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Commandment

Hearing and Doing
Kurt Steinbrueck
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Hearing and Doing

    Hearing and Doing

    “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” – James 1:22

    What do you need to change in your life?

    I know a lot about weight-loss. I know what foods to eat in a variety of programs and what exercises burn calories and build muscle. For all the knowledge I have, I’m still overweight. Why is that?

    I’m being a hearer and not being a doer.

    It’s really that simple. I just need to put the knowledge I have into practice. I need to put down the cookie and heat up some broccoli. I need to get in the gym rather than sit on the couch. All the knowledge I have is meaningless if it isn’t used.

    Do you relate to that at all?

    In James 1, God is warning us not to be like that, especially when it comes to His Word. Don’t just hear His Word, put it into practice. Otherwise, we deceive ourselves.

    How do we deceive ourselves?

    Sometimes we think that knowledge is the end goal. The problem, however, is that we know what is right and still do the opposite. In that way, the knowledge did is no good, yet we deceive ourselves thinking that we’re good because we know what is good. I may know that lying is wrong, but if I keep lying, it does me no good.

    Something needs to change.

    Not just actions, beliefs, too.
    This passage doesn’t just apply to the commands of God, but the promises, too.

    How do you “do” a promise?

    You “do” a promise by having faith in it, believing it and trusting it. We aren’t called to simply know that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross and rose from the dead. We are called to have faith, trusting in His death and resurrection for our salvation.

    Otherwise, we are like the demons which, as is described in James 2.

    “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” – James 2:19

    The demons know God is real and they know that Jesus died and rose again, but they don’t have faith in God. So, that knowledge terrifies them.

    So, next time you read God’s Word, remember that this isn’t just an exercise in gaining information. The knowledge you gain is meant to be used, whether in action or belief. Put it into practice.

    Heavenly Father,

    You have given us Your Word for our good. Help me to hunger for Your Word, read it, and learn from it. Then, help me to put it into practice in both action and belief. Help me to be willing to be changed by it.

    Amen.

    In Christ’s Service,

    Pastor Kurt

    I Get To
    Kurt Steinbrueck
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    I Get To

      I Get To

      “I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life.” – Psalm 119:93

      How do you approach God’s commands?

      What is your attitude towards them?

      Cindy went to the doctor for her regular physical. The nurse got her weight and vitals. Her doctor asked about her life, things like diet, exercise, stressors, etc. Then, they did some blood tests. A few days later she went back in for the results.

      Cindy’s doctor showed her the results and told her she needed to change some things with her life. She had gained weight, her blood glucose indicated she was prediabetic, and her blood pressure was elevated. Her doctor told her to eat more lean proteins and vegetables and fewer carbs. She said to regularly exercise at least 30 minutes per day and to get at least 7 hours of sleep.

      What would your reaction be to the doctor?

      • Would you feel like the doctor was controlling and mean?
      • Would you think, “What does my doctor know? I know what’s best for me.”
      • Would you be grateful that your doctor was helping to make you healthier and possibly saving your life?

      God’s Precepts
      God has given us precepts, or commands, for life. Like Cindy’s doctor’s recommendations, God’s commands are intended for our good and the good of those around us.

      Hopefully, Cindy would have felt grateful for her doctor’s insights and recommendations and put them into practice for her own good. Hopefully, we, like the Psalmist, would feel grateful for God’s precepts and put them into practice.

      I Get To
      When we have this attitude towards God’s commands, our perspective is, “I get to.” God is telling us the best things for life and we get to follow them. We don’t feel oppressed by His precepts nor do we feel overwhelmed because we think we have to figure every out from scratch. Instead, we have His wisdom to guide us.

      Then, couple this with the Gospel message that our salvation is purely a gift, apart from our following God’s commands. We don’t earn anything, it’s given to us by faith. Then we truly understand God’s precepts as, “I get to,” rather than, “I have to.”

      Heavenly Father,

      I know it is out of Your love and wisdom that You have given us Your precepts. Help me to always have a grateful attitude towards You for Your precepts. Help me to follow Your commands for my own good and out of an understanding that they are for my good and the good of those around me.

      Amen.

      In Christ’s Service,

      Pastor Kurt

      Do You Love God?
      Kurt Steinbrueck
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      Do You Love God?

        Do you love god?

        “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” – Matthew 22:37-39

        How do you show your love for God?

        We have a lot of ideas about how we show God love. We praise Him. We thank Him. We Pray. We read the Bible. We proclaim His good works. We often think we have to do something overtly God-oriented.

        Did you know that one of the biggest ways we love God is by loving our neighbor?

        That’s right, when we help our neighbor fix their car or give them a ride or bring them a meal, we are showing love for God as well as love for them. There’s a reason 7 of the 10 Commandments are related to how we treat others.

        • We are all God’s creation. When we care for others we are caring for God’s creation.
        • God loves your neighbor. When we love our neighbor we are showing them the love of God and loving like He loves.
        • God provides through nature and people. God provides, but He doesn’t typically do it supernaturally. He does it through nature, such as rain falling, crops growing, and, yes, people caring for other people. When we provide for the neighbor, we are working as God’s hands to provide for them.

        So, love God…by loving your neighbor.

        Heavenly Father,

        You have loved me more than I can ever fully know or appreciate. I thank and praise you for Your love. Help me to love my neighbor as You love them.

        Amen.

        In Christ’s Service,

        Pastor Kurt

        How to Follow God’s Commands in One Easy Step
        Kurt Steinbrueck
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        How to Follow God’s Commands in One Easy Step

          How to Follow God's Commands in One Easy Step

          For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. – Romans 13:9-10

          How many Commandments are there?

          Can you name them?

          Which Commandment is most important?

          We typically talk about ten Commandments, but the Jews in Jesus’ day had over 600. That’s a lot to keep track of. Thankfully, Jesus simplified it. Love your neighbor as yourself.

          It’s simple not only because it’s just one commandment to remember, but because it gives a means of following it. It would be impossible for the Bible to give commands for every situation. So, God gave us the means of judging for ourselves in most cases. Think to yourself,

          “How would I want to be treated in this situation? What would I consider loving towards me?”

          Then do that for others.

          So, go ahead. Love others as yourself. Fulfill all the commandments by fulfilling the one.

          Heavenly Father,

          Teach me to love that I might love my neighbor and obey Your commands.

          Amen.

          In Christ’s Service,

          Pastor Kurt

          It’s Not Really Stealing, Right?
          Kurt Steinbrueck
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          It’s Not Really Stealing, Right?

            It’s Not Really Stealing, Right?

            “You Shall Not Steal.” – Exodus 20:15
             
            “What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not take our neighbor’s money or possessions, or get them in any dishonest way, but help him to improve and protect his possessions and income.” – Luther’s Small Catechism

            Most of us know that stealing is wrong. If we walked into a department store, we wouldn’t take a product off the shelf and just walk out. We wouldn’t walk into someone’s home and steal their wallet. If we did, we would at least recognize it’s wrong, even if we didn’t care it was.

            However, there are many other ways to come into possession of someone else’s property that is just as dishonest but may not seem to us like stealing.

             
            Just after college, I did several jobs as a temp worker. At one company, I was doing some monotonous work along with several other temp workers. It wasn’t fun but produced a paycheck. I didn’t really follow how much work the other temps were completing each day. I just did the work I was able to get done.
             
            One day, one of the other temps came over to me and asked me to slow down. Confused, I asked him what he meant. He said I need to take it easy and take more breaks because that’s what the other temps were doing. By not doing that I was making them look bad. Also, since the work we were doing was a single project that would eventually be completed, by working quicker, the project would be done sooner and we’d be out of our jobs.

            That other worker may not have realized it, but he was stealing. He had agreed to do a job for an hourly wage. It was expected that he would do his best, but by intentionally working slower and taking more breaks, he was making the job take longer. This would cost the company more money which would end up in his pocket.

            Conversely, the principle behind this Commandment would not only have us working diligently but if we saw a way to make the work more efficient and thus benefit our employer, we should share that. We aren’t to simply not steal, but also to seek to help our neighbor protect and improve their property.

            What I love about that last part is it takes our focus away from just following the letter of the Law and puts our focus on loving our neighbor. I don’t want to just not harm them, I want to help them.

            This is what God does for us. He provides for us. We can trust that He will take care of us. So, we don’t need to steal and we can help.

            Heavenly Father,
             
            You provide food for the birds. How much more will You provide for us whom You love?  Thank you. Help me to trust Your provision. Help me love my neighbor as You do.
             
            Amen.

            In Christ’s Service,

            Pastor Kurt

            Do Not Commit Adultery
            Kurt Steinbrueck
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            Do Not Commit Adultery

            Do Not Commit Adultery

            “You shall not commit adultery.” – Exodus 20:14

            “What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we lead a sexually pure and decent life in what we say and do, and husband and wife love and honor each other.” – Luther’s Small Catechism

            I imagine this commandment has always been a challenge, but today it seems that challenge has reached new heights. Temptation seems to lurk around every corner, in every book and magazine, in every movie and song, and on the Internet. If that weren’t enough, provocative dress is the norm, sexual promiscuity is not only no longer shameful, but glorified in our culture, no sexual practice is taboo, and premarital sex is considered a “wise” way to see if a couple is compatible.
             
            The great irony of our culture today is that it champions all this as sexual “liberty”, when in fact, it is actually slavery. Addictions run rampant among both men and women. Marriages and families are torn apart. Depression and loneliness are common. And human trafficking is the third largest crime industry in the world, where it is estimated that 80% is related to sex. (find stats)
             
            Sex, itself, isn’t bad. In fact, it’s good. God created it good. He commanded Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply. However, He also created it to be within certain boundaries, the bonds of a loving marriage between. When it is taken outside those bonds, it is not only sinful, but destructive. However, like all sin, when we obey God’s commands and avoid sexual sin, we find the loving and compassionate blessing that God intended.
            Heavenly Father,
             
            Today, the world is upside-down and inside-out when it comes to your gift of sex. Please protect me from the temptations that surround me everyday. Please forgive me for the times I gave into the temptations. Keep me from being influenced by false messages of our culture and may Your truth reign in my life.
             
            Amen

            In Christ’s Service,

            Pastor Kurt

            Thou Shalt Not Kill
            Kurt Steinbrueck
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            Thou Shalt Not Kill

              Thou Shalt Not Kill

              “You shall not murder.” – Exodus 20:13
               
              “What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not hurt or harm our neighbor in His body, but help and support him in every physical need.” – Luther’s Small Catechism

              There is an idea among some Christians that seeks to separate the spiritual from the physical. They emphasize the spiritual affects and blessings of God and downplay the physical, even to the point of saying that we need to deny our physical selves, needs and wants, an only seek the spiritual.

              God, however, created us as physical and spiritual beings. Both parts of our being need to be nurtured, cared for, and protected. We see this in the 5th Commandment where we are commanded to not harm others physically as well as care for and protect them.

              We also see this in how God cared for Israel in the wilderness (manna, quail, water, their shoes didn’t wear out, etc.). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said not to worry about what you will eat and the clothes you wear, not because they aren’t important, but because God knows you need them and will provide them for you.

              We are physical and spiritual beings. Both need to be protected. Both need to be nourished. Both need to be cared for. Let us seek this not only for ourselves, but for our neighbor as well.

              Dear Jesus,
               
              Help me not to worry about my physical needs and trust that you will care for me. Keep me from harming my neighbor and help me also to be your hands and feet so that I care for and protect the physical needs of my neighbor.
               
              Amen.

              In Christ’s Service,

              Pastor Kurt

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              27221 Foamflower Blvd.
              Wesley Chapel, FL 33544
              Ph: ‪(813) 602-1104‬
              Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Church in Wesley Chapel, FL

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