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:: Download the 7.12.2015 Bulletin
:: Download the 7.12.2015 Sermon Audio
image :: Cain and Abel, Titian (1544, Italian)
Preparation for Worship :: The Sixth Commandment: No Murder
“The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” (James 1:20)
“The Lord brings death and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and raises up.” (I Samuel 2:6)
Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs for Sunday July 12 include ::
:: Doxology (Thomas Ken, 1709) CHART [bandcamp track=2257784892 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder (John Newton, 1774) CHART [bandcamp track=3505470677 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]: :: We Are Not Overcome (Heiskell & Wardell, 2013) CHART [bandcamp track=3830598251 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Amazing Grace (John Newton, 1779) CHART [bandcamp track=2203479634 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: God Who Saves (Aaron Senseman, 2001)
:: Rock of Ages (Augustus Toplady 1776) CHART
Call to Worship :: from Psalm 96
Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples! Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!” He will judge the peoples with equity. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in His faithfulness.
Gospel Reading :: Matthew 5:21-24
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”
Declaration of Faith :: The Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 105-107
What is God’s will for you in the sixth commandment? I am not to belittle, hate, insult, or kill my neighbor— not by my thoughts, my words, my look or gesture, and certainly not by actual deeds— and I am not to be party to this in others; rather, I am to put away all desire for revenge. I am not to harm or recklessly endanger myself either. Prevention of murder is also why government is armed with the sword.
Does this commandment refer only to murder? By forbidding murder God teaches us that he hates the root of murder: envy, hatred, anger, vindictiveness. In God’s sight all such are disguised forms of murder.
Is it enough then that we do not murder our neighbor in any such way? No. By condemning envy, hatred, and anger God wants us to love our neighbors as ourselves, to be patient, peace-loving, gentle, merciful, and friendly toward them, to protect them from harm as much as we can, to do good even to our enemies.
Prayer of Confession :: The Book of Common Prayer
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of Your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us.
Words of Encouragement :: Jeremiah 31:34
For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.
Sermon :: Exodus 20:1-2,13
And God spoke all these words, saying,
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery…”
13 “You shall not murder.”