Live by the Spirit: The Second Commandment

Bible Text: Exodus 32:1-16 | Preacher: Pastor Mark Verbruggen | Series: Live By The Spirit | In the story of the “Golden Calf” from Exodus 32 we see a dramatic depiction of the Second
Commandment in which God says, “You shall not make for yourself an idol …” It’s a tragic story
from the life of God’s people, when they were in the wilderness, as they slipped into “idolatry”.
This is tragic because they have been rescued from their slavery in Egypt and have been
brought to Mount Sinai where they now enter into a “covenant relationship” with the Lord. This
will be their freedom (Idolatry leads back into slavery!) The Lord is the God who sees and hears
and acts on behalf of his people. God will be their Savior and they will be his special people.
This relationship between God and his people is rooted in love and grace. The Law which
follows (and we now study from the Heidelberg Catechism) is laid upon a foundation of grace
and is our guide so that we might “Live by the Spirit”.