Questions:

1. Test your Bible memory: write out the first through the sixth commandments:
2. TRUE or FALSE: The protection of life is considered a "heavy" law among Jewish rabbinic laws.
3. In the Book of Deuteronomy, there is a command to build a __________ around the roof to prevent someone from falling.
4. What does Jesus say about anger in the Sermon on the Mount?
5. It is acceptable
6. It is the root cause of murder
7. It should be ignored
8. What does Paul warn fathers not to do in Ephesians 6?
9. Spoil their children
10. Ignore discipline
11. Provoke their children to anger
12. Shelter their children from failure
13. TRUE or FALSE: Proverbs 6 teaches that a parent's instruction should be discarded once adulthood is reached.
14. What spiritual truth does the withered fig tree illustrate?
15. Prayer must always be spoken aloud
16. Outward appearance without fruit is empty
17. Trees represent sin
18. Worship must take place in gardens
19. The 6th Commandment points beyond the outward act to the inward problem, which is __________.

Discussion:

1. What is the primary message of the 6th Commandment, and how does it extend beyond the act of murder?
2. How do the concepts of "heavy" and "lighter" laws help us understand the importance of protecting life?
3. In what ways do you protect life in your family, in the church, in the workplace?
4. What is the significance of the command to build a parapet around the roof in the Book of Deuteronomy?
5. How does the command extend to a principle in our contemporary life?
6. What practical ways can apply this principle as we interact with the world, i.e. driving distracted?
7. How does Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount deepen our understanding of the 6th Commandment?
8. What examples are there in our lives where we don’t extend the principle of life to our hearts?
9. Do we ever “take the life out of the room” in our lives vs shining His light?
10. What role does forgiveness play in addressing the root cause of murder according to Jesus' teaching?
11. Discuss any times where the lack of forgiveness in your lives has caused a gap in your relationships- at home, in extended family, at work.
12. What are some things that cause you great difficulty in overcoming resistance to forgiveness?
13. Despite resistance to forgiveness what does Jesus say about how we are to forgive?

Sermon Outline

Today we come to the 6th Commandment—the shortest in English at four words, and in Hebrew just two: No murder. This reminder fits within our sermon series, calling us to be rooted in God. Our message this morning, The God of Life, points us to the truth that God is the giver of life, and we are called to join Him in the mission of protecting it. While most of us have never taken a human life and might be tempted to think, I would never do that—let’s move on to the 7th Commandment, the 6th Commandment speaks more deeply. It certainly prohibits intentional murder, but it also calls us to a daily faithfulness that goes beyond avoiding the act, it invites us to actively value and safeguard life. By framing it positively, we see that the command is not only Do not murder but also Protect life.

Protect Life

When we consider how the commandments work—and the law of God as a whole—they are not like parallel lines that never meet. At times, the laws intersect in such a way that you cannot obey both simultaneously. You are faced with a choice: between two commandments that overlap, which one will you obey? A clear example is the 4th Commandment to rest on the Sabbath, which could conflict with other commands. In the temple, God commanded that sacrifices be offered every morning and every evening—not just six days a week, but every day. For those serving in the temple, this raised a question: should I rest on the Sabbath or offer the required sacrifice? The two commands appeared to be in conflict. Over time, rabbis and leaders came to understand that some laws carried greater weight than others. These were referred to as “heavy” laws, while others were considered “lighter.” All of God’s commands were important, but in situations of conflict, the heavier law would take precedence. For example, when temple law conflicted with Sabbath law, the temple law was deemed heavier meaning that daily worship and the offering of sacrifices in the temple took priority over Sabbath rest. This understanding is why Jesus says…

Matthew 12:5 – ⁵Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?

What Jesus is saying is that temple law carries greater weight than Sabbath law. This is important to understand because, when speaking with the Pharisees, He says, “You tithe your mint, dill, and cumin, but you have neglected the weightier matters of the law.” In using this language, Jesus is engaging in the legal discourse of the first century—a conversation that recognized the difference between “heavier” and “lighter” laws. He is not dismissing tithing; rather, He is saying that while tithing is good and necessary, it is a lighter law, and they were obeying it while neglecting the heavier matters. This framework helps us see how deeply God values the protection of life. Protecting life is a heavy law. To illustrate this, the Mishnah—a written record of Jewish rabbinic debates, discusses what should happen when laws come into conflict, especially when life is at stake. One discussion addresses a situation in which a man experiences severe pain in his throat on the Sabbath. These are exactly the kinds of scenarios they wrestled with, and here’s how the rabbis answered…

With regard to one who suffers pain in his throat, one may place medicine inside his mouth even on Shabbat, although administering a remedy is prohibited on Shabbat. This is because there is uncertainty whether or not it is a life-threatening situation for him, as it is difficult to ascertain the severity of the internal pain. And a case of uncertainty concerning a life-threatening situation overrides Shabbat. – Mishnah Yoma 8

If you are uncertain whether a situation is life-threatening, you should always err on the side of protecting life. This principle is important because, when laws intersect, the protection of life is considered a “heavy” law. Whenever there’s any doubt, the right choice is to choose life.

This speaks directly to a pressing issue in our culture today—the protection of life for unborn children. Much of the public debate centers on when the protection of human life should begin. People hold a wide range of views: some say it begins when the heart starts beating, others at viability—when a baby could survive outside the womb. Some mark it at the first breath, some at personhood (even after birth), and others, including myself, believe it begins at conception. While we may differ on that point—and certainly our neighbors, coworkers, and even family members may hold different views—the question remains: how should we approach this issue when we are uncertain?

The Word of God, and the wisdom of those who have studied it deeply, suggest that when we don’t know for sure, we should err on the side of life. But conversations about this must be approached with grace, not accusation. Telling someone, “Good job, murderer,” is neither helpful nor Christlike. Instead, ask questions that invite reflection: Do you think life begins here? Some believe it begins here; others say here. How should we handle uncertainty when it comes to human life? This allows people to wrestle with the question themselves. I believe most would agree that, in cases of doubt, we should protect life.

In our culture, the challenge is to engage these difficult and emotional discussions in ways that help others think more deeply and perhaps move closer to the heart of the 6th Commandment: to protect life. Interestingly, in the ESV Bible, the phrase no murder has a small asterisk pointing to a note at the bottom of the page, which says…

“The Hebrew word also covers human death through carelessness or negligence.”

This word is not limited to intention, it can also encompass carelessness, accidents, or negligence. For example, in the Book of Deuteronomy, there is a command that when you build a house, you must construct a parapet around the roof. A parapet is essentially a railing. In the ancient world, roofs were flat and often used for social gatherings or other activities. Because people would spend time on rooftops, God’s Law required a railing to prevent someone from falling. If you were commanded to build such a parapet but failed to do so, and someone fell, the responsibility would be on you.

Deuteronomy 22:8 – ⁸“When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you may not bring the guilt of blood upon your house, if anyone should fall from it.

The point being made is that if a death could have been prevented but you failed to take action to protect life, you may be held responsible in a way that relates to the 6th Commandment, and that’s something all of us should consider today. For example, we recently completed our Shine project here in the building, and as part of the renovations, inspections had to be conducted: construction inspections, electrical inspections, fire safety inspections, and so on. These are in place to ensure that the building is safe and that protections exist to preserve life. Yes, sometimes laws and regulations may seem excessive, but in matters like these, they are connected to a 6th Commandment concern.

Is it acceptable for corporations to dump toxins into drinking water? That’s a 6th Commandment issue. What about the level of pollution allowed in the air we breathe? Again, that’s a 6th Commandment concern. Protecting life isn’t just about avoiding killing someone directly, it’s about the broader responsibility to safeguard life in every way possible.

In the Book of Exodus, there’s another example that might seem unusual to us today, similar to the requirement for parapets on roofs. It addresses the regulation of animals. If an ox—or any animal—gores a person to death, the animal must be killed and cannot be eaten. But then it goes further: if that animal was known to be dangerous and had a history of aggression, and it kills someone, the consequences are even more severe. Here’s what it says…

Exodus 21:29 – ²⁹But if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death.

In God’s law, if you knew an animal was dangerous and did nothing, you were guilty if it killed someone. Today, we may not have oxen, but we do have cars—two-ton weapons when misused. And just like with the ox, we know one thing for sure: using a smartphone while driving is deadly.

It takes only seconds of looking down to change a song or start a podcast for a life to be lost. That is a 6th Commandment issue. God calls us to protect life, not endanger it. If we knowingly take risks that could kill, we share the guilt.

And Jesus takes that principle even deeper. In the Sermon on the Mount, He tells us that the 6th Commandment isn’t just about the physical act of killing—it’s about the condition of our hearts. Anger, recklessness, and indifference toward another’s safety—these are seeds of the same sin. God’s standard is higher than avoiding harm; it’s actively pursuing the protection and well-being of others.

Matthew 5:21 – ²¹“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’

This is the surface reading of the 6th Commandment. But Jesus takes us deeper—to the heart of the matter, which, as we know, is always a matter of the heart. Many will hear His words and think, “I’m fine, I haven’t broken that commandment.” But then Jesus gets to the root of the issue and brings it home to every single one of us when He says…

Matthew 5:22 – ²²But 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.

What Jesus is showing us is how to live in a way that actively protects life—to be mindful of our actions, to make use of safeguards, and to always err on the side of preserving life. But then He takes us to the root of the issue. Because what He’s saying is that this was the heart of the Torah all along. The law was never just about avoiding the act of killing—it was about so much more. It was about guarding your heart so you would never even lift your hand against your brother in the first place.

What then is the intent of the Torah commandment, “You shall not kill?” According to the Sermon on the Mount, its intent–God’s will–is that one comes to grips with the root cause of murder.

From the very beginning, God’s intent was for us to deal with the root cause of murder. The 6th Commandment points beyond the outward act to the inward problem—and that problem is anger. It’s anger that poisons relationships, fuels resentment, and, if left unchecked, can grow into violence. Jesus calls us to face that anger head-on, because the real battle for obedience to the 6th Commandment begins in the heart.

Once the root cause is identified as anger, the ethical demand follows; one must control anger. – Hans-Dieter Betz, The Sermon on the Mount

If we are going to take the 6th Commandment seriously, then we must also take our emotional lives seriously. We have to recognize that within us there can grow a root—the root of anger. If we don’t confront it, that root will take hold and set us on a dangerous path. Jesus tells us that guilt is present even in that initial surge of anger, because left unchecked, it will bear fruit—and that fruit can be deadly. If you want to deal with the fruit of murder, you must deal with its root, and that root is anger. But we often think, “That’s not me, that’s other people.”

It reminds me of a line from Solzhenitsyn that I often think about…

The line separating good from evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either -- but through every human heart -- and through all human hearts. – Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago

Anger is something that touches every one of us. Even if it’s not something you’re struggling with at this exact moment, we all know what it’s like to wrestle with it. I’ve struggled with anger at different points in my life, just as you have, and we each have our own ways of dealing with it. For me, I’ve found tremendous wisdom in the prayer Jesus taught us—the Lord’s Prayer. It’s part of my daily prayer life, and when it comes to the 6th Commandment, the last two requests are especially powerful.

The first is: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” I pray, “Lord, forgive me my sin, as I forgive those who have sinned against me.” Why? Because holding anger toward another person allows that anger to take root in my own heart. And when I’m unwilling to extend grace, I become blind to my own need for grace. I’ve often found that the things which most anger me in others are often the very things that are true about myself. It’s humbling to realize that I sometimes “resemble the remark” I’m condemning.

So, I ask the Holy Spirit to open my eyes to my own need for grace, to remind me that I am a sinner saved only by mercy. Then—and only then—can I begin to talk with the Lord about those I’m angry with. I must start with my own need for grace, then learn how to extend that same grace to them. So, I pray: “Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil”—that my anger would not grow from a hidden root into a poisonous fruit.

As we talk about protecting life, we can’t finish without addressing the deeper question—who is the true source of life? The call of the 6th Commandment is not only to preserve life, but to actively seek its flourishing. And to do that, we must look to the One who gives life.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus is speaking with the Jews of His day about the sustaining of life. The conversation turns to the story in Exodus 16, when the Israelites, freshly freed from Egypt, were given bread from heaven—manna—to keep them alive in the wilderness. That manna was God’s provision, sustaining life day by day. But in that moment, Jesus points them to something greater, saying…

John 6:32-33 – ³²Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

We’ve been talking about the 6th Commandment and the call to protect life. But Jesus tells us that He is the One who comes down from heaven to give life. And the natural response is, “That’s what we want—give us this life!”

John 6:34-35 – ³⁴They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” ³⁵Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life.”

Jesus is saying, I am the life. I am the bread from heaven. Come to Me, and you will never hunger; believe in Me, and you will never thirst. What I give wells up to eternal life.

So, as we remember the call to protect life, we must also remember the source of life—Jesus Christ Himself. When we believe in Him, we receive life everlasting. And as we abide in Him, we don’t just survive, we flourish. That’s the fullness of the 6th Commandment: not only to preserve life, but to seek that others experience the same fullness of life we have in Christ.

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