Exodus Chapters 18-20

INTRODUCTION:

Today, we gather to celebrate our risen Savior, Jesus Christ…the cornerstone of our salvation and the fulfillment of prophecy thousands of years earlier. We are in week 8 of a study of the book of Exodus… the redemptive plan of God in action so many years before Jesus walked the earth. We’ve seen the birth and development of Moses, the oppression of the Israelites, the plagues, the parting of the red sea and the daily provision of God to the Israelites.

In a few minutes we will get to Exodus 20, where God delivers the Ten Commandments to a people freshly freed from slavery. These weren’t just laws; they were a covenant, a way to live as God’s people. Fast-forward to the first century, and Jesus steps into a world where the Law was debated fiercely—by Pharisees, Sadducees, and others. Some saw it as a checklist, others, a burden. But Jesus? He saw it as a gift. In Matthew 5:17, he says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” Fulfill. That’s the key. Jesus doesn’t erase the commandments; he deepens them, showing us their heart. 

This morning let’s kick it off in Exodus Chapter 18

• Moses is fresh off leading his people out of a nightmare situation in Egypt, and now he’s kind of playing boss, therapist, and tech support for everyone. It’s nonstop—people have expectations of him all day long with their stuff. Then his father-in-law, Jethro, shows up with Moses’ wife, Zipporah, and their kids. Jethro is pleased to hear how Moses did what he did and they have a conversation, a sit down you could say.

• The next day, Jethro sees Moses drowning in everyone’s problems and goes, He kind of says, “Man, you’re killing yourself. Get some help!” He suggests setting up a team of solid people to handle the small stuff so Moses can focus on the big picture. Moses is like, “Yeah, good call,” and puts together a team to take the load off. It works—things run smoother, and Jethro heads home, job done.

• Basically, it’s about Moses learning to delegate. Because what we are about to see needs all of Moses' attention.

Let's look at … Exodus 18:13-24

The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?” And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God; when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws.” Moses' father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”

So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.

Takeaway -  You don't have to do everything yourself.   Who is your team?

That’s the main thing going on in Exodus 18, now lets see what happens in 19…

• Three months after leaving Egypt, the Israelites arrive at the Sinai Desert and camp at the base of Mount Sinai. Moses goes up the mountain to meet with God, who reminds him of how He delivered the people from Egypt with great power. God offers a deal: if the Israelites follow His covenant, they’ll be His treasured people, a holy nation set apart. Moses shares this with the group, and they agree to commit.

• God tells Moses He’ll appear to the people in three days but insists they prepare—consecrate themselves, wash their clothes, and stay off the mountain, with a warning that anyone who trespasses will die. Moses sets up boundaries and gets everyone ready. On the third day, the mountain erupts with thunder, lightning, thick smoke, and a loud trumpet sound. The people tremble as Moses meets God at the top, amid the awe-inspiring display, signaling the start of a major moment between God and His people.

Exodus 19:16-25

On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the Lord to look and many of them perish.  Also let the priests who come near to the Lord consecrate themselves, lest the Lord break out against them.” And Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for you yourself warned us, saying, ‘Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it.’” And the Lord said to him, “Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the Lord, lest he break out against them.” So Moses went down to the people and told them.

Takeaway - We are called to have reverence for God.  Simple as that.

This brings us to Exodus Chapter 20…

• God is once again going to show off His authority here.  With the Israelites gathered at Mount Sinai after the dramatic buildup, God speaks directly to them from the mountain, delivering the Ten Commandments. Amid thunder, lightning, and smoke, He lays out the rules: 1) Worship only Me, 2) No idols, 3) Don’t misuse My name, 4) Keep the Sabbath day holy, 5) Honor your parents, 6) Don’t murder, 7) No adultery, 8) Don’t steal, 9) Don’t lie about others, 10) Don’t covet what your neighbor has. These are the core guidelines for living as God’s people.

• The people are overwhelmed by the noise and spectacle—fire, trumpet blasts, the works—and beg Moses to be their go-between so they don’t have to hear God’s voice directly. They promise to listen if Moses relays the message. God calls Moses back up the mountain, warning him to keep the people and priests from barging in, reinforcing the holiness of the moment. Moses heads up to get more instructions as the intermediary.

Let me read it to you… We are in Exodus 20:1-21

And God spoke all these words, saying,

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

“You shall have no other gods before me.

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

“You shall not murder. “You shall not commit adultery. “You shall not steal.

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

“You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.”

Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

The law has been laid out in dramatic, supernatural, powerful, awesome God-like fashion!

Let’s jump forward now and talk about how Jesus fulfilled the law. 

The Commandments were part of the covenant with Israel, but Jesus introduces a new covenant through his life, death, and resurrection. He is the ultimate sacrifice that covers our human failure to keep the Law perfectly.

Let’s look at a few of these out of Exodus and compare them to Jesus' own words in The Gospels.

First, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Jesus echoes this in Matthew 22:37, saying, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.” 

Let me ask you… what gods compete for our worship today? It’s not golden calves—it’s our screens, our schedules, our ambitions. I confess, sometimes my phone gets more devotion than my prayer time. Jesus challenges us: Where’s your heart? Is God first, or is something else crowding the throne? Take time to pause and realign—put God at the center, not as an afterthought.

Next, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). Easy, right? Most of us aren’t plotting crimes. But Jesus takes it deeper in Matthew 5:21–22. He says anger, insults, or cursing someone is like murder in the heart. Ouch. 

Today, we still see this in arguments, cancel culture, or even the grudges we hold. How about the thing we say under our breath or out loud toward others? Jesus calls us to reconciliation, not resentment. Think of someone you’re angry with. What’s one step you could take toward peace? A text, a call, a prayer? That’s the Jesus way.

Then, “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). Jesus expands this in Matthew 5:27–28, saying lust is adultery in the heart. 

In a world saturated with images, click bait and apps, this hits hard. But it’s not about shame—it’s about purity of intention. Jesus invites us to see others as people, not objects. Whether you’re single, married, or dating, how can you honor others with your thoughts and actions? It starts with a heart turned toward love, not consumption.

Finally, “You shall not covet” (Exodus 20:17). Jesus addresses this in Luke 12:15, warning, “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed.” 

Coveting is envying someone’s vacation, car, or life. It’s the itch for more that steals our contentment. Jesus offers an antidote: gratitude. Try this—each day, name three things you’re thankful for. It’s a small act that rewires your heart to see God’s provision.

Conclusion:

So, what’s the deal or thread here? Jesus doesn’t just want us to obey the commandments; he wants them to shape who we are. 

The commandments aren’t a checklist to earn God’s favor—they’re a way to live out love. 

Jesus boils the Ten down to Two big ones: love God and love your neighbor. In Matthew 22:37-40, when asked the greatest commandment, he says, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two.” 

And here’s the good news: Jesus, through his life, death, and resurrection, gives us the grace to grow into this love. When we stumble—and we will—his mercy is new every day and his grace covers all of it.

BRIDGE ILLUSTRATION with Stone:

Humanity’s Side:

"Humanity" side, created to be in relationship with God but separated by sin (Romans 3:23 – "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God").

"God gave us the Ten Commandments, like a stone tablet etched with His perfect law. They’re solid and true, meant to guide us to Him. But like a heavy stone, they also reveal our inability to live up to God’s perfect standard. Our sin—breaking God’s law—creates a chasm we can’t cross on our own."

God’s Side:

God is holy, just, and loving, residing on the other cliff. He desires a relationship with us but cannot tolerate sin (Habakkuk 1:13 – "Your eyes are too pure to look on evil").

The chasm is too wide for humanity to bridge through good works, religion, or effort—like trying to jump across an impossible gap.

The Problem of Sin:

The consequence of sin: spiritual death and eternal separation from God (Romans 6:23 – "For the wages of sin is death").

You might say: "The stone of the Commandments shows us God’s standard, but it also shows we can’t climb out of the chasm ourselves."

The Bridge – Jesus Christ:

Jesus, through His death on the cross and resurrection, paid the penalty for our sins, bridging the gap (John 3:16 – "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son").

Analogy: "Jesus takes the heavy stone of the law’s condemnation and becomes the cornerstone of our salvation. His cross is the bridge that carries us from the cliff of sin to the presence of God."

Crossing the Bridge:

Crossing the bridge requires personal faith—trusting in Jesus’ finished work on the cross (Romans 10:9 – "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved").

It’s not enough to know about the bridge; you must choose to walk across it by repenting of sin and trusting Christ.

God’s Promise:

On the other side is eternal life and a restored relationship with God (Romans 6:23 – "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord").

The stone of the law, once a burden, becomes a testament to God’s faithfulness, fulfilled in Christ, the living Cornerstone (1 Peter 2:4-6).

“The Ten Commandments are like a stone—unchanging and true, but heavy with our failure. Jesus, the Cornerstone, lifts that burden and builds a bridge to God.”