Jesus said: "If you love
Me, keep my commandments. "
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Now people all over the
world are turning back to God's
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eternal moral law, claiming
His promise to write them
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in our hearts and our minds.
Live from Sacramento, California
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3ABN presents
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The Commandments Weekend.
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Good Morning, Happy Sabbath.
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We're so glad that
you're here with us,
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here at the Sacramento Central
Church, and we're coming to you
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live, right here
from sunny California.
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Our live feed on the west
coast, for the special broadcast
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of the Ten
Commandments Broadcast Weekend.
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We're so glad that you're
joining us and we're extending
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a special welcome to
those of you who are joining us
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from across the country,
and around the world, welcome.
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We would like to
start with singing a rousing
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congregational song, if
you would turn to your hymnals
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to Hymn 12, Joyful,
Joyful, We adore Thee.
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Hymn 12, first and last verse.
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Joyful, joyful, we adore thee,
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God of glory, Lord of love;
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hearts unfold like
flowers before thee,
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early as the sun above.
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Melt the clouds
of sin and sadness;
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drive the dark of doubt away.
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Giver of immortal gladness,
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fill us with the light of day!
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Thou art giving and forgiving,
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ever blessing, ever blest,
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well-spring of
the joy of living,
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ocean depth of happy rest!
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Thou the Father,
Christ our brother,
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all who live in love are thine;
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teach us how to love each other,
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lift us to the joy divine.
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Please remain
standing for scripture reading.
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Today's scripture can
be found in James 2:10-12.
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"For whoever shall keep
the whole law, and yet stumble"
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"in one point, he is
guilty of all. For He who said,"
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" 'Do not commit adultery',
also said, 'Do not murder. ' "
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"Now if you do not commit
adultery, but you do murder,"
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"you have become a
transgressor of the law. "
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"So speak and so do as
those who will be judged"
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"by the law of liberty. "
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Those of you who are
able, please kneel for prayer.
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Our Father and our God, we
thank you for the gift of life.
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We thank you for Your
patience, Your kindness.
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You always have time for us.
We kneel before you this morning
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in worship, we praise
your name and we thank you
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for all you've done for us.
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We know our life, all
forgiveness and cleansing,
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peace, joy and
healing comes from You.
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Father, I pray for each
one here to have an open heart
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and mind, and to fully receive
the word of God as it's spoken.
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Bless and help our pastor,
Doug Batchelor, to be filled
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with the Holy Spirit.
Give him just the words
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to reach our hearts, we
pray, every person who hears
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this message will
receive Jesus in their life.
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We know from You comes
all of our joy and our hope.
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We want to be one with
You, just to speak your name
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and be near You
makes us happy, Lord Jesus,
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please come back soon,
in Christ's name we pray,
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Amen.
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Lord, You are my everything,
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My highest joy and pride,
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You meet my needs in every way
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with grace that satisfies.
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Lord, You are my everything,
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My food and drink today,
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You lead to
brooks and meadows green
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and guide in a special way.
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Since I am Your
own precious sheep,
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You watch me even when I sleep.
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You have become my one and all,
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You always life me when I fall.
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Lord, You are my everything,
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My highest joy and pride,
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You meet my needs in every way
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with grace that satisfies.
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Lord, You are my everything,
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My highest joy and pride,
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You meet my needs in every way
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with grace that satisfies.
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Amen, thank you so much Margie.
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I sure enjoy the gift that God
has given Margie Salcedo-Rice,
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and it's a pleasure to have them
here with us for this special
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Ten Commandment
Broadcast, and I want to welcome
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our friends here at Sacramento
Central and our friends
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who are watching on
3ABN around the country
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and around the world.
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In the Batchelor home
this morning we were tuning in
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before we made our way
to church, and it's exciting
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to be part of
something where the word of God
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and the law of God is wrapping
itself around the planet.
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- Can you say
amen? - [Audience] Amen
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That's good news, and
we do appreciate that.
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I know that these messages
right now are being translated
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into a couple of languages
and I just sent off my notes
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this morning to get
this message translated.
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I appreciated Margie
singing that in 2 languages.
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I can whistle in
4 or 5 languages.
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I didn't know if you knew that,
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but we are very thankful
that you're here, and we'd like
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to encourage you,
these messages are important
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and I know that 3ABN feels
the same way as Amazing Facts,
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that we'd like to
encourage people to record these
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and to share these truths
with as many people as possible.
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Now, the sermon this morning
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is dealing more specifically
with commandment Nr. 6,
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dealing with
the subject of life.
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We often think
of the commandment
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"thou shalt not kill"
as dealing with death,
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but really what it's
saying is "respect life. "
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The message this morning
is about Respecting Life,
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and we're going talk
about a lot of things
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that are really
matters of life and death.
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You every heard somebody
use that as an emphatic pointer,
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"it was a matter
of life and death. "
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Well, this is a
matter of life and death.
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We're going to be talking
about some of these issues
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of respecting
life and what it means,
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the seriousness, of breaking
this very important commandment
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in the Decalogue.
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Often when we think
about "Thou shalt not kill",
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we conjure up in our
minds some horrific killer.
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In thinking about this,
in the news not too long ago,
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some of us heard about
the apprehension couple of
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years ago of the infamous "Green
River Killer", Gary Ridgeway.
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For years there in the
north west, around Oregon
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and Seattle they had a series
of murders, and they realized
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they had a serial
murderer on their hands.
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For years they couldn't
track him down, and at one time
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Gary Ridgeway had been
arrested, was a suspect,
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and released and 20 years
went by, and over that time
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a number more were murdered.
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Finally, in 2001 he was
arrested for suspicion regarding
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the murder of 4 women,
during that time he not only
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confessed to those
crimes, but he confessed to
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the slayings connected with
the Green River Murder cases,
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and more specifically,
he confessed to 48 counts.
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He leads America as the Nr.
1, in our history, serial killer
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that we know of.
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They suspect that there
were many more than that, he may
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have just forgotten some.
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You think about
that, it makes you shudder.
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Typically that's what we
think about when we think of
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"Thou shalt not kill", and
we pat ourselves on the back
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and say: "Well, we can move on
to the next commandment now. "
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"I don't have to worry
about that one because I have"
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"no plans on being a serial
killer, or of committing murder"
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But I think it's important for
us to get a good understanding
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of how broad and
comprehensive God's law is.
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The commandments of God
can be summed up in 1 word,
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who knows what that word is?
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Love. God is love.
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The commandments are an
expression of His character.
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All 10 commandments can
be summed up in 1 word: love.
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Then you could divide
it a little more carefully
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and say the first 4 deal
really with love for God,
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and the last 6 with the
love for your fellow man.
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Then the 10 commandments divide
them up into a little more
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detail and then you can go
into the teachings of Jesus
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and He elaborates on them
and they become very broad
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and comprehensive, and it's
that way with this commandment.
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You would think 4 words, I
was going to have Karen come out
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and read it, like we
did last night and I said:
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"Well dear, do you want
to come, it's 4 words. "
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And so that's we picked a
scripture reading that actually,
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was dealing with another
aspect of the Bible that quotes
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this commandment, to help
us know it is more than what we
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typically think.
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When you read in Exodus 20,
and you read it first from the
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King James Version, why
don't you say that with me,
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those 4 words in
verse 13: [text on screen]
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It's stated in the negative
there, and more specifically,
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if you look at more of
the modern translations, it is
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more accurate to translate
it, Exodus 20:13, would be:
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[text on screen]
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Now that's an important
distinction, and if you think
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"Pastor Doug, you shouldn't be
tampering with the word of God"
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If you look in the King
James Version, when Jesus quotes
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that commandment you
can read in Matthew 19:18,
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the rich young ruler came to
Jesus and He said you must keep
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the law, and he said which ones?
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Jesus quotes the 6th
commandment by saying:
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"Thou shalt do no murder. ",
Jesus used the word "murder",
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so there's no question about
it, it is really dealing with
00:14:28.82\00:14:32.47
"Thou shalt not commit murder".
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But God wants us
to respect all life,
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and I should probably define
murder because some of what
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I'm going to deal with
this morning is explaining some
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of the different
misunderstandings
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about this commandment, it is a
very misunderstood commandment.
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Murder is the unlawful killing
of 1 human being by another,
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especially with
premeditated malice.
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God created life,
and life is sacred.
00:14:59.78\00:15:03.80
Now, first time you hear an
example of murder in the Bible
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is of course,
there were 2 brothers
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in the beginning, Cain and
Abel, and Cain became angry,
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the murder began in the heart
with anger for his brother,
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not because his brother had
done something wrong, but he was
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angry with his brother
because his brother was right,
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and he was wrong.
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And so he flew into
a rage, bludgeoned him
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to death evidently,
and killed his brother.
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The Bible tells us that
at the end there will be
00:15:35.17\00:15:37.74
a death decree that's
based on the same motives.
00:15:37.77\00:15:40.27
Those who worship God according
to the dictates of His word
00:15:40.31\00:15:43.72
will be hated by those who
have manufactured their own
00:15:44.34\00:15:47.03
worship and will make a
law that they should be killed
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unless they worship
the way they're told.
00:15:49.75\00:15:52.56
It always makes a religion
or a political system suspect
00:15:52.60\00:15:56.93
when they teach "if you don't
go along with our government"
00:15:57.52\00:16:00.49
"we're going to kill you;
our philosophy, our politics,"
00:16:00.52\00:16:03.42
or, "If you don't go along with
our religion, we'll kill you. "
00:16:03.46\00:16:06.37
You always wonder about
a country that doesn't let
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its people out.
00:16:08.60\00:16:10.63
You're not allowed to
leave, all the populous
00:16:11.44\00:16:14.26
are prisoners, as
behind the iron curtain.
00:16:14.29\00:16:17.04
It's very suspicious, and you
always wonder about a religion
00:16:17.08\00:16:19.44
that says: "Unless you believe
the way I tell you to believe,"
00:16:19.48\00:16:21.81
"I'm going to kill you. "
Well, what kind of converts
00:16:21.84\00:16:23.62
do you have, they're fearful.
00:16:23.65\00:16:25.63
God is motivated by love
00:16:26.69\00:16:28.88
and I think any good government
should be driven by freedom.
00:16:29.57\00:16:34.15
Life is a miracle.
00:16:34.93\00:16:37.34
Life is sacred, God
is the author of life.
00:16:37.84\00:16:43.57
For years, back in the days
of Darwin, scientists believed
00:16:44.77\00:16:47.43
in something called
"Spontaneous Generation".
00:16:47.46\00:16:50.29
Spontaneous Generation
was the belief that life could
00:16:50.89\00:16:54.46
spontaneously just
happen out of some substance.
00:16:54.49\00:16:59.51
The reason they believed this
was they noticed that if they
00:16:59.61\00:17:03.39
left some fruit or some meat
and let it decay for a while,
00:17:03.43\00:17:07.18
voila, you had fruit flies
or maggots that came crawling
00:17:07.38\00:17:10.26
out of it, and they
didn't know back then,
00:17:10.29\00:17:11.97
because they had very primitive
microscopes, that actually
00:17:12.01\00:17:14.72
the eggs had been laid
in the fruit or in the meat,
00:17:15.12\00:17:18.71
and they thought: "Look, life is
just springing of this meat. "
00:17:18.81\00:17:21.79
Or "It's springing out of
these rotten strawberries. "
00:17:21.92\00:17:25.10
Spontaneous life, and so it was
almost conceivable back then,
00:17:25.18\00:17:29.04
with their limited
knowledge, that somewhere
00:17:29.07\00:17:32.23
in this primeval ooze millions
of years ago, life could
00:17:32.27\00:17:35.53
spontaneously just come to
be, they didn't understand it.
00:17:35.56\00:17:38.79
But now we are coming to learn
that life is extremely complex.
00:17:39.52\00:17:44.15
A single cell of
life is extremely complex.
00:17:44.18\00:17:49.26
Now with these very
powerful electron microscopes
00:17:49.30\00:17:54.27
they can magnify
something 50,000 times,
00:17:54.71\00:17:57.67
can you comprehend that?
00:17:57.70\00:17:59.62
They're looking into these
single cells, and what they
00:17:59.74\00:18:02.85
once thought were very simple
cells, a simple cell is an
00:18:02.89\00:18:05.97
oxymoron, no such a
thing, are extremely complex.
00:18:06.00\00:18:10.13
One scientist put it
this way: "As we look closer"
00:18:10.27\00:18:12.42
"there is a virtual Lilliputian
world swimming in there. "
00:18:12.46\00:18:17.29
And I heard another biologist
say "a single cell of life"
00:18:17.32\00:18:22.12
"we now know, has more
complexity then New York city"
00:18:22.22\00:18:27.04
"at rush hour. "
00:18:27.07\00:18:28.89
There is so much going on.
00:18:29.95\00:18:31.27
And you sort of know
that's true because you realize
00:18:31.31\00:18:35.36
that in 1 single cell, a
reproductive cell of a man
00:18:35.40\00:18:39.42
or a woman, inherent in
that cell you know how much
00:18:39.46\00:18:43.45
information is in there?
00:18:43.48\00:18:45.42
The kind of bone cells that
this person is going to have,
00:18:45.45\00:18:47.52
whether or not they're going
to have cholesterol problems,
00:18:47.56\00:18:49.88
that's stored in there.
What kind of skin cells they're
00:18:49.92\00:18:51.77
going to have, what
color that skin is going to be,
00:18:51.81\00:18:53.59
what color the eyes are
going to be, what color the hair
00:18:53.63\00:18:56.50
is going to be, all this
different information that is
00:18:56.54\00:18:59.38
hereditary is stored
in ,that itty-bitty cell
00:18:59.41\00:19:02.70
not to mention all the different
mechanisms that help it
00:19:03.48\00:19:05.69
to split and reproduce and grow,
00:19:05.72\00:19:11.62
and to combine it's chromosomes
and DNA with the chromosomes
00:19:12.58\00:19:16.07
and DNA of the
opposite sex, what a miracle,
00:19:16.10\00:19:19.33
it is so complex.
00:19:19.36\00:19:21.29
You know how scientists
are now groping with it?
00:19:21.33\00:19:22.92
They can't explain
the complexity of life
00:19:22.95\00:19:26.10
and they have been unable,
with all of our modern science,
00:19:26.99\00:19:29.63
and labs, and techniques, they
have not been able to produce
00:19:29.66\00:19:32.27
a single cell of
life, not even come close.
00:19:32.30\00:19:35.53
If you've ever heard that,
it's totally urban myth bogus.
00:19:35.57\00:19:38.96
So you know what
they're doing now, you know what
00:19:40.80\00:19:42.46
the evolutionists say?
00:19:42.49\00:19:44.03
They've created a method to
try to take the heat off them.
00:19:45.59\00:19:49.97
If they say: "Well, life
must have been introduced"
00:19:50.89\00:19:53.13
"on Earth by some alien, or
meteor from another galaxy. "
00:19:53.17\00:19:58.91
"It came from outer space. "
00:19:58.94\00:20:00.14
You know why they do
that, how do you disprove it?
00:20:00.18\00:20:02.47
You can't disprove their
theory because it came from
00:20:03.61\00:20:05.02
out there somewhere, well that's
what we've been saying all along
00:20:05.06\00:20:07.36
that it came from out
there somewhere, right?
00:20:07.39\00:20:09.60
[Audience laughs]
00:20:09.63\00:20:10.60
God made it.
00:20:10.61\00:20:12.52
Somebody said that if
Charles Darwin was alive today
00:20:12.55\00:20:15.10
and he could look
through an electron microscope
00:20:15.13\00:20:17.62
and see what we see, he would
denounce all of his followers
00:20:17.66\00:20:21.81
as fools, he would
denounce his theory.
00:20:21.84\00:20:25.77
Life is a miracle, it is scared,
00:20:26.72\00:20:30.92
it is something is created by
God, and it is to be respected.
00:20:30.96\00:20:35.32
When you read the commandment
"Thou shalt not kill",
00:20:37.30\00:20:40.27
sometimes we get
confused because you say:
00:20:40.78\00:20:42.57
"Well Pastor Doug, how can God
can say 'You shall not kill'"
00:20:42.61\00:20:44.70
"and yet there's this
sacrificial system where God"
00:20:44.73\00:20:46.78
"is telling
people to kill lambs?"
00:20:46.81\00:20:49.04
All the way back in the Garden
of Eden, the first murderer
00:20:49.14\00:20:50.83
was Cain, the
first death was not Abel,
00:20:50.86\00:20:55.98
first death was a lamb,
slain from the foundation
00:20:56.02\00:20:58.40
of the world when God
established the sacrificial
00:20:58.44\00:21:00.75
system, how can God say "don't
kill" and yet He's telling
00:21:00.79\00:21:05.04
people to kill lambs.
00:21:05.07\00:21:07.03
One thing that the
Bible tells us is that sin
00:21:07.13\00:21:10.01
is an enemy, death is an enemy,
it is not part of God's plan.
00:21:10.76\00:21:15.04
The penalty for sin was death
would come into this world,
00:21:15.14\00:21:18.93
and it had to become a
part of life; I know that sounds
00:21:19.45\00:21:21.92
like a paradox, but it's true.
00:21:21.95\00:21:23.89
There are variation
of value in the Bible.
00:21:23.93\00:21:27.21
When a person pulls a weed,
technically they're killing.
00:21:27.25\00:21:30.56
In the Bible when it says "Thou
shalt not kill" it's not talking
00:21:32.25\00:21:34.59
about the Buddhists, no
offence to my Buddhist friends,
00:21:34.62\00:21:36.94
but it's not the
Buddhist idea of respecting life
00:21:36.97\00:21:39.73
where you watch, you don't
want to step on a bug or an ant,
00:21:39.77\00:21:42.29
you don't want to swat
a mosquito, you don't want
00:21:42.61\00:21:44.50
to pluck a flower, it might die.
00:21:44.53\00:21:46.58
Sort of an extreme
idea of anything dying.
00:21:47.43\00:21:52.72
There are variations of
life that God recognizes.
00:21:53.42\00:21:56.82
A mouse is worth more than a fly
00:21:57.36\00:21:59.96
and probably a
bird more than a mouse.
00:22:00.70\00:22:03.59
And a sheep, more
than a mouse anyway,
00:22:03.86\00:22:09.38
sheep and birds, I don't
know, sheep aren't very smart.
00:22:09.52\00:22:13.13
But listen to what the
Lord said, Matthew 10:31:
00:22:14.19\00:22:17.12
"Do not fear therefore;
you are of more value"
00:22:17.25\00:22:21.47
"than many sparrows. "
00:22:21.50\00:22:23.68
And again, when Jesus
said "I feed the sparrows. "
00:22:24.45\00:22:29.62
"Are you not better than they?"
00:22:29.65\00:22:31.74
Matthew 12:12 "Of how
much more value then is a man"
00:22:31.78\00:22:35.08
"than a sheep?"
00:22:35.11\00:22:36.84
When you look at
the creation, God starts
00:22:37.36\00:22:40.38
with the basic elements of the
air, and the earth and the water
00:22:40.48\00:22:43.87
and then He begins to make
the vegetation and the light
00:22:44.29\00:22:48.18
and the lower forms of life,
the more complex forms of life,
00:22:48.63\00:22:52.52
the more intelligent
forms of life, and women usually
00:22:52.55\00:22:55.57
like it, when I say, of course,
he saved the most intelligent
00:22:55.61\00:22:58.80
for last,
00:22:58.83\00:23:00.69
but if that's true, it's also
true He saved the most complex
00:23:00.91\00:23:03.87
for last.
00:23:03.90\00:23:05.73
That's when the men
should have said "Amen".
00:23:05.93\00:23:08.00
Don't forget our presentation
last night, even after He made
00:23:09.11\00:23:12.18
all that, if He made
things in order of value,
00:23:12.21\00:23:14.90
He made one more day:
00:23:14.93\00:23:16.70
The Sabbath, even after
He made everything else.
00:23:16.83\00:23:18.99
So God has an
order of value in life
00:23:19.02\00:23:21.15
and "Thou shalt no
kill" really is applying
00:23:21.19\00:23:24.64
"Thou shalt not murder"
and it's talking about people.
00:23:24.84\00:23:27.55
Now, don't misunderstand,
I believe God and Christians
00:23:27.58\00:23:30.26
should respect all life.
00:23:30.29\00:23:32.85
The Bible says: "The
righteous man regards the life"
00:23:32.89\00:23:35.36
"of his beast, but the tender
mercies of the wicked are cruel"
00:23:35.40\00:23:39.14
in Proverbs, so we
should care for our animals,
00:23:39.17\00:23:41.63
God loves creatures.
Originally, Adam and Eve
00:23:41.67\00:23:44.06
cared for the animals, but
this commandment is principally
00:23:44.10\00:23:46.91
telling us that it
is a sin for a person
00:23:46.94\00:23:50.47
to take another person's life.
00:23:50.50\00:23:52.85
Humans are made in the image
of God, we are especially sacred
00:23:53.29\00:23:58.61
because man was made, to
some extent, to be the gods
00:23:59.25\00:24:02.51
of this world, we
were given dominion.
00:24:02.54\00:24:04.71
King David recognizing that man
was made in the image of God,
00:24:04.86\00:24:08.70
Psalms 139:14:
"I will praise You,"
00:24:09.33\00:24:13.56
"for I am fearfully
and wonderfully made. "
00:24:13.60\00:24:17.18
It is awesome, it's incredible
how our minds work and how our
00:24:17.38\00:24:20.98
bodies work and the abilities,
you look at the creations of man
00:24:21.01\00:24:24.58
and then think what an
incredible creation man is.
00:24:24.61\00:24:27.98
We are made in the
image of the Almighty,
00:24:28.55\00:24:31.17
and to take the life of somebody
created in the image of God
00:24:31.32\00:24:37.10
is a very serious thing.
00:24:38.10\00:24:40.62
But it is more than just
murder, whenever we talk about
00:24:41.36\00:24:45.30
this subject, people are going
to say: "Well Pastor Doug,"
00:24:45.34\00:24:49.25
"what about these different
scenarios, if someone breaks"
00:24:50.23\00:24:52.90
"into your house, or
what about policemen"
00:24:52.93\00:24:54.40
"or what about soldiers?"
00:24:54.43\00:24:56.28
Does a soldier or policeman
commit murder when they're
00:24:56.32\00:24:58.61
carrying out their task?
00:24:58.64\00:25:00.60
When they come home from battle
or when they come home from
00:25:01.12\00:25:04.29
defending the country, or
if a policeman is in a shootout
00:25:04.49\00:25:07.88
with some violent
criminal and they take a life
00:25:07.91\00:25:11.54
in the line of duty, are
they tried as a murderer?
00:25:11.57\00:25:15.17
According to the definition
of murder, that's not murder.
00:25:15.39\00:25:18.06
And unless you understand
that, you're going to think
00:25:18.41\00:25:20.55
God is a hypocrite,
00:25:20.58\00:25:21.85
Because in the Bible
it's very clear that God,
00:25:22.55\00:25:25.75
at many times in the
Bible, commanded His officers
00:25:25.79\00:25:28.96
and soldiers to kill enemies.
00:25:28.99\00:25:32.76
Does it bother you that
this fellow "Zackary", who was
00:25:33.51\00:25:37.84
one of the accomplices
in the 9/11 scenario...
00:25:38.37\00:25:42.30
Musawi? His last name's
Zackary though, isn't it?
00:25:43.17\00:25:46.30
Zakawi?
00:25:46.33\00:25:47.67
What's his last name?
00:25:47.71\00:25:49.50
You know, the one they
caught. - [Audience laughs]
00:25:49.56\00:25:51.70
That guy, we've
all seen his picture.
00:25:51.73\00:25:55.06
And it troubles some
people that when he was ranting
00:25:56.57\00:25:59.43
that he wanted to kill
more and he was cheering
00:25:59.46\00:26:02.72
for the murderers of
these innocent people,
00:26:02.75\00:26:05.98
it bothers some people he
was given life, 3 meals a day
00:26:06.37\00:26:08.86
for the rest of his life,
granted it's not going to be
00:26:08.89\00:26:11.35
very pleasant in a
maximum security prison.
00:26:11.38\00:26:14.28
Or that part of the plea
bargain with Gary Ridgeway was
00:26:14.90\00:26:18.41
life in prison.
00:26:18.44\00:26:20.82
I wonder how those, at
least 48 families of the victims
00:26:21.43\00:26:25.02
felt about that.
00:26:25.05\00:26:26.64
The Bible teaches that
killers should be killed.
00:26:26.97\00:26:30.81
When soldiers go to
battle to defend their country
00:26:31.49\00:26:35.21
they are executing justice,
they're defending the country.
00:26:35.78\00:26:41.18
Now, killers were killed,
look at this in Genesis 9:6,
00:26:41.28\00:26:44.55
long before the 10
commandments were given:
00:26:44.68\00:26:46.67
"Whoever sheds man's blood,
By man his blood shall be shed;"
00:26:47.45\00:26:52.25
"For he is made in the image of
God", if that's clear, say Amen.
00:26:52.39\00:26:56.49
[Audience] Amen -
That's a very clear verse!
00:26:56.52\00:26:58.77
When God says "Thou shalt
not kill", He's really saying
00:26:59.33\00:27:01.50
"Thou shalt not commit murder. "
Murder is different than killing
00:27:01.54\00:27:05.45
in defense, or to
kill in executing justice.
00:27:05.48\00:27:09.64
Soldiers, policeman, if
they're doing their jobs within
00:27:09.75\00:27:13.12
the bounds of their assignments
and their responsibilities,
00:27:13.16\00:27:16.50
that's what they're doing,
it's a last resort to do that.
00:27:16.60\00:27:20.21
Even soldiers try to take live
prisoners, and police try to
00:27:20.25\00:27:23.26
wound and capture people
because they're supposed to do
00:27:23.30\00:27:26.28
everything they
can to respect life,
00:27:26.31\00:27:28.50
but if there's no other way
they are given the authority.
00:27:29.49\00:27:32.49
Right after the 10 commandments
are given, Exodus 20,
00:27:32.67\00:27:35.13
read what it
says in Exodus 21:12:
00:27:35.33\00:27:38.40
"He that smiteth a man, so that
he die, shall be put to death. "
00:27:38.60\00:27:42.85
So the executioner, is
he breaking the commandment?
00:27:43.10\00:27:45.61
Is God telling the executioner
to break His own law?
00:27:45.64\00:27:48.12
No, that's not
murder, not by any definition.
00:27:48.15\00:27:50.69
If that's not enough for
you, read Leviticus 24:17:
00:27:51.92\00:27:55.31
"And he that killeth any man
shall be surely put to death. "
00:27:55.35\00:27:59.22
"And he that killeth a
beast shall make it good;"
00:27:59.41\00:28:01.87
"beast for beast. ", now
do you see the difference,
00:28:01.91\00:28:04.30
if you kill a man, you're put
to death, but if you kill beast,
00:28:04.34\00:28:07.42
if you kill you neighbors
sheep or his oxen, you don't get
00:28:07.46\00:28:10.51
killed for the
beast, it's beast for beast.
00:28:10.54\00:28:14.11
Why? Because you're
worth more than many sparrows
00:28:14.24\00:28:16.33
and you're worth
more than many sheep.
00:28:16.36\00:28:18.11
We're made in the image of
God, and you now what I think
00:28:18.35\00:28:21.33
is very tragic, while I do
care about the environment,
00:28:21.37\00:28:24.32
I think it's tragic when there
are people who have actually
00:28:24.64\00:28:26.69
died hugging trees.
00:28:26.72\00:28:29.24
Or died trying to
save seals or whales,
00:28:29.71\00:28:32.47
and I think that's a noble
cause, but I think you're worth
00:28:32.51\00:28:35.31
more than a seal.
00:28:35.34\00:28:37.09
You're even worth more than a
whale, even though they outweigh
00:28:37.26\00:28:39.29
you 1,000 times or
probably more than that,
00:28:39.32\00:28:42.00
because you're made
in the image of God,
00:28:42.30\00:28:44.89
and don't ever forget,
Jesus died on the cross
00:28:45.60\00:28:49.91
to save people.
00:28:51.77\00:28:53.63
I know we're going to
get questions "will my pets"
00:28:53.90\00:28:55.66
"be in heaven?", my friends,
Steve Wohlberg has a good book
00:28:55.70\00:28:59.32
on that, I'll let him
deal with that subject.
00:28:59.35\00:29:01.80
There will be animals in heaven
and God's going to recreate all
00:29:01.92\00:29:04.41
the wonderful things that
were in the Garden of Eden,
00:29:04.44\00:29:06.59
but principally God died,
He sent His son to save people
00:29:06.69\00:29:10.09
made in His image, so
when you think about murder,
00:29:10.12\00:29:13.82
you're not only taking a
life and breaking the law,
00:29:15.14\00:29:17.36
you're taking
something that Jesus made,
00:29:17.39\00:29:20.82
and ransomed with His own blood,
it is a very serious business.
00:29:20.86\00:29:27.41
If you read in Romans 13:4
00:29:30.57\00:29:37.12
speaking again about
the soldiers and policemen,
00:29:37.22\00:29:39.93
God gives certain authority to
these individuals, and it says:
00:29:40.20\00:29:44.07
"For he is God's minister" -
not the governments minister -
00:29:44.11\00:29:47.95
"he is God's minister to you
for good. " What would happen
00:29:48.03\00:29:52.04
to our society if we did not
have people that had the ability
00:29:52.07\00:29:56.05
to bear the sword, so to speak?
00:29:56.08\00:29:57.73
Oh, by the way,
I'll finish this verse:
00:29:57.88\00:29:59.41
"But if you do evil, be
afraid; for he does not bear"
00:30:02.39\00:30:05.98
"the sword in vain;" - they
don't use swords for spanking,
00:30:06.02\00:30:09.89
swords were lethal back then
- "for he is God's minister,"
00:30:10.26\00:30:14.15
"an avenger to execute wrath
on him who practices evil. "
00:30:14.18\00:30:18.00
So God is saying for good there
must be people in a sinful world
00:30:18.04\00:30:23.50
who are there as
guardians of peace.
00:30:23.53\00:30:27.02
The Bible talks about
a certain town of Luz,
00:30:27.75\00:30:31.38
where they dwelt
carelessly, they had no army,
00:30:31.88\00:30:34.87
they had no
defenses, they had no watchmen,
00:30:34.91\00:30:37.83
they had no policemen,
and you know what happened?
00:30:37.87\00:30:40.36
They were quickly conquered
because they dwelt carelessly.
00:30:40.40\00:30:45.07
And because we are
in world that is sinful
00:30:45.28\00:30:48.05
where there are evil influences,
if you want to have peace,
00:30:48.20\00:30:51.45
then you need policemen
in your society, don't you?
00:30:51.62\00:30:54.19
If you want to have security
as a nation, you need armed
00:30:54.34\00:30:57.83
forces to protect you, because
not every other nation feels
00:30:57.87\00:31:01.33
the same scruples,
it's unfortunate, but it is
00:31:01.47\00:31:05.18
one of the laws of life.
00:31:05.21\00:31:07.09
Now, I wanted to establish
this and get some of that
00:31:07.52\00:31:09.88
out of the way dealing
with the misunderstandings
00:31:09.91\00:31:12.20
about the commandment, it's not
"Thou shalt no swat a mosquito"
00:31:12.24\00:31:16.01
"Thou shalt not
step on an ant. "
00:31:16.66\00:31:18.95
While we should respect life,
I think if you've got aphids
00:31:19.12\00:31:22.83
on your roses, I spray
mine, I don't know about you.
00:31:22.86\00:31:26.54
I don't have a formal
service and grieve over them,
00:31:27.07\00:31:30.26
they're bugs.
00:31:30.80\00:31:32.73
You are of much more value.
00:31:33.24\00:31:34.79
Where does this commandment
apply, I'm not talking
00:31:34.83\00:31:37.28
to too many, there may be
one or two out there who have
00:31:37.38\00:31:39.85
in, maybe the course of
duty, or some other means,
00:31:40.05\00:31:43.91
taken human life.
00:31:43.94\00:31:45.98
It may have been a car accident,
an accident, and that might be
00:31:46.13\00:31:49.47
classified depending on
the degree of carelessness,
00:31:49.50\00:31:52.77
as manslaughter or
some form of accident,
00:31:53.07\00:31:57.73
but who am I really talking to?
00:31:57.97\00:32:00.92
Those who may have
homicide in their hearts.
00:32:01.76\00:32:06.31
Jesus talks about anger,
00:32:07.24\00:32:09.04
Matthew 5:21,22, "You have
heard it said to them of old:"
00:32:10.52\00:32:16.18
"You shalt no murder.
And whoever murders will be"
00:32:16.21\00:32:19.06
"in danger of judgment,
but I say to you that whoever"
00:32:19.10\00:32:22.81
"is angry with his
brother without a cause"
00:32:22.84\00:32:25.33
"is in danger of the judgment"
When there's this anger
00:32:25.37\00:32:28.70
and this viciousness in the
heart, where we start thinking
00:32:28.74\00:32:33.15
homicidal thoughts, or we start
fantasizing how a meteorite
00:32:33.19\00:32:37.19
might strike them on the head,
that is murder in the heart,
00:32:37.22\00:32:41.19
and I think I would
venture to guess that many of us
00:32:41.22\00:32:44.52
have had those thoughts before.
00:32:44.74\00:32:46.94
I had an experience a few
years ago, and I'm glad to see
00:32:48.14\00:32:51.17
Rob here, where'd
you go, there you are,
00:32:51.37\00:32:53.06
we were playing
racquetball a few years ago,
00:32:53.20\00:32:54.75
some of you here remember
this story, and he was winning
00:32:54.79\00:32:57.70
and that bothered
me... [Audience laughs]
00:32:57.73\00:32:59.42
...and I'm not competitive
or anything, but he said:
00:32:59.46\00:33:02.43
"Do you want to
play one more game?"
00:33:02.46\00:33:03.73
And I should have said no,
but I was proud and I said yeah.
00:33:03.77\00:33:06.98
During that last game,
somebody took my racquetball bag
00:33:08.16\00:33:10.54
that was outside the
door, that had my car keys.
00:33:10.57\00:33:13.93
And after we got done playing,
I walked out and my bag was gone
00:33:14.31\00:33:16.71
and I thought "Oh-oh" and
I ran out to the parking lot,
00:33:16.74\00:33:18.90
and sure
enough, my car was gone.
00:33:18.93\00:33:21.28
I don't know if you've ever
had that happen, but it's a very
00:33:23.09\00:33:25.99
upsetting feeling, and
I guess it not only hurt,
00:33:26.51\00:33:30.50
but I felt foolish,
00:33:32.16\00:33:37.04
and it made me
angry, you feel violated.
00:33:37.08\00:33:40.67
I called the police right away,
Rob was nice enough to give me
00:33:41.84\00:33:44.48
a ride home, and it
occurred to me not only did they
00:33:44.51\00:33:47.19
have my car, my nice
little, fairly new Subaru,
00:33:47.22\00:33:51.37
but they also had my keys,
the master key to the church,
00:33:52.35\00:33:56.21
they had the keys to my home,
and in the car it had my garage
00:33:56.60\00:34:00.71
door opened to get in the home,
00:34:00.74\00:34:03.19
so having been a thief myself,
I thought this very quickly.
00:34:03.23\00:34:07.39
I went home and I'm standing on
me step ladder and I'm adjusting
00:34:08.15\00:34:14.17
my garage door opener
to change the code on it.
00:34:14.20\00:34:17.81
While the garage door's open,
I needed it open so I could
00:34:18.04\00:34:20.96
have enough light to see
what I was doing, and I'm on the
00:34:20.99\00:34:23.84
step ladder doing this, I look
up the street, and lo and behold
00:34:23.88\00:34:26.96
here comes my car
that had been misplaced.
00:34:26.99\00:34:30.57
And I'm thinking to myself
"Well, they just borrowed it,"
00:34:31.18\00:34:34.72
"they're bringing it
back. " [Audience laughs]
00:34:34.75\00:34:37.97
And as they came around the
corner, I stepped off the ladder
00:34:38.07\00:34:40.26
and I walk out in disbelief,
and they are looking at
00:34:40.29\00:34:44.83
the house numbers and looking at
a map, 2 characters in my car,
00:34:44.87\00:34:49.19
2 young men, I saw them,
and finally they come around
00:34:49.22\00:34:52.35
the corner and they see the
house number and they see me
00:34:52.39\00:34:55.49
staring at them.
[Audience laughs]
00:34:55.52\00:34:57.99
These guys were predators,
they had just stolen the car,
00:34:58.26\00:35:01.21
they figured out "he's probably
not home yet", and they're now
00:35:01.25\00:35:04.03
coming by my house to rob my
house, because they knew they
00:35:04.07\00:35:06.82
had the key and
the garage door opener.
00:35:06.85\00:35:08.80
Well, that made me so mad
00:35:08.85\00:35:11.67
that I decided to
chase them in my wife's car.
00:35:12.64\00:35:16.41
The problem was, my key
to Karen's car, they had it.
00:35:19.83\00:35:24.43
So I'm reaching around for
my keys to jump in Karen's car,
00:35:26.07\00:35:28.55
then I've got to run
through the house; they saw me
00:35:28.71\00:35:30.55
and they squealed off and we've
got an enclosed neighborhood,
00:35:30.59\00:35:33.61
and thought "I could get
them before they get away. "
00:35:33.64\00:35:36.00
I got into Karen's car, and
you've never seen a mini van
00:35:36.34\00:35:38.91
go so fast. [Audience laughs]
00:35:38.94\00:35:41.00
I went peeling out, I'm
driving through the neighborhood
00:35:41.04\00:35:43.81
like a maniac, and I'm
not sure what I'm going to do.
00:35:43.85\00:35:46.59
I'd made up my mind, I was
so mad, because these guys,
00:35:47.85\00:35:50.34
they're going to break into
my home, I've got family there
00:35:51.05\00:35:53.08
and kids, and
they've got my keys...
00:35:53.11\00:35:55.96
I was prepared to ram them!
00:35:57.25\00:36:01.24
I thought "I've got an
airbag. " [Audience Laughs]
00:36:01.28\00:36:04.47
I've got insurance,
and they're thieves.
00:36:04.63\00:36:10.74
They used to hang
horse thieves, am I right?
00:36:11.14\00:36:13.88
And I was prepared to
ram them. I went all around
00:36:14.80\00:36:17.59
the neighborhood, I drove
and tried to expand my circle,
00:36:17.63\00:36:20.10
driving up and down the
streets like a crazy person,
00:36:20.40\00:36:22.65
trying to see where they
are. Then I went back in,
00:36:22.69\00:36:24.87
I called the police and said
the folks who just stole my car
00:36:24.91\00:36:27.01
just came by my house.
00:36:27.04\00:36:29.53
Well this is all
Friday afternoon.
00:36:29.97\00:36:32.14
Pastor Doug still has
to get his sermon ready.
00:36:33.61\00:36:35.90
[Audience laughs]
00:36:35.93\00:36:37.81
We lived up in the
hills for years, on a ranch,
00:36:44.82\00:36:48.61
and we have some legal firearms,
I'm allowed to tell you that,
00:36:49.01\00:36:53.60
I've never misused them,
00:36:54.02\00:36:56.21
at least not that I'm
going to say on camera,
00:36:57.40\00:36:59.61
and it occurred to me,
what would I do if they came by?
00:37:00.64\00:37:06.67
I didn't sleep very
well that night, would you?
00:37:07.95\00:37:11.47
It's not just they stole my
car and they still had my car,
00:37:11.89\00:37:14.31
and that bothered me,
they're out joyriding in my car,
00:37:14.35\00:37:16.74
using my gas, I had my Bible
in my car, they also took my
00:37:16.94\00:37:22.13
racquetball bag, so I was
really upset, not only that,
00:37:22.16\00:37:27.32
but it really bothered
me they came by my house,
00:37:27.35\00:37:29.71
they know where I live; that's
a very disconcerting feeling.
00:37:29.75\00:37:33.43
That Friday evening
I'm sitting at my computer,
00:37:34.38\00:37:37.91
fuming over all these things,
conjuring up different ways
00:37:38.56\00:37:41.31
I was going to
track them down and...
00:37:41.34\00:37:43.64
...don't want to tell you
everything that I thought.
00:37:45.17\00:37:47.82
[Audience laughs]
00:37:47.85\00:37:49.20
Thinking these
homicidal thoughts,
00:37:49.83\00:37:53.40
and then I'd look on
my computer at my sermon:
00:37:54.93\00:37:57.45
"The love of
Jesus. " [Audience laughs]
00:37:57.88\00:38:00.07
"Part 1"
00:38:00.13\00:38:01.85
And I'd flip through the
Bible a little bit, and I'd try
00:38:04.54\00:38:07.04
and say something profound
and I'm looking out my window.
00:38:07.08\00:38:09.55
Because once you see
them go by your house once,
00:38:10.49\00:38:12.48
and they've got your keys,
you're just looking up and down
00:38:12.52\00:38:14.60
the street thinking
"they're going to come back,"
00:38:14.63\00:38:16.46
"I'm going to be ready
for them. ", sit back down
00:38:16.50\00:38:18.30
at my computer,
"and Jesus said... "
00:38:18.33\00:38:21.81
The Lord is speaking
to me through all this.
00:38:23.62\00:38:25.88
I ended up getting my car back.
00:38:27.04\00:38:29.35
Of all things they were doing a
joyride in a church parking lot,
00:38:29.39\00:38:33.27
and they tracked them
down, the police chased them.
00:38:33.42\00:38:35.78
I got a call, and God
is so good, they'd thrown
00:38:35.82\00:38:38.15
my racquetball
bag and my Bible out,
00:38:38.18\00:38:42.59
and they found that,
I got everything back,
00:38:42.63\00:38:45.68
kind of like King David, when
Ziklag was attached and it says
00:38:45.72\00:38:49.84
"He recovered all", so I
got it all back, and I thought
00:38:49.87\00:38:52.75
"Lord, why'd you
allow this to happen?"
00:38:52.78\00:38:56.14
It taught me
something about myself,
00:38:57.42\00:38:59.99
I was so
outraged and so furious,
00:39:00.09\00:39:03.24
that I'm afraid to think
of what I might have done
00:39:03.91\00:39:06.73
had I had the chance, and
it was amazing how quickly
00:39:07.10\00:39:09.93
Pastor Doug could
transition from "Pastor Doug"
00:39:09.96\00:39:14.34
[Audience laughs]
00:39:14.37\00:39:15.50
"I Love Jesus!" to "If I
could get my hands on them. "
00:39:15.54\00:39:20.44
I have a funny feeling
that I'm not the only one
00:39:22.51\00:39:25.01
that has these human
emotions, can I hear an amen?
00:39:25.05\00:39:27.52
[Audience] Amen.
00:39:27.55\00:39:28.73
Some of us have been
mistreated by others before,
00:39:28.77\00:39:32.39
and they may not have even
stolen your car and threaten
00:39:32.43\00:39:36.38
to vandalize your home, it
may be that they've just hurt
00:39:36.42\00:39:40.47
your feelings, and we find
ourselves wishing something bad
00:39:40.50\00:39:44.52
would happen to them.
The Bible says don't even
00:39:44.55\00:39:47.03
rejoice when your enemy falls,
God won't take pleasure in that
00:39:47.07\00:39:51.32
because God grieves
over all loss of life.
00:39:51.66\00:39:55.99
God does not want any to
perish, not even your enemies.
00:39:56.22\00:40:00.35
We need to ask Him to
give us His mind and His heart.
00:40:00.98\00:40:03.93
While we're dealing with
this subject, it's a difficult
00:40:04.82\00:40:07.45
subject and I had to
pray about how far to go,
00:40:07.48\00:40:09.49
but I've got this one shot,
so I'm going to cover it well,
00:40:09.53\00:40:11.68
I'm going to hit
it hard and move on.
00:40:11.71\00:40:13.65
"Thou shalt not kill. "
00:40:14.35\00:40:16.49
Would that include yourself?
00:40:16.86\00:40:19.41
Suicide.
00:40:20.26\00:40:22.07
Suicide is the act, or instance
00:40:23.99\00:40:26.95
of
intentionally killing oneself.
00:40:26.99\00:40:29.92
And there's nobody here
who probably doesn't know
00:40:30.95\00:40:33.86
somebody, or isn't related
to somebody who did not despair
00:40:33.90\00:40:37.17
for some reason or
another, and take their life.
00:40:37.20\00:40:40.96
We always wonder, and I
get the question at the radio
00:40:41.50\00:40:45.33
program on a regular basis
"Is it possible for a suicide"
00:40:45.36\00:40:49.16
"to be saved?"
00:40:49.19\00:40:51.54
Well, it doesn't look good, but
I want it completely ruled out.
00:40:52.97\00:40:59.31
It doesn't look good because
suicide is usually a case
00:41:00.11\00:41:03.51
of hopelessness and
faithlessness, and without
00:41:03.54\00:41:07.57
faith it's impossible to
please God, but there may be
00:41:07.61\00:41:11.33
some exceptions
based on the circumstances.
00:41:11.36\00:41:13.52
Let's suppose, for
instance, that somebody
00:41:13.55\00:41:15.68
attempted to commit suicide, and
they didn't do a very good job
00:41:16.99\00:41:19.41
and they survived
long enough to repent.
00:41:19.44\00:41:22.10
Could God forgive the thief
on the cross in his 11th hour?
00:41:22.35\00:41:25.39
Their death
certificate might read suicide,
00:41:26.18\00:41:29.31
but there could be a
case where they're forgiven.
00:41:29.82\00:41:32.14
Some people have committed
suicide because they've
00:41:32.31\00:41:34.65
sacrificed
themselves to save others.
00:41:34.68\00:41:37.68
Samson, basically, was the one
who was responsible for pushing
00:41:37.83\00:41:41.15
down the building, he's the one
who took the act, that he said:
00:41:41.19\00:41:44.48
"Lord, let me die with the
Philistines" and he pushed down
00:41:44.98\00:41:47.36
the building, killed himself,
but he did it to deliver
00:41:47.39\00:41:49.75
God's people from their enemies,
and they probably about to kill
00:41:49.79\00:41:52.29
him anyway, so he
just beat them to it.
00:41:52.32\00:41:54.56
He was a suicide technically,
but he'll be in the kingdom,
00:41:55.50\00:41:59.26
tell us in Hebrews 11, as a
matter of fact, where did he
00:41:59.82\00:42:03.12
get the strength to
push down the building?
00:42:03.15\00:42:05.43
The Holy Spirit, the last
act of his life filled him
00:42:05.47\00:42:07.30
with the Spirit.
00:42:07.33\00:42:08.58
But that's a
very rare exception.
00:42:08.62\00:42:10.43
The other suicides in
the Bible don't look so good.
00:42:10.85\00:42:13.56
Judas - hung himself.
00:42:13.97\00:42:17.71
King Saul - fell on his
sword after consulting a witch,
00:42:18.47\00:42:22.01
grieved away the Holy Spirit.
00:42:22.04\00:42:23.85
Ahithophel - betrayed
his friend, David, went home
00:42:23.89\00:42:27.20
and hung himself.
00:42:27.23\00:42:28.80
You know, if you're
ever thinking about suicide,
00:42:30.59\00:42:33.92
and I used to think about
this because I used to haven't
00:42:34.15\00:42:35.67
always believed in God,
00:42:35.70\00:42:37.47
there's this illusion in the
back of your mind that you're
00:42:38.65\00:42:41.21
in some situation
that you think is hopeless,
00:42:41.24\00:42:44.32
it's often control freaks
that commit suicide, they think
00:42:45.43\00:42:47.76
"I've got to change things.
", and the only option I've got
00:42:47.79\00:42:50.09
left is to kill myself
and get out of this situation.
00:42:50.12\00:42:53.13
But if you really think about
it, that is the dumbest thing
00:42:53.59\00:42:55.95
in the world you could
do, because when you commit
00:42:55.98\00:42:59.30
suicide, you don't
improve your circumstances.
00:42:59.33\00:43:02.62
As long as you're
alive, you've got options.
00:43:03.28\00:43:06.37
They may look bad, they may
look hopeless, but the Bible
00:43:06.41\00:43:09.45
tells us that a living dog
is better than a dead lion,
00:43:09.48\00:43:12.49
and where there's life,
there's hope, and so often,
00:43:12.79\00:43:15.58
people who've committed suicide,
it's so pathetic because their
00:43:15.62\00:43:18.95
circumstances were
just about to change.
00:43:18.98\00:43:22.18
You don't know if
God is about to heal you,
00:43:23.82\00:43:26.87
and you don't give Him a
chance if you kill yourself.
00:43:28.09\00:43:30.59
I often wonder when those
900 Jews killed themselves
00:43:30.63\00:43:33.83
at Massadah, held off the
Roman army up at that fortress
00:43:33.86\00:43:37.78
for 3 and a half years, and
all but 2 women and 5 children
00:43:37.82\00:43:41.71
killed themselves, you
wonder what would have happened
00:43:41.93\00:43:44.39
if they had waited on the Lord,
could God have done something
00:43:44.43\00:43:46.91
to deliver them like
He did for the Egyptians?
00:43:46.94\00:43:49.69
We'll never know because they
took things into their own hands
00:43:49.73\00:43:52.10
they took their life.
What is the next conscious
00:43:52.13\00:43:54.39
thought of a
person who dies lost?
00:43:54.42\00:43:57.26
Talk about limited options.
00:43:57.80\00:43:59.77
When you come forth from
the resurrection of the lost,
00:44:00.94\00:44:03.71
the resurrection of damnation,
those people can't even
00:44:03.74\00:44:06.44
kill themselves any more, they
don't even have that option.
00:44:06.48\00:44:09.18
They've just got to
wait for their judgment.
00:44:10.32\00:44:12.78
So, what it does is
it permanently seals
00:44:13.95\00:44:16.42
a bad situation, don't
ever consider suicide friends.
00:44:16.46\00:44:19.92
It's always the devil
that whispers that in the ears
00:44:19.96\00:44:23.39
of people that he's discouraged.
00:44:23.82\00:44:26.39
Now, I'm going to
take this a step further.
00:44:26.93\00:44:29.73
Some of you are thinking "I
would never commit suicide. "
00:44:29.77\00:44:33.23
Let's just ask you this
question, I want you to think
00:44:34.21\00:44:36.21
logistically with me here,
if you take poison and you know
00:44:36.25\00:44:40.89
it's poison and you know
it's lethal, and it's going
00:44:40.92\00:44:42.67
to kill you in 15
minutes, is that suicide?
00:44:42.70\00:44:46.46
Yeah, that would be.
00:44:46.85\00:44:48.28
What if the poison
takes 2 days to kill you,
00:44:48.44\00:44:50.84
and you know it's
poison, is it still suicide?
00:44:50.88\00:44:53.25
Yeah.
00:44:53.61\00:44:55.16
What if it takes 20 years?
00:44:55.20\00:44:57.38
Some people are
guilty of slow suicide.
00:44:57.42\00:45:00.04
"Thou shalt not kill thyself. "
00:45:00.29\00:45:03.55
And some of us are guilty
of breaking this commandment
00:45:03.73\00:45:07.60
in degrees; by our lifestyle,
by the things that we eat,
00:45:07.63\00:45:12.25
and drink and smoke, "thou
shalt not kill... yourself!"
00:45:12.28\00:45:16.87
Some of are guilty of
self murder in little degrees.
00:45:17.14\00:45:20.60
Maybe we haven't
thought of it that way.
00:45:21.69\00:45:23.76
The whole thing is about
respecting life, not only
00:45:24.76\00:45:27.58
you respecting the life of
others, but all the commandments
00:45:27.62\00:45:30.33
are summed up: you
should love the Lord, and love
00:45:30.36\00:45:32.43
your neighbor, and love
yourself, and part of loving
00:45:32.47\00:45:34.51
yourself is don't kill yourself.
00:45:34.54\00:45:36.71
You want to do the best
you can to prolong your life
00:45:38.19\00:45:40.86
to serve God.
00:45:40.89\00:45:42.45
Some do it through overwork,
and I've got to watch that one,
00:45:42.52\00:45:48.46
though I do try to take care.
00:45:48.78\00:45:51.19
That's enough over
there, Mrs. Batchelor.
00:45:51.55\00:45:55.12
Don't put the camera on
the woman in blue over there.
00:45:57.92\00:46:00.60
[Audience laughs]
00:46:00.63\00:46:02.26
If it's true that sometimes
thinking murderous thoughts
00:46:03.80\00:46:07.86
and thinking anger, and
being angry with your brother,
00:46:07.89\00:46:11.92
in the same way Jesus said
some would never commit adultery
00:46:12.12\00:46:15.06
but if they look and
lust, and I don't want to steal
00:46:15.16\00:46:17.21
John Lomacang's sermon, he'll
be talking about, no doubt,
00:46:17.25\00:46:19.97
but it can be an
attitude, not just an action.
00:46:20.00\00:46:23.50
There can be an
attitude of murder in the heart,
00:46:23.53\00:46:27.00
and some of it
is done vicariously.
00:46:27.07\00:46:30.65
The Bible says in
Ephesians 4:26,27:
00:46:30.70\00:46:35.38
"Be angry, and sin not:
let not the sun go down"
00:46:35.42\00:46:38.91
"upon your wrath: neither
give place to the devil. "
00:46:38.95\00:46:42.41
This kind of anger that Cain
had, where he killed his brother
00:46:42.44\00:46:45.78
it starts in the heart with
an attitude and then it turns
00:46:45.95\00:46:48.16
into an action.
00:46:48.19\00:46:49.77
Very few people planned
on murdering the first time
00:46:50.28\00:46:53.61
they murdered, there are
some premeditated murders,
00:46:53.65\00:46:56.91
but more times than not, it is
somebody who goes into a rage,
00:46:56.95\00:47:00.55
and more times than
not, it is in a family.
00:47:00.58\00:47:04.33
Ask the police what the
majority of their calls are,
00:47:04.48\00:47:07.62
when somebody dies in a
family, you know who is usually
00:47:08.70\00:47:12.85
the first suspects?
00:47:12.88\00:47:14.84
Parents,
spouses, family members.
00:47:14.95\00:47:18.44
"Friendly fire"
is what they call it.
00:47:18.65\00:47:20.92
It wasn't premeditated usually.
00:47:21.18\00:47:23.57
Usually what it is,
is someone became angry
00:47:24.45\00:47:27.22
and they
couldn't take it anymore,
00:47:27.25\00:47:28.78
and they flew into a rage.
00:47:29.41\00:47:32.06
I believe it's easier
in our culture for people
00:47:32.88\00:47:35.38
to commit homicide because we
are so over exposed to violence
00:47:35.42\00:47:40.77
that we become
calloused about killing.
00:47:40.94\00:47:44.26
Somebody said one time: "when
kill somebody, you take away"
00:47:46.94\00:47:49.69
"everything they have and
everything they ever will have"
00:47:49.73\00:47:52.45
"in this life",
under the sun, so to speak.
00:47:52.48\00:47:55.74
Some people are guilty
of murdering vicariously
00:47:58.25\00:48:02.14
by watching and being
entertained by murder.
00:48:02.17\00:48:06.03
I read some statistics
here regarding television.
00:48:06.78\00:48:09.57
By age 18, a US
youth will have seen
00:48:09.65\00:48:14.77
16,000 simulated murders,
00:48:14.87\00:48:18.28
and 200,000 acts of violence.
00:48:18.32\00:48:21.70
Don't you think
that can callous us?
00:48:22.49\00:48:24.35
We're guilty of murder
vicariously when we sit down
00:48:25.04\00:48:28.17
and are entertained,
and you know, men like
00:48:28.20\00:48:29.82
these shoot-em ups. We
like these action adventures
00:48:29.86\00:48:33.97
which often involve
murder, and gore, and bloodshed,
00:48:34.01\00:48:38.23
and when we are entertained
by others taking life,
00:48:38.26\00:48:42.45
how do you think God views that?
00:48:42.48\00:48:45.59
It's an attitude of
the heart too, isn't it?
00:48:46.69\00:48:49.27
Life should be respected.
00:48:49.57\00:48:51.73
It's something God created,
these people are made in God's
00:48:51.77\00:48:54.17
image, and to be entertained
by watching others lose their
00:48:54.21\00:48:56.58
lives...
00:48:56.61\00:48:58.65
You know, if you have
someone in your family
00:49:00.16\00:49:02.49
that is murdered,
00:49:03.27\00:49:06.34
in our church family we have
someone, I believe is here today
00:49:06.75\00:49:10.37
lost a loved one to a senseless
murder, just by a total stranger
00:49:10.68\00:49:14.51
I don't think you would
ever view killing on television
00:49:15.25\00:49:18.32
for entertainment the
way after something like that
00:49:18.35\00:49:21.39
happens in your
family, it's not entertaining,
00:49:21.42\00:49:24.82
it's not funny.
00:49:25.02\00:49:27.14
We've become
calloused, say amen please.
00:49:28.56\00:49:32.47
[Audience] Amen
00:49:32.50\00:49:33.47
Then there are those
who assassinate with words.
00:49:33.48\00:49:36.61
Did you know what King
David said, Psalm 64:3:
00:49:36.91\00:49:40.17
"Who whet their tongue
like a sword," - they sharpen
00:49:40.31\00:49:42.69
their tongue like a sword -
"and bend their bows to shoot"
00:49:42.73\00:49:45.94
"their arrows,
even bitter words. "
00:49:45.97\00:49:49.07
Some people have spoken words
that have discouraged others
00:49:49.33\00:49:52.25
where they despaired of life,
or even became sick and died.
00:49:52.29\00:49:55.18
"Where never is
heard a discouraging word",
00:49:55.81\00:49:58.16
that should be a
description of the church.
00:49:58.20\00:50:00.48
1 John 4:20: "If someone
says, 'I love God,' and hates"
00:50:00.52\00:50:04.47
"his brother, he is a
liar; for he who does not love"
00:50:04.50\00:50:08.42
"his brother whom he
has seen, how can he"
00:50:08.45\00:50:10.42
"love God whom he has not seen?"
00:50:10.45\00:50:13.66
So it begins in the heart.
00:50:15.17\00:50:17.39
Then we've also got this
other subject, and I'm not going
00:50:17.96\00:50:19.89
to be elaborate, but
it should be addressed,
00:50:19.92\00:50:23.71
by the definition,
abortion would be murder.
00:50:24.01\00:50:28.57
It's not someone
that is guilty of a crime
00:50:28.60\00:50:33.13
and I'm not talking about
an accidental miscarriage,
00:50:33.47\00:50:35.97
I'm talking about
deliberately taking human life,
00:50:36.01\00:50:38.48
it's sacred friends, amen?
00:50:38.51\00:50:41.39
It's a very volatile issue,
but I've just got to stand
00:50:42.37\00:50:45.08
before you and tell you that
the word of God describes it
00:50:45.11\00:50:47.79
as life.
00:50:47.82\00:50:50.42
When Bathsheba found out she
was pregnant, even though it was
00:50:51.23\00:50:53.42
the wrong kind of
pregnancy, wrong circumstances,
00:50:53.45\00:50:56.50
she didn't say
"I am with fetus",
00:50:56.53\00:50:58.59
she said "I am with child. "
00:50:58.62\00:51:00.53
The child of John
the Baptist, in the womb,
00:51:00.57\00:51:03.31
leapt at the greetings of Mary.
00:51:03.34\00:51:05.64
It's always treated in the Bible
as vital, and living, and real.
00:51:05.68\00:51:09.98
I think that God wants
us to recognize it that way,
00:51:11.01\00:51:13.04
and of course, that goes
into the subject of euthanasia.
00:51:13.08\00:51:16.25
More and more, our society
is saying "well you know,"
00:51:16.45\00:51:19.13
"their quality of life isn't
that good, so let's just... "
00:51:19.17\00:51:21.82
"... get rid of them. "
and we forget that these people
00:51:22.32\00:51:24.77
are made in the image of
God. My mother was basically
00:51:24.81\00:51:27.19
euthanized, she was suffering
from cancer and they just gave
00:51:27.23\00:51:30.05
her enough morphine
where she finally died.
00:51:30.08\00:51:32.56
It's happening more and more
and we need to be very careful.
00:51:33.97\00:51:38.57
Life is sacred friends, amen?
00:51:39.58\00:51:41.37
[Audience] Amen.
00:51:41.40\00:51:42.61
What we're really talking about
is an attitude in the heart,
00:51:42.65\00:51:45.98
respecting life because
God made life, and it's talking
00:51:47.35\00:51:52.05
about love for life and if
we have Christ in us, we will
00:51:52.08\00:51:56.75
respect life that
is made in His image.
00:51:56.78\00:51:59.58
It's really because
we need Jesus in us,
00:52:00.03\00:52:02.79
we need His life
friends, we need the Lord.
00:52:03.07\00:52:06.21
I'd like to invite Margie to
come out and share this message
00:52:06.31\00:52:08.67
in song, and then I have
an appeal prayer for you.
00:52:08.70\00:52:12.40
We need the Lord,
00:52:47.79\00:52:51.66
We need to know His grace,
00:52:54.45\00:52:59.11
to seek His holy face
00:53:00.14\00:53:04.11
above the world's acclaim.
00:53:04.33\00:53:09.09
We need the Lord,
00:53:09.12\00:53:14.24
we need His majesty
00:53:15.35\00:53:20.98
to lend us dignity
00:53:21.41\00:53:24.66
and make us worthy of His name.
00:53:24.86\00:53:29.78
We need to see Him there,
00:53:31.32\00:53:34.62
everywhere we turn.
00:53:34.65\00:53:39.04
We need to look for Him
00:53:41.06\00:53:43.65
and how we need to learn,
00:53:43.98\00:53:48.81
how we need to learn.
00:53:49.61\00:53:54.59
We need the Lord,
00:53:55.72\00:54:00.16
We need His light to see
00:54:01.76\00:54:05.55
what is eternity in
ordinary daily things.
00:54:06.32\00:54:12.83
We need the Lord,
00:54:14.49\00:54:18.53
We need to cling to Him.
00:54:19.82\00:54:23.62
When we have reached the end
00:54:24.69\00:54:27.59
of all our
earthly hopes and dreams.
00:54:27.62\00:54:33.49
And in the desert of our pain
00:54:33.59\00:54:38.06
how we need
00:54:38.69\00:54:41.53
the rain
00:54:42.48\00:54:46.21
that is our Lord.
00:54:46.92\00:54:50.44
When we stumble in the night
00:54:50.53\00:54:54.31
He is light
00:54:55.35\00:54:59.57
light of the world
00:54:59.68\00:55:03.76
giving us hope.
00:55:04.06\00:55:09.18
We need the Lord,
00:55:14.13\00:55:18.33
We need to feel His touch
00:55:20.64\00:55:25.82
we think we know so much,
00:55:26.56\00:55:29.13
but how much
more we need to know.
00:55:29.17\00:55:34.25
We need the Lord,
00:55:34.64\00:55:39.10
We need His fire within,
00:55:40.20\00:55:44.58
that we might live for Him
00:55:44.95\00:55:47.80
and in His grace make [?].
00:55:47.97\00:55:54.06
Oh, how much we need Him.
00:55:54.86\00:55:59.77
Oh, how much we need Him.
00:55:59.97\00:56:04.48
Oh, how much we need the Lord.
00:56:07.58\00:56:15.88
[Audience] Amen.
[Doug Batchelor] Amen
00:56:33.00\00:56:35.21
Thank you so much Margie.
00:56:36.73\00:56:38.69
"Thou shalt not murder"
00:56:39.91\00:56:41.95
means more than just killing
another person maliciously,
00:56:42.32\00:56:45.55
it can be an attitude in
the heart, the only way we can
00:56:45.59\00:56:48.79
change that is with
Jesus' help, amen friends?
00:56:48.82\00:56:51.26
You know Jesus was
murdered, wasn't He?
00:56:52.15\00:56:54.23
So when we think about
what it did to Him, it ought
00:56:55.01\00:56:57.81
to touch us, would you
like to ask the Lord to give you
00:56:57.85\00:57:00.62
His heart, so you could
have His respect for life?
00:57:00.65\00:57:04.43
Father in heaven, thank
you for Jesus' sacrifice
00:57:05.17\00:57:09.01
that's sufficient not
only forgive, sometimes our
00:57:09.72\00:57:12.18
homicidal attitudes, but
even enough to cover the sins
00:57:12.95\00:57:18.09
of a real murderer.
00:57:18.12\00:57:20.18
Lord, we are all
guilty of Your blood,
00:57:20.28\00:57:22.26
forgive us for that, and give
us Your mind and Your heart,
00:57:22.30\00:57:25.74
a new heart, we
pray in Christ's name.
00:57:25.77\00:57:28.29
[Music for Credits]
00:57:28.32\00:57:30.73