Thou shall have no other Gods

Good morning, Church!

I'd like to start with a little story to lighten the mood. There was a little boy who loved his action figures. He'd spend all day setting up epic battles between superheroes and villains. One day, his grandmother, trying to instill some biblical wisdom, told him, "Remember, dear, the Bible says we should have no other gods before the Lord." The little boy looked thoughtful for a moment, then picked up his favorite superhero and said, "Okay, grandma. From now on, Captain Amazing will always be second to God."

Today, we are focusing on the very first commandment, "Thou shall have no other gods before me," found in Exodus 20:3.

In ancient times, people worshipped numerous gods, and when God delivered the Ten Commandments to Moses, He made it clear that He alone is God, and He alone is worthy of worship. In a world full of false gods and idols, this commandment was a revolutionary call to monotheism.

Consider the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 18. The Israelites had started worshipping Baal, a Canaanite god. Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a contest to prove who the real God was. Despite their efforts, the prophets of Baal could not evoke a response from their god. But when Elijah prayed to the Lord, fire fell from heaven, consuming the sacrifice. This event led the Israelites to confess, "The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God."

Look at the example of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3. They refused to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar's golden image, choosing to risk being thrown into a fiery furnace rather than dishonoring God. Their courage and steadfast devotion to God served as a powerful testimony to all of Babylon, including King Nebuchadnezzar, who eventually declared: "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God."

In today's world, we may not encounter golden idols or Canaanite gods, but there are still many 'gods' that demand our attention, time, and devotion – material wealth, power, popularity, pleasure, or even our fears and anxieties. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

Let's pray: "Father, we come before you today, acknowledging that you alone are God. Help us to remove any idols in our hearts and to worship you alone. Give us the strength and courage to choose you above all else. In Jesus' name, Amen."

As we go through this week, let's remember to put God first in all things. Remember the first commandment, "Thou shall have no other gods before me."

May God bless you and keep you, and may His peace be with you.