The 6th Commandment
Ten Commandments • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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What would you say is something that really gets on your nerves?
Before we dive into this first point, I do want to explain a little bit about what the 6th commandment really does and doesn’t forbid so we aren’t left with questions about that. Exodus 20:13
13 “You shall not murder.
A. The 6th Commandment - It’s Prohibitions and Allowances
I. The 6th Commandment does not prohibit self-defense
2 If the thief is found breaking in, and he is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt for his bloodshed. 3 If the sun has risen on him, there shall be guilt for his bloodshed. He should make full restitution; if he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
II. The 6th Commandment does not prohibit capital punishment.
6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man.
III. The 6th Commandment does not prohibit men from serving in war.
14 Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?” So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”
Notice, the soldiers are not told to quit serving in the military, but to cease from the sins of intimidation, false accusations, and discontentment.
IV. The 6th Commandment forbids premeditated murder such as the murder of Naboth for his vineyard.
V. The 6th Commandment forbids intentional but unpremeditated murder which is called voluntary manslaughter today. This would be like two friends who got into an argument which led to a fistfight and one of them ends up dead.
VI. The 6th Commandment forbids involuntary manslaughter. This would be things such as driving drunk and killing someone or texting and driving and doing the same thing. You had no intention to harm anyone, but your lack of concern for their safety resulting in their death. This is seen in passages like Deut. 22:8 and Ex. 21:28-29.
Okay, now that we’ve explored this, lets look at Matthew 5:21-26. It is there that we will see how Jesus handles the text and what it means for us. The text says,
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
So, as we look at this text today, I want us to apply it to our lives this way:
Whenever I am confronted with frustration, I should remember:
The Source of my Frustration (21-22)
The Source of my Frustration (21-22)
As we look at this passage, Jesus makes it clear that serious sins originate from seemingly small thoughts. It isn’t simply the act of physical murder that the 6th commandment forbids, its the very seed of hatred or anger in our minds that is a sin. What Jesus is explaining to us here is that the person who is provoked to anger so much that they’d begin exploding and insulting others is already guilty enough to face judgment for murderous anger.
In short, we might say that unjust anger is the fruit of devaluing the humanity of others and overvaluing minute and temporal inconveniences of our lives. This might look like road rage, or screaming at your little siblings for bothering you.
The reason that this is so serious is because first of all, we are image bearers of God who have been created to show His glory to the world. So, for us to walk around with explosive anger is a false representation of our Lord. Not only that, but it shows that we don’t think highly of the people around us that He has created in His own image.
So, what is the source of our frustration? It is a corrupt heart that thinks too highly of itself and too lowly of others. Second, whenever I am confronted with frustration, I should remember that:
Seeking Reconciliation is Extremely Important (23-26)
Seeking Reconciliation is Extremely Important (23-26)
In Matthew 5:23-26 Jesus says,
23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
Here he is giving us two different scenarios, in the first one we read about a guy who is standing at the altar and is about to sacrifice an animal when he remembers that there is someone who has something against him. Jesus doesn’t say, “But go ahead and deal with that after you take care of your sacrifice.” Instead, he tells us to take care of it immediately. So, first we find that brotherly reconciliation is more important than empty worship with a wrong spirit. How important is it? So important that the Son of God tells us that we need to seek reconciliation before we worship.
The second thing that we see here is a story about two people who are apparently going to court and one guy looks like he is probably going to end up in jail for his debt. So Jesus tells him to go find the guy while you walk to the court and make things right before the trial begins. In short, we should view reconciliation as being something that has life-impacting importance because without it, that man is going to jail.
Now notice, Jesus doesn’t mention anything about our anger here. So what do we learn from this portion? Not only should we seek to restrain frustration in ourselves, but we should seek to alleviate it in those around us! Be a peacemaker, don’t provoke people to anger unjustly. Be a blessing!
However, as we have already discussed. Our sinful frustration and anger comes from the corruption of our heart. So there has to be a source outside of us that gives us the desire and ability to seek reconciliation which leads us to our last point.
Whenever I am confronted with frustration, I should remember:
The Source of True Reconciliation is Found in Jesus (26)
The Source of True Reconciliation is Found in Jesus (26)
I want you to notice the presence of judgment language in Matthew 5:25-26
25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
I believe that we don’t have to look far to see that the animosity of Israel, and mankind, towards Christ and their unwillingness to believe in Him is present here. I believe that Jesus is declaring that unless we are reconciled to God through Christ, we will be delivered up to face judgment for every sin that we have committed. However, even though we are so prone to drink from the cup of wrath and frustration, we have hope because Jesus drank the cup of God’s wrath toward sin.
Remember in the Garden when Jesus said, “Father, if it be thy will, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done!’
If you are convicted tonight, discouragement and beat down over your critical, angry and bitter heart. Jesus’s forgiveness is available for you. You don’t need to fix yourself, or straighten up your issues first. He is willing and able to forgive you even now. And what are the results of that?
1 John 3:14-16
14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.