WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:01.240 Good morning. 00:00:01.440 --> 00:00:04.010 Welcome Alpine Bible Church to Church in the Park. 00:00:04.300 --> 00:00:05.580 I missed you last week. 00:00:06.120 --> 00:00:08.760 I was backpacking in the Uintas. 00:00:09.060 --> 00:00:11.780 I got to see Red Castle for the first time. 00:00:11.780 --> 00:00:18.600 I don't know how many of you guys have ever been to Red Castle, but I saw some of the most beautiful sites in my life. 00:00:20.100 --> 00:00:27.020 I got to do that and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves backpacking and seeing awesome sites. 00:00:28.100 --> 00:00:30.030 Before we begin, I have a few announcements. 00:00:30.880 --> 00:00:38.020 Baptisms are August 30, if you're interested in that we have online registration and we would 00:00:38.080 --> 00:00:41.780 love to have you guys be baptized if you've never been baptized before. 00:00:42.840 --> 00:00:50.040 And number two, a new Bible study is going to start on August 12th in Wine's Park on salvation 00:00:50.040 --> 00:00:52.320 and the Holy Spirit. 00:00:53.420 --> 00:01:00.720 And that is in the southwest corner of Wine's Park and I'd recommend you guys bring a 00:01:00.720 --> 00:01:03.480 lawn chair to sit around and discuss that. 00:01:04.459 --> 00:01:09.880 Anyways, now to begin I'm excited to open scriptures today with you. 00:01:10.160 --> 00:01:10.400 All right. 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:12.820 I just got to stand really still, don't move. 00:01:13.700 --> 00:01:13.960 All right. 00:01:14.380 --> 00:01:21.680 I wasn't really expecting to do this today, to speak today, but there was a sickness in the Wall family, and 00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:28.750 because of present circumstances they are quarantined and they are not here today. 00:01:28.900 --> 00:01:31.810 So I get to be here and get to share with you. 00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:39.740 And a few weeks ago we had camp, Grace Haven Bible Camp, which was a blast. 00:01:39.740 --> 00:01:45.440 I see a few of you out here that attended and came to Grace Haven Bible Camp. 00:01:46.020 --> 00:01:52.660 And at Grace Haven Bible Camp, we did something that we probably have never done before and something that I've never done before. 00:01:53.060 --> 00:01:58.560 We had a 10-part series on the 10 commandments. 00:02:00.640 --> 00:02:07.680 And I taught the second half of the 10 commandments and the other pastor Rodney Zedicher who's the pastor of Ephraim 00:02:08.020 --> 00:02:10.740 taught the first half of the 10 commandments. 00:02:11.620 --> 00:02:18.750 And I have to say, when I first pitched the idea to Rodney, he was definitely skeptical about going through the 10 commandments. 00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:26.520 And the reason is as Christians, we are no longer under the Law, but we are under grace, 00:02:27.020 --> 00:02:27.020 right? 00:02:27.620 --> 00:02:34.720 Romans and Galatians, as well as throughout the New Testament this idea that we are no longer under the Law, but under grace comes up time and time 00:02:34.720 --> 00:02:39.260 again and the 10 commandments are founded in the Law. 00:02:40.420 --> 00:02:47.440 Not only that, but it says in the Bible that no one shall be justified by the works of the Law and if righteousness, which is 00:02:47.440 --> 00:02:52.660 a right standing with God could be gained through the Law, Christ died for nothing. 00:02:53.000 --> 00:02:55.560 That's what Galatians 2:21 says. 00:02:56.300 --> 00:02:58.210 So why did we go through the 10 commandments? 00:02:58.980 --> 00:03:01.660 And why are we going to go through the 10 commandments today? 00:03:03.140 --> 00:03:05.180 Well, there are several reasons. 00:03:05.180 --> 00:03:09.240 I'm just going to scratch the surface so we can get into what we're talking about today. 00:03:09.280 --> 00:03:16.460 The first one is 2 Timothy 3:16 that says, "All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction for 00:03:16.460 --> 00:03:24.640 correction and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work." 00:03:24.640 --> 00:03:27.960 And secondly, the Law points us to Christ. 00:03:28.460 --> 00:03:35.620 Galatians 3:24 says, "So the Law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified 00:03:35.620 --> 00:03:39.460 by faith." Another word for guardian there would be tutor. 00:03:40.080 --> 00:03:47.420 It teaches us that we need Christ and how it does that is it demonstrates the holiness of God and 00:03:47.420 --> 00:03:54.800 his Law and how we continually fall short of that in our need of a savior 00:03:54.800 --> 00:03:57.780 for a right relationship with God. 00:03:57.780 --> 00:04:05.000 Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." And how do we know 00:04:05.000 --> 00:04:07.340 that we fall short of the glory of God? 00:04:07.960 --> 00:04:15.200 Is that continually, we see that we fall short of the laws of God and 00:04:15.200 --> 00:04:18.320 that we are in dire need of mercy. 00:04:21.200 --> 00:04:28.200 So, perhaps you didn't ask for it and this was probably the last thing 00:04:28.200 --> 00:04:30.330 you thought we were going to talk about today. 00:04:31.200 --> 00:04:38.920 But because I did the last half of the 10 commandments, we are going to be in commandment number 00:04:38.920 --> 00:04:47.820 six, which it says in Exodus 20:13, you guys can memorize with me 00:04:47.820 --> 00:04:48.880 with this real quick. 00:04:49.020 --> 00:04:54.960 It says, Exodus 20:13, "You shall not murder." All right. 00:04:55.440 --> 00:05:02.640 I don't think you guys are thinking about you shall not murder this morning, but that's kind of what we're going to be deep diving in and 00:05:02.640 --> 00:05:03.300 looking at. 00:05:04.580 --> 00:05:10.220 And I figure and hope that most of you already know this commandment. 00:05:10.980 --> 00:05:11.340 All right. 00:05:11.560 --> 00:05:12.840 How many of you guys already know this? 00:05:13.200 --> 00:05:14.900 All right. 00:05:14.900 --> 00:05:16.260 How many of you guys abide by this? 00:05:16.880 --> 00:05:18.100 I try to abide by this. 00:05:18.100 --> 00:05:25.140 I can't say that I've ever killed someone, but maybe more than ever, this 00:05:25.140 --> 00:05:28.500 is what we need to go over because of quarantine, right? 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:36.580 You guys have been in proximity, close proximity with your families for the past several months with 00:05:36.640 --> 00:05:41.470 no break and perhaps we need to cover, thou shall not murder. 00:05:41.900 --> 00:05:42.000 Right? 00:05:42.820 --> 00:05:50.620 But in all seriousness, as far as the 10 commandments go, this seems like a tee-ball just 00:05:50.620 --> 00:05:52.680 sitting there, anyone could hit it. 00:05:53.560 --> 00:05:57.480 The other ones, some of them seem like curve ball, sometimes you miss. 00:05:57.480 --> 00:06:00.860 Like honoring your father and mother always. 00:06:02.320 --> 00:06:09.440 I can say that I have definitely not honored my mother and father always or other commandments. 00:06:10.840 --> 00:06:13.960 But with this one do not murder, personally I feel like, yeah, I can do that. 00:06:14.260 --> 00:06:16.140 Okay, sweet God, I got one. 00:06:16.600 --> 00:06:17.920 I can check that off the list. 00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:18.360 I'm good. 00:06:19.960 --> 00:06:27.180 But as easy as it seems, or as obvious as do not murder seems, maybe it's a little more 00:06:27.180 --> 00:06:28.680 complicated than that. 00:06:30.640 --> 00:06:34.840 So, first we have to ask, why is murder wrong? 00:06:35.900 --> 00:06:43.200 And people throughout history have tried to come up with ideas of why ethically murder 00:06:43.220 --> 00:06:46.690 is wrong apart from God, apart from scriptures. 00:06:47.320 --> 00:06:54.220 And one line of thinking goes that if you harm someone that is wrong because you do not like being harmed. 00:06:55.260 --> 00:07:02.020 It's a utilitarian argument that says that harming others is wrong because you do not like being harmed. 00:07:03.140 --> 00:07:10.260 But the problem with that is that you can in fact kill someone painlessly at night, or how do 00:07:10.260 --> 00:07:16.280 you decide if someone is in pain or not, right? 00:07:16.920 --> 00:07:22.880 Abortion struggles with this argument in this issue, does a fetus feel pain? 00:07:23.680 --> 00:07:29.160 Or what if you killed someone who was isolated in the woods and didn't have a community? 00:07:30.320 --> 00:07:33.820 Is that painful to... 00:07:34.420 --> 00:07:35.690 If you kill them harmlessly? 00:07:35.980 --> 00:07:41.300 Because another thing is, if you kill someone it harms the people around them, their friends, their family. 00:07:41.960 --> 00:07:47.400 But if you kill someone completely isolated, does it really harm their friends or their family? 00:07:47.820 --> 00:07:50.360 Or what if you kill the whole community at once painlessly? 00:07:51.060 --> 00:07:52.980 Is that still wrong? 00:07:53.660 --> 00:07:58.260 Well, according to this argument, it's not, but obviously it is. 00:07:59.500 --> 00:08:07.400 And the other argument goes that you are taking away someone's potential, or you're taking away someone's 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:09.840 contribution to society. 00:08:10.300 --> 00:08:15.480 Every person contributes to society in some way. 00:08:15.560 --> 00:08:19.110 That is the second ethical argument. 00:08:21.220 --> 00:08:28.740 For example, if you killed Mozart or Post Malone 00:08:28.740 --> 00:08:35.720 ever before they made music, you would be taking away something from humanity, something from society. 00:08:36.360 --> 00:08:39.760 You could argue the Post Malone one, but I'm not here to do that. 00:08:40.080 --> 00:08:45.720 But we all contribute to society or to humanity in some way. 00:08:45.720 --> 00:08:47.940 And because of that, murder is wrong. 00:08:49.160 --> 00:08:56.280 And this can sound like a compelling line of reasoning, but history tells us time and time again, that if you hold to this 00:08:56.360 --> 00:09:03.440 line of reasoning, that you will come to the conclusion that there are those who add to society and there are 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:05.980 those who take away from society. 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:16.720 We have examples like the Eugenics Movement at the beginning of the 20th century that got really popular, that 00:09:16.720 --> 00:09:23.780 they believed that the world was too dumb and that low IQ individuals tainted 00:09:23.780 --> 00:09:28.680 society so they went and sterilized people who weren't as smart. 00:09:30.140 --> 00:09:37.240 And they got rid of all these people with this line of reasoning saying that they didn't contribute to society. 00:09:37.280 --> 00:09:39.400 They tainted, they took away from society. 00:09:40.680 --> 00:09:47.520 And the Eugenics Movement eventually birthed what is known as Nazism, right? 00:09:47.540 --> 00:09:54.560 They took what Eugenics said and they said, not just the low IQ individuals, but Jewish people 00:09:55.200 --> 00:10:00.180 or mentally handicapped or gypsies, they also taint society. 00:10:00.180 --> 00:10:02.380 They take away from society. 00:10:03.380 --> 00:10:06.200 And because of that, you know of the horrors of the Holocaust. 00:10:08.400 --> 00:10:11.700 And this mindset isn't unique to one people group... 00:10:12.660 --> 00:10:14.260 All right, I'm going to stand right here... 00:10:14.560 --> 00:10:17.910 Unique to one people group or unique to the 20th century. 00:10:18.400 --> 00:10:24.000 This is something that humanity has always faced and struggled with. 00:10:25.480 --> 00:10:28.450 How many of you guys know who the Mongols were? 00:10:29.900 --> 00:10:31.420 They're pretty crazy. 00:10:32.400 --> 00:10:39.520 The Mongols, if you didn't know, were the greatest military power to ever exist before the invention of the gun. 00:10:40.340 --> 00:10:40.460 Right? 00:10:40.580 --> 00:10:45.960 At their peak, they still have the largest land empire to have ever existed. 00:10:46.640 --> 00:10:52.320 They controlled China, Russia, Korea, the Middle East. 00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:57.000 They owned practically the known world back in the day. 00:10:57.960 --> 00:11:01.000 And they didn't even live in houses. 00:11:01.620 --> 00:11:02.700 They were nomads. 00:11:03.040 --> 00:11:11.140 They lived on horseback and they lived by shepherding and they rode all through their empire and they 00:11:11.140 --> 00:11:19.340 viewed people who lived in cities, people who were civilized as oxen, as 00:11:19.340 --> 00:11:21.860 livestock, as tamed. 00:11:21.980 --> 00:11:29.450 If you were a farmer, if you lived in a house, they viewed you as not a true wild human being, but as livestock. 00:11:30.080 --> 00:11:37.460 And because of that, they rationalized killing and wiping cities off 00:11:37.460 --> 00:11:37.880 of maps. 00:11:39.280 --> 00:11:44.640 The first khan, his name perhaps you've heard of it is Genghis Khan. 00:11:45.900 --> 00:11:53.360 And he killed so many people that there are several articles online that talk about him being the greenest 00:11:54.260 --> 00:11:55.840 conquer to have ever lived. 00:11:56.420 --> 00:11:59.640 And yes, I just said greenest and not greatest. 00:12:01.160 --> 00:12:08.460 And the reason why he's the greenest is because he wiped out over 700 00:12:08.520 --> 00:12:15.660 million tons of carbon off the face of the earth, simply by 00:12:15.660 --> 00:12:18.680 killing people and animals. 00:12:20.420 --> 00:12:27.520 And it's somewhere in the ballpark of 40 to a 100 million people and no one really knows why or knows how 00:12:27.520 --> 00:12:27.880 many. 00:12:29.080 --> 00:12:36.340 The answer why, is because they viewed people who're in civilized society as less than, and as 00:12:36.340 --> 00:12:37.090 livestock. 00:12:39.040 --> 00:12:46.520 And you might get an idea of the 00:12:46.520 --> 00:12:53.540 Mongols that they killed that many people, but the crazy thing about the Mongols story is that, it's not 00:12:53.540 --> 00:12:54.680 really that unique. 00:12:55.780 --> 00:13:02.800 The only thing unique about the Mongols, is the scope in which they are able to do things, their efficiency and 00:13:02.800 --> 00:13:03.380 power. 00:13:04.640 --> 00:13:11.680 And they killed so many people, 40 to 100 million people in the span of 20, 40 years, 00:13:11.760 --> 00:13:19.160 that maybe you get an idea of why China spent so much time and resources and people to create the 00:13:19.160 --> 00:13:19.900 great wall. 00:13:20.180 --> 00:13:25.440 Maybe that gives you a little understanding, because they were trying to keep those people out of China. 00:13:27.340 --> 00:13:32.520 And you may also think that people know in their hearts, that murder is wrong. 00:13:33.060 --> 00:13:40.440 Intuitionally or instinctively people believe that murder is wrong and that no one can take pleasure 00:13:40.440 --> 00:13:42.020 in harming someone else. 00:13:43.520 --> 00:13:50.390 But we have a quote that comes down from history from Genghis Khan himself, it's on happiness. 00:13:51.320 --> 00:13:55.580 So are you guys ready for this flowery message on happiness from Genghis Khan? 00:13:56.380 --> 00:14:03.540 He says, "The greatest happiness is to vanquish your enemies, to chase them before you, to rob them of their wealth, 00:14:03.920 --> 00:14:11.600 to see those dear to them bathed in tears, to clasp to your bosom their wives and daughters." And that is 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:12.720 terrifying. 00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:17.060 And the reason why it's terrifying is not because he's alive today. 00:14:17.160 --> 00:14:19.840 He died hundreds and hundreds of years ago. 00:14:20.240 --> 00:14:27.420 But what is scary about that today is that, we as people 00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:33.920 are just as capable as feeling, saying, or doing the things that he did. 00:14:35.820 --> 00:14:42.940 Too often, we look at history and we think of how crazy and absurd people are for the way they behaved and what they 00:14:42.940 --> 00:14:45.840 did and we say that we could never do those things. 00:14:47.040 --> 00:14:53.150 But here's the thing, we are all human and we are all capable of the exact same actions. 00:14:53.820 --> 00:14:57.690 If someone could create a time machine... 00:14:58.780 --> 00:14:58.880 All right. 00:15:00.520 --> 00:15:08.140 If someone could create a time machine and take you as a baby and take a Mongolian baby and 00:15:08.640 --> 00:15:17.360 swap you, guess what, you would grow up to be a Mongolian 00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:19.380 warrior. 00:15:19.420 --> 00:15:22.960 And they would grow up to be... 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:24.900 They would maybe be here right now. 00:15:25.260 --> 00:15:32.300 They would be in skinny jeans, perhaps they would have a really sleek-looking Instagram 00:15:32.300 --> 00:15:34.680 page, maybe Snapchat. 00:15:35.820 --> 00:15:41.420 And they might be having a latte this morning on the lawn, right? 00:15:42.280 --> 00:15:49.280 And the reason is because we are all human, sinful, capable of murder, 00:15:49.700 --> 00:15:56.960 and we have the incredible capacity of being able to justify our wrongdoings even if 00:15:57.340 --> 00:15:57.700 it's murder. 00:15:59.340 --> 00:16:02.310 And there's countless examples of this throughout history. 00:16:02.460 --> 00:16:09.500 The Mongols, the Nazis, the Eugenics movements are just little examples of how 00:16:09.500 --> 00:16:11.760 people justify killing. 00:16:14.700 --> 00:16:20.800 And if intuition fails, if arguments fail, and if people fail, what is the answer? 00:16:20.880 --> 00:16:22.160 Why is murder wrong? 00:16:24.140 --> 00:16:31.340 And it's because scripture says that you like me are created in the image of God and have an inherent value on 00:16:31.340 --> 00:16:36.490 you because we have been gifted life by our creator. 00:16:36.820 --> 00:16:44.120 And by taking someone's life, not only are we attacking someone else, but we're taking what God has given. 00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:50.840 And it doesn't have to do with what you do to society or what you contribute to humanity. 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:57.780 But it's because you've been created in the image of God and that is what gives you inherent worth. 00:16:58.380 --> 00:17:03.940 And that is why killing is wrong because the laws of God aren't subjective but objective. 00:17:05.160 --> 00:17:08.460 And that's why thou shall not kill. 00:17:10.140 --> 00:17:16.400 And you might be thinking right now, all right, murder is wrong and I'm capable of it. 00:17:17.300 --> 00:17:18.180 Thank you, Lincoln. 00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:20.869 I really appreciate you telling me this. 00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:23.760 To those that are thinking that right now, you're welcome. 00:17:24.440 --> 00:17:25.980 Appreciate it. 00:17:25.980 --> 00:17:33.180 So if that's true, if we're all capable of murder and if murder is wrong, 00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:34.540 where does it come from? 00:17:34.540 --> 00:17:35.640 Where does it start? 00:17:36.940 --> 00:17:41.420 The Bible teaches us that sin doesn't appear out of thin air. 00:17:42.060 --> 00:17:47.140 In fact, it first takes root in our heart and then bears its fruit. 00:17:47.980 --> 00:17:55.120 Jesus in Mathew 15:17-20 says this, "Don't you see that 00:17:55.120 --> 00:17:59.160 whatever enters the mouth, goes into the stomach and then out of the body. 00:17:59.700 --> 00:18:03.780 But the things that come out of a person's mouth come from the heart and these defile them. 00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:11.340 For out of the heart comes evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false 00:18:11.340 --> 00:18:13.300 testimony, slander. 00:18:13.480 --> 00:18:21.280 These are what defile a person, but eating with unwashed hands are not what defiles them." Murder, 00:18:21.640 --> 00:18:25.860 just like every other sin comes and starts in the heart. 00:18:27.980 --> 00:18:36.360 And if you didn't believe me when I told you that murder is a universal problem in human beings, we 00:18:36.360 --> 00:18:37.540 just have to look at scripture. 00:18:38.860 --> 00:18:42.360 It's the second sin ever recorded in scripture. 00:18:42.940 --> 00:18:47.700 It doesn't take long for murder to take center stage. 00:18:48.320 --> 00:18:55.780 In the story of Cain and Abel, which is in Genesis four, right after the fall in Genesis three. 00:18:56.280 --> 00:19:01.980 It says this, now reading out of Genesis 4:2-9. 00:19:02.980 --> 00:19:05.960 "Now Abel kept flocks and Cain worked the soil. 00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:09.120 Abel was a shepherd and Cain was a farmer. 00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:17.520 In the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord and Abel also brought 00:19:17.520 --> 00:19:21.280 an offering, fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. 00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:29.140 The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering, he did not look 00:19:29.360 --> 00:19:30.130 with favor. 00:19:30.520 --> 00:19:33.450 So Cain was very angry and his face was downcast. 00:19:33.980 --> 00:19:36.240 Then the Lord said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:38.040 Why is your face downcast? 00:19:38.660 --> 00:19:41.520 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? 00:19:42.580 --> 00:19:46.540 But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door. 00:19:47.820 --> 00:19:54.860 It desires to have you, but you must rule over it.' Now Cain 00:19:55.020 --> 00:20:02.480 said to his brother Abel, 'Let's go out to the field.' While they're in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and 00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:04.280 killed him. 00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:12.560 Then the Lord said to Cain, 'Where is your brother Abel?' And he said, 'I don't know.' He replied, 00:20:12.920 --> 00:20:19.860 'Am I my brother's keeper?'" Why did Cain kill his brother? 00:20:21.520 --> 00:20:22.600 Well, Cain was angry. 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:30.040 He wasn't just angry with his brother, he was angry with God. 00:20:33.740 --> 00:20:38.340 He felt like he was being cheated by God, right? 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:46.120 The Lord looked with favor on Abel's offering, but did not look at favor on Cain's 00:20:46.120 --> 00:20:46.280 offering. 00:20:48.220 --> 00:20:54.780 Cain was a farmer, which I don't know if we have any farmers here, but that is really hard work, right? 00:20:55.020 --> 00:21:00.520 You're up at the break of dawn and you don't quit until the sun goes down. 00:21:01.980 --> 00:21:05.240 And God doesn't look at favor on Cain. 00:21:05.860 --> 00:21:13.020 I can imagine Cain growing in resentment, growing in anger day after day saying, "I worked my butt off 00:21:13.340 --> 00:21:16.800 and all week and how dare you, God not bless me. 00:21:19.620 --> 00:21:26.740 I know how I can right this wrong." That's what Cain is thinking, "I know 00:21:26.740 --> 00:21:33.360 what I can do to make this right." And he thinks this is a matter of justice. 00:21:34.420 --> 00:21:36.340 And guess what, God tries to do... 00:21:36.400 --> 00:21:43.440 God sees the anger, sees the resentment in Cain's heart, and then he says to him, "Why are 00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:43.940 you angry? 00:21:44.860 --> 00:21:46.160 Why is your face downcast? 00:21:46.820 --> 00:21:49.580 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? 00:21:50.320 --> 00:21:57.460 But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door and it desires to have you, but you must rule over 00:21:57.460 --> 00:22:00.200 it." You know what God is saying here? 00:22:00.780 --> 00:22:07.320 Is that sin is like a lion that waits outside your door. 00:22:07.960 --> 00:22:15.000 It's like a tiger, a lion, a large predatory cat that's waiting outside, waiting for you to give 00:22:15.000 --> 00:22:17.980 into it so that it can devour you. 00:22:22.020 --> 00:22:29.220 And that is what bitterness and that is what anger and that is what resentment is to the person 00:22:29.220 --> 00:22:31.320 who harbors and [inaudible 00:22:30]. 00:22:33.780 --> 00:22:41.940 And murder like every other sin, comes from the heart and it's the result of 00:22:41.940 --> 00:22:48.700 nursing resentment, anger, and not ruling over it. 00:22:51.180 --> 00:22:51.300 Right? 00:22:51.360 --> 00:22:53.080 It can be the result of many things. 00:22:54.060 --> 00:23:01.900 Often, the anger at being wronged, resentment at God for the state of things in your life, your 00:23:01.900 --> 00:23:06.060 circumstances, hatred towards others for cheating you. 00:23:06.680 --> 00:23:13.820 Hating God and man and ultimately what murder is wanting to take the position of God by taking life 00:23:14.780 --> 00:23:21.900 and executing justice and becoming judge and juror of what is good and what 00:23:21.900 --> 00:23:22.200 is evil. 00:23:25.260 --> 00:23:30.890 This is what Cain saw it as, but in reality, it was revenge. 00:23:33.140 --> 00:23:33.950 I don't know if you got that. 00:23:34.600 --> 00:23:37.170 In reality, it was revenge. 00:23:38.040 --> 00:23:39.980 That's what Cain was seeking. 00:23:41.400 --> 00:23:49.800 Was vengeance towards man, his brother and vengeance towards God as well. 00:23:52.740 --> 00:23:58.030 His heart was deceived and eventually he was devoured by sin. 00:23:59.340 --> 00:24:02.200 Verse 10 says, "The Lord said to you, 'What have you done? 00:24:02.220 --> 00:24:05.340 Listen, your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. 00:24:05.660 --> 00:24:11.000 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 00:24:11.400 --> 00:24:14.420 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. 00:24:14.800 --> 00:24:21.320 You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.'" Sin devoured Cain. 00:24:24.900 --> 00:24:31.920 And murder comes from the heart and when anger is fully nourished, murder is the result and so we see that proverb, 00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:39.380 guard your heart above all things for out of it comes the wellspring of life as something so important. 00:24:40.800 --> 00:24:48.000 Don't let resentment seed in your life and become a sapling or 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:48.500 a tree. 00:24:49.440 --> 00:24:53.900 Dig it out and throw it away before the fruit devours you. 00:24:55.860 --> 00:25:03.400 Now, you still might be thinking that this lesson doesn't apply to you or that this isn't 00:25:03.460 --> 00:25:04.180 about you. 00:25:05.660 --> 00:25:13.680 But listen to what the words of Jesus or what Jesus says in Matthew 5:21-24. 00:25:14.500 --> 00:25:21.700 He's quoting Exodus 20:13, "You have heard that ancients were told you shall not 00:25:21.700 --> 00:25:22.540 commit murder. 00:25:23.140 --> 00:25:25.520 And whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court. 00:25:25.800 --> 00:25:32.840 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 00:25:32.920 --> 00:25:40.240 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into 00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:41.600 the fiery hell. 00:25:42.700 --> 00:25:50.220 Therefore, if you are presenting the offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before 00:25:50.220 --> 00:25:57.660 the altar and go and be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering." Have 00:25:57.660 --> 00:25:59.960 you ever been angry with someone before? 00:26:01.040 --> 00:26:05.960 Have you ever told someone that they are worthless or good for nothing? 00:26:06.780 --> 00:26:10.450 Have you ever said, I hate you? 00:26:10.940 --> 00:26:12.100 Have you ever held a grudge? 00:26:12.640 --> 00:26:13.640 Have you ever been bitter? 00:26:16.940 --> 00:26:17.380 Guess what? 00:26:18.220 --> 00:26:20.660 According to Jesus's words, you are guilty. 00:26:22.020 --> 00:26:22.440 Guess what? 00:26:24.080 --> 00:26:24.480 I'm guilty. 00:26:27.720 --> 00:26:31.640 And I'm guessing since you're human like me, you're also guilty. 00:26:35.100 --> 00:26:41.400 And according to the words of scripture, we all are guilty. 00:26:41.920 --> 00:26:49.040 And if you have broken the Law in one area, scripture says you have broken the whole 00:26:49.040 --> 00:26:53.000 Law and stand condemned before God. 00:26:55.540 --> 00:27:00.380 And this is why the gospel is such good news. 00:27:01.400 --> 00:27:08.720 Because apart from the Law, this is what Romans 3:21-25 says, "But now apart 00:27:08.720 --> 00:27:16.780 from the Law, the righteousness of God has been made manifest..." Righteousness, meaning right 00:27:16.780 --> 00:27:20.420 standing with God has been made known, that has come. 00:27:21.380 --> 00:27:21.380 "... 00:27:21.540 --> 00:27:28.780 being witnessed by the Law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe 00:27:28.780 --> 00:27:35.980 for there is no distinction for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God being justified..." 00:27:37.700 --> 00:27:45.420 Being made, being free from guilt, being declared righteous... 00:27:45.420 --> 00:27:45.520 "... 00:27:45.520 --> 00:27:53.080 as a gift by his grace through the redemption, which is in Christ Jesus, whom God displayed publicly as 00:27:53.080 --> 00:28:00.080 a propitiation in his blood through faith." And that is the beauty 00:28:00.080 --> 00:28:01.040 of the gospel. 00:28:03.400 --> 00:28:07.090 The fact that we are guilty before God, we are all Law breakers. 00:28:07.560 --> 00:28:09.720 We've all been angry with our brother. 00:28:12.320 --> 00:28:15.560 We deserve condemnation. 00:28:16.600 --> 00:28:23.780 But God in his mercy took the punishment that we deserved so that we could be reconciled to him 00:28:24.000 --> 00:28:31.000 and to others to be in right relationship with God, not by our own doing or by following 00:28:31.000 --> 00:28:38.080 the works of the Law, but by the grace of God, which is the redemption that Jesus Christ 00:28:38.080 --> 00:28:40.000 paid for us on the cross. 00:28:40.760 --> 00:28:42.260 That is what Romans three says. 00:28:43.700 --> 00:28:45.620 He died because of our anger. 00:28:46.900 --> 00:28:53.050 He was murdered because of our sin, because we were guilty of being murderers. 00:28:53.360 --> 00:28:55.460 And while he hung up on the cross... 00:28:56.280 --> 00:29:01.660 This is one of the craziest things in all of scripture when I think about it, but it just blows my mind whenever I think about it. 00:29:01.900 --> 00:29:09.620 While Jesus was on the cross dying a horrific death, he said, "Father, 00:29:09.820 --> 00:29:17.020 forgive them for they know not what they do." See, there was no anger. 00:29:17.640 --> 00:29:18.490 There was no resentment. 00:29:18.980 --> 00:29:21.140 There was no bitterness in the heart of Christ. 00:29:23.260 --> 00:29:30.400 He laid down his life willingly, willing to be murdered for 00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:33.340 murderers so that we could have life. 00:29:36.920 --> 00:29:38.340 And what motivated him? 00:29:41.860 --> 00:29:43.780 It was the joy set before him. 00:29:44.880 --> 00:29:45.580 It was love. 00:29:46.580 --> 00:29:47.220 It was forgiveness. 00:29:48.980 --> 00:29:50.440 That was the heart of Christ. 00:29:50.440 --> 00:29:57.840 There was no bitterness although he was the only one who has existed that could make a 00:29:57.840 --> 00:30:01.240 legitimate complaint that he suffered unjustly. 00:30:02.160 --> 00:30:02.920 He did it willingly. 00:30:04.540 --> 00:30:12.100 Not only did he forgive the people that hung him on the cross, but he washed the feet of his friend who betrayed him, Judas. 00:30:14.980 --> 00:30:20.100 He forgave his murderers and he loved until the very end and he still loves today. 00:30:21.460 --> 00:30:28.480 And as a disciple of Christ, we are called to follow, 00:30:29.540 --> 00:30:31.220 follow the heart of Christ. 00:30:32.120 --> 00:30:32.860 Follow him. 00:30:33.600 --> 00:30:41.060 That's why Ephesians 4:31 through 5:2 says this, "Get rid of all bitterness, 00:30:41.420 --> 00:30:44.660 rage, anger, brawling, and slander. 00:30:45.020 --> 00:30:46.700 Along with every form of malice. 00:30:47.200 --> 00:30:54.060 Be kind and compassionate to one another forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 00:30:54.980 --> 00:31:02.260 Follow God's example, therefore as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us 00:31:02.660 --> 00:31:12.980 and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Resentment 00:31:13.780 --> 00:31:19.750 has no place in our lives because it is antithetical to the gospel. 00:31:19.940 --> 00:31:21.270 In fact, it's anti-gospel. 00:31:23.100 --> 00:31:25.640 Jesus died so that we could be forgiven. 00:31:27.220 --> 00:31:34.440 He gave his life so that we could have life and when we hold onto the pain and want vengeance 00:31:34.440 --> 00:31:41.780 on others, we are hypocrites who want mercy for ourselves and justice and vengeance 00:31:41.780 --> 00:31:42.620 on others. 00:31:45.820 --> 00:31:52.520 And we have a mistrust in the justice of God when we desire vengeance and hold on to bitterness. 00:31:53.340 --> 00:31:56.460 But don't take my word for it because I'm just a guy... 00:31:57.300 --> 00:31:58.620 Listen to what John says. 00:31:58.680 --> 00:32:01.580 In 1 John 4:19-21. 00:32:01.580 --> 00:32:05.420 He says this, "We love because he first loved us. 00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:10.400 If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar. 00:32:10.940 --> 00:32:18.020 For he does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has 00:32:18.240 --> 00:32:25.440 not seen." And this commandment we have from him, whoever loves God must also love his brother. 00:32:27.340 --> 00:32:34.420 The amazing thing here guys is that if the gospel, we love because he 00:32:34.500 --> 00:32:40.200 first loved us, we forgive because he first forgave us. 00:32:41.360 --> 00:32:48.460 And only in the power of the gospel are we able to be forgiven and only through the power of the 00:32:48.460 --> 00:32:56.060 gospel, only through that relationship with Christ and through his power, are we able to forgive others because 00:32:56.060 --> 00:32:57.660 of how much we have been forgiven. 00:32:59.720 --> 00:33:00.780 It's the same thing with love. 00:33:00.840 --> 00:33:02.140 It's the same thing with forgiveness. 00:33:02.900 --> 00:33:10.140 And there is no room for bitterness in us because like everything else, every other sin 00:33:10.140 --> 00:33:15.020 it will devour just as it did Cain.