This recording is from Willow Creek Church in Winter Springs, Florida, where Dr. Pete Alanson is our senior pastor. Today's sermon is part 18 in the series on the Book of Exodus and deals with the six of the ten commandments. This message is taken from Exodus chapter 20, verse 13, and is called On Killing. Now here's Pete with today's message. Father, that prayer is the reality of our heart. We come before you today actually desiring that everything that is in our mind and our hearts would really flow from you. But Father, we know it doesn't. And that much of the time as we live our lives, Lord, what comes out of our mouths and what's in our hearts isn't really good. And it isn't merciful, it isn't gracious. As you were merciful and gracious, Lord, in kind, and so we come to you today because we need all that you are in all that we are. Holy Spirit, we ask that you would fill us as we come into the presence of God. That you will enable us to worship, that you will enable us to hear your word today with Lord, your ears that we'd be able to take the truth and apply it. You know us and you know how scattered we are. All of the things that we've experienced, Lord, we need to know more about your grace. We need to experience it in our lives. We need to know more about who you are. And yet, Lord, we come to you today with all that we've gone through in the past week. And we just, we tell you that, Lord, we need you. We need you to bring us from the disappointments that we've experienced in life or in work, in relationships. Our own sin, our own shame, Lord, you know each one of us. And you know Lord, the pain we bring into this room today, some of us feel so guilty. Well, Lord, today all of us come before you and we confess our sins. All of us come before you. And Lord, we just ask that you would show us your mercy and your grace and your truth and your power. That, Lord, we would experience more about your grace today, even as we study the commandments. Lord, we pray that you would be present in a powerful way. So, Father, meet our needs. And then we pray, Lord, that you'd open our minds to what you have to say, that you'd allow us to let you be the teacher today and to take very difficult and sensitive truth and apply it to our lives. The Father, right now, I do want to stop and pray for our country, pray for our president, pray for our troops, pray for all those that, Lord, really are in harm's way for those who bring us security locally are police officers, Lord. And others who are in the line of duty and who face violence every day, Lord, may we have your grace, may they have your grace and strength. Lord, may you give us as a culture your peace, and we ask it, Lord, that you would come back and bring the perfection that you promise, not only into our lives personally but into your world. And now, Lord, we pray as we look into your word, that you would teach us that you'd meet us, that you would apply this truth through our lives, where we pray these things. That's the name of our risen Savior Jesus Christ. But if you have your Bibles, take them. Turn with me to Exodus, chapter 20. If you've looked already at your sermon outline, we are talking about everybody's favorite subject. We're talking about killing. I'm sorry. There's no easy way to talk about it. You are really very much into violence, and you know it, and I know it as well. Some of you are into sports, and in that sense, you are into violence. Some of you don't understand those who are very competitive people. You just don't get it. They wake up, they long to be a part of a sports competition or to, in some way, watch it or be a part of it. Some of you just don't get it. You don't get what they're all about. I understand somewhat of that competitive nature. Some of you are grieving today. You know the annual Saturday afternoon and some of you, some of you just frankly did not have a good football afternoon yesterday. And you're grieving. You're deeply grieving. Some of you, some of you that wear these colors, for instance, are deeply hurting. We've got idolatry all over this place this morning. I want you to know, we really do. Our assistant pastor is experiencing, well, he's expressing what idolatry is right now. So Chris, out of way, would you please stand where you are. Thank you. I'm sorry, that's idolatry. And that's about, and that's about the funniest we're going to get today. You know because this is a very difficult subject. I'm going to offend somebody today. Everybody's going to be offended somewhat today. I'm just guarantee it. When we talk about violence on the, on the racquetball court or on the tennis court or on the golf lengths or in the gridiron or so, that's okay. We understand that. But we really start talking about violence, death killing. It's, it's, it's awful. In fact, I'm not even going to tell you who gave me this bumper sticker this week. It says PETA. I'm not even going to tell you who gave me this. Greg Nelson gave me this and people eating tasty animals is the, is the PETA bumper sticker. We've got vegans in this church. We've got meat eaters, carnivores in this church. This is a very difficult sermon. It really is. When we start talking about real killing and death, we get sad. One of our staff members had to put their dog to sleep on Monday morning. She came to the office. She was sad. And it brought back all, you know, memories for us and our family was killing of a PET. Death is a, killing is a sad thing. The killing of a human being even sadder. I mean, it's a, you know, and we hear death, we hear murder statistics in the city of Orlando. And they've gone up as we've grown, as we've grown, we've grown because we see death and murder here in the city more than we ever saw before. And when we hear death statistics going down, it's like we almost get you for it. I heard this week that in Iraq, in, in the most violent province, for a whole month, there hasn't been anybody wounded or anybody killed for a whole month. And I'm going, whoa, it's because killing and death is just, is just awful. And the government that we're going to look at today became the foundation of American society. It was, but it was the foundation, first of Israel society. If you were going to live in a gracious way, you had to understand and observe the Sixth Commandment. And in America, if it was founded on this and countries and people that understand this commandment, find success. And that's the grace way to live, as we've been looking at all of these commandments, it's the grace way to live. And yet, as we look at the Sixth Commandment, here is the perspective. For us as believers in Jesus Christ, we have to be on the right side of killing because killing will always be with us. That sounds terrible to put it that way. But until Jesus Christ comes back, killing will be with us. And so this commandment teaches us to get on the right side of killing. You look, here it is, Exodus 20, 13, in the new international version of the Bible, but also in the new American standard version of the Bible, and in the English standard version, just about every modern translation, there it is. You shall not murder, very simple, very simple, the original Hebrew is no murder, just no murder. The King James Version, back in 1611 said, and this is why most of us learned it, thou shalt not kill. John Calvin said, and John Calvin is one of the great reformers who brought us back to the Bible as the source. And guys, as we talk about this today, we need to remember that we're going back to the Bible as the source of teaching on this very difficult subject. And so John Calvin said, that this commandment teaches that we should not unjustly do violence to anyone, and then the Dutch theologian said this, you shall not kill unlawfully, which it carries out this idea. I have only three categories to try to understand this from a biblical perspective, horrible homicide, awful homicide, and hidden homicide. Let's try to talk about those. What's horrible homicide? Well, it's premeditated murder. That's what this is talking about, and this is what it applies to here. The unlawful taking of a human life is what the Six Commandment on the societal surface level is talking about. You shouldn't do this. This deals with the unlawful, illegal, immoral, non-got approved taking of human life. And of course, this makes sense. Israel just been brought out of Egyptian bondage. And can you think of anything more ungracious to do than say, you offend me? I'm killing you? Of course not. And so in that sense, God says, you cannot build a culture. If everybody is taking the law into their own hands, just because they feel like it and kill somebody and just take their life without due process of law. Also, what did they do? What did God institute? Well, Genesis 9.6, right after the flood. He instituted whoever sheds man's blood by man as blood shall be shed. Capital punishment for premeditated murder. And why? Because that person is made in the image of God. Capital punishment was instituted because to simply take a human life was to take God's role, was to deal unjustly and flippantly with someone made in the image of God. Now, if you're a cosmic accident and you just happen, it's no big deal. I mean, if you're a product of evolution, big deal. So what if I kill you? You're a mistake anyway. There's no value in who you are. But if you were made in the image of God and you bear the spark of divinity in you, even though it's messed up by sin, then you're precious. And so that's why theologians and thinkers have applied this to certainly premeditated murder. Now, by the way, manslaughter in the Old Testament was treated differently. If you accidentally killed somebody, if it wasn't premeditated, you could run to the city of refuge and live until the high priest died, then you got to go free. There's accidental homicide, reckless and negligent homicide, but first-degree murder is included in this premeditated murder. Abortion, in most cases, thinkers have always included this in abortion. Unlawful taking a human life, the Jews, you done born human life, as a life. The early church did almost extensively say that, which is becoming human as human. Euthanasia, the sick, the feeble, the dying. To take them out of this world is not right, just because they're sick, or they're dying. Monday, a friend had come in town to visit another friend who was at the Legionnaire pastor's conference and he said, can I come over and see? I said, sure. We'll give you tour of the building. David was the first guy that I had ever discipled in the church in Connecticut, in my first church. We go back a long way. We've been friends ever since and he was one of those hardcore New Englanders who Jesus saved and turned him into a really neat guy. He was one of the guys that said, better you than me when I crashed my car the first time. He turned into a really nice guy. He loves Jesus. On the way over, his wife calls me and says, did we tell you that David was diagnosed with Alzheimer's? I said, in June, and did I tell you he's 58 way older than me? I'm thinking, what's Joyce going to do? He's going to take care of it. What am I going to do? Well, as he forgets who I am, I'm going to be his friend. I don't know, is he outlived his usefulness? No. He's a church who are fighting cancer. It's partly our responsibility to say to them, you're humanity. What you're going through. You're made in the image of God and you have something to offer me. And us, stand by you. The suicide, self murder, has been brought into this category. Listen, ultimately, this sense of the Six Commandments have a high view of human life. Don't have a low view of human life, because you're made in the image of God. And ultimately, that's what the call is. There are many ways for us to take life flippantly. I know I kid you. I kid a lot about speeding and driving too fast. But can we talk? I know that a car is a lethal weapon, so I use it as a sermon illustration. And you pick it in front of me, so I can't go as fast as I really would go, but I know. I know. I kid about that, but I'm very serious too. Don't give your kids keys or a driver's license just because they're 16. It's funny to see. In our church, whenever anybody's kids get close to driving time, they come to go, you'll be 15 and a half soon, it'll be 16. And your eyes are like, why? Because you know a potential murderer is on the road. You're going to have to take keys away from your parents problem because lethal weapon drinking and driving can be murderous. I'm all for guns, but keeping locked up. What we do with pollutants and chemicals is important for people. Safety regulations. Government regulations for safety. This will drive you crazy. It's rooted in the Old Testament. Catch this. Deuteronomy 228. When you build a new house, make a parapet around your roof so that you may not bring the guilt of bloodshed on your house if someone falls from the roof. I want to get a certificate of occupancy more than I can tell you over there, but I want it to be safe. Well, because that's what God is saying ultimately in this. Now, none of you are going to listen to anything I have to say from here on out. If you think you've been involved in one of these categories and think, is this going to keep me from having murder, abortion? My loved one who committed suicide. Are these things going to keep people from having? No. Because what puts us in a right relationship with the God of the universe anyway is Jesus Christ. But this is teaching us how to live graciously with one another. And so Jesus is the hero of this story. Even as we talk about the Six Commandment, he's the hero because he makes it possible even if we mess up in big ways like this to be forgiven. And to move on. I love that. But the first thing covered in the Six Commandment is horrible homicide. The second one is awful homicide. Now, I know you English majors, you're going to say, they're the same, they mean the same thing. I know they do. But I'm trying to bring out sort of the nuance of difference that the Old Testament brings out here. There is there is this sense in which killing must take place in society to preserve society in a broken world. And it's awful when it has to be done. It's awful. It's terrible. But it must be done in what, in what circumstances while premeditated murder. As I said, gold in the air had a statement that was very powerful when it relates to a just war. She said, we will forgive the Arabs for killing our people, but we can never forgive them for making our children into killers carrying the idea of how awful it is to take a human life. But how in some circumstances, self defense, the just war must be carried out. What is the just war? What is the just war? You know, I've studied it in seminary of study for years. I'm reading another book on it that they use incidentally at West Point. Aren't you glad they're studying what a just war is? It's a tough issue. But certainly in the whole issue of premeditated murder. Who was the first murderer, by the way, remember? Kane. Yeah. His brother Abel brought the right sack by the God. Kane did not. Kane was criticized by God. And he became angry at his brother. He took, there were some issues. If you were to talk to Kane and he would say, was there a reason for why you killed your brother? He would say, yes, there was. Twisted, warped almost every killer murder has reason for it, but in this case, it was twisted. And God says before he carried out the act, he says to him, he says, Kane, why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door. It desires to have you, but you must master it. Now, Kane said to his brother, let's go out into the field. And while they were in the field, Kane attacked his brother and killed. The Lord said to Kane, where is your brother Abel? I don't know. He replied, I don't know. Am I my brother's keeper answer? And that's why a society has to have a law like this to take care of the murder. You say, but God just sent Kane out and didn't take his life. That's true. It wasn't until after the flood that capital punishment was instituted. But it was. A society where there is no justice becomes angry and cynical. And its worst case, it turns into self vengeance. And Romans 13 says, the sword must be used to deal with the crying sins. The blood that cries out to God. Yet our culture is so low to do anything in the area of punishment. Even if people who do bad things, Albert Switzer, the great thinker said this, because he viewed life reverence for life as the highest point of his ethics, he said this. Life in itself, life in itself is so precious that we should not so much as pluck a leaf from a tree or pick a flower or kill a fly. Switzer advised people of his day before air conditioning, by the way, that if someone were to work indoors on a summer evening, it would be better to keep the windows closed and breathe stale air than to watch insect after insect fall to their death with wings singed by the candlelight. He was a fruitcake at this point. You know, in fact, when I get to heaven, I'm going to look at the father after I get over the amazing glory of his presence and say, why did you create mosquitoes? You know, there is this sense almost in our culture, I don't understand it. I don't understand it. It's almost like a crime to be human. In our culture, any killing offends this new sensibility. People wearing fur or leather coats are verbally and physically attacked. In this new order, people are condemned as racist or speciest and murders when they eat meat. Animal rights leader Ingrid Newkirk says, a rat is a pig is a boy and compares the killing of chickens to the Nazi holocaust. Six million people died in concentration camps, she told the Washington Post, but six billion broiler chickens will die this year in slaughterhouses. Ladies and gentlemen, that is insanity and it is in our culture and there must be an understanding that a culture needs this.
Just war, just war. We can't go into that, but let me tell you this. The problem is 24, 10 says this. If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength? Rescue those being led away to death. Hold back those staggering towards slaughter. If you say, but we know nothing about this, does not he who way the hearts perceive it, does not he who guards your life know it. Why not repage person according to what he has done? There's a time for a just war. There is and it's awful homicide, but we must it's awful, but we must fight evil. German Protestant minister Martin Nemoler's classic words ring true here. He said, they came for the communist, but I wasn't a communist so I didn't object. They came for the socialist, but I wasn't a socialist, so I didn't object. They came for the trade union leaders, but I wasn't a trade union leader, so I didn't object. They came for the Jews, but I wasn't a Jew, so I didn't object. Then he came for me and there was no one left to object. It's awful, but a Christian must to uphold the sixth commandment, I believe, have a high view of life. Horrible homicide, awful homicide, hidden homicide. This might hopefully apply to all of us more than the other two. Matthew 5. You've heard Jesus said in the sermon on the Mount that it was said that the people long ago do not murder or anyone who murders will be subject to judgment, but I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. And anyone who says to his brother, Raka is answerable to the Sanhedrin, but anyone who says you fool will be in danger of the fire of hell. Therefore, if you're offering a gift at the altar, and they'll remember that your brother is something against, you leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go, be reconciled to your brother, then come and offer your gift. Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court, do it while you're still with him on the way or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge may hand you over to the officer and you will be thrown into prison. Tell you the truth, you will not get out of there until you paid the last penny. This is hidden homicide, killing each other with words, assassinating characters, attacking personalities. Jesus said, this is the true spirit and application of the sixth commandment. It's the other things that we talked about, but it's this as well because we damage, we murder, we hurt, far more than we could ever imagine. And what we say, we can't take back. I love the story. Dr. Laura shares. I've been reading Dr. Laura, that great Protestant theologian. She's as Jewish as you can get. It's just amazing. I love, but she's read deeply in the rabbinic literature. She tells a rabbinic story. The man had been trashing the rabbi in the synagogue, attacking him personally, finally has a sense of what he's done and so he comes to the rabbi. I have gossiped about you. I have talked about you. I have hurt your reputation. Would you please forgive me and the rabbi says I will forgive you. First you must do one act for me. Anything rabbi. He gives him a feather pillow. He says, take this up to the mountain, cut it open, and spill the contents of this feather pillow all over the mountain. The man takes it up, slices it open, feathers everywhere, scattered down the mountain. He comes back and says, rabbi, I have done as you requested. He says, one more thing, I ask of you. Then I will bestow forgiveness. He says, little annoyed about that. One more thing to do. The rabbi says, my son, please go back, pick up every feather that you let go out of the pelvic. He says, rabbi, it's impossible. He says, yes. So is it impossible for me to retrieve the comments that you have made about me. So awful. Is gossip to the rabbi's that they said it too is a part of the Six Commandment and Jesus clearly agrees and brings it up and there is not one of us in this room who is not guilty right now. This is a call to deal with our anger, our own heart. It's a command to watch our words because they kill. I love how Jeff Ogren picked that song. Lord reign in me. I need the sovereign power of the universe to reign in me. I need God literally to reign in me. Or you don't know what words I'll say. You don't know what I don't say. You wouldn't have me as your pastor if you knew what I don't say. And what I have to repent of because of what I have said. So this applies to me. My vision, my vision for us as families is that we would be families of encouragement. Some of you didn't raise, were raised in encouraging families. You were raised where there was criticism and anger and meanness of every sort. And it's hard for you to pass on anything but the same thing and in Jesus Christ. I'm here to tell you the power of the gospel can break that and make your family and encouraging family. Make you an encouraging person. Dad's, that's our responsibility too. Dad's, I believe that we are responsible for providing the emotional tone of the home, not our wives but us. And so what is it that our kids need encouragement? We say in man in the mirror a lot when we talk about this subject that every heart is a hungry heart and encouragement is the food of the heart. We need that. We get it in the gospel. He says, I love you because I sent my son for you. There's nothing you have to do. I love you. I've got a life for you. And the father encourages us every day and then he sends us as fathers and mothers into our families to encourage, to with our spouse into the church. My vision is that this church would be an encouraging church. It's easy for us to criticize other churches. It's easier for us for me to because my theology is all right and they're all wrong. And you are the frozen chosen, the holy ones of Israel. I'm not always right. But this is a reminder for us that the sixth commandment does apply very practical in relationships all over the place. All of us need the gospel right now. I don't know if any of this applies to you in the Old Testament sense of murder, premeditated murder, abortion. Euthanasia, involvement in that. Those are difficult things. I'm going to keep you from God. No. I'm going to keep you from heaven. No. Jesus paid for all of that. What about character assassins? Is that going to keep you from heaven? No. So what a wonderful thing it is for us today to start out a new week beginning with it in mind. That this commandment is the way to provide a grace-based, successful life nationally and culturally personally. It's a great time to move away from. Sunday is a great time to say you're sorry to somebody, isn't it? Because you've got time. Because this is the Sabbath, right? And it's your day off, right? And you're not going to work around the house today, right? And if you do, then afterwards, after you break the Sabbath and after you... I told you, don't get paranoid about those things. But use a day like today. It's a great time to remember that Jesus paid for anything you said, anything that was hurtful. It's a great day to restore relationship, as hard as it may be. So as I pray that God would help me have my words be what they ought to be, we can all pray the same thing. It is the way to live in grace. It is the way to live building successful lives. Until Jesus comes back and cleans up the mess, the Six Commandments still stands. Take the heart. And I will too. Father, there's not a one of us in this room that wants to speak badly about others that wants to kill with our words. Lord, we're your people. And you've put it in our hearts to be loving and do what's good. And so Lord, we just pray that you would give us the power to fulfill all of what you've put in us that we really want to do. And that Lord, this church would be a place of encouragement. And that our families, and that we would be people who are encouraging to others. And Lord, we look forward to that day when you see us. And when we see you face to face, can you open your arms? And you draw us in. And with the light of your glory, you say, well done. Welcome home. Well done. Lord Jesus, we thank you for everything you did to make that reality our hope. And we pray this now and your holy and strong name. And now may the amazing grace of our Master Jesus Christ, the outrageous love of God the Father, and the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, go with you as you remember His deep love. Willow Creek Church is associated with the Presbyterian Church in America. Our website is www.willowcreekchurch.org. And our phone number is 407-699-82-11.