INTRODUCTION
I like cartoons. Dennis the Menace has been a favorite for a long time. One comic strip has a picture of Dennis looking at a catalog and saying, “This catalog’s got a lot of toys I didn’t even know I wanted.”
The Wizard of Id has a comic strip where one monk is putting up a sign on the bulletin board in front of his church while a visiting monk watches. The sign read, “Thou shalt not covet.” The visiting monk said, “Boy, I wish we had a signboard like that at our church.”
We come to an end of our study of the 10 commandments. I hope it has been interesting and informative for you. It has for me. The last of the 10 would seem to be the least threatening, the less dangerous or destructive. Simply stated it says, “You shall not covet.” Many of you may think, “That one doesn’t bother me.” Or, “Even if I covet what’s the big deal? Who’s hurt by it?”
Well, the Bible clearly says it is wrong to covet. One good definition that I heard for coveting is: “The uncontrolled desire to acquire.” We’re not talking about an ordinary desire to have things. Material possessions by themselves are neutral. The bigger issue today is how we can be content without desiring things uncontrollably.
Let’s read the verse. God gives us three categories here. It is wrong to desire: (1) Your neighbor’s property (house), Ahab took Nabob’s vineyard (2) Your neighbor’s people (wife, male or female servant), King David (3) Your neighbor’s possessions (ox, donkey, nor anything). Somebody desired my chain saw so they took it from my garage.
We will look at two kinds of hearts today. The Coveting heart and the Contented heart.
I. THE COVETING HEART
The coveting heart is not innocent. In God’s eyes, it is corrupt and it is corrosive.
A. Corrupt
1. It Disregards the Laws of God
That it is corrupt is obvious because God would not have included it in the list of The Ten Big Ones. Just because it is last doesn’t mean it is least. I think it has an effect on all the other ten. For instance:
(1) How many of you have put money and possessions ahead of God? – V.3
(2) How many have bowed at the altars of materialism and greed while refusing to bow at the altar of the Lord? – Vs. 4-6
(3) Many have blasphemed the name of the Lord in efforts to acquire things. Disregarding God’s Word to obtain what you want in life is blaspheming. – V. 7
(4) Have you ever desecrated the Lord’s day to make money? – Vs.9-11
(5) Many parents are treated poorly and cast aside by children too busy making money to be bothered with them. – V.12
(6) Many people are dead today because somebody wanted something that belonged to them. – V.13
(7) Lot’s of marriages are torn apart because of as one preacher said, “He was so caught up in earning his salt, he neglected his sugar!” A coveting heart is behind adultery. Coveting and lust are first cousins. – V.14
(8) It goes without saying that stealing is the end result of a covetous spirit that has gone too far. – V.15
(9) Often, people will lie about another person, gossip about them because they are envious and covetous of that person’s life. – V.16
Listen to Paul:
Romans 7:7-8
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet." 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. NKJV
2. It Denies the Lordship of Christ
Philippians 4:19
19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. NKJV
B. It is Corrosive
1. It becomes Excessive (and destructive)
Luke 12:15-21
15 And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." 16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17 And he thought within himself, saying, ’What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 18 So he said, ’I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry." ’ 20 But God said to him, ’Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ 21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
Illus. - Achan in Joshua, chapter 7
Illus.- Howard Hughes, a billionaire. He wanted more so he went to Hollywood and became a film maker and star. He wanted more sensual pleasures, so he paid large sums to indulge every sensual urge. He wanted more thrills, so he designed, built and piloted the fastest aircraft in the world. He wanted more power, so he secretly dealt political favors so skillfully that two U.S. presidents became his pawns. All he ever wanted was more. Yet, this man ended his life as a pitiful sight. He lived in darkness, his arms covered with needle marks from drug addition, his finger nails were inches long and curled up in a grotesque way, his teeth were black and rotten. His hair to his waist, long beard. He lived like a hermit. He wore rubber gloves all the time and wouldn’t leave his apartment. He died weighing 95 pounds as a billionaire junkie.
The side effects of an excessive coveting heart: Fatigue, debt, worry, conflict, dissatisfaction. No wonder families are being destroyed today.
2. It can Become Exploitative
Micah 2:2
2 They covet fields and take them by violence,
Also houses, and seize them.
So they oppress a man and his house,
A man and his inheritance.
Illus.- Ahab and Naboth. 1 Kings 21 Ahab and Jezebel take Naboth’s vinyard.
Illus.- David and Bathsheba
II. THE CONTENTED HEART
This is the opposite of the coveting heart. Paul learned contentment. Listen to him:
Philippians 4:11-13
11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:19
19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. NKJV
Contentment is learned. Here’s some help in learning contentment:
A. Resist comparing yourself to others
2 Corinthians 10:12
12 For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. (Houses, cars, jobs, looks, clothes, etc.) Learn to admire without having to acquire.
Why do we compare anyway? Because that’s the way society keeps score, by possessions. But, your possessions have nothing to do with your significance or importance. You can be a millionaire and be a jerk, or you can be poor and be wonderful.
B. Rejoice in what you do have
Eccl. 5:19 says, “If God gives a man wealth and property he should be grateful and enjoy what he has. It is a gift from God” (GN).
There’s the trap of “When and Then” thinking:
“When I get married, then I’ll be happy.”
“When I get divorced, then I’ll be happy.”
“When we have kids, then we’ll be happy.”
“When I get another job, then I’ll be happy.”
Happiness is not getting whatever you want. Happiness is enjoying whatever you have (repeat).
2 Tim says that God has richly given us everything for our enjoyment.
Illus.- A rich man finds a man lazily sitting by his boat. “Why aren’t you fishing?” asks the rich man. “Because I’ve caught enough fish for today.”
“Why don’t you catch more fish than you need?” the rich man asks.
“What would I do with them?” came back the fisherman.
“You could sell them for money. You could buy a better boat, go into deeper water, catch even more fish and make lots of money. Soon you could have a fleet of fishing boats and be rich like me.”
The fisherman asked, “Then what would I do?”
“You could sit down and enjoy life.”
“What do you think I’m doing now?”
C. Release what you have to help others
1 Timothy 6:17-19
17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. NKJV
Who’s the rich here? All Americans no matter what you make. You are in the top 2% of income in the world.
4 precautions for us in these verses:
1. Don’t become proud of your wealth. Don’t think you are better than anybody else.
2. Don’t put your trust in money. Security is not your bank account.
3. Use your money to do good. Don’t waste it. Don’t blow it.
4. Give cheerfully. Giving is a cure for materialism. The opposite of getting is giving. The benefit is that you are storing up treasure in heaven.
Illus.- This reminds me of a story I heard about a guy who died and went to heaven. When he got there he saw a friend there driving a Mercedes. “What’s that?” Peter said, “The transportation you are given in heaven is based on how much you’ve given, sent on ahead. That guy was very generous.” The guy asked, “What about me?” Well,” Peter said, “You weren’t so generous so you get a Moped.” He was pretty sad until he saw his former pastor come by on roller skates.
D. Refocus on what’s going to last
2 Corinthians 4:18
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
CLOSE
If we do these 4 things we’ll be OK. (1) Resist Comparing yourself to others, (2) Rejoice in what you do have, (3) Release what you have to help others, (4) Refocus on what’s going to last.
Illus.- There was a funeral in Beverly Hills, CA. A wealthy widow who was worth millions died. People gathered around the grave. Someone said, “It’s a shame, she had so much to live for.” Someone next to her said, “No, she had so much to live on. She had nothing to live for.”
How about you?
What do you live for?
