TEN COMMANDMENTS on SermonAudio

According to popular legend, the frontiersman Daniel Boone first laid eyes on the bluegrass region of central Kentucky on June 7, 1769. To gain this initial sight, Boone and his companions scaled a 700-foot sandstone outcrop called Pilot Knob, which gives a commanding view over the surrounding dense forest. After weeks of traveling over forbidding mountains, fording raging rivers, and narrowly escaping imprisonment by hostile Shawnee warriors, their ascent of this tower-like hill must have given the haggard frontiersmen a sense of relief. The expansive view of what he called "ample plains [and] beauteous tracts below" must have been mingled with hopes for future blessing and security in what would be his new home in subsequent years. Pilot Knob is now a Kentucky state nature preserve, and the summit still provides stunning views of this rugged region, with the addition of (on clear days) the skyline of the city of Lexington 40 miles in the distance. I had this spot, which I had the pleasure of hiking earlier this year, in mind as I was setting the text of Psalm 46 for congregational worship. The language of a "refuge," a "help in trouble," a fortress amid mountains, rivers, and hostile enemies paired in my mind with this lonely outpost where American settlers first found a refuge in the land the natives called a "dark and bloody ground." While not as venerable a setting of Psalm 46 as Luther's EIN FESTE BURG, I hope that the bluegrass inspired PILOT KNOB has helped you engage with this beautiful text from the Scriptures over these past few weeks. —Henry C. Haffner

Grab your Bible and join us from the Savannah Mission Bible Training Center as we study the Baptist Catechism Question 48. The preface to the Ten Commandments ("I am the LORD your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery," Exodus 20:1-2) shows that grace always precedes and grounds obedience. The Exodus story— bondage, Passover lamb, Red Sea deliverance, wilderness journey, and law given at Sinai—is a living parable of salvation in Christ: the Passover points to Christ our sacrificed Lamb, the Red Sea to baptismal union with Him, the wilderness to our pilgrimage of dependence and sanctification, and Sinai to Pentecost where the Spirit writes the law on hearts of flesh. Redeemed from sin's bondage, we are called to grateful obedience—not to earn salvation, but as those bought with a price—living as thankful servants who having the blood of Christ applied walk by faith in the Spirit.

Most people think they know the Ten Commandments, but what if the first four reveal some of the biggest spiritual dangers Christians still face today? Discover how ancient commands expose modern idols, challenge our priorities, and remind us what it truly means to put God first.

Catechism Question 47: What is the sum of the Ten Commandments?, teaches us that the sum of moral law is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Tonight we learn that love is the badge of the true disciple. We are encouraged to walk in love by the power of the One who first loved us.

"Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body." (1 Cor. 11:27-29, NKJV)

This sermon examines the moral trajectory of the United States on its 250th anniversary through the lens of Proverbs 14:34, arguing that national prosperity is inextricably linked to collective righteousness. The preacher contrasts historical cycles of imperial rise and decline with biblical principles, asserting that God judges nations based on their adherence to divine law rather than mere political or economic power. By analyzing contemporary cultural shifts against the Ten Commandments, the text highlights a pervasive moral decay characterized by idolatry, violence, and selfishness. The central message calls for national healing through personal and corporate repentance, echoing Abraham Lincoln's plea for humility before God. Ultimately, the sermon urges the audience to return to biblical faith as the only path to restoring unity and divine favor to the nation.

This sermon examines the fourth commandment as a vital expression of loving God in daily life rather than a mere ceremonial obligation. The preacher argues that the Sabbath is founded on creation and redemption, serving to align the believer's entire week with God's will through a disruptive and recalibrating love. By looking to Jesus Christ as the perfect fulfillment of this law, believers are called to observe the day for worship and service, avoiding both legalism and idleness. The central message emphasizes that consecrating the Sabbath deepens intimacy with God and provides a lasting witness to the world. Ultimately, keeping this commandment reflects a heart centered on Christ and His redemptive work.