Around the World with 10

13 CommentsThe 10 Commandments

A few years back I wanted my daughters  to learn the 10 Commandments; so God gave me a fun way to teach them in less than 5 minutes. Since this is the foundation of our Gospel presentations out on the street, I especially want the students in my evangelism classes to memorize them. I’m sure you’ve seen this by now:

Since posting it on YouTube (it’s also a permanent fixture on the side of this blog) it’s gotten over 57,000 hits, and, I’ve been greatly encouraged by many who’ve memorized them and passed them on to others:

whitter2184: “Loved your quick and easy way to remember the Commandments; used it for a quick program for my Christian Ladies Church Group-it was a real hit!”

starfisher16: “that was awesome! My son (he’s 9) says it was inspiring and wants me to teach this to our Sunday school kids Sunday … absolutely!!!”

But I was most surprised when I received a couple of photos from former attendees of the Ambassadors’ Academy teaching the 10 Commandments to people in different countries while they served on short-term missions trips.

This is Tim Crawford demonstrating the hand signals to kids in South Africa  during the the World Cup.

And here’s Torrey Babb performing the hand motions in Guatemala.

And someone from the Philippines:

allme4jesus: “This is awesome and very simple!  I am a missionary in the Philippines and will use this method to teach 1st graders at the elementary school this week.”

RandyPastor: I love this teaching. The kids are excited to learn the 10 commandments.

WretchedSinner: This is fantastic. Very simple, kind of goofy…but amazingly effective. I look forward to teaching it this way to my family.

My hope is that you will learn them too—then apply them to the consciences of sinners who have no understanding of God’s righteous standard. Would you you kindly let me know when you have them memorized?

imdaprince2: Learn 10 commandments in 5 minutes? ITS ONLY 4:44 THATS A LIE YOU BROKE A COMMANDMENT :O

Comments (13)

  2. Nameless Cynic

    Reply

    You know, it’s odd. “I am the LORD thy God… Thou shalt have none other gods before me… for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God” (from Deu 5:6-9 KJV – let’s stick with Deuteronomy, since the Decalogue is essentially mirrored in Exodus, and with King James because I like the poetry of the language).

    God doesn’t say “there ARE no other gods, just that you shouldn’t worship them because He doesn’t appreciate the competition. I’ve always thought that was interesting.

    Then right in the middle of that last verse (Deu 5:8-9) – “Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them…”

    Kind of puts art out of reach of the common man, doesn’t it? It’s only later translations that alter that to be “idols” – the original Hebrew doesn’t have any “sacred” subtext to the graven image (pecel ). Since the two statements are seperable (“Make no graven images” and “bow down and worship them”), it makes one wonder what God thought of Michelangelo.

    In fact, this same prohibition, sans the “bowing down” bit, is echoed earlier in the same book (Deu 4:23-25).

    Further, “Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.” (Deu 5:12-14)

    A strict reading of that would indicate that taking Saturday off is in opposition to the Word of God.

    Which also brings us to the fact that the Sabbath is supposed to be on the last day of the week, not the first – but that goes back to the antisemitism of the Council of Laodicea: “Christians must not judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honouring the Lord’s Day; and, if they can, resting then as Christians. But if any shall be found to be judaizers, let them be anathema from Christ.”

    So how important are these ten little rules again?

  3. Garrett

    Reply

    If we have conscience and the law is written on our hearts…what is the point of this video?

  4. Steve Sanchez

    Reply

    Nameless Cynic,

    Art would only be put into this category if it became an idol. For instance, if you bowed to a picture of a haloed Jesus, or prayed to a statue of Mary, etc.
    I understand that there are those who would think differently.

    Jews had art in the O.T. In fact, the cherubim were to be designed quite beautifully on the ark, etc. But! What if they started to worship that art?

    I answered your question in regard to the Sabbath in another post here.

  5. Nameless Cynic

    Reply

    Oh, come on, Steve, I covered those objections in the first one.

    Deu 4:23-25: Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee.

    For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

    When thou shalt beget children, and children’s children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the LORD thy God, to provoke him to anger

    Check it out. I’m not misquoting or taking it out of context. There’s no requirement for worship.

    As to the change in the Sabbath day, yes, that’s covered in the NT, but the reality is, as I said, the Sabbath was customarily found on the last day of the week (with variations among various sects) until the 4th century and the Council of Laodicea, which was openly hostile to Jews.

    (And you said nothing about the fact that God wants us to work six days, not five.)

    Incidentally, you might find this interesting.

    http://writ.news.findlaw.com/hamilton/20030911.html

    • Steve Sanchez

      Reply

      To Nameless: I believe those specific commandments were for, uh, Jews? Of course. And to this day they better darn well follow what God said. As for Christians, we are under grace, which doesn’t mean we are free to worship other Gods, but it does mean that forgiveness of sins is always available should we actually, willfully or unintentionally sin in this way. Oh! What a Savior!

      I like the article you provided and would certainly agree with the majority of her assertions, though I am no law scholar. Thanks for the resource!

  6. Nameless Cynic

    Reply

    I believe those specific commandments were for, uh, Jews? Of course. And to this day they better darn well follow what God said.

    Oh, really?

    For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (Matthew 5:18)

    Let me repeat that for you.

    Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

    Are you saying that all the law has been fulfilled? Really?

  7. Nameless Cynic

    Reply

    “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)

    “Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 24:22; roughly the same at Exodus 12:49)

    “By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:” (Romans 1:5)

    • Steve Sanchez

      Reply

      Amen, Nameless.

      Still, the Jews are accountable to their Law—all 613! That’s why Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, to show that’s it now about externals only, he will also judge the motives of the heart. Oh my! That’s why Christ came, to be the fulfillment of the Law, and to rescue us when we were dead in our sin and trespasses.

      In Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)

      The other nations will certainly be held accountable to God’s Moral Law. Good thing the Gospel IS for ALL nations.

  8. Torrey

    Reply

    Steve, thanks so much for sharing your technique. It makes it so easy to remember and so easy to teach others. The people in Guatemala loved it! SO easy to remember. My 9yr old son and 7yr old girl helped teach it to others in Guatemala. When we came home, we went to Church with some friends in Omaha and during the kids Church I guess they were asking if anyone new the 10 commandments. My son Jaxon of course knew them but when another kid said the 7th commandment was do not cheat, my son told him he was wrong. The kids told Jaxon, “no I’m not, it’s do not cheat, you need to read your Bible” to which my son said, “no it isn’t, it’s do not commit adultery, you need to read YOUR Bible”. My son is very black and white, and doesn’t have much tact yet… come to think of it… he’ll make a great street preacher. Blessings on all you do!

  9. Nathan

    Reply

    The Law is not fulfilled, man makes his own laws. Jesus said men would make laws until they became a burden. God’s Law is the most important, Jesus simplified it, if you love God as yourself, you will do no wrong. Jesus said go forth and sin no more, unless a worse thing comes for their trespass.

    The day is fast approaching that those who seek the Lord in simplicity, shall find an open door with which much is possible will open to his elect.

    Point for the Sabbath day. I recognized the Sabbath and try to keep it Holy(as I’m still learning everyday).

    Graven images, anything that is not alive. Husband and wife observe worship with one another as lovers. We forget our first love. The Father of all Creation. Loving God is worship, giving Him your time is worship. Spend your time wisely, time is money, money is a tool. Time is traded for money and then you worship what you want.

    I have always asked about what it means to worship? Truly, time spent is worship. Spend no time with God, means no worship of God. It seems fairly obvious at this point.

    You know why we shouldn’t offend our brothers? Because, they pray to the same Father, Who is a righteous and just judge of all things.

    There is a wealth of wisdom that sprinhs forth from the Lord.

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