Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Everything belongs to God

Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,”

He has entrusted men with ownership and stewardship of His resources.

Stealing is addressed further in the next 3 chapters of Exodus.

Sins Forbidden

Stealing is wrongfully taking possession of what does not belong to you.

Seriousness of the command Exodus 22:1-4

Heart issue:

Greed

Wanting what God has not given to us.

Heidelberg Catechism

Question 110

God forbids not only those thefts, and robberies, which are punishable by the magistrate; but he comprehends under the name of theft all wicked tricks and devices, whereby we design to appropriate to ourselves the goods which belong to our neighbour: whether it be by force, or under the appearance of right, as by unjust weights, measures, fraudulent merchandise, false coins, usury, or by any other way forbidden by God; as also all covetousness, all abuse and waste of his gifts.

Deception for gain

False measurements or fraud

embezzlement

Charging excessive interest or extortion

Getting rich off of others misfortunes.

Withholding what is due a person James 5:4 “Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.”

Kidnapping and slavery - Ex. 21:16 “Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.”

Borrowing money or items we do not intend to repay

Using credit we don’t repay.

Identity theft

Pirating media - songs and movies

Negligence in Exodus 22:5-6

Borrowed item breaks

Someone’s possession stolen from your home.

Time - Col. 3:23 “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,”

Wasting of squandering the gifts God has given you

Stealing from God

Duties Required

Stewardship and generosity

Good stewards of what God has entrusted to us.

The parable of the talents in Matt.

25:14-30

Have a generous heart

Happy to share and give to others.

Be a giver rather than a taker

Love your neighbor

Heidelberg Catechism Question 111

That I promote the advantage of my neighbour in every instance I can or may; and deal with him as I desire to be dealt with by others: further also that I faithfully labour, so that I may be able to relieve the needy.

Share and help others

Phil.

2:3-4 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Help others - Deuteronomy 22:1-4

To work -

2 Thess.

3:10 “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.”

Not dependent - 1 Thess 4:11-12 “and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.”

Support the helpless

1 Timothy 5:8 “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

Lev.

25:35 “If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you.”

The return of property on the year of jubilee

Love your enemies

Application

Possessions are for stewardship, not worship.

gods Matthew 6:24 ““No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve God and money.”

R. Kent Hughes: “Every time I give, I declare that money does not control me.

Perpetual generosity is a perpetual de-deification of money.”

Be faithful with what God gives you.

Luke 16:10-12

What stealing do you excuse or find acceptable?

What are some ways you might be more generous this week?

Respect the way God has distributed what is His.

Greed is discontentment at what God has provided

Phil Ryken, “every theft is a failure to trust in his provision.

Whenever we take something that doesn’t belong to us, we deny that God has given us or is able to give us everything we truly need.

Therefore, keeping the eighth commandment is a practical exercise of our faith in God’s providence.”

Phil Ryken, “theft is also an assault on God’s providence for others … It robs what he has provided for someone else.”

Jen Wilkin writes,

And as with murder and adultery, stealing is an expression of contempt.

If I can steal from someone, I’m probably not going to pray for her or seek her good.

Stealing prays, “My kingdom come, my will be done.”

Share with those in need.

Ephesians 4:28 “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.”

Be greedy for greater treasure

Heavenly treasure Matt.

6:19-21

Life is not about possessions.

Seek imperishable treasure.

God can give us what we treasure.

Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Jesus does not take, He gives abundantly - John 10:10 , 17-18

Jesus died for thieves like you

Is. 53:12 “he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.”

Matt 27:38 “Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.”

Martin Luther, Though Christ was innocent and sinless - “He bore the person of a sinner and a thief —and not of one but of all sinners and thieves.

For we are sinners and thieves, and therefore we are worthy of death and eternal damnation.

But Christ took all our sins upon Himself, and for them He died on the cross.”

The thief on the cross - Luke 23:43 “And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.””

Christian, know that you are rich

In Christ, God has already blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies.

(Eph.

1:3)

Closing Hymn: 305 Arise, My Soul, Arise

Benediction: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places