Stop thief!
Exodus 20:15; Ephesians 4:28
INTRODUCTION
AG: A Sunday school teacher was teaching her class about the difference between right and wrong. "All right children, let’s take another example," she said. "If I were to get into a man’s pocket and take his billfold with all his money, what would I be?" Little Johnny raises his hand, and with a confident smile, he blurts out, "You’d be his wife!"
TS: This morning, we are going to deal with the 8th of the 10 commandments – “Thou shalt not steal”.
RS: Again, like most of the other commands, the temptation here is to think that this doesn’t apply to you. The only thing you’ve ever stolen in your life is a piece of candy in your brother’s room. How bad can that be?
But as we deal with this command, I want you to deal with this issue. Do you really believe that God knows better than you do exactly what your real needs are, do you really believe that God will honor His promise to meet those needs, and are you willing to wait for God’s timing on the fulfillment of your needs. God has a plan for how He is going to meet your needs. Let’s take a look at what that plan includes.
1. God’s plan for the provision of our needs does not include stealing.
Is this stealing?
• Accepting incorrect change
• Over-estimating your deductions on your taxes (Matt. 22:21 “Render unto Caesar . . . “)
• Not working to your full potential at your job [Titus 2:9-10] (i.e. getting to work late and leaving work early; only giving minimum wage work for a minimum wage job; only working your hardest when the boss is looking;)
• Not challenging a bill that you know is incorrect in your favor
(most businesses, especially restaurants, will probably leave the bill as is if the error was in
your favor; do you know how powerful a
testimony it is for you to go back to that cashier
and tell them that they under-charged you!?)
• Allowing a friend to use your employee deduction (depends on the wording of the deduction – usually limited to you and your family members; your intent is not to steal – only to help out a friend; result is the same though)
• Claiming someone else’s idea or words as your own
• Not giving someone (i.e. a friend, an employee, God) something that they deserve/need
You may agree or disagree with my assessment of some of these areas.
Some of them are gray areas –
Others are very clear because they go against the laws which our government has enacted.
When we disobeys the laws of government, we are disobeying God b/c government is an installation of God. (Romans 13)
I don’t bring up these gray areas to point a finger at anyone.
I bring them up to cause us to question ourselves and see if maybe we’re not as righteous in our dealings as we think we are.
Before we can ever receive forgiveness, healing and blessing from God, we have to recognize our sin.
Why do people steal? What justifications do people use for stealing?
• “They are charging too much money.
• They’re trying to steal from me.”
Taxes, price of something, etc.
• “I really need that, but I don’t have enough money for it.”
(i.e. confusion of wants and needs. Paul said, “Having food and clothing, let us therewith be content.”)
• “I shouldn’t have to wait to get what I want.”
(lack of patience for God’s timing)
• “I’m only doing this to help out a friend. God hasn’t met my friend’s need, so I have to help God out by stealing.”
• “I don’t really believe that I can trust God to provide for my needs.”
Has God promised to take care of your needs? YES!!
Then why don’t you do things His way and trust Him?
(Mal. 3:8-12)
“Will a man rob God?
Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say,
‘In what way have we robbed You?’
In tithes and offerings.
9 You are cursed with a curse,
For you have robbed Me,
Even this whole nation.
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the LORD of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.
11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,
Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”
Says the LORD of hosts;
12 “And all nations will call you blessed,
For you will be a delightful land,”
Says the LORD of hosts.
IL: The day the church treasurer resigned the church asked the local grain elevator manager to take the position. He agreed under two conditions. That no treasurer’s report would be given for the first year. That no questions be asked about finances during that year. The people were surprised but finally agreed since most of them did business with him and he was a trusted man. At the end of the year he gave his report: The church indebtedness of $228,000 [had] been paid. The minister’s salary had been increased by 8%. The Cooperative Program gifts [had] been paid 200%. There were no outstanding bills. There was a cash balance of $11,252!
Immediately the shocked congregation asked, "How did you do it? Where did the money come from?" He quietly answered: "Most of you bring your grain to my elevator. Throughout the year I simply withheld ten percent on your behalf and gave it to the church in your name. You didn’t even miss it!" "Do you see what we could do for the Lord if we were all willing to give at least the tithe to God, who really owns it?" So the new treasurer had made his point. --James Carter
The first part of Paul’s teaching to thieves is to stop stealing.
2. God’s plan for the provision of our needs does include work. (2 Thes 3:6-15)
6 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he[a]received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.
10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.
13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
I read about one young man who went to look for a job at a place where they really weren’t looking to hire anyone. The conversation went something like this. Manager: "I’m sorry I can’t hire you, but there isn’t enough work to keep you busy." Applicant: "You’d be surprised how little it takes." - Unknown (PULPIT HELPS, Sept., 1990)
For persons who think that they can live off the efforts of others or get rich quick, Paul has some words of wisdom in 2 Thes 3:16.
[read and make comments]
16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.
IL: Many years ago, a wise old king called his wise men together and gave them a commission. "I want you to compile for me the wisdom of the ages. Put it in book form so we might leave it to posterity." The wise men left the king and worked for a long period of time. They finally returned with twelve volumes and proudly proclaimed that this truly was "the wisdom of the ages." The king looked at the twelve volumes and said, "Gentlemen, I’m certain this is the wisdom of the ages and that it contains the knowledge we should leave to mankind. However, it is too long and I fear that people will not read it. Condense it!" Again the wise men worked long and hard before they returned with only one volume. The king, However, knew that it was still too lengthy so he commanded them to further condense their work. The wise men reduced the volume to a chapter, then to a page, then to a paragraph, and finally to a sentence. When they wise old king saw the sentence he was absolutely elated. "Gentlemen," he said, "This is truly the wisdom of the ages, and as soon as all men everywhere learn this truth, then most of our problems will be solved." The sentence simply said, "There ain’t no free lunch." - Zig Ziglar
Some of us have gotten the wrong idea about work.
We think that the reason that we have to work was because
Adam and Eve brought sin into the world.
We mistakenly think that if there was no sin, then there
would be no work.
That’s wrong! When God put Adam and Eve in the
garden, He gave them two jobs.
Fill the earth
Tend the garden and rule over animal life
Work is a part of God’s plan for our lives.
But why did God give us work? By the way; it helps to think of work as a gift from God rather than as a curse from hell. Why did God give us work?
THE GOAL OF WORK IS NOT TO . . .
• increase my sense of self-worth.
My sense of self-worth comes from the fact that I am a creation of God, He loves me, and I am His child because He was willing to pay the price of His Son in order to make me His child! I am safe in basing my sense of self-worth there, because that will never change!
• Accumulate goods and give me security
Wealth steals peace. It doesn’t give peace.
Our peace and security is supposed to come from the fact that God holds us in the palm of His hand (Jn. 10:29) and that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39)!
• Provide for my needs
Work is not where the provision of your needs comes from.
It is not your responsibility to provide for the needs of
your family.
It is not your employer’s responsibility to provide for the
needs of your family.
It is God that puts food on your table!
He chooses to use your job as the tool whereby He
sends His blessings down to you.
Since God has made it his responsibility to provide for you, you don’t have to worry regardless of your circumstances.
Work is included in God’s plan for providing for us, but God is the ultimate source and the one to whom I owe my thanks for the food on my table and the clothes on my back.
THE GOAL OF WORK IS TO . . .
• Keep me Busy.
Idle hands are the devils workshop
If I don’t keep myself busy doing good things, then I am going
to find bad things to get involved in.
That’s why Paul said in Eph. 4:28 that the best cure for a thief is that you give him something good to do with his hands
• Give me an appreciation for the value of things
I spent the summer between my 5th and 6th grade year working my first jobs
a. Mowing
I mowed the 5 acre church lawn with a pushmower
I also mowed around the water tanks
b. Farming
I would line ½ bushel baskets with newspaper
Carry 2 empty 5 gallon buckets to the workers in the
field, and return with 2 buckets filled with ripe
tomatoes.
Later, I “graduated” to picking purple hull peas
That money went to purchase my 1st saxophone.
I knew the heat and sweat involved in getting it and I
cherished it
I have seen many who get school owned instruments or
had parents pay the bill not value their horns.
• Bring glory to God
1 Cor. 10:31) 31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
• To have, in order to give to others
That brings us to the final point of our outline.
3. God’s plan for the provision of our needs does include sharing with those in need.
I want us to very quickly look at a few passages that deal with this area of giving without reserve in order that the needs of everyone might be dealt with.
Acts 2:42-47
New King James Version (NKJV)
42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and
fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear
came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done
through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and
had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and
goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and
breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with
gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor
with all the people. And the Lord added to the church[a] daily
those who were being saved.
Acts 4:32
New King James Version (NKJV)
Sharing in All Things
32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart
and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he
possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
2 Corinthians 8:1-5
New King James Version (NKJV)
Excel in Giving
8 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God
bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: 2 that in a great trial of
affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty
abounded in the riches of their liberality. 3 For I bear witness that
according to theirability, yes, and beyond their ability, they
were freely willing, 4 imploring us with much urgency that we
would receive[a] the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to
the saints.5 And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave
themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.
IL: It is very easy to think, “Well, when I have more, then I will start to give some of it away. I just can’t afford it right now.” ”The Junior Sunday School Teacher asked her eight eager 10-year-olds if they would give $1,000,000 to the missionaries. "YES!" they all screamed!! "Would you give $1,000?" Again they shouted "YES!" "How about $100?" "Oh, YES we would!" they all agreed!! "Would you give just a dollar to the missionaries?" she asked. The boys exclaimed "YES!" just as before except for Johnnie. "Johnnie," the teacher said as she noticed the boy clutching his pocket, "why didn’t you say ’YES’ this time?" "Well," he stammered, "I HAVE a dollar." [Bible Illustrator]
We have to develop the habit of giving when we only have a little.
That’s true for an individual, a family, or a church.
If we do not give when we have only a little, then we will never give when we have a lot.
Are you willing to be used of God to help meet the needs of others by giving of what God has given you even when you feel like you do not have enough to meet your own needs?
CONCLUSION
“Danny Sampson robbed a bank in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Danny Sampson used a hand-me-down Colt 45 and robbed a bank and got $6,000. When the Royal Canadian Mounted Police caught him and confiscated the gun, routinely they sent the gun to their laboratory where it was recognized as a collector’s prize. Danny Sampson didn’t have to rob a bank; he had a gun worth $100,000.” --Associated Press.
Danny Sampson didn’t know it, but God had already provided for his needs. It was when he tried to take matters into his own hands that Danny got himself in trouble.
