SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). The Jews: living under the law.
(2). The Christian: living under God’s grace!
(3). The Law: Given to Protect The People.
(4). The Theme: restitution.
(5). The Case Laws: a summary.
(6). The Lord: an exemplar.
SERMON BODY
ill:
• The Scottish novelist, poet, essayist, and travel writer Robert Louis Stevenson wrote,
• “Everybody, soon or late, sits down to a banquet of consequences.”
• He was right!”
• But if we are honest with ourselves we tend to disbelieve him.
• Oftentimes a hard lesson to learn but a valuable lesson to learn;
• That each and every choice we make has consequences.
Ill:
• This last week on the news;
• Two high profile people in the world of football have found that out!
• Everton footballer Wayne Rooney;
• And Northern Ireland football manager Michael O'Neill;
• Have both been caught driving over the limit;
• And will in the next few weeks and months;
• Have to face the consequences for their actions!
• How many other drunk drivers didn’t think one more drink would do much harm;
• Then they climbed behind the wheel and hit another car and kill somebody!
• The man or woman, who commits adultery,
• They think they can get away with it;
• They can enjoy the best of both worlds;
• Only later on in time to find themselves in divorce court;
• Having lost their family;
• And many times things they have worked a lifetime to acquire.
• The title I have been asked to speak on this morning is:
• Our actions have consequences.
• Now don’t get depressed this morning;
• Instead be encouraged because good actions result in good consequences;
• So leave this place and do good!
• But the flip side of that statement is also true;
• Bad actions result in bad consequences.
• So don’t just leave this place better informed this morning;
• But leave this place filled afresh with God’s Spirit;
• With a desire to live for him and to do good to all people!
• So, the title you know is ‘Our actions have consequences.’
• And the passage I have been asked to speak on this morning is Exodus chapter 22.
• Now before we look at it, a bit of background information;
• Because I have a feeling you might not be too familiar with these verses!
(1). The Jews: Living Under The Law.
Question: How many Old Testament commandments are there?
Answer:
• Most of you are probably thinking ten.
• Because most of us are Gentiles and not Jewish.
• And we have often heard quoted and heard taught those 10 commandments.
• Also most of us are Christians;
• And so we read our Old Testament through Christian spectacles.
• And for us it is nearly always the big ‘ten’ that we focus on.
• Now if you were a practicing Jew this morning;
• I would expect a different answer to that question!
• A Jew would probably not say there are 10 commandments;
• Instead they would say there are 613 commandments or laws of Moses in the ‘Torah’;
• (The first 5 books of the Bible).
• And they of course would be right!
• God gave the Jews a set of rules that they should live by.
• Not just 10 commandments but 613 commandments in total.
• And on behalf of the Hebrew people;
• Moses received those rules contained in the ‘Torah’ (first 5 books of the Bible),
• And he taught these laws to the Hebrew people.
• These 613 commandments;
• Cover every aspect of life including law, family, personal hygiene and diet.
(2). The Christian: Living under God’s Grace!
Note:
• The New Testament teaches (i.e. Romans chapter 6 verse 14).
• That you and I are; “not under law, but we are under grace”;
• These Old Testament laws were given to the Hebrew people (Israel);
• It formed what we call ‘The Old Covenant’
• The Hebrew people were required to obey God and keep the Law,
• And in return He protected and blessed them
• (Exodus chapter 19 & Deuteronomy chapter 30 verses 15–18).
• Through his death on the cross;
• Jesus Christ fulfilled the law and introduced a new covenant.
• “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”
• (Luke chapter 22 verse 20).
• That now means that certain laws;
• i.e. Relating to law, family, personal hygiene and diet;
• Are not applicable for Christians today,
• i.e. The proof of that is we worship on a Sunday and not on the Sabbath,
• i.e. Further proof is some of you might go home to roast pork for your Sunday lunch.
• TRANSITION:
• Before us in this passage are a number of laws for the Hebrew people to live by.
• As Christians we do not follow these laws today;
• They were given to a specified people in a certain historical context.
• Given to help people with specific circumstances and situations in life.
Question: Then why study them?
Answer:
• I could say ask your leaders;
• They gave me the passage and topic to speak on!
• Let me suggest two reasons why:
(1).
• Although they relate to the Jews, these laws are still the Word of God;
• And as such they still contain principles that are very helpful to us today,
• Principles that we can seek to apply, if we want to demonstrate justice.
(2).
• These laws teach us – that is they reveal God’s character to us;
• They will show to us a little bit more of who God is;
• As we study them they should enhance our appreciation of who God is;
• That God is just, God is gracious and God is holy.
(3). The Law: Given to Protect The People.
Ill:
• Court was in session and two lawyers were already yelling at each other.
• One lawyer turned and shouted at his opponent "You're a liar!"
• He then yelled back "And you're a cheat!"
• Suddenly, the judge banged his gavel and said,
• "Gentlemen, gentlemen settle down!”
• Then with a grin on his face he said:
• “Now that the lawyers have been properly identified, let's get on with the case."
• TRANSITION: The courts ad the laws of the land;
• Are meant to protect the innocent and convict the guilty.
• And these ‘case laws’ in Exodus chapter 22 are given to do just that:
• Are meant to protect the innocent and convict the guilty.
• They reveal to us that God is our protector;
• And he gave these laws to protect our property and to protect the community.
Note:
• These laws are actually an outworking of the eighth commandment:
• “You shall not steal” (Exodus chapter 20 verse 15)
• In fact, the original Hebrew only has only two-words: "Not steal."
• That's pretty straightforward.
• If we’re honest this morning you don’t need a preacher to explain it!
• But… life is never straight forward!
• i.e. what happens if someone breaks that law;
• Who decides what happens next?
• So because certain problems would arise in their communities,
• Then these Hebrew people were given help,
• Guidelines as to how this commandment out worked itself in community life.
• And this chapter is one of many which contain ‘case laws’
• Examples of how the 10 commandments work themselves out in practical application.
Now the ‘case laws’ we are looking at today have to do with theft:
Quote: Definition of Theft:
“A criminal act in which property belonging to another person is taken
without that person's consent.”
• Sadly this goes on all the time;
• Question: How many of you have ever had something stolen?
• Answer: Is everyone!
• Because sadly we live in a world gone wrong!
• And one of the evidences of that is that some people steal.
Now these ‘case laws’ have to do with theft:
• These regulations taught God’s people how to live in community,
• These regulations taught the people to respect one another’s property,
• These regulations gave guidelines for settling disputes.
(4). The theme: restitution.
• The key word to remember in this chapter is ‘restitution’.
• Five times that word is used in these fifteen verses;
• God expects the guilty party to make restitution.
Verse 3b:
“Anyone who steals must certainly make restitution, but if they have nothing, they must be sold to pay for their theft”
Verse 5:
“If anyone grazes their livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in someone else’s field, the offender must make restitution from the best of their own field or vineyard.”
Verse 6:
“If a fire breaks out and spreads into thorn-bushes so that it burns sheaves of corn or standing corn or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution.”
Verse 12:
“But if the animal was stolen from the neighbour, restitution must be made to the owner”
Verse 14:
“If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbour and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, they must make restitution.”
Question: What is restitution?
Answer:
• In fact true restitution is twofold:
• Restoration and punishment.
• Restitution is about restoring the situation like it was before the crime was committed;
• And making sure that the thief is justly punished.
Ill:
• Let’s pray let’s pretend;
• Suppose I happen to see my wallet on the windowsill with my car keys,
• And forget I have left it there.
• The chapel is empty because we have all gone downstairs for a cup of tea/coffee.
• A thief is walking past the Church and looks through the window,
• He sees my wallet containing £100 in notes and takes it;
• As he is running away a police officer is ‘walking the beat’;
• He just happened to be looking out for this thief;
• And so he sees the whole thing and is able to arrest the thief.
• Now pause there for a moment in our ‘let’s pretend’ scenario.
• And let’s put some application to it.
• If the policeman returns my wallet and money;
• And let’s the thief go free;
• Then that is not restitution!
• Because a crime was committed and that crime cannot by the law be ignored;
• Restitution only takes place when as well as restoring the monetary value,
• The thief is also punished.
• Two reasons the thief should be punished:
• First: So that he knows that crime does not pay;
• Second: As a deterrent to other would be thieves.
Question: What should the punishment be?
Answer: It depends on the crime!
• As you would expect the greater the crime, then the greater the punishments;
• But verse 8 does give us a general rule.
• The Message paraphrases verse 8 this way:
“In all cases of stolen goods, whether oxen, donkeys, sheep, clothing, anything in fact missing of which someone says, ‘That’s mine,’ both parties must come before the judges. The one the judges pronounce guilty must pay double to the other.
• Thievery must be balanced by double payment,
• Restoration and punishment because there was evil intent.
• The thief restores the original item like a borrower would;
• And then pays a penalty;
• i.e. If the thief steals £100, they return the £100 and then pays an additional £100.
• In so doing;
• The thief will suffer the same hardship that he inflicted on the person he robbed.
• Both restoration and punishment are involved.
(5). The Case Laws: a Summary.
• Now I do not intend going through all five situations found in these verses;
• Let me give you a quick summary,
• The crimes listed in these verses range from:
• Verse 1:
• Theft of livestock i.e. an ox or a sheep.
• Verse 3-4:
• Theft of property .i.e. burglary.
• Verse 5-6: Unintentional wrong doing – negligence;
• i.e. the failure to take proper care over something
• Verses 7-13: Deal with situations when you have entrusted something;
• To someone else for safe keeping while you have gone away,
• And those items are stolen.
• Verses 14-15:
• Deal with items that are borrowed and get broken.
• These case laws do not cover every possible situation;
• But cover the main issues that would have arisen among the Hebrew people,
• They were given to practically protect the people;
• And by following these laws, the people would live in far happier communities.
In conclusion:
• When the law is broken (in this case theft);
• Something needs to take place.
• That something is twofold: restoration and punishment.
• That is the theme of these verses;
• And that is the theme of the Bible
(6). The Rescuer: an Exemplar.
• The Bible says we are all law breakers and deserve to be punished;
• “The wages of sin is death” (Romans chapter 6 verse 23)
• The law of God demands that justice be done.
• But the love of God, pays the price so that not only is justice met;
• i.e. the law is satisfied.
• But the love and mercy of God meets the needs of the law breaker.
• “But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”
• (Romans chapter 6 verse 23)
• TRANSITION: The sacrifice of Jesus Christ;
• Fulfils the principle of restoration and punishment in the fullest possible way.
• Punishment for the sins of the world.
• And restoration of a lost world to God.
• And the sacrifice of Jesus is seen in the New Testament;
• Like a monetary payment, a ransom, a price paid.
Ill:
• He was rejected,
• That we might be accepted.
• He was condemned,
• That we might be forgiven.
• He was punished,
• That we might be pardoned.
• He was hated,
• That we might be loved.
• He was crucified,
• That we might be justified.
• He died,
• That we might live.
• Because when he rose,
• He conquered sin, death & the grave.
• That we might,
• Be found blameless,
• Know his love,
• Be saved!
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=S7SibeFuINfgTWc1cocjOEKavsrdHwT1
