Ten words of grace #6 june 26, 2011

Rediscovering the Good News that We Dare Not Forget!

‘11

129 questions and answers

52 Lord’s Day Readings

The Heidelberg Catechism (1563)

The Apostles’ Creed

The Ten Commandments

The Lord’s Prayer

The Good News We Almost Forgot: Rediscovering the Gospel in a 16th Century Catechism by Kevin DeYoung.


I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:


Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell.


The third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead.


I believe in the Holy Spirit;the one holy church;the communion of saints;the forgiveness of sins;the resurrection of the body;and the life everlasting.

Amen.

Exodus 20:13

You shall not murder.

J. Vernon

McGee

“This 6th

commandment is the

most important and

vital commandment to

you, your family, and

to every person on

the topside of this

earth.”

Exodus 20:13


WHAT?

What is this commandment

actually prohibiting?

Exodus 20:13 (KJV)

Thou shalt not kill.

NIV, NASB, ESV, and the New

King James:

Exodus 20:13


In the Old Testament

Law, there are

18 capital offenses

listed (kidnapping,

adultery, blasphemy,

murder, witchcraft,

etc.)

Deuteronomy 20:1

When you go to war against your

enemies and see horses and

chariots and an army greater than

yours, do not be afraid of them,

because the LORD your God, who

brought you up out of Egypt, will be

with you.

WHAT?



Murder – the unlawful taking

of human life.

According to Scripture, when is

the taking of human life „lawful?‟

- To provide law and order

Romans 13:4

For he is God's servant to do you

good. But if you do wrong, be

afraid, for he does not bear the

sword for nothing. He is God's

servant, an agent of wrath to bring

punishment on the wrongdoer.


the taking of human life lawful?


- Self-defense

Exodus 22:2-3

If a thief is caught breaking in and

is struck so that he dies, the

defender is not guilty of

bloodshed; but if it happens after

sunrise, he is guilty of bloodshed.




- Self-defense

- Involvement in a “just” war


- God often ordered the

people of Israel into warfare

In the New Testament

- John the Baptist‟s

exchange with soldiers

Luke 3:14

Then some soldiers asked him,

"And what should we do?" He

replied, "Don't extort money and

don't accuse people falsely – be

content with your pay."

Adolf Hitler

and the

Nazis

Japanese attack on

Pearl Harbor




- Self-defense

- Involvement in a “just war”

- Capital punishment


Law, there are

18 capital offenses

listed (kidnapping,

adultery, blasphemy,

murder, witchcraft,

etc.)

Genesis 9:6

Whoever sheds the blood of man,

by man shall his blood be shed;

for in the image of God has God

made man.

WHAT?



It is forbidding murder, the

unlawful (as defined by God)

taking of a human life!

Why?

Why does God forbid murder?

Two fundamental

truths about

human life:

1. Human life is a gift from God!

Genesis 2:7

Then the LORD God formed a

man from the dust of the ground

and breathed into his nostrils

the breath of life, and the man

became a living being.

Two fundamental

truths about

human life:

1. Human life is a gift from God!

2. Human beings are the ONLY

image-bearers of God!

Genesis 1:27

So God created mankind in his

own image, in the image of

God he created them; male and

female he created them.

Genesis 9:6

Whoever sheds the blood of man,

by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God

made man.

Why?

Why does God forbid murder?

Because life is SACRED!

It is a gift from God

All human beings are image-

bearers of God!

So what?

What are the implications of

this word of grace for us today?

There is no

doubt that we

are living in an

increasingly

violent world!

Abortion:

The Great

American

Scandal!

Abortion:

Not the

unpardonable

sin!

Another implication of this sixth

word of grace given by Jesus!

Have you ever

murdered

anyone?

What do you think I am? A

murderer?

Matthew 5:21

You have heard that it was said to

the people long ago, „You shall not

murder, and anyone who murders

will be subject to judgment.‟

Matthew 5:22

But I tell you that anyone who is

angry with a brother or sister will be

subject to judgment. Again, anyone

who says to a brother or sister,

„Raca,‟ is answerable to the court.

And anyone who says, „You fool!‟

will be in danger of the fire of hell.

Matthew 12:34

Out of the overflow of the heart the

mouth speaks.

Matthew 5:22

But I tell you that anyone who is

angry with a brother or sister will be

subject to judgment. Again, anyone

who says to a brother or sister,

„Raca,‟ is answerable to the court.

And anyone who says, „You fool!‟

will be in danger of the fire of hell.

Have you ever

been so angry

at someone,

you wanted

them dead?

Q.105

What is God‟s will for you in

the Sixth Commandment?

A. 105

I am not to belittle, insult, hate

or kill my neighbor – not by

my thoughts, words, my

look or gesture, and

certainly not by actual

deeds – and I am not to be

party to this in others . . .

A. 105

. . . rather, I am to put away all

desire for revenge. I am not

to harm or recklessly

endanger myself either.

Prevention of murder is

also why government is

armed with the sword.

Q.106.

Does this commandment

refer only to killing?

A. 106

By forbidding murder God

teaches us that He hates

the root of murder: envy,

anger, vindictiveness. In

God‟s sight all such are

murder.

Q.107

Is it enough then that we do

not kill our neighbor in any

such way?

A. 107

No. By condemning envy,

hatred, and anger God tells

us to love our neighbors as

ourselves, to be patient,

peace-loving, gentle,

merciful, and friendly to them,

to protect them from harm as

much as we can, and to do

good even to our enemies.

Rediscovering the Good News

that We Dare Not Forget!

‘11

Next Sunday –

The Forgotten Commandment

Lord’s Day Reading #41

So what attitudes

are lurking in the

corners of your

heart as you think

of your “not-so-

favorite” people?

Spiritual

Ten words of grace #6 june 26, 2011