Sermons / The Way It Works / Do Not Steal
Sermon Notes
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal
Joshua 6:4-5
"On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in."
Joshua 6:17-18
The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord... keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it.
Joshua 7:20-21
Achan replied, "It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. Among the plunder I saw a beautiful robe from Babylon, 200 silver coins, and a bar of gold weighing more than a pound. I wanted them so much that I took them. They are hidden in the ground beneath my tent, with the silver buried deeper than the rest."
Joshua 7:10-11
But the Lord said to Joshua, "Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this? Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded myst be set apart for me."
Exodus 20:15
You shall not steal.
Genesis 1:28
The God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground."
When we steal from another person, we do not simply sin against them; we sin against God.
"My benefit is of more significance than your harm, my having this is of more importance than any regard that I may have for you, and irrespective of the impact of what I do upon your life, I feel free to devalue you."
Psalm 51:4
Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgement against me is just.
Luke 15:18-19
I will go home to my father and say, "Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am not longer worthy of being called your son..."
Ultimately we don't believe in a God who has authority over creation, or if we do, we don't believe that he should have authority over us.
Our confidence is found in God's timing and provision.
Psalm 16:8-9
I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety.
The essence of stealing is getting. The essence of being like Jesus is giving.
Ephesians 4:28
If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.
Luke 19:10
"For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost."
Luke 19:8-9
Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, "I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!" Jesus responded, "Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham."