​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood                          
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (First Sunday in Advent ~ November 27, 2022)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“Coveting or True and Lasting Hope?”             
Exodus 20:17; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
 
Today marks the first Sunday of Advent, the season in which we wait and prepare ourselves to celebrate the birth of Christ.  “Hope” is the theme for this First Sunday in Advent.  In other words, Advent invites us to live in hope; to hold onto our hope and eventually to be a people of hope. 
 
It’s so sad to see how our culture has commercialized and secularized this time of the year, so instead of preparing our hearts to celebrate the gift of Jesus, we keep ourselves busy with everything but what prepares our hearts to celebrate the God who appeared in flesh.
 
It happened that the First Sunday in Advent is also the Sunday we are wrapping up our sermon series on the Ten Commandments, a series that we started back in September.  We have worked our way through each of the commandments, seeing how each one applies to us today, and this morning we come to the tenth and final commandment, “You shall not covet.” 
 
I find it fascinating that on this very first Sunday in our Advent journey God is calling us to stop coveting and start hoping for what is true, what is lasting, what is pure and what is right.  “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female slave, ox, donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor,” said the Lord God in Exodus 20:17.  Two observations as we reflect on the Tenth Commandment, and as we enter together this Season of Advent:
 
First: Guard Your Heart against Coveting
The Tenth Commandment calls us to control our desires, our wants.  One of our problems as human beings is that we are constantly craving for more.  No matter how much we have, it is never enough. As soon as you reach one level, you are eager for the next.  In the Book of Ecclesiastes 5:10, the Lord said, “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.  This too is meaningless.”
 
It's true that the Tenth Commandment prohibits us from desiring what rightfully belongs to someone else whether this is a house or a land, a neighbor’s wife or a neighbor’s servant.  It gets very specific; you shall not desire anything that belongs to your neighbor.  But it also means you shall not desire something excessively.  In fact, the Hebrew word translated “covet” here means “to desire excessively, to long for or lust after something.  The command “You shall not covet” therefore means not only that you shall not desire something that belongs to someone else, but you shall not desire something excessively either.  In Psalm 73, the psalmist says, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.”
 
Second: A Covetous Heart will Never Be Satisfied
As I mentioned, a covetous person is constantly craving for more.  But the real tragedy is their heart will never be satisfied.  They are always dissatisfied with life.  How can you be happy if you are always wanting more?  Psalm 112:10, reminds us “The longings of the wicked will come to nothing.” 
 
It was saint Augustine of Hippo who said, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”  The thirst for God in the human heart is only quenched by Christ’s dwelling in our hearts.  Every human heart yearns for this authentic joy and satisfaction and these are found only in God.   
 
Friends, Advent comes to challenge us to examine our hearts.  Are we coveting more of the things of this world or holding onto the true and lasting hope of our God?  Today we are encouraged to remember the hope we have in Christ.  Romans 5:5 states that our hope in Christ doesn’t put us to shame.  The apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:16 saying, “So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.”  In hope, our lives will be renewed.
 
The Tenth Commandment teaches us to consider our internal desires. What are they driving us to think about and prioritize?  Are we endlessly craving the success and goods of others? Or do they lead us to a quiet contentment in the blessings of communion with Christ?  The antidote to a covetous heart is finding in Christ a superior satisfaction. Then, from a place of personal contentment, we can rejoice in the blessings God pours out upon our neighbors.  Each Advent we have the opportunity renew a vow: to wait for our God and to place our hope in Him.  To vow to work, to be the Christ’s light for our neighbor, and to make our world a better place and as we follow the way of Christ, we shine Christ’s light into the darkness.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood                          
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ November 20, 2022)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“Speak Truth When It Matters Most!”
Exodus 20:16; Colossians 3:1-10
 
We are nearing the end of our series on the Ten Commandments for Today, and today we come to the ninth commandment, which has to do with lying and giving a false testimony.  “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor,” said the Lord God in Exodus 20:16.  There is a story in 1 Kings chapter 21 that captures the meaning of the Nineth Commandment in such a profound yet a sad way.  The story involves Israel’s King, Ahab, and his wife, Queen Jezebel.  King Ahab wanted to buy the vineyard of a man named Naboth.  The property was right next to the King’s Palace.  Naboth wouldn’t do it because the property was part of his family’s ancient inheritance for generations.  Land had great importance to the people of Israel.  Jezebel heard about this and basically told Ahab, “I got this one.  No worries.  You will get it your majesty!”
 
Jezebel wrote letters to some men in the city in king’s name.  She asked two to host a feast.  At the feast accuse Naboth of cursing God and the king, which he never did.  Both capital crimes.  They did it.  As soon as it happened, Naboth was sentenced to death.  They went out and stoned Naboth to death.  This injustice was a direct violation of the 9th Commandment.
 
The story of Naboth doesn’t end there, and this is really important.  The sin of giving a false witness did not go unpunished.  What happened next to Ahab was that “the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite,” the great prophet in Israel.  In 1 Kings 21:17, He prophesied that “dogs shall lick the blood” of Ahab in the same spot where Naboth died. And “the dogs shall eat Jezebel within the walls of Jezreel” (21:23).  A few years later Ahab would die in battle and his blood would be found on the exact spot of Naboth’s death (22:37–40).  And then Jezebel herself would be thrown over the walls of Jezreel and die from it. The dogs ate her blood on that very spot (2 Kings 9:30-37).
 
The point of this is that no one gets away with intentional, malicious injustice.  God is a heavenly judge who always does right.  Part of doing right is judging the world with perfect “righteousness” and “equity” as Psalm 98:9 reminds us.  It’s true that God’s sense of justice doesn’t always look like we want it to.  But He never fails.
 
“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”  There’s a good chance that some of us have been the victim of people bearing false witness against us, maybe even in such a way that we experienced financial or legal troubles.  Or at least relational ones.  Two observations as we reflect on the Nineth Commandment this morning:
 
First: Speak Truth No Matter What
The 9th Commandment calls us to speak truth no matter what.  The false witnesses in King Ahab’s court failed to speak truth.  “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”  The command prohibits false witness in any formal and informal settings.  It prohibits bearing false witness in a courtroom as well as a casual conversation, a tweet, a Facebook post, Instagram, a text message, or e-mail note.  These rumors, gossip, and slander are as destructive as bearing a false witness in a courtroom.
 
The New Testament adds a positive application of this commandment and that’s speaking truth in love.  In Ephesians 4:15, Paul writes about “speaking the truth in love.”  It has been said that love without truth is hypocrisy, but truth without love is brutality.  God doesn’t want you running around telling someone how ugly their dress is, or that you hated the gift they gave you, or what a lousy solo they sang.  We must always speak the truth, but we must balance the truth with love and grace.
 
Second: Speaking Truth is an Evidence of the Lordship of Christ
Our liturgical calendar marks this Sunday as, “Christ the King Sunday.”  I find it fascinating that Jesus stresses absolute truthfulness as evidence of our recognition of His Lordship.  This is what Jesus says in Matthew 5:33-37, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.  And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.  All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”
 
As you notice here, Jesus only has two categories of speech.  Speech either reflects the Lordship of Christ or it reflects the dominion of the evil one.  Your speech either reflects your submission to the Lordship of Christ or it reflects the influence of Satan.  It’s that simple. All speech falls into one of those two categories.  It’s that black or white.  Speaking truth in love is an evidence of the Lordship of Christ who is the Lord of our tongues and hearts.
 
Friends, our testimony of truth telling is a crucial part of Christian witness.  Do we have a reputation of speaking truthfully to and about others?  As Christians we should have an appreciation for the truth because of our union with Christ.  Therefore, may we never entertain any gossip.  May we never slander others.  How can we avoid the sin of bearing false witness?  How can we overcome it?  The passage from Colossians 3 tells us we need to do some deep cleaning.  We need to clothe ourselves with the new self.  Get your heart right with God. That’s where the trouble always starts – down inside.  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 (Stewardship Sunday ~ November 13, 2022)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“You Shall Not Steal!”
Exodus 20:15; Malachi 3:6-12
 
We are continuing our study in the 10 Commandments today with the Eighth Commandment. “You shall not steal,” said the Lord God in Exodus 20:15. The Ten Commandments have an amazing ability to instruct us in all areas of life.  They cover ethical categories that span so much of our day-to-day existence. God knows that we need help understanding how to live as His people in the world.  The Law, the Ten Commandments, is one expression of God’s amazing love and grace to His people.
 
Jesus said that all the law can be summed up in two commandments: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Love your neighbor as yourself.  The two tables of the Law given in Sinai breaks down these two great commandments. The first four commands help us to love and worship God as we ought.  Commands 5-10 help us to know how to love our neighbor as we ought.
 
As we look at the Eighth Commandment, “You shall not steal,” you will notice that it doesn’t say what you won’t steal; it doesn’t say when you won’t steal; it doesn’t say from whom you won’t steal; and it doesn’t say why.  It is a generic command.  And the reason that it doesn’t tell what, when, from whom, or why you shouldn’t steal is because it intends to enforce this: you won’t steal anything from anyone at any time for any reason.  It’s a comprehensive command.  
 
As is the case with all the other commandments, this is a multi-layer command.  “לא תגנוב” ~ “Lo Tegnov” in Hebrew. “You shall not steal.”  Why?  What’s wrong with stealing?  Let me offer two ways the 8th commandment can be applied to our lives today:
 
First: Stealing is a Sin against God’s Providence
Stealing is basically a sin against God’s providence.  The teaching of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation indicates that because believers trust in the providence of God, and trust in God’s kind provision for us in all things, therefore we will refuse to take what is not ours from others.  We won’t take persons who don’t belong to us; we won’t take money that doesn’t belong to us; we won’t take goods; we won’t take land that doesn’t belong to us; and we won’t take the fruit of the other’s labor.  Stealing is a sign that we don’t trust that God will provide for us.  Stealing is a sin against God’s providence.
 
The question that could be racing in your mind now is: how do we break this commandment today?  What are some of the different ways that we all steal? A recent nation-wide survey showed that Americans are growing more “spiritual” and less moral.  And this is never more evident than when it comes to the sin of stealing.  Although everyone acknowledges that direct theft is wrong, many people do not see anything wrong with more subtle types of stealing.
 
Young people steal when they cheat in school.  They steal the ideas and the hard work of others.  Employers steal when they don’t pay their employees fair wages.  Employees steal when they don’t work hard enough and when they waste their time while at work.  Some people steal by refusing to work for a living.  This is stealing from society.  People steal through rip-offs and false measures.  We steal when we spread gossip and rumors.  Proverbs 22:1 says, “A good name is more desirable than great riches.”  When we slander a person, we are basically stealing their good reputation, which is something of great value. Stealing is a sin against God’s provision.
 
Second: Stewardship and the Eighth Commandment
The Scripture underscores another way we can relate this to our lives today.  It has to do with us robbing God.  Have you ever thought about the fact that you can rob God?  Malachi chapter 3 speaks about robbing God by failing to offer to God our tithes and offerings.  In Malachi 3:8, the Lord says, “Will anyone rob God?  Yet you are robbing me!  But you say, “How are we robbing you?”  In your tithes and offerings!”  We owe God the first portion of our pay, and when we do not give God His due, we are robbing God. 
 
But robbing God is far more than just financial.  We can also rob God by stealing time from God.  When we fail to spend time with God, we rob God.  When we fail to keep the Sabbath holy and miss the fellowship of believers, we are stealing time from God.  When we fail to use our time wisely, we rob God.  We can also rob God of His due by living for self instead of for God.  As believers, we are called to live a God-centered life, to live for the glory of our Redeemer.  When we fail to live as good stewards, we rob God.  Stewardship means that everything we have actually belongs to God.  We have a borrowed life from God living on borrowed time from God. Therefore we are to make the most out of this life. 
 
Friends, we all have broken the Eighth Commandment one way or another.  How many times we doubted God’s providence and decided to take detours to reach our destination?  How often do we rob God when we fail to surrender to Him our resources, our time, our energy and ourselves?  We have certainly robbed God of His due.  But the good news today is that God is not done with us.  Regardless of our ultimate failure to walk in His ways and to obey His commands, God is giving us another chance today to get it right.  He is calling us to bring the full tithe into the storehouse and experience His overflowing blessings.  God wants to set us free from a self-centered life, from materialism, and from chasing after the wind as we center our lives upon the Lord and His will. “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free,” Jesus said in John 8:32.  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 ~ November 6, 2022)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“A Call to Faithfulness!”
Exodus 20:14; James 4:4-6
 
We are almost two-thirds though our Fall Sermon series, a series that I titled, “The Ten Commandments for Today!”  This is a series that calls us to examine our hearts, search our lives, and reflect on our discipleship and spirituality.
 
As I pointed out a few weeks ago, the Ten Commandments are Godly rules given for our good and freedom.  The Ten Commandments are big, bold, bright signs guiding us away from the regions of darkness and death, and toward the upland plains of light and life in Christ. 
 
The problem is, in our sin, we hate being told what to do.  We think we know better.  We look at things and stuff that cannot make our lives better, and we think, “That would make my life great.”  This is true of us both individually and collectively. Even more tragic, you would think that we learn from our past mistakes, but the truth is, we keep stepping on the same landmines over and over and over again.  Every generation tends to think, “The people before us were primitive.  They were not very smart.  We’re smarter now.”  Which proves we’re not any smarter.  Well, look at the misery, brokenness, and the moral bankruptcy of our world to see how smart we’ve become.
 
So, if we truly look at the Ten Commandments with some openness, we will find out that God, by His grace, wants to help us to live and enjoy life to the brim and at the same time, bring glory and honor to His name.  This morning, we get to reflect on the Seventh Commandment, “You shall not commit adultery.”  Two observations as we reflect on the Seventh Commandment this Communion Sunday:
 
First: Faithfulness Matters
The first thing the Seventh Command underscores is faithfulness matters.  Family is at the heart of the Seventh Commandment.  In addressing family and the institution of marriage in this command, the Lord highlights the importance of a healthy relationship between a man and a woman for the stability of any society and civilization past, present, and future. 
 
The Seventh Commandment calls us to a life of faithfulness in a culture that keeps attacking and undermining the institution of marriage, its definition, importance, and implications.  Our present culture is a mess.  One reason married people take vows is that temptations to unfaithfulness do come our way.  In marriage, a man and a woman make their vows before God the whole world to remain faithful to each other, stay true to each other as long as both shall live.
 
But do we stay true to our vows?  Outwardly, maybe — even hopefully.  But if outward behavior alone is the only way to examine our faithfulness, then we might pat ourselves on the back.  That’s why Jesus once more deepens and intensifies the meaning of commitment and faithfulness as He says in Matthew 5:28, “You’ve heard it was said, you shall not commit adultery, but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”  Who of us has stayed true at that deeper level?  You shall not commit adultery.  Faithfulness matters.
 
Second: Let’s Beware of the Spiritual Affair of the Heart
The reading from James chapter 4 warns us against spiritual adultery, against the spiritual affair of the heart.  James 4:4 states, “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God?”  We don’t often think of our unfaithfulness to God as “adultery” per se. But let’s call things as God calls them.
 
James is picking up here a familiar theme from the Old Testament, that God is the husband and His people are His wife.  They are in a covenant relationship.  For example, Isaiah 54:5 states, “For your husband is your Maker, whose name is the Lord of hosts.”  There are many passages in the Old Testament where God accuses Israel of spiritual adultery because of their unfaithfulness to His covenant love (see Isa. 1:21; 50:1; 57:3; Jer. 3:1-20; 13:27; Ezek. 16:35-39; 23:1-49).
 
Perhaps the most moving text of all is when God commanded the prophet Hosea to marry the prostitute Gomer (Hosea 1-3).  After bearing him children, she was unfaithful to him again.  In spite of her adultery, Hosea continued to support her, to love and to pursue her.  He remained faithful to his covenant.  Eventually, Gomer ended up on the slave market, totally degraded.  God commanded Hosea to go and buy back his errant wife out of slavery and restore her as his wife!  What a picture of God’s love for His wayward people!
 
The New Testament picks up the theme of God as our husband when Paul says that the marriage relationship is an earthly picture of Christ and the church (2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:22-33; Rev. 19, 21).  Christ is our bridegroom, and we are His bride.  This means that when we turn away from Christ and embrace the world, we are sinning against His great love that bought us out of the slave market of sin. 
 
Friends, the Seventh Commandment is a call to a life of faithfulness to both our spouse and also our God.  The truth of the matter is that we all stumble in many ways.  It’s also true that God demands absolute fidelity which sometimes seems impossible.  That’s why James says in James 4:6 that God gives us greater grace than we need.  When we stumble, God’s grace meets us right there.  But we have to understand that God does not give grace to the proud, self-reliant, or self-righteous person. He opposes the proud.  Rather, God gives grace to the humble, who admit that they are empty and ask God to fill them.  As Psalm 107:9 puts it, “For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”  So if you have drifted from God into any form of spiritual adultery, may we never forget James’ words, “He gives a greater grace.”  It is grace greater than all of our sins and trials.  That grace draws us to the Lord Jesus Himself as our all in all.  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 30, 2022)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“You Shall Not Murder!”
Exodus 20:13; Matthew 5:21-26
 
As we continue our sermon series reflecting on the Ten Commandments, we come this morning to the sixth commandment.   The sixth commandment is found in Exodus 20:13, “You shall not murder,” said the Lord to the people of Israel.  As you see, that is a really short commandment.  In English it’s four words, but in the original language, in Hebrew, it’s only two words, Lo ratsakh (רצח), which pretty much translate to “no murder.”  It cannot get any clearer than that.  Although it’s a short command, it speaks in such a profound way to our culture today; a culture that is marked by hostility and violence; a culture that definitely has lost its way.
 
At first glance, it looks like that’s the easiest one to keep.  Not only that, but it also seems that everyone is on agreement regarding the sixth commandment.  Taking someone’s life is universally assumed to be wrong in all cultures.  You could probably go out and talk with anyone here in Blackwood, and 100 out of 100 would agree that murder is wrong.  If you asked them why, they would probably say something like, “It’s just not right.” “Why not?” “Well, it’s not a very nice thing to do. We should treat each other like we want to be treated.”  That’s true.
 
Some people might even go a bit further and say, “If our society is really to function—if we’re to feel safe and flourish as human beings—we can’t just go around killing each other willy-nilly. We have to be protected from that.”  So when it comes down to it, most people would defend the rightness of this commandment by some form of utilitarian ethics.  Everyone, even people who don’t believe in God, can agree that killing people is bad. 
 
So as we reflect on the sixth commandment this morning, I would like to underscore two observations.  My first observation has to do with the value and sacredness of life and my second will look at how Jesus in the New Testament deepened and transformed this commandment.
 
First: The Value and Sacredness of Life
Have you ever wondered why murder is wrong?  As I pointed out, while everyone around us may agree that murder is wrong, as Christians, we should have a deeper understanding of the problem.  For us, there is an inherent worth and dignity of every human life and that is the foundation for keeping the sixth commandment.  Life is valuable.  Life is sacred.
 
This is what the Lord God said in Genesis 9:6, “Whoever sheds the blood of a human, by a human shall that person’s blood be shed, for in his own image God made humans.”  It’s because all humans are made in the image of God, taking someone’s life is wrong.  No matter their race or ethnicity, born or unborn, healthy or sick, young or old.  It doesn’t matter how they vote, agree or disagree with us, every person on the face of this earth has inherent worth and dignity, since they are created in the image of God.  Only with Biblical anthropology can the commandment to not murder be based on something deeper than utilitarianism. The sixth commandment is about valuing, honoring, and respecting life.
 
Second: Jesus Deepens our Understanding of this Commandment
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus deepened our understanding of the sixth commandment.  This is what Jesus says in Matthew 6:21-22, “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment, and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council, and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire.”
 
In these verses, Jesus intensifies the meaning of the commandment.  He deepens our understanding of the sixth commandment.  He challenges us to examine and repent of the conditions in our hearts that incline us toward violence—things like anger, resentment, jealousy, fear, insecurity—even if we would never physically harm someone, much less take their lives.  Spiritually speaking, Jesus tells us, these “lesser” sins are as deadly serious, even if we never lay a hand on another person.
 
Jesus isn’t changing the commandment.  He is really just getting to the heart of what it truly means.  When reflecting on this sixth commandment, Reformer John Calvin said that it would be ridiculous to imagine that God, who looks upon the thoughts of our hearts, would “instruct only the body in true righteousness”—as if murder were simply something we do with our hands. No, he says.  The law forbids “murder of the heart.”
 
Friends, do any of us ever commit “murder of the heart”?  I bet we all have.  The very first murder in the Bible happens between the grown children of Adam and Eve when Cain slays his younger brother Abel.  Before Cain commits the deed, God warns him to be careful: “Sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.”
 
Brothers and sisters, sin is constantly lurking at the door of hearts, and we must master it--and not let sin master us!  The sin of worshipping false gods is constantly lurking at the door of hearts.  The sin of loving the things of this world more than loving God is constantly lurking at the door of hearts.  The sin of living a self-centered life rather than a Christ-centered life is constantly lurking at the door of hearts.  The sin of embracing a cheap grace rather than being willing to live the costly grace is constantly lurking at the door of hearts.  We can’t play around with sin!  Unless we deal with these sinful desires and feelings, they will prevent us from being the people God has called us to be. 
 
May our thoughts, words, and actions bring life and lead those around us to life eternal in Christ.  Eliphaz, one of Job’s friends, once said to him, “You have instructed many; you have strengthened the weak hands.  Your words have supported those who were stumbling, and you have made firm the feeble knees” Job 4:3-4.  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 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! 

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood                          
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ September 25, 2022)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“No other Gods!”
Exodus 20:1-3; Revelation 4:8-11
 
This morning we continue our 10-week sermon series reflecting on the Ten Commandments.  “The Ten Commandments for Today,” is the title that I’ve given to this series of messages.  Why did God give the Law?  Why do we need to reflect on it today?  I truly believe it’s extremely important to take some time today to study the Ten Commandments because it’s God’s moral law.  Last week I offered three reasons why the Law was given. (1) The Law reveals the holiness of God.  (2) The Law reveals the wickedness of the human heart.  (3) The Law reveals our need for God’s grace. 
 
Before we dive into the first commandment this morning and explore what God has for us, I want to offer a couple introductory observations.  First: in the Hebrew Bible, these laws are called the aseret ha’devarim, the “Ten Words” as we see in Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 4:13 and 10:4.  The Bible calls the “Ten Commandments” the “Ten Words.”  It’s true that they enshrine commandments, but they also contain a word of promise and grace, a word of mercy and compassion.
 
The second introductory observation is the foundation upon which God claims His authority to give His people the Law.  Listen to these words in Exodus 20:1-2, “Then God spoke all these words, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”  This is a double claim: a claim by creation and a claim by salvation, “I am the LORD “Yahweh” your God “Elohim.” Yahweh” is a name that signifies sovereignty and “Elohim” is a name that signifies God’s majesty and power and points back to creation where God created the world.  But there is another claim here, claim by salvation. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”  God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt.  He has also delivered us from slavery to sin.
 
Having laid down the foundation, God being the Creator and the Savior of Israel, He gives His people words of mercy and grace.  The First Commandment is found in Exodus 20:3, “You shall have no other gods before me.”  Two observations for us this morning:
 
First: Beware of False God
As I pointed out last week, Moses and the Israelites lived in a polytheistic world, a world where most cultures believed in many gods.  They lived in a world full of idols.  They lived among the gods of the Egyptians.  When they finally made it to the promised land, they were surrounded by many nations that worshipped many other gods.  Like ancient Israel, we are surrounded by our own idols and false gods today.
 
The first of the Ten Commandments is a warning against false gods.  “You shall have no other gods before me,” said God to His people.  Often times we think of idolatry as an ancient practice, and we tend to miss the idols of our own life.  Today’s idols are not made out of stone and wood.  They are anything we elevate above the one true God.  It’s anything that stands in competition to the living God.  Sports could be a false god.  Family could be a false god. Entertainment could be a false god.  Money could be a false god.  Success could be a false god.  That which you love, you serve, you desire, you long after, you aim for, you strive for, and think of the most is your god.  “You shall have no other gods before me.” 
 
Second: Complete Loyalty to the One True God
The first commandment is also a call to complete loyalty and full allegiance.  Canadian theologian, J. I. Packer (1926 – 2020) wrote, “Your god is what you love, seek, worship, serve, and allow to control you.”[1]   In other words, your “god” is defined according to your loyalty and allegiance. Whatever you value supremely becomes your god.  The first commandment forbids us from valuing anything more than the one true God.  It forbids us from being loyal to anything more than the one true God.
 
The bottom line when it comes to the first commandment is complete loyalty and full allegiance.  There is only one true God, and He demands your absolute loyalty and undying love.  We are to make that choice every day.  I like how British theologian Stuart Briscoe puts it in his book on the Ten Commandments: “At the end of each day, ask yourself: Was Jesus Christ my Lord today?  Did I serve Him faithfully today? Did I love Him deeply?  Did I worship Him exclusively?”[2]
 
Friends, the first commandment calls us to have no other gods before the ONE true God.  This command reaches far deeper than merely closing the door on an atheistic worldview. Rather, it calls us to a complete loyalty to the living God.  The apostle John in Revelation 4:11 tells us of this cry in heaven, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power.”  The first commandment is the foundation for our keeping of the whole of the Ten Commandments. It is the most basic reorientation from a life directed toward ourselves to a life directed toward God.  It’s the doorway into the whole life of faith.  It sets our feet on the right path and orients us in the right direction for all that follows. “You shall have no other god before me.”  In the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen!


[1] J. I. Packer, Keeping the Ten Commandments (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2007), 31.

[2] Stuart Briscoe, The Ten Commandments: Playing by the Rules (London: Shawn Books, 2000), 14.