In Mike Davenport's sermon titled 'Dealing with a Murderous Heart,' the focus is on the sixth commandment, 'You shall not murder,' as stated in both Exodus 20:13 and expanded upon in Matthew 5:21-22. Davenport highlights that this commandment encompasses more than the physical act of murder, extending to issues of anger, hatred, and spiritual harm towards oneself and others. He proposes a God-centered view of the commandments, suggesting they are not only duties toward fellow humans but are also expressions of our love or lack thereof for God. The sermon stresses the sanctity of life as God's gift and discusses the spiritual implications of sin, including the role of social media in fostering a 'murderous heart.' Davenport emphasizes the need for self-reflection and the importance of Jesus Christ, who fulfills the law and offers grace, urging the congregation to confront their sins and seek forgiveness through Christ. This comprehensive understanding of the commandment calls for a careful consideration of one's actions and heart condition, advocating for spiritual vitality and well-being as integral to obeying God's law.

To this 20 and verse 13. Hear the word of the Lord. Simply this, four words. You shall not murder. And then if you would, holding your place there, turn over to Matthew 5, Matthew 5, what has come to be known as the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 5, looking at verses 21 and 22. 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. But I say to you, that is Christ, That whoever is angry with his brother without a cause Shall be in danger of the judgment and whoever says to his brother Raka Shall be in danger of the council but whoever says you fool shall be in danger of hellfire. Let us look to the Lord in prayer. Oh gracious God we come to you in prayer acknowledging the holiness of your word.

It is true, it is good, it is right. And Lord, it shows us that you are a thrice holy God and you cannot dwell in the presence of sin. And so Lord we come to you as only we can through the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ. Accept our worship, give us grace as we lean upon him today. Move in our hearts by your spirit and get unto yourself the glory due unto your name.

In Christ's holy name we pray, amen. Amen. Well you may be seated. Well having recently looked at the fifth commandment and what is stated there, namely our duty to exhibit humility and to hold in honor our fellow man, the remaining commandments here in the second table describe to us in greater detail just how to go about doing that, exhibiting humility and holding others in honor. But I would propose to you that we should look at these remaining commandments not simply as our duty to our fellow man that they are, but also our duty to the Lord.

You see each of these commandments has to do with our view of God and what he is ordained. Yes it is a summary of how we are to express our love for our neighbor but in response to our neighbor we also express our love for God or our lack of it. Such a God-centered view even of this second table will encourage us, I believe, to a greater carefulness to what it actually requires. Consider the following. The sixth commandment, which we are going to look at today, has to do with God's greatest gift to mankind, life.

The gift of natural life as well as the gift of spiritual life. We have a duty in regard to these precious gifts which come from God. The seventh commandment has to do with God's gift of both purity and a spouse. If Proverbs 18 22 is true that he who finds a wife, finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord, then he who enters into sexual sin perverts God's design for sexuality. He redefines God's definition of a good thing, he robs himself and another of the gift of purity, and he spurns the favor of Almighty God.

The eighth command, the eighth command deals with how we view the sovereignty of God and what he bestows upon our neighbor. It calls us to view what another man has as that which God in his providence has given to that man and over which that man is a steward. Something which we have not received from God and have no right or claim to. The ninth commandment has to do with the gift God grants to a man in obtaining a good name it has been said that it takes a lifetime to build a good name but only a few moments to destroy that name. Now a man or a woman can do that of their own accord.

They can destroy their own name, but my friend, we ourselves can destroy somebody else's name as well. The tenth commandment turns us inward to consider our level of contentment with what God has given us. Are we content with what he has ordained? Or do we want what God in his wisdom has not seen fit to provide us with? That same wisdom Seen fit to give that very thing to our neighbor The psalmist declares in Psalm 119 96 I have seen the consummation of all perfection But your commandment is exceedingly broad Commentator Charles Bridges, whom I wholeheartedly commend to you, he wrote the following, quote, Now contrast with the emptiness of the world, the fullness of the commandment of God.

Our whole duty to our God, our neighbor and ourselves is here laid open before us, commanding without abatement and forbidding without allowance, making no excuse for ignorance, frailty or forgetfulness, reaching not only to every species of crime, but to everything tending to it. This is perfection of which we never see an end. Every fresh view opens, not the extent, but the immensity of the field, and compels us at length to shut up our iniquities with the inquiries rather with the adoring acknowledgement thy commandment is exceeding broad if you have learned the exceeding breadth and spirituality of the law, the first lesson that is taught in the school of Christ, your views of yourself and your state before God will be totally changed." End quote. Note that last statement he made. It's the first lesson in the school of Christ.

It's this, the exceeding breadth and spirituality of the law. Can I ask you a question? Have you grown tired of this series on the Ten Commandments? Do you come here wishing for something more exciting, more encouraging, more uplifting. If that's the case, my friend, you have a very low view of the gospel.

Now you may say, oh no, I want more gospel, not law. I want to hear more about grace and less about sin. Well, let me give you an illustration and you children here you should be able to follow along with me If there were but a small Creek or River Say like the noose River Some of you children guys and girls you've been with your dad as we've had father-daughter retreats and father-son retreats a few times. We've gone down the Neuse River. Let's say you had to cross that.

Well, you might simply just wade out into the waters. In part, you could probably roll your pants legs up and get to the other side. If it were to be a little deeper, say if they let some waters loose from the water that is dammed up, if they let some loose maybe you would have to swim across. And if there were a boat over on the bank, you might see that boat and just go across. But if there were a vast ocean, stormy, in front of you, that you indeed had to cross, which of you would consider wading out into the water and attempt to wade across or swim across.

None of you would even consider a raft or a small boat or a kayak like Many of you have gone down the Neuse River and But imagine If there was some large sailing vessel to take you through such waters that Would take you through the tempests what would your estimation of that ship be? How would you look at that sailing vessel? You would view that vessel in light of the volatile and deep waters that must be crossed." Bridges goes on to note in his commentary, such is the effect of the transition from a legal to an evangelical ground. Before we were reckless of sin and therefore reckless of the gospel. As the one fell lightly upon our conscience the other held a light estimation in our judgment.

While we had no disturbance from the law, we had no delight in the gospel. But now that we see in the true mirror, we are at once alarmed and enlightened. Praise be to God. We now take the true estimate. We degrade to the uttermost righteousness by works.

We exalt to the uttermost righteousness by faith. In the one we see pollution, in the other perfection." End quote. So as we once again take up the law of God, may we do so not seeking our own righteousness. That's what the Jews did. Romans 10 says they sought for their own righteousness in the law rather than seeing God's righteousness Because when we see God's righteousness Christ becomes the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes Well, this has been an unusually long introduction but I felt it was necessary.

And my hope is that you will take what was said and in this introduction and take it with you as we consider over the next few weeks and months the second table of the law. So let's turn our attention now to the text before us and as we gaze into this mirror of God's Word, let's do so with open hearts. We just sang about that. Let's come with open hearts, with a readiness to have revealed to us a true and accurate reflection of ourselves. As well may we come with a willingness to deal with whatever it is we discover or the Holy Spirit discovers to us.

I hope today to deal with what the commandment forbids and at the next opportunity with what the commandment requires. So consider with me the following four points this morning. The sin of taking the physical life of yourself or another. The sin of taking the physical life of yourself or another secondly the sin of taking the spiritual life of yourself or another thirdly the sin of harming yourself or another. And then fourthly, the sin of withholding what would benefit and bless others.

The sin of withholding what would benefit and bless others. So first, the sin of taking the physical life of yourself for another. Now certainly, of all the things the commandment forbids, this has to be the most obvious, This sin of taking away the life of a human being. Among the six things that God hates that we read about in the Proverbs, the seven things that are an abomination to him, one among those is its hands that shed innocent blood. Now the Westminster larger catechism gives a detailed answer to question 136, what are the sins forbidden in the sixth commandment?

One of the first two answers is simply all taking away the life of others. All taking away the life of others. Now the effects of the fall upon the very first son of Adam and Eve we read about in Genesis 4. The second episode of sin recorded in the Bible resulted in Cain taking the life of his brother Abel. And once again we are reminded that the Ten Commandments did not originate at Mount Sinai.

These are eternal truths that rest upon who God is, what His nature is. And so we should not be surprised at God's response to Cain's sin. And God said, what have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. So now you are cursed from the earth which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.

When you till the ground it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth." Now such a response from the Creator indicates that murder has been a sin from the beginning. Why is that so? Well several factors must be considered. First of all, God is the giver of life.

He's the giver of life. You children, when you open up your Bibles to Genesis 1 and 2, who gave life? God did. God breathed into man the breath of life. Acts 17 25 and 1st Timothy 6 13, it is he who gives to all life and breath and all things life is his to give and life is his to take away secondly man is God's image bearer man is God's image bearer No matter what man does to mar that image, he's still an image bearer of Almighty God.

Unlike the rest of creation, God formed man out of what he had already created. It was creation material and then God breathed into that man, into his nostrils, the very breath of life. Unlike the rest of creation, man was set over all that God had created. He is the crown of God's creation, that image bearer. Third, death itself is not natural.

Death itself is not natural. Romans 6.23. It was not part of God's original creation. Man's rebellion brought on death as a judgment and as a judgment Who is it who is the judge of all the earth if it is indeed a judgment it rests in the hands of God It's not natural fourth Murder is associated with the devil Murder is associated with the devil Jesus Christ himself stated in John 8 44 the devil is a murderer from the beginning The devil saw to the killing of both the body and soul of Adam and Eve and all their posterity until God brought spiritual life. Now I think it necessary to point out what is included in this category of murder and also what is not intended to fall under this category of murder.

First, something that should be included, abortion. Abortion is murder. Abortion ends a life that God began. Abortion ends the life of an image bearer of God. The act of aborting or seeking to justify that act is a result of sin, not of truth.

It's a result of the fall, not of creation. Abortion is of the devil who seeks to steal, to kill, and to destroy. Christ said, I came that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly. God hates hands that shed innocent blood. But also to mention what does not fall under the scope of this commandment.

The Westminster Catechism points out that scripture gives evidence or support for the proper place and time for the taking of physical life in lawful war, in self-defense, and in capital punishment. And though these things are not in view as being forbidden by this commandment, nevertheless I do believe it incumbent upon those who act upon these occasions to be sure that war is indeed lawful, that the self-defense is indeed necessary at that level, and that the capital punishment inflicted meets the biblical standard of the execution of wrath upon him who practices evil as God determines what's evil. God places as we see in Romans 13 that sword into the hand of the government but they are to punish evil and those who do good should not have to worry if they are indeed acting as the the deacon of God under the authority of God. Well this commandment not only forbids the taking of physical life from another, it also forbids the taking of your own life. Dear ones, what God calls us to in regard to the life of others, he also calls us in regard to our own lives if God be the giver of life, if we are image bearers of God, if death is the byproduct of sin, and if this murder is of the devil, Does it not then become evident that the taking of one's own life is indeed forbidden in this commandment those truths don't vanish because we're dealing with ourselves in Fact the writers of the Westminster Catechism deal with self-murder first.

That's the first one they mention. Why is that? Don't know for sure. But consider this, that not only is it sinful to take one's own life, it's unnatural. It's unnatural.

Jesus himself defines the second table of the law as loving our neighbors as ourselves. And does Paul not use the same argument in Ephesians 5 when he's talking to the man, telling the man to love his wife? He's to love his wife how? Even as he loves his own self and nourishes his flesh and cherishes it, nourish and cherish that wife. It's natural.

Thomas Watson in his exposition of the Ten Commandments rightly points out that self-murderers are worse than the brute creatures which will tear and gore open one another but not destroy themselves. We don't even see it in nature. What has been a long-standing position among some that someone who takes their own life proves, I'm hanging it on that word, it proves themselves not to be Christian. I don't think that's a foregone conclusion. I don't think that position is tenable.

However, there are a few things that we must wrestle with and ponder deeply. First, most self-murder leaves the individual with no place for repentance. There's no place for it. For that sin or maybe other sins that have been unconfessed, the immediacy of that act often ushers them straightway into eternity. Secondly, self-murder is often the result of an overflow of pride, envy, and discontent.

It's usually not an isolated thing. It usually comes from an overflow of other sins. And third, the taking of one's own life or even if it's assisted, puts one into such biblical company as a Bimelech, a Hithophel, Zemri, Saul, King Saul, and Judas. And if you're not familiar with these, let me just state, it's not really good company. Well, before leaving this point, I think it's important to point out that something in our in our own time that's played a part in in the rise of suicides and that's social media.

The narcissism that thrives on the social media platforms has given rise for people to seek outlets for seeking attention and feeding their their own desires of self-worth and pride and their self-worth is fed or it's starved by the number of likes or the number of responses. Social media sites have provided the platform for the filming of foolish, life threatening, and sometimes life-ending stunts. Others have had their pride and their narcissism and their expectations so crushed that they have actually taken their own lives because of it, and some of them even online. Parents don't be naive to the very real threats that these platforms can bring to the health and well-being even of your own children. Don't be naive.

Well the second point is kin to the first but rather than a focus on the physical life the second point deals with the sin of taking the spiritual life of yourself or another. Now this application is not evident on the surface in the Westminster Catechism, but I believe that it is a valid scriptural application. If indeed we are to do all to promote life and if indeed spiritual life is of more value than physical life, and Jesus taught that, then is not our duty to spiritual vitality and well-being of greater importance than physical vitality and well-being What will a man give in exchange for his soul? If the entire Worth of the world does not compare to the worth of the life of the soul how great is that sin that robs one of spiritual life and vitality whether it be your own soul or another's. James Durham in his commentary on the Ten Commandments writes the following, quote, there is a spiritual and eternal life of the soul.

Thus, sin deadens and kills men. And in this respect, all who are unfaithful to others in the matters of their souls or who calls them to sin or sinfully give them occasion of sin become guilty of soul murder." End quote. Durham goes on to provide a list of ways that we can break God's law in this manner. Here's some of them from that list. First, by counseling and advising someone to sin.

That's what John Adab did with Amnon, David's son. He counseled him and encouraged him how to carry out his sin. Secondly, by alluring and tempting one to sin. This is what Tamar did to Judah, to tempt and to allure. We see it also in Proverbs 7, the lady who was lurking there at the corner.

Third, by consenting to the sin of others or in any other way assisting, countenancing or encouraging them in it. We read of the stoning of Stephen doing not and there was a man standing off to the side who was giving assent to what they did. We don't read of him casting stones But he stood there by the coats and he gave consent to everything that was going on. Saul of Tarsus. Another way is by Provoking others to sin.

Remember the commandment before this? Remember Ephesians 6-2, and you fathers do not provoke your children to wrath? That doesn't lead to spiritual vitality and well-being when we as fathers provoke our children to wrath, so a provocation to others to sin. Another way, by evil example or hypocrisy, thus giving the enemies of Christ reason to blaspheme the name of Christ in his word by not faithfully warning of the consequences of sin as we find in Ezekiel 3, 18. Ezekiel was to warn And if he didn't, God said the blood would be on your hands.

Another way, by not reproving sin when it is committed. Leviticus 19, 17 says, you shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor and not bear sin because of him." How about by not restraining, I mean going to the extreme of the restraining of sin when gentle rebukes are not enough. Eli reproved his sons, but he did not restrain them. He allowed them to blaspheme the name of God right there at the door of the tabernacle.

Also by either spreading or failing to address false doctrine and heresy As we saw in the churches of Pergamos and Thyatira. You have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel. You allow that woman Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess to teach and seduce my servants. Jesus in Matthew 17, 6 through 9 declared his verdict upon those who would cause their own selves to sin or cause another to sin, to take away that spiritual life and vitality. But whoever causes One of these little ones who believe in me to sin It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depth of the sea Woe to the world because of offenses for offenses must come but woe to the man by whom the offense comes." And then he turns to personal, your own spiritual life and vitality.

If your hand or your foot cause you to sin, Cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye rather than having two eyes to be cast into hellfire. Serious matter that Jesus talks about in taking away spiritual life and vitality.

But Such a sin is not always a sin of commission, brothers and sisters. Sometimes it's a sin of omission. It's what we don't do. As in a failure to use the means of grace God has provided us for spiritual life, vitality and well-being both for ourselves and for our families. If you neglect the nourishment, the grace, the blessing, and the work of the Spirit that comes through the means he has provided, the Sabbath, the reading of the Word, prayer, and fellowship, then you are not caring for the eternal soul that God has given you.

And if you men fail to prioritize the Sabbath, the Lord's Day in your home, if you fail to lead your wife and children in family worship, you are not providing spiritually for your family. They don't just need the bacon, they need the bread of the word of God. Because man shall not live by this earthly bread, the bacon you may bring home, but by the very word of God. If you're failing to do this, you are taking away the very things which are intended and given to bring spiritual life and sustenance. The third category of sin that this command forbids is the sin of harming yourself or harming another the sin of harming yourself or another the sin of harming someone whether to the point of actual murder or not starts in the heart it starts in the heart Christ declared among a list of things that murder, murder, it proceeds out of the heart.

Matthew 15 19. The catechism acknowledges this by forbidding sinful anger, hatred, envy, and desire of revenge. Do you see how it points to the heart? And this is in keeping with what we read at the beginning of the service from from Matthew 5. Jesus said, hey that commandment in Exodus 20 13 you've heard it and this is how you've heard it, how you've heard it explained, let me, like the psalmist says, show you the seating breadth of this commandment.

In his explanation of this commandment, Christ made clear that murder is not just the acts of the hands, it's also the acts of the mouth. And the scriptures go on to teach that what issues forth from the mouth, what issues forth from our hands is simply the overflow of what's here, what's in our hearts. You may not be a cane in terms of deed, but are you a cane in terms of heart? The apostle John declares in 1 John 3.15, whoever hates, whoever hates his brother is a murderer. My friend, have you ever thought hateful things about someone else?

Have you ever expressed Sinful anger? Have you ever bottled up sinful anger? Do you ever experience envy over someone else? Has there ever been a time when you wished for revenge? And it even may not have been actually Brought out but but simply wishing that a certain person would just get what they deserve Can we really consider the exceeding breadth and the spirituality of the law and coming away thinking that I've kept this from my youth up?

Well maybe you don't want to do the work of peeling back all these layers to see what's really down deep in the heart. Well, the Catechism gives a list of outward expressions that flow forth from sinful anger and envy and a desire for revenge, hatred. What are these things? Provoking words, oppression, quarreling, striking, wounding, and whatever else tends to the destruction of the life of any. So consider the fruit.

Provoking words. Hey, such words can come out in discussions. You know, we're here all together in one place. Provoking words could come after the service as we're talking with one another. But dear ones, consider how technology has provided a forum for the pouring forth of provoking words.

There's always a level of carefulness when we're face to face with somebody that we're in a room all alone not looking eyeball to eyeball and will say things provoking words for what purpose. Proverbs 30 14 says there is a generation whose teeth are like swords and whose fangs are like knives to devour. Proverbs 12-18, there is one who speaks like the piercing of a sword. Is your keyboard, is your smartphone an accessory to murders of your heart. Oppression, oppression.

It's this act of oppression, no matter the circumstances, it's murder, It's bringing harm upon those unable to do anything about it. It's the use of power over the powerless. And Brothers and sisters, this can happen in the home. This can happen in the home. Men, are you an oppressor of your wife?

Are you an oppressor of your children? If you are, this is evidence of a murderous heart Quarreling quarreling has has quarreling become commonplace in your home? Among you as spouses? Among you as siblings? If there are people that always have to have the last word will there ever be a last word everybody wanting what they have rather than using the key of humility striking and wounding this occurs when actions give way to the heart's anger, hatred, envy, and desire for revenge.

Envy and desire for revenge. Have things escalated in your home to that? To striking? To wounding? And moms and dads don't take lightly the pushing, the hitting, the scratching, etc.

Among your children. And I'm not talking about the playful stuff that goes on. You know what I'm talking about Don't take it lightly because it's a reflection of a murderous heart and it needs to be dealt with God's way. God's way. And then the writers of the Catechism end with a catch-all.

Whatsoever else tends to the destruction of the life of any. Dear ones, this is all encompassing. We are forbidden by this commandment to do anything that tends to, leans toward, leads to the threat of life, the shortening of life, or the devaluing of life as image bearers of God. And again that which applies in our treatment of others also applies to the treatment of ourselves. That last phrase we considered states that what is forbidden in this commandment is whatsoever ends to the destruction of the life of any or tends to it, whatever, tends to the destruction of the life of any.

And that any, it includes ourselves, right? Any. That's us. And so we should not be surprised to also find in this list of things forbidden the immoderate use of meat, drink, labor, and recreations. Now we have to make sure that we don't overlook that important word, immoderate.

It's an immoderate use of these things, but at the same time we must not define immoderate as the next step or the next steps after where I am. We always tend to fall, no matter what it is we're talking about into the ditch on one side or the ditch on the other. But an immoderate use of these things is harmful to our bodies. The right use of these things tends to the life, health, and well-being, right? We saw that in our study of Ecclesiastes.

There was the pursuit of these things that was immoderate by Solomon, And all he could say, vanity, vanity, vanity. But what was the solution? Go home. Eat the good things. Enjoy the labor of your hands.

Enjoy the wife of your youth. God gives you these things to enjoy in moderation, not like he's salt in the beginning to do. So this command demands that we monitor all the things that we do in this world and to judge whether they are life-giving or life-robbing and even to consider if there is some point along the way where a life-giving thing gives way to a life-robbing thing. You see it's not only sin to harm others, but ourselves as well, and also to knowingly place ourselves in harm's way out of a lack of carefulness and due consideration to put ourselves there in that place without this carefulness and consideration. Well, we will speak more of this in the next message when we deal with the positive requirements of this commandment, but I feel I must at least just in passing mention that in order to know what tends to health, to vitality, and to well-being.

We must be students of the word of God and the natural world around us. Okay, we must be students. We must be knowledgeable, and we'll deal with that more to come fourth and finally this commandment forbids the sin of withholding what would benefit and bless others. The commandment forbids, just as the Catechism states, the neglecting or withdrawing the lawful and necessary means of preservation of life. Children, do you remember the parable Christ told that has become, it's called now the parable of the Good Samaritan?

You remember that parable of the Good Samaritan? There was a man traveling on a journey and some thieves by the wayside jumped him and beat him near to death and took what he had. But whose sin did Christ focus on in that parable? Was it those nasty robbers who laid in wait and really wanted to kill him. I mean, they were the murderers, right?

They're the murderers. What sin does Jesus point out? He points out the sin of those who passed by the man in need and did nothing and did nothing." You see those men could say well we're not like those men. Those men were bad. Look at look at look how they left this guy.

Look what they did. It wasn't Jesus' standard, was it? Proverbs 3, 27 and 28 exhorts us, do not withhold good from those to whom it is due. When it is in the power of your hand to do so, do not say to your neighbor, go and come back and tomorrow I will give it when you have it with you. James 2, 15 and 16 give a similar language.

If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food and one of you says to them, depart in peace, be warmed and filled, But you do not give them the things which are needed for the body. What does it profit? In Matthew 25 Christ teaches us what the final judgment will look like. And remember our study in Revelation, we've seen that coming of that final judgment when the small and the great, The righteous and the unrighteous, the sheep and the goats, as Matthew 25 tells us, will stand in judgment. Do you recall the standard that Christ gives in that teaching there in Matthew 25, that standard that he holds before men.

The standard he holds is in regard to the treatment of his people, feeding them, quenching their thirst, clothing them in their nakedness, hosting, taking them in, visiting them in their time of need, as sickment, imprisonment. Jesus declares to those who withheld these benefits and these blessings He declares to them, assuredly I say to you in as much as you did not do it to one of the least of these you did not do it to me." And he tells them to depart, to depart. But not only can we see sin by withholding something, we see it also by removing it, withdrawing it if indeed they have it. And my friend, let me ask you this, what has God withheld from you? Dear Christian, what has God withheld from you?

Needful thing. What needful thing? By His definition. What needful thing? What needful thing has he taken from you?

Our Father in heaven makes his Son rise on the evil and on the good and sends his reign on the just and on the unjust. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. He who did not spare his own son but delivered him up for us all. How shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Galatians 6, 10, Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." You're like, okay, good, household of faith.

That I can do. It's like reaching out to those others that are unloving that Titus 2 1 to 8. Remind them to be ready for every good work. To speak evil of no one. To be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.

So be ready for every good work. And what's the basis? What's the motivation that Paul gives to him here? For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another, you weren't so good yourself when you received benefits and blessings from God. He says, but when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done.

We didn't deserve it, but according to his mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by his grace, we should become heirs, heirs according to the hope of eternal life. And he says, this is a faithful saying, in these things I want you to affirm constantly that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. So as you see, the scriptures are full of exhortations to bring benefit and blessing to our fellow man both in the church and outside the church. This is what it means to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Dear ones, this is to love our neighbors as we have been loved, as we have been loved. Let's not be that Pharisee who would not even wash the feet of Christ and yet look down on and despise that woman who had a bad background but came and washed the feet of Jesus with her own tears. She loved much because she had been forgiven much. Well, I hope you concur with the psalmist that the commandments of our God are exceedingly broad. There may be no Abel's, no Naboth's or Uriah's lying dead and cold by the path you have trodden.

But dear ones, if our hearts were truly revealed, would not the song of the women's song of David be sung of us that we have slain ten thousands. As you consider the breadth of this commandment and in the sinfulness of your own heart I want you to contemplate the one who kept every one of these commandments perfectly, Jesus Christ. He kept the law. He kept it. He never sinned.

Jesus Christ was perfect in his dealings with his Father in heaven and with his neighbor. His perfect keeping of the law, His suffering on behalf of His imperfect people who break that very law, the perfection of disobedience and life. That perfection has satisfied the justice of an offended God. He died for us. And the breadth and the depth of God's mercy and grace are far greater than the breadth and the depth of our breaking of his holy law.

My friend, have your sins been exposed? Then go to Jesus. Go to Jesus. Find forgiveness at the cross. Psalm 32 tells us this.

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity. I acknowledged my sin to you, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Look to Christ, acknowledge your sin, repent of your sin, and believe in him as your only hope of life eternal.

Let's pray. Oh Lord, we thank you for your word. Lord, as we sang earlier, it exposes us. It is like that lamp. And Lord, you use it like you said you would to the prophet to search out all the cracks and crevices of Jerusalem with that light.

Oh, do so in our hearts. And Lord, help us to understand that this law was not given For our righteousness that we might attain unto it. It shows us our sin and points us to Christ So Lord help us to leave with high views of Christ. And may he truly be Lord and savior of everyone here before they leave this place. Lord you can do it.

We pray you would. In Jesus' name, amen. Well, let's take just a couple of moments in meditation before we turn to the communion table.