Sunday School Lesson for Sept. 12, 2010: God Makes a Covenant with Israel (Exodus 20:1-11)

Exodus 20:10 (New International Version)



10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.



Exodus 20:18-22 (New International Version)



18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die."



20 Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."



21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.



22 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites this: 'You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven:



Hebrews 12:22-23 (New International Version)



22But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect,





You were there. Yes you were. You just didn’t know it. When God set his people apart, consecrated them unto Himself and gave them His Holy Word, you were there. What he established at Mt. Sinai on this day would impact every generation yet to come. You see, He cut Covenant with a Nation, an entire people. In doing so He foreshadowed the Church. In all prior events, He cut Covenant with an individual. He promised that their seed would be blessed, but each contract, heretofore, was with a single person at a time. This time, He assembled the nation of Israel and all who followed them from Egypt. All at one time. All in one place. They all heard Him. Together. At the same time. Corporately. Amen. In these few hours, God established a time for worship and a pattern for corporate worship that we the Church still follow today. God understood that we would need an established pattern to follow in worship. That we could not seek Him or find Him on our own, or on our own terms. He established a place and a time and a pattern. When we follow his pattern we are blessed. A day set aside for worship. A place to gather with other believers to worship. A Church. On Sunday. A Church. At Midweek service. Time set aside for worship. Corporately. Make sure you’re taking part in it. It’s God’s best for you..



Blessings,





Ezekiel 20:12 (New International Version)



12 Also I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the LORD made them holy.



Mark 2:27 (New International Version)



27Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.