Sermon #10 of The Ten Commandments:
The Loving Desire of THINGS:
Exodus 20:17 "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor thy neighbor’s manservant, nor thy neighbor’s maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s."
I Timothy 6: 5b -12" ....perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, destitute of the truth, suppossing that godliness is gain. But godliness, with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some have coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou o man of God, Flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness, Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life....."
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Introduction:
This morning will bring to a close our study of the Ten Commandments. Many Bible teachers believe that this 10th Commandment may be the hardest of the 10 for us to bring ourselves unto alignment and submission to. It is especially difficult when one lives in a time and a place where "THINGS" are so readily available.
In both of our text scriptures --- Exodus 20:17 and in I Timothy 6: 5-12 --- God is cautioning us of the DANGERS --- OF THINGS ---- IN THE "PILING OF THINGS" --- IN THE "ACCUMULATING OF THINGS" --- OF THE DESIRES AND ATTITUDES THAT TAKE PLACE WITHIN US CONCERNING MATERIAL AND MONATARY THINGS. Jesus spoke more parables concerning either "money" or "THINGS" than anything else in His parables.
God will hold each one of us accountable --- not only for THE DEEDS AND THE ACTIONS that are committed by THE BODY ---- but also for THE THOUGHTS AND THE DESIRES AND THE WANTS AND THE LUSTS AND THE ATTITUDES that are working ---brewing---churning --- on the inside of us.
This 10th Commandment is a reminder for us to continuously keep a check ---- into "WHAT" --- means the most to us. WHAT DO WE VALUE THE MOST IN OUR LIFE?
Matthew 6:21 " For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
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A missionary from a poor poverty stricken country was visiting many of the churches in the states that were contributing to his ministry on a regular basis. During the services he would give reports of the work there and he would show slides and pictures of the conditions that he and his people were forced to endure.Both the pastor and the congregation were stirred and wept because of the faithfulness of the people, living for Jesus despite such horrible living conditions of poverty.
At the end of one of these services, the pastor of the church walked up to the missionary and said,"My dear Brother, we will be praying for you and your people. It must be so difficult for you and your people to be faithful in living for Jesus when there is such poverty and need all around you. Satan must be working on your people so hard to give up. Our church will certainly be praying for you."
However the poor missionary replied,"My dear pastor, We do appreciate your prayers but it is you and your people that my dear people pray for a daily basis. when we look at the great abundance of "THINGS" all about you, we realize just how hard it must be for you to stay faithful in living for Jesus Christ. My church will be praying that you do not yield to the temptation of THINGS."
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This 10th Commandment is different from each of the nine Commandments that precede it.
Commandments 1-9 --- when they are "TRANGRESSED" AND "DISOBEYED" --- They are done so by the BODY. The sin and the rebellion --- can be witnessed by people who may be standing close by. When you see someone disobeying these Commandments 1-9 --- then you know they have just committed a SIN.
You may say, "OH BUT PASTOR, YOU ARE JUDGING THOSE PEOPLE AND YOU ARE NOT TO BE DOING SUCH A THING!"
However, that is not JUDGING!
That is Just Knowing a Tree By The FRUIT
It Bears. "Fruit Inspectors"
"Sin is the transgression of the law."
To disobey the word of God -- the Law of God --
Is a Sin!
Suppose you were a highway patrolman sitting by the roadside with a radar gun attached to your dashboard. The speed limit in the area is 55mph. and a car comes zooming down the highway doing 100 mph according to the radar gun. You turn your siren on, switch on the blue lights, pull up beside the driver and motion for him to pull over. You get out of your car and walk up to the driver. You then say something like this."You in a mighty big hurry to get someplace special? Do you know the speed limit here is 55mph and I clocked you at 100mph. You got anything to say before I write you out this ticket for speeding and wreckless driving? As fast as you were going, if someone pulled out in front of you there would be no way you could stop in time."
But then the speeding driver replies: "Mr. Officer, with all due respect, you do not have the right to pull me over and judge me."
The officer resplies: " Sir, I am not judging you. The speed sign said 55 mph and my radar gun said 100 mph. Those 2 figures do not agree. Now if I did not have a speed limit sign and if I did not have a radar gun, then I would be judging you. Judging someone is when you did not see a person do a thing but you you declare them guilty anyway."
This 10th Commandment is not committed by the body and seen outwardly by others. This transgression is committed within one’s mind, heart, soul and only God has the power or the right to look within us and determine what is taking place.
I Samuel 16:7 "... for the Lord seeth not as a man seeth. For man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."
Disobeying this 10th Commandment is not so much an act -- as it is --- a spirit, a processing and developing of thoughts and attitudes about "THINGS"
"THINGS" can be very dangerous! Before any transgression against the Law of God is committed, it is 1st committed in the heart, the mind, and the soul. Satan worked this way with Eve in the garden of Eden before she partook of the forbidden fruit. The Scriptures tell us that Eve "DESIRED" the fruit. The decision was made mentally before she stretched her arm out and grabbed the fruit.
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This 10th commandment points to not only the world’s biggest of problems -- it also points very directly to the church of today’s BIGGEST PROBLEMS.
"THINGS" THINGS have become many people’s GOD. Even many professing Christians are hung up in the curse of THINGS. They pay much more attention to THINGS than they do to "their souls." Speaking as a pastor, i will step out and say, "There is probably NOT a local church within the United States that is not bothered with this very commandment. I have personally witnessed several churches split over "MONEY" and "THINGS." What it took years and years to build it only took just a little while for COVETOUSNESS to bring down.
Satan knows exactly where each of our personal weakness lies. He CANNOT read our minds but he has watched THE WAY WE BEHAVE around certain people and certain things. He patiently follows us and is good with taking notes about our conduct. After he sizes us up, he then sends in every imp and demon from Hell to bombard us, to bring strong temptations our way, wrapped in beautiful alluring packages to tease our vices. That’s why EVERY PERSONAL WEAKNESS needs to constantly be COVERED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS.
It is amazing how Satan can place a thought --- a desire --- for THINGS within our mind -- our heart -- and it seems like we think about that THING constantly, all day long we cannot get it out of our head. Our mind is filled with a churning, a gnawing, a burning, until that "THING" is actually ours. We hold it then in our hands like it is a rare diamond when what it really is after its disquise is removed is a deadly serpent filled with poison.
We live in a "give me" -- "give me" ---"take -take" world. We have more gidgets, gadgets, and whatchamacallits then any people before us. This is the day of the MEGA MARKETS. Places like "Wal-Mart" where we can take the car for an oil change, get a hair cut, shop for groceries, look at jewlery, get our eyes checked, pick out a new pair of eye glasses, have our picture taken, but new clothes, have our income taxes filled out, rent some movies, and buy a happy meal-- all in one trip. These MEGA MARKETS are driving the little markets that cannot afford to compete, completely out of business.
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COVETING DESTROYS RELATIONSHIPS:
WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIPS DOES COVETING DESTROY?
James 4:1 "From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your own lusts that war in your members. Ye lust and have not, ye kill and desire to have and cannot obtain, ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not."
See how that COVETING destroys relationships.
1:) DESTROYS REALTIONSHIPS IN THE HOME:
So many homes have been destroyed because of the
burning desire for more and more THINGS.
There is NOTHING WRONG WITH DESIRING THINGS.
THINGS SUCH AS NEW CARS, NEW HOUSES, NEW JOBS,
BETTER EDUCATION,NEW FURNITURE, ETC. It is not
the THING that is wrong, it is the priority we
attach to the THINGS.
Satan wants us to get caught up in THINGS
and we spend more time and more effort on the
house than we do the home.
Rooms in our houses are elaborately furnished --
but no one is allowed to go in there. It is
strickly for show. None of the family can live
in that room. It is meerly for company to look at
and then "Ooh" and "Aahh" over when they come.
Their praise means everything to us!
Peer Pressure does not end with teenagers. Adults
just get bigger and more expensive toys.
Competeing with people at work
Competeing with the neighbors
Competeing with family members
Competing with the people at church
Just got to have what they have and even bigger
and better.
But there is a problem with having to have
THINGS.
1:) Devote All Your Time to Those Things.
Away from your family.
Family soon becomes strangers to you.
Children grow up so fast!
Lack of communication.
Husband and wife pull in different
directions.Paying a price for THINGS
other than dollars and cents.
2:) INDEBTNESS:
THINGS are getting more expensive.
It is "NOT"what you "MAKE" -- It is what
you SPEND!
CREDIT CARDS:
The average household gets "PREAPPROVED"
offers in the mail, an average of 32 per
year. The average householder owns from
4 to 6 cards with a average balance of
just under $10, 000. By paying just
the minimum payments they pay for many
years and pay many times over what they
originally borrowed.
All this "financial pressure is hard on a
marriage and home.
2:) COVETING ALSO DESTROYS OUR REALTIONSHIP WITH GOD.
I once had a member that owned an antique store located way out in the country. Before this store became a reality she was as faithful to the local church as a pastor could want. However when she got so caught up with the store, she missed just about every church service. But when we get sick, or our chidlren need prayer, "THINGS"--- cannot help us. When we need salvation THINGS cannot save us!
Jesus’ advice was : "Seek ye first the kindom of God and His righteousnes and all these things shall be added unto you."
God is not against things -- He loves to Bless His People... But THINGS become SIN when we value them more than we value God and His word.
Luke 12: 13-15 " And one of the company said unto Him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said, Man who made me a judge or a divider over you? And He said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness, for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of THINGS he possesses."
I Timothy 6:7 "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
V# 12 " Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life."
"Eternal life is one thing you don’t want to leave home without." One day we will leave it all behind. Only what has been done for Christ will matter.We will never see a U - Haul truck behind the hearse in the funeral possession.
WHAT HEAVENLY TREASURES ARE YOU LAYING UP IN STORE?
