Matthew 5:21-26

Order of Service

• Call to Worship — Psalm 136:1-3
• Hymn — Great Is Thy Faithfulness (#32)
• Prayer of Invocation
• Larger Catechism Reading — Question on the Sixth Commandment
• Hymn — Blessed Be the Tie That Binds (#359)
• Prayer of Confession
• Pastoral Prayer
• Scripture Reading — Matthew 5:21-26
• Sermon
• Hymn — More Love to Thee, O Christ (#649)
• Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14

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Sermon Title: Murder from the Inside Out

Scripture: Matthew 5:21-26

I. Murder with the Heart

A. Jesus unpacks the sixth commandment beyond the outward act of killing

1. The Pharisees only condemned what the pagan world already condemned — outward murder
2. Their "counter-cultural" stance was no counter-culture at all; they mirrored the culture around them
3. Jesus applies the same word for judgment (krisis) to anger itself as to the act of murder

B. Sin is a matter of the heart and mind, not merely outward action

1. The Hebrew word for heart (lev) is interchangeable with the mind, will, affections, and desires
2. Proverbs presents the principle: you are what you contemplate, what you mull over, what you set your mind on
3. Social media and 24-hour news cycles deliberately cultivate and exploit anger — bending minds toward constant rage

C. The antidote: set the mind on that which is good

1. Philippians 4:8-9 — think on what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable
2. Exodus 34:6 — God defines himself as slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love
3. Jonathan Edwards: the angry, wrathful man is the most miserable sort of man, always in a fret, never at peace

II. Murder with the Tongue

A. Jesus moves from the internal heart to the outward tongue in a Hebrew parallelism of heightening

1. Raca — contempt for someone's mind; calling someone a stupid idiot
2. "You fool" — contempt for someone's character; calling someone a scoundrel or worthless

B. Contemptuous speech is liable to the gehenna of fire — God's fiery judgment

1. Gehenna was the smoldering rubbish heap in the valley outside Jerusalem, a metaphor for hell
2. Proverbs 22:24-25 — make no friendship with an angry man lest you learn his ways and be ensnared

C. Practical counsel: watch the tongue like a hawk

1. James: bridle the tongue and you bridle the whole body; it is a fire that destroys self and others
2. Do not confront others when anger is still stirring — sleep on it, seek counsel, then go in peace
3. Cultivate godly silence; speak that which is lovely even in disagreement

III. Murder with the Church

A. Unresolved strife between covenant members corrupts corporate worship

1. Jesus commands: leave your gift at the altar, be reconciled to your brother first, then come and worship
2. 1 Corinthians 11:29-30 — Paul connects sickness and death in Corinth to division and dishonor in the assembly
3. Vertical worship is inseparably connected to horizontal relationships within the body

B. The weaker or offended brother is not to be dismissed

1. 1 Corinthians 12:22-23 — the seemingly weaker parts of the body are indispensable and deserve greater honor
2. To think on that which is lovely is to think on the bride of Christ — filthy sinners made pure by the blood of the Lamb

C. You cannot love the Head while hating the body

1. Division in the body dishonors Christ the Head and brings curse rather than blessing in worship
2. An individualistic evangelical church culture largely ignores this truth

IV. Murder with the Enemy

A. Jesus moves from strife within the covenant body to strife with those outside it

1. A disciple is envisioned as having an adversary taking him to court over an unpaid debt
2. Jesus speaks practically in the language of Proverbs — cause and effect consequences in a fallen world

B. Make peace with your adversary before reaching the judge

1. The courts of a fallen world are harsh and do not guarantee justice even in an airtight case
2. 2 Samuel 24:14 — David: let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is great; do not fall into the hand of man
3. Romans 12:18 — so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people

V. The Hope of the Passage — Christ Outside the Gate

A. The gehenna of fire, though terrifying, points to the gospel

1. Gehenna was also the valley of Hinnom, where worshipers of Molech sacrificed children — a reason for the Babylonian exile
2. After the exile it became the burning refuse heap outside the city gate

B. Christ was burned in that valley so that we would not be

1. Hebrews 13:10-12 — Jesus suffered outside the gate to sanctify the people through his own blood
2. The very valley reserved for murderous hearts is where Christ was consumed on our behalf

C. The response: think on and speak of Christ

1. Set free from gehenna, believers can now go in the power of the Spirit
2. Think on and speak Christ often — and you will be conformed into the image of the God who is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love