:23.25 Jesus has already won a tremendous victory for us. 00:08:23.26\00:08:27.70 Jesus himself is the one, 00:08:27.71\00:08:30.03 who is fulfilling the promise of the law, 00:08:30.04\00:08:33.67 because in Christ, we find the first human being 00:08:33.68\00:08:37.98 to walk on this planet, 00:08:37.99\00:08:40.06 who has lived in perfect harmony with God's law, 00:08:40.07\00:08:43.95 so we see in Jesus, 00:08:43.96\00:08:45.76 the fulfillment of the great promise 00:08:45.77\00:08:48.03 of the Ten Commandments. 00:08:48.04\00:08:51.62 Now, you probably are aware of the Old Testament Temple 00:08:51.63\00:08:57.03 and the original version, as you know, 00:08:57.04\00:08:58.81 was built by Moses in the wilderness 00:08:58.82\00:09:01.01 and it was covered with skins and it had three sections, 00:09:01.02\00:09:06.00 the courtyard, the holy place, and the most holy place. 00:09:06.01\00:09:12.78 And in the heart of that temple, in the most holy place, 00:09:12.79\00:09:19.32 was where there was a box that was covered completely 00:09:19.33\00:09:23.59 with gold and even had a solid gold lid on it, 00:09:23.60\00:09:26.55 which was called the mercy seat. 00:09:26.56\00:09:29.69 And that box represents the Thrown of God 00:09:29.70\00:09:32.65 in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary. 00:09:32.66\00:09:36.90 But that box is called the Ark of the Covenant 00:09:36.91\00:09:42.81 and what was inside of it, well the covenant of course. 00:09:42.82\00:09:46.97 What is a covenant? A covenant is a promise. 00:09:46.98\00:09:50.91 A covenant is a pledge. 00:09:50.92\00:09:54.08 A covenant is a testimony. 00:09:54.09\00:09:57.41 It is a testament. It is a binding relationship. 00:09:57.42\00:10:03.40 And the beautiful thing about the Ten Commandments 00:10:03.41\00:10:05.71 in that Ark of the Covenant is that, 00:10:05.72\00:10:07.46 they are the covenant. 00:10:07.47\00:10:09.23 Not our covenant to God. 00:10:09.24\00:10:11.51 We didn't write the Ten Commandments. 00:10:11.52\00:10:13.24 We didn't say that we thought 00:10:13.25\00:10:16.08 we could keep all of those things. 00:10:16.09\00:10:17.88 God wrote the Ten Commandments and gave them to us 00:10:17.89\00:10:20.95 as His promise to us 00:10:20.96\00:10:23.92 that we would be restored 00:10:23.93\00:10:28.30 into the image of God and the day would come 00:10:28.31\00:10:31.93 when all of those Commandments would be written in our hearts. 00:10:31.94\00:10:37.47 And we would be able to obey them with joy 00:10:37.48\00:10:41.42 and with great aptitude even though we find ourselves 00:10:41.43\00:10:46.68 yet in this world struggling to see how we could live up 00:10:46.69\00:10:51.37 to all those beautiful principles. 00:10:51.38\00:10:53.77 We have an absolute promise in Christ that, 00:10:53.78\00:10:57.10 that it is what He is going to do for us 00:10:57.11\00:10:58.97 and in fact has done for us through His holy life. 00:10:58.98\00:11:02.42 You see Jesus kept His Covenant already 00:11:02.43\00:11:06.47 because He kept His law. 00:11:06.48\00:11:08.90 And by keeping the law, 00:11:08.91\00:11:10.60 He overcame every temptation to sin. 00:11:10.61\00:11:13.35 And He has proven His ability to workout 00:11:13.36\00:11:17.95 His will in the flesh. 00:11:17.96\00:11:20.70 And that's our hope isn't it. 00:11:20.71\00:11:21.80 That's really the gospel. 00:11:21.81\00:11:22.82 That's good news that Christ can restore the human race 00:11:22.83\00:11:26.76 back to His purpose in His plan for us. 00:11:26.77\00:11:32.12 This is promised very clearly also in the Book of Romans. 00:11:32.13\00:11:37.16 In Romans Chapter 6 and verse 14, 00:11:37.17\00:11:41.41 here the Apostle says, 00:11:41.42\00:11:42.73 "For sin shall not have dominion over you." 00:11:42.74\00:11:47.55 And what is sin? 00:11:47.56\00:11:49.79 My sin is the violation of God's law, isn't it? 00:11:49.80\00:11:53.24 And it says very clearly, "Sin shall not have dominion 00:11:53.25\00:11:56.10 over you for you are not under the law but under grace." 00:11:56.11\00:12:00.79 You see God always knew that as long as we were under the law 00:12:00.80\00:12:03.20 that is trying to be holy by the observance of the law, 00:12:03.21\00:12:07.45 sin would continue to have dominion over us. 00:12:07.46\00:12:09.90 We'd still fail. 00:12:09.91\00:12:11.22 But here He promises that because now we're looking 00:12:11.23\00:12:14.40 at the law as a covenant, as a promise 00:12:14.41\00:12:18.97 and instead of being under a system of salvation 00:12:18.98\00:12:22.72 by law keeping, we've come under Jesus' grace. 00:12:22.73\00:12:25.32 Now, He says, we can stop sinning. 00:12:25.33\00:12:28.01 We can find sin eradicated from our lives through grace. 00:12:28.02\00:12:32.15 And so we can actually find through Christ's great victory 00:12:32.16\00:12:36.01 that His promise is being fulfilled in our own experience. 00:12:36.02\00:12:39.46 Oh, I don't say that we're looking for instant perfection, 00:12:39.47\00:12:42.92 but we are looking for continued growth in grace, 00:12:42.93\00:12:46.28 continued increase in victory, 00:12:46.29\00:12:48.49 continually more love for the will of God in our lives. 00:12:48.50\00:12:54.96 Why? Because the grace of Jesus 00:12:54.97\00:12:57.31 that grace by which He conquered all temptation 00:12:57.32\00:13:00.88 and kept every precept of His covenant promise to us. 00:13:00.89\00:13:04.84 Now, that grace is bestowed upon us. 00:13:04.85\00:13:08.58 What fantastic thing then the law of God is. 00:13:08.59\00:13:12.14 What a beautiful, beautiful promise. 00:13:12.15\00:13:16.62 Well, I hope you're already 00:13:16.63\00:13:17.86 starting to see the law in a new way. 00:13:17.87\00:13:20.00 I hope you're already starting to think 00:13:20.01\00:13:22.10 that's better than what I had in mind. 00:13:22.11\00:13:24.88 It's not just god erecting a barrier and saying, 00:13:24.89\00:13:28.37 let's see how hard we can make it for these humans 00:13:28.38\00:13:30.23 to make it to heaven, 00:13:30.24\00:13:31.44 let's really give them some hard, 00:13:31.45\00:13:34.02 strict regulations and see if we can challenge them. 00:13:34.03\00:13:38.09 No, no, no, not all. 00:13:38.10\00:13:40.20 The law is God's beautiful promise, 00:13:40.21\00:13:44.86 His purpose, His plan for the race. 00:13:44.87\00:13:49.14 And that is why He put it right there in the foundation 00:13:49.15\00:13:53.18 of His own thrown in the most holy place. 00:13:53.19\00:13:56.40 He tells us He will not break His covenant. 00:13:56.41\00:13:59.57 He has kept it in Christ Jesus and we'll all be recipients 00:13:59.58\00:14:03.35 of every part of it as we continue 00:14:03.36\00:14:05.74 to hold on to Christ. 00:14:05.75\00:14:08.61 But we all want to be changed, don't we? 00:14:08.62\00:14:11.38 We all want to experience that. 00:14:11.39\00:14:15.32 And I would like to help you to see how Jesus himself 00:14:15.33\00:14:22.21 did in fact keep that First Commandment. 00:14:22.22\00:14:25.70 How did He keep the Commandment, which says, 00:14:25.71\00:14:27.44 "You shall have no other Gods before Me." 00:14:27.45\00:14:33.05 Well, Jesus, of course, 00:14:33.06\00:14:37.33 started out in heaven. 00:14:37.34\00:14:41.13 What a tremendous loss to comedown from heaven to earth 00:14:41.14\00:14:47.05 and give up everything that He was used to there. 00:14:47.06\00:14:51.10 I had the privilege of doing a little traveling. 00:14:51.11\00:14:53.69 I have had had the privilege several times 00:14:53.70\00:14:55.19 of going to third world countries 00:14:55.20\00:14:56.69 and sharing the gospel in those places 00:14:56.70\00:14:59.91 and I'll tell you, there's no place like home. 00:14:59.92\00:15:03.88 After you've been without indoor plumbing, 00:15:03.89\00:15:06.68 and after you've been without a comfortable bed, 00:15:06.69\00:15:09.91 and after you've been without the convenience 00:15:09.92\00:15:12.52 of air conditioning, and a car to take wherever you want to, 00:15:12.53\00:15:16.04 whenever you want to go, 00:15:16.05\00:15:18.22 and you live that way for a while, 00:15:18.23\00:15:19.87 and my, my, my, how you miss home. 00:15:19.88\00:15:23.60 Well, Jesus could have treasured those things that He had. 00:15:25.34\00:15:31.48 He could have treasured the worship of all the angels. 00:15:32.61\00:15:35.09 He could have treasured the streets of gold. 00:15:35.10\00:15:37.20 He could have treasured the freedom to travel 00:15:37.21\00:15:39.22 from planet to planet around the universe. 00:15:39.23\00:15:41.84 He could have treasured many things, 00:15:41.85\00:15:43.43 they could have been even to Him, 00:15:43.44\00:15:45.24 His God, but they were not. 00:15:45.25\00:15:50.04 He left it all behind to fulfill the will of the heavenly father 00:15:50.05\00:15:55.80 and become a baby born and lain in a manger. 00:15:55.81\00:16:01.59 Jesus was tempted as you know 00:16:03.88\00:16:06.84 in the wilderness by Satan 00:16:06.85\00:16:09.68 and we have that story told very clearly 00:16:09.69\00:16:14.68 in the gospel of Mathew Chapter 4. 00:16:14.69\00:16:18.71 I'd like to draw your attention to verse 10. 00:16:18.72\00:16:24.25 The devil has just offered Jesus the whole world 00:16:24.26\00:16:28.03 if he'll just bow down and worship, 00:16:28.04\00:16:31.47 and what does Jesus say to him, 00:16:31.48\00:16:33.16 "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 00:16:34.87\00:16:40.52 'You shall worship the Lord your God, 00:16:40.53\00:16:42.85 and Him only you shall serve." 00:16:42.86\00:16:46.68 So Jesus gained a powerful victory 00:16:46.69\00:16:50.57 over the worship of material things. 00:16:50.58\00:16:55.63 In fact, when the main other God 00:16:55.64\00:17:00.00 that we really tend to have above the God of heaven 00:17:00.01\00:17:03.91 of course, is the God of self 00:17:03.92\00:17:06.02 and the God of self is very much attracted to glory 00:17:06.03\00:17:10.09 and aggrandizement that is why human beings 00:17:10.10\00:17:14.65 are tempted to worship images. 00:17:14.66\00:17:17.76 Because in worshiping an image, 00:17:17.77\00:17:19.62 they often make that image an image of themselves 00:17:19.63\00:17:23.07 or of even something more earthy 00:17:23.08\00:17:25.03 and lower than themselves in a way 00:17:25.04\00:17:27.19 that kind of exults the human, 00:17:27.20\00:17:29.71 so self worship is very, very much at the heart 00:17:29.72\00:17:32.79 of our failure to make God first. 00:17:32.80\00:17:35.60 But Jesus had none of that. 00:17:35.61\00:17:38.49 Satan offered Him kingship over the world. 00:17:38.50\00:17:41.38 That was why Jesus had come. 00:17:41.39\00:17:42.88 Why not take it? Why not go for it? 00:17:42.89\00:17:44.54 Here's a quick and easy way. 00:17:44.55\00:17:46.86 And yet Jesus didn't covet kingship of the world. 00:17:46.87\00:17:50.63 He coveted us. He wanted us. 00:17:50.64\00:17:52.99 He didn't come to be a king. 00:17:53.00\00:17:54.46 He came to die because His first priority was not Himself, 00:17:54.47\00:17:57.28 it was us. Jesus shows in His worship of the father 00:17:57.29\00:18:01.25 that He's given up selfishness. 00:18:01.26\00:18:04.83 In fact, he never had any. 00:18:04.84\00:18:06.99 But He shows even in the human flesh 00:18:07.00\00:18:09.25 that He wore 00:18:09.26\00:18:12.08 that He has no willingness to put self first. 00:18:12.09\00:18:18.49 How many of us could turn down an offer like that? 00:18:18.50\00:18:22.42 Or even a much smaller offer, 00:18:22.43\00:18:24.22 a few million dollars perhaps. 00:18:24.23\00:18:25.86 Don't give me the whole world, 00:18:25.87\00:18:26.86 just a few million dollars. 00:18:26.87\00:18:28.71 How many of us really do have other Gods 00:18:28.72\00:18:31.51 and yet Jesus has conquered this for us. 00:18:31.52\00:18:33.72 He's kept a promise of the law 00:18:33.73\00:18:36.00 because He said no to Satan, Away with you. 00:18:36.01\00:18:39.73 I'm not interested in worshiping anything 00:18:39.74\00:18:42.54 but only the Heavenly Father. 00:18:42.55\00:18:44.87 Well, I don't know about you, 00:18:46.96\00:18:48.58 but I need that victory. 00:18:48.59\00:18:50.86 That's the victory that's at the heart 00:18:50.87\00:18:52.33 of every other victory. 00:18:52.34\00:18:53.33 That First Commandment is the First Commandment 00:18:53.34\00:18:55.13 for a good reason because when God 00:18:55.14\00:18:58.53 becomes first in our lives, everything else falls in place. 00:18:58.54\00:19:02.81 And I'm so thankful that Jesus 00:19:02.82\00:19:06.43 has already won that victory. 00:19:06.44\00:19:11.01 But of course, the wilderness of temptation 00:19:11.02\00:19:14.04 and Satan coming to Him 00:19:14.05\00:19:15.06 and challenging Him to kneel down, 00:19:15.07\00:19:17.82 that was not, by any means, 00:19:17.83\00:19:20.86 the greatest example of Jesus' victory 00:19:20.87\00:19:25.40 in the area of making God first. 00:19:25.41\00:19:28.76 Oh, no. It was a much harder test, wasn't it? 00:19:28.77\00:19:32.88 That harder test came in the Garden of Gethsemane. 00:19:32.89\00:19:37.97 I know that you've read those passages, 00:19:40.15\00:19:41.87 but every time I read them, my heartbreaks again. 00:19:41.88\00:19:45.85 He had to face this test three times. 00:19:47.47\00:19:50.04 Even though He had spent his entire life 00:19:50.05\00:19:52.41 putting God first, even though 00:19:52.42\00:19:54.26 even before He was born as a man, He declared, 00:19:54.27\00:19:57.37 Lo, I come, in the volume of the book 00:19:57.38\00:19:59.26 it is written of me to do thy will, Oh, my God. 00:19:59.27\00:20:01.94 Still, He had to face that test again three times 00:20:01.95\00:20:06.39 before He went to the cross there in the garden. 00:20:06.40\00:20:09.54 He told His disciples, "Oh, I wish you'd stay awake 00:20:09.55\00:20:12.33 and pray with Me this night." 00:20:12.34\00:20:15.20 This is a night when I could really use your support 00:20:15.21\00:20:17.72 but of course, they didn't. 00:20:17.73\00:20:18.84 And, in fact, one wonders if they could have 00:20:20.47\00:20:23.24 because this was a victory only Jesus could win 00:20:23.25\00:20:25.84 and He won it alone. 00:20:25.85\00:20:30.73 You remember how that evening went. 00:20:30.74\00:20:34.55 After being with His disciples for the last supper, 00:20:34.56\00:20:39.07 Jesus finally, sadly, with a heavy heart, 00:20:39.08\00:20:44.74 led His disciples out to the Garden, 00:20:47.19\00:20:50.02 where they had often gone 00:20:50.03\00:20:51.29 to pray among the olive trees, 00:20:51.30\00:20:54.30 but this time, He is heavier than ever before. 00:20:54.31\00:20:56.52 And His disciples sense it and He even tells them 00:20:56.53\00:20:59.77 that He's burdened and He's feeling a load, 00:20:59.78\00:21:03.83 which is greater than any He's ever felt before. 00:21:03.84\00:21:05.59 You know, what He was carrying. 00:21:05.60\00:21:06.81 He was beginning to feel the horror of our sins. 00:21:06.82\00:21:09.40 He was beginning to feel what it really cost 00:21:09.41\00:21:12.98 to be alienated from God and to be torn away 00:21:12.99\00:21:19.78 from the source of all life and hope and joy. 00:21:19.79\00:21:23.37 He was beginning to feel the eternal hopelessness 00:21:23.38\00:21:26.38 of those who refuse to accept 00:21:26.39\00:21:29.09 the promise of God's Commandments 00:21:29.10\00:21:31.35 and they're determined to go their own way. 00:21:31.36\00:21:33.07 And in the horror of that moment, 00:21:33.08\00:21:34.95 as He looked straight ahead to the cross, 00:21:34.96\00:21:38.56 Jesus own heart almost failed. 00:21:38.57\00:21:41.91 The real battle was this. Shall I go home? 00:21:41.92\00:21:46.26 Shall I go home? No one here seems to care. 00:21:48.55\00:21:50.36 My disciples won't even stay awake and pray with me. 00:21:50.37\00:21:53.31 Or shall I go ahead and do 00:21:53.32\00:21:55.18 what the Father is telling me to do. 00:21:55.19\00:21:57.69 Remember, Jesus was equal with the Father. 00:21:57.70\00:21:59.94 It would have been no sin 00:21:59.95\00:22:01.79 if He had just gone back to heaven. 00:22:01.80\00:22:03.42 He had the right to do that. 00:22:03.43\00:22:04.96 This had to be a mutual choice 00:22:04.97\00:22:06.82 and Jesus had to go along with the decision 00:22:06.83\00:22:09.22 just as much as the Father, but would he? 00:22:09.23\00:22:12.56 He's wrestling there. 00:22:12.57\00:22:15.03 The devil is of course surrounding him 00:22:15.04\00:22:17.58 with suggestions that his sacrifice 00:22:17.59\00:22:21.02 will not achieve the salvation of humanity anyway, 00:22:21.03\00:22:24.71 that no one will really care. 00:22:24.72\00:22:27.99 And yet, Jesus goes to that rock, 00:22:28.00\00:22:34.28 He bows His head. He says, "Father, if it is possible, 00:22:34.29\00:22:39.07 let's find another way, make this cup pass from Me." 00:22:39.08\00:22:42.04 And the Father says, "There isn't any other way." 00:22:42.05\00:22:47.37 And Jesus says, "Not my will, but thine, be done." 00:22:47.38\00:22:55.08 There it is, the victory He is determined 00:22:56.30\00:22:59.33 to have only one God and to worship 00:22:59.34\00:23:02.43 no other to obey no other, not even His own self will, 00:23:02.44\00:23:06.94 which is the main thing we put up 00:23:06.95\00:23:08.62 against God in our own hearts. 00:23:08.63\00:23:10.16 No, He will not. 00:23:10.17\00:23:11.43 But still, he hasn't quite got the victory. 00:23:11.44\00:23:14.92 He moves away from that place, 00:23:14.93\00:23:16.68 talks to His disciples for a few minutes, 00:23:16.69\00:23:18.29 and He feels in himself still, the urging to run, 00:23:18.30\00:23:21.88 and so He goes back again and falls again on the ground. 00:23:23.64\00:23:27.25 And says, "Father, isn't it possible, 00:23:27.26\00:23:29.89 isn't there some way that we could save this race 00:23:29.90\00:23:33.13 without my going through this terrible experience" 00:23:33.14\00:23:35.49 and the Father says, there is no other way. 00:23:35.50\00:23:38.25 And once again, Jesus says, 00:23:38.26\00:23:39.95 "Not my will, but thine, be done." 00:23:39.96\00:23:44.71 And again, the third time, He goes and says, 00:23:44.72\00:23:48.78 the very same prayer once again. 00:23:48.79\00:23:51.18 And the third time is the time when the victory is complete. 00:23:51.19\00:23:57.18 And you know when the victory is complete, 00:23:57.19\00:23:59.82 there's no longer any longing to do the wrong thing. 00:23:59.83\00:24:03.96 Jesus very soon is surrounded by a mob of angry people. 00:24:03.97\00:24:08.83 one of His best friends comes up 00:24:08.84\00:24:11.40 and kisses Him on the cheek in betrayal. 00:24:11.41\00:24:14.05 And Jesus says to that crowd, 00:24:14.06\00:24:19.64 "I could call 10,000 angels to my aide." 00:24:19.65\00:24:22.56 But He's not tempted to do it. 00:24:24.91\00:24:26.32 He says to Peter, "Put away your sword." 00:24:26.33\00:24:29.28 He holds out His hands for them to tie him 00:24:29.29\00:24:33.39 because He's won the victory 00:24:33.40\00:24:35.98 and He has kept the First Commandment. 00:24:35.99\00:24:41.50 He has fulfilled the promise of the law for us. 00:24:41.51\00:24:44.80 He has gained complete and absolute worship 00:24:44.81\00:24:48.53 of the heavenly father alone. 00:24:48.54\00:24:51.65 And he will not go against the will of his Heavenly Father. 00:24:51.66\00:24:58.56 And so the victory of Christ is offered to us today. 00:24:59.60\00:25:03.48 You and I can claim it. 00:25:03.49\00:25:05.40 We can look at the Ten Commandments 00:25:05.41\00:25:06.91 and instead of shaking and saying, oh, no, no, 00:25:06.92\00:25:09.29 I don't want to see the Commandments, give me grace. 00:25:09.30\00:25:11.48 We can say, wait a minute, this is grace. 00:25:11.49\00:25:14.17 This is the Law of Liberty. 00:25:14.18\00:25:15.94 This is the promise of victory. 00:25:15.95\00:25:18.58 This is what Jesus has done for me. 00:25:18.59\00:25:20.98 Jesus has done these Commandments for me. 00:25:20.99\00:25:23.80 Jesus has like Moses come and delivered me 00:25:23.81\00:25:28.28 from Egypt and now these-- 00:25:28.29\00:25:32.00 this law is no longer my enemy to condemn 00:25:32.01\00:25:34.83 and accuse and criticize me 00:25:34.84\00:25:36.96 but is a great promise of exactly 00:25:36.97\00:25:39.69 where Jesus is taking me by His grace. 00:25:39.70\00:25:42.75 Do you want to claim that victory in your own life? 00:25:45.07\00:25:47.48 I know you do. I know you do. 00:25:48.80\00:25:51.68 Jesus has already won. 00:25:54.13\00:25:56.29 He has already waged the battle 00:25:56.30\00:25:58.69 with sin, slavery, and He has conquered. 00:25:58.70\00:26:03.97 You know, dear friend, today, 00:26:05.99\00:26:06.99 I would like for you to look into your own heart 00:26:07.00\00:26:10.60 and just evaluate your attitude 00:26:10.61\00:26:12.82 towards God's Commandments. 00:26:12.83\00:26:14.81 When somebody quotes the Commandments 00:26:14.82\00:26:17.27 or you see them, you know, 00:26:17.28\00:26:18.63 how they're printed out sometimes, 00:26:18.64\00:26:20.95 hanging on the wall, what do you think? 00:26:20.96\00:26:23.99 Do you think, oh, I, I sure hope that's been done away 00:26:24.00\00:26:28.36 with because there's no way 00:26:28.37\00:26:30.31 that I'm ever going to live up to that. 00:26:30.32\00:26:32.11 If that's been the way you felt about the Commandments 00:26:33.62\00:26:36.09 or if you've kind of turned away 00:26:36.10\00:26:37.55 or if you've tried hard not to think about it, 00:26:37.56\00:26:39.25 because you felt condemned by them, 00:26:39.26\00:26:42.13 I want you to know today there's no reason 00:26:42.14\00:26:43.90 for you to be condemned by the Commandments. 00:26:43.91\00:26:46.30 Jesus has borne all the condemnation for our failure 00:26:46.31\00:26:50.32 to live up to the Commandments. 00:26:50.33\00:26:51.36 He has already taken all of that upon Himself. 00:26:51.37\00:26:53.15 The Bible says the inequity of us all was laid upon Him 00:26:53.16\00:26:56.27 and he has also conquered all of our human weakness 00:26:57.57\00:27:02.71 and gained victory over all of that 00:27:02.72\00:27:06.68 and kept the Commandments perfectly. 00:27:06.69\00:27:08.40 Therefore, the promise of liberty in the Commandments 00:27:08.41\00:27:10.89 has been ratified by Jesus Christ 00:27:10.90\00:27:13.95 and therefore God has kept His promise. 00:27:13.96\00:27:17.51 And whether you feel totally victorious today or not, 00:27:17.52\00:27:20.27 you can take hold of Jesus hand 00:27:20.28\00:27:21.72 and say, I know that since you've begun a good work in me 00:27:21.73\00:27:24.03 you will bring it to completion, I know the victory is mine. 00:27:24.04\00:27:26.81 These Commandments are going to be written in my heart. 00:27:26.82\00:27:33.53 Well, Jesus has kept the promise 00:27:34.51\00:27:36.62 of the First Commandment, dear friends. 00:27:36.63\00:27:38.27 In our--in our next studies together, 00:27:39.25\00:27:41.01 we'll see, how he has kept the promise 00:27:41.02\00:27:42.94 of all the Commandments and how beautiful they are, 00:27:42.95\00:27:47.10 as he works them in ours own hearts. 00:27:47.11\00:27:50.25 Let's praise God for the victory. 00:27:51.65\00:27:53.88