OK. All right. So turn with me now to page 101. It's just one verse. I'm sure we could all recite it. I'll actually do it in the King James. Exodus 20, verse 13, thou shalt not kill. And this, by the way, is the last sermon in the series on the Sixth Commandment. So we've been dealing, of course, with the law of God for quite a number of months. And Aaron, who's with us, noted that when he was here a year ago, September, I was preaching on blasphemy against it, preaching on blasphemy, which, of course, is Third Commandment. So you see, we've been taking our time as we go through the Ten Commandments. And now today we come to the final sermon, at least in this particular series, on the Sixth Commandment, thou shalt not kill. And so today we want to look at, under this theme, the Sixth Commandment prohibits whatever promotes the destruction of life. The Sixth Commandment prohibits whatever promotes the destruction of life. You know, it has been noted that most of history is concerned with war. Most of history, if you take a course in history, what do you mostly talk about? You talk about wars, right? And of course, this can be war not only against our fellow man, but also war against God. To war against God itself leads to death. And warring against our fellow man often entails hatred and murder. And so if you go, not just to a history book, but if you go into a museum, what do you mostly see? Well, you mostly see portrayals of war, but of course not just in terms of the of the physical wars that we're talking about, but also the spiritual war, because many of the things, many of the displays that we have in museums, many things that history textbooks talk about has to do with warring against God in terms of false worship. Now, notice that we often think of the Ten Commandments in individualistic terms. This is understandable. After all, each commandment is addressed to the individual. Thou, to use the old King James, thou shalt not, in this case, kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal, and so on. Each of us will be held accountable on the day of judgment with regard to the law of God. But at the same time, there is also a corporate application The corporate entity, the institution, will not itself answer on the day of judgment, although it may very well be subject to judgment, even destruction in history. But nevertheless, institutions do not run themselves. They are run by individuals, and individuals act corporately. And so that's what we're going to be focusing on today, not exclusively, but that's what we're going to be focusing on with this title, Murder by Government and Similar Sins. Murder by Government and Similar Sins. So first of all, let's talk about actual murder. So we're going to have three major points today. First of all, Actual murder, then secondly, encouraging violence, and thirdly, encouraging suicide. So, actual murder, encouraging violence, and encouraging suicide. Now, as we think about actual murder, well, one of the things that we might think about in terms of the, in terms of corporate or more than one, would be gang activities. How many times have we heard about gangs, MS-13, or whatever it may happen to be. And so gang activities would certainly be one of the examples that we would have of people getting together and acting corporately in a murderous way. But then as we look at, for example, governments, let's consider unjust war. unjust war. Now, you remember a few weeks ago, we talked about how just war, righteous war, is one of the ways, is one of the times when it's OK to kill somebody. Remember that? The three ways, or the three occasions, self-defense, capital punishment, or just war. But that implies that there is something called unjust war, wicked war, carrying out war in a wicked manner. One example of this would be what we call total war, total war. And for instance, deliberately targeting civilians. We know from our history books about Wounded Knee, South Dakota in 1890, when the US Army not only targeted the Indian braves, the warriors, but also the women and the children. That was wicked. That was wrong. So carrying out war in a wicked manner Seeking to conquer nations for the sake of wealth, that would be an unjust war. And also supporting guerrilla movements and terrorists, as various governments have done throughout history. Supporting guerrilla movements and terrorists, and not just governments, but other institutions. including churches, including denominations that belong, for example, to the World Council of Churches, historically. These would all be examples of unjust war being promoted. We can also talk about genocide, which is seeking to annihilate another people. Now, one example I'm sure that many of us think of is the Holocaust against the Jews in Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 40s. But that's not the only example that we can think of. There was also, for example, in 1932 and 33, the Ukrainians who were deliberately starved to death by Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union. seeking to annihilate another people, such as the Ukrainians being targeted in the 1930s. Now, God authorized a warfare, wiping out an entire people, when it came to the Canaanites. You remember, when the children of Israel came into the Promised Land, God said, wipe out the Canaanites. But that was God's judgment, you see. In that particular instance, God has not authorized us to engage in this type of warfare today, and therefore genocide would be an example of actual murder being promoted. We could also think of abortion and infanticide. China, the People's Republic of China, has had a one-child policy, and the encouragement of abortion. Sometimes the government will pay for abortions, as happens here in this country, in various states, for example. Or also using taxpayer funds to pay for abortions in other countries, which is what our current administration has done. And using the public school system in order to brainwash children in the public schools with regard to these matters. Schools encouraging students to abort their children, even without parental knowledge. These are examples of murder by government. But also, finally, under actual murder, undertaking actions that tend toward the loss of life. And here, I think of various medical experiments. Most noteworthy, I suppose, in terms of the 20th century, in terms of Nazi Germany and Japan. And so we think, well, you know, boo his, of course. We know those are our enemies, the Nazis. and the folks in Japan, but what about the treatment of Negroes without their consent here in this country in the 1930s? Or today, what about vaccinations, many times mandated or coerced that lead to serious health issues, even death? COVID vaccination and some people regard it as the clot shot because of the clotting that has been caused by it. Not in everyone, but nevertheless, there are many questions with regard to such. And so these are examples of murder by government. Now, secondly, encouraging violence. And the first thing I want to note under encouraging violence is rejecting a biblical view of crime and punishment. Rejecting a biblical view of crime and punishment. For example, not holding accountable rioters and other violent criminals. Not holding them accountable. in these mostly peaceful protests, so-called. Not holding them accountable. Many people were murdered on the streets, and many of them, most of them, were not held accountable from four years ago. Or, blaming criminal activity on society, and therefore refusing to punish the one who has who is the criminal, blaming criminal activity on society, because after all, it's society's fault that this person would do this terrible crime. Also, refusing to employ the death penalty when appropriate. We talked about capital punishment as one of those times when it is legitimate to kill somebody. God says this, that Going back to just after the flood, after the Noahic flood, he who sheds man's blood, his blood should be shed. And so refusing to employ the death penalty when appropriate as, among other things, a deterrent to others. Or criminalizing people who protect themselves and others. criminalizing them, bringing charges against them when people try to defend others on, let's say, a subway car. That devalues life and it tends then towards violence. It encourages further violence. Or not punishing abortion. and so rejecting a biblical view of crime and punishment. Secondly, in terms of encouraging violence, deliberately creating chaos in society, deliberately creating chaos in society in order to maintain rule. The end, the goal, of course, is power, including tyrannical power, tyrannical rule. But the method, often, is that of fomenting unrest and strife by means of resentment and the politics of envy, particularly in terms of class and race. And this is what we see in the media, this is what we see in the educational institutions, the universities, and in many ways this is what we see in the government as well. deliberately creating chaos, deliberately stirring things up in order to maintain rule and power and authority. But of course, in stirring things up, you create all kinds of hurt, all kinds of violence, and sometimes death as well. In this regard, we could also look at using propaganda to promote racial hatred, including the use of race baiting. About 11 years ago, my wife and I attended a funeral. I won't tell you what church. I won't tell you the minister. If you ask me later, I'll tell you. I'm not going to tell it now in the sermon. I'll be happy to tell you later. But one of the churches in this general area. 11 years ago, we attended it. There was some racial unrest in the society right that very week. And my dear wife said, well, isn't that going to come up? I said, oh, no, dear. It's a funeral. It's a funeral, right? No one would, they, you know. Well, as is often the case, she was right and I was wrong. Here we are in an auditorium, a sanctuary of probably 300 people or so. And we were the only whites there. and the minister engaged in race baiting right in front of us. Now, of course, he did say, well, not all whites are like that. And you can imagine how uncomfortable that was. Not physical, we didn't expect any physical violence against us. But how inappropriate, on so many levels, how inappropriate. But this is what many, or this is what at least some ministers in Atlanta do, and you hear it. They stir up racial strife, they engage in race baiting, and my dear wife and I got to hear it in person at that funeral. Now historically, there have been pictures painted of blacks, in degraded and unflattering ways. During World War II, Japanese, for example, were pictured in a stereotypical way. You could even argue in World War I some of the British propaganda against the Huns, against the Germans. There are museums that feature art in which people of one race are being depicted as being murdered, including decapitated. And in other words, to celebrate it, basically. But you see, these paintings, in recent times, not that of whites murdering blacks, but of blacks murdering whites. If you go to the North Carolina Museum of Art, you can see a picture of a black woman having carved the head off of a white woman. That's government, your tax dollars at work. And this is another example of murder by government. but not just then encouraging violence, but also encouraging suicide. Various institutions today are encouraging euthanasia, the so-called good death, and suicide. We have this in the entertainment media, in the news media, in schools, in universities, in professional organizations, and in the government. Certainly, we've had this in the Netherlands and Canada. And just recently, now, the British Parliament encouraging suicide. This again is an example of the spirit of murdering others, being promoted by government. Also, not just personal suicide, but societal suicide, degrading music and pop culture. being employed. Societal decay inevitably leads to death. It leads to death of society, it leads to death of individuals. Another example of encouraging suicide is discouraging the propagation of humanity. Do you know what ZPG stands for? Zero Population Growth, the ZPG movement. You also have Greenland women, who in the 1960s were forced by the Danish government to employ contraception. These are examples of this type of thought. There was often an alarmism over climate change, which leads people today being told not to have children. because of alarmism over climate change or concern over population. These concerns reject the biblical call to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. God is a God of life. It's the devil who is not only the liar but the murderer from the beginning. God is a God of life. Jesus calls us to life more abundant and free. These concerns reject the biblical call from Genesis 1 to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and do not reflect a faith-based view of creation. God has told us to celebrate life by means of fruitfulness. God will not allow the earth to become overpopulated. It is his world and he knows what he is doing. but also discouraging the propagation of your people or your tribe, if you will. Today, we are concerned about the preservation of animal species and lament their loss, whether it be the snail dart or whatever it may happen to be. But the various families, clans, tribes, ethnoi, people groups, races, if you will, reflect a wondrous diversity which God has brought about from that one pair of Adam and Eve. God has brought about this wonderful diversity of humanity. Now sometimes families, clans, tribes have been destroyed just like we mentioned the Canaanites by means of divine judgment. But generally speaking, these various families, clans, tribes, peoples, races are not to disappear, but they are to be redeemed. That's what we just sang about from Psalm 45. That's what we just sang about, is it not, from Psalm 45. in terms of the great marriage feast of the Lamb. And it was, did you notice, did you recognize this? It says that all these nations, all these nations will come. In verse 12, and the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift. The rich among the people will seek your favor. instead verse 16 instead of your father shall be your sons whom you shall make princess and all the earth I'll make your name to be remembered in all generations therefore the people shall praise you forever and ever and my friends that's exactly what we read from Revelation 21 and 22 did we not where all of the nations at the judgment are to bring the nations the people groups are to bring their particular gifts and present them to the king. It would be horrible, of course, would it not, to call for the disappearance of any race or people group. That would be horrible, wouldn't it? If I said, let's let all the blacks disappear, that would not be good, would it? No one here would support that. But today, And there may be some in the past that have had that sort of sentiment. But today we are also being subject to calls, let's be clear, with regard to the white race. University professors calling for white genocide. New York Times editor saying that whites will go extinct soon and, quote, cancel white people. It's wrong to call for the abolition or the annihilation of any race, of blacks, of the red man, of Asians, or of whites. This is wrong. This is a spirit of death. And so by way of application then today, Three points. Number one, stop putting such tyrannical and murderous politicians into power, including those who support Planned Parenthood, which was designed specifically as a form of eugenics. It was designed specifically by Margaret Sanger 100 years ago in order to restrict the black race. Stop putting politicians into power that support with your tax money Planned Parenthood and other such organizations. Number two, pray. Pray. Plead with the Lord for deliverance from such wicked rulers. We'll sing in a few moments from Psalm 144. And in Psalm 144, In verse 14, we read that there be no breaking in or going out, that there be no outcry in our streets. Pray that that would be true. Oh, I pray, let us pray that that would be true of Atlanta, that there be no more outcry in the streets and that there not be this strife that we see. Pray that God would do it. And finally, witness regarding the kingdom. Remember that Satan is the liar and the murderer from the beginning. And in this spiritual battle, witness to the truth of the gospel. Testify that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. proclaim that only in Jesus is there deliverance from murderous deeds and thoughts. What did Jesus say in Matthew 5? It's the hatred. That's where the murder comes from. When you say, well, don't kill anybody, that's, yeah, don't actually kill somebody, but don't murder that person in your heart. Don't hate that person is what Jesus was saying. And proclaim then that in Jesus there is deliverance from murderous thoughts and deeds. And in doing so, note the irony. For you see, it took a murder victim to save us. It took a murder victim to save us. The martyrs are redeemed not on the basis of their own works, they're redeemed on the basis of Jesus's blood. And murderers, such as the one who became the Apostle Paul, murderers can also experience salvation through Jesus's blood. Death is a great enemy, but my friends, it is defeated. by Him who is life itself, and by Him who calls us to implement in every aspect of this world and of our lives this very clear truth, thou shalt not kill. Amen. Will you please stand for prayer? And father, we pray that by Holy Spirit would indeed work graciously and powerfully in our lives and Lord in the life of this congregation and Lord in the life of our city. We pray, oh God. That life would flow abundantly. Throughout this city, oh Lord, we pray. That there be no more outcry or strife. We long for that day. Father, we know that that day will only come when the one who is the prince of peace and the one who is the way, the truth and the life is recognized for who he is. And so, oh, God, we pray that we would see that happen even in our own day. Oh, God, oh, God, pour out by Holy Spirit. Oh, God, have mercy upon us, we pray. through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. Please turn to Psalm 144, Selection D. O God, in praise to you, 144, Selection D.