You shall not murder




Exodus 20:13 You shall not murder.





♬ Hymn for scheduled worship: Korean/English Hymnal #150 On a Hill Far Away (#135 in previous version)





 There are many meanings behind the short verse, “You shall not murder.” The source of murder is hatred. The Bible says that harboring hatred is the same as committing murder without carrying it out into action (1 John 3:15). The annoyance that we feel and the worries and conflicts that we have all turn into hatred. When hatred begins to grow in our hearts, we lose all sense of rationale, and this in turn becomes a channel for Satan to work through. What kind of grace must we receive in order to transcend this heart of hatred?





1. We must meet God
 We can only have victory in spiritual battle when we meet God and love God. It’d probably be much easier if we could see God at church or as we live our lives in the field; however, God is unseen to the eyes. It was the same case for the Israelites who were walking through the wilderness. Although we cannot see God with our eyes, we must meet Him. Being able to know and believe that God is together with us is the greatest blessing and the greatest grace. We must love and help other people. However, we must depend on God alone. When we understand the love of God, who has saved us, we can be victorious in the spiritual battle with that love.






2. We must find ourselves
 We must love ourselves in order to discover the value of all things. If you give up on yourself, you can do nothing. Only when you find yourself can the Word that God, which has been given to you, become the covenant. The Bible tells us that we are precious and honored in the eyes of God and men (Proverbs 3:4). You must find yourself to the point where you can discover how important you are within the answers to your prayer. We are the sons of God; we are His children that He has paid for with the blood of Jesus. God takes great delight in us. He rejoices over us with singing.





3. We must know who we are
 If we come to discover who we are, we will also be able to realize how important other people are. Only when you love the people of God can you correctly prepare for the future. We must realize how important we are, and how important the Israelites, the elders, and pastors are. If we cannot receive God’s grace and enjoy answers, fights in the church and the dissolution of families are inevitable. People who are led by the Holy Spirit can forgive others and wait for them. Cain, who killed his own brother and King Saul, who tried to kill his own son-in-law, David, were so filled by the evil spirits that they could not overstep their hatred. If you believe that God is with you, you can receive the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Then, you can love all people with the love of the Lord.





° Forum Topic - Read 1 Peter 3:8~12. Deeply meditate on this Scripture reading together with today’s message.





Immanuel Church Sunday Worship 1st Service / 2009.8.23