Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday evening, May 11, 2003, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia.

DEATH BY MURDER THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT

By Michael D. O’Neal Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church Albany, Georgia

Scripture Reading: Exodus 20:12-17

Text: Exodus 20:13

Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.

Introduction: The key to the six commandments of men toward men is the first of the six, for children to honor their mothers and fathers. If a child learns to respect and obey parental authority, he will be a good citizen and not an intentional lawbreaker. It is the duty of parents to teach children to love God and love people.

Commandments 1-4 – Love God right.
Commandments 5-10 – Love people right.

One of the greatest principles of the love of man for other men is to hold life sacred, as a gift from God. We are losing that in this country. Many people have little or no value for human life, for their own or that of anyone else.

Many homes are not successfully teaching the value of human life, or we would not have so many teenagers committing suicide or taking guns to school and shooting people.

Many churches are not successfully teaching this, or we would not have incidents like that of this past week in which a man poisoned the members of a church by putting arsenic in their beverage.

Our courts are not successfully teaching this, or there would not be so many killings of Americans against Americans, in spite of increasingly restrictive gun laws.

With such a conviction about the need for a revival in America about the value of human life, I bring you tonight’s message:

DEATH BY MURDER THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT

I. A DISTINCTION OF CLASSIFICATION

Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.

Words have more than one meaning. The proper meaning of the word “kill” must be understood in this context, or we would be forced to conclude that we are sinning against God if we pull up a weed, for to do so would be to kill the weed. We would be sinning against God by swatting an insect, for we would be killing the insect.

A. There is killing for meat

- Genesis 9:3

Acts 10:13

B. There is killing in military action

C. There is killing in manslaughter

- Accidental

Cities of refuge were established; a person was under restrictions even if he took human life accidentally.

D. There is killing in murder

Matthew 19:17-18 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

II. A DEMAND FOR CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

Numbers 35:31 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.

As for capital punishment,

A. It was instituted before the law

Genesis 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

B. It was incorporated into the law

Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.

C. It was implied and insisted upon by the apostle Paul after the law

Acts 25:11 For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.

III. A DEFILING OF A COUNTRY

Numbers 35:33 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

The above verse says a land cannot be cleansed from its bloodstains except by capital punishment!

When capital punishment is illegal or is not enforced, it defiles a land by the fact that:

A. It shows disregard for human life

- Our land is defiled by the blood of 1.5 million unborn babies who are legally murdered each year in the U.S.!

It is shocking to see children go to school and kill their fellow students, and teachers, but it is ALSO shocking to know that thousands of mothers each week are marching into the offices of “physicians,” who should be dedicated to preserving life, and having their unborn BABIES (the Bible calls a child in the womb a “BABE”) MURDERED!

B. It spreads hatred

C. It strengthens the desires of murderers

IV. THE DELIVERANCE OF THE CRUCIFIXION

I want to close with a thought about the crucifixion of our Lord and the 6th commandment. How do they relate? Consider:

Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

Christ gave His life voluntarily for our sins, but from the human standpoint and responsibility, He was murdered:

Acts 7:52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

The contrast is that Jesus’ blood is the ONLY blood that can truly cleans, wash away, and take away sins, and His blood is SINLESS.

A. His blood was shed blood

Matthew 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

B. His blood was sin-cleansing blood

- “What can wash away my sins? Nothing but THE BLOOD OF JESUS!

Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

C. His blood was sinless blood

1 Peter 1:18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

D. His blood was supernatural blood!

Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

2000 years ago, men murdered the Prince of life, while sparing the life of a murderer:

Acts 3:14-15 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; 15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

Thank God, that our Lord Jesus Christ lay down His life for us, that we might HAVE life! Amen!