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Matthew 5:17-20 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Our text today continues our study of the relationship between the law and the gospel, which we launched out on from a study of the Sermon on the Mount.
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In Matthew chapter 5, verses 17 through 20, you've heard this a few times if you've been with us.
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Matthew records Jesus saying, do not think that I've come to abolish the law of the prophets.
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I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.
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For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot will pass from the law until all is accomplished.
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Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.
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But whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
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For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
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And beloved, I want us to be found as a church of people who will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
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Those who are keepers and teachers of the law.
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Those who have a righteousness found in Christ that exceeds that of the Pharisees.
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And this text has caused us to ask the very important question, what is the relationship between the Old Testament law and the gospel of Jesus Christ?
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And we have answered that question in multiple ways and at multiple times over the past weeks with two answers.
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First, the Old Testament law is meant to bring us to Jesus Christ.
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Either in the civil and ceremonial pointing us to our need of this greater sacrifice, a greater king to rule over us.
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Or in the moral to show us a great failure of keeping God's standard.
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The Old Testament law serves as our tutor, fixing for us the holy requirement of God.
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Being utterly incapable of keeping such a law without faltering, the law creates for us a problem to drive us to the solution in the personal work of Jesus Christ.
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By believing that Jesus is the Son of God, that He perfectly kept the law.
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That He died on the cross in your stead.
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And that He was raised from the dead, defeating sin and death on your behalf.
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You can participate in what Martin Luther called the great exchange.
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Your sin and the just penalty for it, taken from you by Jesus and His perfect law keeping given to you.
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The Old Testament law begs the question, have I kept God's standard?
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This question is rightly answered by each and every one of us with an emphatic no.
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If you have yet to recognize your moral failing before a most just God,
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I pray this morning that you will see your problem in the law and fly to Christ as the remedy.
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It is often asked in churches of our day, if you were to die today and stand before God in judgment and be asked,
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why should I let you into my heaven?
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How would you respond?
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And they're looking for you to say something like, well, I've placed my faith in Jesus.
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And I can tell you that we would all fall on our face before a most holy God and cry out that we are unworthy.
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The law does this for us, presents us with this most holy God and shows us our failure in pleasing Him.
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But praise be to God, beloved, that the gospel tells us that it is Jesus that will come to our defense.
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We will not need to utter a word.
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He will come beside us and He will call us His own.
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He will say, this one, this one is mine.
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I lived and died for his or her benefit.
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It is because of the defense of Jesus Christ that we are justified before God, our sins forgiven and our righteousness declared.
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Secondly, having been set free from the burden of it, from the problem of the Old Testament law,
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the Old Testament law, the moral component of it, continues to serve as a guide for how our lives might please God.
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So, having been accepted by God in the perfect righteousness of Jesus,
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we are gratefully obedient to the commands of God for our good and for His glory.
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And you do not want to mess that order up.
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You do not want to think for a moment, especially as we take some time to consider God's commands to us,
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that in keeping God's commands, you will be accepted.
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If you think in this way, you are utterly doomed because you will not keep God's commands at God's standard.
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The gospel says the very opposite.
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It says you are accepted.
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You are in Christ.
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Therefore, now obey.
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I have hoped to show you over the past weeks, which I think we will see in great clarity today,
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how the Ten Commandments, which are often called the Decalogue,
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serves as an outline for all of God's moral and therefore perpetual commandments.
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Most of us are very familiar with the Ten Commandments,
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but I fear we too readily run them as a checklist
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and come out in our own estimation far better law keepers than we actually are.
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So, join me in setting your mind on a careful consideration of the 5th, 6th, and 7th commandments.
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If you have yet to place saving faith in Jesus Christ,
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I pray that you will see your need of Him.
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If you have placed saving faith in Jesus Christ,
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I pray that you will be given cause to praise Him for His abounding grace to you
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and that your praise will spill over into grateful obedience.
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Our text for today is Exodus chapter 20, verses 12 through 14.
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Beloved, this is God's Word to us.
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It was written for His glory and our good.
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We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
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Honor your father and your mother,
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that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
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You shall not murder.
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You shall not commit adultery.
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Now, today I want to take the commandments out of order.
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Dealing briefly with the 6th and 7th commandments
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and then spending the bulk of our time on the 5th commandment.
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I'm going to do this both for the sake of time
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and because we'll resume our study of the Sermon on the Mount.
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Jesus brings up both the 6th and 7th commandments,
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brings clarity to the people, self-righteous people of His day,
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what those commandments mean.
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So we're going to get to consider them much more fully at that time.
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But in brief, let's look first at the 6th commandment.
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You shall not murder.
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Now, it is very tempting to believe that none of us have transgressed this commandment.
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At least I think.
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I don't know each and every one of you.
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But that we very quickly are apt to go,
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Oh, I've never murdered anybody.
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This is not a crime that I am guilty of.
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But, oh, have we murdered.
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The Westminster Larger Catechism,
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which you're going to see some of this today.
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And if you don't like it, I apologize.
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I want you to see, though, as they're pulling together the moral law systematically,
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these are some of the most exhaustive and succinct statements
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that are out there on what these commands mean.
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So if you want to look on the back of your bulletin
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and follow along with me,
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I would encourage you simply typing into Google,
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Westminster Larger Catechism,
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and you'll find all the scripture proofs for this
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and wrestle with it and work it out yourself.
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I affirm these statements without reservation.
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Question 135 says,
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What are the duties required in the 6th commandment?
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And they write,
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The duties required in the 6th commandment are
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all careful studies and lawful endeavors
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to preserve the life of ourselves and others,
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resisting all thoughts and purposes,
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subduing all passions and avoiding all occasions,
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temptations and practices,
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which tend to the unjust taking away the life of any.
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By just defense thereof against violence,
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patient bearing of the hand of God,
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quietness of mind,
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cheerfulness of spirit,
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a sober use of meat,
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drink,
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physic,
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which means medicine,
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sleep,
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labor,
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and recreation,
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by charitable thoughts,
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love,
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compassion,
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meekness,
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gentleness,
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kindness,
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peaceable,
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mild,
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and courteous speeches and behavior,
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forbearing readiness to be reconciled,
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patient bearing and forgiving of injuries,
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and requiting good for evil,
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comforting and suckering the distressed,
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and protecting and defending the innocent.
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Now the Westminster Divines have pulled together a multitude at each of these commas,
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essentially scripture,
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to say these very things to us.
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And I'll admit that I'm still wrapping my mind around the sober use of meat
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and the direct application to this command.
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But,
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if we really take a look at what the Bible requires of us from the sixth commandment,
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it's not so easy to check the box,
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is it?
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Let's look further at what sins are forbidden in the sixth commandment.
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The Westminster Divines wrote,
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the sins forbidden in the sixth commandment are,
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all taking away the life of ourselves or others,
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except in case of public justice,
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lawful war,
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or necessary defense,
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the neglecting or withdrawing the lawful and necessary means of preservation of life,
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so withholding things that keep people alive,
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sinful anger,
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here it comes,
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hatred,
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envy,
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desire of revenge,
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all excessive passions,
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distracting cares,
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here's the meat thing again,
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a moderate use of meat,
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drink,
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labor,
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and recreations,
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provoking words,
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oppression,
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quarreling,
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striking,
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wounding,
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and whatsoever else tends to destruction of the life of any.
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We are transgressors of this law.
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Jesus drives this point in Matthew chapter 5,
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and I think does so on the particular matter that we are most often guilty of.
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Beginning in verse 21,
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He says,
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You have heard that it was said to those of old,
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You shall not murder,
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and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.
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But I say to you,
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that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.
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Whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council,
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and whoever says,
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You fool,
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will be liable to the hell of fire.
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You see what Jesus is doing here is He's making this direct connection.
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If you harbor anger in your heart,
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you are in your heart a murderer.
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We are each and every one of us guilty of this.
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Many of us have transgressed this law this morning.
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Many of you this morning killed your roommate,
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or your children,
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or your spouse
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in your heart.
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Some of you may have killed someone who pulled out in front of you on the way here
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in your heart.
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And we are guilty in this way before our most holy God.
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The seventh commandment.
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You shall not commit adultery.
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Pray for Caleb Waters,
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who volunteered to preach the text for Matthew 5 on this matter.
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Once again,
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a commandment that one can be likely to say they've kept.
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Either you may not be married,
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or you're married,
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and you,
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by your estimation,
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have been faithful to your wife or to your husband.
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But this commandment means so much more than might be understood on the surface.
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We must be students of our Bible,
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the totality of it,
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to rightly see and understand
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what's both required and forbidden in this commandment.
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So again,
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let me read to you.
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I hope you don't mind these big summaries.
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Question 138.
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What are the duties required in the seventh commandment?
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The duties required in the seventh commandment are
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chastity in body,
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mind,
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affections,
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words,
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and behavior,
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and the presence of it in ourselves and others.
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Watchfulness over the eyes and all the senses.
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Temperance,
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keeping of chaste company,
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modesty in apparel,
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marriage by those that have not the gift of continency,
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which is celibacy.
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Conjugal love and cohabitation,
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diligent labor in our callings,
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shunning all occasions of unclumeliness,
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and resisting temptations thereunto,
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which is a fantastic word.
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Let's look at what's forbidden.
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The sins forbidden in the seventh commandment,
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besides the neglect of the duties required.
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So,
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all those things just mentioned,
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the neglect of them are
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adultery,
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fornication,
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rape,
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incest,
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sodomy,
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and all unnatural lusts.
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All unclean,
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imaginations,
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gentlemen,
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thoughts,
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purposes,
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and affections.
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All corrupt or filthy communications,
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or listening thereunto.
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Wanton looks,
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impudent or light behavior,
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immodest apparel,
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prohibiting of lawful,
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and dispensing with unlawful marriages.
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Allowing,
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tolerating,
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keeping of stews,
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which I'm pretty sure was a Puritan word for a prostitute.
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I'm really still working that out,
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but I think it's short for steward,
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which would have been used as a slang term,
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but if you can figure that out,
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let me know.
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They're not talking about soup,
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in this case.
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That I'm confident of.
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I think this is what they mean,
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because,
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it goes on to say,
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keeping of stews,
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and resorting to them.
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Entangling vows of single life,
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making a vow and not keeping it.
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Undue delay of marriage.
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Having more wives or husbands than one at the same time.
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Unjust divorce or desertion.
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Idleness,
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gluttony,
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drunkenness,
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unchaste company,
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lascivious songs,
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books,
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pictures,
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dancings,
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stage plays.
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They're not saying they're against dancing,
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but this particular type of dancing and stage plays,
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and we certainly could add in our day,
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movies and television,
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and all other provocations to,
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or acts of uncleanness,
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either in ourselves or others.
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Once again,
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here is not just a command for the men in the room,
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but for men and women alike.
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We have shown ourselves,
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in our hearts at least,
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to be adulterers.
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Matthew chapter 5,
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verse 27 and 28,
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Jesus says,
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You have heard that it was said,
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You shall not commit adultery,
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but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent
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has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
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Praise the Lord for the gospel of Jesus Christ,
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for our failing in keeping such a law.
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The fifth commandment,
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and we'll spend a bit more time here.
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Honor your father and your mother,
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that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
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Let's consider first,
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who this command is for.
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We are very quick to think that it is merely for children,
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but it means much more than just the command,
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which it does include,
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but for children to obey their parents.
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Again,
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I'm going to pick up a little bit of language from the Westminster Confession,
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and I want you to hear two words,
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and then rightly understand them.
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And those two words are,
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superiors and inferiors.
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And typically when we think of those words,
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the way we use them is in terms of quality.
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Like,
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I am better than you because I'm your superior,
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and it can mean that.
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But the words mean a bit more,
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and even their primary meaning is a bit different.
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So,
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the idea of a superior is one who is higher in rank,
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status,
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or quality,
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the way we typically think of it.
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And the inferior is one who is lower in rank,
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status,
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or quality.
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So,
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I am the superior to my sons who are the inferiors,
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as the Westminster Divines think about this kind of thing.
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Okay,
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so don't get confused by those words and what they mean.
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So,
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question 124,
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you don't have this one.
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I'm going to touch these very briefly.
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So,
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they ask,
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who are meant?
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Who are meant by father and mother in the fifth commandment?
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We want to go father and mother,
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right?
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Yes,
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but.
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Their answer is,
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by father and mother in the fifth commandment,
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are meant not only natural parents,
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but all superiors in age and gifts,
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especially such as,
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by God's ordinance,
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are over us in place of authority,
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whether in family,
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church,
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or commonwealth,
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in the governing of the place in which we live.
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It has a broader meaning.
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Let me just show you a few places where this father-to-son type of language is used.
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I think the family is a given.
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I think we can all be on board with that one and not hesitate on it.
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But,
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let's look at an example for the church.
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1 Corinthians chapter 4,
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in verse 14 and following,
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Paul writes,
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I do not write these things to make you ashamed,
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but to admonish you as my beloved children.
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So,
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here he is establishing himself as the superior to the Corinthian church's inferiority.
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Verse 15,
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For though you have countless guides in Christ,
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you do not have many fathers.
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For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
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I urge you then be imitators of me.
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He's saying,
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honor me by imitating me.
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That is why I sent you Timothy,
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my beloved and faithful child in the Lord.
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What Paul is communicating is he's going to model for you
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what it looks like to honor your father
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in this particular setting.
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To remind you,
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it goes on to say in verse 17,
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to remind you of my ways in Christ,
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as I teach them everywhere in every church.
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And Paul does this repeatedly in other places as well.
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He calls Timothy,
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his son,
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in many spots,
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as well as Titus.
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Titus chapter 1 verse 4,
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the first part of it,
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to Titus,
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my true child in a common faith.
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And he says this of Onesimus and Philemon 10,
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I appeal to you for my child,
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O Nesimus,
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whose father I became in my imprisonment.
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And so you see how the fifth commandment can apply
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in the setting of the church,
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in the family of God.
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Now it also applies in the commonwealth,
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in our very governing.
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There's been a controversy this week
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about Romans chapter 13,
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you may be aware of.
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Romans chapter 13,
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verse 1 and 2.
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Further on into the chapter,
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but let me read verse 1 and 2 for you.
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Paul writes,
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let every person be subject
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to the governing authorities.
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For there is no authority except from God,
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and those that exist have been instituted by God.
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Therefore,
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whoever resists the authorities,
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resists what God has appointed,
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and those who resist will incur judgment.
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Do you hear the obey,
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honor your father and your mother,
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that it may go well with you?
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We don't want to incur the judgment
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of the authorities.
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Now if you're not aware of the controversy
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that I mentioned,
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Jeff Sessions, our Attorney General,
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used this text to defend dividing up
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immigrant parents from their children,
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and said,
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you should just obey,
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because we're the government.
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That's the summation of what he had to say,
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which I wholeheartedly reject.
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Russell Moore,
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who I'm just,
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one of the reasons I'm so proud
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to be a Southern Baptist,
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is Russell Moore,
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who's the president of the Ethics
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and Religious Liberty Commission,
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was interviewed on CNN,
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and he said this to that response.
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He said,
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we all have moments
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where we can spend a little more time
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in Sunday school,
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and this is one of those moments
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for the Department of Justice.
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He went on to talk about
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what is it that Paul is really trying to say.
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Paul is not just unilaterally saying
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if the government says it,
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it is right and it is good,
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but rather,
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God places governments
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for the reason
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to commend that which is good
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and to punish that which is evil.
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We have to get in a very tough spot
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to say if the government says it,
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then it should go, right?
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Because now suddenly,
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North Korea is the most righteous country
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because they listen to whatever
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the dear leader says.
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May it never be.
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God does not grant a waiver
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to governing officials
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simply because they are government officials.
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This is not the way of things, right?
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We place God's authority
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and God's Word over and above.
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They are subject to it.
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And therefore,
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there will be times, right,
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when God's church
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will reject the governing of our nation
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in order to stay obedient to our Lord.
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And this is good.
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The command says that
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honoring your superiors
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when they are rightly living,
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when they are rightly ordering
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over the top of you
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is a good thing
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and is not just for the inferior
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to the superior
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because there's a promise of good,
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there also is this implication
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of expectations for superiors, right?
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They must then lead well, right?
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They must command well.
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An example of this
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is the command given to parents
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in Deuteronomy 6,
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verse 5 and following.
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You shall love the Lord your God
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with all your heart
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and with all your soul
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and with all your might.
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This is this great summation
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of the first four commandments.
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And these words that I command you today
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shall be on your heart.
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You shall teach them diligently
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to your children
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and shall talk of them
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when you sit in your house
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and when you walk by the way
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and when you lie down
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and when you rise.
25:52
There's a great charge
25:54
given to superiors
25:56
to care very carefully
25:58
for those put under their care.
26:03
So, the Westminster Larger Catechism
26:05
asks the question,
26:06
question 125,
26:08
why are superiors styled
26:10
father and mother?
26:13
And this is their answer.
26:15
Superiors are styled
26:16
father and mother
26:17
both to teach them
26:19
in all duties
26:20
towards their inferiors
26:22
like natural parents
26:24
to express love
26:25
and tenderness
26:27
to them.
26:28
To have those
26:30
who are in positions
26:31
of superiority
26:32
to think in terms of
26:34
the love
26:36
and the tenderness
26:37
that we offer
26:37
to our very own children.
26:41
According to their
26:42
several relations
26:43
and to work inferiors
26:44
to a greater willingness
26:46
and cheerfulness
26:48
and performing their duties
26:49
to their superiors
26:51
as to their parents.
26:53
To see that those
26:54
who are placed over us
26:56
when rightly exercising
26:58
their authority
26:59
love us,
27:01
care for us,
27:03
intend good for us,
27:04
so that we would see them
27:06
as we would see
27:08
our parents.
27:10
Ephesians chapter 6
27:11
and verse 4.
27:14
Paul gives both
27:16
a positive
27:17
and a negative
27:18
exhortation
27:20
to fathers here.
27:22
He says,
27:22
fathers,
27:22
do not provoke
27:23
your children
27:24
to anger,
27:26
but bring them up
27:28
in the discipline
27:28
and instruction
27:30
of the Lord.
27:32
So there's a
27:32
positive exhortation,
27:34
instruction and discipline
27:36
of the Lord,
27:37
which does not
27:38
just mean
27:39
consistent with
27:40
His commands,
27:41
although it means that,
27:42
but also
27:43
consistent
27:44
with His character.
27:47
We are to lovingly
27:49
train and teach
27:51
our children
27:52
and all others
27:54
place under our
27:55
authority.
27:57
We are meant to
27:58
guide them
27:58
with great care
28:00
in the same way
28:01
that God
28:01
does with us.
28:03
Isn't He so
28:04
unceasingly
28:06
patient
28:07
in bringing about
28:07
correction
28:08
in our lives?
28:10
Fathers were meant
28:11
to parent
28:12
our children.
28:14
Our employees,
28:15
don't tell them
28:16
that you're
28:16
their father.
28:18
We're meant
28:18
to be instructing
28:19
and guiding
28:20
and leading
28:21
in this very way
28:22
in the discipline
28:24
and instruction
28:24
of the Lord.
28:26
But there's a
28:27
negative exhortation
28:28
at the beginning
28:28
of the verse as well.
28:29
Do not provoke
28:30
your children
28:32
to anger.
28:33
And it suggests
28:34
a repeated
28:36
ongoing pattern
28:38
of treatment
28:39
because certainly
28:39
fathers,
28:40
don't our children
28:41
sometimes get angry
28:42
with us
28:43
when they are
28:43
disciplined
28:44
or instructed.
28:46
They would not
28:47
be human
28:48
if they did not.
28:50
But here,
28:50
this ongoing
28:52
thing
28:52
that causes
28:54
a deep-seated
28:56
resentment
28:56
for the discipline
28:58
and the instruction
28:59
of the father.
29:00
That causes
29:01
our children
29:02
to not want
29:02
to hear anything
29:03
we have to say
29:05
because of the way
29:06
that we say it.
29:09
So we must be
29:10
careful
29:11
in this matter.
29:12
And I want to give you
29:13
just a few
29:14
guidelines
29:15
because it is
29:16
Father's Day
29:16
after all.
29:19
Some ways
29:20
in which
29:21
we provoke
29:23
our children
29:23
to anger.
29:25
And really briefly,
29:26
there's eight of them
29:26
but I'm going to run
29:27
them fast.
29:30
First,
29:31
overprotection.
29:34
Overprotection.
29:34
Boy,
29:34
do we live in a day
29:35
where parents
29:36
overprotect
29:37
their children.
29:38
We want to put guidelines.
29:40
We want to be instructive.
29:42
No one wants
29:42
their child
29:43
being run over
29:43
by a car
29:44
but our children
29:45
also need a chance
29:46
to make some mistakes
29:48
and to stretch
29:49
their wings
29:49
just a little bit.
29:52
My eight-year-old
29:53
climbs the tree
29:54
in our front yard
29:55
much higher
29:56
than I am comfortable with.
30:00
But I don't want
30:01
to keep him
30:01
on the ground.
30:02
Secondly,
30:06
favoritism.
30:08
Some of you
30:08
may have experienced
30:09
this as children.
30:11
I'm thankful
30:11
that I did not.
30:12
My parents never did
30:13
any of these things.
30:15
But showing
30:16
greater joy,
30:19
celebrating more
30:21
one child
30:22
over another.
30:23
Our children
30:23
need to know
30:24
that in their uniqueness
30:25
they are extremely
30:26
special to us.
30:28
Similarly,
30:28
number three,
30:29
comparing.
30:29
Comparing one child
30:31
to another child.
30:32
Why can't you be
30:33
more like your
30:34
brother
30:35
or like your
30:36
sister?
30:37
Or comparing them
30:38
to other
30:38
children.
30:40
Our children
30:41
are uniquely
30:43
made.
30:43
They are
30:44
wonderfully
30:45
created
30:45
and they are
30:46
vastly different
30:47
from one another.
30:49
Praise God.
30:50
And there are
30:50
some children
30:51
that are just
30:52
cooler than
30:52
other children
30:53
but we don't
30:54
want them
30:54
to know that.
30:55
They need to be
30:58
entirely unaware
30:59
of this
31:00
in their
31:01
upbringing
31:02
and we need
31:02
to foster
31:03
a great deal
31:04
of expectation
31:04
for them
31:05
but also
31:06
a great deal
31:06
of care
31:07
as we deal
31:08
with their
31:08
unique
31:08
personalities
31:10
and challenges.
31:12
Fourth,
31:13
and similarly,
31:14
pushing achievement
31:15
beyond reason.
31:18
We have done
31:18
very little
31:19
organized sports
31:20
with our boys
31:21
by design.
31:23
It is astounding
31:24
to me
31:25
how much
31:26
some five-year-olds
31:27
get yelled at
31:28
on a field.
31:30
It is just
31:30
tragic
31:31
to see
31:32
already
31:33
young boys
31:35
trying to
31:35
seek the
31:36
favor of
31:37
their father
31:38
by performing
31:39
on a field.
31:40
It is such
31:41
a shame.
31:43
Fifthly,
31:44
discouragement.
31:45
Again,
31:46
speaking in a way
31:47
that's condescending
31:48
to our children,
31:49
telling them
31:49
that they don't
31:50
measure up.
31:51
We're not talking
31:51
about God's
31:51
standard here
31:52
but our own
31:53
sinful desire
31:54
for them
31:55
that we might
31:56
look good
31:56
because our
31:57
children make
31:58
us look
31:58
good.
32:01
Six,
32:02
failure to
32:03
sacrifice.
32:05
Failure to
32:05
give our lives
32:06
for the sake
32:07
of theirs
32:07
that they would
32:08
know that
32:08
they are loved
32:09
in a sacrificial
32:10
way.
32:12
We give of
32:12
our time,
32:13
we give our
32:13
attention
32:14
to our children.
32:17
Seventh,
32:18
conditioned
32:19
love.
32:21
I think a lot
32:21
of us have
32:22
feelings of
32:23
unconditional love
32:24
toward our
32:24
children but
32:25
sometimes we
32:25
express it in
32:26
a way that's
32:28
conditioned.
32:29
I think we
32:29
are all,
32:30
each of us,
32:31
guilty of saying
32:31
to one another
32:32
and to those
32:33
of us who have
32:34
children,
32:34
to our kids,
32:35
I love you
32:36
but here's
32:39
the behavior I
32:40
need you to
32:41
correct.
32:42
And what we
32:42
are expressing
32:43
is I love
32:45
you as long
32:45
as you correct
32:46
this behavior.
32:47
We don't want
32:48
to say these
32:48
kinds of things
32:49
to our
32:49
children.
32:50
Sam and I
32:51
labor,
32:51
and we don't
32:52
always do this
32:52
perfectly,
32:53
but labor to
32:53
say to our
32:53
kids,
32:54
I love you
32:56
and that's
32:57
why.
32:58
I love you
32:59
and therefore
33:00
you need to
33:01
be obedient.
33:02
I love you
33:03
so stop
33:04
sticking that
33:05
thing in a
33:05
light socket.
33:07
I love you
33:09
so you need
33:09
to eat the
33:10
green beans.
33:12
Not I love
33:13
you but you
33:14
need to eat
33:14
your green
33:15
beans.
33:16
And eighth
33:16
and finally,
33:17
and I
33:17
think this
33:18
goes without
33:18
saying,
33:20
but we do
33:20
want to be
33:20
careful as
33:21
parents that
33:22
we avoid
33:23
all forms of
33:24
physical or
33:25
verbal abuse.
33:27
These are
33:27
things,
33:28
dads,
33:29
that are going
33:29
to prompt
33:29
our children
33:30
to anger.
33:31
We want to
33:31
pick up the
33:32
qualities of
33:33
Christ in
33:35
disciplining our
33:36
children and
33:36
they need to
33:37
be,
33:37
they need to
33:38
be corrected
33:39
but we do so
33:40
with a great
33:40
deal of grace
33:42
and understanding
33:43
as those who
33:44
get that we're
33:45
the greatest of
33:46
sinners and
33:47
trying to
33:47
help our
33:47
children see
33:48
their need
33:48
for Christ.
33:50
This is on
33:51
the front of
33:51
your bulletin,
33:52
John Flavel,
33:54
17th century
33:55
English pastor
33:56
wrote,
33:58
if you neglect
33:59
to instruct
33:59
your children
34:00
in the way
34:01
of holiness,
34:02
will the devil
34:03
neglect to
34:03
instruct them
34:04
in the way
34:04
of wickedness?
34:05
No.
34:07
If you will
34:07
not teach
34:07
them to pray,
34:08
he will to
34:09
curse,
34:10
swear,
34:10
and lie.
34:11
If ground
34:12
be uncultivated,
34:14
weeds will
34:16
spring.
34:17
So,
34:18
superiors
34:18
are styled
34:20
father and
34:21
mother because
34:21
superiors are
34:22
commanded to
34:23
seek the
34:24
good of
34:25
their inferiors
34:26
and inferiors
34:27
are commanded
34:29
to obey
34:30
their superiors
34:31
for their
34:33
good.
34:35
For their
34:35
good.
34:37
At the end
34:38
of the fifth
34:39
commandment,
34:39
God etched
34:42
in stone
34:43
that your
34:43
days may
34:44
be long
34:45
in the
34:45
land
34:46
that the
34:46
Lord your
34:47
God
34:47
is giving
34:48
you.
34:49
And in the
34:50
restating of
34:51
the law
34:51
in Deuteronomy
34:52
chapter 5
34:53
before the
34:53
next generation
34:55
goes into
34:55
the promised
34:56
land,
34:58
there is added
34:58
and that it
35:00
may go
35:00
well with
35:02
you.
35:02
That your
35:02
days will
35:03
be long
35:03
and that
35:05
it may
35:05
go well
35:07
with you.
35:09
And Paul
35:10
draws our
35:10
attention to
35:11
this in
35:12
Ephesians
35:13
chapter 6
35:13
verses 1
35:14
through 3
35:16
where he
35:16
says,
35:17
Children,
35:17
obey your
35:18
parents in
35:19
the Lord
35:20
for this
35:22
is right.
35:24
Honor your
35:25
father and
35:25
mother.
35:26
And then in
35:27
parentheses,
35:28
this parenthetical,
35:29
Paul adds,
35:30
this is the
35:30
first commandment
35:32
with a
35:33
promise that
35:35
it may go
35:35
well with
35:35
you and
35:36
that you
35:36
may live
35:37
long in
35:38
the land.
35:39
And so
35:40
you see,
35:41
children in
35:42
the room
35:43
and those
35:43
of us,
35:44
I think all
35:44
of us have
35:45
some degree
35:46
of superior
35:47
over and
35:48
above us.
35:50
This is a
35:50
commandment
35:51
with a
35:52
promise that
35:54
God will
35:55
work good
35:56
as we
35:57
honor,
35:58
as we
35:58
seek to
35:59
replicate
36:00
and obey
36:02
those things
36:03
that are
36:03
admirable
36:04
in our
36:06
superiors.
36:08
One more
36:09
question and
36:09
answer from
36:10
the Westminster
36:10
Larger
36:10
Catechism and
36:11
then I'll
36:11
close us
36:12
with one
36:13
more text.
36:14
Question 127,
36:16
what is the
36:16
honor that
36:17
inferiors owe
36:19
to their
36:19
superiors?
36:22
The honor
36:22
which inferiors
36:23
owe to their
36:23
superiors is
36:24
all due
36:26
reverence in
36:26
heart,
36:27
word,
36:28
and behavior.
36:29
prayer and
36:30
thanksgiving
36:31
for them,
36:32
imitation of
36:33
their virtues
36:34
and graces,
36:36
not those
36:37
things that
36:38
are vices,
36:39
but those
36:39
things that
36:40
are virtues,
36:42
willing obedience
36:43
to their lawful
36:44
commands and
36:45
counsels,
36:46
due submission
36:47
to their
36:48
corrections,
36:49
fidelity to
36:50
defense and
36:51
maintenance of
36:52
their persons
36:53
and authority
36:54
according to
36:55
their several
36:56
ranks and the
36:57
nature of
36:58
their places,
36:58
bearing with
36:59
their infirmities
37:00
and covering
37:01
them in love
37:02
so they may
37:03
be an honor
37:04
to them and
37:05
to their
37:05
government.
37:07
Let me close
37:08
in reading from
37:09
Psalm 119.
37:11
This was,
37:12
and this was so
37:12
very good for
37:13
me that it
37:13
timed out that
37:15
our scripture
37:16
reading as a
37:16
church has been
37:18
working through
37:19
Psalm 119
37:20
across the past
37:21
couple of
37:22
weeks as I've
37:23
thought much
37:24
about the law
37:25
and the gospel
37:26
and its place
37:27
in our life.
37:29
So much
37:30
repetition of
37:32
God's goodness
37:33
to us in
37:34
His command.
37:35
And so I want
37:36
to read to you
37:36
from Psalm 119
37:37
beginning in
37:38
verse 153
37:39
and to the end
37:40
of the stanza.
37:43
The psalmist
37:44
writes,
37:45
Look on my
37:46
affliction and
37:47
deliver me,
37:48
for I do not
37:49
forget your
37:50
law.
37:52
Plead my cause
37:53
and redeem me.
37:54
Give me life
37:55
according to
37:56
your promise.
37:58
Salvation is
37:58
far from the
37:59
wicked, for
38:00
they do not
38:00
seek your
38:01
statutes.
38:03
Great is your
38:03
mercy, O Lord.
38:04
Give me life
38:05
according to
38:07
your rules.
38:08
Many are my
38:09
persecutors
38:10
and my
38:12
adversaries,
38:13
but I do not
38:14
swerve from
38:15
your testimonies.
38:17
I look at the
38:17
faithless with
38:18
disgust because
38:19
they do not
38:19
keep your
38:20
commands.
38:22
Consider how I
38:23
love your
38:24
precepts.
38:25
Give me life
38:26
according to
38:26
your steadfast
38:27
love.
38:28
The sum of
38:29
your word is
38:30
truth, and
38:31
every one of
38:32
your righteous
38:32
rules endures
38:34
forever.
38:35
Let's pray
38:35
together.