Thou shalt not covet!
Many of the ten commandments tell us not to do something like thou shalt not murder we got that cleared up in our lives or we wouldn’t be here. We would be be in prison.
But the ten commandment refers to what is going on in your mind and your heart.
Guard your heart says the Bible for it is a well spring of life.
I mean who hasn’t wanted something that someone else has got?
I remember having a little red sports car when I was 18 – I thought it was really cool until someone pulled alongside me in a Morgan plus 4 – I kind of felt I had a lego car compared to that!!!!
People often envy and want other peoples stuff. Often their own gear isn’t good enough for them and they don’t only want someone elses car house or whatever but they want to steal someone elses girlfriend or wife. David did that and he soon found himself a murderer in the coverup. Coveting is a sin and it can be so all absorbing that it can rob you of life – the life that Jesus talks about when he talks of life – Life in all it’s fullness.
This sermon today is more about How not to covet rather than Do not covet.
Be content
The opposite of coveting is, of course, contentment – a virtue which the apostle Paul frequently speaks about. While the 10th commandment taught him that he was a sinner (Romans 7:7), the many trials he endured as Christ’s bond-servant taught him to be content in all circumstances (2 Corinthians 12:10). Paul teaches us that we are to be satisfied when we simply have “food and clothing” (1 Timothy 6:6-8), though he himself learned to be at rest even when those items were lacking. “In whatever situation,” Paul experienced true contentment because he had confidence in a sovereign and loving God who promised to supply all his needs (Philippians 4:11, 19).
Because coveting is such a powerful thing I think we need powerful antidotes to coveting so that we can live victorious lives.
Contentment is the ultimate antidote to coveting and I believe that contentment is centered on our relatyionship in Christ.
The three keys to contentment in Christ are these.
Discover the work of the cross in you life.
Live in relationship to Jesus
Understand that your life is given over completely to Him.
Paul Azinger was a great golfer but After winning the 1993 PGA Championship, Paul Azinger felt he had overcome an incredible challenge. But when the doctors found cancer in his shoulder bone, his greatest fight was just beginning.
”, he wrote about his fight with cancer: “A genuine feeling of fear came over me. I could die of cancer. Then another reality hit me even harder. I’m going to die eventually anyway, whether from cancer or something else. It’s just a question of when. Everything I had accomplished in golf became meaningless to me. All I wanted to do was live.”
Then he remembered something that Larry Moody, who taught a Bible study on the Tour, had said to him. “Zinger, we’re not in the land of the living going to the land of the dying. We’re in the land of the dying trying to get to the land of the living.”
Golfer Paul Azinger recovered from his cancer treatments and returned to the PGA Tour the next year and was able to play in only four events. Since then, he’s done pretty well.
Even through his continuing success on the Tour, his bout with cancer has deepened his perspective. He wrote, “I’ve made a lot of money since I’ve been on the tour, and I’ve won a lot of tournaments, but that happiness is always temporary. The only way you will ever have true contentment is in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
I’m not saying that nothing ever bothers me and I don’t have problems, but I feel like I’ve found the answer to the six-foot hole.”
SOURCES: Paul Azinger, “Zinger: The Paul Azinger Story”
I recently read an article by Jill Carattini where she told this story: “A nurse named Melanie was on her way to work when something in the trash bin caught her eye. She was immediately taken with the possibilities in the discarded treasure. It was a cello, slightly cracked in several places, but nonetheless a discard of character, a piece charming to the eye. Her boyfriend, who is a cabinetmaker, also saw the cello’s potential. Together they thought it could be turned into a beautifully distinctive CD holder. The discarded cello was indeed old and it had been abandoned, though authorities are not sure why or how it ended up in the trash that day. But a most shocking revelation to the nurse (and arguably to the thief as well) was the fact that it was not merely an old cello. It is one of only 60 like it in the world made by master craftsman Antonio Stradivari in 1684. The 320-year-old masterpiece, valued at 3.5 million dollars, was stolen from a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra just weeks before it sat rescued in Melanie’s apartment with dreams of becoming a CD holder. In the music world ‘Stradivarius’ is an untouchable description. Neither scientist nor musician understand the difference between the ‘voice’ of a Stradivarius versus the voice of modern violins and cellos, but the distinction is real — and costly. They are the most sought after musical instruments in the world, works of art in their own right, coveted by collectors and players alike. To be in the presence of a Stradivarius is to be in the presence of something great — whether it is recognized or not.”
The thief put it on the trash pile, and even Melanie did not see the splendor of what she was holding. That is the way your life is. It has enormous value. The spiritual thief and enemy of your soul wants to dump you on a trash pile. Perhaps you don’t see your value either, but your life is especially precious to the One who made you. His kingdom is described in Scripture as a “treasure hidden in a field,” and he is described as a “merchant looking for fine pearls” (Matthew 13:44-45). God is a treasure hunter and you are God’s treasure. You have a glory. You have a role to play. Play that role with abandoned joy.
Contentment is being happy with where God has put you and with what God has given you and not envying those who have something different to you. It is understanding that different does not necessarily equal better.
"The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One," said A. W. Tozer.
1. You have His assurance - "for he hath said..."
Hudson Taylor the founder of China Inland Mission, was facing a lack of finances in his ministry. He retreated to office and read the Bible awhile, then prayed a while, and then looked again at the finances. Then he would pray a while, read the Bible awhile, and look again at the finances. Then he prayed awhile and read the Bible.
After a while he left his office. His wife asked him, "What are we going to do?"
"We have a twenty seven cents and all the promises of God...what more do one need!"
(From a sermon by Jimmy Chapman, Covetousness, 1/30/2010)
The foundational truth that we are trying to extract here is that contentment will greatly reduce your opportunities for coveteness a sin that will lead to death.
I would say that the second way of overcoming covetness in your life is to have a vision. And a purpose. The scriptures say – People without a vision perish.
If you are out on a trip going no where then when you look around you can want anything that you see. You covet it. That is what David did with Bathshebba. He should have been with his troops in the battle instead he is on a trip to no where looking around and he spots Bathsheba – and he says – “I want her.” Big mistake it severely damaged his Kingdom and his family. My feeling is he lost his vision.
The problems facing the world today completely if everyone simply persued the vision that God has for their lives.
We not only need to get a vision we need to get God’s vision
Paul Fritz shared this:-
If the world were a village of 1000 people, next year’s population would be 1018. Twenty-eight people would be born, but 10 would die: three from lack of food, one from cancer, two in birth, one from war or crime, and three from natural causes.
Two-hundred people from this village would receive 75% of its total income. Six-hundred (the "middle class") would share another 23%. The remaining 200 people would have to survive on the last 2% of the income. --adapted from a statement by World Vision
People say to me I don’t know what to do but I’d love a world trip – or a sports car well what about spending your life as Christ called it to be spent pursuing the lost and the poor.
To be honest I do get tired who say they don’t know what God is calling them to do
People say “Oh no it is not me” as if they are trying on a T shirt three sizes away from their actual size. They say it as if they had a choice But listen to these three scriptures from Jesus.
Luke 6:20-21 Then he looked up at his disciples and said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
‘Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. ‘Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
8. Luke 4:16-19 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
7. Matthew 25:34-36 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”
. In June 2013, the Rev. Willie Lyle, the newly-appointed pastor of the Sango United Methodist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee, spent four and a half days living in the streets in the guise of a homeless man. He then transformed back into his role as pastor as he delivered a sermon:
In a dream, God told Willie that he needed to live on the streets of Clarksville as a homeless and hungry person. He challenged Willie to experience firsthand just what it was like to have nothing — no home, no money, no friends, no food on even a semi-regular basis, no nothing.
Pastor Willie's wife, Suzette, dropped him off in downtown Clarksville early Monday morning, June 17, and he lived on the street through the morning of Friday, June 21. In those four and a half days, he learned a great deal about the homeless, the working poor who face hunger daily and those in need of spiritual and emotional help. It was not comfortable.
Early morning on June 23, Willie lay under a tree on the church lawn covered up by a big overcoat. He still had not shaved or combed his hair. He wondered how many people would approach him and offer him food, or a place to sit inside an air conditioned room, or just see how they could help. Twenty people spoke to him and offered some type of assistance.
While he preached, his daughter-in-law cut his hair and his daughter helped shave off his scruffy beard. He changed shoes, and beneath the overcoat, he was wearing his Sunday clothes. He put on a tie and his suit coat, all the while continuing to preach his message. Before the 200 people gathered that morning, he went from looking like a homeless person to the new pastor of the congregation.
The sermon title was "The Least Used Parts of the Body" and based on I Corinthians 12:12-15. According to Pastor Lyle, "Often the least used parts of the body are the ones that mean the most, like our heart and mind. We need to understand that there are no small or least used parts in the body of Christ.
"Too many of us only want to serve God one hour each week. That doesn't cut it. That is not God's plan."
Contentment will stop you coveting and so will getting a Christlike vision
But there is a third way and that is to learn to love as Christ loves.
In One Corinthians chapter 13 we read:
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
It is hidden up there in that line that says – Love does not envy at the root of covetness is envy – Love then is the antidote to envy because the are opposites.
With my children when they get better possesions than I have got I celebrate I am not envious of them they are my children – If they prove to be smarter I am happy – I can’t covet what they have because my love for them sim[ly prevents that fropm happening.
The great act of Jesus is to love until hehas given it all away. When the devil tempts Jesus he tries to say park your love and covet something for yourself – you can have all the kingdoms on earth covet that!!!
But Jesus in an incredible act of love turns his back on all of that.
And so must we if we are to fulfil our god given destiny.
M any years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a lovely little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare life threatening disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year-old brother, who had somehow survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.
The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save her."
As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?".
Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.
What is so poinent in this story is the incredible love totally not coveting that is prepared to died for another the very thing that Jesus did for us in selfless love.
A Protestant doctor who treated the patients in Block 12 later recalled how Father Kolbe waited until all the others had been treated before asking for help. He constantly sacrificed himself for the others.
In order to discourage escapes, Auschwitz had a rule that if a man escaped, ten men would be killed in retaliation. In July 1941 a man from Kolbe's bunker escaped. The dreadful irony of the story is that the escaped prisoner was later found drowned in a camp latrine, so the terrible reprisals had been exercised without cause. But the remaining men of the bunker were led out.
'The fugitive has not been found!' the commandant Karl Fritsch screamed. 'You will all pay for this. Ten of you will be locked in the starvation bunker without food or water until they die.' The prisoners trembled in terror. A few days in this bunker without food and water, and a man's intestines dried up and his brain turned to fire.
The ten were selected, including Franciszek Gajowniczek, imprisoned for helping the Polish Resistance. He couldn't help a cry of anguish. 'My poor wife!' he sobbed. 'My poor children! What will they do?' When he uttered this cry of dismay, Maximilian stepped silently forward, took off his cap, and stood before the commandant and said, 'I am a Catholic priest. Let me take his place. I am old. He has a wife and children.'
Astounded, the icy-faced Nazi commandant asked, 'What does this Polish pig want?'
Father kolbe pointed with his hand to the condemned Franciszek Gajowniczek and repeated 'I am a Catholic priest from Poland; I would like to take his place, because he has a wife and children.'
Observers believed in horror that the commandant would be angered and would refuse the request, or would order the death of both men. The commandant remained silent for a moment. What his thoughts were on being confronted by this brave priest we have no idea. Amazingly, however, he acceded to the request. Apparantly the Nazis had more use for a young worker than for an old one, and was happy to make the exchange. Franciszek Gajowniczek was returned to the ranks, and the priest took his place.
Gajowniczek later recalled:
'I could only thank him with my eyes. I was stunned and could hardly grasp what was going on. The immensity of it: I, the condemned, am to live and someone else willingly and voluntarily offers his life for me - a stranger. Is this some dream?
I was put back into my place without having had time to say anything to Maximilian Kolbe. I was saved. And I owe to him the fact that I could tell you all this. The news quickly spread all round the camp. It was the first and the last time that such an incident happened in the whole history of Auschwitz.
In such a situation coveting seems impossible!
Jesus said love one another as I have loved you.
We can wreck the sin of covetness by being content but not just content to getting God’s vision for our lives and loving as he does.
In such an environment covetness seems to be simply stupid.
