The Most Valuable - Exodus 21:12-17

Welcome to Faith Bible Church. I see some new faces out there. So We welcome you wholeheartedly and trust that you will find a sweet fellowship here as the Lord has guided directed you here today. So this is.

This is the Lord's house. This is his his work in action, and we are his servants, so We're blessed just by way of announcements. Prayer meeting is this evening every Sunday at 6 o 'clock in the fellowship hall.

Summer Bible study has begun and I don't know if everybody realized that but every Friday at 530 in the fellowship hall. Pastors going through the epistle of Paul to the Galatians. And that should be that's a very full book.

And I'm sure it'll be a rich blessing to everyone that is able to participate in that. Men's Bible study is Saturdays the next Saturday at 330 in the fellowship hall. Thank you, Brendan and others that put on and sage is for the men's breakfast yesterday that was that was a great time of fellowship, and it's always good to have the men gather together and.

To.

To just share their lives with one another it's life on life. And God really wants us to be at that place and discipling and and sharing with one another. In life, we're seeing a lot of things around us that seems to like there's a constant stream of wickedness.

There's things going on and our could be in our personal lives could be in the lives of our community and lies of our country but it seems like there's an undermining of all things good and and pure and and Virtuous and worthy, but we know that God is still there.

He's still present in the midst of it. He's not surprised about it. All of this has happened before and it's gonna happen in our in our lifetimes and in the future until the Lord comes but is reading through the book of Habakkuk and God uses the nation of Babylon and If you read the first chapter of Habakkuk, you'd think wow, that sounds a lot like where we're at in our time but God had a plan and a purpose for them.

He has a plan and a purpose for us and but Habakkuk was questioning God in the beginning and then God began to talk to him and began to pray and The book ends with this prayer and I'd like to present it read it to you as an encouragement to you.

This is Habakkuk chapter 3 17 through 19 and in my Bible entitles it a hymn of faith and it is a Hymn of faith though the fig tree should not blossom. Nor fruit beyond the vines the produce of the olive fail and the and the fields yield no food.

The flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls. Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God the Lord is my strength. He makes my feet like the deers.

He makes me tread on high places to the chorus master of the stringed instruments, so we can we can certainly get sidetracked and become frustrated and become About the things that are happening around us but His ways God's ways can be so mysterious.

We don't understand them. We can't we how can we fathom them? We're a finite being and God is infinite. But we have to understand that. We are called to live by faith in the middle of Habakkuk in 2 4 says the righteous shall live by his faith.

So we too are to rejoice no matter what the circumstances we can trust no matter the outcome. We are complete in Jesus alone and his steadfast love and faithfulness and we too can say yet I will rejoice in the Lord.

Let's remember that and let's remember that as we come to the Lord in worship time. And it was pair our hearts for for communion afterwards. Okay, would you join with me in prayer? Lord God, we thank you that we can trust you that we can put our faith in you that you are a trustworthy God that You have shown yourself worthy father that you have shown that in your son Jesus Christ Who's sacrificed and died and rose again father to be at your right hand in heaven today father to intercede for us we thank you Lord that we can come together this morning gather as a congregation as a body as believers.

Lord of Those that are seeking you To that we might you might prepare our hearts father today as we take communion at the end of the service father that we would Be right before you that we can confess our sins father because you are holy.

So God we thank you we pray for those that aren't here today Lord that have illnesses that are sick But would want to be there here. But father may you be a healer in their lives may you comfort their hearts may you just allow them to look to you for the answers in life father that we not become any of us become frustrated or Wonder why father because you are present and we can put our trust and faith in you father.

So we thank you for this day father go before us and we ask all these things pastor. We pray for pastor as well Lord that you would bless his sermon this morning. We pray this in Christ's name. Amen.

David let everything that hath breath praise the Lord and let's stand and sing to our Lord.

The Sermon Text and the Holiness of Human Life

Chapter 5 verses 21 through 26. Matthew 5. Chapter 5 verses 21 through 26. Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time Thou shalt not kill and whoever whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment.

But I say unto you that Whosoever is angry with his brother Without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment and whosoever shall say to his brother Rekha shall be in danger of the council. But whosoever shall say thou fool shall be in the danger of hellfire.

Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar and There remember us that my brother hath ought against me Leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way First be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift.

Agree with thine adversary quickly Whilst thou art in the way with him Lest at any time the adversary Deliver thee to the judge and the judge deliver thee to the officer and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee Thou shall by no means come out thence till thou has paid the uttermost fathering Farthing or excuse me.

May the Lord add a blessing to the reading of these words.

Praise the Lord. He lives with us and then stand and sing to him.

Children's Church and our pastor Iljin Cho comes to pray. Please turn with me to Exodus chapter 21 Verses 12 through 17. Exodus chapter 21 verses 12 through 17. He who strikes a man so that he dies Shall surely be put to death.

However, if he did not lie in wait and but God delivered him into his hand. Then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee. But if a man acts with premeditation against his neighbor to kill him by treachery you shall take him from my altar that he may die.

And He who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. He who kidnaps a man and Sells him or if he is found in his hand shall surely be put to death and He who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

This is the word of the Lord. Let us pray father we come before you as humans brothers and sisters of Christ and humans made in the image of God and Father we we grieve at all the news of senseless killing and so many victims to the violence in the world and Father we pray that this text which shows how valuable human life is How it must be protected at all cost that this text?

Which speak to our hearts and that you would renew our minds to see the world according to Your scripture that we would see the world with your worldview so that we may live according to your will. Father we pray for all the victims of so many tragedies that happened even this week that you would comfort them and That their hope would be ultimately found in the crucified Christ Who died for their sin?

So that they may live. Father we pray that the gospel would be preached even louder. This morning in Jesus name Amen, we continue on with the case laws. The case laws are the specific cases in Which the law of God is applied and this is important because God makes it abundantly clear how his law will be obeyed.

This short passage is divided very structurally. The first three verses Deal with what God's law prescribes when an intentional murder takes place. The second three verses deal with what God's law prescribes when God's ordained family order is violated.

All of them Deal with crimes that utterly violate the image of God in people. They utterly disregard the image of God of our neighbors. These laws According to scripture have one common consequence. Any offender who breaks them are put to death?

Now this may be offensive to some of you because our culture finds capital punishment barbaric and distasteful. Maybe even outdated. However, we have to view This text with a biblical lens. Scripture views humankind as the crown jewel of all creation.

Because we are made in the image of God humans are not equal to or even less than animals or even plants and This is because humans are made uniquely in the image of God and Because we reflect the image of our Creator.

Every human being whether young or old rich or poor single or married educated or uneducated abled or disabled male or female Has an infinite worth. Our worth comes from Who we are in relation to our God?

Not what we accomplish Not what we are able to do. Not our family background Not our net worth. It's who we are in relation to God and we are all image bearers of God knowing this an Intentional murder That defaces and erases the image of God is a horrendous crime.

Not just against humanity but an offense against God and it is an insult to God to disregard a creature made in his image by killing him in cold blood and According to scripture the only just response to such a horrific act is the forfeiture of the murderers life.

No more no less. Let's consider if the murderer Gets away from capital punishment by paying a huge fine. Well, it would mean a person's life was only worth that specific amount of money. A human life Cannot be priced at any amount.

Because every human life is priceless. It's invaluable and verse 12 tells us no fine or servitude Will be sufficient to pay for the lost life. Except for the very life of the offender and this is because nothing else The murderer owns can even come close to the victim's life.

The life loss cannot be equated to any material goods in the whole world. It won't bring the life back. No amount of cash no amount of land and Any other way of treating a murderer? would be to diminish the worth of the person's life and this is why When murderers get a light sentencing or get acquitted It is traumatizing to the victim's family and friends.

Because deep inside the victim's family and friends know that their murdered daughter Was more than just three years behind the bars. They know that their murdered father's life Meant more than just a slap on the wrist.

And for those who take away human life their lives were required. That was the justice of God's law. Now I have to make a caveat under the Old Covenant Israel functioned not only as a religious body, but a political body.

Unlike the church Israel was a governing nation. Hence Israel had the responsibility to carry out justice when there was murder. However, this is not true for the church. We are not a political body. We do not have the authority to carry out justice.

This means our application of these case laws Must not be the same as Israel's direct application. We at Faith Bible Church will not be putting anyone to death for murder. These laws still have something to teach us.

These laws teach us the character and nature of the law giver and how he views human life. So the question Today this morning is how does God regard human life? What is his view? Is it just willy-nilly?

There are eight billion of you doesn't matter. Or does it does he find ultimate value infinite value in every single human life? First God absolutely values human life. God absolutely values human life.

Verses 12 to 14 form a chiastic structure. That's a fancy way of saying a sandwich structure in which The middle verse is different than the surrounding verses. Like a sandwich with bread meat bread. First verse 12 introduced a general law.

What they ought to do when there's murder? The middle portion the meat of the sin, which provides the exception to the rule an Unintentional manslaughter will be treated actually differently. Third in closing the section verse 14 makes clear that any Intentional murderer will not get away from justice.

First verse 12 He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death. This verse may not be shocking to any of you because we have been taught the value of justice for all. It does not matter whether you're a billionaire or impoverished.

If you do the crime you do the time. In fact it deeply bothers us when the powerful Do not serve the same time for the crime that would have gotten any of us. The commoners Imprisoned for a lifetime verse 12 However would have been striking to the ancient audience.

Note that this law does not specify The socio-economic background of the offender. It is anyone who strikes a man which leads to that offenders death. It did not matter whether you were an elite or a commoner male or female young or old enslaved or free King or a peasant.

God's justice demanded capital punishment for anyone who had no regard for human life. Murder was taken so seriously that one could not buy himself out of such guilt. There were just was no sacrifice for that.

When a person out of a total disregard for another human being made in the image of God Kills her it was only appropriate that he gives up his life. That's how seriously God viewed a human life. You could not substitute a Human life for anything.

No animal no amount of land. No amount of time and servitude. Human life was that valuable and it did not matter the status of the victim. Enslaved child. Or a free wealthy man. Same value of human life.

However, this does not mean every loss of life was treated equally under God's law. Verse 13 clarifies. However, if he did not lie in wait, but God delivered him into his hand. Then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.

Unintentional homicide. So unintentional killing of a human being Was not the same as an intentional homicide. When a person holds no intention of harming another man yet accidentally kills the man the person will not face death and this could happen during a battle a friendly fire incident.

Right an arrow shot that strikes one of your sides. This could happen during a construction project you drop something a Brick and It falls on your neighbor's head. The key phrase is that he did not lie in wait.

There was no malice aforethought. There was no evil motive behind the unfortunate tragedy. When this happened God will appoint a safe location for him to flee. That also shows that God values the unintentional murderers human life.

Because he didn't intentionally kill. His life does not need to be forfeited. Right, the Bible doesn't have this view of executing anyone for any crime. That would also have a low view of human life some viewing human life as something as easily disposable.

Now, why does God need to provide a sanctuary for this man? This is because in ancient Israel culture and even some cultures now have a strong family obligation. It was expected that one of the victims family members would avenge the death of the victim.

This was driven by custom and emotion not justice and truth. Because the truth of the matter is it was not a murder but an unintentional homicide. Therefore in verse 13 God graciously Protected the man who committed the unintentional killing.

God will mercifully provide a refuge for the guiltless. By doing this the Lord would prevent an.

An.

Intentional murder done by the family member of the victim right. That would make him a new murderer and He would deserve death and this would be an ongoing cycle. However, verse 14 clarifies that God will not protect those who intentionally kill.

Just to think that you could just run away to a safe refuge. Not for the intentional murderers. Verse 14, but if a man acts with premeditation against his neighbor to kill him by treachery You shall take him from my altar and he may die.

This phrase with premeditation Means that person planned ahead of time right. Pre means before meditation.

Thought out.

Inside. The murderer intended from his heart to kill his neighbor. Not only that the murderer Murder is done by treachery Which means it is devious. It is a rotten fruit of the wicked meditation of the heart.

And what does it mean to take him from God's altar all the scripture never promises? Protection for murderers. These wicked men believed that they could avoid death by fleeing to the holy place the altar of the Lord.

Right after all the altar of the Lord is kept holy you can't shed unclean blood there. They would have thought surely you would not shed my blood before the Lord right in fact. This is what Joab did a brutal general of Israel After he committed treason against the king First Kings 2 28 through 30.

Then news came to Joab for Joab had Defected to Adonijah though. He had not defected to Absalom two sons of David so Joab fled to the tabernacle of the Lord and took hold of the horns of the altar and King Solomon was told Joab has fled to the tabernacle of the Lord there.

He is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Ben Ananiah the son of Jehoiada Saying go strike him down. So Ben Ananiah went to the tabernacle of the Lord and said to him thus says the king come out. Joab in his perverted mindset thought that he could get away with all the crimes he committed which also includes treason now.

By fleeing to the altar and grabbing on to the horn of the altar a sacred item in the end King Solomon Carries out justice according to the law of the Lord. Verse 32. So the Lord will return his blood on his hand Head because he struck down two men more righteous and better than he and killed them with the sword Abner the son of Nair The commander of the army of Israel and Amasa the son of Jether the commander of the army of Judah though.

My father David did not know it. What does this mean. God wants nothing to do with a murderer. God wants nothing to do with someone who disregards others made in his image and So Joab did get killed despite his Failed attempt to flee to the altar to seek refuge.

God did not protect Joab in a similar sense. The church does not provide sanctuary to those who disregard human life far too long. Many churches have shielded criminals who violate the flock and and they have prevented true justice from being carried out.

Recently there was a scandal in the biggest Protestant denomination in America. Because they have been protecting sexual predators among them for decades. Sexual predators like murderers have no regard for human life.

They dishonor the image of God in another being for their own pleasure. It's so similar to murder it's sickening and the offenders were tragically pastors youth pastors and youth ministers and helpers.

These wicked men and women took advantage of the most vulnerable for their own sick pleasure. These evil men had total disregard for the people who are made in the image of God. These vile people only saw young Kids made in the image of God as tools for pleasure.

Totally objectified and for decades these evil men were protected by the churches shielded from Prosecution as if the church could provide sanctuary from the justice of God. This will not occur here. At faith Bible Church, we will not serve as a hiding place for those who disregard human life.

The church cannot shield a murderer from being prosecuted. The church cannot protect predators from being arrested. We will obey God's will in turning them to justice and for us that is the governing authority police department district attorneys and the Department of Justice.

No matter what their positions are whether pastor or youth worker no matter their length of service a Year or decades. The church will value each human life. By seeking justice.

For.

The victims who have been violated and disregarded as human beings. Second God's view of human being as.

Invaluable.

Creatures made in the image of God has a deep theological impact. Before God all humans have worth. Before the Holy God humans are not disposable. Before the perfect God humans are worthy because they're made in the image of God as Christians.

We often focus on our lowly state although correct. But we do not regard our worth. Don't get me wrong. We did not earn Christ's death and resurrection. We did not earn Our salvation. None of our works comes even close to Earning or deserving what Christ has done for us on The cross to die for our sin on the cross.

He didn't do this because we were great. He didn't do this because we accomplished so much. Or we had so much potential. That's not it however. Worth is different from deservedness. Worth is about value and this text shows us that Every human being is valuable before God.

After all it doesn't say when a when a Jewish man is killed no, any man is killed that victim had worth and punishment is deserved. A human being Has no right to view him or herself as worthless. Because they're made in the image of God.

Even non-christians have value as Image bearers of God. We can't forget that and Christians have extra reasons to View themselves as worthy before God because not only are they made in the image of God But they're redeemed new creation.

Ephesians 2 10 tells us for we are his workmanship. Created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Workmanship masterpiece Magnum opus. That's what you are.

And you can't forget that. We can't mix our undeservedness and our worth together. We are undeserving of what Christ has done for us by giving himself up so that we could be forgiven and That our sin would be wiped clean and that we would be adopted into his family.

None of that we can deserve from our acts or from who we are.

But.

Undeservedness does not mean we're unworthy. Unworthy means you have no value whatsoever. Worth exists innately in the thing because it has value a.

Good.

Illustration of this is from pastor lamp who who who will who viewed human life to a bar of gold. A Bar of gold has worth no matter what shape it takes whether it becomes a Cup, whether it becomes whether it goes in your smartphone as a conductor whether it goes into The US Treasury as a bar.

That's what human life is it has value no matter what shape it takes but what sin does. It places that bar of gold in gunky mud. But it's still the bar of gold. It needs to be cleansed Before any use but it's still worthy and that's what we have to remember this morning.

Human being a Human being is worthy but undeserving but we have to view each other as. Worthy the scripture which Richard read to us this morning. Jesus even takes it far. You don't even have to commit murder to ruin the image of God.

It's what comes inside. How are you viewing another person? Are you viewing him appropriately as the person made in the image of God or are you viewing him as a fool or stupid or dumb. Right. Are you judging him?

We have to honor Human beings as valuable image bearers of God. Second God prioritizes the well-being of the family from the last section to this the thread that ties both sections together. Is the serious punishment of breaking the following laws?

The phrase shall surely be put to death. Found in verse 12 is repeated in both verses 15 and 17. This phrase is an echo of God's warning when they when Israel got to Mount Sinai Where the Holy God reminds his sinful people?

That anyone who touches the edge of the mountain will surely die. There's no debate there's no argument about it and This is of course a reminder of Genesis 3 if you eat of the fruit you will surely die.

There's no other option. The consequences for disobeying disobeying God's law here are inevitable. God takes the following transgressions so seriously that they result in capital punishment and They all revolve around protecting the family which God has ordained first Verse 15 and he who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

While this seems like a harsh commandment We must consider what it means to strike. The verb strike was used in verse 12 precisely To describe an action that could lead to death. In fact, the same word is used in Exodus 2 12 when Moses intervened when he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew.

So Moses looked this way and that way and when he saw no one He struck the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. Some some translations have the verb killed because the translators Interpreted the result of the action of striking although correctly, right the Egyptian ended up dead.

But I like the translation that the ESV kept the word struck. The this action therefore is not a playful punch but a violent blow. To none other than the parents it's a violent blow a type that could lead to death while here.

While elsewhere other non-lethal violences are not treated with capital offense. This particular case does and This is because the victims are none other than the parents of the offender. This command breaks the fifth commandment of honoring one's father and mother.

If a son or daughter abuses the family unit that God has graciously given it will lead to death.

And.

That's how much God values family. Physically abusing the elderly parents is deserving of death penalty. Our law does not provide that kind of protection. But God's law did. The next verse is seemingly unrelated, but it is deeply familial.

He who kidnaps a man and sells him or if he is found in his hand shall surely be put to death. First. Someone who kidnaps a man to sell as a slave has a total disregard for human life. This type of action was found in American slavery Kidnapping people elsewhere in selling them for profit and it would not have been allowed in Israel.

Any Kidnapper or slave trader is utterly objectifying humans to make profit for themselves. It is extremely evil and seriously selfish. For those who treat another human as a tool for profit They will lose their right to live.

Second when a kidnapper steals a person for enslavement He is effectively killing that person. When a slave trader takes away a woman her parents just lost their daughter for good. Her brother just lost his sister.

When a slave trader takes a man away his children just lost their father. His wife just lost her husband. It is effectively a murder in the family unit. Whether it's a murder or kidnapping for slave trade.

The family would have lost their family member. Hence, the only appropriate course of justice is execution. The slave trader out of his total disregard for human life Has basically taken a beloved being away from his family forever and verse 17 closes the chiastic structure again here too by returning to the proper relationship with our parents and He who curses his father or mother shall surely be put to death.

This may sound harsh, but that is how important family is to God. We do not curse the ones whom God has provided to take care of us to nurture us. We do not Humiliate our parents whom God has placed to protect us.

This is because when children disregard their parents They naturally Disregard God. The eighth commandment and first commandment are deeply connected. How we view our parents the familial authority shapes how we view God the ultimate authority and this is no wonder as Our nation is Becoming more and more fatherless.

And even motherless. The view of God is so distorted. Young boys who grow up without a father finds heroes in gangbangers. Young girls who grow up without a father has hard time believing that God is God the father is with her and This is why it's so important as a church community for those who don't have father or mother Finds spiritual father and spiritual mother in the church, but ultimately They find a love of a loving parent in God the Father in How he has provided everything for you.

Even though you might not have an earthly father you have the best father in heaven. Who did not spare his own son to die for to die for your kids. So that they may belong to him and this is no wonder.

Why.

God's people are referred to as sons and daughters children of God because God views family so Highly. God's view of his people is not first and foremost workers, although we are Not first and foremost servants of Christ, although we are.

Your primary identity is a child of God and that's what we see Unfolded in the New Testament when Jesus Adopts us into his family not because of what we have done right not because we were Beautiful to look at no we were covered in our sin and filth.

He did so because he loved us and he brings us into his family at the great cost of his blood. That is the most expensive adoption fee and as the church that's how we got to regard our family Not just our immediate family and respecting our parents.

That's a given but how we view our church family to my identity is not primarily your pastor. My identity is The brother of Christ to you even in marriage. Your identity as a spouse is not primarily your spouse.

Your wife is Actually first and foremost the daughter of God. Your husband is first and foremost the Son of God and Your children the children you're discipling. They're not primarily your children. They are future sister in Christ.

Your job is to bring up Disciple and nurture future brothers and sisters in Christ. That's how we ought to view our family and We can only do that because that's how God views his family. Let us pray father.

We're so thankful That you can show us how much you love us through the law of Moses. Thank you That you love us so much. That you would send Jesus to die for our sin on the cross so that we may be forgiven and adopted.

Thank you for providing Your family here brothers and sisters of Christ here. So that we may love each other serve each other care for one another Provide for what's missing because we don't have everything.

Thank you for your provision. We pray all of these things in Jesus name. Amen before we take communion. I Would like to remind us That communion is open for anyone who is saved. Saved means you trust Completely in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

He's the one who died for you and you hold to none of your accomplishments. None of your good works to approach him, but only his finished work on the cross alone.

Communion.

Has nothing to do with how long you've been a Christian. It has nothing to do with whether you're a member of this church or not. It's about who you are in Christ. It's about your identity in God. But if you have not made the decision to trust Jesus for salvation We are thankful that you're here.

We welcome you here. And we would love to hang out with you. We would love to have you over for a meal even too. But we ask you to stay not take the communion Meal with us because it is only for the believers.

And it's a serious matter. Because it's reminding us what Christ has done for us but if You don't quite believe that yet then Christ you haven't Received Christ yet, then this meal is not for you. So I will be reading from 1st Corinthians 11 regarding the Lord's Supper.

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which he was betrayed took bread and When he had given thanks he broke it and said take eat. This is my body which is broken for you.

Do this in remembrance of me. Let us pray Father we're thankful that Jesus was sent to die for us sinners we thank you that he loved us from the beginning and that he loves us now as he Intercedes for us on our behalf constantly.

Thank you that he protects us and provides for us and he's always with us In Jesus name. Amen.

Well, let's stand for our closing song. It's been a blessing to be together and now we are dismissed.