GLOSSOP PARISH CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS 3 rd

GLOSSOP PARISH CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS 3 rd Sunday of Lent 7 th March 2021

Gathering to worship God Let us worship God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Lord, direct our thoughts, teach us to pray, lift our hearts to worship you in spirit and in truth, through Jesus Christ.

Hearing the Word of God’s people had travelled to Egypt when they didn’t have enough food. Joseph – he had the multicoloured coat – was in charge of food distribution, and no-one went hungry. Many years passed by. The Egyptian Pharaoh didn’t remember Joseph. He hated God’s people: he made them slaves. God chose Moses to lead his people out of Egypt and back to their own land.

It was a fantastic adventure getting out of Egypt. But now that everyone was walking through the desert, there was a lot of moaning! Some people thought they should never have left Egypt. Other people decided they couldn’t trust Moses or God anymore. So God called Moses up a mountain and gave him some rules to live by. We call these rules the TEN COMMANDMENTS.

The following pages tell the story using Free Bible Images. You can read the story for yourself at Exodus 20. 1 -17.

Have you ever heard of the ten commandments? This is how God gave His rules for living to a man called Moses.

Three months after God led the Israelites out of Egypt they arrived at the base of a large mountain, called Mount Sinai in the hot desert wilderness.

God told Moses to climb on his own to the top of the mountain so He could talk with him.

God said to Moses, ‘Tell the people to wash themselves and get ready, because I am about to come down and speak to you at the top of the mountain.

Moses and the people did as God asked and got themselves clean and ready. Three days later there was thunder and flashes of lightning. A thick cloud covered the mountain. People were terrified.

It was then that God gave His ten commandments to Moses. They are ten rules to help us live at peace with God and each other.

Rule number 1: God is the one true God. Put Him first in your life and make Him more important than anyone or anything else.

Rule number 2: You should only worship and serve God not anyone or anything else.

Rule number 3: You must only ever use God’s name with respect and reverence, never as a name to mock or swear.

Rule number 4: You must remember the Sabbath as a day a rest. You can work on the six other days but the Sabbath day is a holy day to worship God and relax.

Rule number 5: You must honour and obey your parents. God promises a long life to you if you do.

Rule number 6: You must never murder anyone. Jesus said we should not hate anyone either.

Rule number 7: You must be faithful to the person you marry and not have affairs with anyone else.

Rule number 8: You must not steal. Respect other people’s property.

Rule number 9: Do not tell lies. This includes saying things about other people that are not true.

Rule number 10: Do not be envious of what other have or be greedy.

Jesus later summed up the ten commandments by saying, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind. ’ This is the first and most important command. And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself. ’ Matthew 22. 36 -40.

Responding to the Word of God I wonder why it’s important to have rules. Imagine you have to invent three good rules for everyone in your school or home to follow. I wonder what your three rules would be. I wonder what it would be like if everyone in your school or home kept your three rules. I wonder what you think about God’s rules?

Saying sorry to God our Father, we come to you in sorrow: For the mean thoughts we have had, forgive us and help us. For the hurtful words we have said, forgive us and help us. For the wrong things we have done, forgive us and help us.

Praying to God We pray for God’s grace, saying: Lord, receive our praise and hear our prayer. Eternal God, give us insight to discern your will for us, to give up what harms us, and to seek the perfection we are promised in Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Lord’s Prayer Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name; your kingdom come, your will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.

Song In the Lord I'll be ever thankful

The Grace May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and evermore.

GLOSSOP PARISH CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS