Scripture Text: Exodus 20:1-17

Quotes for Reflection

Kevin D. Young, The Ten Commandments
There’s nothing necessarily wrong with noticing what other people have, but most of us don’t stop and notice so that we can give thanks to God for his blessings to others. We notice and then stop being thankful for all that God has given to us.

The Westminster Larger Catechism
The duties required in the tenth commandment are, such a full contentment with our own condition, and such a charitable frame of the whole soul toward our neighbor, as that all our inward motions and affections touching him, tend unto, and further all that good which is his.

Mary Oliver, The Gift
Be still, my soul, and steadfast.
Earth and heaven both are still watching
though time is draining from the clock
and your walk, that was confident and quick,
has become slow.

So, be slow if you must, but let
the heart still play its true part.
Love still as once you loved, deeply
and without patience. Let God and the world
know you are grateful. That the gift has been given.

Application Questions

1. How does the Christian vision of longing differ from other worldviews?

2. If I only had ___________, I would finally be happy. What’s in that blank and what does it truly reveal?

3. What’s one simple habit of gratitude that helps you feel more content with God when you’re feeling restless or wanting more?

Links to resources mentioned in this episode:

• The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness (Tim Keller)

• Losing My Nonreligion (Wall Street Journal)

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Scripture Text: Exodus 20:1-16

Quotes for Reflection

from the Westminster Larger Catechism

Q. 144. What are the duties required in the ninth commandment?

A. The duties required in the ninth commandment are, the preserving and promoting of truth between man and man, and the good name of our neighbor, as well as our own; appearing and standing for the truth; and from the heart, sincerely, freely, clearly, and fully, speaking the truth, and only the truth, in matters of judgment and justice, and in all other things whatsoever; a charitable esteem of our neighbors; loving, desiring, and rejoicing in their good name; sorrowing for and covering of their infirmities; freely acknowledging of their gifts and graces, defending their innocency; a ready receiving of a good report, and unwillingness to admit of an evil report, concerning them; discouraging talebearers, flatterers, and slanderers; love and care of our own good name, and defending it when need requireth; keeping of lawful promises; studying and practicing of whatsoever things are true, honest, lovely, and of good report.

Q. 145. What are the sins forbidden in the ninth commandment?

A. The sins forbidden in the ninth commandment are, all prejudicing the truth, and the good name of our neighbors, as well as our own, especially in public judicature; giving false evidence, suborning false witnesses, wittingly appearing and pleading for an evil cause, outfacing and overbearing the truth; passing unjust sentence, calling evil good, and good evil; rewarding the wicked according to the work of the righteous, and the righteous according to the work of the wicked; forgery, concealing the truth, undue silence in a just cause, and holding our peace when iniquity calleth for either a reproof from ourselves, or complaint to others; speaking the truth unseasonably, or maliciously to a wrong end, or perverting it to a wrong meaning, or in doubtful or equivocal expressions, to the prejudice of the truth or justice; speaking untruth, lying, slandering, backbiting, detracting, talebearing, whispering, scoffing, reviling, rash, harsh, and partial censuring; misconstructing intentions, words, and actions; flattering, vainglorious boasting, thinking or speaking too highly or too meanly of ourselves or others; denying the gifts and graces of God; aggravating smaller faults; hiding, excusing, or extenuating of sins, when called to a free confession; unnecessary discovering of infirmities; raising false rumors, receiving and countenancing evil reports, and stopping our ears against just defense; evil suspicion; envying or grieving at the deserved credit of any; endeavoring or desiring to impair it, rejoicing in their disgrace and infamy; scornful contempt, fond admiration; breach of lawful promises; neglecting such things as are of good report, and practicing, or not avoiding ourselves, or not hindering what we can in others, such things as procure an ill name.

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Scripture Text: Exodus 20:1-15

Quotes for Reflection

Paul David Tripp, Redeeming Money
God created us to be dependent. He created us to follow his commands and to submit to his will. Real life and true freedom are found when we willingly and joyfully surrender to the One who created us, knows what we need, and rules what we could never control. But something else is vital to remember: we were never designed to put ourselves in the center of our world and make our lives all about us. We were never created to live for little more than our personal comfort, pleasure, happiness, and success. In God’s plan for us, we will never find the rest of heart that we all seek until we live according to the purpose and glory of the One who created us.

Kevin D. Young, The Ten Commandments
Have you ever noticed that Jesus is sometimes less “spiritual” than we might think? That doesn’t sound right, but here’s what I mean: we might think that Jesus would tell us, “Do you want possessions? Shame on you. Do you want security and safety? Shame on you. Why don’t you desire something more important?” He doesn’t do that, though. Instead, he taps into the desires of all human beings. We want to make sure that we have something that will last. We want to make sure that we have enough for the future. Jesus says, “Okay, I get that. Let me tell you how to really be happy: store up treasures in heaven!”

John Frame, Doctrine of the Christian Life
The biblical ideal is certainly not that we all become poor. Rather, it is, first, “godliness with contentment” (1 Tim. 6:6). The wisdom teacher recognizes that there are temptations in both wealth and poverty, so he asks God to give him just enough: “Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me” (Prov. 30:8; compare “our daily bread” as the Christian’s request in Matt. 6:11). But if God does give poverty, or riches, we must expect temptation and be ready to deal with it.

R. Kent Hughes, Set Apart: Calling a Worldly Church to a Godly Life

Every time I give, I declare that money does not control me. Perpetual generosity is a perpetual de-deification of money.

Application Questions

1. Why can our relationship to the material world become enslaving?

2. As a central aspect of worship, how can tithing deepen our relationship with God?

3. Within each of our vocations, God brings about opportunities to help those in need. How can Oaks Parish partner with you?

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Scripture Text: Exodus 20:1-14

Quotes for Reflection

Ann Voskamp

Your naked body deserves the honor of being shared only with someone who is covenanted to never stop loving your naked soul.

Preston Sprinkle, “What is Marriage”

Is marriage the union between two consensual adults—who fall in love and are committed to each other? Or, is marriage the union between two sexually different persons? I would suggest that the Bible says the latter. Marriage is the union between two sexually different persons. It’s not as if marriage is between two people, and oh, by the way, we Christians have always believed that marriage should be between a man and a woman. Even that doesn’t capture the historically Christian view. It’s not as if sex difference (male/female) is an arbitrary add-on to a Christian view of marriage. Rather, sex difference is an essential part of what marriage is. Marriage by definition is the union between two sexually different persons and not simply the union between two humans regardless of sex difference.

Kevin D. Young, The Ten Commandments

The relationship between Christ and the church is a paradigm for the relationship between a husband and a wife. The mystery is that the union of Christ and the church finds expression in a man and a woman becoming one flesh in Christian marriage. God designed for a Christian husband and wife to come together in such a way that this union of Christ and the church can be symbolized.

C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

We use a most unfortunate idiom when we say, of a lustful man prowling the streets, that he ‘wants a woman.’ Strictly speaking, a woman is just what he does not want. He wants a pleasure for which a woman happens to be the necessary piece of apparatus.

Application Questions

1. Why does Scripture celebrate sex, and how does this biblical vision compare to how sex was understood and discussed in your upbringing?

2. How can emotional self-awareness shape a godly vision for sex and intimacy?

3. How can sex, according to God’s vision, be a life-giving and spiritually enriching part of your life this week?

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Scripture Text: Exodus 20:1-13

Scripture Text: Exodus 20:1-12