Human life is precious – Ex.20:13; Mt.5:21-26

1. Life is sacred

a. God is Lord of life – Gen.2:7; Job 1:21; Ps.139:13.

We are accountable to God – Gen.4:10

b. We are made in God’s image – Gen.1:26,27; 9:5,6; Ps.8:3-5

c. We are created for relationship

2. Matters of life & death

a. Acts of murder – “the unlawful & deliberate killing of another”

1. Acts of deliberate killing –e.g. Cain, Herod

2. Abortion

3. Euthanasia

b. Roots of murder – Mt.5:21-26

Jesus is:-

1. Correcting misinterpretation –v.21

2. Dealing with internal attitudes

a. Anger –v.22 Gen.4:5-7; 1John 3:11-15

b. Contempt –v.22

3. The urgency of reconciliation

a. With the wronged person –v.23-26

1. Takes precedence over worship –v.23,24

2. It is urgent – v.25,26

b. With God – we are all guilty

The murder of Jesus

a. Shows the horror of human hatred, contempt & murder – Mk.3:6;John7:19

b. Displays God’s amazing salvation

- Jesus took our sins

- Jesus bore our judgment

Is.53:5,6; 1Pet.2:24