Murder on our Minds
Connection Points
Dr. Cole Phillips
October 22, 2023

You must not murder. Exodus 20:13 (NLT)

Murder: Hebrew word Rasah (raw-tsakh’) means the premeditated, planned, deliberate, intentional, unauthorized taking of a life.

“And I will require the blood of anyone who takes another person’s life. If a wild animal kills a person, it must die. And anyone who murders a fellow human must die. If anyone takes a human life, that person’s life will also be taken by human hands. For God made human beings in his own image.“ Genesis 9:5-6

What does this commandment allow?

What does this commandment prohibit?

A child’s heart beats at 21 days old.

What About the What Abouts?

Fetus is a Latin word that means “offspring,” “Little One,” or “Unborn Child.”

How Can We Stand for Life?

  1. Pray that God will move to stop abortion in America.
  2. Vote for those who will work to abolish abortion.
  3. Volunteer at the TruChoice Pregnancy Resource Center in San Marcos.
  4. Serve in our YNG Student Minsitry to be a positive influence on our teenagers.
  5. Pray about whether God would lead you to adopt a child.
  6. Help single parents by offering to watch their children or just a be part of her support system.
  7. Speak up for life whenever you get the chance.
  8. Talk with your kids about sexual purity and help them make wise, godly choices.

Suicide is a permanent response to a temporary problem.

If I announce that some wicked people are sure to die and you fail to tell them to change their ways, then they will die in their sins, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths. Ezekiel 33:8

How Does Jesus Raise the Bar on this Commandment?

“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.” Matthew 5:21-22

  • If you are are
    Reveal Answer
    with someone, Jesus says that’s having a murderous heart.

  • Thinking of people as anything less than made in God’s
    Reveal Answer
    is having a murderous heart.

Raca: Aramaic word that means Worthless, good for nothing!

This Week’s Power Verse

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13

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Ministry Highlights

  • Connect One

Have you been coming to The Connection Church for a while? Have you been waiting for information on how to officially join the TCC Family? Then you’re invited to attend our Connect One Membership dinner on Sunday, November 5th at our Buda Campus. You are going to hear the The Connection Church story from our lead pastors, Cole and Pam Phillips and discover how you can partner with us to make a difference. It starts at 5:30pm & childcare is provided. RSVP HERE!

  • Night of Worship

Night of Worship is your chance to connect with God and focus on him through worship, prayer, & communion. Night of Worship happens in Buda Wednesday, November 1st at 6:30pm. We hope to see you during this special time as our church family comes together to worship together.

  • YNG Winter Camp

YNG is hosting a winter weekend for students who are in 6th-12th grades. This will be the best weekend of your student’s year. They’ll have the opportunity to get away from all of the distractions, have fun, build meaningful relationships, and more importantly grow in their faith. YNG Winter camp is Friday, November 17-19th right here in Buda at Twin Oaks Ranch. The cost is $200. Register TODAY!

Connection Group Questions:

  1. How much do you enjoy watching “True Crime” shows? Why do you think you feel that way about the shows?
  2. For what reasons do you think God included the commandment to not murder in the 10 commandments?
  3. In what ways do you think this commandment goes beyond physical acts of murder to include our thoughts and attitudes?
  4. In what ways can we actively promote a culture of the sanctity of life?
  5. How can we actively contribute to peace in our community and a decrease in violence? How can the church help?
  6. How does this commandment guide our decisions about issues like abortion, suicide, or assisted suicide?
  7. How does Jesus’ teaching on murder in Matthew 5:21-22 help us grow our understanding of this commandment?
  8. How can we avoid letting anger control our actions and words, especially in the age of social media where it’s easy to react impulsively?
  9. Our Power Verse in John 15:13 is where Jesus says that the greatest love is to lay down your life for your friends. How can we go beyond not harming others to giving ourselves away for their sake?
  10. How can our group pray for you this week?