Who Is A Murderer?

In your Bibles. You look with me to Matthew chapter number 5:05.

If You Find Your Pl. in God's word this morning will be reading verse 21 down the verse number 26 and if you would honor God's word.

As we stand to read those verses this morning.

Matthew chapter 5.

Our Lord is giving this great sermon known as the sermon on the Mount is the launch of his public ministry says in verse 21 yet heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shall not kill. Whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment that I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment, whosoever shall say to his brother Rocco shall be in danger of the council, whosoever shall say, doubtful, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore, thou bring thy gift to the altar there remembers that I brother have ought against the leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way.

First be reconciled to thy brother, then common offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly while thou it's in the way with him is that anytime the adversary deal liberty to the judge and the judge deliver the officer thou be cast into prison early.

I say unity, thou shalt by no means come out then.

Still, thou has paid the uttermost farthing father, we thank you again for your word today. It is so humbling and such a joy to carry such a weight in our hands.

The weight of the word of God. This is the truth and I pray that your word would come alive to our hearts.

Your Holy Spirit grant freedom and grace and clarity to the truth of God's word.

Give us ears to hear the heart to receive all of our minds from the busyness of this world, and may we cast our eyes and our hearts upon the truth of God.

We need to hear from heaven, we need your word for today we pray that your truth will come alive to us or pray today for anyone's loss that today you would bring salvation and redemption to that soul that we pray your blessing in Jesus name. And God's people said then you may be seated this morning at the chapter 5 verse 21 down the verse number 48 which is the conclusion of this chapter, Jesus directs his attention to six specific topics that he begins to teach and preach on deals with murder, adultery, divorce, oath making retaliation and hatred toward our enemies. He starts by doing with two commandments from God found in the 10 Commandments else and not kill them. Thou shall not commit adultery into general principles and the law of Moses divorce and oath taking, and finally to Broughton's principles he deals with, such as are at the end of Matthew five which are forgiveness and love Jesus had just said in verse 20 that for his listeners to enter into heaven.

They had to be more righteous than the scribes and Pharisees. If you notice verse 20.

Once again he says I say to you, except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. He says that you shall in no case inner into the kingdom of heaven. Problem is, the scribes and Pharisees among the Jews and their eyes were the best, most righteous people in their society. So Christ is declaring here that you have to have a righteousness that is true righteousness and in the Bible tells us there's a problem because Romans 310 says there is none righteous, no not one. So we can't gain righteousness. We need an alien righteousness a foreign righteousness to be applied to our account and he says it has to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, who were the elites of that day, they, they, the scribes and Pharisees. They knew the Old Testament all they read it. They memorize much of it. The problem was that they were interested in the external observances but they were not focused on the internal reality they became self-righteous and in reading the Bible because they began to think that they could fulfill it through their own efforts. It's amazing to me for someone to be able to study the Bible and walk away. Prideful how do you read the Bible and become more arrogant. I can tell you. By the end of this sermon you're not going to be more prideful as a preacher you beat up on is enough.

I never intend to beat up on it like no that's a case that was never my desire my desires to reveal the word of God, and it should bring us off of our high horses every time you know when I went to church in Bethlehem back in 2011.

The door was only about this hi I thought all that's great and I alive walked right in the hundred either, but I you know I really got up and down and wrote about anybody gets endured and I don't know is a 4 foot high or something.

Somebody probably knows the dimensions but you you have to bend down to go in and they had built it that way.

Hundreds of years ago because they wanted everybody to enter to first realize there is a bowing in a humbling of yourself before you enter into God's house that that would not be a good thing today on all of our divorce thing you guys be like preacher I can get down. Have I gone up no similar letter on our night, but I think there is an act of humility that we need to come to God and in in in in in in our hearts and sincerity be rebroken and humbled by the truth of God's word. It should not make you feel like your righteous, it should make you appreciate the righteousness that God's given you every Sunday you should leave saying thank God that Jesus saves me. Thank God for mercy.

You should never leave saying thank God that I'm good thank God that I'm on I'm a good person you should leave saying, thank God.

God save the sinner like me.

So Jesus comes in.

He has to dismantle else there self-righteous system and one thing that happens in a self-righteous system. Is it always makes you arrogant and it makes you in and in the same manner to be a very critical of other people because as you lift yourself up for it, the consequence of that is always a lack of mercy toward other people you you are judge mental self-righteous and condemning of other people and and Jesus comes here and exposes the inadequacy of the spiritual leaders of their day. He literally confronts and dismantles there self-righteous system. Our Lord's message was one of repentance. Back in Matthew 417 just a chapter back. This is message was repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand is, if the idea of you need to turn from your weights, you need to turn away from wickedness and turn the righteousness through Christ you cannot do this on your own.

It was a message for people to humbled himself under God's truth.

But the most tragic thing that was going on in their day was their leaders would never repent, because they didn't think they had anything to repent of all I don't do any wrong I don't have any wrongs in my life.

But if if you and your life can't find any sins in your life to repent of on a daily basis.

I can tell you yours. You're playing with some self-righteous you know to send you and I sent every day in which value to others you struggle with finding and exposing sins in your life you don't love God enough and you don't love others like yourself I don't love God enough that I don't love others like I do myself. I know I love myself more than others, and I know I don't love God enough, just follow me around for waking you may not always see, but I know my own heart and in in and I try to love others as myself. I try to love God with all my heart so my strength like I just I miserably fail it convicts me. I feel like Paul. Many times, wretched man that I am and I read the Bible like I did fall short of you, just not where I need to be and you strive for it. So just so just so you nobody's arrived. Nobody lighthouses is arrived. Jesus is the standard.

If you ever feel like you've arrived just brought Jesus down to earth. You've lowered Jesus down to a standard that that is sinful standard and so Jesus comes and exposes the errors of this group and in notice he calls them by name in verse 20 coming you get 20 verses deep in his first sermon he's already naming the religious leaders of their day by name the groups, scribes and Pharisees. I said last Sunday that the Jews believed in their day that the two people that would get to heaven were the scribes.

The second will be the Pharisees or vice versa, though those they said were the two classes of people to make it happen. Jesus comes along and says unless your righteousness is more than the scribes and Pharisees, you're not even going yard that said number one, you guys are righteous enough to get to heaven and you need righteousness to get to heaven and number two, the scribes and Pharisees aren't going to hear that. Did you hear that message in the wind. Verse 20 so if there righteousness is good enough to get to heaven, you need a greater righteousness than them what he just said in verse 20 is all you scribes and Pharisees are going to hell in other words that's what he was saying you think that was offensive than preaching through Malachi Wednesday nights. The problem in that day was a spiritual leaders. The priests were failing the people instead of leading leading the people to God. They were leading the people away from God.

The problem of the nation of Israel was it spiritual leaders, so goes the priest, so goes the people and the reason I've preached of the years old false teachings from the false churches and false preachers in our country is to expose error so much that you shouldn't point out faults in other churches and groups there on our same team.

They thought the scribes and Pharisees were on the same team. Jesus comes and says they're not even on the team but not know why there's false preachers because are not saved and why there's false churches because it filled up with unbelievers.

You're the greatest tragedy in America the greatest tragedies not from a political party, the greatest tragedy is from churches who don't preach the truth that is the great downfall that's that's how it that's how society decays.

Just read Malachi this week. Read Malachi 3 that for chapter book that precedes 400 years of silence they distorted the word of God. Judgment must begin at the house of God Jesus the Old Testament prophets.

Paul John the Baptist Peter that in the New Testament writers constantly had to assault the false teaching that was infiltrating the church in the first century, it was already being corrupted may ask you, is it not loving to reveal error in the world so people are not destroyed by the sins of the world. That's a loving thing to do.

I don't go down this road.

Don't listen to that person. Don't go here because that's gonna mess you up. How much more loving than to expose error in a church that cannot only hurt your body but can separate you from God forever. That's the most loving thing to do to protect people from spiritual hair. Parents inherit heresy and in and false teachings. I think it's hateful not to say anything.

I think it's self loving to never tell anybody what can destroy them. You would you agree I know something will destroy your life and I don't want to say something because I want you to like me better than none.

Loving myself more than you because I would be willing to hide the truth from you. Jesus wasn't willing to do that. He spoke up and expose the error in the religious leaders now verse 21 through 48. Jesus begins to highlight between the teachings of the religious leaders of that day and what God really expects because their teachings were focused all on the external and Jesus shows that God is more concerned with what goes on on the inside of a person. The religious leaders that they were more worried about eating with their hands clean and Jesus says you don't even care if your hearts filthy somewhat late 30s 11 verse 37 says as he spake a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him, and he went in and set down to meet somebody asked me nearly services it should not be spelled with two ease with the idea there is not meat like to sit down and meet each other but sit down to eat meat is the idea. Verse 38 and when the Pharisees saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed, before dinner. They had a tradition of the other ceremony not to cleanse your hands for my germs and stuff which cleaning can do that. Obviously they understood that even in the Old Testament what they at what they did was they had handwashing ceremonies they had applied such as in this. This is setting you had to put your hands out with somebody else pouring water over your hands with fingers pointed out, the water would run over it have to drip off the wrist. After that's done, you had to point them down with fingers down water runs over them and then after that's done, you have to rub your hands, your fist into each hand, vice versa, and then your your your washing was done properly, then you can eat wet snow found nowhere in the Bible tradition of the elders placed on and all they're worried about is all Jesus's tradition of the elders there like Jesus did this intentionally you think Jesus knew this would upset them. You know we would've done you know we would on time we got there we washed her hands right as we would be like on affinities like going there light of the sky, so the truth because you know there's times where you say hey I want to be gracious and I don't. And Jesus did that long and then he just came. He said you know what I want to cut right through this underexposure air and he would rebuke them that he would do things intentionally, he would heal somebody knowing that you're not allowed to carry a burden on the Sabbath, according to their traditions and he's like I want to heal you on the Sabbath, and then I want you take up your bed and walk through town to your house knowing that everybody saw him. Karen is going to get carrier buddies like a man who killed me totally do this and they be meta-Jesus and what he's doing is he's even come to destroy the law, he came to purify the reality of it in the system of that day showing the truth and he says that religious group in Luke 1139 he says now you do you Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the plot of the year and were part is full of ravening and wickedness of Army like Mike drop nailed the point. I mean, what would you say in response. This is this is heavy preaching right to write. It's not like it's not like somebody saying you are preaching to me today the Pharisees like he was preaching at me name may call me out in the Pharisee was thinking it in his hearts. But you know he never said anything to Jesus you see here were Jesus judges people's hearts, not just their actions, so he Jesus publicly on the spot would rebuke these guys. External religion is hypocrisy into religion is insincerity. God said in Jeremiah 1710 I the Lord search the heart now verse two key reasons Jesus highlights the six different truths. As we walked work through Matthew 521 through 48. The first is to show the truth of God compared to the error of the religion of that date of what Judaism had molded into under the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees. Secondly, the reason he does. This is what verse 16 says, what is the Bible say in verse 16 says let your light so shine before men that they may see your what good works and then what would they do glorify your Father in heaven. So he wants them to say okay what you show you the truth verse to the error of this day and I want to show you how you could do good works to glorify God and bring glory to him in the eyes of other people, so, so let's look at today's verses, verse 21 in Matthew five he says, ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shall not kill that phrase yet heard it was said by them of old time, there's a couple questions I would ask. Who are they of old time, and who are they of old time questioning or quoting. I should say for the people of all time and who were these people full-time quoting here.

Acts 1521's refers to them of old time, as those who taught since the time of the synagogues synagogues were birthed out of the Babylonian captivity which was five years before Jesus spoke so acts 15 2721 says for Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach and being read in the synagogue every Sabbath soak in acts when he referred to the old-timer referred to the time since the synagogues were round and Moses was being taught. So what you find is the idea here is, in the last hundred several hundred years, last 4 to 500 years is kind of the idea is being portrayed when it says of them of old time again. Jesus also makes a strong contrast at the beginning of verse 21 from himself. Verse 21 says you have heard that it been said by them of old time to look verse 22 but I say unto you, so what he's doing is he's not setting himself at odds with the Bible. He setting himself at odds with what they have taught that the Bible says how they have turned the Scriptures he doesn't come to destroy the law and the prophets, as he said in verse 1718 19 he can come to destroy but to fulfill it.

So is not setting himself at odds with the Bible. Here, when it says you've heard that have been said by them of old time he's quoting is talking about people who were quoting the Bible within misinterpreting. You need understand that so also the phrase here is as you have heard that it was said by them that that lets us know that the people that are listening to Jesus in this day were not in most part, those who read the Bible for themselves, said, why did they read the Bible for themselves because many of them didn't have the Scriptures a copy for themselves to read on their own. This was the case in much of the world for most of humanity without the printing press.

You can have everybody running off hundreds and thousands and millions of Bibles so they in that day. They wrote on papyrus, which was rolled up and scrolls. It was bulky. It was expensive. It was not easy to do. It was a timely task and so they had these in the synagogues and some families that were wealthier could have a copy of certain portions or part of the tourer so forth and so what they did was they had they would come to the synagogue and they would just have to trust the scribes and Pharisees was a very big trust system, so whatever they read and they taught there like will that must be what it is because I can't study for myself to verify whether there lining up with the Bible or not make sense. So is like you would never had the Bible and I was the only one with the Bible and I read it and I told you what it meant that you would be like my got a trust in because I don't have to. I can't read back over that the verify that's what it really meant I can compare Scripture Scripture so Martin Lloyd Jones is the condition of Judaism at the time of Christ was remarkably like that of the church in the early 16th century, the Scriptures, and that they were not translated into the language of the people, the liturgy prayers the Scripture reading and even most the hymns and anthems were in Latin, which none of the common people knew or understood.

When a priest gave a sermon or homily.

The people had nothing by which to judge what it said they had no idea to whether or not the message was scriptural or whether it needed to be scriptural that was important. The Bible taught what the church said it taught the church therefore placed its authority over that of Scripture. That's what you find in the 16th century you ever went to a Roman Catholic Church where they taught or read in Latin.

You did know what they were reading saying you just edit sing-along read along a prayer long and it was just it was it was mindless speaking without really engaging your mind because you didn't. There was no identification of understanding for that soak. One of the greatest blessings of the Reformation was a put the word of God back into the hands of the people. Amen. And so we tell people bring your Bible you ever talk to somebody who goes to a certain kind of church and then they say you bring your bio I would never bring about the church together church very likely never write your Bible church dogma, trying to beat up on any certain groups not just tell you that's the case in many people grew up in the settings I did study the Bible when you come to light.

How do we challenge you to read the Bible you challenge the study. It you convicted when you don't yes yes you should feel bad, you should say. All I need to read the Bible. I need understand why if I wanted to deceive you. I wouldn't tell you to read it. I went tell you study and I would put verses appear on the screen. We put our outline zone lines. If you can get those and have the whole outline of the sermon so you can you can read this, you can study this so you know what it says and means what it says three says you've heard about said by them of old, thou shall not kill know what does this mean the Bible clearly says in Exodus 20 verse 13. It's the sixth command of God, thou shall not kill, kill comes from a Greek word spelled pH O in the EU oh phone 20 it means to kill a person unjustly murder someone is the is the meaning of kill someone unjustly to murder them is a different word in the Greek Apollo can Cano it means to condemn someone to death to put them to death under judgments so you can see this word use this kill here in English and kill somewhere else I can say there's two different Greek words being used in places in the New Testament, and so the King James renders this verse in Matthew five verse 21 thou shall not kill, but the meaning is not just killing it specifically referring to murder because you can kill somebody both justly as will see as well as a unjustly unjustly so. So we see here that that the ideas thou shall not murder the statement thou shall not kill his "hated quotation from Exodus chapter 20 verse 13 where the word kill is the Hebrew word rock sock in it means the unjust killing or the murdering of somebody there's another Hebrew word for kill its UT mute.

It means to put to death to die you to the first time the word mute is used as in Genesis 217 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil shall not eat thereof from the day that is thereof thou shalt surely die mute. That's the idea that you will be justly put to death for your crimes against God. It's not rock sock which is I will murder you unjustly. It's it's it's the death penalty for your crimes of sin, and so this this command includes premeditated killing of others not accidental killing or death due to judgment. This is deliberate and intentional murder. That's the idea of both of Matthew 521 and the quotation is taken out of in Exodus 20 verse 13 there and so I find it interesting that Jesus begins with an emphasis on the sanctity of human life because the command of premeditated murder includes killing someone that you premeditate to kill.

It also includes self murder, which is suicide right. It also includes abortion which is premeditated murder of the unborn. All of those include this and I think it's interesting that the very launch of these Jesus elevates the command about the sanctity of human life that every human life is valuable because they are made in the image of God. I think if there's one thing that we as God's people should stand up for our society as the innocent with the killing of innocent life there's anything you should stand up for should be killing innocent lives. You say that's wrong. You can't do that if you drove down the road you see little four-year-old child get beaten to death anybody you think you would stop and try to do something. Yes, yes, I wouldn't call 911.

I would run out and be 911 while I told somebody else to call 911 here but in the meantime, I want to save this child's life because there's something in you that's wired to say, justice has to be applied. This is wrong. Innocence is being assaulted. I can't handle that. And that's the right response unit. I think God put in your response wired you. That way we we oppose abortion because God opposes the Bible teaches innocent life is from the womb, God creates that image of God in the womb at conception know who determines the value of man's life does God determine the value of man's life orders man value determine the value of man's life because murder is ultimately a devaluing of man's dignity, devaluing man's worth and value it saying man is not worthy man has no value, but our founding fathers and the Declaration of Independence understood this, they said we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed not by their governments, not by the Supreme Court, not by a president, but we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights among these are life, liberty and The Pursuit of Happyness. No matter how the Supreme Court judges no matter how what the president says no matter what government officials say life is valuable because God made it were made in the image of God.

Value risk from the creator. The Bible teaches there are no superior races. You know all of us are the same race were all humans so sick and tired of how this nation tries to use racism for their political power. It is disgusting to me and it's it's it should be a point to use. Should it should gross you out stop talking about those things. If you really care you know what made me want to throw up just in grotesque language there like you know this stopping of abortions going to hurt the black communities more than anyone else. So you're telling me unless the black community.

This those little babies can be killed or not to be.

You feel like that's that's gonna hurt the black community.

So you want more black babies killed governor, president it it is it is such wickedness. They can even see it there given over to. We live in a country under with a reprobate mind. Our leaders have a reprobate mind, a conscience that doesn't function they don't even get there so blind to reality. The Bible says in act 1726. He is made of one blood all nations were all one race. It's called the human race. Romans 211. There is no respecter of persons with God not doesn't care where you're born, what your ethnicity is and that's what the Bible says is not different races. It's one human race, just different ethnicities. Compare that to Charles Darwin who devalued women into Charles Darwin was a severe racist must know, Darwin's famous book, the origin of species by natural selection, which was written and published on November 24, 1859, was published in the real title of Darwin's book, he was right like a paragraph or titles is weird but the real title the book is the origin of species by natural selection or the preservation of favored races in the struggle for life favored races who are the favored races in the favored races are according to according to Darwin, it's the people that that are most distant from his view of what went over he came from monkeys.

Charles Darwin assumed as well as France's gold. He was like is the cold of his bulldog, his cousin, that they said that the African savages are closest to to the monkey race and they are not even human. Did you think it would be important for our school systems to rise up and say what that man produces wickedness. But you know that book literally sits like this inside of little things inside of our schools, what they say get rid of the Bible lets let all what we have to bring removed the second half of the title because that's offensive, but the teachings are in their listener what evolution is Marcus and and Marxist Stephen Jay Gould said again, this is a atheistic guy. He says biological arguments for racism may have been common before 1850, but they increased by orders of magnitude. Following the acceptance of the evolutionary theory, evolution assaulted of the races of other ethnicities, Douglas Kelly, who was written on the subject with great insight said this, there is no doubt that the biblical vision of man is God's creature, whom he made in his own image has had the most powerful effect on human dignity on liberty on the expansion of the rights of the individual on political systems on the development of medicine on every other area of culture how different he right you you know where the scientific revolution came from all of them were Christians. Science was birthed out of Christianity you know that all the great minds Newton all these guys were brilliant scientists.

I preached on this in the present lifetime now to, he says how different from the humanistic viewpoint of man is merely an evolved creature not made in God's image, because there is no God. Such a premise has enabled the Marxist totalitarian states conveniently to liquidate millions of their citizens because the assumption that there is no transcendent person whose image that your maiden know being to give that citizen a dignity and a right to exist beyond what the state determines the summary very close.

You need to get what I'm saying this is so important in the day we live, you gotta get this what is happening in America when it comes to abortion is exactly what happened with guys like Hitler and Stalin another guys you say why would you say that because they believe that Hitler and Stalin and their people could determine what life was valuable and worth living and what life was not worth living. When you allow a human being to determine the value of another human being that is going to end and millions of people being killed when you're not valuable because somebody says your valuable your valuable because God made you in his image. You know why you know I red, yellow, black and why doesn't matter what color you are, what level of melon your dad is so ridiculous it doesn't. None of that matters are made in the image of God.

Your value is from God.

You know why Christians are the ones who helped liberate slavery in America because they understood this, the liberation of slavery came from Christianity. That's where value came from but they don't ever want to talk about that, it's evolution that took humanity out of the out of the black person and this should be assaulted in our community. This should be people should rise up against this stuff, but now they keep teaching that the let the evolutionist, have their day because I don't want any God to stand in judgment before I can tell you, God's coming back and he's going to bring justice with him. What does this mean what does this thou shall not kill mean this is not speaking against every form of killing a human from the many counts since teachings of Scripture. It's clear that capital punishment is okay off talk to Christians before Saddam against capital punishment about us is also not kill. I just have to graciously show them like that's not what it means you need to understand what that means.

It literally means also not murder, is the idea. The Bible tells us in Genesis 96, God says who so set of man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed for an image of God made a man Exodus 2114 this is written right after Exodus 20 which says don't kill this, but if a man had come presumptuously. That's a premeditated murder on his neighbor, to slay him with guile. That's all taken from.

I in order that he may die work. There is him UT mutes the word in. In Exodus 2013 is rock sock. It's it's to premeditate kill is mute our rights against premeditated murder were mute is just justly putting someone to death is a make sense. So so up all the firm's capital punishment.

Also in Romans 13 he says they don't bear the sword in vain to say why would you want you agree with capital punishment that you seem so severe. What what does it help when you put the guy to death, a 2003 study by Emory University researchers of data for more than 3000 counties from 1977 through 1996, nearly a 20 year study found that each execution. On average, resulted in 18 fewer murders per county. Every person was put to death in those counties saved they had 18 less people murdered in each one of those counties in another examination based on data from all 50 states. From 1978 to 1997. Federal Communications Commission's economist Paul Zimmerman demonstrated that each state at all 50 states over this 20 year of this other 20 year study that each state execution deters an average of 14 murders annually 14 murders stop from you say why because they saw. There's a consequence for their motoring in the murders. I want to do that to be voted out.

Also need understand also not kill doesn't doesn't speak against warfare just warfare. This is another instance of acceptable killing that which is done during times of war, under the command of a superior. I've spoken to people in our church multiple times, different folks.

I member specific last year a gentleman or a church was in his 90s.

One of those gentlemen, your government, he said you know I sigh I've served in war for many years he said and I when I was in worries that I took the life of many men you would never enemies what a nice guy. He had passed away. Since then, we at his funeral last year, but that I just need to know that like like was that wrong liquids I will fight against was so wicked and so forth and I was able to take the word of God and show him listen, you need understand it.

The Hebrew word rock sock which is for premeditated murder of Exodus 2013.

That word is never one time used in all of Scripture in the time of warfare is never cold that God's got even allows for the just killing in in in times of warfare we see Abraham's nephew Lot was taken on 300 of his servants and they went out and took off after them and rescue Lot I can tell you some people would've died for that we read about God allowing killing and in just warfare in first Samuel 11 judges six and seven, Deuteronomy 20, so I think that's important for us to hear. Also, accidental homicide is not meant here in Numbers 35 it speaks about premeditated murder versus non-premeditated murder accidentally killing somebody sometimes is happening. People got a conflict in the guy died is like me to kill the guy guy died or were some they may be out working in and somebody ran over somebody or something happened and maybe you had it oxen that oxen killed that man in and in it wasn't known to be a violent ox before and it was just these are the kind of things and so in the Bible. They gave him cities of refuge. Remember that it would run off to the cities so so again there was a consequence like you said you kill somebody.

As a consequence like you had a moving stating that city of refuge and stay away from your hometown, and so forth. But it wasn't God didn't apply the same punishment because you did premeditate that wasn't your intention. Also, self-defense is not met your you need understand this. The Bible makes provision that you have the right to defend yourself. I know in our day.

They want to strip the guns from everybody and always find it interesting that they never one time strip the guns from their own people are protecting them. Anybody else find it odd that everybody in their own souls, or their their own bodyguards are built with their guns right. That's how you know they're lying when they say wear a mask and then they go to a party without a mask is like you know they're lying. You know there's no what you call heart of conviction, no sincerity, the power trip. I tell you, there's other countries who surrendered all their guns to their leadership and it didn't end well for the people that way. Self-defense is not meant here. The Bible gives provision for that.

Then Jesus even say if you don't have a sword to get one reset of the 22. The Bible says in Exodus 22 and three that if a man breaks into a home, you need to hear this, God says, and exits 22 verse two and three. If a man breaks on the home to steal something at night and you feel like your life is in danger that you have the right to kill them for the Bible says in self-defense.

You don't know what they're doing. They come in your house and you don't know what's going on your freight you fill your lives in danger.

God says you have a right to kill them, but it goes on to say, if the daylight comes and the homeowner sees that that person is there to steal something, but they're not there to hurt you and you recognize that your life is not an threat that you are not allowed to kill them if you do kill them.

Then you'll be under judgment. You know why the Bible says that because your property is less valuable than their humanity that make sense, even if there are a thief, they know they're there. Still late in the image of God, and sometimes these would break in because I need some bread or they grab and escape their rice chicken or something and killed for it. God's anger made in the image of God and so we we need understand that no you say will you you you say Bible says it's okay for self-defense.

What about turning the other cheek pastor John Weaver. Somebody write me a note on that. Write me a letter put your name on but I never get upset like I never reach a breakdown, never do that but but I get a letter this week, but feel free to like like just say hey we are about to sit on talking about that so that I can expound on that you would have to remember when I preach a sermon I could. I'm preaching literally in our 15 pages on two notes okay to versus there's so much that could be expanded on. I can't hit every nth degree of every side of something so I'm trying to make this as clear as possible. So to answer the questions before they come, but if you have questions always for families by the sitdown signs able to talk so but you say, what about turning the other cheek.

Let me answer that look in Matthew five, a diverse number 30 something. 39. You says by saying to you, that ye resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also were self-defense found there. We need understand Jesus here and will get to that your next week, but Jesus here is not talking about like protecting yourself from physical violence. This the guys trying to beat you down to death when he saying he is a smack on the cheek among the Jewish culture was like spit in somebody's face.

It was it an assault upon your dignity.

It was it was assaulting your your reputation.

It was your pride. And so Jesus says somebody assault your pride.

Just turn the other cheek that go like somebody badmouthing you or saying something that really offends you just turn the other cheek.

That's the idea. It's not saying if somebody is fighting you and being you on face like hit me on the left eye is not what he saying somebody goes injure you. You are made in the image of God, you are to protect the image of God because your value reflects the value the gods placed upon you, and so how does God feel about murder. How does God feel about premeditated murder. Proverbs 616 says God hates certain things and one of them. He lives here. He says in verse number 17 is says the six things of the Lord. 87 are an abomination.

He goes on in verse number 17 so it says and hands that shed innocent blood of the violent nature of murder scene that God eternally judges those who commit murder, you will bring judgment upon them. Revelation 21 eight with the fearful, the unbelieving, the abominable murders goes on to say, don't have their place in the lake of fire. Revelation 2215 talk about those outside of God's kingdom that are not going to be in the kingdom says, for without our dogs and sorcerers and warmongers and murderers, you know, the originator of murder was John 844 says Satan. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, he says your of your father the devil and the devil was a murderer from the beginning you and remain in the truth, but you know the first murder was in Scripture. The first person who committed murder receive followed by Adam in Genesis 3 you find what could be in a literal sense an act of suicide committed by Adam and Eve. God told them in a and in Genesis 216 and 17. He said if you eat of it for the tree of knowledge of good and evil is that you shall surely die by putting a gun to your head and saying you will surely die and sing says no you won't. You pull the trigger. You just committed suicide. It doesn't matter. You've been warned even told that God says you shall surely die. Remember when Satan said why don't you eat of every tree in each that if we did that knowledge is really good and evil will even touch it. We will die. She understood the death penalty. Death was the consequence of that and things that you shall not surely die. So she began to look upon the tree so was good for food places the eyes tree to be desired to make one why she took the fruit thereof, a divorce and her husband with her, he did eat. That was an act of suicide. They understood what God said you know what happened as a result. Chapter 4 says in chapter 4 verse eight and Cain talked with Abel his brother and it came to pass, as they were the feel that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Isn't it shocking that the first child ever born into the world was a murderer incredible listening Adam and Eve's the disease of murder found in their veins filtered through to their children and in they rose up and murder.

I can tell you we live in a world filled with murder going to give you some stats and all the stuff. There's so much murder going on that I just didn't want to fill this place with the filth of the conversation. How many murders of you've all the shooting in Chicago shootings every week 3:30 something woman it's just murders everywhere that doesn't account for the people who tried to kill somebody or the suicides of the self which is self murder. All abortions which we talked about a couple weeks ago. Jesus says this in verse 21, you've heard that been said by them of all time does not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of judgment. The command also not kill was scriptural but the statement shall be in danger of judgment was a part that that that the people of added the word danger. There was a legal term of the judgment court referred to their lowest court of seven people in smaller communities. It would have 23 people in larger towns and from there they could appeal to the higher court or the Supreme Court, which is known as the Sanhedrin that there commando fell short of God's standard. They focus just on the external act.

They only focused on the killing of the on the outside but Jesus comes to show that God is and just worried about the extra noise.

What about the heart and the motive so they warn you kill you'll stand in judgment on acumen. According to Jesus comes on, says you killing will stand before God like there there's a higher court. You have to answer before so he comes to raise the standard from which they had brought it down and secondly he says normally do not kill, but do not be angry. Verse 22 and and so here the Lord gives three examples to highlight the and ending in examine the reality that God looks on the inside of a person. He looks at the heart of a person pass the external actions that you can violate Exodus 20 verse 13 without ever having physically done. The act is showing us the spirit of the law, not just the letter of the law. So verse 21 is as you heard them and said by them of old also not guilt but I say and do you notice what he says that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment you think there just be in danger of judgment for killing tell you will be in danger of judgment for being angry. This is where we all pulled in and were real silent because we like you know when we say to people we sent it before Beverly Tomas UAVs the before God, would you go to heaven and those who haven't killed anybody. Jesus comes along and says you think is just external you think it's just something you have to physically do this is where he cuts right to the heart. The word anger there means this filled with anger to be furious raffle enraged is a simmering under the skin of a person with it with a desire to be for your filled with resentment and you refuse to be reconciled.

Charles Spurgeon said anger is to kill with desire is to kill with intent and it uses a statement without a cause whatsoever be angry with his brother without a cause of it as a question is angrily sinful. Is it always sinful in the answer that is not. I was not is not always sinful anger in itself is not a sin because God can be angry. Psalm 711 says God judge of the righteous in God is angry with the wicked. How many times every day is angry with the wicked every day. Jesus ever get angry Mark three. Listen with the Bible says here and he enter into the synagogue there was a man there. We had a withered hand. They watched Jesus a window.

He's going to heal the guy.

The Bible says in verse three and he saith unto the man who had the weather handstand forth any safe under them. Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days or to do evil, to save life or to kill, but they did they would say they don't know that Jesus knows what they're thinking please like saying there are what he says in verse five and when he looked around at all them with what what did he have Jesus is an angry preacher right now he's preaching this he's not going to be like you know those anybody here is not like I did.

Jesus preached on a Jesus fired up he sees what he's worked up right now and why is he worked out what's he so upset about what it says being greedy for the hardness of their heart. Anybody ever been upset because of somebody's hard heart.

I know I probably upset my prayers were not ardent or not.

Probably I know I did. Probably upset my youth pastor my preacher. I and in any person we harden arguments that could be very upsetting, but he was upset because her heart was hardened against the things of God, and he heals the man Jesus was angry and John Sue when he cleansed the temple. I was at the beginning of his ministry. Unity does the end of his ministry. He cleansed the temple again. He made 1/4 whips to sit down and take time off heard estimations of like a couple hours to make the whip. He made me sit down to write in this thing together. But when you geez I love you like I was only good when you like to be in this thing look like there's there's like thousands of people in the temple.

This is not like some small gathering.

This is a massive courtyard.

I been up on the Temple Mount is a size of 11 soccer fields geez goes round flips over to the tables of moneychangers the corrupt system. He just overthrows it and takes a whip. We think he hit maybe smack somebody over Taylor ran out the animals.

I mean, he's clean cleaning house by himself on any authority and the power that would've just been from his presence. Everybody like oh he's serious man what kind of guy get it pulled that off what it was a sobering day in the house of God wasn't. Sometimes we need to be serious about the things of God.

Sometimes we say this is really serious, be sober minded and Jesus was angry. There is a righteous kind of anger is a right reason to be upset. Paul said in Ephesians 426 be angry and sin not be angry and sin not. He says let not the Sangha down upon your wrath. I believe there are some things Christians should be upset about and angry with this type of anger hates injustice. It hates immorality hates ungodliness when such anger is unselfish when it's based on love for God and love for others.

Not only is it permissible that God commands it. God commands that anger shouldn't get us angry when people blaspheme God's should cause us to be angry when from when abortion is promoted and subsiding. The slaughter of the innocent life. Yes, she did anger us at the hardness of people's heart against God's word absolutely of Christ's was upset Christ was upset and angry. Those things of his spirit dwells in us should not. We also be angry.

Now listen to. It's hard for Christians, the practice righteous anger. This is the problem is we have a sin nature, they can quickly turn righteous anger into unrighteous anger. Aristotle said anyone can become angry.

But to be angry with the right person to the right degree at the right time for the right purpose of the right way is not easy to do Sonny's anger can be either good or bad based upon the motive and the purpose listen to me even anger toward the right thing for the right purpose must be limited in its extent. Ephesians 426 is be angry and sin not says let not the sun go down upon your wrath of God saying you need to get that anger dealt with before the sun goes down any 24 hour period is long enough for you to be angry about something you need to release that God did not save us to be a bunch of angry people. He saved us to be those who would go and proclaim the gospel to see soul savings exalt Christ glorify him with our inward and outward man one wears. We said the fire of anger is not quenched by loving forgiveness will spread in the file to destroy the work of God, even righteous anger concerning the bitterness must set aside at the end of each day you have to do this you know the result of on result anger.

This look with the next verse in Ephesians 427 look with the next verses neither give place to you, allowing your life whenever you hold on anger, even anger for the right reason for the right things you did you allow Satan to get a foothold in your life. Biblical principles we are to hate the sin, but to love the sinner, we we love the lost bearer mission field we despise their sin. I despise the wickedness of our culture. You know what I despise even more. I despise the wickedness in my own heart I I make my own self sick. I'm so frustrated on a weekly basis with the struggles that I have that that that you and I should be so burdened and angry with the sin of our own life.

It should infuriate us. We we should be those who cry out a wretched man that I am before we get so upset outside of us we should be upset with what's inside of us just read Romans seven if you don't find anything in your life you can get upset about. Why don't really feel like I have anything that I should be upset about. I can tell you two sins that you will commit every day, every single day use use movies I duties you do not love God like you should. You don't why think or do you okay so ask you this all so Peter left his job went and follow Jesus for three years lived and slept on the ground with them preached everywhere, was willing to even lay his life down. At one point but then betrayed and fell back in in in in at the end of his life in John 21 Jesus says do you love me and Peter says I just really like you. He says do you agape me Peter. Peter says no Lord you know I fully owe you. It's a word that means I have fond affection for you like a brotherly love, but I don't love you, that I don't love you like I thought I'd if you think you love Jesus more than Peter than there you go. You deceived guy on the seat of I think that we don't love God like we should and we don't love each other like we should leave that we don't love others like herself. You know who I love most in life myself. It's gross.

I hated every day I if you don't think you do that amount just tell you just just examine your life, or why what he think you get upset, impatient with people you know it, and patiences itself love Julie Reisinger upset you loving yourself you are you frustrated and speak out in anger all the things most the time is because we love ourselves. Stop loving yourself. So Jesus said that's what that's how corrupt our culture is a culture that values need to love yourself more. Are you kidding me your blind leaders of the problem is the loving of self is the problem we need to love others as ourselves. Some of such hate in the world and they made they may look good on the outside, maybe never heard anybody in their life that they have been filled with so much hate and anger.

If they weren't afraid of the consequences. They were afraid the person they would've killed them, you would hate says I wish that person were dead was that person were dead. At first John 315 says this.

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. God comes along and says if you have hate in your heart toward somebody you're a murderer, and you cannot be truly saved your that you cannot be a true believer and have abiding hate.

Now I can sell you can struggle with a struggle with anger. You all know that that's an evidence that you're not a child of God. That's what Satan does. You got a release that if you use that I've been paying somebody for a long time now that you've come to the truth of this it is, should it should cause you to be broken on the inside say God forgive me.

I didn't realize this now that I've been exposed to the truth, I gotta give my heart clean all of us know, it's like take somebody a man regedit ever hated somebody before we've all done this and we've all been guilty of murder before we've all we've all hated someone I've told people I remember growing up was your dad I hate you. You know you start young. As I told my brothers that stuff you did yes stand them. At times the item is really not funny him and I just be so wrathful but fine with a battery the remotest brother be male, I find that to a man I just then my parents took a good hand of my backside, man is only time I can never heard what I tell you this. So the first example he gives here on the inside of a man. He says you guys worried about just killing. He says God says if you if you have anger in your heart. The second example is slander.

He says and whosoever shall say to his brother rock that shall be in danger of the council, you're like, yes, I have committed this I've never called somebody a rock world playing a man select is going to the notes when rock is a transliteration of an Aramaic word and in a transliteration is basically there's no English equivalent so they just just write an English word that spelled like it sounds in the original language. So it's spelled like rock is the Aramaic word so we spell it RAC hate and it just means it's been translated different ways is no direct translation of it, but it is a derogatory slander is the ideas like you blockade you empty. Had you good for nothing. It devalues a person it slanders them it is it is what hate and anger produce hate and anger always produce slandering somebody. Spurgeon said to call a man rock or a worthless fellow is to kill him and his reputation and to slander one who is been made in the image of God is the slander God himself. Jesus says you shall be in danger here of the Council. The word counsel was the Greek word sent headroom. This is the Supreme Court of the Jews, you would be in danger of standing before that judgment could put you to death friend.

Have you ever slander someone sought to ruin the reputation calling them worthless good for nothings. Notice Jesus doesn't say the problem is external to you. You say he's not saying the person who is wronged you. Is the problem he saying it's internal to you the problems inside your heart. Do you see that massive truth.

We get angry and we slander people and we better know all the stuff the problem is not outside of us.

The problem is showing.

We have a heart issue now again there's righteous things to be angry for the were angry for the glory of God were angry when when life and people and things are assaulted that are that are dishonoring to the word of God and the truth of what he says. But even that must be limited. And thirdly, 1/3 example will be done is exalted, assaulting man's character. He says this but whosoever shall say that out. He and D'Angelo danger of hell fire workflow very ready for this comes from the Greek word more often we get the English word moron from being stupid. All godless. It didn't mean simply somebody lacked wisdom. It meant that you were calling someone a stupid godless. Like idolater, you godless person you you you full you and in anger is that internal send again bubbles out in the defamation of a man's character. Now the Bible you need to know this calls people fools at times.

The Bible says in Psalms 14 verse wonderful has set his heart there is no God. Right. Jesus even called people fools 2425 on the road to Emmaus. He said oh fools, and slow of heart to believe all the prophets of spoken what he saying is you're acting like a full. There is nothing wrong listened me to warn people that they are living in opposition to God and to his truth to say what you're doing is very foolish, or acting as a forward act. This is what a godless person would do.

It is a warning to them and that's there's nothing wrong with that but to do it because you hate them to do it because you want to destroy them. You see, like like if I was talking to Ryan and and and and Ryan. Praise God he saved living for Jesus, but of with me and him were were buddies and we were working in a not so I'm going down the wrong road. I say listen man what you're doing is very foolish. You could you could die from that menu could really get your life messed up before God and you want to be clean forgot it.

What my purpose and motivation is not to destroy him.

It's a motive of love and I want to help him and say I want you to live right for God. And so you have to examine your motive, but would you sing when you have anger and hate in your heart in your coming to somebody in your you're laying it down on them, you fool you, all these things Jesus said this is what he says he shall be in danger of hell fire that were hellfire is Gehenna is from the word and from which is the valley just southwest of Jerusalem.

Just to give you a little bit a history of this the valley of enemas were King Ahaz had built a pagan idol to the God Molex and they would offer children and fiery sacrifice to those deities as pagan gods do second Chronicles 28, three says moreover he burn incense in the valley of the son of Hannum and burn his children in the fire after the abomination of the heathen before the Lord and cast out before the children of Israel.

God called this place the valley of slaughter in Jeremiah 19 six was during the revival under King Josiah that Josiah turned that place where little babies were born into a trash heap desecrated, he would bring trash in and refuse down there and there was always a fire burning down in that valley. They said there were worms that live there that were very hard to kill Jesus use the word Gehenna to describe eternal punishment. 11 times in the Bible to show them this is this is just a small picture of the eternal flame and the fire that never goes out in the warm that die if not read the Old Testament says the worms are under the in the worms cover the that's talking about hell. The fire never squints to eternal place of torment.

Jesus is to call someone a full to assault their character out of anger puts you in danger of going to Gehenna forever to stand before God and be judged as a criminal who violated his law and your equal to a murderer. So as I conclude, is anyone feel like we should be filled up with pride. After this sermon you understand what Jesus is saying here now.

I counter. Can you walk away self-righteous. After that, like after you examine the word of God. How does the word of God make you feel like you're so wonderful how you are so you know what we should do when we leave lighthouse we should leave saying God, thank you. You're so merciful to sinners such as, thank you for grace. Thank you for covering my suspicion make us at the end of a service either come to the altar at RC say God forgive me for the hate and the anger, the unforgiveness and bitterness.

I should never hold on that stuff got if you were so gracious to forgive me. I must forgive other people that should be what it draws us to because the word of God is the purifier to our life.

Jesus comes and raises the bar and ask your friend, you have anger in your heart toward others. Maybe an ex-spouse nature ex-spouse Hatem was they were dead.

You just can't wait till he dies. You don't debate support sick of them so bitter you hate your parents, kids, hate your children hate your current spouse about a coworker you can't stand me Hatem hate your boss you Hatem. You'll save my boss nature neighbors is sick of them and their dogs that you know when friends were all guilty of the times you hate some political leader, and Stan, I got hate that person.

I hate that past present and future present the current present or whatever you tell your friends… There's murder in your heart that I didn't call you be a murderer. He called you to be a life giver, proclaim the gospel to bring salvation, stop treating the lost world, like the enemies and start treating them like the mission field next week with a look at one of the most important messages Christ gives on reconciliation. You need to hear this is so important, so important.

What should I do with my anger given to God. Repent of holding onto it. Don't let Satan have a foothold in your life when you hold a lingering Sangha down for your graphic and tell you husband-wife the state and the door say this also when you have things to come in your life it can make you angry stop and say, God, thank you for the challenge. Thank you for the difficulty because you're now testing me to see if I will if I will obey you more than I'll obey my flesh will I love you more.

Will I obey my anger which one will I obey more days a time for us of self-examination.

Amen.

You don't know the Lord Jesus Christ for the feast of the forgot you don't know if you're make it to heaven I'll be right down front with men and women stayed at both these doors to my right and let my left you to come and say pastor. I'm not sure if I'd even make it to heaven. I want to make sure when I die, go to heaven you want to come today and you could talk with somebody the police side the room and show you from the Bible how you can know your likes of you be in heaven most important thing you could ever do in your life that you got saved this week you need to come and make it public if you need to be baptized. Whatever your decision today.

Why don't you come so stand this morning had spelled knives close the altars (examine your heart. Today's a great day to come and say God cleansed me God wash me God examine me.

Maybe you don't even know if something your heart, which is a God, it's just just search me, God know my heart is there anything in me that needs to be cleansed.

Sometimes there's those deep things we think we let go, but hate and bitterness and anger and vengeance comes up in us. Father, I thank you for this time.

Your word is enough. It does its work. What more can be said and what you have said.

We pray that your word would be like refining fire cleansing your people, but how can you work to bring revival to a city when there is not revival in the church got cleanse first that which is within the building that that which is without giving cleansed. Let us walk through the streets shining the truth of God, let us put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Having the mind of Christ forgiving is you forget being merciful is our Father is merciful. To love is you love is not to be angry and bitter and vengeful Lord, may we treat others of you stress you treated us in one such wrong has been done the Lord, may we cast that burden on you for vengeance is mine, I will repay, say, the Lord, may we entrust you think you can take that judgment.

You can holding and you can bring justice according your timing.

We ask your blessing now. Save the lost sanctify the Satan Jesus name, amen