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[Music] good evening to everyone welcome back to the house of the Lord It's a good uh it's a joy to be in the house of God once again uh on this Lord's Day evening to gather together with the Saints of Christ for the worship of our great God well let's turn in our Bibles then as we begin our worship this evening our call to worship will be a reading of Psalm 93. Psalm 93 verses 1 to 5 which is the entirety of the psalm this is the word of the Triune God the Lord Reigns he is clothed with Majesty the Lord is clothed he has girded himself with strength surely the world is established so that it cannot be moved your throne is established from of old you are from Everlasting the floods have lifted up O Lord the floods have lifted up their voice the floods lift up their waves the Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many Waters than the mighty waves of the sea your testimonies are very sure Holiness adorns your house O Lord forever amen well let's stand together as a church we're going to sing hymn 82 that's Psalm 82 in the psalter hymnal in front of you let's stand and sing together [Music] foreign [Music] understanding the lights [Music] for us [Music] because foreign [Music] let's go to our great God In Prayer let's pray Heavenly Father we rejoice in this opportunity to gather a second time on this year Lord's day for the worship of Father Son and Holy Spirit our one true and living God and we thank you that we can confess your name we thank you that we can gather in the name of Jesus Christ Our Savior and truly Lord God we acknowledge your greatness your majesty and your glory we recognize that you are infinite Eternal and unchangeable in all of your glorious Perfections and we are humbled before you and we pray that you would impress upon us the even the joy of having a reverential law before the Majesty of Heaven and Earth we do pray that you would give us the disposition of Mind and Spirit that we might apply our minds in the worship of God this evening help us not to be distracted help us not to have Wandering Minds but to be solely focused on the worship of our blessed Triune God do impress upon us the joy and the solemnity and the the glory and the honor Lord God of being gathered together to to have you before us as as our as the chief and only object of our worship do impress upon us the glory of this opportunity and Lord God we do pray that we would leave this place refreshed that we would leave this place strengthened that we would leave this place all the more glorying in our Triune God and resting solely and alone upon the saving work the perfect saving work of our savior the Lord Jesus Christ we do pray Lord God that you would cause us to reflect as we engage in worship on the great salvation that you have afforded Us by Amazing Grace and through the Perfection of the work of Jesus Christ we know that we are sinners we know that we were Sinners outside of saving faith in damning unbelief uh going uh going away every day away from our God and living under the reality of the wrath of God and we do thank you that in due time you brought us forth from Darkness to light that In Due Time Lord God by virtue of your amazing and Victor victorious Grace and upon the foundation of the Soul work of the Lord Jesus Christ you did bring us forth and you caused us for your glory and for the exaltation of Christ to know Jesus Christ and we just pray that you would help us to be washed afresh in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ this evening we thank you that we have the Forgiveness of sins we put we pray that you would cleanse us once again by virtue of the blood of Jesus Christ and we do pray that you would help us here in this lower World by your spirit to live in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ we do pray this evening that you would be honored and glorified in the act of worship we pray As we sing as we read the scriptures as we engage in that Central act of worship the preaching of the word that you would be with us and that the Lord Jesus Christ would be exalted upon the Praises of this gathered assembly and we do ask God that you'd be with Pastor Butler as he preaches your word help him in this Pulpit to uh to know your presence to know the strength of the spirit we pray that you would give him much courage much conviction and confidence as he opens up the word and as he proclaims to us the riches of that word and we do pray that we would receive it well and we pray Lord God that your Saints would be strengthened in the act of worship this evening and by the preaching of the word and we pray Lord God that Sinners would be saved we know that with men it is impossible but With God all things are possible and so we pray as it is only possible with you that we would all leave this place singing and rejoicing in The Virtue in the the office and the Perfection of Jesus Christ Our Savior we do ask Lord God that you would be with those in our midst who are struggling with physical things we pray for all who are plagued with illness with injury we do pray that you would help them Lord God that you would be near to them we ask that you would strengthen them in body as the great physician that you would even heal them Lord but in the midst of Affliction we pray that they would own their God and rejoice in their savior we do pray for those struggling spiritually as we all can go through those Seasons where the the floods come in the rains and the the rains and the clouds come and and pour upon us and and darken the Sun as it were we pray that you would help us in these lower times to be found rejoicing nevertheless in Christ that we would be returned unto the joy of our Salvation that you would lift us up from out of pits and cause us to behold the greatness of our God we do ask that you would be with those who are with child we rejoice in the uh this new news regarding Mac and Stephanie and we do pray for others Lord God who are with child we pray that you'd strengthen them that you'd be with mothers that you'd be with the children and that you would in due time bring forth these children as the gifts they as the gifts that they are without issue and uh without Health concern and we pray that parents would rejoice in due time and that further in due time you would bring forth these young ones too life and light in Christ Jesus the Lord we do ask God that you'd be with the governments of the world that you would cause them to act righteously that they would not act in wickedness and in depravity that they would not continue to suppress the things of God and and uphold wickedness but rather that they would see properly good as good and evil as evil we pray even that you would cast off those who would seek to in Rebellion against God do those things which are not according to your will and unto a proper righteousness and that you would live lift up and replace them with those who would exercise Justice in the lands we do pray that you'd be with our persecuted brothers and sisters throughout the world the lord God that you would be with those people and in Many Nations who suffer the grossness of Oppression and tyranny and all of those things that can come upon the people of God we do pray that you would strengthen them God that you would help them in the midst of these afflictions in the mid in the midst of opposition to cast their eyes of faith upon the Lord Jesus Christ exalted to the right hand of the Majesty on high and in him find their confidence and their Chief joy and that they would as it were be able to look away from their persecutions and look to him we do pray that you would deal with those who persecute them Lord God that you would even as as with Saul so many years ago bring forth these Wicked ones from the darkness of sin to life and light in Jesus Christ that they would cast off their idolatry by your grace and lay hold solely and alone of the Triune God who saves without a Helper and we do pray for those who would remain obstinate in their persecutions and in their opposition to the Church of Christ we pray that you would take them out of the way that you would rip out their fangs that you would cause them to to wither away as the snail so that they will no longer bring violence against your precious people we do pray then now that you would be with us as we continue in worship that you would lift up our hearts that you would cheer our hearts with the knowledge of Father Son and Holy Spirit and of the greatness of our savior we pray in the name of Jesus Christ amen well let's stand and sing together our next hymn is going to be 171 that's him 171 to a familiar tune [Music] the spirit of Jesus Christ peace churches [Music] foreign foreign is true [Music] can turn in your Bibles with me to numbers 19 that's our Old Testament scripture reading this evening Numbers Chapter 19 the entirety of the chapter numbers 19 beginning in verse 1. once again this is the word of the Triune God now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron saying this is the ordinance of the law which the Lord has commanded saying speak to the children of Israel that they bring you a red heifer without blemish in which there is no defect and on which a yoke has never come you shall give it to eliezar the priest that he may Take It Outside the camp and it shall be slaughtered before him and eliezar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and sprinkle some of its blood seven times directly in front of the Tabernacle of meeting then the heifer shall be burned in his sight its hide its flesh its blood and its awful shall be burned and the priest shall take Cedarwood and hyssop and Scarlet and cast them into the midst of the fire burning the heifer then the priest shall wash his clothes he shall bathe in water and afterward he shall come into the camp the priest the priest shall be unclean until evening and the one who burns it shall wash his clothes in water bathe in water and shall be unclean until evening then a man who is clean Shall Gather up the ashes of the heifer and store them outside the camp in a clean place and they shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for the water of purification it is for purifying from sin and the one who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening it shall be a statute forever to the children of Israel and to the stranger who dwells among them he who touches the dead body of anyone shall be unclean seven days he shall purify himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day then he will be clean but if he does not purify himself on the third day and on the seventh day he will not be clean whoever touches the body of anyone who has died and does not purify himself defiles the Tabernacle of the Lord that person shall be cut off from Israel he shall be unclean because the water of purification was not sprinkled on him his uncleanness is still on him this is the law when a man dies in a tent all who come into the tent and all who are in the tent shall be unclean seven days and every open vessel which has no cover fastened on it is unclean whoever in the open field touches one who is slain by a sword or who has died or a bone of a man or a grave shall be unclean seven days and for an unclean person they shall take some of the ashes of the heifer burnt for purification from sin and running water shall be put on them in a vessel a clean person shall take hyssop and dip it in the water sprinkle it on the tent on all the vessels on the persons who were there or on the one who touched a bone the slain the dead or a grave the clean person shall sprinkle the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day and on the seventh day he shall purify himself wash his clothes and bathe in water and that evening he shall be clean but the man who is unclean and does not purify himself that person shall be cut off from among the assembly because he has defiled the sanctuary of the Lord the water of purification has not been sprinkled on him he is unclean it shall be a Perpetual statute for them he who sprinkles the water of purification shall wash his clothes and he who touches the water of purification shall be unclean until evening whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean and the person who touches it shall be unclean until evening amen let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you once again for this the reading of your holy scriptures we thank you Lord God that you have condescended to reveal the mind of God to the sons of men we thank you that we have this Revelation to Avail of to read and we thank you Lord God that It ultimately points to the Lord Jesus Christ Our Savior all the the meticulousness and the Precision of of old Covenant ceremony and and approaches unto God no doubt instruct in the Holiness of God in sin and in Salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ at the the general drift of Holy Scripture the the scope the Target and the goal is ultimately Christ upon the cross working out the salvation of men and in that these were instructed in the old Covenant and we thank you that now in the New Covenant era we can Avail Christ having come that we can Avail of the Revelation to the sons of men wherein we see our savior wherein we see his person and his work and help us now as we can continue in worship to rejoice in Jesus Christ Our Savior and in the Blessed salvation that he affords his people and we pray in his name amen our last hymn before the preaching then if you'll stand with me is 134 that's him 134 let's stand as a church and sing foreign [Music] come on to this place foreign [Music] foreign [Music] with me in your Bibles to the Book of Exodus Exodus chapter 20. the holidays and the top utility schedule of the last couple of months I know we've been on fire routine we're going through the Gospel of John in the morning and the book of Ephesians in the evening God willing will return to those in February next Sunday is What's called the sanctity of Life Sunday and since I'll be away I wanted to preach on that subject this evening so our Focus will be Exodus 20 specifically at verse 13. it'll be some repetition for those who consistently uh attend the Wednesday night bible study we have been going through Exodus and then as well we've kind of dabbled in these themes in our confession study chapters 19 and then chapter 24. so hopefully the review will seal it into our hearts that will indeed cause us to see the necessity of gospel to be sure but also the law of God but I do want to read the decalogue as a whole we'll pray and then look at verse 13. so 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 bondage you shall have no other gods be for me you shall not make for yourself a carved image any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the Earth You shall not bow down to them nor serve them for I the Lord your God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me but showing Mercy to thousands to those who love me and keep my Commandments you shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain 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 labor and do all your work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God in it you shall do no work you nor your son nor your daughter nor your male servant nor your female servant nor your cattle nor your stranger who is within your gates for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the Earth the sea and all that is in them and rested the seventh day therefore the Lord bless the Sabbath day and hallowed it honor your father and your mother that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you you shall not murder you shall not commit adultery you shall not steal you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor you shall not covet your neighbor's house you shall not covet your neighbor's wife nor his male servant nor his female servant nor his Ox nor his donkey nor anything that is your neighbors now all the people witnessed the thunderings the lightning flashes the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking and when the people saw it they trembled and stood afar off then they said to Moses you speak with us and we will hear but let not God speak with us lest we die and Moses said to the people do not fear for God has come to test you and that his fear may be before you so that you may not sin so the people stood afar off but Moses Drew near the thick Darkness where God was amen well let us pray our Holy Father and gracious God we thank you for the gospel of our Salvation we know that you have blessed us richly uh given us every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus we praise you for justification and sanctification and glorification we know as well you've given us your law you've given us that commandment wherein we are to protect the lives of others wherein we are to Value human life and God tonight we pray that the Holy Spirit would guide our thoughts and our minds as we consider this theme in Holy Scripture as well God help us to be faithful in terms of Prayer in terms of the way that we conduct ourselves in this lower world and help us God as the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ to have the answers that this world desperately needs from both gospel and law again we pray for the Forgiveness of all of our sin and all unrighteousness and those things that do die work in our our mind and that cause us not to receive with glad Hearts the word of Truth so cleanse us now in that precious blood guide us by the spirit and we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well as we have had cause to reflect on our Wednesday night bible studies we have seen that in Exodus chapter 20 you have What's called the moral law of God there are uh there is a threefold division of law in the Old Testament you have the moral law which is The Ten Commandments you have the ceremonial law which were those things unique to Israel's worship and their life of faith in the old Covenant and then you have what was called the judicial laws the laws that were to guide them and govern them for their tenure in the land when it comes to the moral law we see that it abides when the Prophet Jeremiah announces new covenant blessing he speaks of God writing the law on the hearts of those who are saved by grace through faith in our lord Jesus he's not going to write a brand new law he's not going to make up something new but rather it is The Ten Commandments which is in fact the moral law a reflection of God's Perfections that is what is transcendent depend uh irrespective of what Covenant you find yourself at if you're in the old Covenant The Ten Commandments are binding you're in the New Covenant The Ten Commandments are binding what we find in Exodus 20 and repeat it again in Deuteronomy 5 are for us in terms of church life now there is not only a threefold division of the law but the reformed tradition has identified three uses of the law and those uses are quite simple first there is What's called the Civil or political use and that simply means that God gives his law to restrain creatures to restrain us from being as bad as we could possibly be the second use of the law is called the pedagogical and that word simply means child tutor it simply means that like in the language of the Heidelberg Catechism how do you know your sin and misery I know it from the law of God the law of God shows me my sin it shows me my misery and it shows me my need for the Savior so it's a childhood a child tutor to lead us to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ for justification by faith now once we're justified by Faith Christ points us back to the law and we engage in What's called the normative use of the law the normal day in day out sanctification process it's not undefined it's not nebulous it's not just a matter of the heart relative to God but there are Commandments that God gives us and calls us to obey in terms of being justified by faith we now consequentially live in a manner that is consistent with God's law Jesus prays in John 17 sanctify them by thy truth Thy word is truth Jesus says in John 14 if you love me you will keep my Commandments the Apostle Paul when he wants to show what love looks like in the context of the local church he points to the second table of the law in Romans chapter 13. we know that we love each other if we're not murdering each other if we're not stealing from one another if we're not committing adultery with one another's wives the Apostle Paul points to objective concrete example in terms of God's revealed law so the law is binding upon the church today if we use it for justification we're using it unlawfully but if we use it in that normative way as a definition of righteousness and Holiness we're using it in the right way in a lawful way and then one final thought by way of introduction when it comes to the world that we live in we see violation of this law we see transgression against the sixth commandment we see it in Spades and we're going to comment on that in a bit a bit later in the sermon this evening but with reference to our prayer life we ought to go into the closet mindful that this isn't some nice and almost Sanctified world we live in a brutal age we live in an ungodly age we live in an age where there is the celebration of Bloodshed all around us the Christian Church ought to be in prayer we ought to appeal to the God of Justice and righteousness we ought to appeal to God to to work in the hearts of civil government that they rightly punish law Breakers in Civil Society it ought not to be the case that murderers walk our streets and ought not to be the case that abortion and euthanasia are celebrated it ought not to be the case that we engage in such transgression against God most high Solomon says that righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people and I think that we're we're feeling that keenly as we move on and what appears at least in some degree as a late stage Republic so we need to pray as the people of God we need to understand the law of God and as well we need to be bold with the Gospel of Jesus Christ because when that law is preached properly and people see their depravity we come with the balm of Gilead that blessed message of justification by faith in Jesus Christ Our Lord so let's look at the sixth commandment under two considerations notice first of all the explanation of the man and then secondly we'll look at the application of the command and we won't confine ourselves to this particular passage we'll look at other places throughout scripture for both heads so the explanation of the command and then secondly the application of the command and under the explanation I've got four sub points first we'll look at the terminology explained secondly the prohibition considered third the exceptions noted and then fourth the reason specified now notice first of all the language he says your God through Moses in chapter 20 at verse 13 it says you shall not murder now the Old King James translates this as kill I don't think this is the best translation I think the new King James and perhaps other modern translations that use the word murder get at it better as we drop down later to the exceptions noted there is justifiable homicide in the Bible there are three instances wherein a person may with God's authorization kill another human being so all murder is killing but not all killing is murder and we need to keep that in our minds so with reference to the particular word that Paul uh not Paul that Moses uses got Paul in my head for some reason and what Moses uses here this is the word Walter Kaiser explains while Hebrew possesses seven words for killing the word used here which is ratza appears only 47 times in the Old Testament if any one of the seven words could signify murder were factors of premeditation and intentionality are present this is the verb so it's built into this particular statement that there is this prohibition against premeditated murder about killing somebody with malice a forethought now Webster in his 1828 dictionary I don't know what it would say today they're changing dictionaries they're changing language but way back when in 1828 Webster defined it this way to kill a human being with premeditated malice that is crucial to the definition of murder premeditated malice there must be premeditation there must be intention there must be studied Vengeance malice of forethought deliberate deliberateness all those are essential to establishing the fact of murder again when we see the exceptions noted we'll note that those things are absent it is not premeditated it is not malice a forethought in war it is not malice a forethought in terms of self-defense it's not malice a forethought in terms of capital punishment so malice a forethought is absolutely crucial relative to establishing murder turn over to Exodus chapter 21 where you see a distinction between murder and between uh just uh just homicide in general notice in Exodus chapter 21 at verse 12 he who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death right makes sense He Who strikes them at and that man dies the man who struck him shall surely be put to death now notice the qualification in verse 13 however if he did not lie in wait there was no aforethought there was no premeditation there was no deliberateness there was no planning this was an accidental homicide so verse 13 if he did not lie and wait but God delivered him into his hand then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee so the Cities of Refuge were there for those instances of accidental homicide it was still bad you shouldn't accidentally kill people and as a result you're going to have to go live in that City of Refuge for a time but you are not guilty of the crime of murder and therefore you are not to be executed for your crime turn over to Deuteronomy chapter 19. Deuteronomy 19 details this in a bit more language Deuteronomy 19 specifically at verse 4. and this is the case of the manslayer who flees there talking about the Cities of Refuge that he may live whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally not having hated him in time past see there's an accidental homicide again be careful oh don't you know go out willy-nilly and live in some arbitrary way you need to be careful as human beings so that you don't accidentally kill people but accidentally killing people is not murder you're not culpable or responsible for the death penalty in that instance and he goes on to describe notice in verse 5 as when a man goes to the woods with his neighbor to cut timber and his hand swings a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree and the head slips from the handle and Strikes his neighbor so that he dies he shall flee to one of those of these cities and live lest the Avenger of blood while his anger is hot pursue the manslayer and overtake him because the way is long and kill him though he was not deserving of death since he had not hated the victim in time past therefore I command you saying you shall separate three cities for yourself off pretty simple observation you go out to the woods you go to cut Lumber Timber and the ax head flies off it finds its way into your neighbor's head and he dies you didn't mean to do that you didn't try to do that you didn't have malice a forethought there was no premeditation you were not deliberate in that activity so therefore you're not responsible as a murderer to receive the death penalty that's why the Cities of Refuge were there again it would cause enough turmoil in your life to hopefully cause you to be more responsible check your accent before you go out in the woods in the morning notice it goes on in verse 8. now if the Lord your God enlarges your territory as he swore to your fathers and gives you the land which he promised to give to your fathers and if you keep all these Commandments and do them which I command you today to love the Lord your God and to walk always in his ways then you shall add three more cities for yourself besides the three lest innocent blood be shed in the midst of your land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance and thus guilt a blood shall be upon you you need to understand what's Happening Here the Bible envisages capital punishment that's going to be one of the exceptions noted but to give capital punishment to one that is not deserving is a criminal activity that's why it's highlighting the necessity of these Cities of Refuge you're not supposed to execute a man unless he's committed the crime if he hasn't committed the crime of murder he is not liable to the death penalty there are pains taken to protect innocent life and even to protect accidental homicide people's lives but then notice in verse 11 but if anyone hates his neighbor lies and wait for him Rises against him and Strikes immortally so that he dies and he flees to one of these cities then the Elders of his City shall send and bring him from there and deliver him over to the hand of the Avenger of blood that he may die your eye shall not pity him but you shall put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with you so there is this distinction in scripture between accidental homicide and murder now secondly under the explanation of the command we have the prohibition consider obviously the external act obviously lying in wait in your neighbor's Bush waiting for him to get home you've got you know a problem with him you're angry with him and you want to end his life that external act makes you guilty of the particular commandment or transgressing of that particular commandment but the rest of the Bible doesn't simply localize it in the external act the Bible shows us that the internal disposition of man can be guilty of violating the sex commandment and this is probably more appropriate for the Church of Jesus Christ I doubt any of you are waiting on anybody's bush with your acts ready to end his life because you know he's he borrowed your lawnmower and broke it and you've got to relax to grind with you but when it come to the internal disposition that we find in the Bible that is an outflowing of the sixth commandment we need to take heed Brethren that we do not sin this sin that we do not breach the sixth commandment in terms of the way that we conduct ourselves with reference to that internal disposition there is that unwarranted hatred of others now the scripture speaks and the imprecatory Psalms of David specifically in Psalm 139 which is a passage that is relative to the sanctity of Life Sunday after he celebrates the reality that God is the Divine Weaver he mentions the fact that he hates those who hate God now when we look at that we need to understand that the Psalms of David those particular imprecations are the prayers of God's people with reference to the injustices that obtain in the world it doesn't have a personal animosity against one individual he has this hatred for that which is evil he is consistent with Proverbs a the fear of the Lord is to despise or to abhor or hate evil the Apostle Paul says the same sort of a thing now with reference to this hatred of others we see it condemned by Jesus in Matthew Chapter 5 which will investigate in a bit more detail a bit further down the road tonight but in Leviticus chapter 19 17 and 18 you can turn that see The Sermon on the Mount isn't some new spirituality for the Church of Jesus Christ rather it is the attempt by Jesus to get rid of all the fog that the Pharisees and the scribes had imposed upon the law in other words the law of God even in its Old Testament expression always affected not only now the outer man but the inner man as well it wasn't simply about oh I didn't end somebody's life so therefore I'm not guilty of violating the sex commandment the Old Testament had the same internalness about it as does the New Testament so in The Sermon on the Mount when Jesus says you have heard that it was sad but I say to you he's not elevating the law he's not making it more spiritual you've heard that was said to you by the Pharisees by the scribes by the persons tasked with teaching the church who failed to teach it properly so Jesus basically is just bringing that law to bear in all of its blessed detail with reference to The Sermon on the Mount the Old Testament never permitted never authorized never allowed you to hate people willy-nilly it never allowed you to despise your neighbor to despise your brother to despise your friend in fact when we get to the New Testament first John chapter 3 we're not supposed to hate one another we're not supposed to be like Cain we're not supposed to be those who despise the people that we're supposed to love so notice in Leviticus 19 a passage that fares much in the rest of scripture the New Testament included notice in 1917 you shall not hate your brother in your heart you shall not hate your brother in your heart this isn't The Sermon on the Mount not that The Sermon on the Mount is not important but I'm simply saying what Jesus teaches in The Sermon on the Mount is consistent with the law of Moses he's expounding the law of Moses he's expounding it in its Clarity in its correctness he is again disavowing the people of the Notions of these Pharisees and scribes that only simply located the Commandment in the external act notice he goes on you shall surely rebuke your neighbor and not bear sin because of him kind of an interesting passage rebuke your neighbor yes rebuke your neighbor why because if you don't rebuke your neighbor you're going to be embittered against him God has given a vehicle by which we may maintain interpersonal relationships that are upright and godly and part of that is being honest with each other and rebuking one another so that we don't internalize it and then express it by way of hatred or bitterness or avoidance of that particular person I think this passage which appears in the first read day to be kind of disconnected is absolutely positively connected you shall not hate your brother in your heart well we don't typically hate people in our hearts when there's no problem when our brother brings us coffee we don't hate him when our brother does vicious and vile things to us the tendency is there to respond with a degree of hatred well how do we mitigate against that by rebuking him it's a beautiful thing be honest and open and deal righteously with one another and then you won't hate your brother in your heart verse 18 you shall not take Vengeance nor bear any grudge against the children of your people but you shall love your neighbor as yourself I am the Lord Calvin says the hand indeed gives birth to murder but the mind when infected with anger and hatred conceives it so the sixth commandment is concerned with the external Act of ending another person's life but the sixth commandment is also about the disposition of heart that leads to the ending of that person's life and even if you don't get to the point where you're ending that person's life what you have committed is sin what you have committed is a transgression what you have committed is a breach against the sixth word and it's not uh we're not to take that lightly we're to deal with that as well and we'll see this again later on when we apply the Commandment the unwarranted anger against another person Matthew 5 and then the assassination of another's character Matthew 5. but again not just Matthew 5 but all throughout scripture all throughout the Old Testament it was never legit in Old Covenant Israel to have this unwarranted anger against another person and it was never legit to assassinate another person's character you may not end his life in terms of the physicality but you can do great harm to his life in terms of any Boon or benefit you ruin a man's reputation you ruin a man standing in his community you ruin a man by your libel or your slander or your false allegations or your gossipy big mouth you bring great harm to that particular individual it is a violation and a transgression of the sixth commandment now thirdly under the explanation of the command the exceptions noted I've already referred to them the death penalty the legitimacy of just War and the place of self-defense those are three instances that the Bible condones in terms of homicide now I know that sentence sounds alarming that the Bible condones homicide that a preacher in God's Church would say such a thing that just sounds like great hutzpah it sounds completely contradictory to anything we've been taught in the Christian church but this is what we need to be taught in the Christian church the Bible isn't silent on these matters and this isn't politics this is the application of God's law to all of life and when it comes to this particular uh situation when it comes to capital punishment that's not murder when it comes to just War that's not murder and when it comes to self-defense that's not murder so in the first instance with reference to the death penalty we have the command given to Noah Genesis chapter 9 verse 6 whoever sheds man's blood by man his blood will be shed for in the image of God he made man very clear very simple doesn't take a lot doesn't take a rocket scientist doesn't take a PhD from Seminary to understand the implications whoever sheds man's blood now when we move through scripture we know that that must mean murder because the later legislation details the difference between accidental homicide and the actual Act of murder with premeditation and Malice before it thought all those sorts of things whoever sheds man's blood in the act of Murder By man that's civil government his blood will be shed the theological rationale or proof or reason for this is found at the end of verse 6 for in the image of God he made man in other words you assaulting the life of another human being is a direct assault or attack on God most high and so when the civil government enacts the sword which is probably one of their very few responsibilities they're not there to serve you from the Cradle to the Grave they're not there to educate you and medicate you and teach you and you know make sure you're safe their primary emphasis throughout scripture is to wield The Sword in terms of punishing criminal elements within society and defending Society from foreign Invaders now when it comes to Genesis chapter 9 you can't relegate that away well that's the old Covenant nope that's the noahic Covenant the Bible teaches that the old Covenant the covenant made by God with the children of Israel has been or has been rendered obsolete that's the emphasis in in the book of Hebrews we've got the New Covenant now but the Noah Covenant is a universal in scope Covenant it's a binding Covenant it's not a special Grace Covenant it's a common Grace Covenant it provides the context for the preaching of special Grace but it's God's promise not to flood the Earth again it's God's pledge to provide for the civil government that so board so that they can punish the the crime and the viciousness that obtained prior to the flood why was there a worldwide flood Brethren it was most likely largely due to a violation of the sixth commandment the Earth was exceedingly corrupt and filled with what it was filled with violence so when Noah comes out of the Ark with his family he receives again a mandate similar to what Adam receives in terms of being fruitful and multiply he's also given this particular privilege or prerogative to make sure that there is a policing of the Nations to make sure that government is in place again not to provide every possible thing you may ever need but to protect you from Criminal elements within society and foreign Invasion now when we get to the New Testament Romans 13 the Apostle Paul says that there is no Authority except from God and those which exist are established by God and then he well let's just turn there because sometimes I've found that people don't always believe that the death penalty is still going still in Play Still operative still mandated not a suggestion by God we'll see that as we move through the material here we're going to be here probably for hours tonight so you just buckle down and let us go all right so Romans 13 1 let every soul be subject to the governing authorities for there is no Authority except from God and the authorities that exist are appointed by God again not a new thought in scripture not a new thought in Redemptive history Jesus speaking is wisdom and Proverbs 8 by me King's Reign the whole monarchy in Israel was established by God we saw some of that this morning in our study in first Samuel chapter eight in our confession hour but notice verse two therefore whoever resists The Authority resists the ordinance of God and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves for rulers are not a terror to good works but to evil evil Works they don't police the thoughts they don't go after your conscience they don't go after your mind they don't control that they don't have that prerogative they don't have that omnipotence or rather omniscience they don't search the Mind Like Jesus Does it's very important as I said earlier all murder is killing but not all killing is murder all crime is sin but not all sin is crime we don't want the magistrate punishing the tenth commandment because none of us would be around anymore right not all sin is crying and when it comes to thoughts God will police those God will deal with those God will definitely deal with that you don't want the Civil state in the the minds of men so I suggest the better reading or an additional sort of a gloss on verse 3 rulers are not a terror to good works but to evil works that's what they respond to when there's an act of criminality that's when the civil magistrate does his business now notice verse 3 B do you want to be unafraid of the authority do what is good and you will have praise from the same the praise from the same is probably not they're going to take you down to Five Corners by the new monument there take your picture and put you on the front of the progress I think it's probably that they'll leave you alone you'll be able to go to your work you'll be able to raise your fan family you'll be able to just do what you're supposed to do I don't know that it's Awards I don't know that it's re you know Laurel leaves around your head the the whole idea is is that do you want to be unafraid of the authority do it as good and you will have praise from the same but know this Paul says in verse 4. for he is God's minister to you for good but if you do evil be afraid again we need to carry on that gloss of Works he is God's minister to you for good good works he makes sure that you're protected he makes sure that you can walk down the street at night but if you do evil Works be afraid why for he does not bear The Sword in vain for he is God's Minister and an Avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil see he's got this sword this signifies his power it signifies his authority but it's not just an empty a symbol he has the power to wield the sword now he doesn't have to punish every crime with the death penalty but if the crime is such that it deserves the death penalty then this civil magistrate is to function in that capacity and then one final passage relative to the death penalty you can turn back to numbers numbers chapters 35 I mentioned earlier that this isn't a suggestion by God this isn't well if you want to have a better country you should probably think about this no numbers 35 tells us very clearly what is involved in terms of specifically the crime of murder notice in numbers 35 at verse 31. moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death but he shall surely be put to death again not any wiggle room there Brethren that's not open for interpretation that's not well you know you know it's pretty clear the crime of murder demands capital punishment the crime of murder demands that response from the Civil polity moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murder who is guilty of death he shall surely be put to death and you shall take no ransom for him who has fled to a City of Refuge that he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the priest now notice what's in in view here so you shall not pollute the land where you are for blood defiles the land and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it except by the blood of him who shed it that's a passage that always strikes fear in my heart in light of abortion in light of this willing to nearly disregard of human life ours our country is saturated with blood guiltiness remember what happens when when Abel is in the ground his blood cries out to God most high you see there is no Ransom there is no payment there's no fine there's no oh I'll do 15 years and if I do good time I'll be out in 10. no that should never be countenance in a government or in a civil polity Thomas Watson that that Puritan Divine says to kill an offender is not murder the Justice a private person sins if he draws the sword a public person sins if he puts up the sword a magistrate ought not to let the Sword of Justice rust in the Scabbard as he shall not let the sword be too sharp by severity so neither should the edge of It Be blunted by too much levity they're preaching climate change at US 24 hours a day while the streets declare the godlessness of man it is absolutely far gone beyond anything that God has called the civil government to they're not supposed to be at every stage in your life they're supposed to make it such that you can walk down the street without being mugged without being brutalized so that you can know that our country isn't going to murder image bearers in the womb or expand made there might not be any breaks on that if these ghouls have their way if you just don't feel like you know having a a full day or you you have a bad day Brethren having a bad day is no reason for the government to step in to help you exit this world when it comes to this commandment the Lord God most high mandates it now with the next exception it's the legitimacy and I'll qualify this as just War just show you in Scripture that this is a category defining a just War as you know is a very difficult thing and especially the wars that we are familiar with over the last couple of hundred years but with reference to war Deuteronomy chapter 7. Deuteronomy chapter 7. what does God say to the children of Israel when they go into a land of Canaan well I want you to go in there and I want you to put up on your Facebook pages nice invitations for all those mean nasty canines to just leave you know I'm giving you this land and you're going to take this land I promised it to Abraham Isaac and Jacob the time has come go in there and just ask them nicely to leave that's not what he says Brethren you may not like the implications it might not settle well with you but Deuteronomy 7 mandates holy war again when you get into the New Covenant era we are not as the church called upon to engage in holy war do not think that carries over into this New Covenant expression of the church now there's a holy war spiritually Bunyan wrote Of The Holy War again spiritually there is this antithesis between good and evil and we are participants in this and certainly as you know Spirit-filled people we pray in light of that reality but in terms of the physical expression of Warring against other people no we're not supposed to do that in terms of holy war Deuteronomy 7. but that does not suspend the concept of just war in Romans 13 He Bears the sword for the punishment of criminal offenders within Civil Society but he must also defend us from foreign Invaders in a few months a few weeks ago I quoted Charles Hodge or it's either Charles or A.A with reference there were two men one was a son one was a father but he meant this in terms of War he says no plea of honor glory or aggrandizement policy or profit can excuse much less justify War you hear what he's saying if you're going to deal with war you got to deal with it in its biblical categories you cannot go to war because your particular leader wants honor he wants glory he wants aggrandizement he wants policy implementation he wants profit he can't excuse war on those grounds he goes on however to say nothing short of necessity to the end of the preservation of national existence so if there's a foreign Invader yeah you are not called upon to just watch them decimate your Society to watch them take all the women and all the children and all the stuff no the Bible envisages a person or a people group a body politic being led by a leader engaging in that resistance in order to make war right in God's sight it is not only necessary that our enemies should aim to do us wrong but also one that the wrong he attempt should directly or remotely threaten the national life and two that war be the only means to avert it so that's the just War part but the fact that there is war Deuteronomy 7 Romans chapter 13 the favorable view of the military in the New Testament now Brethren what they are doing at least in the United States to the military there it doesn't seem like they're brutal fighting men anymore but back in the Roman Empire that's what they did they killed people and they broke things that was their job so when those soldiers ask or in the presence of the preaching of John the Baptist and he is counseling them on repentance do you know what he doesn't say get out of the military hang up your sword get rid of your armor go work at Walmart he doesn't say that he doesn't sanction military service neither does Jesus neither does the book of Acts what was cornelius's job he was a military man when the Holy Spirit fell upon him when he was baptized guess what Peter doesn't okay well I'll be expecting you to you know get rid of resign your commission and you know go work at Walmart the military is a necessity in a fallen world we live in a vicious brutal barbarous world and at times and I think it's qualified well by Hodge there there's a lot more to be said to be sure but in those instances of National Defense yeah that's okay that's biblical that's just and then the third thing is the place of self-defense you can turn first to Exodus chapter 22. Exodus chapter 22. we're not going to be here all night but I do not see us finishing this message so I want to just make sure you're all aware you don't have to Buckle in too tight but notice in Exodus chapter 22. verse 1 if a man steals an ox or a sheep and Slaughters it or sells it he shall restore five ox and foreign oxen four sheep for a sheep now notice in verses two and three verses two and three legitimize self-defense verses two and three legitimize self-defense Home Defense family defense okay verse two if the if the thief is found breaking in and he is struck so that he dies there shall be no guilt for his bloodshot the man who strikes him and kills him there's no blood for his or no guilt for his bloodshot why is that well you hear a noise at night and you kind of you know Mosey down the stairs and you're rubbing the sleep out of your eyes and there's a guy in your kitchen and you engage in an exchange and in that exchange he dies you're not guilty of murder you're not culpable there should be nothing that happens to you you shouldn't have to be taken down to the station that's not what we find here he's not guilty for the Bloodshed now verse 3 qualifies this and verse 3 indicates that other information if it obtains may change the outcome so verse 3 if the son has risen on him there shall be guilt for his bloodshed okay so if it's day time I'm not wandering down my stairs and rubbing the you know the sleep out of my eyes if it's daytime I am better able to judge his purpose for being in my house if it's daytime most likely my neighbors are awake so if I scream or shout I can get some assistance when it comes to this qualification if I kill him in that exchange then there most likely will be guilt for me now if he's there with a gun and he's going to kill me and kill my family well then certainly you're going to be Vindicated but you are better able to determine why he's in your house at that particular time so you can't just engage in exchange and kill him there might be guilt on your part if that happens but in terms of verse two it's nighttime you don't know what his intentions are you engage in that exchange and in that exchange you end his life you are not responsible why because of self-defense turn over to Luke's gospel Luke Chapter 12. this passage is not a passage that is calculated to teach the legitimacy of self-defense I'm going to tell you that write out exegetically it is not a passage that is in the Bible to teach you about self-defense but it is a passage where our blessed savior assumes self-defense he presupposes that persons will defend themselves their wives their kids their home that sort of a thing notice in Luke's gospel specifically at chapter 12 and verse 39 but know this now it's a caution it's a warning concerning the coming of this uh the coming of the son of man and he says but know this that if the Master of the House had known what hour the thief would come he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into huh you mean he doesn't stand there and say oh you want to come in and steal oh sure you want my oh yeah just down at the end of the hall just you know pick up after yourself when you're all all done no you reject this man from coming into your house you defend yourself you defend your family and you defend your domicile Now that statement at the end of the circle well chapter five of The Sermon on the Mount where Jesus talks about turning the other cheek he's not talking about defense of Home Defense of others defense of self he's talking about a an attitude a disposition on the sort of day in day out sort of a basis don't be the kind of guy that has to requite every little thing that happens to you have a thick skin be able to function in a way that that is you know operative in terms of life itself Matthew 5 does not militate against the rest of the Bible the rest of the Bible teaches us that it's okay relative to God in Civil Society to engage in the death penalty to engage in just war and to engage in self-defense so those are the exceptions noted and then notice finally under the head the explanation of the command and this is probably a good place for us to end a good place for us to be reminded as we think about the sanctity of life not just next Sunday I hope we think about it all the time as we are confronted with the various abuses in this regard we need to have a Biblical understanding of this doctrine of the image of God so the reason specified is the fact that man Bears God's image Genesis chapter one in fact you can turn there get that passage before us Genesis chapter 1 as you read through the creation account it's a wonderful display of the power of God the wisdom of God the goodness of God it's a blessed reality he he makes all things out of nothing by the word of his power in the space of six days and it's all very good it's a blessed thing but when he creates the animals when he creates the birds when he creates the land beast when he creates the sea animals it is never stipulated it is never specified it has never told us that those animals bear the image of God that is confined to man that is unique to man now I'm not one of these people that are for punishing or torturing or doing vile things to animals I think we need to be responsible stewards and agents in God's world I I think we need to be responsible people that don't abuse things just because we want to abuse things but at the same time I'm not one of these people that are not going to eat meat that's not murder Brethren they don't bear the image of God the Baltimore Oriole the beluga whale the dolphin the orangutan they're nice they're wonderful we shouldn't shoot them in the head for no reason but they're not image bearers of God that's confined to man himself notice in 126 then God said let us make man in our image according to our likeness let them have dominion over the fish of the sea over the birds of the air and over the cattle see what we're told today is that that's vicious it's vile it's cruel well that's their view of God that's their view of the Bible that's their view of of Yahweh and his anointed I mean Brethren if you chase out the commands of script picture everything in the world tells us is contrary to that exercise dominion over the animals and that includes eating that oh no we can't do that what does God say here well let's just read it let's see it for ourselves Genesis chapter 1 verse 27 so he created man in his own image in the image of God he created him male and female he created them then God blessed them and God said to them notice be fruitful in what multiply you mean multiplying the species is a good idea yes you mean seven or eight billion people on this globe is a good thing yes you mean having more babies is good yes the world tells us just the opposite do you know the biggest threat to the environment is that baby in the diaper the biggest threat to the environment is man they want to worship the creature rather than the Creator and as a result they invert his purpose and plan everything God says is good they say is bad they say oh no these are these are more mouths to feed these are more backs to clothe the people of God should say praise God Almighty that he's given us these rich gifts these resources children are a gift from God not something that is a curse not something that is a a problem not something that is bad fruitfulness and multiplication is God's plan for creation so in light of that do you think the infinite wisdom of God so built this globe that it could sustain that multiplication yeah he did it's amazing it is wonderful when we're all dead buried and gone guess what still Marches On under the power and plan and purpose of God this globe the Earth can take care Well it can't take care of itself that sounds like the humanist God takes care of it and again responsible stewardship I mean we shouldn't do things knowingly Reckless and knowingly foolish and knowingly stupid but we should in fact realize that God made the Earth to care for us to sustain us to be a blessing for us it is intriguing when you read scripture and then you think about modern policy wow it's exactly opposite there is a huge contrast so the reality is is that God made Man In His Image as I mentioned before it was a paraphrase a Vos Voss says in life slain it is the image of God I.E the Divine Majesty that is assaulted now when we ask the question well when is it the image of God this comes up with abortion a lot is that baby in the womb the image of God is that baby in the womb uh sentient is that baby in the womb self aware well yeah absolutely positively that baby in the womb is self-aware it is sentient it is to be protected under God's law but it's not just the baby in the womb it's the baby in the womb all the way till the dot day that it dies because of God not by its own hand not by the hand of some ghoulish doctor that is violating the Hippocratic Oath so the biblical testimony is is that we are the image of God uh before the fall into set we see that here in Genesis chapter 1 verses 26 to 28 it is true of man after the fall in descent now some theologians disagree in terms of this particular Doctrine but I think they'll all agree that yes we bear the image of God at least in some sense I have my convictions on what that some sense means but the Bible tells us in chapter 5 of Genesis the image of God obtains James chapter 3 and the condemnation of the use of the tongue the misuse of the tongue he says with it we bless our God and with it we curse men who were made in what in his similitude in his likeness so the image of God is Not forfeit completely at the fall the image of God continues in man now thirdly the image of God is there in the womb the pre-born in the womb I mentioned the Divine Weaver passage in ex psalm 139. but if you're taking notes and you want to jot these down Genesis 25 19-23 job 10 8-12 Job 31 13-15 Psalm 51 5 David tracing back his native depravity goes right back to the womb in sin my mother conceived me he's not saying the conception act itself the conjugal relation between his father and mother with sin he's saying that as soon as David was he was in sin as soon as David was he was an inheritor of Adam's nature but it was David and sin my mother conceived what some product of conception some massive undefined cells no she conceived me David that's what he says Psalm 1 Psalm 51 Ecclesiastes 11 5. two passages speaking of two men that were very used instrumentally used in the advancement of the kingdom of God Jeremiah chapter 1 verse 5 and Galatians chapter one what does the prophet Trace his call to the prophetic Ministry God called him from the womb what does the Apostle Paul Trace his call all to the apostolic Ministry God separated him from his mother's womb when Elizabeth and Mary meet together what does what does Elizabeth say to Mary the the the mother of my Lord is present is that amazing the mother of my Lord so Jesus in the womb of Mary is the Lord I mean the christological implications of that are astronomical but the the the according to the humanity implications are absolutely consistent with Redemptive history with Redemptive Revelation it is the image of God that we're dealing with in the womb and then turn with me to Exodus 21 a specific passage that regulates or legislates or protects those babies in the womb Exodus 21 at verse 22 if men fight and hurt a woman with child so that she gives birth prematurely literally so that her are children plural come out come out as the language of giving birth this is not a miscarriage this is the language of premature birth if men fight and in that exchange they happen to throw a blow her way and then her babies come out yet no harm follows to her or her baby babies no harm follows in terms of the woman and the issue from her womb no harm follows he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman's husband imposes on him and he shall pay as the judge is determine see this concept of suffering and pain and you know I lost time at work that's not a modern original invention Western Civilization owns its jurisprudence to Redemptive Revelation it owes its jurisprudence to the god of Holy Scripture it owes its jurisprudence to the to the Bible this idea of pain and suffering and I missed work as we worked through I think everybody would testify that was here on Wednesday night I mean you have to testify but I think you'll notice that God takes that seriously if you're involved in something and you are out of work as a result when it comes time to impose a fine on that person he's got to pay for the time you were out of work you don't live on love and fresh air brother you got to buy eggs which ten bucks a dozen now is you got to work and if somebody keeps you from that work because of their recklessness they're going to pay the fine in order to compensate you so notice what goes on in the passage verse 23 but if any harm follows the mother who got smacked by these two goons or one of them and to the babies that came out look at this if any harm follows then you shall give Life For Life eye for eye tooth for tooth hand forehand foot forefoot burn for burn wound for wound stripe for strike you see the death penalty is imposed upon an accidental abortion because the guy's fighting another guy he didn't intend to kill her or her baby he intended to beat this guy in this brawl so this is an accidental abortion that has as its sanctioned the death penalty how much more State licensed abortion how much more when that's the premeditated act how much more when that's the given intention how much more when we live in a society where this is okay this is permissible this is legit this is something that we're okay what no the blood Cries Out Brethren think of that number 35 passage it is terrifying the blood of righteous Abel cried out the blood of righteous babies innocent judicially innocent babies cries out so it's true in the womb it's true of children children image bearers you're not supposed to abuse them you're not supposed to hurt that you're not supposed to mistreat that the Apostle Paul operates accordingly Ephesians chapter 6 husbands or fathers do not provoke your children to wrath don't do that you're not supposed to do that you're not supposed to hurt them several prohibitions in the Old Testament you're not supposed to give your children to Mola why because that was child sacrifice that was to kill them you weren't supposed to make them pass through the fire that wasn't some you know walk on coals to see if you were a stud or not it was to kill them the pagans did this they celebrated this kind of carnality and the children of Israel are prohibited you can't say Well they're just children they're protected by God's law but it's also true of the handicapped Leviticus 19 don't put a stumbling block in the way of a blind man Bartimaeus the Lord Christ dignifies that handicapped man Jesus is passing through Jericho blind Bartimaeus says Jesus thou son of David have mercy on me he stops he walks over to him and he asks him what would you have me to do the handicapped are valuable they are image bearers we are not to treat them with the kind of disrespect and disdain that modern society does the elderly the elderly and all of us every single one in this room ought to learn the Bible's lessons in this if you are a young person give up your seat to the hori-headed person if you are a young person defer to others that have age over you when you are in a society where there is little regard for the elderly again that's barbarism that is brutality that is not a healthy place to be so the elderly are protected so from cradle to right actually from womb to grave God tells us that every stage of life that person is an image Bearer as well it's true of the sick James chapter 5. oh well you know they're just oh no they're dignity they have dignity they are image bearers and therefore they must be afforded that respect and protection that God's law envisages for them and as well finally it is true of man relative to animals again we ought not to be brutal to animals persons that are brutal to animals we have no safe bet they're going to not be brutal to people it's a terrifying Prospect but with reference to animals they are under man in the pecking order that is God's purpose and plan we're not supposed to worship them we're not supposed to deify them we're not supposed to avoid them like the plague and whether or not you want to eat them that's your prerogative but you you cannot do so by saying the Bible forbids it no the Bible doesn't forbid it in fact the Bible tells us it is perfectly legitimate and when that prodigal son returns home the father doesn't tell the servants make a big salad he says slay the fatted calf my son who was dead is alive my son who was lost is found it is fitting for us to Feast on this Beast Brethren the Bible tells us that man Bears the image of God and therefore is to be protected in light of that reality the scriptures are clear the unlawful shedding of man's blood is a capital offense and a nation that does not punish it a nation that encourages it a nation that is involved in it is a nation right for judgment by God most high if the church doesn't wake up and pray for kings and all who are in Authority so that the church may lead Peaceable and quiet lives vis-a-vis First Timothy Chapter 2 we are being derelict in our duties we are to pray we are to preach we are to proclaim the cross but also the law which necessitates Sinners fleeing to that cross well let us close in a word of prayer Our Father in heaven we thank you for your word we thank you for its Clarity at this place of the sixth commandment and God we do live in a brutal and barbaric age we live in an age where technology is even employed to to to kill more people and it is it is gross it is ghoulish it is vile and it bothers us and we're not holy like you we're not even holy and it bothers us you are a holy and a righteous God you heard the blood of Abel cry out certainly all of that unrequited blood that has polluted this Earth cries out to you as well and we would pray most high that you would send forth your gospel we pray that more and more people would be saved more and more people would turn from this this this this murderous these murderous principles and that they would embrace the true and the Living God and God be merciful to our civil Authority be merciful to those in high places that they're not only fine with these things but oftentimes subsidize them and and promote them in the name of whatever it is that that they invoke just be merciful we pray and thank you again in this church we thank you for all the children all the babies all of these little ones help us to be faithful in the way that we rear them may it be in the training and the admonition of the Lord may you save more and more and more and we ask this through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen close with a brief time of meditation