The Ten Commandments and the Sinai Covenant Making a Holy Nation The Ten Commandments and the Sinai Covenant

The Sinai Covenant God Promises to be with the People and to Lead them to the Promised Land and be with them in a special way. The Israelites must obey the 10 Commandments and all the Laws of God. The Sign of the Covenant is the Sabbath Day. The Ten Commandments = the Laws of the Covenant. Those laws which the Israelites must follow to remain in the covenant. Question: How is the agreement between God and the Israelites related? (Hint, remember what we said about God’s holiness!)

A Holy People Read Exodus 19:6 Because of the Covenant, the people of Israel are supposed to be a Holy People. What is Holiness? Holiness means to be like God; to separate oneself from evil. The people were, right then are there, consecrated/dedicated to God. The Israelites are God’s special people. They are God’s Chosen! The Israelites are a people who were chosen by God to show the world how to be Holy. Question: How is the agreement between God and the Israelites related? (Hint, remember what we said about God’s holiness!)

Commandments Continued… The Ten Commandments are those things which lead us to Live a holy life so that we can be with God. The Ten Commandments: the commandments teach us how to relate to God and others. The breakdown: 1.  I, the Lord, am your God. You shall not have other gods 2.     You shall not take the name of the Lord God in vain 3.     Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day 4.     Honor your father and your mother 5.     You shall not kill 6.     You shall not commit adultery 7.     You shall not steal 8.     You shall not bear false witness 9.     You shall not covet your neighbor's wife 10. You shall not covet your neighbor's goods Us and God Us and Others

The Commandments and our Conscience Examination of our own conscience: The Ten Commandments are often used to examine our conscience. This means that we judge the good things and bad things we do in our lives by holding them up to the 10 Commandments. For example: after riding term first commandment “You shall have no other gods but me” I might think to myself “Do I put other things before God?” Take some time to think about what kinds of behavior each commandment (whether good or bad) touches upon. What kind of sins belong to each commandment? Which good behaviors belong with that commandment?

Jesus and the New Covenant This is the covenant that the Jews are still held to. They continue to follow the Law of Moses. “the Law” = those things necessary to do in order to be in the Covenant. Jesus followed these laws, like any other Jew. As such, we as Christians recognize that the 10 Commandments are important parts of living a Christian life. The New Covenant: Jesus established a New Covenant with humanity. Jesus comes and gives us a new way to live and a new holiness to achieve. Agreement: follow Jesus and you can be in the Kingdom of God A NEW LAW for us! Sign: the Eucharist!

The Last Supper and Eucharist The New Covenant The Last Supper and Eucharist The New Law: The GREAT Commandment Read Mt 26:26-30 What does this passage reveal about the New Covenant? Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and soul; love your neighbor as yourself. This commandment sums up the 10 Commandments. What is true love? Think of true love as a choice. You choose to respect, honor, and cherish another NOT for what they can do for you, but who or What they are! What we are = Images of God! THE SIGN! The Eucharist is a sign of the New Covenant. It helps us remember what Jesus did for us!

Christians and the 10 Commandments Christians still follow the 10 Commandments. Always remember, we are a holy people of God too! Just because we follow Jesus doesn’t mean that we don’t have to pay attention to the Old Testament! Remember, Jesus followed the Commandments! So, how do we live out the Commandments today as Christians? Jesus taught us how, through the example of his life, and through teachings like the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes are a list of things that literally make a person “Blessed” (Beatitude = blessed) These are the things necessary for being in the New Covenant – so, they are our new Laws.

The Beatitudes: BLESSED ARE….. the poor in spirit (those who rely on God): for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (5:3) ...those who mourn: for they will be comforted. (5:4) ...the meek: for they will inherit the earth. (5:5) ...those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they will be satisfied. (5:6) ...the merciful: for they will be shown mercy. (5:7) ...the pure in heart: for they will see God. (5:8) ...the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God. (5:9) ...those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (5:10) Discussion: how do the Beatitudes help Christians live out the 10 Commandments? With the help of page 100 in your textbook, make a list of how each Beatitudes helps us live out the 10 Commandments. How do the Beatitudes change the way we examine our conscience?