Good to be with you.
00:00:28.62\00:00:30.77
We are going to be
studying God's word
00:00:30.78\00:00:32.14
together in a minute.
00:00:32.15\00:00:34.64
I am Dale Leamon, a pastor
in Battle Creek, Michigan.
00:00:34.65\00:00:37.45
And we'd like to have a
word of prayer before we begin.
00:00:37.46\00:00:40.59
Dear Father in
Heaven, thank You so much
00:00:42.73\00:00:45.35
that You love us
today, that You are
00:00:45.36\00:00:47.52
our great
instructor, and that through
00:00:47.53\00:00:49.80
Your Holy Spirit,
You are ready to teach us
00:00:49.81\00:00:51.49
wonderful things from Your word.
00:00:51.50\00:00:53.69
Please use me as
an instrument to share
00:00:53.70\00:00:57.45
the precious gospel
with those who are viewing
00:00:57.46\00:00:59.84
and thank You,
in Jesus name, amen.
00:00:59.85\00:01:03.44
Imagine the problem that
God has, a problem of scale.
00:01:06.21\00:01:11.53
He is so big. He is so powerful.
00:01:11.54\00:01:16.17
His knowledge and
his power extend to
00:01:16.18\00:01:21.85
to the entire
universe and, you know,
00:01:21.86\00:01:24.99
the smarter we get
with Hubble telescope
00:01:25.00\00:01:27.96
and other things to
look out into space,
00:01:27.97\00:01:31.39
the more we realize
how big the universe is
00:01:31.40\00:01:33.16
and the bigger it
gets, the bigger God becomes
00:01:33.17\00:01:35.30
until it begins
to seem that there
00:01:35.31\00:01:38.85
is absolutely no limit to God.
00:01:38.86\00:01:40.77
Well, that's what we've
always been told, isn't it?
00:01:40.78\00:01:42.93
That he was unlimited
power and unlimited authority.
00:01:42.94\00:01:47.83
By comparison with
him, we feel very puny
00:01:47.84\00:01:53.37
and this gives God a
public relations problem.
00:01:53.38\00:01:58.24
People naturally
are afraid of power,
00:01:58.25\00:02:01.39
so great and
authority so magnificent
00:02:01.40\00:02:05.49
and knowledge so overwhelming.
00:02:05.50\00:02:09.10
We naturally are timid
and lose our self confidence
00:02:09.11\00:02:13.38
when we think
about God in that way.
00:02:13.39\00:02:15.58
I am so glad He garbed
himself in flesh and became
00:02:15.59\00:02:18.04
a man so that we could
actually get to know Him.
00:02:18.05\00:02:21.00
Get to know His personality.
00:02:21.01\00:02:22.45
See Him in a human sense
in a less intimidating sense.
00:02:22.46\00:02:27.81
But God has had this
problem for a long time
00:02:27.82\00:02:29.59
and still does have to
some extent that people feel
00:02:29.60\00:02:34.14
as if He must be a tyrant
00:02:34.15\00:02:37.12
simply because He
has absolute power.
00:02:37.13\00:02:40.69
And it seems
inevitable that, that much power
00:02:40.70\00:02:43.41
would cause Him to abuse
the freedom of His subjects.
00:02:43.42\00:02:50.51
In fact, many have
argued theologically, well,
00:02:50.52\00:02:53.25
how do we know we are
free, maybe we are programmed
00:02:53.26\00:02:55.34
and maybe
everything in the entire world
00:02:55.35\00:02:57.18
is programmed and
everything just happens
00:02:57.19\00:02:58.74
according to a
preprogrammed outline
00:02:58.75\00:03:00.44
that God has given to it.
00:03:00.45\00:03:02.28
Well, that's not true.
00:03:02.29\00:03:04.67
The Bible tells us
over and over and over again
00:03:04.68\00:03:06.87
that God is calling
us. He's inviting us.
00:03:06.88\00:03:09.79
He urges us to
repent. He urges us to listen.
00:03:09.80\00:03:13.11
He says He that has
an ear, let him hear.
00:03:13.12\00:03:15.22
This clearly indicates
that we have the alternative
00:03:15.23\00:03:17.27
of not hearing if we so choose.
00:03:17.28\00:03:19.98
He in other words shows that
00:03:19.99\00:03:23.53
He is not in fact
an absolute tyrant.
00:03:23.54\00:03:27.43
Nevertheless,
the Ten Commandments
00:03:27.44\00:03:31.30
have also seemed to play
into this tyrant concept,
00:03:31.31\00:03:35.95
partly because
the Ten Commandments
00:03:35.96\00:03:38.85
are related to
every aspect of our life.
00:03:38.86\00:03:42.00
They hedge us in, so to
speak, with some kind of
00:03:42.01\00:03:45.81
behavioral
requirement that relates
00:03:45.82\00:03:48.67
to every part
of our human being.
00:03:48.68\00:03:51.62
Everything from our
spiritual nature and our
00:03:51.63\00:03:53.91
connection to God,
to our relationships
00:03:53.92\00:03:56.45
in our birth
family with our parents,
00:03:56.46\00:04:00.65
and our relationship
with our spouse and of course
00:04:00.66\00:04:06.21
our relationships
with our neighbors
00:04:06.22\00:04:09.28
all are dealt within this law.
00:04:09.29\00:04:10.96
And so it seems to
all encompassing that
00:04:10.97\00:04:12.66
it makes people --
some people afraid that
00:04:12.67\00:04:15.13
they are actually
entering a box when
00:04:15.14\00:04:18.32
they try to do God's will.
00:04:18.33\00:04:21.37
It seems
limiting and restrictive.
00:04:21.38\00:04:23.14
And God seems to be
an absolute authority.
00:04:23.15\00:04:27.36
And another thing that
gives God a PR problem is that
00:04:27.37\00:04:30.40
He makes it plain in the
Bible that if we decidedly
00:04:30.41\00:04:35.07
and rebelliously disobey
His Will, that we will die.
00:04:35.08\00:04:40.18
And so that seems
certainly like a limitation
00:04:40.19\00:04:42.26
on our freedom, how
can a person be truly free,
00:04:42.27\00:04:45.15
when he is threatened
and when his life will be
00:04:45.16\00:04:48.41
taken away if he
violates the Will
00:04:48.42\00:04:51.63
or the conditions of
the authority figure?
00:04:51.64\00:04:56.21
Well, we need to
answer some of those questions
00:04:56.22\00:04:58.17
because I think those
questions play into our
00:04:58.18\00:05:01.26
fear of the Commandments.
00:05:01.27\00:05:02.62
And I am trying
to help you see today
00:05:02.63\00:05:05.33
and have been in
the last programs that
00:05:05.34\00:05:09.02
we don't need to
be afraid of the law.
00:05:09.03\00:05:12.54
Instead, we need to
look at it as God's promise
00:05:12.55\00:05:15.08
and His -- our
friend, His covenant to us,
00:05:15.09\00:05:19.25
to make us like himself again.
00:05:19.26\00:05:23.80
But that fearfulness does
come in and to some extent
00:05:23.81\00:05:26.72
due to the death penalty,
00:05:26.73\00:05:28.38
which goes along
with disobedience.
00:05:28.39\00:05:30.52
Is it really God
saying, if you don't obey me,
00:05:30.53\00:05:34.58
I'm gonna kill you. Is that it?
00:05:34.59\00:05:37.41
Well, if you look carefully
at the character of God
00:05:37.42\00:05:39.63
as seen in Christ, you see that
00:05:39.64\00:05:40.94
that's not what it is at all.
00:05:40.95\00:05:43.13
Jesus has already
died for every human being.
00:05:43.14\00:05:45.57
The death
penalty has already been
00:05:45.58\00:05:46.69
removed from every human being.
00:05:46.70\00:05:48.95
The only reason some
will perish is because
00:05:48.96\00:05:50.78
they absolutely reject
his transforming grace.
00:05:50.79\00:05:56.37
Notice, I emphasized
the word transforming.
00:05:56.38\00:05:58.45
You see those who refuse
to be transformed cannot live
00:05:58.46\00:06:03.03
forever because
selfishness is self destructive.
00:06:03.04\00:06:07.44
At first, it seems
like selfishness would be
00:06:07.45\00:06:09.86
to act in our most,
in our own self interest
00:06:09.87\00:06:12.50
and therefore we
would promote our own lives.
00:06:12.51\00:06:14.93
But it's not true
because when I am selfish,
00:06:14.94\00:06:17.66
I naturally
steal a life from you.
00:06:17.67\00:06:20.58
And so we each find
ourselves killing each other.
00:06:20.59\00:06:23.48
And the more selfish we
become and the farther away
00:06:23.49\00:06:25.52
we get from God, the
more we self destruct
00:06:25.53\00:06:28.45
and the more we destroy others.
00:06:28.46\00:06:30.98
You see those who
refused the beautiful
00:06:30.99\00:06:33.44
and sensitive character
that God wants to give them.
00:06:33.45\00:06:37.95
World would never
really enjoy the harmonious
00:06:37.96\00:06:42.35
new world that He is making.
00:06:42.36\00:06:45.55
So even if God
somehow kept them alive
00:06:45.56\00:06:50.02
in spite of their self
destructive selfishness,
00:06:50.03\00:06:53.80
they would not enjoy any
place which was so lovely
00:06:53.81\00:06:58.47
and unselfish and pure and holy
00:06:58.48\00:07:01.19
as the world God is planning.
00:07:01.20\00:07:03.76
In other words, they'd
have to live in a place
00:07:03.77\00:07:05.53
sort of like earth is
now and they would just go on
00:07:05.54\00:07:08.32
getting worse as it has
been for these 1000s of years
00:07:08.33\00:07:11.41
until finally
they destroyed itself.
00:07:11.42\00:07:14.54
So it is not God's arbitrariness
00:07:14.55\00:07:17.09
to say that sinners must perish.
00:07:17.10\00:07:19.13
It is just the truth.
00:07:19.14\00:07:21.22
Sinners must and
always will, perish.
00:07:21.23\00:07:24.04
They will kill each other.
00:07:24.05\00:07:25.39
And they would kill themselves.
00:07:25.40\00:07:28.68
In fact, think
about the misery of
00:07:28.69\00:07:32.30
an untransformed
person going to the new world.
00:07:32.31\00:07:39.14
Such a person
would be jealous because
00:07:41.85\00:07:45.72
untransformed
people always are jealous.
00:07:45.73\00:07:49.75
You know, we're
plainly told that there'll be
00:07:49.76\00:07:51.81
a reward system in heaven,
00:07:51.82\00:07:54.09
and the rewards
will not be identical.
00:07:54.10\00:07:57.67
Some will be given one position
00:07:57.68\00:07:59.85
and some another position.
00:07:59.86\00:08:01.43
And I just
envision in my mind the,
00:08:01.44\00:08:05.26
the untransformed
person who is welcome to heaven
00:08:05.27\00:08:08.55
and he's so happy
for a while as he just
00:08:08.56\00:08:10.38
getting acquainted
with the place and seeing
00:08:10.39\00:08:12.19
all the beauties
and glories of it.
00:08:12.20\00:08:13.74
And he sees his mansion
and he moves in and he just,
00:08:13.75\00:08:16.55
wow, this is just the
greatest and it's so much
00:08:16.56\00:08:18.65
better than anything
that he had envisioned,
00:08:18.66\00:08:20.94
even in his
most selfish moments.
00:08:20.95\00:08:23.66
But then, one day, he is
looking out of the window
00:08:23.67\00:08:27.11
of his mansion and he
looks across the way to his
00:08:27.12\00:08:29.40
neighbor's mansion
and he counts, just idly,
00:08:29.41\00:08:33.03
counts the turrets on
his neighbor's mansion.
00:08:33.04\00:08:36.27
And he says,
hmmm, it seems to me
00:08:36.28\00:08:39.32
there are five
turrets on his mansion.
00:08:39.33\00:08:41.77
And I don't seem to
remember more than four on mine.
00:08:41.78\00:08:44.92
And he goes outside
and just looks just in case
00:08:44.93\00:08:47.67
he's missed one and
he counts them again
00:08:47.68\00:08:49.38
and sure enough
only four on his.
00:08:49.39\00:08:52.78
And then because his
heart hasn't been transformed,
00:08:52.79\00:08:55.92
he begins to
become quite jealous.
00:08:55.93\00:08:59.62
Well, what did he do
that was so much better than
00:08:59.63\00:09:01.84
what I did and why should
he get rewarded and so forth?
00:09:01.85\00:09:05.78
You see untransformed people
00:09:05.79\00:09:07.61
could never enjoy the new world.
00:09:07.62\00:09:11.05
They would be sensitive of
00:09:11.06\00:09:12.82
oppositions too, wouldn't they?
00:09:12.83\00:09:15.31
One would be jealous of
another's God given position
00:09:15.32\00:09:20.53
or task in the new
order that He is creating.
00:09:20.54\00:09:24.96
So happiness would be
impossible for such a person
00:09:24.97\00:09:29.00
in God's kingdom, but
thank God for His 10 promises.
00:09:29.01\00:09:32.36
You see in the Ten Commandments,
00:09:32.37\00:09:34.61
He shows exactly what kind
of loving nature He is going
00:09:34.62\00:09:38.94
to give us so that we
can be happy in His kingdom.
00:09:38.95\00:09:43.56
In fact, it is
His work to do it.
00:09:43.57\00:09:46.08
The Commandments are
not something He tells us
00:09:46.09\00:09:48.86
to do in order to be
saved but rather something
00:09:48.87\00:09:51.28
He promises to
work out in our lives.
00:09:51.29\00:09:53.32
Let's see where
this is made explicit
00:09:53.33\00:09:56.86
in the prophet Ezekiel
Chapter 36 and verse 26.
00:09:56.87\00:10:03.57
"I will give you a
new heart and put a
00:10:06.79\00:10:09.68
new spirit within you,
I will take the heart of
00:10:09.69\00:10:12.66
stone out of your flesh
and give you a heart of flesh.
00:10:12.67\00:10:17.64
I will put my spirit
within you, and cause you
00:10:17.65\00:10:21.32
to walk in My
statutes, and you will keep
00:10:21.33\00:10:24.07
My judgments, and do them."
00:10:24.08\00:10:27.31
I really like the I's
in that passage, don't you?
00:10:27.32\00:10:30.24
Because God is the
speaker, so he says,
00:10:30.25\00:10:33.89
"I will give you a new
heart and a new spirit.
00:10:33.90\00:10:36.93
I will take the stony heart out
00:10:36.94\00:10:39.42
and give you a heart of flesh.
00:10:39.43\00:10:41.33
I will put my spirit within
you and cause you to walk,"
00:10:41.34\00:10:44.21
in other words, I will cause
you to walk in My statutes.
00:10:44.22\00:10:48.27
Statutes, Commandments.
00:10:48.28\00:10:50.31
God is saying
that He will do that.
00:10:50.32\00:10:52.28
He will do that by
giving us a new heart,
00:10:52.29\00:10:54.54
by taking out the stone heart.
00:10:54.55\00:10:56.64
He will cause us to
walk in His statutes.
00:10:56.65\00:11:00.00
So God himself is
giving us the strength,
00:11:00.01\00:11:02.70
the courage, the faith, the will
00:11:02.71\00:11:05.82
to walk in harmony with Him.
00:11:05.83\00:11:09.15
This is a promise,
we need to just claim
00:11:09.16\00:11:11.55
earnestly
everyday, every moment.
00:11:11.56\00:11:14.25
This is one of the
best scriptures in the Bible
00:11:14.26\00:11:17.31
because it says so much about
00:11:17.32\00:11:19.05
how we can be ready
to live with the angels.
00:11:19.06\00:11:22.99
In other words, the change that
00:11:25.95\00:11:28.17
takes place must
be an inner change.
00:11:28.18\00:11:31.42
We can't just do the
things God says to do.
00:11:31.43\00:11:34.83
We need to be
changed in such a way
00:11:34.84\00:11:36.68
that we are this new person.
00:11:36.69\00:11:39.79
We have this new character.
00:11:39.80\00:11:42.29
Sometimes we jokingly
talk about needing a transplant
00:11:42.30\00:11:46.81
and, you know, someone
will say, well, you know,
00:11:46.82\00:11:48.56
I'm getting a
pretty bad shoulder now
00:11:48.57\00:11:49.95
and with the
miracle of modern medicine,
00:11:49.96\00:11:53.08
I think I'm going
to need a new shoulder.
00:11:53.09\00:11:55.07
And someone else
thinks they're going to
00:11:55.08\00:11:56.70
need a new knee and a new elbow.
00:11:56.71\00:12:00.21
And I've friends
who've had all of those
00:12:00.22\00:12:02.12
and some of
them-- several of them.
00:12:02.13\00:12:03.57
And then, of course, we laugh,
00:12:03.58\00:12:07.31
I think what I
really need is a new head,
00:12:07.32\00:12:10.44
but as strange as
that sounds and as much as
00:12:10.45\00:12:12.86
it seems humorous, it's true.
00:12:12.87\00:12:14.45
We do. It's our brain.
00:12:14.46\00:12:16.55
It's our mind that
needs to be transformed.
00:12:16.56\00:12:19.19
And the Bible says, by
the renewing of your mind--
00:12:19.20\00:12:21.66
and so this is
what God actually does.
00:12:21.67\00:12:25.50
He actually comes in and
changes the way we think.
00:12:25.51\00:12:29.09
He changes
attitudes, he changes even
00:12:29.10\00:12:34.05
parts of our
personality so that they are--
00:12:34.06\00:12:36.35
so it's a
sanctified personality.
00:12:36.36\00:12:39.36
He changes
habitual thought patterns.
00:12:39.37\00:12:43.10
He can do this. It's wonderful.
00:12:43.11\00:12:45.31
It's like brain surgery
with no blood and no hospital.
00:12:45.32\00:12:50.65
And that's exactly what
we need to ask Him to do
00:12:50.66\00:12:53.50
since He's
already promised to do it
00:12:53.51\00:12:55.52
and since in Jesus,
He has already done it.
00:12:55.53\00:12:58.13
And now we just ask to be
the recipients of that blessing.
00:12:58.14\00:13:03.68
Well, there are
10 of those promises.
00:13:03.69\00:13:08.30
We've enjoyed
looking at some of them.
00:13:08.31\00:13:09.61
And today, we want
to consider some more
00:13:09.62\00:13:14.37
of them or one more at least.
00:13:14.38\00:13:16.36
But I want you to see
from Romans 13: 9 and 10
00:13:16.37\00:13:20.17
that all of these
promises are pertaining to
00:13:20.18\00:13:25.59
a love change that
takes place in our lives.
00:13:25.60\00:13:28.50
Romans 13: 9 and 10.
00:13:28.51\00:13:31.19
For the Commandments, you
shall not commit adultery,
00:13:31.20\00:13:33.78
you shall not murder, you
shall not steal etc., etc.,
00:13:33.79\00:13:37.74
Are all summed up
in this saying, namely,
00:13:37.75\00:13:41.40
you shall love your
neighbor as yourself.
00:13:41.41\00:13:45.97
Love does no harm to a neighbor,
00:13:45.98\00:13:47.40
therefore love is the
fulfillment of the law.
00:13:47.41\00:13:50.07
So that is why God
brings us into harmony
00:13:50.08\00:13:52.83
with his Commandments
by taking out our hearts,
00:13:52.84\00:13:56.96
the hard heart and
putting in a soft heart.
00:13:56.97\00:13:59.92
In other words,
taking out our hardened,
00:13:59.93\00:14:02.25
distrustful, bitter,
rebellious way of thinking
00:14:02.26\00:14:07.82
and replacing it
with a gentle, trusting,
00:14:07.83\00:14:11.75
courteous, kindly,
unselfish way of thinking.
00:14:11.76\00:14:15.86
What a tremendous thing that is
00:14:15.87\00:14:17.01
when it happens to someone.
00:14:17.02\00:14:17.99
You meet somebody
like that, you say,
00:14:18.00\00:14:18.99
now there's the
salt of the earth person.
00:14:19.00\00:14:21.01
That's the kind of
person I like to be with and yet
00:14:21.02\00:14:24.10
what are we doing in
terms of our prayer life
00:14:24.11\00:14:26.72
to make sure we
are such a person.
00:14:26.73\00:14:29.21
Only Jesus can do that for us.
00:14:29.22\00:14:31.22
Let's look now at
another commandment.
00:14:33.26\00:14:35.65
We are going to look
at the Eighth Commandment,
00:14:35.66\00:14:40.87
which is found in
Exodus Chapter 20,
00:14:40.88\00:14:44.54
of course, and verse
15. "You shall not steal."
00:14:44.55\00:14:51.54
Only four words and
as we see these verses
00:14:51.55\00:14:55.99
as promises, this
is transformed from
00:14:56.00\00:14:58.47
don't steal to in my
grace, you won't steal,
00:14:58.48\00:15:03.57
you won't even want to.
00:15:03.58\00:15:05.07
See I'm going to
give you a soft heart
00:15:05.08\00:15:06.56
and your heart
wouldn't even think about
00:15:06.57\00:15:07.77
taking what
doesn't belong to you.
00:15:07.78\00:15:10.61
You wouldn't even have a desire
00:15:10.62\00:15:13.76
to take someone else's property.
00:15:13.77\00:15:16.54
You would feel very
bad if you took away
00:15:16.55\00:15:18.92
someone else's reputation.
00:15:18.93\00:15:21.09
You certainly
wouldn't want to steal
00:15:21.10\00:15:22.48
anyone else's health
and you wouldn't want
00:15:22.49\00:15:25.82
to damage or rob them
off their relationships.
00:15:25.83\00:15:30.79
No, you would be
unwilling to in anyway,
00:15:30.80\00:15:33.05
take from another
person, what is his.
00:15:33.06\00:15:37.05
And, on the
contrary, under the promise
00:15:37.06\00:15:39.57
of you of these
precious verses, we see that
00:15:39.58\00:15:42.53
the positive side
we will want to give.
00:15:42.54\00:15:45.63
Jesus said that
it's more blessed
00:15:45.64\00:15:47.42
to give than to receive.
00:15:47.43\00:15:48.79
And those who found that
truth in their own hearts,
00:15:48.80\00:15:51.89
love giving and would
far rather give than receive,
00:15:51.90\00:15:55.59
let alone take,
which would never be
00:15:55.60\00:15:58.03
a part of their thinking.
00:15:58.04\00:16:00.59
You see, taking is
not something that is --
00:16:00.60\00:16:03.67
fits the character
of God or of Jesus.
00:16:03.68\00:16:07.47
You look at nature.
00:16:07.48\00:16:08.51
Everything that God has
put together is a giving thing.
00:16:08.52\00:16:14.41
The trees that
produce way more fruit
00:16:14.42\00:16:17.52
than they need to
reproduce themselves.
00:16:17.53\00:16:20.10
The flowers which are
so abundant, the rain,
00:16:20.11\00:16:23.47
everything in nature
reveals this givingness of God
00:16:23.48\00:16:27.30
until you see some of
the animals and man himself
00:16:27.31\00:16:30.41
that have been distorted
by the selfishness of sin
00:16:30.42\00:16:33.51
and then you see take, take.
00:16:33.52\00:16:36.47
What a blessing it
will be to be made so much
00:16:36.48\00:16:40.61
in Jesus image that
we are truly givers.
00:16:40.62\00:16:44.25
I had a man come to me one time.
00:16:44.26\00:16:48.47
Let's say that
his name was Steven.
00:16:48.48\00:16:52.06
Steve wanted help.
He said that he was --
00:16:52.07\00:16:55.21
had been stealing
things since he was a child.
00:16:55.22\00:17:01.04
And at first, he just
did it for the thrill of it
00:17:01.05\00:17:03.57
or because he wanted the
thing that he could steal.
00:17:03.58\00:17:06.56
He had been trained better.
00:17:06.57\00:17:07.69
He wasn't raised in
a very religious home,
00:17:07.70\00:17:10.01
but he did know
that stealing was wrong
00:17:10.02\00:17:12.01
and he knew that if he got
caught, he'd be in trouble.
00:17:12.02\00:17:14.75
But for some reason, he never --
00:17:14.76\00:17:15.73
he never got caught. He
became quite good at it.
00:17:15.74\00:17:18.95
He could go into
a store and he could
00:17:18.96\00:17:21.70
virtually always
walk away with something.
00:17:21.71\00:17:23.89
Well, somehow that excitement
00:17:23.90\00:17:25.71
became part of his nature.
00:17:25.72\00:17:26.90
Perhaps, it was just
a psychological tendency
00:17:26.91\00:17:30.39
that he had, so that as he grew,
00:17:30.40\00:17:33.08
he found himself doing this.
00:17:33.09\00:17:35.22
In fact, he told me at
the time that he couldn't
00:17:35.23\00:17:37.41
even go into a store
to shop for something
00:17:37.42\00:17:41.84
without walking
out with something
00:17:41.85\00:17:44.30
that he hadn't paid for.
00:17:44.31\00:17:46.23
It just became an
absolute urge with him
00:17:46.24\00:17:50.77
and he couldn't seem to
resist it, it frightened him.
00:17:50.78\00:17:53.95
He wondered if he
was demon possessed
00:17:53.96\00:17:56.52
or he understood
the word kleptomania
00:17:56.53\00:17:59.51
and decided that he
must be a kleptomaniac.
00:17:59.52\00:18:02.48
I asked him what did
he feel motivated him
00:18:02.49\00:18:05.41
and he said, he didn't know
00:18:05.42\00:18:06.40
but there was just
some kind of a thrill
00:18:06.41\00:18:09.05
associated with it and
he would pick up things
00:18:09.06\00:18:12.36
that he didn't
need or even want.
00:18:12.37\00:18:15.23
Things he had no
intention of keeping.
00:18:15.24\00:18:17.29
Just because of the thrill
of walking out of the store
00:18:17.30\00:18:20.79
with something
that he didn't pay for.
00:18:20.80\00:18:24.49
Well, obviously
this was a real problem.
00:18:24.50\00:18:25.87
As he became a
Christian, this problem
00:18:25.88\00:18:28.28
did not go away immediately.
00:18:28.29\00:18:29.71
And that's true with some
00:18:29.72\00:18:30.92
of our engrained difficulties.
00:18:30.93\00:18:32.83
Even when we are born again,
00:18:32.84\00:18:34.19
we have the victory in Christ,
00:18:34.20\00:18:36.01
but we don't feel or experience
00:18:36.02\00:18:38.06
all the victory
behaviorally all at once.
00:18:38.07\00:18:40.33
And so he came to
me deeply concerned.
00:18:40.34\00:18:42.81
He said do you
think I am converted.
00:18:42.82\00:18:44.27
And I said, well obviously
given your life to Jesus,
00:18:44.28\00:18:46.86
you've made -- he has
made some major changes.
00:18:46.87\00:18:48.46
You've experienced
the spirit in your life.
00:18:48.47\00:18:50.11
I think you're converted,
00:18:50.12\00:18:51.23
but you're just
not fully converted.
00:18:51.24\00:18:52.76
Most Christians
aren't fully converted.
00:18:52.77\00:18:54.91
I am not sure any of us are.
00:18:54.92\00:18:57.52
But he said this is an
especially bad problem.
00:18:57.53\00:18:59.25
He says, I will
get caught eventually.
00:18:59.26\00:19:00.57
The fact that I've
gone now for 27 years
00:19:00.58\00:19:02.45
without ever
being caught, he says,
00:19:02.46\00:19:04.04
it just makes it
all the more likely that
00:19:04.05\00:19:05.57
I'm going to
get caught sometime.
00:19:05.58\00:19:06.65
And I'm going to
embarrass my family.
00:19:06.66\00:19:07.92
I'm going to
embarrass the church.
00:19:07.93\00:19:09.05
And I'm going to be ruined.
00:19:09.06\00:19:11.02
He says, I've got to
have victory over this.
00:19:11.03\00:19:13.64
And I said, yes. It
looks like you really do.
00:19:13.65\00:19:15.71
And the Lord is
ready to give it to you,
00:19:15.72\00:19:18.31
because Jesus has won
the victory over stealing.
00:19:18.32\00:19:23.27
You see in every
one of his Commandments,
00:19:23.28\00:19:24.96
He says, He didn't
come to do away with it,
00:19:24.97\00:19:26.98
but He came to fulfill it.
00:19:26.99\00:19:30.60
And so Jesus has
fulfilled that and He can give
00:19:30.61\00:19:33.09
that victory to
anyone who trusts Him for it.
00:19:33.10\00:19:36.92
Well, we shared that together.
00:19:36.93\00:19:39.93
I remember that
interview very well
00:19:39.94\00:19:41.78
because it
happened actually in a car
00:19:41.79\00:19:45.01
and we were just
sitting, parked in the driveway,
00:19:45.02\00:19:48.00
and talked for
several hours that night.
00:19:48.01\00:19:51.20
And as we shared
some scriptures together,
00:19:51.21\00:19:53.36
and as we prayed, a
great peace came over him,
00:19:53.37\00:19:57.00
instead of the
terrible fear that he was under
00:19:57.01\00:19:59.16
this compulsion that
he couldn't get free from,
00:19:59.17\00:20:01.96
a great peace came over him.
00:20:01.97\00:20:03.79
And he said, you
know, I do believe,
00:20:03.80\00:20:06.17
I believe that I
have the victory.
00:20:06.18\00:20:08.82
And not all victories
come all at once like that
00:20:08.83\00:20:11.70
one did but
after that experience,
00:20:11.71\00:20:14.41
he never was
compelled to take anything
00:20:14.42\00:20:17.60
that he hadn't paid for again.
00:20:17.61\00:20:19.17
And he felt so good
knowing that he didn't have
00:20:19.18\00:20:23.99
to look over his shoulder
every time he left a store.
00:20:24.00\00:20:28.38
Well, Jesus has won the victory.
00:20:28.39\00:20:30.16
And, you know, he won it.
00:20:30.17\00:20:31.94
I -- we don't really
think about this very much.
00:20:31.95\00:20:33.82
We are told that he
was tempted in all points
00:20:33.83\00:20:35.30
like we are, but we
don't really imagine
00:20:35.31\00:20:38.04
that he was tempted
not in all points --
00:20:38.05\00:20:39.57
only in all points like
I am but also in all points
00:20:39.58\00:20:42.68
like you are and also in
all points like your neighbor
00:20:42.69\00:20:44.98
and also in all
points like the guy
00:20:44.99\00:20:46.51
who's been in
prison for 30 years.
00:20:46.52\00:20:48.27
In other words, Jesus
was tempted in the worst
00:20:48.28\00:20:52.79
level of temptation in
every type of temptation
00:20:52.80\00:20:56.91
and we can't quite
explain all of that,
00:20:56.92\00:21:01.06
but there are
some things we can see
00:21:01.07\00:21:02.27
if we think
about it for instance.
00:21:02.28\00:21:03.73
Who is most tempted to steal?
00:21:03.74\00:21:07.47
Well, it would be
the poor, wouldn't it?
00:21:07.48\00:21:09.35
And Jesus came as a poor man
00:21:09.36\00:21:12.45
with a tremendous
temptation to take things.
00:21:12.46\00:21:15.83
You know, thieves
always justify it by saying,
00:21:15.84\00:21:19.83
well, somehow this is more fair.
00:21:19.84\00:21:21.23
I am just
equally -- leveling out
00:21:21.24\00:21:24.12
the playing fields so to speak,
00:21:24.13\00:21:25.43
they justify what they've done.
00:21:25.44\00:21:27.96
So Jesus might
have justified because
00:21:27.97\00:21:30.24
of his poverty taking
something that wasn't His,
00:21:30.25\00:21:32.56
but He already knew
that God provides for
00:21:32.57\00:21:35.11
His children and He
never needed to steal anything.
00:21:35.12\00:21:39.14
He even showed
how to save the thief
00:21:39.15\00:21:44.22
from the guilt of
stealing by willingly giving
00:21:44.23\00:21:47.20
what He would
take and even more.
00:21:47.21\00:21:50.03
Jesus said, "if
anyone wants to take away
00:21:50.04\00:21:54.05
your tunic, let him
have your cloak also."
00:21:54.06\00:21:59.29
So Jesus clearly
shows that not only are we
00:21:59.30\00:22:02.88
to be not be takers
but we are to be givers
00:22:02.89\00:22:07.34
and even on the
unjust situation when a thief
00:22:07.35\00:22:09.85
comes to us and
tries to take what is ours,
00:22:09.86\00:22:12.21
we are to say take it,
and is there anything else
00:22:12.22\00:22:15.83
I can help you with?
Well, that's a high standard.
00:22:15.84\00:22:18.14
I have had hard
time with that one.
00:22:18.15\00:22:19.96
But I believe it and I
see that Jesus practiced it
00:22:19.97\00:22:22.62
because He not only --
He let people take from Him
00:22:22.63\00:22:25.80
and then He gave him
more-- He gave them more.
00:22:25.81\00:22:28.44
Jesus was urged to
take the crown of Israel.
00:22:28.45\00:22:31.72
The crowds were
ready to crown Him.
00:22:31.73\00:22:33.69
He had power equal
to the task no army
00:22:33.70\00:22:36.30
could possibly have
stood against the one
00:22:36.31\00:22:37.92
who could command 10,000 angels.
00:22:37.93\00:22:39.82
He was the rightful
king but it wasn't time.
00:22:39.83\00:22:45.61
You see, His kingdom
was to come in the future
00:22:45.62\00:22:50.72
and so He would
not take the kingdom.
00:22:50.73\00:22:55.33
He had another
reason too, which I find
00:22:55.34\00:22:57.20
very interesting in Romans 13,
00:22:57.21\00:22:59.55
Chapter 13 and verse
1. We see these words.
00:22:59.56\00:23:06.53
Let every soul be subject
to the governing authorities.
00:23:06.54\00:23:10.69
For there is no
authority except from God,
00:23:10.70\00:23:13.79
and the authorities that
exist are appointed by God.
00:23:13.80\00:23:17.98
Therefore whoever
resists the authority
00:23:17.99\00:23:21.10
resists the ordinance of God.
00:23:21.11\00:23:24.82
So the rulers
of our world today,
00:23:24.83\00:23:27.05
as corrupt and
miserable as they maybe,
00:23:27.06\00:23:29.93
are put in place by God.
00:23:29.94\00:23:31.72
I know that's hard
to believe at times,
00:23:31.73\00:23:33.43
but that is just exactly what
00:23:33.44\00:23:34.66
the Bible says and
Jesus accepted that.
00:23:34.67\00:23:37.21
That wicked Pilate and of
course the terrible Caesar
00:23:37.22\00:23:41.24
in Rome that He represented.
00:23:41.25\00:23:43.19
Jesus would not
take their authority.
00:23:43.20\00:23:45.54
Their authority
was God ordained.
00:23:45.55\00:23:47.69
So when Pilate
said, are you a King?
00:23:47.70\00:23:49.92
Jesus admitted that
He was, but then He said,
00:23:49.93\00:23:51.93
"My kingdom is
not of this world.
00:23:51.94\00:23:54.48
I am no threat to you, I
will not take what is yours.
00:23:54.49\00:23:58.83
This is your time. My
time will come later."
00:23:58.84\00:24:03.52
So Jesus would never take away
00:24:03.53\00:24:05.08
even the power that
belonged to another.
00:24:05.09\00:24:08.14
He had been anointed
already to be the King,
00:24:08.15\00:24:10.48
just as David had been
anointed to be the next King,
00:24:10.49\00:24:13.23
but David too
because he was so Christ like
00:24:13.24\00:24:15.88
would not take the kingdom
00:24:15.89\00:24:17.59
until it was
relinquished by Saul.
00:24:17.60\00:24:20.10
Oh, he was tempted too.
00:24:20.11\00:24:22.25
There were those who thought
he should push the matter
00:24:22.26\00:24:24.09
but David fled,
moved aside, humbly waited
00:24:24.10\00:24:29.46
for the time to come, because
00:24:29.47\00:24:30.86
the kingdom
rightfully belonged to Saul.
00:24:30.87\00:24:34.00
And in that, we see so
much of Jesus' own character,
00:24:34.01\00:24:37.75
never take
anything even if it's yours.
00:24:37.76\00:24:41.09
Let God give it to
you, Jesus would not take
00:24:41.10\00:24:45.31
Judas' reputation away from him.
00:24:45.32\00:24:48.16
Imagine that.
Judas was a wicked man.
00:24:48.17\00:24:52.79
And yet Jesus
allowed everyone to think
00:24:52.80\00:24:55.34
Judas was a good man.
00:24:55.35\00:24:56.54
And He would not even point out
00:24:56.55\00:24:58.39
Judas' thieving tendencies.
00:24:58.40\00:25:01.47
Jesus lived with a
thief for three years or more.
00:25:01.48\00:25:08.08
And yet He himself
would never take anything.
00:25:08.09\00:25:11.71
He did not expose
Judas, it was much later that
00:25:11.72\00:25:15.95
Judas was exposed,
though He probably deserved it.
00:25:15.96\00:25:19.87
Jesus would not take his
reputation away from him.
00:25:19.88\00:25:22.53
Jesus would not
take even the privileged
00:25:22.54\00:25:25.56
position of being tax exempt.
00:25:25.57\00:25:27.71
No, He paid his taxes because He
00:25:27.72\00:25:32.64
did not want to seem to
be grasping for anything.
00:25:32.65\00:25:36.07
And He taught His disciples.
00:25:36.08\00:25:38.22
He said, when you go to a feast,
00:25:38.23\00:25:41.39
don't take the highest seat.
00:25:41.40\00:25:46.19
That seat might
belong to somebody else.
00:25:46.20\00:25:47.94
Don't take the
position of honor.
00:25:47.95\00:25:52.20
That might
belong to somebody else.
00:25:52.21\00:25:53.39
Take the lowest
seat and wait for someone
00:25:53.40\00:25:55.06
to bring you up
to the highest seat.
00:25:55.07\00:25:58.34
So again, we see Jesus
continually being a victor
00:25:58.35\00:26:04.15
over any tendency to take
00:26:04.16\00:26:06.98
what was not
given to Him by God.
00:26:06.99\00:26:08.87
In spite of that, He
was accused of being a thief
00:26:08.88\00:26:13.64
and they put a sign over
Him that said 'King of the Jews'
00:26:13.65\00:26:18.27
and he was
crucified between two thieves.
00:26:18.28\00:26:22.72
Oh, Jesus,
always treated unfairly
00:26:24.57\00:26:29.03
and yet always so victorious.
00:26:29.04\00:26:32.17
No, He wouldn't even take life
00:26:32.18\00:26:35.03
and He was the life giver.
00:26:35.04\00:26:36.92
They said, jump off
this cross if you have
00:26:36.93\00:26:38.89
the power but
He would not do it.
00:26:38.90\00:26:40.69
The only thing
He would do is take
00:26:40.70\00:26:43.19
what His Father gave Him.
00:26:43.20\00:26:44.89
And friends we have
that privilege of taking
00:26:44.90\00:26:48.44
only what our
Heavenly Father would give us.
00:26:48.45\00:26:51.78
I want to be like
Jesus. I know that you do too.
00:26:51.79\00:26:56.30
I want to be a
person who is satisfied with
00:26:56.31\00:26:59.97
what the Father
gives me legitimately.
00:26:59.98\00:27:01.87
I don't want to be
jealous and try to harm
00:27:01.88\00:27:04.06
someone else's reputation.
00:27:04.07\00:27:05.48
I do not want to
take away from another one
00:27:05.49\00:27:08.71
even their unhappiness,
even by going around
00:27:08.72\00:27:11.44
frowning or gossiping.
00:27:11.45\00:27:12.95
I want to be a giver of life.
00:27:12.96\00:27:14.75
I want to be a giver of love.
00:27:14.76\00:27:16.87
I want to be a person
who's known as generous.
00:27:16.88\00:27:19.22
I certainly don't want to take
00:27:19.23\00:27:20.99
God's tithes and
offerings as my own.
00:27:21.00\00:27:24.00
I want Jesus victory
to come fully into my life
00:27:24.01\00:27:27.32
that I can be won
who loves to give.
00:27:27.33\00:27:30.95
We need transformed
in this folks because we
00:27:30.96\00:27:33.45
in this modern age
are so materialistic
00:27:33.46\00:27:36.96
and we think that
receiving, and taking,
00:27:36.97\00:27:38.89
and getting are
the best possible way
00:27:38.90\00:27:40.75
to live but they are not.
00:27:40.76\00:27:43.88
We need a new heart. Thank God,
00:27:43.89\00:27:46.13
He has promised us
that wonderful new heart.
00:27:46.14\00:27:48.34
Jesus has kept the
Eighth Commandment for us.
00:27:48.35\00:27:52.54
Let's claim His victory.
00:27:52.55\00:27:54.66