​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood                          
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ October 23, 2022)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“Honor Your Parents!”
Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1-4
 
As we continue to make our way through the Ten Commandments, the Ten Words of Exodus chapter 20, we get to reflect this morning on the Fifth Commandment, “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”  These ten commands, spoken by God Himself directly to His people at Mount Sinai, recorded by Moses in his five books of the law, are given to us for our instruction. “All Scripture,” said Paul in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the servant of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”  God’s word is not simply relevant, God’s word is absolutely necessary for growth in grace. 
 
This morning we shift gears as we look into the second table of the Law.  As you know, the Ten Commandments may be divided into two sections, each reinforcing the two greatest commandments.  The first four commands spell out what it means to love the Lord our God: Not to have any other gods before Him; not to make or serve any idols; not to take His name in vain; and, to keep the sabbath day holy.  The last six commands teach us how to love our neighbor as we love ourselves: To honor our fathers and mothers; not to murder, not to commit adultery, not to steal, not to bear false witness, not to covet anything belonging to our neighbor.
 
Standing at the head of this second section, the commandment to honor our parents.  The reason the Fifth Commandment comes at the head of this second section is that it’s foundational to keeping all that follow.  If we truly honor our parents, we will not disgrace their name by becoming a murderer, by being unfaithful to our marriage vows, by stealing, by lying, or by the greed and discontent underlying covetousness.
 
The Fifth Commandment also works back toward the first four, which means right relation with our fellow humans flows out of right relationship with our God.  Two things that I would like to highlight this morning:
 
First: Honoring Parents is a Foundation of Life
“Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”  Honoring parents is a foundation of life.  The Fifth Commandment is a command to respect, to revere, to obey, and when necessary to care for our parents.
 
The Hebrew word translated “honor” here is kaved; kaved carries the idea of weightiness, so we are to give weight to our parents.  We might say it like this, “You should give your parents a ton of respect!”  This is the duty of every child and it sets the pattern for how that child will relate to every other authority structure in life.  Scripture teaches us that we are born in sin and in our sin we will be automatic rebels against not only the authority of our parents but of God as well.  Parenthood is given by God to prepare the hearts of the little ones to honor God.  Late 4th century theologian, Augustine of Hippo, once asked rhetorically: “If anyone fails to honor his parents, is there anyone he will spare?”
 
The rise and fall of any civilization, the flourishing or diminishing of any culture, the establishment or destruction of any nation begin with the family.  Therefore, it is totally appropriate that in one of His 10 bedrock commands God would address the centrality of the family.  No wonder that the enemy targets the family today.  The state is not the target, rather, it’s the family.  Family matters.  Family is a foundation of life.
 
Second: Those who Obey will be Blessed
There is a promise attached to this command.  “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”  In Ephesians 6:2-3, Paul refers to this command as he says, “Honor your father and mother”—this is the first commandment with a promise — “so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”
The question I often gets asked regarding the Fifth Commandment is if longevity is God’s promise for those who obey the command, does that mean those who die young didn’t honor their parents?  Absolutely not.  Some of the wonderful people who died young had faithfully honored their parents.  We have to understand that the promises of the Old Covenant were physical and materialistic in nature, but the promises of the New Covenant are spiritual.  Therefore, as believers today, when we obey God’s commands, we are promised life eternal.  So instead of looking for a few extra years to be added to our lives here on earth, we look for life eternal.
 
Friends, the Fifth Commandment says so much to our modern culture.  It speaks in such a profound way to the dynamics of community, whether this is the community of the small family, the extended family, Church family, or society as a whole.
 
This is a timely message because we live in a culture that doesn’t have a high regard for old age.  There are other cultures where seniority and eldership mean something. These things mean less in our day and age. Family is under assault. Parental authority is disregarded.  The wisdom of seniors is overlooked. So here comes the Fifth Command to call us to a new way to do life.  That’s why I said earlier, God’s word is not simply relevant, God’s word is absolutely necessary for this journey we call life.  Our true life is found in obeying God’s commands.  Our peace, joy, and fulfilment are found in following God’s way.  “Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end.  Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart.  Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight” Psalm 119:33-35.  In the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen! 

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood                          
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ October 16, 2022)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“A Sabbath: Rest for the People of God!”
Exodus 20:8-11; Hebrews 4:1-5
 
Over the past few Sundays, we’ve been looking at and reflecting on the Ten Commandments.  This morning we get the chance to reflect on the Fourth Commandment.  What could a moral law that was given over three thousand years ago teach us today?  I think you will agree with me when I say that the Ten Commandments are loaded with so many valuable and timeless lessons that we all need today.  This truth is stemmed from that fact that the One who gave the law to His people on Mount Sinai is the Maker and the Creator of humanity.  God knows us inside out.  He knows what we need, and He is aware of our challenges.  He has also given us the tools to overcome the world.
 
In the 1st commandment, God tells us who to worship.  The 2nd commandment tells us how to worship God.  The 3rd commandment tells us we are to worship God sincerely.  The 4th commandment tells us that we are to worship God regularly and to intentionally set a time to commune with our creator.  “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work.  But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work” Exodus 20:8-10.
 
Before we dive into the meaning and some applications of the Fourth Commandment, I want you to know that the Ten Commandments are not rules handed out by a control freak who loves to boss people around.  These commands are direction given by a loving Father, pointing us to greater and deeper joy and fulfilment.  These commands guide us to joy by revealing the character and nature of God as well as showing us how we can express the love that we have for the One who first loved us.  The commands are directions to joy from a loving Father.  The more we know of God’s goodness and perfection the more joyous it is to live as one of His children and under His sovereign rule.
 
“Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work.  But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work.”  We live in a world in which there is no rest and life seems nonstop, so it is especially important for Christians to reclaim this principle of the Sabbath. In fact, this was a way God’s people stood out from the world around them.  So, what is the rationale behind the Fourth Commandment?  How does the Fourth Commandment speak to us today?
 
First: The Sabbath is a Day of Rest and Delight in the Lord
God’s intention of the Sabbath was to be a day of rest and delight in Him.  The Sabbath, the day of rest, as God intends it, is far more than chilling on the couch doing nothing.  I am sure we are entailed to some of that in our day of rest, but it goes beyond that.  It meant to be a day of worship and reflection – it’s a sabbath to the Lord.  During this day, Israel was to remember and delight in God’s creative and redemptive work on their behalf so do we.  It was meant to be a day to renew our faith and trust in the Lord.
 
The Sabbath was a day of rest designed to help Israel learn to pattern their lives after the God who had given them life.  Listen to these words in Exodus 20:11 “For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”  The principle that we are being taught here from this commandment and explanation is that we are to pattern our lives after God; to value what God values and to keep holy what He keeps holy.
 
Second: The Sabbath is a Day of Rest Pointing to a Greater Rest
The New Testament highlights another reason for keeping the Sabbath holy.  The Sabbath is supposed to be a day of rest that pointed to a greater future rest.  There is an eschatological dimension to the Sabbath here.  Hebrews chapter 4 speaks so clearly about this.  While we can enjoy today the gospel rest, we look forward to our future rest.
 
The Sabbath rest is a day in which we look forward to and when we can enjoy all that God has done in Christ for us.  Right now, we are enjoying partly what Christ has done for us, not fully. We have to drop off these bodies to be in the presence of God and experience the fullness of it. What we enjoy today is just a shadow of what’s to come.  Colossians 2:17 says, “Things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.”
 
Listen to these words from Hebrews 4:8-11, “For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.  There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.  Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.”
 
Friends, let’s remember the Sabbath day and let’s keep it holy.  Brothers and sisters, in six days we shall do all our work.  Do it faithfully and as unto the Lord. But the first day of the week is the Lord’s Day.  It is a day for rest and for worship. It is not a day for ordinary work or for worldly recreation.  With the exception of acts of necessity and mercy, it is to be a day filled with a special kind of activity.  It is a day for remembering our redemption in Christ Jesus.  It is a day for fellowship amongst believers. Friends, the Sabbath was not made for God but for us!  It’s for our sake.  It is a gift to us, for in it we have the opportunity to draw near to God, our Creator and Redeemer, and to center and re-center our lives upon Him. I pray that it is a day that you long for and rejoice when it is here. I pray that we would learn to keep it more and more, to God’s glory, and for our good, as we wait for the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and our eternal inheritance in Him. In the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen! 

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood                          
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ October 9, 2022)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“Take God Seriously!”
Exodus 20:7; Philippians 2:8-11
 
A local congregation wanted to encourage its members to be mindful to and obey the Third Commandment so they put a board upfront that displayed the message, “Keep using my name in vain, I will make the rush hour longer” … God.”  I came to Christ at the age of sixteen during a youth retreat.  Although I had heard the gospel several times, was raised by Godly Christian parents, yet something clicked on that day and I knew that I needed to repent and confess my faith in Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior.  In the same retreat, two of my best friends accepted Christ as well.
 
One of the first obvious changes that occurred in my life was a strong desire to clean up my language.  So, the three of us, my two friends and I, decided to hold each other accountable and watch our language so that we can witness to the rest of our group.  The deal was whenever we hear one of us using curse words, we would correct him by punching them in the arm whenever they cussed. 
 
We were brand new to the faith and we thought this is how we show that a change has happened in our lives.  As we consider the Third Commandment this morning, as you can tell, it is related to our language, but it goes much deeper than using curse or swear words.  The Third Commandment calls us to think, speak, and act in ways that are consistent with our profession of faith. 
 
This is part number three in our Fall Sermon Series, The Ten Commandments for Today.  The last couple Sundays, we had the chance to reflect on the first two commandments and this morning we get to reflect on the third.  The Third Commandment is found in the book of Exodus 20:7, “You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.”  This commandment calls us to take God seriously.  Two things I would like to underscore this morning:
 
First: The Name of God Matters
Names matter to everyone. Names reflect our character.  It is for this reason we protect our name from being misrepresented.  We do not want a poor reputation to be attached to our name.  We take pride in the preservation of our name.  In fact, so much about who we are is wrapped up in our name. And, if our own name is such a big deal, then God’s name matters all the more.
 
In the First Commandment, we are forbidden from worshipping false gods.  In the Second Commandment, we are forbidden from worshipping the One true God in a false manner.  In the Third Commandment, we are called to honor the name of God.
 
The Third Commandment comes back to make us mindful again of “who” we worship. The God whom we worship is holy; He is one-of-a kind; He is unique; He is like no other and He ought to be treated as such.  Not only in our speech, but in all of our actions.  “You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.” 
 
The Third Commandment reminds us of our responsibility to treat our God as holy.  The spirit of this commandment is seen in the very first petition of the Lord’s Prayer.  “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name.”  Speaking of the sacredness of that name, in Philippians 2:10-11 the apostle Paul says that at the name of Jesus “every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  This commandment is about taking our faith seriously.  It’s about honoring the name that we have been called by.  It’s a warning against misusing the name of the Lord.  The name of God matters.
 
Second: How Do we Misuse God’s Name?
But you may ask: How do we misuse or dishonor God’s name today?  There are several ways we can misuse the name of God. We can misuse God’s name with our words.  When we speak irreverently about God, we misuse God’s name.  When we curse, we dishonor God’s name.  When we don’t speak truth, we are taking God’s name in vain.
 
Yet, I think the problem is even deeper than that.  We can also misuse God’s name with our actions.  Titus 1:16 speaks of those who “claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.”  When we call ourselves “Christians” but live an ungodly lifestyle, we misuse God’s name.  When we honor God with our lips but not with our hearts, we are misusing His name.  If we bear the name “Christian”, how should that influence our daily behavior in the world? When you call yourself a Christian, you carry the reputation of Christ with you wherever you go, you carry the aroma of Christ.  If we are not living in a way that brings glory to God, then we carry the name of Christ in vain. 
 
Friends, may we never take the name of the Lord lightly.  “You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.”  God’s name demands our reverence in thought, word, and deed.  When Moses asked God about His name in Exodus 3, God said to Moses in Exodus 3:14, “I am who I am.  This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”  The name “I am” here is “Yahweh.” In the 6th century BC, the Jews ceased to use the name Yahweh because God’s name was too sacred to be uttered.  It was thus replaced vocally in worship by the Hebrew word, “Adonai” which means “Lord.”  Church, the more we get to know who our God is and what He has done, the more we glorify, adore, and honor His name.  The reality of our redemption fills us with humility and gratitude and ought to drive us to the throne of grace in heartfelt adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication! Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty; who was, and is, and is to come.  In the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen! 

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood                          
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ October 2, 2022)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“A God Like No Other!”
Exodus 20:1-6
 
Today we continue our sermon series on the Ten Commandments.  Last week, we had the chance to reflect on the First Commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me.”  As I pointed out last week, while we aren’t in much danger of worshipping literal gods or idols these days, yet we all have our false gods.  Our false gods are whatever our hearts cling to for purpose, meaning, security, and peace.  Those false gods could be our careers, money, sports, success, family, entertainment, materialism and many more.  The truth is, no matter what it is, they never truly satisfy us. No matter how hard we work and give our lives to them, they always leaving us exhausted and empty.  On the other hand, the Biblical God is always there for us.  If we cling to this God, turn to this God for our purpose, meaning, security, peace, we will not be disappointed.
 
This morning, we turn to the Second Commandment.  “You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth.  You shall not bow down to them or serve them” says the Lord in Exodus 20:4-5.  As you can see, the first two commandments are closely related.  Both of them address the subject of worship.  They are similar, but there is an important difference. The First Commandment deals with whom we worship, while the Second Commandment deals with how we worship.  The First Commandment forbids worshiping a false god.  The Second Commandment forbids worshiping the true God in a false manner.
 
So, what is at stake this morning?  What’s at the heart of the Second Commandment?  Why did God forbid His people from making images of their God?  We have to know that all the nations among Israel had representations of their gods in the form of images, statues, and memorials.  Yet, because the God of Israel, Yahweh,          is a God like no other, He wanted to teach His people two profound things:
 
First: God is Bigger than any Image
At the heart of the Second Commandment is the truth that God is bigger than any image or representation we might make or have for Him.  Nothing in heaven above, nothing that’s on the earth beneath, nothing is in the water underneath is like Him.  This truth is fairly straightforward.  God is basically telling His people and us He is bigger than any image.  He is beyond any human perception.  He is a God like no other.  We read these words in Exodus 15:11, “Who is like you among the gods, LORD?  Who is like you majestic in holiness, awesome in splendor, and working wonders.”
 
There is a parallel passage in Deuteronomy 4:15 where the Lord says, “Since you saw no form when the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire, watch yourselves carefully.”  The point here is that since we didn’t see God at Mount Sinai, Mount Horeb, therefore we don’t make an image of Him.  Any human image will fall short of describing the one true God.
                                                     
In Exodus chapter 32, we find one of the most fascinating yet sad stories.  It’s the story of making the golden calf.  Moses was up on the mountain and the people of Israel pressured his brother Aaron to make them an image of the God of Israel.  They must’ve liked the bull god, Apis, of ancient Egypt, so Aaron made them one.  Aaron was attempting to visually represent God.  They wanted a god like the nations around them had, they wanted a god they could see, and touch and smell.  Yet, God wanted to teach His people that He is present even when we cannot see Him; He is almighty even when we don’t get to see Him in action.  He is not contained to a place, and He is not limited to a human perception.  God is bigger than any image.
 
Second: Christ is the Only Full and Complete Portrait of God
The second profound truth we get to encounter as we reflect on the Second Commandment is that the only full and complete portrait of God is found in Christ.  Hebrews 1:3 states that the “Son is the brightness of God’s glory and the express image of His person.”  Christ is the exact representation of God’s being.  In John 14:9, Jesus said to Philip, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”
 
Our God is a self-disclosure God.  He is a self-revelation God.  He has chosen to reveal and disclose Himself in His Word, the written word, the Bible, and the incarnate word, Jesus Christ.  This truth should dominate our conception of Him, not our experiences, not our innovations, not our imaginations, not our opinions, not our representations.
 
Friends, we live in a culture where everyone feels they have the right to define and to picture God anyway they want.  The Second Commandment reminds us this morning that our God is a self- disclosure, a self- revelation God.  Often times, I hear people say, “Well I don’t really like to think about God that way. I like to think about God another way.”  And to this, God says, “No you can’t picture me any way you want to picture me. You have to think about me the way I have told you I am in my word and my son.”
 
Our own images of God distort the true image of the God of Scriptures.  The images of our imaginations distort the true image of God.  Our pre-conceived notions distort the true image of God.  It’s not our right to come with scissors and cut and paste and take out the things that we don’t like in the word of God about God.  Friends, our understanding of the God of the Scriptures matters.  In a world of false images, we have been given a true image of God; an image we are made to reflect in our own lives every day.  May it be so.  In the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen!