From a Rocky Hillside

September 17, 2026September 18, 2026

Riding the Taksaka: from Jakarta to Yogyakarta

I’ve edited this post from one published in an old blog in 2011.

The heat and humidity is stifling. Even in an air conditioned coach, a bead of sweat runs down my beard. I could pull the curtains as the sun pours in through the crack glass, but I want to seethe countryside. So I sit with sweat beading on my forehead. The sweat soaks back of my shirt which clings to the vinyl seats. I take another swallow of water from my bottle as I we race past vast rice fields in different stages of production.

Although large, each field is divided into manageable plots, which are separated by dikes which allow for flooding of the paddies. Here, six degrees below the equator, it’s endless summer and the fields produce two crops a year. In some paddies, the green rice is tall.

Occasionally I spot a farmer wandering through the rice with a backpack, spraying what I assume is insecticide. Other paddies remain muddy with bundles of rice laid out waiting for the workers, mostly women working halfway up their calves, to replant. In other paddies, they harvest the rice, cutting the stalks and feeding them into a thresher or, in some cases, beating the stalks on the ground, separating the seed from the stalks. And then there are the paddies in which the harvest has occurred. Some of these fields have been burned. They remain charred. A few still smolder. I can smell the smoke in the train.

I am riding the Taksaka, the train which runs across the island of Java, having left Jakarta’s Gambir Station in the morning, heading to Yogyakarta. We left the capital nearly an hour late. For the longest time, we roll through the sprawling city. Poverty abounds. Trash is everywhere and the canals are filthy. I’m blessed to travel executive class. My ticket cost a bit over twenty dollars, but that’s a lot of money in Indonesia. And this is probably the only first-class train in the world with cracked windows and cracked vinyl seats.

We pass trains in which the only way people can enjoy air conditioning is to climb to the top of cars. They sit just below high voltage electrical lines, a dangerous position for if they start to slip off and grab one of the lines, they’d be instantly electrocuted. This is a country of great contrast with a few who are extremely wealthy yet most live in dire poverty and unspeakable conditions. For many of the people, the filthy canals being their only source of water for bathing.

train window showing rice fields — view from a train window

Slowly we begin to leave the city behind and move into the tranquil countryside. Farms with elaborate irrigation systems line both sides of the tracks. Along the coastal plain the land is flat, but mountains rise in the distance. We race pass small stations where, as we approach, the station master steps out in front in an immaculate uniform. They hold red and yellow flags and remains at attention as we speed by. Our first stop is Cirebon. As the train approaches the station, a host of merchants jump onboard the slow moving cars, selling food and drinks and other goodies. Women carry a thermos of hot water and cups and instant packages of coffee and chocolate. Others sell baked and fried goods, fruits, packaged snacks and chips. Outside, other merchants knock on windows and bargain with those of the train.

It’s almost lunch time and I ask an older Indonesian gentleman sitting next to me what I should eat. He suggests I order a steak from the dining car. I take his advice. It arrives as we leave Cirebon. The plate consists of ground steak, some egg, boiled potatoes, carrots, and green beans. It costs 30000 IRD, a little over three dollars. I ask my traveling friend from where he thought the beef came. Laughing, he said, “Probably Australia.”

After lunch, the tracks turn southward and snakes up the ridge of mountains which form the backbone of Java. Rice remains the main crop as we climb higher. More fields appear ready to be harvested. Many other vegetables also grow. There are a few cows along with sheep and goats. I’m impressed with the fields, and how along the top of the dikes are staked green beans and cassava. There are also plots of corn, sugar cane, and melons.

The scenery enchants me. In contrast to Jakarta, everything appears clean. The irrigation works are even more elaborate here, the water running through masonry channels. The neat houses, all roofed with red tile, stand in contrast to the green fields. Tall palm trees many loaded with coconuts, shade the residents.

I walk up to the front of the car and stand by the door, between coaches, trying to get a better angle for a shot of the back of the train as we move through the turns. An attendant sees what I’m attempting and opens the door for me, allowing me to stick my camera out and photograph the back end of the train. I’m careful, realizing how dangerous such a stunt could be. You’d never be allowed to pull such a stunt in the United States and most other countries.

train in Indonesia — The back of the train.

I remember once, riding the Coast Starlight from Oakland to Los Angeles. I stood at the door in the bottom of the double stacked car as we raced along the Pacific coastline. Another traveler with a camera opened the window on the door. The car attendant was furious with him! Here, in the mountains of Java, I stay in the doorway for a long time, enjoying the cooler breeze of the mountain air and the ability to photograph without having to shoot through dirty and cracked glass.

Although the car, with many cracked windows, doesn’t look like what I might expect from “executive class,” I am impressed with the tracks. Here in the steep section of the line, line is mostly double tracked with welded ribbon rail and there appears to be new ballast under the concrete ties.

After passing the town of Bumiayu, nestled in the shade of the forest stand scores of small factories devoted to the manufacture of tiles for roofing. By each kiln are stacks of wood for the fires and the open air buildings have two levels of roofs, allowing for smoke to rise and clear the work area. The train begins to pick up speed. Soon, we’re out of the mountains and along the coastal plain of the Southside of Java. We stop in Purwokerto, the second station stop of the trip. Afterwards, we’re back in large fields of rice, racing on toward Yogyakarta It remains rural for a while, then we began to enter an urban area. My traveling friend tells me we’re only a few minutes from the station.

We arrive at 5:20 PM, about 50 minutes late. I look for the Kiko restaurant, where I’m to meet a driver from the Green Gardens Bed and Breakfast. He’s not there, but as I turn around, a man runs up to me with my name written on a piece of cardboard. At least I won’t have to worry about finding a place to stay for the evening.

We hop on his oversized minibike. It doesn’t seem so large with the two of us, me with my backpack. Somehow we fit, but tightly. We take off through the streets. Along the way, at an intersection, he says he needs gas. We pull over, but there are no pumps. He buys two former soft drink bottles filled with gasoline. He pours them into the tank, and hands the empty bottles back to the proprietor. Then we’re on our way to my home for the next four days.

Other Train Trips:

Riding Coach from South Bend to D.C.

First transcontinental train trip:
Part 1, Reno to Pittsburgh
Part 2: Pittsburgh to NC
Part 3: NC to Reno via Seattle

Danville to Atlanta, 2020

Getting to Springer Mountain on the Southern Crescent: Gastonia NC to Gainesville, GA

Coming home to Pittsburgh, 1987

Doubly late to West Palm Beach, 1986

Riding on the City of New Orleans, 2005

Edinburgh to Iona, 2017

Riding in the Cab of the V&T, 2013

Bangkok to Seim Reap, 2011

Riding the International: Georgetown to Bangkok, 2011

Malaysia’s NE Line: The Jungle Train, 2011

Coming Home on the Southwest Chef, 2012

September 13, 2026September 13, 2026

Psalm 5: Taking Our Troubles to God

title slide with photos of Mayberry & Bluemont churches

Jeff Garrison
Mayberry & Bluemont Churches
September 13, 2026
Psalm 5

The sermon was recorded at Mayberry on Friday, September 11, 2026.

At the beginning of worship:

Mozart’s greatest opera, Don Giovanni, tells the Don Juan story. Don Giovanni has three passions: food, drink, and women, especially women named Donna. He attempts affairs with Donna Elvira and Donna Anna. Through his attempt to seduce the latter, he’s challenge by her father. He kills him. At the end of the opera, the father returns as a statue from the graveyard, to claim Don Giovanni’s life. He’s urged to repent before it’s too late. To do so, he must renounce his life. He can’t do it and the opera ends with him being dragged by demons into hell. In his mind, the torments of hell are better than giving up what he enjoyed in life.

Hopefully, most of us don’t begin our theology with hell. If truth be told, we don’t want to think about hell. And, I suggest, spending too much time thinking about hell is dangerous. We’ve been too conditioned to think of hell by Dante and the like. But perhaps there is a reason for hell.

What would heaven be like for Donna Anna and Donna Elvira if Don Giovanni showed up? It seems to me it would be less than paradise. Some people’s presence, without great purification, would have the ability to destroy heaven. Actually, and this is important to remember and should keep us humble, we will all need some form of sanctification or purification to come face-to-face with God. And, as I’ll explore in today’s sermon, only by God’s grace will we arrive.

Before reading the text:

As I did during the fall of last year, I plan to mostly preach from the the Book of Psalms this season. I will use Psalms which I have not yet preached on over the past 40 years. I have preached on over half of the Psalter, but that still leaves me a lot from which to choose. Today, we’ll look at the 5th Psalm.

This is a personal lament. The Psalmist, and this is the third Psalm attributed to David, complains to God about people telling lies about him. He ask God to intervene on his behalf. But while this is a personal lament, the Psalm itself was proclaimed within the community at worship. We should remember the Psalms were Israel’s hymnal. They were sung and prayed in worship. And while this Psalm centers around the complaint of an individual, it ends incorporating the entire community.

As I preach through the Psalm, it could be helpful to keep your Bibles open and to follow along. Don’t just follow in the reading, but use it as a reference for my interpretation of the passage.

One more thing. This Psalm also nicely follows up to my sermon of a few weeks ago when I preached on the 9th Commandment: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

Read Psalm 5:

Let me suggest from the beginning, the good news from this Psalm applies to one enduring slander, bullying, and deceit. It seems depressing, filled with judgment and consequences. But not if we understand the Psalm from the one bullied or facing slander and lies. The Psalm addresses the oppressed individual’s needs and offers hope for those who strive to live righteous lives.

I think many within our nation felt this way back on 911. Remember that day twenty-five years ago when it seemed our world fell apart. We knew we were attacked but didn’t understand why or what was happening. It was a scary time. This Psalm addresses such a time, especially within our personal lives.

Our Psalm begins with an appeal to God. We might also call it a Call to Worship, as we do when we gather on Sunday mornings. The Psalmist demands an audience with God. His, assuming David wrote this Psalm, troubles are so great that only God can help. Twice this Psalm demands God to listen. Such repetition emphasizes the demand. The sad words come as a sighing, a cry, a prayer, offered at worship in the morning. Of course, if David was the original author, some changes occurred to the Psalm as it appears the Psalm was adapted for use in the temple, which didn’t exist during David’s reigns. But let’s not dwell there.

We should focus instead on David’s anguish. He must have had a sleepless night. He worries about those who spread false rumors. Have you ever heard a rumor about something you supposedly did or said, and then had a hard time turning off the tape within your brain which plays the accusation over and over? That’s must be what’s happening within David’s mind as he worries about his reputation.

This psalm does not inform us of God’s reply. But the Psalmist obviously thinks God listens, for he continues into the second part of the prayer. Perhaps faith draws David forth, Starting in verse 4, he acknowledge God’s traits. God despises wickedness. Evil cannot exist in God’s presence.

This leads the Psalmist to assume those whose tell the destroying lies will not enjoy God’s presence. For the bloodthirsty and deceitful will never stand before the Lord. God is holy and those polluted will never find an audience with the Almighty.

A shift then occurs in verse 7. The Psalmist feels called into God’s presence. Notice, it’s not because of the Psalmist’s righteousness. Rather, the God who cares for the meek of the earth, invites the Psalmist in through God’s steadfast love. The Psalmist enters in awe, with head bowed, perhaps knowing he’s not worthy.

In the next verse, the Psalmist asks for supplication. “God, lead me through my enemies, make your path straight for me.” When we are in trouble, we may find ourselves with no one but God who can help. It’s also important we don’t try to take things in our hands. If we do so, we might make a bigger mess of things. Vengeance is mine says the Lord, a passage found in both the Old and New Testament. We are not to seek revenge, instead we’re to ask God to show us how to live into the future.

Next, in verses 9 and 10, comes the Psalmist complaint. Earlier, when he acknowledged God’s goodness, the Psalmist established God as one who despises wickedness. Now he brings before God those can’t stand before the Almighty. They lie and plan destruction. Their mouths are like open graves, they can flatter but can also kill. Standing them

before God, the Psalmist wants to assure they pay the price for their treachery. Yet, notice their fall isn’t because of God. Their own counsel tripped them up. Having rebelled against God, they find themselves cast out from God’s presence. As with Donna Anna in Mozart’s opera, the deceitful one must be banished before she can enjoy life.

With the concern of those who slander and make his life difficult off the Psalmist chest, we move to close the prayer. The Psalmist prays for the righteous within the community. While this is a personal lament, it also applies to the community of faith, those who seek refuge in God. The Psalmist asks for protection upon the community. May those who are innocent be covered with God’s favor.

The Psalmist, in a way, prays for God’s kingdom to be fulfilled. “They will be done, thy kingdom come,” we pray. Such a kingdom, according to the Beatitudes, consist of those who are poor in spirit. It also includes the meek, those who long for righteousness, who show mercy, who have pure hearts, who seek peace, and have been persecution for righteousness’ sake. The Psalmist fits within many of these traits.

We’re shown in this psalm how to take our troubles to God. We can bring God our concerns and seek out God protections when threatened.

But I want to address one other thing. It seems this song divides the world into the good and bad. However, we must be careful of such dual thinking. After all, as the Apostle Paul reminds us, we’ve all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. In Romans 3, the Apostle Paul draws from this Psalm among others to indict all people of our sinfulness. Even David, to whom the Psalm is attributed, did things which did not please nor bring God glory. This was especially true with him setting up Uriah’s death so that he could cover up his adultery with Bathsheba.

So, if we’re all guilty, how can we come before God? We find the answer back in verse 7. We can only come before God by God’s steadfast love. That’s grace. God answers the prayers of those bullied in life, but God will also answer the prayers of the bully, if they repent of their behavior. But that’s the topic for another sermon.

So when you are beaten down by life, let’s take your troubles to God. And while we try to live and do what is right, we know we are not always so innocent. God will help us when we are bullied, as in the case of the Psalm. But we should also remember this: God looks out for those we bully. Amen.

Sources:

Alter, Robert, The Book of Psalms: A Translation with Commentary. New York: W. W. Norton, 2007.

Mast, Stan. “Psalm 5:1-8 Commentary for Sunday, June 12, 2016”

Psalm 5:1-8

May, James L., Psalms: Interpretation, a Biblical Commentary for Teaching and Preaching.
Louisville: John Knox Press, 1994.

Weiser, Artur, The Psalms: A Commentary. 1959. Philadelphia, Westminster Press, 1962.

September 9, 2026September 9, 2026

A Stop at Trout Lake

title slide with CN engine moving through Trout Lake, MI

Train moving through Trout Lake MI — train moving through the Y at Trout Lake

This is a piece I wrote in 2013. I focus on a stop during an eight hour drive. I drove up the length of Michigan, then halfway across the Upper Peninsula. It also appeared in a post in “The Trackside Photographer” in 2018.

Crossing the Big Mac into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, I pay the four dollar toll at St. Ignace for the privilege. But I don’t follow US 2 which runs along Lake Michigan shoreline nor I-75 which rushes to Sault St. Marie. Instead, I opt for Michigan 123 which runs into the heart of the UP. The road follows the former roadbed of the Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railroad. Ernest Hemingway rode this line a few years after the Great War. He and some friends traveled to a fish camp along the East Branch of the Fox River outside of Seney, Michigan. That adventure provided the fodder for his classic short story, “The Big Two Hearted River.” In those days, one crossed the Straits of Mackinac by ferry. In 1957 the bridge opened, spanning the straits.

It’s getting late in the afternoon when I stop at Trout Lake. There is a small IGA here with wonderful sandwiches, piled high with sliced meats. As I plan to have dinner with friends once I arrive in Marquette, I choose instead a cone of hand-dipped black cherry ice cream. Waiting for the clerk, I look around the store for a minute. In addition to groceries and a deli, they have fishing and camping gear and some hardware. The store seems to be a place from the past, which is why I like stopping here.

Stepping outside, the bells of the railroad crossing clang. I walk around the building to watch a CN engine pulling a mixed assortment of log and tank cars in from the Sault. The engineer stops at the “Y”, just shy of the road crossing. The brakeman steps off, unlocks and then turns the switch. The train proceeds. Its diesels rumble and cars sway, as it makes its way through the junction. After crossing the highway, the train takes the tracks which runs toward Seney. Eventually, I assume, it’s destination is the paper mill at Munising. I watch it rumble down the tracks for a few minutes, then get back in my truck and continue driving.

I’ve stopped at Trout Lake many times, but have never lingered more than a few minutes. But I like the area and the IGA with its wonderful ice cream and homemade sandwiches. There’s a nice lake here, a few hundred years south, as I can see through the pines. Today, this area seems so isolated, mainly a place for fishermen on the lake to replace tackle or buy beer and for snowmobilers to fill up in winter as they race through on their cross-country runs across the UP. It’s not always been this laid back.

A 100 years ago, Trout Lake was a small but bustling community at the crossroads of the Eastern UP. The Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railroad which ran across the South Shore of Lake Superior crossed the Soo Tracks here as it headed toward St. Ignace. The Soo ran from Ontario, through Sault Ste. Marie and past Trout Lake to Naubinway and along the North Shore of Lake Michigan through Manistique, Gladstone, into Wisconsin and eventually to Minneapolis.

Today, the old Duluth line only runs from this point to Munising, mainly servicing a paper mill and a lumber yard. The old Soo line is still intact, but the track gauge is light as is the amount of freight rumbling along the line. Over the years these railroads have gone by a number of names and an equal number of owners. Today, they’re operated by the Wisconsin Central (it’s an old name but a new corporation which handles a collection of lines own by the Canadian National). Sadly, the Duluth and Boston Express and other passenger trains along this line stopped running long before my birth.

I drive west, crossing the lines of the old Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic several times as I head across the UP on Michigan 28, passing through the quiet towns of McMillan, Seney, Shingleton and Chatham.

September 6, 2026September 6, 2026

The Tenth Commandment: No Coveting

Jeff Garrison
Mayberry and Bluemont Churches
September 6, 2026
The Tenth Commandment

The sermon was recorded at Mayberry Presbyterian Church on Thursday, September 3, 2026

At the beginning of worship:

How many of you have seen the movie, “The God’s Must Be Crazy?” Released in 1980, I think consider it one of the funniest films of all times. When the movie opens, you think you’re watching a documentary produced by the National Geographic Society. A serious narrator introduces a primitive tribe in Africa. Everyone lives in perfect harmony as they share everything. These folks have not had contact with the outside world. They’ve not been corrupted; they’re happy and content. But all that changes.

One day a bush pilot flies over their meager village and after chugging down a bottle of Coke, he drops the empty bottle out of the window. Those on the ground think the empty soda bottle is a gift from the gods. And their lives improve for they find many uses for the bottle. It serves as a hammer. The sun reflects through the glass allowing them to build fires. You get the idea; the bottle quickly becomes a handy tool. Soon, since there’s only one bottle, the tribes harmony breaks apart. They fight over who has the right to use the bottle.

Finally, the elders gather and decide the gods must be crazy to have sent such a dangerous gift. They choose one man to take the bottle back to the gods—in other words back to civilization. The movie continues with his journey and you’ll have to watch it to find out what happens. But to tie this into our theme for today, covetousness leads to disharmony.

Before reading the scripture:

We’ve come to the end. Or at least the last of my sermons on the Ten Commandments. It’s been a long summer and I’m sure you’re ready for something else.

Today, we’re looking at the 10th Commandment, the sin of coveting. This may even be the first sin we commit. It’s a sin which could go by many names such as jealously, envy, lust, or “keeping up with the Jones.” Today, I’ll read through the commandments. Remember, they’re all important.

Read Exodus 20:1-17

Coveting, that desire to have what doesn’t belong to us, has always been a problem. It’s the foundation of the original sin. In the garden, Adam and Eve enjoyed everything they needed to have a happy life. Only one thing in the garden remained off-limits, the tree of knowledge. We often interpret this to be an apple tree, although the story doesn’t identify a specie. However, think of it this way. If the tree was an apple, they could have eaten their fill of oranges, pears, apricots, and peaches. Just one tree that they had to avoid, but they couldn’t do it.

Like a magnet, they’re draw straight for the forbidden tree. It became too tempting. Listening to a serpent, Eve takes a bite and offers it to Adam and they enjoy the fruit. Maybe it was a juicy apple so when they took a bite, the juices dripped from the corners of their mouths. They disobeyed God because they wanted what did not belong to them.

We learn to covet at an early age, or maybe it is instilled into us, either way, it’s wrong. We see covetousness manifesting itself in children, which is why I think it might be one of the first sins we commit. A child, when very young, learns the word “mine.” If he or she doesn’t want to let another child play with a toy, the toddler will clutch the toy in his or her arms. If another child has a toy they want, they’ll grab it and shout, “mine.” And as a child matures and learns to follow directions, they’ll get to the age when they are always testing the limits. At this stage in their development, the easiest way to get a child do something is to declare it off-limits. Tell a kid it’s off-limits and like Adam and Eve in the Garden, they’ll be doing it in a heart-beat.

Coveting starts early; we want what does not belong to us and it seems we’re easily seduced by the forbidden. When I was right out of seminary and serving a church in Ellicottville, New York, I remember an overpass on the road heading toward Buffalo. Someone wrote on the concrete, in graffiti, “I don’t want it all; I just want your half.” There’s a lot of truth to that statement. It’s coveting at its best.

The problem of coveting has always been with us. As I’ve shown, it was there in the Garden of Eden, but I wonder if it didn’t become worse in the 20th Century with catalogs like Sears and Roebuck, J. C. Penny, and Montgomery Wards. It’s strange to think of those catalogues being a thing of the past, but now we have Amazon. We can shop and drool over the keyboard. Now, acquisition in and of itself isn’t bad. But the motives which drive us to want what others have can be a problem. For we find ourselves focusing, as Christ warns, not on treasures in heaven, but on storing up that which rots and rust, that which thieves can steal.

As a kid, the only good thing about going back to school was the arrival of the Sears Christmas Catalog, or The Wishbook as it was known. The catalog should have been called the coveter’s handbook. It arrived in the mail early in September, right after school resumed. I still remember the excitement felt the day we came home on the bus and discovered catalog sitting on the kitchen table. Its arrival created a war between my brother and sister and I. We’d all argue about who got to look at it first, and over the next several days, we’d spend hours looking at all the neat toys and making our lists for Christmas. “I want, I want” it’s an early phrase we learn as a child. Looking at the pictures of the kids on the pages of the catalog, playing in a toy utopia, caused our mouths to water. And by having a brother and sister meant that I got to break this commandment in two ways. Not only did I covet the toys in the catalog, I coveted the catalog itself, when in the hands of my brother or sister. The catalog encouraged a double violation of this sin.

There’s been a lot of discussion about the tenth commandment probably starting right after the Hebrew people broke camp and moved away from the mountain. It is often pointed out that the commandment doesn’t fit with the other commandments on the second table of the law which deal with our relationship with one another. After all, murder, adultery, theft and false witness are all sins that involve an action. But covetousness, desiring something that belongs to someone else—be it their wife (or their husband if you’re a woman), their servants, their possessions, their land—isn’t a sin that can be seen. It resides in our heart. No actions required.

We can hide our desires and go around life with a poker face and fool people. We can be praise for our good deeds when, in reality, such deeds may have been done for less than honest reasons. The desire to have something which belongs to someone else, is the root sin which may only becomes visible when one of the other commandments are broken. Think about it, psychopaths aside, people don’t go around murdering because they enjoy it. Murder generally occurs because one protects, or thinks he or she protects, one’s self interest. The same is true with adultery, stealing and bearing false witness, sins which are committed because we put our own interest above that of the community. All of this is a result of coveting. Our wants and desires lead us down a dangerous path of thinking we’re more valuable than others.

John Calvin, in the Institutes of the Christian Religion, suggests that instead of focusing on our desires, we do the opposite: that we focus on our neighbor’s good. Such a technique will help us control our urges to want what we do not have and, as the commandments are so designed, will result in a healthier community. These laws help strengthen our relationship with God and with one another.

I want to suggest a danger of misinterpreting and wrongly applying the tenth commandment. If we’re not careful, we can use the command to condemn others who desire to improve their lives. Perhaps the best example of this would be to criticize of a group of oppressed people who desire freedom to live a life of dignity and provide for their families. To use this commandment as a way to condemn, we cover our butts, not wanting them to have what we have. Such response breaks the intention or the spirit of the commandment. God gave us these rules for the betterment of all people, and to use it as a means of oppression dishonors God. After all, Israel was an oppressed people in Egypt. Perhaps in such a case, instead of criticizing, we should heed the Jesus’ words, “Judge not.”

The sin of coveting is something only we can identify within ourselves. Jesus desires our hearts be pure and when we spend all our time focusing on our neighbor’s possessions, we lose the ability to be grateful and generous. We then tend to focus on our own desires and slowly turn away from our Savior and our neighbor.

The tenth commandment makes a great ending to the laws given to Moses. He start out with the warning not have any other gods. God is all-sufficient. We end the commandments with a prohibition against dwelling on what we don’t have. When it comes to stuff, we can never have enough to satisfy our desires. This is why coveting can be so dangerous, for our desires will keep us from being grateful to God for what we have. Our desires will eventually set us at odds with our neighbors. It’s a hard command to keep for temptation abounds, for we’re always being reminded by advertising of what we need (even if we never knew we needed it. We’re also reminded of what everyone else has (even if they don’t have it). Therefore, we feel we’re left out. Such messages, when we believe them, are deadly lies which undermine our dependence upon God.

Do we worship the God who can satisfy our longings, or worship stuff that leaves us hungry for more? The choice is ours. Amen.

Sources:
Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion, Ford Lewis Battles,
translator (1559)
______. Sermons on the Ten Commandments, Benjamin W. Farley,
translator (Grand Rapids, Baker, 1980),
Childs, Brevard S. The Book of Exodus: A Critical, Theological
Commentary (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1974), 419-421.
Christensen, Duane L, Deuteronomy 1-11: (Word Biblical Commentary
Waco: Word, 1991).
Davidman, Joy. Smoke on the Mountain (1955, London: Hodder &
Stoughton, 1963).
Garrison, Jeff. “Sermon on the 10th Commandment at First Presbyterian
Church of Hastings, Michigan. “(September 2, 2007).
Hauerwas, Stanley and William Willimon, The Truth About God: The Ten
Commandments in Christian Life (Nashville: Abingdon, 1999).
Miller, Patrick D. The Ten Commandments: Interpretations, Resources for
the Use of Scripture in the Church (Louisville, WJKP, 2009)

September 4, 2026September 4, 2026

Reviews of books I completed in August 2026

John Steinbeck, East of Eden,

(!952, Penguin, 2002), 601 pages.

This is an epic novel which follows the family of Cyrus Trask, mostly through his son, Adam. Cyrus was a Civil War veteran who remade himself into a hero in his son’s eyes and in the eyes of the country as he became a leader in the Grand Army of the Republic after the war. The book is set in the later years of the 19th Century through World War I.

Cyrus’ son Charles stays behind and farms. At his insistence, his son Adam joins the army and fights in the Indian Wars. Afterwards, Adam struggled to find himself. When he reconnects to his brother, he learns of his father’s death and the fortune left behind. He later heads west with his new bride, Cathy Ames. Cathy has a dark side which Adam overlooked, only seeing her as an abused woman whom he could protect. We hear nothing more of Charles until years later, when Adam receives a letter from an attorney announcing his brother’s death. He split his inheritance between Adam and his estranged wife.

Arriving in the Salinas Valley of California, Adam buys a farm. He has great plans. But his pregnant wife, doesn’t want anything to do with domestic life. She gives birth to twin boys, Caleb and Aaron, both Biblical names like their dad. Shortly afterwards, even before naming the boys, she tries to leave Adam. When he encourages her to stay, she shoots him in the shoulder. Adam lives, saved by his Chinese servant, Lee, and Samuel Hamilton and his family, who are neighbors. He then becomes depressed. Lee mostly raises the boys.

The boys grow up. Cal (Caleb), partnering with Samuel Hamilton’s son, does well as a farmer, especially with a war going on in Europe. He’s also more worldly and discovers that his mother, who now goes by the name Kate, runs a notorious brothel in Salinas. She also sets up leading men who frequent her establishment for blackmail. Aron (Aaron) heads to school to become an Episcopal priest. He’s also in love with Abra. During a fight within the family when he is home from college,, Cal takes his brother to the brothel to see their mother. It’s too much for Aron and he joins the army and dies in Europe. Kate commits suicide, and leaves her inheritance to Aron.

Much of the book centers around a discussion between Lee (who for a Chinese-American servant is well-education), Samuel Hamilton, and Adam on the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis. Lee suggests a different way for understanding the text. He mistranslating the Hebrew verb timshol for timshel, changing the meaning from “you must rule” to “thou mayest rule” over sin (Genesis 4:7). Lee thinks the meaning of the latter allows humans freedom to flourish.

The book ends with Adam dying. He suffers a stroke upon learning of his son, Aron’s death. On his deathbed, at Lee’s encouragement, he forgives and accepts his son, Cal.

One of the major themes of the book is the relationship between fathers and sons. We see this with both Adam and his father, Cyrus. In both generations, one son stirves to “buy” their father’s love. We also see this relationship within the Hamilton family, who seemed better at showing love to all their children. Another theme is evil. Obviously, the Cathy/Kate character represents evil. Everything she touches dies, often at her hand as she had killed her parents as well as the madam of the brothel, which she later ran. Inheritance is also an important theme. Adam and Charles wonder if their father’s wealth was honestly gained. I found the character, Lee, to be interesting. At first he’s speaks a highly accented English and only when he befriends Samuel Hamilton does he speak without an accent. Lee was born in America. He’s the best educated within the cast of characters, yet works as a servant.

If my memory remains sharp, this is the eighth book I’ve read by John Steinbeck. The others include (in order of reading): The Pearl, The Moon is Down, Travels with Charlie, Cannery Row, Sweet Thursday, Grapes of Wrath, and The Log from the Sea of Cortez. Most of his books I’ve enjoyed which is why I keep reading them.

Michael Abraham, Chasing the Powhatan Arrow: A Travelogue in Economic Geography

(Blacksburg, VA: Pocahontas Press, 2017), 483 pages, some photos.

The Powhatan Arrow was Norfolk Western’s flagship train which ran from Norfolk, Virginia to Cincinnati, Ohio from the 1940s to 1971. You could board the train in Norfolk at 7 AM and arrive in Cincinnati at 10:45 PM, covering almost 700 miles.For the first twenty years of its history, the streamlined J-units built in N&Ws’s shops in Roanoke, pulled the train. One of these trains, J-611, is still in service and one of the best known steam locomotives in existence. After 1960, diesel units pulled the train.

I found myself with a love/hate relationship with this book. I started reading it two years ago, but put it down. I finally picked it back up and had to once again start from the beginning. However, I appreciate the idea of an “economic geography.” Abraham does a wonderful job providing insight into the towns which the Powhatan Arrow traveled. We learned of their history, how their economy has changed and continues to evolve. Some cities, like Norfolk, Lynchburg, Roanoke, Blacksburg, and Cincinnati have rebuilt themselves. Others, like Petersburg, Christianburg, Bluefield, and a slew of towns in Southern West Virginia and along the Ohio, struggle. As I was also interested to learn the existence of an east/west train in Petersburg when we lived there (from 1963 to 1966). And having spent time in Farmington this summer, and living near Roanoke, Christianburg, (Abraham’s hometown), and Blacksburg, made the book more personal.

My hate relationship with the book came from thinking it could have been shorter. Some stories are told multiple times. Furthermore, his frequent use of sarcasm seemed overdone. Several times he went off in one direction, then redirect saying, “that’s a lie,” which I felt was a bit juvenile.

However, the reader gains a great understanding about the history of Virginia and West Virginia. From the port at Norfolk to the tobacco plantations along the Coastal Plain and the Piedmont, we learn about the role of Virginia during the Civil War, and current race relations. In Lynchburg and Roanoke, we learn of two cities who have become major education and industry. Roanoke, like many cities along the route, was built by the Norfolk Western and suffered when it merged with the Southern Railroad to become Norfolk Southern in 1982.

In the first half of the book, we learn of Abraham’s background as a Virginia Tech graduate in Mechanical Engineering.. He does a wonderful job of describing the role rails play and also describing how a steam train works. The J engines used on this route were the last generation of steam trains built in American were engineering marvels.

Bluefield, a city which was also built by NW, was built to serve the coalfields in West Virginia. From there, the train travels south through small towns and cities. We learn types of coal, the dangers of working underground, and the coal wars in the early 1920s which lead to the United Mine Workers union. We also learn of the hazards of living in such places where floods wreck havoc and wells contain poisoned water.

The Powhatan Arrow came to an end in Cincinnati, a city which had s famous railroad history with many trains such as the B&O, C&O, L&N converging. It’s a city with many Fortune 500 companies including Proctor and Gamble.

If you’re interested in this part of the world, I recommend this book. I love the old names for trains and am thankful Amtrak keeps up the tradition with names for trains instead of just using the impersonal numbers like those used by airlines.

Serhii Plokhy, The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine

Revised edition (2015, New York: Basic Books, 2021), 407 pages including a historical timeline, a ‘Who’s Who in Ukrainian History, Glossary, list of further reading suggestions, and index. Audible books, 2022, 15 hours and 21 minutes. Ralph Lister, narrator.

The area which forms the country we now know as Ukraine has a long history. The first mention of settlements in the area came from the Greek historian Herodotus five centuries before Christ. This was the edge of the known world, but the Greeks established cities in Crimea and the Pontic Steepes. Over the next 2500 years, this land was often conflicted between the powers to the north (the Vikings and later Poland and Lithuanian), to the south (Byzantium, Ottomans, Muslims), to the west (Poland France, Austria Hungary, and Germany) and the east (Mongols and later Russians). The idea the Vikings had come through Ukraine in the 8th Century to establish outposts on the Black Sea surprised me. The Vikings referred to the area as “Rus”, which latter morphed into Russia. After the establishment of Russia, Ukraine was often referred to as Little Rus.

While we think of America as a melting pot, but that’s also a feature of Ukraine. The nation consist of many different people and religions. There are Cossacks who inhibited the central part of the nation and Tartars (until expelled by the Soviet Union) lived in Crimea. Many Germans, Poles, and Czechs settled in the area, as did many Russians especially after the large number of deaths from the Soviet caused famine in Ukraine during the 1930s. In addition to many different peoples, the nation also has a variety of faith traditions. The main faith groups include the Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox Churches, Roman Catholics, and Uniates (loyal to Rome but uses the Greek/Orthodox liturgy). There are also a significant number of Jews, a few Protestants, and those Tartans who remain are mostly Muslims. Plokhy notes the role Ukraine played in the 15th and 16th centuries in reforming Orthodoxy, partly spurred on by Calvinists!

As we moved closer to the present, the history became more understandable. As World War 1 broke out, the nation was divided between the Austrian Hungarian empire and Russia. After Russia pulled out of the war, the territory was fought over by Germans and the Bolsheviks as well as the white Russians. Only after the Bolsheviks took control of the land, Ukraine was made a separate nation within the USSR. Of course, Moscow remained in control, but Ukraine could have its own athletes in the Olympics and after World War II, a seat in the United Nations. Ukraine also provided leadership for the Soviet state. Khrushchev’s father moved his family to Ukraine when he was a child and Brezhnev was from Ukraine. After World War II, there was an attempt to separate Ukraine from the Soviet state with guerrilla fighters who had formerly fought against the Nazis remaining active until the early 1950s. The disaster at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant hastened Ukraines desire to break from the Soviet Union. Being such a large state, Ukraine lead to the breakup of the USSR. Without Ukraine, the Russian faction of the USSR would have been overshadowed by Muslim state members to the south.

Ukraine has struggled since its independence. It suffered from the corruption endemic in the USSR. But the people are more united, with even the Russian speaking population in Ukraine voting to be independent. This unity of the country only grew after Russia invaded Crimea and the Donbas. The book was published just after the first invasion and before the all-out war which began in 2022.

At the opening of the book are a series of maps which show how the people of the region has changed over the centuries. Kiev always played a major center for the Ukrainian people. Through much of the history, Lviv was Polish territory and was added on to Ukraine following Russia’s pact with Germany to divide up Poland. The Crimea was added to Ukraine in the 1950s.

I listened to this book, but purchased a copy as there is too much to comprehend by just listening. There are so many names and the area we know as Ukraine expands and shrinks and is divided up so many times I lost count. Still, I found the book informative and hope to dig into it deeper now I have a paper copy.

August 30, 2026August 30, 2026

The Ninth Commandment

title slide with photos of Mayberry and Bluemont Presbyterian Churches

Jeff Garrison
Mayberry and Bluemont Churches
August 30, 2026
The Ninth Commandment
Exodus 20:16

Sermon recorded at Bluemont on Friday, August 28, 2026

At the beginning of worship:

One afternoon, a preacher walking through his neighborhood came up on a group of boys trying to out-lie each other. He stopped and after listening for a few moments at some whoppers, asked the boys what they were doing.They explained they’d found a puppy. They all wanted the dog, so they decided the one who told the biggest lie could take it home.

This disturbed the preacher. Looking at each boy in the eye, he told them they should be ashamed. He went on to say that when he was there age, he never told lies. The boys bowed their heads and shrugged their shoulders in shame as their leader, picked up the puppy, handed it to the preacher and said, “You win, you get to keep the dog.”

I won’t stand up here today and say I’ve never told a lie. If I did, as John’s first epistle reminds us, I would be deceiving myself and the truth would not be in me. All of us have lied—whether telling our mother we didn’t have any homework when we wanted to play baseball, or saying we’re going to the office when we have fishing rods or golf clubs stashed in the trunk. Although lies vary in degree of intensity, they are dangerous as they put us in the league with the great liar, Satan whose name means one who slanders, who lies, and who deceives.

Before reading the scripture:

We’re to tell the truth, that’s the meaning of the 9^th Commandment, right? But what about “little white lies.” I’m sure not only have we all told lies, there’s probably been times we all wished we’d told a lie instead of telling the truth.

What’s the relationship to those little white lies we tell? That’s what I want us to consider this morning. What does the ninth commandment mean today? “Is lying ever appropriate?” If so, when? Let’s listen to the commandment.

Read Exodus 20:16

Let’s hear this commandment from a modern translation: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” And from the King James Version. “Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbor.”

Sermon

What does it mean to give false witness? What’s the intention of the commandment, especially in light of Jesus’ teachings?

First of all, in Old Testament times, jurisprudence depended upon witnesses in court telling the truth. The same is true today, but we’re a bit more sophisticated than back then. In our situation, we are supposed to be considered innocent until proven guilty. We also have more tools like DNA which can help the innocent defend themselves. In our courts, the burden of proof remains with the prosecutor. In the ancient world, including Israel, this wasn’t necessarily so. Instead, someone could bring an accusation against you and it was up to you to prove yourself innocent. And it’s hard to prove yourself innocent if your accuser is a good liar.

The classic tale of miscarriage of justice in scripture is the story of King Ahab and Naboth. Naboth had a vineyard Ahab wanted to buy. But Naboth didn’t want to sell, so Ahab’s wife Jezebel sent a letter, under her husband’s seal, to the elders of the city instructing them to set Naboth up by having two scoundrels charge him with blasphemy, a crime punishable by stoning. With Naboth dead, as king, Ahab takes his land.

Perjury, in the ancient world, where two witnesses could result in the execution of an individual, was a serious crime. Those who committed perjury, if discovered, received the same sentence as the victim they condemned. In other words, if in Ahab’s day justice had prevailed in Israel, which it didn’t, all who conspired against Naboth would have also been stoned.

In the courtroom setting, truth is a necessity. But the same goes from anyone with authority. If you are in a position to have privileged information, and misrepresent such information, you’re guilty. This is a serious crime for people make decisions on you word. Think about buying a stock based on a company’s financial statement. You have no way to determine if what’s said is truthful or if they’re cooking the books. And when it comes out that it is not truthful, a crisis arises as we wonder whom, if anyone, we can trust. Obeying the ninth commandment not only protects your neighbor, it protects the foundation of society.

I’ve tried to impress upon you, the second table of the law provides basic ground rules for a society. To review these commandments quickly: we’re not to kill or harm our neighbors: we’re not to lure their wives away or if you’re a woman, their husbands; we’re not to take their property; and we’re not to make up lies about them so as to destroy their credibility in the community.

Telling lies is not just harmful within a legalistic setting. It is also destructive within families and between friends. We’re told in the book of Proverbs that a good name is to be chosen before riches. But think for a minute how easy it is to destroy someone’s name. By taking half truths, or slightly distorted truths, we can make an opponent out to look like a demon. Let’s face it, this happens all the time in politics. But it’s not limited to the political world. It’s behavior we witness with children on the playground.

For some reason, we Homo Sapiens have to have someone we can vilify. It may be a classmate, a neighbor, someone in church, but it seems we need someone we can talk and gossip about as well as ridicule. And the danger comes from more we participate in such activities, the less our conscious pricks us with the words from this commandment. Pretty soon, we come to believe that we’re truthful, which is the greatest lie of all.

We’re all heard, and most of us have probably used the cliché, “the truth hurts.” The cliché serves as a hammer. We tell someone our version of the truth, much to his or her pain, and then we drive the nail in with the phrase, “the truth hurts.” It’s a way of self-justifying our actions for hurting another person. Gossipers use the phrase all the time, as if to claim they are not violating the ninth commandment. But before we let such a person walk away with a clear conscious, consider the intention of this commandment. Is it just to ensure that we always tell the truth, or does it have something to do with the way we treat our neighbors? If it was just about telling the truth, why didn’t God just say, “Thou shalt not lie?” Why was the commandment couched in terms of bearing false witness against neighbors?

I suggest the intention of the commandment has to do with the way we treat our neighbors. And don’t forget, as Jesus shows in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, our neighbors are not limited to those living next door. Nor are they only those who look, think, and act like we do. Everyone created in the image of God is a neighbor.

John Calvin spent considerable time in his sermon on this verse condemning those who pretend to be “zealous” when they only want to trap their enemies. We all know such people. When they learn about a neighbor’s sin, they act like they’re helping their neighbor reform, when they’re really out for blood. They attempt to look good and godly while making a neighbor look bad. In the 18th chapter of Matthew, Jesus lays out how we confront a neighbor over his or her sin. We’re to be respectful and not involve any more people than necessary.

Before we sign up for a crusade against someone else, we should ask ourselves, “What’s in it for us?” Are we just out to get back at someone, to make ‘em look bad. In such cases, we’re using the truth as a hammer. Sure, we might keep the letter of the law, but we break its spirit.

As we’ve seen this year in my sermons, Jesus, in this Sermon on the Mount, reinterprets the sixth and seventh commandments to include not only the acts of murder and adultery, but also the intentions within our hearts. I think we can make the same assumption for the ninth commandment. Are comments about our neighbor done for their benefit, or to make us look good? Even if truthful, if our intention is to promote ourselves at the expense of our neighbor, in other words, if we’re trying to destroy our neighbor’s reputation, we’re guilty of breaking the commandment.

Now let’s explore a minute about what we call little white lies. First of all, let me say that I think we should strive to be truthful and loving in all we do. Truth and love go hand in hand. Sometimes, we might have to massage the truth a bit to keep from hurting someone. I suppose when we do this, we should confess it to God just to keep ourselves honest. Let me give you an example. Think about a toddler drawing a picture. To your eyes, it’s nothing more than a bunch of colored lines. But he or she asks what you think of her picture, what should you say? Should you say it’s the ugliest thing you’ve ever seen? No, even if that thought ran through your mind, you’re not going to say it for it would destroy the child’s sense of self.

We find ourselves in such situations often and not just with three year olds, but also with those who are 43 and 83 and 103. Perhaps the guiding rule needs to be what is best for our neighbor? Now, if the child is now 18 and still drawings such pictures and plans to apply to art school, his or her best interest might be for us to be more truthful, but to convey such truth in love.

On a different level… Let’s say you lived in Nazi Germany and hid Jews during the holocaust. Would you break the intention of the commandment by lying to an SS Officer and saying you’ve not seen any Jews, even though some are hiding in your closet? In such cases, the greater interest is justice for the innocent.

On the other hand, how about telling a lie to protect a friend or coworker from some wrong they’ve done? In this type of case, I don’t think your protected for your little white lie. Let’s say you know a colleague who deceives the government, shareholders, or customers. Whistleblowers are often condemned for a lack of loyalty, but loyalty is misguided when it comes to covering up crime and protecting the guilty. In such a case, using a white lie to protect the one in the wrong places you in clear violation of the ninth commandment.

Do you see what I mean about the commandment’s intention? By being couched in legal terms, the commandment seeks to keep our neighbors from being unfairly accused? At the same time, this also means exposing the guilty, especially if by exposing the guilty party protects unsuspecting victims. The ninth commandment helps build and protects community. Amen.

Sources:

Calvin, John, Sermons on the Ten Commandments, Benjamin Farley, translator (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1980).

Garrison, Jeff. Sermon on Exodus 20:16, First Presbyterian Church of Hastings, Michigan, August 26, 2007

Sade, Kenneth, The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1990).

Scriptural references: 1 John 1:8, John 8:44, Revelation 12:9, 1 Kings 21, Proverbs 22:1, Matthew 18:15-20, Luke 10:25-37, Matthew 5:21-35.

August 26, 2026August 26, 2026

Wandering Around the Mountains of North Carolina

Title slide with photo of a CSX coal train descending through Spruce Pine, NC

I’m currently back in the North Carolina Mountains, at Montreat at a Board of Pension retreat, as I finish writing about a trip I made down here last month

CSX train heading south through Spruce Pine, NC — Spruce Pine, NC

The smoke poured across the eastern half of the country in mid-July. I was on vacation for a week and planned to work to do in the garden a few days. Then, on the weekend, we were to head north and spend some time in Staunton, visiting Woodrow Wilson’s library and exploring the Shenandoah Valley. Unfortunately, as bad as the smoke was Southwest Virginia, it was worse further north. We cancelled hotel reservations and set our sights south.

The plan had been to stay in the Nuway Inn in Burnsville. I had spotted this place last fall when I was on a mission trip helping rebuild homes in the area. The Nuway Inn is the oldest hotel in state in continuous operation. With no rooms available, I found another interesting place, the Blue Ridge Boutique Hotel in Spruce Pines. With a place to stay for a few nights, I pointed the car south, driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway, and stopping for lunch at the Bluff’s Restaurant in Doughton Park. While I had never eaten in this restaurant, I have enjoyed their food many times as they cater for concerts at the Blue Ridge Music Center. I recommend their meatloaf!

This area of the parkway just recently opened as several bridges had to be rebuilt and it has been closed most of the time since I moved to the mountains. Thankfully, it’s back open, but due to Hurricane Helene, there are still a section with bridges out around Grandfather Mountain. The re-route took us through the Blowing Rock. Whatever happened to the quaint little town I used to spend time in 40 years ago when I lived just down the mountain in Hickory? The traffic was terrible.

After getting back on the Parkway, we drove a little further south before exiting at Spruce Pine. I often wondered about the name of this town. Spruce and pines are two types of trees. While both are evergreens, the needles on pine trees are softer and connected together in groups of two to five needles. Spruce (and firs) have individual needles. I found no one who could answer my question about the town’s name. Since both species of trees grow in the town, it works. The town is nestled along both banks of the peaceful North Toe River. The water was nice, but when Hurricane Helene visited the stream became a nightmare. Raging waters submerged the lower part of the town.

We checked into the hotel, which was an old elementary school built in the 1930s, on a bank high above the river. The rooms were tastefully done and nice. However, walking the hardwood halls between rooms felt a bit haunted. I had nightmares of being transported back to my childhood at Bradley Creek Elementary School. Both schools dated from a similar time period.

Not finding anything we wanted to eat for dinner in Spruce Pine, I suggested we try Burnsville, which is just down the road. We had a great dinner and good beer at Homeplace Beer Company, eating outside under an awning. While we ate, a light rain fell as thunder rolled through the mountains. I love that sound..

Saturday morning, we stopped at TJ Blue Ridge Cafe for a very filling breakfast. We ate on the sidewalk, watching CSX coal trains make their way through town heading south. This is the same line which runs through Camp Bud Schiele, he last camp I directed for the Boy Scouts before going to seminary. That summer, at camp, I stayed across the tracks from the camp . On two occasions missed the morning flag ceremony due to waiting for a coal train to pass. Hurricane Helene did a lot of damage to this line, known as the Clinchfield Route. Along the tracks were stacks of old railroad ties, obviously collected from the rebuilding projects along the line.

After breakfast, we headed up to Roan Mountain with plans to do some hiking. Sadly, we were a bit late for the rhododendrons in bloom. This was the first section of the Appalachian Trail I hiked. I would go on to complete the trail during the first summer break from seminary. It was May 1983 and four of his hiked from the Hot Springs to Highway 19e. It was rainy coming up Roan Mountain. We camped at a shelter near the top of the peak. The next morning was beautiful as the clouds filled in the valleys below.

radio operator working out of the back of his car — Radio operator working on relaying signals on the Appalachian trail

This was my first time back to Roan Mountain since that magical day. With storms all around, we didn’t do much hiking. Stopping at a pull-off, II spotted a guy with an antenna up near his car, working a radio. I assumed he was working POTA (Parks on the Air). This is where someone sets up an amateur radio station remotely and makes contacts. There are people who log these contacts, trying to collect contacts from National and State Parks across the country.

Instead, I was surprised to learn he was participating in working the “Appalachian Trail.” A group of 12 or so individuals or clubs staged themselves along the trail at high points. They passed information from Georgia to Maine using the 2 meter VHF band. He kept an eye on the storms. He knew if they came too close, he’d need to take the antenna down and seek shelter inside his car. Thankfully, the storms stayed far enough away, he could continue forwarding messages as we talked about our radio experiences.

Looking for a place where we could stay dry, we headed to the Emerald Village, which sounds as if it was the place which became a city in the Wizard of Oz. On one side of the highway was a museum at an old feldspar mine which, which crushed, provided the abrasive for BoAmi, a household cleanser. The mine displayed various pieces of equipment used in the extraction of the rock.

inside the mine looking out (much of the mine is now underwater)

Rocks under a blacklight — Rocks under.a blacklight

After the mine tour, we headed across the street where there was another museum and a place where one could shift through ore for gemstones. The museum was interesting, featuring a great collection of carbine headlamps worn by miners before battery power lights were available. There were also dark areas where black lights brought local gems to light. After touring through the museum and going through a bucket of ore, we left with a bag of gems which included emeralds, amethyst, smoky and rose quartz, Calcite, pyrite, topaz, opals, and garnets.

On the way back to hotel, we stopped by Little Switzerland, visiting an old bookstore before eating dinner at the Switzerland Cafe. I had salmon which was excellent, along with a local beer. Back at the hotel, we walked a path along the river, visited a community garden, and then sat on the patio reading and watching the light fade from the hills.

On Sunday, we drove the backroads up to Banner Elk, where we worshipped at the Presbyterian Church. The Pastor preached his first sermon in a series on the Beatitudes, which made me smile as I had just finished a series on 17 sermons on the Sermon on the Mount, which includes the Beatitudes. Afterwards, we drove back through Boone, another town that has lost its quaint charm in the decades since I lived in Western North Carolina. From there, we followed the New River home, stopping and checking out places like Todd, which I haven’t seen since the early 1980s. Arriving at Fries (pronounced Freeze), we stopped in a park for ice cream and listening to the river. I finished reading Louis L’Amour’s memoir, Education of a Wandering Man. Leaving Fries, another thunderstorm caught up with us as we approached Laurel Fork.

It was great to get away for a few days and to be out of the pulpit for a Sunday.

August 23, 2026August 23, 2026

The Eighth Commandment: Don’t Steal

Title slide with photos of Mayberry and Bluemont Churches

Jeff Garrison
Mayberry and Bluemont Churches
August 23, 2026
The Eighth Commandment
Exodus 20:15, Ephesians 4:28

Sermon recorded at Mayberry Presbyterian Church on Thursday, August 20, 2026

At the beginning of worship:
The Ballard of the Flim-Flam Man is delightful and humorous book set in tobacco market towns of Eastern North Carolina during the 1950s. Mordecai Jones, a character created by Guy Owens, is the Flim-Flam Man. He travels with a younger apprentice, Curley Treadaway. They get into all sorts of mischief as they attempt to separate people and their money. One of the key rules to this dishonest trade, which Mordecai impresses upon his young student is that “you can’t cheat an honest man in the skin trade.”

You can’t cheat an honest man for he’s not out to get something for nothing. You can rob him; you can stick a gun in his back and force him raise his arms while you lift his wallet, but that wasn’t the Flim-flam man’s way. He had certain, although misguided, values. He wasn’t a highway robber, he wasn’t going to forcefully take someone’s money. Instead, he preferred to cheat those with a burning desire to get something for nothing. There is a lesson here for us that we can trace back to the eighth commandment. As the old saying goes, “a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

Before reading the scripture:

Like our previous two commandments, the eighth commandment prohibiting the taking of someone’s property is quite concise. Don’t steal, we’re told. We’re to respect the property of others. According to the traditional teachings of the church this includes avoiding unnecessary lawsuits to gain from another, receiving stolen property, and even kidnapping for slavery or ransom. Let’s look at what the Bible says:

Read Exodus 20:15 and Ephesians 4:28

We should ask ourselves what consists of a violation of the eighth commandment. Obviously, if I walk into Nester’s Store and pick up a pack of gum and walk out without paying for it, I’m guilty. If I steal a car, I’m guilty. If I break into one of your homes and steal your prized black velvet Elvis portrait hanging over your fireplace, I’m guilty. Cut and dry examples. In God’s eyes, I’m guilty. In the eyes of the law, I’m guilty. And in the case of the Elvis painting further penance would be dished out at home when I attempt to hang the painting. We all agree on these examples, but interestingly, the church’s traditional understanding of this commandment isn’t limited to physical theft.

The Westminster Larger Catechism suggests stealing includes tricks and schemes which seek to gain our neighbor’s wealth, dishonesty in business dealings, deceptive advertising, counterfeiting money, charging exorbitant interest, being greedy, and even misusing or wasting God’s gifts.

When you expand the list like this, it points out places in our lives where we’ve not lived up to the standard set by the church. It’s quite a list and many of them are just as much of a problem today as they were back in the 17^th century when the catechism was first published. Just think about all the business scandals we’ve gone through over the past twenty-five years. To bring the catechism up to date, we should also include insider trading and falsifying stockholder reports.

To understand the problem of theft from a Biblical perspective, we must understand the Biblical notion of property. Here in the USA, we talk a lot about private property and our rights. If we have a piece of land, we act like we’re little kings within our boundaries. But that’s a different understanding of property from what we have in Scripture. According to the Bible, we don’t own a thing. Instead of owing property and thereby having certain rights, in Scripture any wealth—whether land, durable goods, knowledge, or capital—belongs to God. It may be ours in our eyes and certainly in the eyes of the county tax folks, but in the eyes of God, it belongs to him. We’re allowed its use God’s property as a steward.

This has implications for the eighth commandment, for if I take what belongs to my neighbor, not only do I commit a crime against him, I’m also stealing from God, who ultimately owns the possession I stole.

This broader understanding of property expands the meaning of theft. Yes, stealing as defined in the state legal code is a crime and the Sheriff will prosecute you. But what God considers a crime may or may not be considered one by law enforcement.

We live within a market economy and demand generally sets the price, but according to the way the church has traditionally understood this commandment, price gouging is wrong. Stealing, according to this broader understanding also occurs when an employee takes advantage of his employer and goofs-off. It also occurs when an employer takes advantage of an employee. Both the employee and employer are called to a higher standard in scripture. And likewise, stealing occurs whenever we fail to use the gifts God has given us to his glory. If we’ve been given great talents and we don’t do anything with them, we’re guilty. Also, if we’ve been given great talents and use them in an evil manner, we’re guilty of stealing from God.

The honest man and woman know honesty and hard work are virtues and don’t jump for the fast buck. Therefore it’s harder to cheat them. We might not think about it in this fashion, but cheating another and trying to get something for nothing are both violations of the eighth commandment. Ponder this: both the Flim-Flam man and his victim stand guilty.

Now, as I’ve shown with the other commandments we’ve discussed, each commandment can be expanded to include positive actions. The prohibition against murder can also include constructive suggestions such as watching out for the well-being of your neighbor. The same is true here, not only are we not to steal, we should also help our neighbor watch out for his property. John Calvin suggests that if we want to know what stealing entails, we should consider the rights of others.“The principal of charity,” Calvin says, “is to be our guide.” This commandment requires us to care for others. This is in keeping with the notion that all we have comes from God. If we’ve been blessed more by God, more is required of us, for we are to use those blessings in a way that honors God and helps our brothers and sisters.

It is interesting that Calvin and other Protestant Reformers don’t limit stealing to ways we generally consider its definition. Certainly they condemned the physical act of taking something which doesn’t belong to you, but they also come down hard on deceitfulness. Perhaps they understood how often those held in high esteem were guilty of such practices. In Dante’s Inferno, his poetic depiction of hell, swindlers are placed deeper in hell than strong-armed men, or “armed robbers.”

John Calvin in a sermon on this passage, divided types of theft into two animal categories—foxes and wolves. The wolf, which has no other means of getting what it needs, resorts to brute power. The fox, however, uses trickery. Both are wrong, but often as a society we come down harder on the wolf and, to some extent, idolized the fox. This, as you can imagine, isn’t anything new. In Roman society, the simple thief could be crucified, while the fox might have been made a governor, given prestige and a province to plunder.

Theft, whether committed by a common criminal or a white-collared executive, is wrong. And today, in the information age, theft is as easy as ever. I wonder if we, in America, haven’t brought into the idea that theft is only related to taking physical property. In this manner, we interpret this commandment as a protection of protect our possessions without requiring any responsibility from us.

How else can we explain so many scandals concerning business practices? If I remember correctly, Kenneth Lay, the CEO of Enron taught Sunday School before going to jail. How did he do that? Or how can we explain parents rising up in indignation at a teacher flunking students who plagiarize? How do we explain the practice of preachers using someone else’s sermons, without giving credit. Or AI stealing information from books under copyright without paying the authors?

In our information age, it is easy to steal. And it’s not just hacking computers, raiding bank accounts and stealing credit card numbers. These are the things we fear and yes, such theft occurs, but so does a more subtle form of theft, stealing and using ideas without giving credit. Or stealing art—the downloading of music and movies without paying the artist. Most of us, at least after about the age of 15, would never consider slipping in to a movie theater without paying. But would we watch an illegal copy of that same movie at home?

There is an old episode of the Simpson’s titled “Homer vs. Lisa and the Eighth Commandment” which deals with the moral implications of theft.

For fifty bucks, a one-time fee, Homer has a cable television installer hook him up illegally. No longer does Homer pay for cable and he can watch all the shows for free. This little “victimless crime,” (if there’s such a thing), creates chaos in the Simpson’s home. Next thing you know, his son Bart charges classmates admission to watch the Playboy channel.

Bart’s action disappoints Homer, but he has compromised his moral authority. How can he convince Bart of the wrongness of his actions when Homer steals from the cable company. The Simpson family becomes polarized. Marge, the mother, is scared her husband will be arrested. Lisa, their daughter, joins with her mother on a moral crusade. Lisa takes seriously her Sunday School lesson on the Ten Commandments and encourages her father to cut the cable. In the end, that’s what Homer does, but ironically, not until he’s had all the guys over to watch a heavyweight title fight.

Unfortunately, for us, understanding theft is more confusing today than ever, which makes Jesus forgiving the thief on the cross really good news for us all. There’s always hope. But we shouldn’t give up striving to apply this commandment to our lives.

As Christians, we need to claim the high moral ground. Theft is theft, whether we are an executive or a cat burglar, a student copying a paper or a homeowner avoiding paying for utilities. Calvin’s suggestion we consider what is right by our fellowman or woman serves as a good guideline. Are we being fair to all? Another way of asking the question is the popular cliché, “what would Jesus do?” I certainly don’t think he’d be pirating music or misleading stockholders anymore than he would shoplift. What would Jesus do? Or more importantly, what are we going to do? Amen.

Sources:

Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion, Ford Lewis Battles, translator (1559)
______. Sermons on the Ten Commandments, Benjamin W. Farley,
translator (Grand Rapids, Baker, 1980),
Childs, Brevard S. The Book of Exodus: A Critical, Theological Commentary
(Philadelphia: Westminster, 1974), 419-421.
Davidman, Joy. Smoke on the Mountain (1955, London: Hodder & Stoughton ,
1963).
Garrison, Jeff. “Sermon on the 8th Commandment at First Presbyterian Church
of Hastings, Michigan. “(August 12, 2007).
Hauerwas, Stanley and William Willimon, The Truth About God: The Ten
Commandments in Christian Life (Nashville: Abingdon, 1999).
Miller, Patrick D. The Ten Commandments: Interpretations, Resources for the
Use of Scripture in the Church (Louisville, WJKP, 2009).
Owens, Guy. The Ballard of the Flim-Flam Man, (1965: Wilmington, NC: Coastal
Carolina Press, 2001)
Pinsky, Mark I. The Gospel According to the Simpsons (Louisville: Westminster/JKP,
2001).
Presbyterian Church USA, The Book of Confession, “Heidelberg and Westminster
Catechisms” (Louisville, KY, 2021).

August 16, 2026August 23, 2026

The Seventh Commandment

Jeff Garrison
Mayberry and Bluemont Churches
August 16, 2026
Exodus 20:14; Matthew 5:27-28

Sermon recorded at Bluemont Presbyterian Church on Friday, August 14, 2026.

At the beginning of worship:
Today we’re looking at the 7th Commandment. I can’t think of this commandment without thinking about Jerry. I met him when he started attending Bradley Creek Elementary School in the sixth grade. From the beginning he tried to make himself look good to the teachers. The rowdy group of boys I ran with found this an irritant.

We had a banquet at the end of the school year. Billy Mason, the principal at Roland Grice Junior High, spoke. He encouraged us to become model students by remembering two passages in the Bible. If we followed these two scriptures they would guide us through our Junior High years and keep us out of his office. He asked if anyone knew which two he referred.

Some girl up front, the type who always had the right answer, raised her hand. The principal gave her a nod and she nailed it: “Do unto others,” the Golden Rule. The principal smiled and nodded approval. She wouldn’t be seeing the inside of his office.

Then the principal asked for another volunteer and Jerry stood up and boldly proclaimed: “thou shalt not commit adultery.” For a moment the principal remained speechless as we burst into laughter. Not that we knew exactly what adultery entailed, we just knew it wasn’t something we were likely to do in Junior High.

After gasping for air, the principal tried to regain order. He mumbled something about how he hoped we would obey that commandment, too. But he was thinking of a different one. He encouraged us to keep the fifth commandment, to honor our fathers and mothers. In other words, if we acted as if our mothers were watching, we’d have a healthy dose of old fashion guilt and avoid trouble.

Before reading the Scripture:
Last week, as I closed the service, I added a humorous charge before the benediction. Since I had preached on the 6th Commandment, I told you to go out and don’t murder anyone. Then I said, “but you can do better than that. Go out love everyone.” Afterwards, one of the Elders said he couldn’t wait to see my backflip this week. Questioning what he meant, he said that I sent you out to love everyone and this week, I would be qualifying that charge… He’s right because our language uses love in too many ways. Last week, I was referring to love as a verb, not an act.

Our reading today is another short passage, concerning the 7th Commandment and I will include Jesus’ reinterpretation of this commandment in the Sermon on the Mount.

Read Exodus 20:14 and Matthew 5:27-28

The seventh commandment is a tough one; we don’t like talking about it. I remember a comic strip; it may have been Frank and Ernest. The Hebrew children gather at Sinai, and a weary Moses comes down the mountain. He tells the crowd below he has some good news and some bad news. He bargained God down to only Ten Commandments.Then he gave the bad news, adultery remained on the list.

Adultery was considered a great sin in the ancient world, even before God gave the Hebrew people the law at Sinai and not just for the Hebrew people. You see this in Genesis, with Abraham and Sarah. Thinking he might be killed, Abraham passed Sarah off as his sister. Sure enough, a king set his eyes on Sarah, but before he takes her in his harem, he learns the truth through a dream. He feels he has been tricked and is upset for he came close to committing a great sin.

Literally, the seventh commandment shouldn’t be that hard to obey, even though it’s often broken. But as common of a sin it is, Jesus doesn’t let those of us who have managed to keep the Commandment in a literal sense, off the hook. He pushes the boundaries beyond the physical act and has us internalize it. Like with anger and murder, lust become equivalent to adultery. Unless you are blind and have no touch and smell and hearing, according to Jesus’ interpretation, you’ve probably broken the seventh commandment. Only God really knows, but I suspect most of us have had a few impure thoughts. Such sinfulness is just another reminder of how far the human race has fallen and how totally dependent we are upon God’s grace.

It still amazes me the fuss made over Jimmy Carter’s statement when he ran for President. He admitted to lusting in his heart. What’s surprising is that Jimmy may be one of the few politicians who stopped there and didn’t proceed on to the act itself. Back in the 90s, both our President and Speaker of the House, Clinton and Gingrich, engaged in such actions while pointing the finger at the other. And I won’t go into our current crop of elected adulterers. Unfortunately, those governing us often fail to served as good role models.

As hard as it is to abide, Jesus’ reinterpretation of this commandment is helpful. If you take the seventh commandment literally, you see it applied only to a man who seduced, or was seduced, by a wife or a fiancé of another man. In other words, in a strictly literal sense, this commandment is about protecting the property rights of another man.

The protection of property rights helps maintain stability in society. As I said last week, commandments six through ten provide us the boundaries within where we can live life abundantly. By internalizing the commandment to include lustful thoughts, Jesus once again goes to the core of the problem. Adultery is a spiritual problem which resides within the heart.

The Prophets often referred to Israel as an adulterer for chasing after foreign gods. If you remember, the whole premise of the book of Hosea is based upon the analogy of adultery. The prophet is told to take a prostitute as his wife and to love her, even though she remains unfaithful. The people can see, though Hosea grief, how God anguishes over Israel’s unfaithfulness.

The Christian understanding of marriage is that it’s a three-way covenant. Actually, in some ways, its a four-way covenant. Marriage is not just an agreement between a two people, it also involves God and the rest of the community. We pledge our faithfulness to one another and to our Creator. Committing the act of adultery, because God is involved with our covenant, becomes the same as breaking the first commandment. This is why, if you get into the details of all the laws in Leviticus, you will find that the penalty for adultery in Israel was death. Adultery was as serious as idolatry.

Keeping the seventh commandment presupposes the keeping of the other commitments. Too often we make an idol out of the family and marriage as the only commitment that matters. But that’s not the case; for us to enjoy life as God intends, we must both keep our marriage vows as well as our commitments to God and honoring those with whom we live in community. Just as with the sixth and eighth commandments, breaking the seventh commandment is a violation which affects the entire community.

This is why, when I officiate at a wedding, I ask for the commitment from all present to support the couple in the vows they make. And it’s the same reason that in baptism, we ask for the community’s commitment to help the individual grow into Christ. When it comes down to its roots, our faith is not individualistic; it can only be lived out in community.

I also want to talk briefly about the notion of being single and a Christian. Too often we lift up marriage as the ultimate goal, but we’re probably over reaching by doing that. “The church grows and lives by witness and conversion, not by marriage and family. We don’t have to marry to be faithful to Christ; instead marriage is optional and should be seen more as a calling than some right or a necessity for personal fulfillment.

Jesus’ reinterpretation of the seventh commandment expands the Law further into a community concern which works to protect women and to awaken men to their responsibilities. As Joy Davidman writes concerning this commandment, Jesus “forgave the adulteress who repented and loved God and denounced the lustful and loveless men who caused her to sin.” In the story of the woman caught in adultery, it is interesting that only the woman was brought before Jesus. We’re left wondering about the man.

For us today, we must consider not just the literal interpretation of the seventh commandment. We should also heed Jesus’ words and the advice from the book of Hebrews, “to hold marriage in honor and to keep the marriage bed undefiled, for God will judge fornicators and adulterers.” There are a bunch of other scripture passages we could consider, especially in Proverbs and in the writings of Paul. By broadening the meaning of this commandment, from a strictly narrow literal interpretation which protected the man’s rights, to a broader interpretation which protects everyone’s rights, shows God’s intention to build healthy communities, one family at a time.

But then, that was God’s intention all along. If we look back in the second chapter of Genesis, we see that God created the man and woman to help one another and that the two should become one flesh. Adultery is prohibited because it is the knife which cuts through this mystical union and destroys that which God brought together. Honor your marriage vows and look out for one another, in doing so we serve God and one another. Amen.

Sources:

Notes on the 7th Commandment in the Heidelberg Catechism, Center for Excellence in Preaching.

Calvin, John. Sermons on the Ten Commandments, Benjamin W. Farley, translator (Grand Rapids, Baker, 1980),

Childs, Brevard S. The Book of Exodus: A Critical, Theological Commentary (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1974), 419-421.

Christensen, Duane L. Deuteronomy 1:1-21:9: Word Biblical Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2001).

Davidman, Joy. Smoke on the Mountain (1955, London: Hodder & Stoughton , 1963).

Garrison, Jeff. “Sermon on the 7th Commandment at First Presbyterian Church of Hastings, Michigan. “(August 2007).

Hauerwas, Stanley and William Willimon, The Truth About God: The Ten Commandments in Christian Life (Nashville: Abingdon, 1999).

Miller, Patrick D. The Ten Commandments: Interpretations, Resources for the Use of Scripture in the Church (Louisville, WJKP, 2009).

August 9, 2026August 9, 2026

Thou Shalt Not Kill

Jeff Garrison
Mayberry and Bluemont Churches
August 9, 2026
The Sixth Commandment
Exodus 20:13 Matthew 5:21-22

Sermon recorded at Mayberry Church on Thursday, May 6, 2026

At the beginning of worship:
Reuben, a friend of mine from North Carolina, was an attorney before retiring. Don’t hold that against him, he was also a serious backpacker. Back in the 80s, we spent many weeks together hiking the Appalachian Trail from Georgia into Pennsylvania. As we walked or sat around an evening campfire, we often discussed theological and legal issues and how they inter-relate. On one such hike, I learned of one of Rueben’s courthouse debacles.

Reuben represented a man with a good job and a thriving side-business, making over $150,000 a year. This was 40 years ago. His wife wanted a divorce. She didn’t ask for much: joint custody of their kids, and the house. Rueben advised his client to make the deal.

This stubborn dude didn’t want any part of it. He insisted on fighting for everything, including the house and full custody of the kids. Against Reuben’s. advice, they proceeded to court. The other side called witnesses. Attorneys appreciate clients who tell them everything. Witnesses spoke of how Reuben’s client bragged he would burn his house before giving it to his soon-to-be ex-wife. When Reuben’s client was asked about these threats, he didn’t deny it. Instead, he said, “I’m no longer planning to burn the house down, God will do it.” Rueben wanted to crawl under the table. The room became quiet. Then judge warned the man he better hope God doesn’t burn the house down because he, and not God, would be the main suspect.

The judge gave the woman the house. About a month later, at night, it burned. As we might suspect, God wasn’t involved, except to look out for woman and kids, all who safely escaped.

Now, this guy attended church. I don’t think it was a Presbyterian Church, as we had no churches in that part of the county. The man confused his personal desires with God’s will. He let anger rule, which is always a dangerous thing. It ruined his life and that of his family. There is an important lesson here. If you have any question about God’s will, pray and check the Scriptures. God won’t tell you to do something against his Word.

Before reading the Scriptures:

Thou shalt not kill. These four words from the sixth commandment, as they appear in the King James Version, have given Christians much to ponder. We’ve tried everything to rationalize them. It really means murder, we assure ourselves. And many modern translations use murder: check out the New Revised Standard, the NIV, the Message, and the New King James Version. But the Hebrew word here has a broader meaning—for it can mean the unintentional taking of another life or even a state sponsored execution. Instead of trying to rationalize our way around this command, we should understand God desires a world without violent death. Yet, we live in a fallen world. At best, this commandment causes us to live in tension between God desires and reality.

Another place we can go to learn about this commandment is the Sermon on the Mount, which I preached upon a few months ago. I’ll read both this morning.

Read Exodus 20:13 and Matthew 5:21-22

As we’ve worked our way through the first five commandments, I’ve mentioned the reasons for the law. Today, let add to the list: God’s law helps us discern God’s will. As Christians, our first concern should be to live as God intends. Unfortunately, we confuse our own desires with God’s, as with the client of my friend I told you about earlier.

As much as you dislike someone, God’s not going to tell you to kill ‘em. That’s the enemy speaking. And the same goes with the rest of the commandments. God doesn’t offer dispensations to the law.

The second table of the law provides the parameters in which we live out our lives within an orderly society. If we keep these commandments, society is stable. If anyone breaks them, all society suffers.

Thou shalt not kill. We like the modern translations better, ‘don’t murder.” For you see, few of us actually murder other people—at least not literally. Of course, Jesus includes character assassination as a form of murder. And then, we know the Bible acknowledges occasions where killing is necessary. How do we handle this?

First off, we’re not Hindus. To refrain from killing would mean we’d have to be vegetarian, for it doesn’t distinguish what is killed. Furthermore, within Israel’s theocracy in the Old Testament, war and capital punishment were allowed under certain circumstances and within certain regulations.

What is forbidden here, in the sixth commandment, is for one individual to go out and take the life of another. But that’s not quite it either, for the word implies more than just premeditated murder, or even murder committed during a time of heighten emotions. Both of these are obviously condemned, but so is manslaughter, the unintentional killing of another member of the human race. In the 35th chapter of Numbers, God commands Israel to set up cities of refuge where those guilty of manslaughter can flee for safety.

But ideally, there would be no first degree murder nor manslaughter. Obeying this commandment means we not only refrain from killing, but also that we take seriously the well-being of our neighbors. In our modern world, recklessly driving down the street of a neighborhood while kids play violate the Commandment. Even if we didn’t mean to harm anyone, by not avoiding situations which could unintentionally cause the lost of a life, breaks the commandment. The implications of this command reaches beyond premeditated murder.

John Calvin, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, provides a twofold purpose for this commandment. First, we are created in the image of God and to kill means that we violate God’s image. We should “learn to walk without causing injury to anyone,” Calvin admonished Geneva in a sermon, “otherwise God becomes our mortal enemy.” All humankind is under God’s protection. If we kill, we invite God to step in and intervene. Because we are created in God’s image, we must hold our neighbor sacred. God also created them in his image.

Calvin’s second reason is that we share the same flesh with the rest of humanity and because “the Lord has bound mankind together by a certain unity,” we should concern ourselves with the safety of all.

Thou shalt not kill… The words roll off the tongue as an imperative. The sharpness of this command demands attention. Yet, as I’ve tried to imply, there is a much deeper meaning here than refraining from murder. Jesus, in our New Testament, equates unrighteous anger with murder. Murder, whether premeditative or a crime of passion, often springs from anger.

Jesus goes to the root of the cause and encourages us to purge ourselves of such thoughts. We’re not to be harming one another with our words. We’re not even to think about it. At the time of Jesus’ reinterpretation, his Jewish contemporaries had fantasies of what they’d like to do to the Romans who controlled Palestine. Taking this commandment literally discouraged revolution against the Roman Legions, or from striking one of those hated tax collectors who worked for Rome. Jesus upsets the balance of things: “Don’t even ponder such thoughts. Love your enemies. Pray for your persecutors.” Calm your tempers and strive not to bring harm to anyone.

If we would, as Calvin suggests and as Jesus taught, look out for the safety of one another, our world would be a better place.

The intention of the sixth commandment is to promote life’s sanctity. The breath of life is a gift of God. As humans, we only have the power to kill, half the power of God, but such power should scare us nearly to death. We can destroy life, but we are not able, on our own, to create life. Instead, at best, we are co-creators with God. But once life is snuffed out, we are unable to do anything about it. So we’re to make the most of our lives, enjoying the benefits God grants us while striving to help others make the most of theirs.

If we could get to the point in our society where we acknowledge the image of God in another individual and consider life sacred so to avoid an untimely death, many of our problems would be solved. This is why I am against easy abortions and capital punishment. I know many Christians, including some of you, disagree with me on one or both of these points, but my position is that life, all life, should be sanctified. Unfortunately, we have a ways to go to get to where society holds the sanctity of life dear.

We often think of John Calvin as a stern old man, which makes his writings on this commandment shocking. Chaos filled the 16th Century. Wars occurred between various Christian sects and against Moslem invaders from the East. Despite this, Calvin boldly proclaimed that even just and unavoidable wars pollute a nation. And he’s right.

In the Middle Ages, when knights and soldiers returned from what was considered a “just war,” they still had to confess and make penance before receiving Communion. Such an requirement today would be seen as “un-American,” but if we realize God’s will is for us to live at peace, there maybe a therapeutic reason for such a requirement as we strive to build a world where life is considered sacred.

Thous shalt not kill. It sounds easy, but it’s not. Maybe we should flip the commandment and ask ourselves how we can promote life? After all, life is the foundation of our faith. Jesus himself said, “I come that you might have life, abundant life.” As his disciples, we’re to be about nurturing life. There’s a lot to think about with this commandment and with Jesus’ reinterpretation. Ponder it. Amen.

Sources:

Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion (1559).

John Calvin, Sermons on the Ten Commandments, Benjamin W. Farley, translator (Grand Rapids, Baker, 1980),

Brevard S. Childs, The Book of Exodus: A Critical, Theological Commentary (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1974), 419-421.

Davidman, Joy. Smoke on the Mountain (1955, London: Hodder & Stoughton , 1963),

Garrison, Jeff. “Sermon at First Presbyterian Church of Hastings, Michigan. “(July 2007).

Hauerwas, Stanley and William Willimon, The Truth About God: The Ten Commandments in Christian Life (Nashville: Abingdon, 1999).

Miller, Patrick D. The Ten Commandments: Interpretations, Resources for the Use of Scripture in the Church (Louisville, WJKP, 2009),

Russell, Norman L. Suicide Charlie: A Vietnam War Story (1993, New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995),

von Rad, Gerhad. Deuteronomy, (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1966.