Clue Series

CLUE

A STUDY OVER THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT: PART XI (TOPIC: MURDER)

INTRO: Use the board game Clue as an introduction, talk about how the game is one giant mystery to see who killed Mr. Body. Obviously, murder is wrong, we all know that. But, why people commit murder is the real mystery.

BIBLE VERSE: Matthew 5:21

“You have heard that it was said to an older generation, ‘Do not murder,’ and ‘whoever murders will be subjected to judgment.’

1. THE BIG CHANGE!

BIBLE VERSE: Genesis 9:1-6 1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. 4 "But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. 5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man.6 "Whoever sheds the blood of man, 6 by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.

MURDER BEFORE NOAH: God made Adam & Eve. Adam & Eve sin. Then there are a whole lot of things that go on both good and bad, but in general, people turn violent, God floods the world, and starts over with Noah and his family. But, here is a question for you…what form of government did God put on the earth? What were his rules? The technical answer is nothing. Take a look.

AFTER THE BOAT RESTED: When the ark rested in the mountain of Ararat, Noah got out, built an altar, and worshipped God. God’s response was to make a covenant with Noah, and all of mankind. The evidence of this covenant would eventually lead to the creation of the rainbow and of course involved a promise to not flood the Earth again. But, also in the covenant are a couple of other things as well.

A. THE ANIMALS: Animals suddenly got a fear of mankind. Why? Because Noah was given the right to eat animals, for the first time. Can you imagine how cool it would have been to live in the world where animals had no fear of man since animals were not killed for food. True, before the flood, there were not wild animals, animals were domesticated! And we ate vegetables.

Vegetarian: By the way, for those people that point this Biblical fact out to show the Vegetarianism or Vegan is the only way to go, remember that these people were all killed because they were so wicked and violent.

B. THE NOAHIC COVENANT: “Theologians refer to this covenant as the Noahic Covenant. With this Covenant, God instituted human government, making man responsible to govern himself, no longer simply relying on his conscience or doing what he felt like doing. History before the Flood was characterised by extreme violence. In Genesis 6:11, we read, “The earth was filled with violence.” Examples of the violence that marked that world include the fact that Abel’s murder went unavenged [see Genesis 4:8-16], and that Lamech overreacted when insulted [see Genesis 4:23, 24]. Now, a strict retribution was introduced.”

C. PUNISHMENT FOR MURDER: “The punishment of the murderer is enjoined upon “man” universally. The command does not sanction revenge, but rather lays the foundation for the judicial rights of the divinely appointed “authorities that exist.”[5] In issuing this command, God laid the foundation for a well-ordered civil government, and formed a necessary complement to the continuation of nature that had been promised to mankind. No sin shows greater contempt for life than homicide. Under the Covenant God made with Noah, an animal’s blood may be shed, but not consumed. However, human blood cannot even be shed without retribution. Three times God says He will require a “reckoning.” “For your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man” [Genesis 9:5].”

TRANSITION (BREAD DOUGH ATTACK): “Linda Burnett, 23, was visiting her in-laws, and while there went to a nearby supermarket to pick up some groceries. Several people noticed her sitting in her car with the windows rolled up and with her eyes closed, with both hands behind the back of her head….When they finally got in, they found that Linda had a wad of bread dough on the back of her head.