Exodus 20:3 3"You shall have no other gods before me".
I. UNDERSTANDING HIS COMMAND:
2 Kings 17:35-36 35 The Lord made a covenant with them and commanded them, "You shall not fear other gods or bow yourselves to them or serve them or sacrifice to them, 36 but you shall fear the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm. You shall bow yourselves to him, and to him you shall sacrifice.
Genesis 16:12 12 He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen."
Romans 1:18-25 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Genesis 3:5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
A. FORBIDDING WORSHIP OF ABSOLUTELY ANYONE/ ANYTHING BUT THE LORD
Isaiah 42:8a I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
B. OT PENALTY FOR BREAKING
Exodus 22:20 20 "Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the Lord alone, shall be devoted to destruction.
Deuteronomy 6:13-15 13 It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. 14 You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you-15 for the Lord your God in your midst is a jealous God-lest the anger of the Lord your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.
C. AFFIRMATIVE SUMMARY
Acts 14:15 15"Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.
II. APPLYING HIS COMMAND:
A. GODS OF OUR AGE
Hab 1:15-16; Phil 3:19; Rom 16:18; Matt 6:24; Job 31:24-25, 28
B. BASIC APPLICATIONS
i. HE IS TO BE THE ALL-CONSUMING PASSION OF MY LIFE!
ii. HE ALONE IS TO BE VIEWED AND ACKNOWLEDGED AS THE LORD OF ALL!
iii WHAT HE SAYS ON ANY MATTER IS MY HIGHEST AUTHORITY!