Lesson Date: September 19, 2010

Focal Scripture Passage: Deuteronomy 5:1-21, 32-33

AIM: To lead adults to memorize the Ten Commandments, and to commit to living by their principles.

 

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Before class: Get enough copies of the “Ten Commandments” study guide for everyone in your class.  Also, get enough blank slips of paper and pens or pencils for your class.  Create a large poster similar to the handout sheet, but don’t put it up before class.

When class begins: Give everyone a blank sheet of paper (and a pen or pencil if they need one).  Tell the class they are going to have a pop quiz.  Tell them to close their Bible and quarterly, and to number from 1 to 10.  When everyone has done those things, ask them to list (from memory) the Ten Commandments on their paper.  Tell them they don’t have to use King James English or write a long description, just a few words that tell what each commandment is.

Allow the class 2-3 minutes to write the Ten Commandments, and then ask if anyone got all ten.  Ask them to count up how many they got, and then compare their score to a school grading scale (A = 90, B = 80, etc.).  Ask: “Did you pass the Ten Commandments test?”  Tell the class that the devil and his liberal helpers are trying to remove the Ten Commandments from our society, because they are a simple guideline for having a right relationship with God and our fellow man.

 

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1.     Review.

a.     Briefly review the first two lessons from Deuteronomy.

b.     Moses was in the process of reminding Israel about God’s past dealings with them, to prepare them to enter the Promised Land.  Point out the plains of Moab and the Promised Land on the map.

2.     Moses Called Israel Together to Review the Ten Commandments.

a.     Ask a volunteer to read Deuteronomy 5:1-5 to the class.

b.     Ask: “According to verse 1, why did Moses want to remind the Israelites of God’s Laws?” (so they would obey them).

c.     Moses reminded the Israelites that forty years earlier God had given them His Ten Commandments.  That took place at Mount Horeb (an alternate name for Mount Sinai – locate on the map) shortly after the Israelites left Egypt.

3.     Relating Rightly to God.

a.     Give everyone the “Ten Commandments” study guide, and put your poster up on the wall.  Tell the class that the first four commandments were designed to keep the Israelites in right relationship with God.

b.     Read Deuteronomy 5:6-7, and then ask the class to name and write the first commandment on their study guide.

c.     Ask: “How would our world be different if everyone obeyed this commandment?” (there would be no false religion: worship of Allah, Buddha, etc.).

d.     Ask: “Why do you think the devil doesn’t want people to learn this commandment?” (he loves false religion, and wants everyone to follow it and thus go to hell).

e.     Continue this procedure for commandments 2-4.  Ask the class to identify the commandment and write it on their study guide, you write it on the poster, and ask the same two questions (above) about each commandment.

f.      Concerning commandment # 4, be sure to explain why we are no longer under this restriction, and why the church worships on Sunday.

4.     Relating Rightly to One Another.

a.     Tell the class that commandments 5-10 were designed to keep the Israelites in right relationship with one another.

b.     Use the same procedure as described above for commandments 5-10.  Ask the class to identify the commandment and write it on their study guide, you write it on the poster, and then ask the two questions (above) about each commandment.

c.     Concerning commandment # 6, be sure to explain that the Hebrew word translated “kill” literally means “murder.”  This commandment does not forbid war, capital punishment, hunting, or the eating of meat.

d.     Concerning commandment # 7, tell the class that modern society thinks this is an out-dated, Puritanical restriction on personal behavior, but it is actually the only way to true happiness and contentment.  The New Testament echoes this commandment in very clear terms in 1 Thessalonians 4:3.  Read that verse to the class.

5.     An Admonition to Obey.

a.     After completing the Ten Commandments (verses 7-21), ask a volunteer to read Deuteronomy 5:32-33.

b.     Ask: “According to verse 32, what did God expect of the Israelites?” (complete obedience).

c.     Ask: “According to verse 33, what benefits did God promise if they obeyed the Ten Commandments?” (“that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess”).

d.     Tell the class it is wise to obey the Ten Commandments, and foolish to disobey them.

 

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Review the Ten Commandments by having the class read them aloud from their study guide sheet.  Break them into two sections (1-4 and 5-10) for ease of memory.  Have the class repeat them again.

As another aid to memory, point out the reverse progression of commandments 6-10 (coveting leads to lying, theft, adultery, and murder; lying is required in all theft, adultery, and murder; theft is required for adultery and murder to take place; adultery is one of the leading causes of murder).  The sins described in commandments 6-9 all begin with coveting (# 10) in one’s heart.

Take down your poster and ask everyone to turn his or her study guide face down.  Lead the class to recite the Ten Commandments several times, until they can successfully do it from memory.

Next, remind the class that the Ten Commandments are a great code of conduct, but keeping them will not get a person to heaven.  That is because no human being can ever fully obey all the Ten Commandments all the time.  The Bible says we are all sinners who need a Savior to pay for our sins.  Salvation comes only through trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  A person who is saved will have a desire to obey the Ten Commandments in his or her outward behavior, as well as his or her inward thoughts and passions (Matt. 5:21-22, 27-28).

Ask: “Will you make a commitment to God to do your best to live by the guidelines of the Ten Commandments?”  Urge them to tell God so right now, and then lead a prayer of commitment.

 

CONCLUSION: After the prayer, remind the class that the devil is doing all he can to keep people from knowing the Ten Commandments.  Now that they have memorized them, urge the class members to look for opportunities to work the Ten Commandments into conversation this week (for example: “If people obeyed the Ten Commandments, there wouldn’t be so many marriage breakups,” or “We wouldn’t have to lock our cars and homes if people obeyed the Ten Commandments,” or “If everyone obeyed the Ten Commandments, this world would be a much better place”).  Such comments might open the door for witnessing opportunities.

Ask everyone to read Deuteronomy 6 this week and do the learning activities in their Sunday School Member Quarterly.