PM Exodus 20:1-18 "No Murder" Commandment 6

[0:00] And for those who are perhaps visiting for the first time, we've been looking at these ten commandments that God gave to Moses at Mount Sinai. And we're coming to the sixth commandment this evening, which is contained in verse 13, which says, You shall not murder. And we're going to be looking at that this evening.

[0:24] But we're going to read from verse 1 of the chapter, chapter 20. And I'm reading from the English Standard Version. We'll read down to verse 21 as we did this morning.

[0:38] Hear the word of God. 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.

[0:55] 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 the heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

[1:13] 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 fourth generation of those who hate me.

[1:27] 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.

[1:43] 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 labour and do all your work.

[1:57] 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.

[2:14] For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them. And he rested on the seventh day.

[2:26] Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

[2:42] You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.

[2:53] You shall not covet your neighbour's house. You shall not covet your neighbour's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbour's.

[3:05] Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashings of lightning, and the sound of the trumpet and the mountains smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood afar off and said to Moses, You speak to us and we will listen, but do not let God speak to us lest we die.

[3:27] 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.

[3:42] The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness, where God was. Amen.

[3:52] And we'll conclude our reading at that point. Now before we come to, now can you turn back with me to the passage that we read a moment ago, in Exodus 20, in your Bibles.

[4:04] And I've entitled the sermon this evening, because we're going to be looking at this, rather stark commandment in verse 13, You shall not murder.

[4:15] I've entitled the sermon this evening, Live, and let live. The sixth commandment given by God here in Exodus, at the foot of Sinai to Moses, comes to us in these four stark words in our English translation, You shall not kill, or as we read in the ESV, You shall not murder.

[4:45] In the original language, it is just two words, No murder. This command seems completely comprehensive, doesn't it?

[4:58] You shall not kill. But we need to see, that this is a unique word that is given, in the context of Exodus chapter 20. It's a Hebrew word that specifically, refers to killing, or murdering, human beings.

[5:18] So we're not talking about the killing, of animals here. Other forms of killing, are sanctioned, and outlined for us, in the Bible.

[5:30] animals, animals, for example, could be legitimately killed, for a number of reasons, directed by God. When we come to this commandment, we are also not speaking, about the state, or a country, enacting, capital punishment.

[5:54] This command, here, prohibits, the deliberate, malicious, and unlawful, taking, of human, life.

[6:13] I'm sure, that you would agree with me, as with the majority of people, that getting angry, and pulling a gun, and shooting somebody, in cold blood, is wrong.

[6:29] We have no difficulty, I'm sure, in imprisoning, a man like, Anders Breivik, who on the 22nd of July, 2014, killed eight people, by detonating, a van bomb, in Oslo, Norway.

[6:47] And then going, on a killing spree, to kill, a further 69 people, at a camp, in that country. But beyond that, matters of life, and death, become less black, and white.

[7:10] What, if someone, is terminally ill? should we assist them, out of, this life? Wouldn't that be, the humane, and merciful, thing, rather than, them persisting, in some, vegetative, state, as we might say?

[7:35] Or, of old people, who are ill, with no resources, available, for their care? wouldn't it just, be a compassionate, and merciful, option, to allow them, to die?

[7:55] That's what, the word, euthanasia, really means. It's give them, a happy, ending. Is that allowed, to us, as human beings?

[8:08] what, what, if a woman, is pregnant, from rape? Or, what, if an unexpected, child, is likely, or an expected, child, is likely, to be, severely, handicapped?

[8:26] Is, aborting, that child, the best, alternative? Is it, a legitimate, alternative, to take, that life?

[8:36] Well, fundamental, to this, commandment, that we have, in verse 13, as with all, the other, commandments, that we've looked at, and will look at, is the fact, that firstly, God, is, our creator, and, sustainer, and, only he, has, the ultimate, authority, over, his, creation.

[9:04] Secondly, of all, God's, created, things, only, one, has been given, a special, position, of honor, and distinction, and, protection, and, that is, mankind.

[9:24] We, all of us, owe, our existence, to the creator, God. God. The Bible, tells us, that we, alone, have been made, in, God's, image.

[9:40] And, that gives, all, of our lives, everybody's, life, a unique, dignity, and value. But, thirdly, behind this, commandment, lies, also, the fact, of God's, sovereignty, of his, sovereign, authority, over, our, lives.

[10:04] He is our, creator, who made us, he made us, special, he made us, specially, and he is the, author of life. It is he, who says, these two words, no, murder.

[10:25] But, it is that, authority, that God has, that we do not like, or that we bow to, willingly, or naturally.

[10:38] When we jettison, the idea, and belief, in God, as the vast majority, of people, in this world do, when men, and women, discard, God's, absolute, commands, and supreme, authority, over their lives, they inevitably, revert, to a lifestyle, of their own, lawmaking, of their own, pragmatism, and convenience.

[11:09] You see, when it becomes, a hardship, to care, for the elderly, or when a baby, might be born, severely handicapped, or when more money, will be required, to sustain, and support, the afflicted, the logical choice, will seem obvious, to us.

[11:32] We will talk, ourselves, as individuals, and as a country, and as a nation, into what we feel, comfortable with, and the end, will justify, the means.

[11:51] You see, there are these two, when we come to the word of God, there are these two, opposing world views, that are diametrically, opposed. There are those, Christian people, who believe, in the inspiration, and in the infallibility, of the Bible.

[12:10] And then, there are those, who do not believe, in God, and who do not believe, in the Bible. There are those, who believe, that there is a creator.

[12:23] There are those, who believe, that there is no creator. There are those, who believe, that man, is specially created, by God. And then, there is another group, of people, who believe, that man, is really, essentially, evolved, from, some other, life form.

[12:43] There are those, who believe, that God, is sovereign, and God, has authority, over our lives. And then, there is this other, group of people, who believe, that man, we are sovereign, and we are allowed, to determine, our own, life.

[13:01] There are those, who believe, in the sanctity, of life, the speciality, of life, or the specialness, of life. And then, there are those, who talk in terms, of the quality, of life.

[13:20] There are those, who believe, that the end, does not justify, the means. And then, there are those, who believe, that the end, does justify, the means.

[13:36] Someone has said, that all, murders, come from a mind, that does not, appreciate the value, and sanctity, of life.

[13:47] And does not, understand the significance, of God's, six, commandment. The command, is, you shall not, kill, unlawfully.

[14:03] Now, there have always been, disagreements, even, amongst Christians, about the taking, of anyone's, life. Some, people, believe, that killing, in self-defense, is justified.

[14:20] Some other people, say that, to engage, in, what they will call, a just, war. Is a legitimate, reason, for taking, another, person's, life.

[14:36] Some people, have no difficulty, in executing, someone, under, the death, sentence, in a country. Up until, relatively, recently, capital punishment, was still, enacted, in this country, for, murder.

[14:55] other. Those people, will see, these acts, where they, legitimize, the taking, of another one's, life.

[15:09] They will see, these, as acts, that actually, preserve, life, rather, than, destroy, life. But, whatever, our views, on these things, may be, and they will be, divergent, as our faces differ, one thing, is certainly, for sure, it is, always, wrong, for us, as individuals, to take, the law, into, our own, hands.

[15:41] Why, is murder, wrong then? Well, if you were to turn, to the first book, of the Bible, and to Genesis, chapter 9, and perhaps, you should just do that, Genesis, chapter 9, and verse 6, if you've got your Bibles, we'll read there, what Moses said, to the people, in Genesis 9, and verse 6, it's recorded for us, whosoever, whosoever, sheds the blood of man, by man, shall his blood, be shed, and here's the reason, here's the reason, in this very next word, for, in the image, of God, has God, made, man, the taking, of a human life, unlawfully, deserves, capital, punishment, punishment, the reason, is simply, that God, has made man, in, his, image, he's not, a mere animal, he is far more, than that, he is a person, a body, a soul, and a spirit, who has been made, in the image, of God,

[17:07] God, and it's precisely, because, human life, is so precious, and unique, and distinctive, that the punishment, when someone destroys, that life, is so, severe, and final, human life, is so precious, because, because, every, every, human, being, is made, in the image, of God, God, has put, his stamp, as it were, on, every, one of us, without exception, without exception, every, one of us, and just, as a master, artist, signs his work, on his artwork, therefore, to deface, a life, to murder, someone, to take, their life, is to deface,

[18:12] God's, masterpiece, John Calvin, who wrote, a number, a number, of hundred years ago, the reformer, in Geneva, said these words, our neighbor, bears the image, of God, the person, that you and I, interface with, on a day by day, basis, all the people, that we interface with, no matter who they are, are our neighbor, our neighbor, he says, bears the image, of God, to use him, abuse him, or misuse him, or her, is to do violence, to the person of God, who images himself, in every human soul, you see, seeing human beings, as created in God's image, means in some sense, valuing others, in a way, that a loving God, would value them, it means seeing, seeing dignity, in their lives, where some, might only see, disability, and perhaps, it means, seeing, human life, where others, might see, only, a clump, of cells, that, perhaps, is perhaps, an attempt, at some,

[19:48] Christian, and an outlining, of a Christian's, world view, we are made, especially, we are made, specially, by God, he has created us, and we owe, existence, to him, we are not, at liberty, to take life, unlawfully, but I want us, to listen, to the other, side, of the argument, I want us, to listen, to a man, called Malcolm, Potts, of Berkeley, University, listen to what he says, he says, these words, we can, no longer, base, our ethics, on the idea, that human beings, are a special, form of creation, made in the image, of God, singled out, from all, other animals, and alone, possessing, an immortal soul, listen to these words, once, this religious, mumbo, jumbo, has been, stripped away, we may, continue, to see, normal, members, of our species, whatever, that means, as possessing, greater, capacities, of rationality, self-consciousness, and communication, than members, of other species, but we will not, regard, as sacrosanct, the life, of each, and every, member, of our species, you see, that kind, of thinking, has therefore, convinced many, in our worlds, that some lives, are less, worthy, worthy, than others, that some lives, are not, worth, living, at all, the result, is that, abortion, and infanticide, and euthanasia, and assisted suicide, are exceedingly, common, and increasingly, so, in our society, in some cases, now, some of those, activities, have legal, protection, but they are all, forms, of murder, and violate, the sixth commandment, however, we might sit here, this evening, and, in the comfort, of this room, agree, with all of that, from a distance, and we might be, self satisfied, and think, that we have no problem, in keeping, this, commandment, we are home, and dry, we might think, you might sit there, and say, as I could sit here, and say, or stand here, and say, well I've never, plunged a knife, and taken a life, of anybody, and I suspect, that, all of you, could say the same, but this command, do not murder, goes, far deeper, than the physical, taking, of a person's life, this command, penetrates, and searches, as we shall see, into all our hearts, and into our thinking, and into our motives, and into our thought life, and into, the attitudes, that we have, in our minds, we might ask, well where does, murder, begin, how does anyone,

[23:49] become, a murderer, could I be one, well surely, that's not a possibility, well Jesus, the Lord Jesus, gives the answer, to this question, in Matthew 15, and verse 19, he identifies, the root, reason, for murder, he was, dialoguing, with, the religious leaders, of his day, in Matthew 15, and they were, priding themselves, on being able to, keep the laws, outwardly, and everything, on the outside, of the Pharisees, and the Sadducees, and the rabbis, and the teachers, they were, priding themselves, that they were not, convicted of this sin, but then the Lord Jesus, says these words, don't you see, that whatever, enters the mouth, goes into the stomach, and then out of the body, but the things, that come out, of a person's mouth, come from the heart, and these defile them, and then he says, a very, very interesting thing, in verse 19, he says, for out of the heart, come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander, these, he says, are what defile a man, and a person, but eating with unwashed hands, doesn't defile them, you see,

[25:35] I guess, I surmise, the probability, of you, physically, murdering, anybody, is pretty low, in the terms of, probability, but listen to the words, of the Lord Jesus, in the sermon, on the mount, in Matthew 5, he takes this command, far, far deeper, into our hearts, and he says, in Matthew 5, verses 21, and 22, he says, these words, you have heard, that it was said, to the people long ago, that is, to the people, that Moses was given, these commandments to, you shall not murder, and anyone, who murders, will be subject, to judgment, judgment, but I tell you, I tell you, he says, that anyone, who is angry, with a brother, or a sister, will be subject, to judgment, you see, the Lord Jesus, took this command, to a greater level, than Moses did, and he is challenging, the people's hearts, and he's challenging, our hearts, and he's asking us, to search our hearts, and to look at our attitudes, and to look at our motives, and to look at our thinking, he's asking us, to look at the very, core of our nature, look into our hearts, and as someone has said, the heart, of the problem, is the problem, of the heart, your heart, the Bible tells us, and my heart, is desperately wicked, desperately wicked, and the Lord Jesus, is asking us, to look into our hearts, because it's from there, it's from that, rotten center, it's from that, sinful heart, that the problem comes, in our lives, an old, preacher, many years ago, a man called,

[27:40] William Gurnall, said these words, most of us, would never, commit murder, but how often, have we taken, a neighbor, into some dark, alley, of our thoughts, and there, torn him, limb from limb, with a desire, for revenge, over some, petty, quarrel, most of us, would never, commit murder, he says, but how often, have you and I, taken someone, in our mind, into a dark alley, and torn them, limb from limb, one of the, older, catechisms, that we sometimes, rely on, to interpret, the Bible, says, these words, I am not, to dishonor, or hate, injure, or kill, my neighbor, by thought, words, or gestures, far less, by deeds, so instead, of this being, one of the, easiest, commandments, to keep, we find, that it's, one of the, hardest, because even, if we don't, take somebody's, life physically, the Lord Jesus, says, that we often, murder them, in our hearts, and in our minds, by forbidding, murder,

[29:26] God is, teaching us, that anyone, who hates, the root, of murder, is, is envy, is, is, hatred, is, anger, it's, a desire, for, revenge, the Lord Jesus, regards, all of these, synonymously, with, murder, murder, the apostle, the apostle, John, later, in one of his epistles, in 1st John 3, and verse 15, says these words, anyone, who hates, his brother, is a murderer, murder, you see, you and I, we, murder, people, when we use, angry, words, when we put, people, down, when we, whisper, about their, reputations, when we, make racist, or sexist, remarks, we, reveal, murder, in our, hearts, so I ask, the question again, are you, a murderer,

[30:48] I can't see, your heart, but God, can see, your heart, and you, if you're honest, with yourself, in the honest, light of day, know, when you, sit, and contemplate, your motives, and when I sit, and contemplate, my thought life, and my motives, you know, what you're like, do you ever say, something, to hurt somebody, do you delight, in others, downfall, and misfortunes, do you, do you have, do you have, someone, that you're out, to get, and you delight, if they make a fall, on a trip, or they have, a misfortune, or maybe, you just, don't help, people, and the story, of the, good Samaritan, that we have, in the Bible, the real problem, with the people, was that, the two, or three people, the two, first two people, that passed by, that injured man, on the road to Jericho, and one was a religious man, and he passed by, and he just, walked on by, passively, in other words, he just, let him die, passively, in his mind, and we can have, that attitude too, we just, walk on by, and not be helpful, to somebody, because after all, we're getting, what they do deserve, eh, do you want, somebody, to pay, for what they have done, do you find yourself, wishing evil, on somebody else, after all, they got what was coming, look at what he did, in the past, it's payback time, how is, your anger, management, how is, my anger, management, and all of these things, can take place, in our churches, can't they, so often, many of our churches, have been torn apart, because we've got, murderous people, in our midst, hating, our brothers, and John says, that we're murdering, each other, and it happens, week by week, and month by month, and year by year, even, even inside, the church, when we look, inside, our hearts, and we ought, to do that, the old preacher, a man called,

[33:54] Robert Murray, McShane, said these, as he looked, inside his heart, he said, these words, I see, the seeds, of every sin, known to man, in my own, heart, I see, the seeds, of every, sin, known to man, in my, own, heart, well, you're here tonight, and I don't know, all of you, maybe, as you think, about your life, you conclude, that you are a murderer, no, you've not, taken a gun, you've not taken a knife, you've not detonated, a bomb, but in your mind, you know, that you have, a sinful heart, but you know, the Bible tells us, that there is, forgiveness, there is forgiveness, with God, the Bible tells us, that when we come, and repent, of our sins, what God does, is he gives us, a new heart, a heart, to love him, and to obey him, and to honour him, and in the words, of an old hymn, the vilest, offender, who truly, believes, in Jesus, that moment, from Jesus, a pardon, receives, so we need not, despair, if we're here, this evening, and as we, contemplate, our motives, and our heart, and if we're convicted, that we are a murderer, as it were, and we've got, all these wrong thoughts, the psalmist says, but there is, forgiveness with thee, that thou, mightest, be feared,

[36:05] Lord, Moses said, you shall, not, murder, let's pray together, our father, we thank you, for your word, father, we confess, that when we are, confronted with it, we are like the man, who, looks in the mirror, of your word, and father, we pray that, we might not be like, that man, that's recorded for us, in the book of James, that, sees himself, and then, turns away, and forgets, what he has seen, father, we pray that, any time, and this time, as we hear your word, that we might be convicted, in our hearts, of our sinfulness, and that we might come, to you, who, alone, can save us, and give us, a new heart, a heart, a heart, to praise you, a heart, to love you, a heart, to obey you, father, when we look, into your word, as we have done, just, this evening, in a very simple way, we confess, that we are undone, by it, it convicts us, of our thoughts, our spitefulness, our hard heartedness, our evil, and sinful heart, but father, we pray, that you might, forgive us, and that we might, always come to you, for salvation, father, we ask this, in Jesus name, amen, of God, that you, this evening, and this evening, he took us, a home, and that I want, to find any, of fuses, that we could, you, and, that he would, you, are, and,

[38:06] I can't, to work, with so many, how we, the owner, and, to see our, you, this, is a good word,