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The First Commandment . No others God but God CH. 7. The Strange Gods Today. Thou shall not have false God’s before Me. 21 st century translation – In our lives, nothing should come before God. 1 st Commandments basic message:. No one or thing can meet our needs like God
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The First Commandment No others God but God CH. 7
The Strange Gods Today • Thou shall not have false God’s before Me. • 21st century translation – In our lives, nothing should come before God.
1st Commandments basic message: • No one or thing can meet our needs like God • We will look to devote our life to something
What happens if: • Money first? • Get material stuff but stuff can’t love you back • Pleasure first? • Pleasure is fleeting. Life has ups and downs • Relationships first? • Even our closest ones will let us down sometimes • Our job first? Sports first? • Retire, get replaced, loose sense of worth • Clip of athlete
Take home point • These things are important but they are not God so they can’t give us ultimate satisfaction.
Offenses Against the First Commandment • Idolatry • Superstition, divination, and magic • Irreligion • Atheism and agnosticism
Idolatry • Is the worship of false gods • Polytheism is the worship of many gods and is still very present today • Another form of idolatry is turning a created good thing into a God • Ex.’s money, power, popularity, pleasure, and… sex
Superstition, divination, and magic • Superstition claims that certain acts or practices can bring about a certain outcome. • Magic is not to be confused with tricks but rather using sorcery (black magic) and spiritism, summoning the ghosts of the dead (ancestors) • Divination seeks to unveil what God wants hidden. • Occultism, astrology, ouija boards
Irreligion • Tempting God, sacrilege, and simony. • Sacrilege-treats unworthy things of God • Simony-buying selling spiritual goods
Atheism and Agnosticism • Atheist denies God’s existence • An Agnostic ignores God’s existence saying God cannot be proved • A practical atheist acknowledges God’s existence but doesn’t live like it • Believe in other philosophies like humanism, communism, materialism
Prayer • Pg. 188 “The Practice of Prayer” • Ten minutes at the Nathaniel Bench during university or prayer walks/drives • Walking the mile and a half or on the edge of town • My walk in Ireland along the beach
Prayer Exercise • Let’s take ten minutes for a simple prayer exercise • Write down your chillin with Jesus experience afterwards
The Second Commandment Respect God’s name You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain
The power of the tongue • “A man who can control his tongue will rule ten cities” • Bad language is a problem in society and here at ND. Good language is refreshing. I grew up hearing bad language and choose not to use it. • I know that God has helped me with this • Changing habits take practice.
The Second Commandment • The name that God revealed to Moses was? • YAHWEH meaning “I AM who I AM” • Jews dare not speak this name nor spell it • For Christians, Jesus’ name is also very respected and holy • Q: Why do you think people take the Lord’s name in vain?
Offenses against the 2nd Comm’t • Breaking promises in God’s name • I swear to God… and not doing it • Blasphemy • Speaking words of hate against God • Taking the Lord’s name in vain. Two types • Swearing – taking an oath in God’s name and not fulfilling it • Perjury – lying under oath
Examples • Swearing – cursing other people, using God’s name without respect • Obscenity – offensive language that is often sexual • Cursing – calling down evil on someone • Vulgarity – “shady” language which is crude and immature • All is sinful when used to offend others
What does Jesus say? • Jesus taught his followers to be persons of integrity, not to swear, but let your “yes” mean “yes” and your “no” mean “no” • Pere has asked us to do the same in the “Notre Dame Man” • “Be honest to the hearts core” • Your name is the greatest thing you own. Your character… your reputation • Hand shake character
Your name • We should also respect and ponder our own names and what they mean • Our name is sacred which we will have for eternity • What does your name mean?
Exercise: • Find images in magazines which help describe the meaning of your name and the name of Jesus. • Cut and paste them on a piece of paper, one side representing your name, and the other side Jesus’ • Somewhere on the page have the name drawn artistically along with some words of meaning • Marked on content/meaning and design, due tomorrow
The Third Commandment Rest on the Sabbath Keep Holy the Lord’s Day
Why? • Practical reason – avoid burning out. • Need to take a break from everything – hobbies, friends, family, sport – to protect their value. • Ex. Summer hockey – should you play? • We need the balance of work and rest • Do you think a non-stop vacation would drive us nuts? Why?
What did Jesus say? • “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2: 27-28) • God doesn’t need rest but he knows that we do. • Vacations, Breaks, Weekends, naps, are all things we need to live healthy lives.
The Bible 3 readings Highlight is the Gospel Sermon from the Priest Try to understand and apply one thing God’s Word is alive! Ps. 51 story The Eucharist Bread and wine turn into Christ’s Body & Blood. This is called transubsantiation. It means the transformation of substance but not of appearance. Jesus feeds our hungry heart Quebec and Dinos story Mass: The Bible & EucharistBoth represent God’s food to us
Last comments • Friends who said they have gone to church • But church is boring? • Many things we do in our lives can be boring yet still essential— like breakfast. • Personal story—becoming one with Jesus in the Eucharist • Food as strength for my soul
The Fourth Commandment Respect your parents/authorities Honour your Father and Mother
Fact: • Our parents used God’s gift of creation to make us. • Our respect for our parents is respect for God’s gift of creation • We respect their authority in an exchange of love. • Our creation is an expression of their love • Our obedience is an expression of our love
Comm’t 4 and Authority • Authority is always given. • Given by choice (elections) or default (slavery) • Parental authority comes from duty and responsibility to do what’s best for who they created. It is not responsible to let the ignorant choose for themselves
Authority Con’tFrom the word author--story • All authority should be based on doing what is best for those under their authority • Authority figures should be seen more as servants rather than rulers • “No one can be a leader unless s/he is the servant of all” – Jesus • Do for us not make us do • Even if at times it makes us do what is good for us – brushing teeth, seatbelts, taxes
Original intention • Comm’t 4 was originally meant for adult children to look after their aging parents • The Israelites were the only people in their region that did this? • What do you think about this today? • Is there ageism in our culture (prejudice against old people) • “Grey hair is a sign of wisdom” - Proverbs