Jesus said: "If you love
Me, keep my commandments."
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Now people all over the
world are turning back to God's
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eternal moral law, claiming
His promise to write them
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in our hearts and our
minds. Live from the DC Armory
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in our nation's
capital, 3ABN presents
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The 10 Commandments Weekend.
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Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn, and
welcome back to Washington DC.
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This is 3ABN's Ten
Commandment Weekend,
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and it's marathon, isn't it?
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Praise the Lord that we
have all of these people
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in our live audience, who
have been here all day with us,
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and we've really
been enjoying ourselves.
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In this hour, we're going to
have pastor David Asscherick,
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who is going to be
bringing us a sermon
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on the 8th commandment,
but first, I want to invite out
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Kateena LeForge, a
beautiful singer, and this is
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a beautiful song called
"The Lighthouse", Kateena.
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There's a
Lighthouse on a hillside
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That over looks life's sea
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When I'm tossed
it sends out a light
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That I might see
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And the light that
shines in darkness now
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Will safely lead me o'er
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If it wasn't for the Lighthouse
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My ship would be no more
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And I thank God
for the Lighthouse
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I owe my life to Him
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For Jesus is the Lighthouse
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And from the rocks of sin
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He has shone a light around me
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That I could clearly see
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If it wasn't for the Lighthouse
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Where would this ship be?
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Now, everybody
that lives about us
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They say tear that
old Lighthouse down
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Don't you know big ships
don't sail this way anymore
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There's no use
of it standing round
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Then my mind goes
back to that stormy night
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When just in
time I saw the light
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It's the light
from that old Lighthouse
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That stands up there on the hill
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And I thank God
for the Lighthouse
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I owe my life to Him
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For Jesus is the Lighthouse
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And from the rocks of sin
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He has shone a light around me
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That I could clearly see
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If it wasn't for the Lighthouse
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Where would this ship be?
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If it wasn't for the Lighthouse
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Tell me, where
would this ship be?
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Amen! That was
beautiful, Kateena, thank you.
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You know, our next
speaker really doesn't need
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an introduction, but I'm
glad that I'm going to have
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the opportunity to tell
you a little bit about him.
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Pastor David Asscherick is the
director of the Arise Institute,
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but I also wanted to
let you know that David
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is going to be doing a
new program on 3ABN soon,
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we're working on it, the name
of the program's going to be
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"Engage, connecting
young people to Christ."
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So, we're very happy to
have this popular pastor
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here with us today,
to bring us a message on
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the 8th commandment,
"Thou shalt not steal",
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and it's my
privilege to introduce to you
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- Pastor David Asscherick.
- Alright, thank you Shelley.
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Good evening everyone, afternoon
[Audience] Good evening
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- Happy Sabbath.
[Audience replies] Happy Sabbath
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This is a marathon, yeah?
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Those last 2 sermons
were powerful sermons.
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Did you listen to them? I did.
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And I really appreciate Doug's
sermon on "Thou shalt not kill",
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and John's sermon on
"Thou shalt not commit adultery"
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and I though that John
said a couple things that were
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kind of funny in that sermon.
I love it when he said that
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the spice of life
is the last ingredient
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just before you're cooked.
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And then he talked
about how there's certain
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ladies in the church that
he doesn't go visiting alone,
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and I love the way he
said "Oh, pastor, when are you"
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"going to come visit
me?" And he said "Never."
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[David Laughs] Praise the Lord.
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I love that brother,
just a privilege to be here
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in the nation's
capital, and I'm looking forward
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to preaching on
the 8th commandment.
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"Thou shalt not steal."
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And I will tell you,
several people have said to me
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"Well, what are you
going to say about that?"
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Well, we'll see,
we'll see, but first,
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let's begin with a word
of prayer as we commence
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this afternoon.
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Father in heaven, we
want to thank you for this
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10 commandment weekend.
Father, it has been a marathon
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of sorts, but in a way,
this is a foretaste of heaven,
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where the focus is
always on the spiritual.
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Father, You have already blessed
us richly, through the messages,
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through the meetings, through
the presenters, the preachers,
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the singing. Father,
already, this has been
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a rich spiritual feast.
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And yet, we come again,
Father, desiring to be fed
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once more.
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We ask that as we open
your word, that you would
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open our hearts.
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Father, we'll be
directing our attention
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to the 8th commandment, simple,
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difficult to misunderstand
"Thou shalt not steal."
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And yet, Father, there
is a message in here for us,
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an important message,
even for "church goers".
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Help us, Oh Father,
now. Be with us as we study,
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may your spirit be in
this room, and more importantly
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in our hearts.
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In Jesus' name, let all the
saints of the living God say
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Amen.
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Now, how many of you
have heard me preach before?
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I've had a couple people say
to me in my years of preaching
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that I speak fast.
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At least 2 people
have said that to me,
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and I thought it would be fun
to listen to one of my sermons
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and see how many
words I spoke per minute.
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So you listen to
several different minutes,
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and you sort of get an average,
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and I average, I think,
about 72 words per minute.
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Now the clock says that I
have approximately 54 minutes
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to preach, so if I
speak at 72 words a minute,
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and I have 54 minutes to
preach, my calculator says
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that that will give me
approximately, give or take,
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3780 words over the
course of the next 54 minutes.
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Now I want you to appreciate,
just for a moment here,
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the almost humor
of the situation:
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I'm being asked to
deliver roughly, 4000 words
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as commentary on
what the God of heaven,
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unquestionably, the best
communicator in the universe,
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said in 4.
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God says "Thou shalt not steal."
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And now I have to come up
with 4,000 words of commentary
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on "Thou shalt not steal."
Is there anyone in this room
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that doesn't
understand this commandment:
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Thou shalt not steal?
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I have 2 little
boys, 4 and a half and 3,
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and they already understand
the meaning of the word "no".
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Landin will be doing something
that I don't approve of
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and I'll say
"Landin, no means no!"
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Even he could
understand this commandment.
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Thou shalt not steal.
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One of the best things
about these commandments,
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Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not steal.
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Thou shalt not commit
adultery, is their brevity.
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It's almost as if God is saying
"This is not up for negotiation"
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"This isn't a suggestion,
this isn't a piece of advice,"
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"this isn't a piece of
council. This is a command."
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"You don't steal!"
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Easy to understand.
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And yet even though it is
simple and easy to understand,
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I'm going to
maintain this afternoon
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that this is not a
narrow commandment,
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but a broad commandment.
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When we think of
"Thou shalt not steal",
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we probably, generally,
think of something like this:
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you should not commit,
what we might call, common,
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or petty theft.
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No stealing from your
neighbor, no taking a candy bar
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from the convenience
store, no taking something
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that isn't yours, and certainly,
that is the main thrust
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of the commandment, yet,
is there something else here?
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I'm going to maintain this
afternoon that this commandment
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is not narrow, but broad.
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I spend a lot of time
traveling and preaching
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evangelistic meetings.
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And invariably, when you get
to the Sabbath, people who are
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not familiar with the
Sabbath, they begin to question
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"Well, maybe the commandments
have been done away with",
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and you have to work with
people, and help them to see
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that the Sabbath is, in
fact, intact as well as the rest
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of the 9 commandments.
There's a story I like to tell,
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fictitious no doubt,
but one that really helps us
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to understand the
breadth of the commandments.
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It's a story about an evangelist
who was preaching a series
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of meetings in a given
town. There was a man coming
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to the meetings who was,
night by night, filling out his
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decision cards. He
had made the decision
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to be baptized, and so
the pastor went to visit him.
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As they were sitting
there in the man's house,
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the man was speaking to
the pastor, and the pastor was
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saying "Oh, we're so thrilled
you're coming to the meetings."
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"We hope you're enjoying
the meetings. Do you have"
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- "any questions?" -
"No, I understand everything."
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- "And you want to be baptized?"
- "Oh, I want to be baptized."
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And so, in the course
of conversation, the pastor
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says to him "What do
you do for a living?"
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The man responds by
saying "I'm a chicken thief".
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Well the pastor
hadn't heard that...much...
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and he said "You're...excuse
me, You're a what?!"
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And he said "Oh, I
steal chickens for a living,"
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"I'm a chicken thief."
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The pastor just paused
for a moment and he was trying
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to see if the man would
realize that his occupation
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was inconsistent with
one of the commandments,
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so he broached the subject
carefully, he said to the man
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"You know, the Bible does
say 'Thou shalt not steal.'"
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"You mean you are a
former chicken thief."
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The man responded by
saying "well, you know pastor,"
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"I've given that some thought,
but the commandment doesn't say"
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"Thou shalt not steal chickens."
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We sometimes can take a very
narrow view of the commandments.
00:13:17.92\00:13:23.37
When the Bible says
"Thou shalt not steal",
00:13:24.31\00:13:26.18
surely this is an easy
to understand commandment,
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but is there something
broader here, is there something
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bigger than what we
might call "petty theft"?
00:13:32.61\00:13:36.83
I'm going to maintain
this afternoon, that there is.
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I'd like to look at 4 aspects
of "Thou shalt not steal"
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that will broaden our
appreciation for this simple,
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yet sublime, command.
00:13:49.53\00:13:51.63
The first thing that
we're going to look at is
00:13:51.94\00:13:53.35
financial integrity, and surely
that is a significant part
00:13:53.38\00:13:57.99
of this command; financial
integrity and prudence.
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The second thing we're going to
ask is "What lies at the root"
00:14:03.20\00:14:06.55
"of stealing anyway?"
Stealing is the fruit,
00:14:06.58\00:14:09.75
but what's at the root?
Why would someone steal?
00:14:09.85\00:14:12.54
Why would someone take something
that doesn't belong to them?
00:14:12.57\00:14:16.38
Second thing we' ll look at.
00:14:16.41\00:14:18.38
The third thing that
we're going to look at
00:14:18.41\00:14:19.40
is stealing from God.
00:14:19.43\00:14:22.57
Is it possible to steal,
not just from ort neighbor,
00:14:23.28\00:14:27.65
but even from God Himself?
00:14:28.07\00:14:30.50
And the 4th component, and
perhaps the most important,
00:14:31.18\00:14:34.96
at least in this
message, will be:
00:14:34.99\00:14:37.70
robbing the
world of the good news.
00:14:38.00\00:14:47.09
Well, let's begin
with our first element:
00:14:47.12\00:14:48.99
Financial Integrity.
If you have your Bibles,
00:14:49.43\00:14:52.10
open with me, to the
book of Leviticus, chapter 19.
00:14:52.39\00:14:59.52
And here we find
something very interesting.
00:15:03.60\00:15:06.18
Here we find the
command "Thou shalt not steal"
00:15:06.63\00:15:09.53
reiterated, but it is exposited,
it is expanded by Moses.
00:15:09.56\00:15:16.04
Leviticus 19:11, Moses
says, of course, God is speaking
00:15:16.07\00:15:24.29
through Moses, Moses'
writing, God's speaking,
00:15:24.32\00:15:26.75
"You shall not steal",
but notice the expansion here,
00:15:27.54\00:15:30.79
"nor deal falsely,
nor lie to one another."
00:15:31.87\00:15:37.24
"And you shall not swear by
My name falsely, nor shall you"
00:15:37.27\00:15:41.52
"profane the name of the
Lord, your God: I am the Lord."
00:15:41.55\00:15:45.15
"'You shall not cheat
your neighbor, nor rob him."
00:15:45.18\00:15:48.08
"The wages of him who
is hired shall not remain"
00:15:48.11\00:15:50.42
"with you all
night until morning."
00:15:50.45\00:15:53.32
Now, notice the expansion
here. Moses uses these words:
00:15:53.64\00:15:56.84
"deal falsely",
"lie", "cheat", "rob".
00:15:57.08\00:16:01.80
Clearly the essence of
what Moses is saying is
00:16:02.48\00:16:04.79
you are expected to
treat your neighbor fairly.
00:16:05.09\00:16:10.72
To treat your neighbor
what did I say everyone?
00:16:10.75\00:16:12.80
Fairly.
00:16:13.08\00:16:14.25
The essence of all
of the 10 commandments
00:16:14.28\00:16:17.83
is #1: love for God, and
#2: love for your fellow man.
00:16:18.66\00:16:24.01
Can we say amen
to that everyone?
00:16:24.04\00:16:25.78
So we say the first 4
commandments in form are
00:16:26.03\00:16:28.32
a vertical relationship, that
is our relationship with God.
00:16:28.35\00:16:30.61
This is how we relate to
God, The 1st commandment,
00:16:30.64\00:16:32.28
the 2nd commandment,
the 3rd commandment,
00:16:32.31\00:16:33.56
the 4th commandment, and
the rest of the commandments
00:16:33.59\00:16:36.19
the 6 commandments, inform
our horizontal relationships,
00:16:36.22\00:16:39.50
that is how I relate to
you; love for God supremely
00:16:39.53\00:16:42.63
and love for my fellow
brothers and sisters secondary.
00:16:42.83\00:16:46.96
If we truly love those around
us we will treat them fairly,
00:16:47.99\00:16:54.30
we won't rob from them, we
won't deal falsely with them,
00:16:54.50\00:16:57.94
we won't cheat them, are we
all on the same page everyone?
00:16:57.97\00:17:00.96
Yes or no?
00:17:01.00\00:17:02.62
Paul says in Romans 13:10, "Love
is the fulfilling of the law."
00:17:03.38\00:17:10.79
Love is the
fulfilling of - what everyone?
00:17:11.49\00:17:13.50
- [Audience] The law - The Law!
00:17:13.53\00:17:15.16
You wouldn't steal
from someone you love.
00:17:15.19\00:17:18.34
You wouldn't deal falsely
with someone that you love.
00:17:19.02\00:17:22.43
So right at the outset,
we're trying to understand
00:17:22.46\00:17:25.12
financial integrity, it's
important for us to recognize
00:17:25.15\00:17:28.47
that God expects us to
deal fairly with our fellow
00:17:28.64\00:17:33.93
brothers and
sisters. Now, you might say:
00:17:34.23\00:17:35.57
"Well I don't steal!"
"I don't take anything"
00:17:35.60\00:17:38.66
"from someone falsely", but
is that all the command entails,
00:17:38.69\00:17:44.26
or is it broader than
that? I'm going to maintain
00:17:44.29\00:17:48.37
that it is, in fact, broader.
00:17:48.40\00:17:51.46
Jesus said in Matthew 25:45
"inasmuch as you did it unto"
00:17:52.32\00:17:59.12
"one of the least of
these, you did it unto Me."
00:17:59.15\00:18:04.10
What if Jesus was on the other
end of a business transaction
00:18:05.32\00:18:09.59
that we are engaged in.
Would we conduct it in the same
00:18:09.62\00:18:13.56
way if we were
selling a car to Jesus?
00:18:13.59\00:18:17.46
If we were buying a car from
Jesus, would we conduct that
00:18:17.66\00:18:21.02
transaction in the same way?
00:18:21.05\00:18:24.69
If we were submitting our taxes
not to the IRS, but to Jesus,
00:18:24.93\00:18:28.81
would we fill
them out differently?
00:18:28.84\00:18:30.94
What would we do if Jesus was
on the other end of a financial
00:18:31.11\00:18:35.47
transaction, because Jesus
says: "Whatever you've done"
00:18:35.50\00:18:38.37
"unto the least of
these, it's just like"
00:18:38.40\00:18:40.66
"you've done that to Me."
00:18:40.69\00:18:42.71
Could the command "Thou
shalt not steal" involve more
00:18:45.72\00:18:49.50
than just taking something
from someone, removing it
00:18:50.36\00:18:54.64
clandestinely from their
purse, sneaking something
00:18:54.67\00:18:57.56
into your pocket from a store?
Many of us are too sophisticated
00:18:57.59\00:19:01.22
for this, though of
course, some of us aren't.
00:19:01.25\00:19:03.65
When I was a young boy, I
got caught stealing comic books.
00:19:07.36\00:19:11.09
Actually, I wasn't
stealing them, but I was the one
00:19:11.99\00:19:14.85
who was to distract the comic
book owner, the store owner,
00:19:14.88\00:19:18.59
while my friends were stealing.
00:19:18.62\00:19:20.04
We had a little racket
going in the comic book store,
00:19:20.07\00:19:22.81
we'd go steal comics from this
store, we'd walk half a mile
00:19:22.84\00:19:27.26
down the street and
we'd sell those same comics
00:19:27.29\00:19:29.05
we had just stolen to
the person down the store.
00:19:29.08\00:19:30.71
It worked pretty
well or about 3 weeks.
00:19:30.99\00:19:34.67
And one day we
went in for a big heist,
00:19:35.45\00:19:38.04
I was just a young boy at
the time, maybe 13 years old,
00:19:38.07\00:19:40.67
and I was distracting
the comic book owner,
00:19:40.70\00:19:43.33
and he said "You guys, why
don't you watch over the store,"
00:19:43.36\00:19:47.88
"I'll be back, I
have to get something."
00:19:47.91\00:19:49.49
I though "This is perfect. The
guy's are going to be so happy"
00:19:49.52\00:19:51.77
"that I'm doing such a
good job, I've not only got him
00:19:51.80\00:19:54.55
distracted" "he's left the
building." All the while, the
00:19:54.58\00:19:57.74
guys are stuffing comic books
into their existing comic book
00:19:57.77\00:20:01.01
bags, because we'd bring them
in and say "Oh, we have these"
00:20:01.04\00:20:02.41
- "to trade." -
"Well I don't want"
00:20:02.44\00:20:03.57
"any of those", and
we'd slide ours in between.
00:20:03.60\00:20:06.12
About 5 minutes later, as
we thought we were making out
00:20:06.42\00:20:08.86
like bandits, the comic
book store owner returned
00:20:08.89\00:20:14.62
and he had some
friends with him: the police.
00:20:14.72\00:20:19.01
I remember looking out the
window of the comic book store
00:20:19.72\00:20:22.97
and I was terrified.
I thought "My parents"
00:20:23.26\00:20:26.04
"are going to find out.
I'm going to get cuffed"
00:20:26.07\00:20:28.49
"and stuffed",
and I began to shake.
00:20:28.52\00:20:31.08
Sure enough, the
police came right in there,
00:20:31.11\00:20:32.68
they knew we were young,
but boy oh boy, did they ever
00:20:32.71\00:20:35.55
intimidate us, put us in
handcuffs and everything.
00:20:35.58\00:20:38.64
We were little boys. I'm
so thankful that I got caught,
00:20:38.67\00:20:43.07
because it did a great deal
to nip in the bud any career
00:20:43.42\00:20:47.48
that I might
have had in thievery.
00:20:47.51\00:20:50.20
Is this is all the
commandment is speaking of?
00:20:51.64\00:20:54.14
I don't think so.
00:20:54.17\00:20:56.07
Moses says: You must deal
justly, you must deal fairly
00:20:57.08\00:21:01.52
with those around you.
This is perhaps difficult for us
00:21:01.55\00:21:05.69
because we live in
a capitalist society.
00:21:05.72\00:21:08.44
Those of us here in the
US, entrepreneurial skills
00:21:08.64\00:21:13.02
are a virtue, so if I
obtain something for $10
00:21:13.26\00:21:17.82
and I can tell is for $1000,
this is considered a virtue.
00:21:17.92\00:21:22.37
But is it a
virtue in God's sight?
00:21:22.84\00:21:25.19
Now, if you're a bargain hunter,
and I have many friends who are,
00:21:25.56\00:21:27.95
nothing wrong with being
a bargain hunter, but where
00:21:27.98\00:21:30.47
is the line where we are going
to sell something to someone
00:21:30.50\00:21:34.09
for an unjust price because
of their ignorance about a given
00:21:34.59\00:21:38.47
product?
00:21:38.50\00:21:40.72
I recently was in a
situation where my car was sold.
00:21:40.99\00:21:46.17
Now, it's really
kind of a funny story.
00:21:46.20\00:21:48.33
I bought a car from
one of my church members,
00:21:49.20\00:21:50.93
a good man whom I
love with all my heart,
00:21:50.96\00:21:52.96
Vladimir
Levchenkov, love this brother,
00:21:53.19\00:21:55.54
had the privilege of
baptizing him 4 years ago.
00:21:55.57\00:21:57.43
He's an auto mechanic and
he came across a good deal
00:21:57.46\00:22:00.85
on a car. He said: "Oh
pastor, I think you should"
00:22:00.88\00:22:03.78
"buy this car." I said "Alright,
I'll buy the car from you."
00:22:03.81\00:22:06.22
Well, I bought the car from
Vladimir, and began to drive it
00:22:06.25\00:22:09.03
and "check engine" light
kept coming on, so I call
00:22:09.06\00:22:11.65
Vladimir and say "Vladimir,
the check engine light"
00:22:11.68\00:22:14.30
"is back on."
Now, the car ran fine
00:22:14.33\00:22:16.03
and he'd say "Oh,
it's the blower motor",
00:22:16.06\00:22:18.01
or "It's some little
thing, whatever it might be."
00:22:18.04\00:22:20.59
I'd bring it back in to
him and it was an inconvenience
00:22:21.16\00:22:23.40
to him and an
inconvenience to me.
00:22:23.43\00:22:25.16
Sure enough, a month
later, or a week later,
00:22:26.12\00:22:27.84
the "check engine"
light would come back on.
00:22:27.87\00:22:29.29
And I'd call Vladimir and
say "Vladimir, this is driving"
00:22:29.32\00:22:30.93
"me crazy. Can we
get this thing fixed!"
00:22:30.96\00:22:32.68
Well, after about 2 months
of this I had to leave to go
00:22:32.71\00:22:35.60
to Australia on a speaking
appointment and I left the car
00:22:35.63\00:22:38.31
keys with Vladimir. I
said "Vladimir, look."
00:22:38.34\00:22:40.17
"You can have this car
for 2 weeks, just figure out"
00:22:40.20\00:22:42.28
"what's up with the
check engine light."
00:22:42.31\00:22:44.37
2 weeks later I return from
Australia, this is a true story,
00:22:44.94\00:22:47.49
just happened
about 2 months ago,
00:22:47.52\00:22:49.43
I returned from Australia
and I went to a restaurant
00:22:49.46\00:22:52.42
because I was starving
hungry, right off the plane
00:22:52.45\00:22:54.22
into this restaurant
and Vladimir's there.
00:22:54.25\00:22:56.38
I said "Hey,
Vladimir, great to see you."
00:22:56.48\00:22:58.20
- "Oh, how was your trip?"
- "My trip was wonderful."
00:22:58.23\00:23:00.60
And then he looked me
square in the eye and he said
00:23:00.63\00:23:02.33
"I sold your car."
00:23:02.36\00:23:04.53
I said "You what?!"
00:23:06.61\00:23:08.32
"I sold your car, I
hope you don't mind."
00:23:08.68\00:23:10.23
"I need the title, can I
come to your house tonight"
00:23:10.26\00:23:12.12
"and get the title?" I
said "wait a minute, Vladimir"
00:23:12.15\00:23:15.67
"let me get this
right: you sold my car."
00:23:15.70\00:23:18.94
"Yeah," he said, "I
just got tired of that check"
00:23:18.97\00:23:20.53
"engine light, so I sold
it." I guess that's how Russians
00:23:20.56\00:23:25.16
deal with things, "I
just got tired of the thing,"
00:23:25.19\00:23:27.04
"so I sold it."
Well, anyway, now I was
00:23:27.07\00:23:30.33
careless, so I said
"Vladimir, find me another car."
00:23:31.22\00:23:32.76
He was busy and he
didn't have time to find me
00:23:32.79\00:23:34.43
a car at that time, and
so, a good friend of mine
00:23:34.46\00:23:37.03
was selling a truck,
and I called him up and said
00:23:37.06\00:23:40.15
"Hey, I understand
you're selling a truck."
00:23:40.18\00:23:41.56
"Oh yeah, I'm
going to sell the truck."
00:23:41.59\00:23:42.61
I said "What do you
want to get out of it?"
00:23:42.64\00:23:43.70
He said "About
$800." I said "Perfect."
00:23:43.73\00:23:46.54
because I want a car
that just takes me A to B,
00:23:46.57\00:23:48.24
I'm not into the "I
have to drive the best car,"
00:23:48.27\00:23:50.72
"the nicest car." For me, a
car is strictly a utilitarian
00:23:50.75\00:23:53.45
device, get's me from
A to B, and I don't care
00:23:53.48\00:23:56.02
how it looks. So
an $800 truck is right
00:23:56.05\00:23:59.80
up my alley. It
was a Nissan truck
00:23:59.83\00:24:01.67
with like 150,000 miles
on it, so I said "Hey Matt,"
00:24:01.70\00:24:04.77
"what do you want to
get out of the truck?"
00:24:04.80\00:24:06.00
"Oh, $800", he
said, "but do me a favor"
00:24:06.03\00:24:08.49
"go online and look
up the blue book price"
00:24:08.52\00:24:11.15
and he gave me all the details
of his truck: this is the year,
00:24:11.18\00:24:13.47
this is the model, this is
the make, this is the engine,
00:24:13.50\00:24:15.65
just look it up and
see what it's worth.
00:24:15.75\00:24:17.23
I said "Alright, no problem."
So I get online and I type in
00:24:17.26\00:24:21.95
his truck, and the blue
book value comes up at $4000.
00:24:21.98\00:24:29.82
I said "No! That
can't possibly be right."
00:24:30.02\00:24:31.90
"He's selling it for $800."
So I go to the auto trader
00:24:31.93\00:24:35.48
and I type in his
exact model, his exact make,
00:24:35.51\00:24:38.49
and sure enough, several trucks
that looked just like his,
00:24:38.69\00:24:42.05
one of which was even
the same color, all come up,
00:24:42.08\00:24:45.04
the least
expensive of which was $3500.
00:24:45.31\00:24:50.88
Now, I'm a pastor and
I'm going to tell you that my
00:24:51.39\00:24:54.18
initial response was this: "Man,
I'm getting a screaming deal"
00:24:54.21\00:24:57.90
"on this truck!" And
then my conscience began
00:24:57.93\00:25:02.63
to get the better of me.
00:25:02.66\00:25:04.40
The Lord whispered in my
ear and said "are you really"
00:25:05.53\00:25:08.42
"going to buy that truck
from Matt and not tell him"
00:25:08.99\00:25:12.24
"what it's worth?"
Well, I didn't think about it
00:25:12.27\00:25:15.26
very long of course.
I called Matt and I said
00:25:15.36\00:25:16.98
"You know Matt, are you sure
you gave me all the details"
00:25:17.01\00:25:19.35
"right on that truck, because
when I punched those numbers in"
00:25:19.38\00:25:22.72
"auto trader, and the blue book
say that your truck is worth"
00:25:23.95\00:25:26.48
"between $3000-$4000."
I could have purchased
00:25:26.51\00:25:33.93
the truck from Matt for a lot
less than that, but this would
00:25:34.03\00:25:36.83
have certainly been a
violation of the command
00:25:36.86\00:25:39.73
"Thou shalt not steal."
See, it's not slipping something
00:25:39.76\00:25:42.08
into your pocket from the store,
it's not just taking something
00:25:42.11\00:25:44.50
that doesn't belong to you,
it can be not dealing fairly
00:25:44.53\00:25:48.88
and squarely with another person
in a business transaction.
00:25:48.91\00:25:53.39
If you believe that
say amen. [Audience] Amen.
00:25:53.42\00:25:56.31
Again, this is a
struggle for us because living,
00:25:56.85\00:25:59.45
especially those
of us here in the US,
00:25:59.64\00:26:01.47
in a capitalist society,
where entrepreneurial skills are
00:26:01.50\00:26:04.62
a virtue, we have to be careful
that we are treating the other
00:26:04.65\00:26:08.56
person on the other side
of this business adventure
00:26:08.59\00:26:12.42
as though that person
were the Lord, Jesus Christ.
00:26:13.44\00:26:18.38
Don't take my word for it, I
looked it up in the commentary.
00:26:19.32\00:26:22.15
And this is what Adam
Clark said, one of the famed
00:26:23.96\00:26:26.13
expositors of the Old
Testament said, listen to this;
00:26:26.16\00:26:29.38
he says all kinds of theft are
forbidden by this commandment,
00:26:30.65\00:26:35.85
as well as national
and commercial wrongs,
00:26:35.99\00:26:39.29
petty larceny, highway
robberies, private stealing,
00:26:39.51\00:26:43.02
listen, even the taking
advantage of a sellers or buyers
00:26:43.05\00:26:48.59
ignorance. To give
the one less and make
00:26:48.89\00:26:52.58
the other pay more for a
commodity than it's worth
00:26:52.61\00:26:55.51
is a breach of
this sacred commandment.
00:26:55.54\00:26:59.79
All withholding of
rights, and all doing of wrongs
00:27:00.75\00:27:04.51
go against the
spirit of this command.
00:27:04.54\00:27:09.02
He goes on to a say, a state,
that is a nation, like the USA,
00:27:09.61\00:27:18.15
a state that enacts bad
laws is as criminal before God
00:27:18.64\00:27:23.77
as the individual
who breaks good ones.
00:27:23.80\00:27:27.02
So you live in a
capitalist society,
00:27:28.24\00:27:30.16
so, being entrepreurial is a
virtue, that may be the case,
00:27:30.19\00:27:34.18
and I don't in any way want
to crush the entrepreneurial
00:27:34.21\00:27:36.57
spirit here, but there
is still a level of fairness
00:27:36.60\00:27:40.70
and integrity, especially
for the Christian businessman
00:27:40.73\00:27:44.14
or the Christian businesswoman,
can someone say amen?
00:27:44.34\00:27:48.47
If you do a little study
on the history of capitalism,
00:27:48.50\00:27:50.71
you will find that the
capitalist enterprise was born
00:27:50.74\00:27:55.10
out of Protestantism.
00:27:55.13\00:27:57.59
That is not well
known to many people,
00:27:58.19\00:27:59.71
but the capitalist enterprise
is on the bedrock foundation
00:27:59.74\00:28:03.36
of Protestant Biblical
Christianity, but what goes
00:28:03.39\00:28:06.23
along with entrepreneurial
virtues and entrepreneurial
00:28:06.26\00:28:09.59
skills is a responsibility to
treat people fairly and justly,
00:28:09.62\00:28:15.17
and just as though that
person was your neighbor.
00:28:15.20\00:28:20.08
It's no virtue to
take advantage of someone's
00:28:20.34\00:28:22.31
ignorance in a
business transaction.
00:28:22.34\00:28:25.10
We can justify ourselves in
myriad of ways when it comes
00:28:25.70\00:28:28.82
to perhaps, our
taxes, or some other thing.
00:28:28.85\00:28:31.15
Beloved, the point is
this, read the New Testament,
00:28:31.45\00:28:34.19
Jesus Himself said, "Render
to Caesar what is Caesar's,"
00:28:35.31\00:28:38.91
"and render to
God what is God's."
00:28:38.94\00:28:41.10
Paul says in Romans 13
that it is lawful to pay taxes.
00:28:41.13\00:28:45.95
Oh, we complain about
paying taxes, but don't forget,
00:28:46.05\00:28:49.48
being a citizen of
the USA is not compulsory,
00:28:49.71\00:28:53.97
it's a choice,
can someone say amen?
00:28:54.15\00:28:57.55
Financial integrity.
00:29:01.66\00:29:04.45
I was reading book
called Patriarchs and Prophets.
00:29:05.02\00:29:08.82
And this single
sentence jumped off of the page.
00:29:10.17\00:29:14.78
"No deviation from
strict integrity can meet"
00:29:16.10\00:29:20.96
"God's approval."
00:29:20.99\00:29:23.53
"No deviation from
strict integrity" - and that
00:29:24.26\00:29:28.18
would include even
in financial dealings,
00:29:28.21\00:29:30.48
"No deviation from strict
integrity can meet the approval"
00:29:30.68\00:29:34.87
"of a holy God."
00:29:34.90\00:29:36.71
So the first element
of "Thou shalt not steal"
00:29:37.33\00:29:39.53
must certainly be
financial integrity.
00:29:39.56\00:29:43.18
Jesus said in Matthew
7:12 "Therefore all things"
00:29:43.21\00:29:47.10
"whatsoever you would
that men should do to you,"
00:29:47.13\00:29:49.98
"do even so to them: for this
is the law and the prophets."
00:29:50.19\00:29:54.98
If you were on the other end
of that financial transaction,
00:29:55.38\00:29:58.28
if you were on the other end
of that business transaction,
00:29:58.31\00:30:00.71
how would you
want to be treated?
00:30:00.81\00:30:03.33
Jesus says you treat
others in the very same way
00:30:04.44\00:30:07.88
that you would
want to be treated.
00:30:07.91\00:30:10.31
The second element
is what lies at the root
00:30:11.89\00:30:14.83
of stealing, that's the
second thing I want to look at.
00:30:14.86\00:30:17.73
Imagine the command
"Thou shalt not steal"
00:30:18.15\00:30:20.12
is like diamond, and
as the diamond moves,
00:30:20.15\00:30:22.45
as it glistens, we're
looking at different aspects,
00:30:22.48\00:30:24.99
different prisms of
the same commandment.
00:30:25.02\00:30:27.83
Now, what lies at
the root of stealing,
00:30:30.12\00:30:31.79
what would cause
someone to want to steal.
00:30:31.82\00:30:34.31
Not the fruit, not the
actual taking of something,
00:30:34.34\00:30:36.51
not the dishonesty in a business
transaction, but what's at
00:30:36.54\00:30:39.23
the core of the command?
00:30:39.26\00:30:41.84
Why would
someone steal something?
00:30:43.92\00:30:46.66
This is a question I'd
like to ask: why would you want
00:30:46.69\00:30:50.74
something that God wouldn't
want you to have anyway?
00:30:50.77\00:30:53.77
I want to say that again:
why would you want something
00:30:55.99\00:31:00.33
that God didn't
want you to have?
00:31:00.43\00:31:03.54
My Bible says in Psalm 84:11
that God will withhold no good
00:31:05.03\00:31:11.71
thing from those
who walk uprightly.
00:31:11.74\00:31:15.43
Delight yourself in the
Lord, and He will give you
00:31:15.73\00:31:18.30
- the what everyone?
00:31:18.33\00:31:19.87
The desires of your heart.
00:31:19.90\00:31:22.79
What lies at the root
of the desire to steal?
00:31:24.02\00:31:27.05
I think it's this: it is
a manifestation of a lack
00:31:27.08\00:31:32.71
of contentment
00:31:32.74\00:31:35.83
and a lack of trust that God
has your best interest in mind.
00:31:36.86\00:31:41.93
2 things: what lies at
the root of stealing is a lack
00:31:42.03\00:31:46.36
of contentedness with
one's position in life.
00:31:46.39\00:31:50.34
For you Bible students,
this begins to encroach
00:31:52.16\00:31:54.21
on the 10th commandment,
"thou shalt not covet",
00:31:54.24\00:31:56.03
and really the 8th and 10th
commandment are twin sisters.
00:31:56.06\00:31:59.45
Covetousness is an inordinate
desire for material things
00:32:00.50\00:32:03.81
that you do not possess.
What would cause somebody
00:32:03.84\00:32:07.05
to something that wasn't
theirs? It would be a lack
00:32:07.08\00:32:09.42
of contentedness
with what they have.
00:32:09.45\00:32:12.83
And with that lack of
contentedness must be a lack
00:32:13.48\00:32:15.88
of trust that God is a
provider, and not a withholder.
00:32:15.91\00:32:21.93
I want to say that
again, God is a giver,
00:32:23.27\00:32:26.47
and not a withholder.
00:32:27.06\00:32:29.26
Eve walked up to the
tree there in the garden.
00:32:30.94\00:32:33.86
That serpent whispered
so nicely and so sweetly,
00:32:35.43\00:32:40.17
and so convincingly, and
persuasively into her ear,
00:32:40.20\00:32:43.24
what was the very first
thing that the serpent said?
00:32:43.44\00:32:46.12
"Has God really said that you
shall not eat of every tree?"
00:32:46.26\00:32:50.05
"Really!?! Did God say that?"
00:32:50.08\00:32:53.44
What is the insinuation
behind what Satan is saying?
00:32:54.21\00:32:57.73
"God is keeping something
from you that it is in your own"
00:32:58.25\00:33:02.66
"best interest to have."
00:33:02.69\00:33:05.06
In essence, what Satan is
saying here, God is a withholder
00:33:05.68\00:33:10.47
rather than a giver.
00:33:10.50\00:33:11.90
"How unreasonable, and arbitrary
and capricious of God!"
00:33:12.89\00:33:16.41
"Did He really say that you
couldn't eat of every tree,"
00:33:16.44\00:33:18.22
"I mean, what
kind of God is this?"
00:33:18.25\00:33:19.66
That's what's behind the
serpent there, what he's saying.
00:33:19.69\00:33:24.07
My Bible says "For God
so loved the world, that He"
00:33:28.20\00:33:32.99
- what did he do? - He gave!
00:33:33.02\00:33:36.29
How did Paul say it
there? Powerful: Romans 8:31,
00:33:38.16\00:33:44.14
"What shall we then
say to these things?"
00:33:45.02\00:33:46.66
"If God be for us,
who can be against us?"
00:33:46.69\00:33:49.03
Verse 32 "He that spared not His
own Son, but delivered Him up"
00:33:49.06\00:33:54.60
"for us all, how
shall He not with Him"
00:33:54.63\00:33:57.08
"freely give us all things?"
00:33:57.11\00:33:59.87
You see what Paul is
saying, it's not easy to miss,
00:34:00.65\00:34:02.55
he's saying "Listen! If
God is willing to give us"
00:34:02.58\00:34:05.53
"His son, what makes us
thing that He would withhold"
00:34:05.56\00:34:08.14
"something from us that would
be in our own best interest"
00:34:08.17\00:34:10.08
"to have."
00:34:10.11\00:34:12.27
What lies at the
root of stealing?
00:34:15.02\00:34:17.41
It's a lack of contentedness
with one's sphere in life,
00:34:19.12\00:34:23.35
wanting more than what
God has appointed you to have.
00:34:23.38\00:34:27.20
I want to say
something about that.
00:34:29.57\00:34:31.72
As a rule, I would hazard
a guess that people who steal
00:34:31.75\00:34:36.59
are generally lazy people.
00:34:36.91\00:34:39.67
Thomas Jefferson, one of the
00:34:41.38\00:34:43.43
Founding Fathers of
this great nation of which
00:34:44.85\00:34:47.03
I'm a citizen said
"Many people miss opportunity"
00:34:47.06\00:34:52.18
"because it shows up in
overalls and looks like work."
00:34:52.72\00:34:56.91
"Many people miss
opportunity because it shows up"
00:34:59.18\00:35:01.69
"in overalls an
looks like work."
00:35:01.72\00:35:05.53
I'll never forget, I
was doing Bible work one day
00:35:06.76\00:35:08.58
on the streets of Oakland,
and that was an interesting
00:35:08.61\00:35:11.00
experience, down in some
very impoverished, difficult,
00:35:11.03\00:35:14.45
crime ridden areas,
and I remember very well
00:35:14.48\00:35:18.20
meeting several
people on the streets,
00:35:18.23\00:35:19.91
kind of unsavory types.
00:35:19.94\00:35:21.65
Yet, I was there to
bring the gospel to them,
00:35:21.68\00:35:23.27
and one particular afternoon
2 young men sitting on the hood
00:35:23.30\00:35:25.91
of a car, who were looking
good, dressed to the nines,
00:35:25.94\00:35:30.59
looking sharp, beautiful
car, and I knew they weren't
00:35:30.62\00:35:35.24
flipping burgers at
McDonald's, if you're catching
00:35:35.27\00:35:37.32
what I'm saying, yes or no?
00:35:37.35\00:35:39.38
I walked up to them and said
"Hey men, I'm just out giving"
00:35:39.71\00:35:41.82
"Bible studies."
And one of them says
00:35:41.85\00:35:44.34
"What you get paid
for giving Bible studies?"
00:35:44.37\00:35:47.04
I said "I don't get paid
a lot in the here and now,"
00:35:48.35\00:35:52.32
"but I tell you men, the
retirement program is worthy."
00:35:52.35\00:35:55.93
We got talking, and
he said to me: "Listen,"
00:35:57.82\00:36:01.56
"I know what
I'm doing is wrong."
00:36:01.59\00:36:03.46
"I'm selling drugs, I'll
tell you that straight out."
00:36:03.96\00:36:06.33
He said "But I can make in
1 day what it would take me"
00:36:06.85\00:36:11.92
"months to make
working a regular job."
00:36:11.95\00:36:14.88
Now he was justifying his
actions because it was easier
00:36:16.39\00:36:21.67
to obtain money
doing it this way.
00:36:21.70\00:36:25.76
Now, beloved, it
might be easier to get money
00:36:26.88\00:36:28.75
selling drugs or taking it
in a dishonest way, but if God
00:36:28.78\00:36:32.67
doesn't put His sanction upon
it, what will it profit a man
00:36:32.70\00:36:36.33
to gain something in this
life, dishonestly, only to lose
00:36:36.36\00:36:39.50
his soul?
00:36:39.53\00:36:41.78
See if you can
finish this verse with me:
00:36:45.55\00:36:47.78
- "I can do all things..."
- "...through Christ,"
00:36:48.12\00:36:51.17
"who strengthens
me." Where's that found?
00:36:51.20\00:36:54.25
It's found in the
books of Philippians,
00:36:55.26\00:36:56.23
go to Philippians
with me would you.
00:36:56.24\00:36:58.32
Let's look at the
context of that statement.
00:36:58.35\00:37:01.38
Philippians 4.
00:37:02.85\00:37:05.85
Notice with me the context
of that oft quoted statement,
00:37:09.69\00:37:14.25
Philippians 4:11.
00:37:14.28\00:37:21.03
Paul says "Not that I speak
in regard to need: for I have"
00:37:22.31\00:37:28.35
"learned in whatever
state I am to be content."
00:37:28.38\00:37:36.78
Paul says I have
learned something valuable,
00:37:38.32\00:37:40.60
a valuable lesson,
and that lesson is this:
00:37:40.63\00:37:43.90
whatever state I'm in,
I'm going to be content.
00:37:43.93\00:37:49.95
Notice the next verse, verse 12,
00:37:50.51\00:37:52.88
"I know how to be
abased and how to abound:"
00:37:52.91\00:37:56.45
"Every where and in all things
I have learned both to be full"
00:37:56.99\00:38:01.23
"and to be hungry, both to
abound and to suffer need."
00:38:01.47\00:38:04.84
And then he says in verse 13
"I can do all things through"
00:38:04.87\00:38:08.34
"Christ, who strengthens me."
00:38:08.37\00:38:11.40
Paul says "As I'm
preaching the gospel I can live"
00:38:12.42\00:38:14.49
"in the castles of kings,
I can dwell in the palatial"
00:38:14.52\00:38:18.36
"estates of Caesar's, or
I can sleep in the dirt."
00:38:18.39\00:38:22.16
"Whatever state God has
appointed me, I am content"
00:38:22.36\00:38:26.28
"to be there." Are we on
the same page, yes or no?
00:38:26.31\00:38:29.15
Now, if contentedness, or rather
a lack of contentedness lies
00:38:29.18\00:38:32.81
at the very foundation of
stealing, then one of the ways
00:38:32.84\00:38:36.19
we could be sure that we would
not even be tempted to steal
00:38:36.22\00:38:40.02
would be to be content
with the sphere that God
00:38:40.17\00:38:44.62
has appointed us in
life. Can someone say amen?
00:38:44.65\00:38:48.04
I've been to some
nice homes and I have seen
00:38:50.63\00:38:54.55
some wealthy people,
and I would be telling you
00:38:54.58\00:38:59.23
a lie if at times the little
suggestion didn't begin to creep
00:38:59.26\00:39:03.88
up in my heart, I
begin to think "Man!"
00:39:03.91\00:39:07.24
"It'd be nice
to live like this."
00:39:09.96\00:39:12.91
Now beloved, be careful
because the entertainment
00:39:13.01\00:39:17.03
of that thought, that
it would be nice to live
00:39:17.06\00:39:19.28
as you don't, is actually
is the germ of a distrust
00:39:19.31\00:39:22.75
in God. It's
almost as if you're saying
00:39:22.78\00:39:27.07
the very thing that
Satan said there in the garden,
00:39:27.10\00:39:29.23
"Has God really said
that you can't have all this?"
00:39:29.26\00:39:32.13
The reason that many of
us don't have more money
00:39:34.86\00:39:36.48
than we do, you're
not going to like this,
00:39:36.51\00:39:39.42
is that God couldn't
trust us with more money.
00:39:39.94\00:39:45.01
Amen!
00:39:45.97\00:39:47.25
I'd rather go to
heaven on bread and water
00:39:48.13\00:39:53.23
than go to hell wealthy.
Poverty was the lot of our Lord,
00:39:54.17\00:40:01.60
and if God, in His providence,
appoints us a position
00:40:02.47\00:40:06.21
where we don't have all
the financial amenities of life
00:40:06.49\00:40:10.46
we should be content.
And this contentedness
00:40:10.49\00:40:13.94
with what God has
given us will nip in the bud
00:40:13.97\00:40:16.72
any temptation to take what is
not ours in an unlawful manner.
00:40:16.82\00:40:21.49
Can someone say amen.
00:40:21.52\00:40:23.32
The Psalmist said: "I
was young and now I'm old,"
00:40:23.52\00:40:29.34
"but I have never seen
the righteous forsaken,"
00:40:29.64\00:40:34.09
"nor his seed begging bread."
00:40:34.30\00:40:38.19
God didn't promise you
sirloin, caviar and a Ferrari.
00:40:39.08\00:40:43.12
What He promised you is
your bread and your water,
00:40:44.11\00:40:46.59
and something infinitely
more valuable: eternal life.
00:40:46.62\00:40:51.99
I don't know what your
sphere in life is, maybe God has
00:40:52.65\00:40:56.00
blessed you with financial
means, you'd better praise
00:40:56.03\00:40:58.29
His name, can someone say amen?
00:40:58.32\00:41:00.67
Jesus Himself said that it
is difficult for a wealthy man
00:41:00.70\00:41:03.37
to be saved because he
gets attached to his money.
00:41:03.40\00:41:06.82
Studies have shown
that Christian commitment
00:41:07.69\00:41:11.13
and religious
commitments fall off markedly,
00:41:11.16\00:41:14.07
when household incomes go
above $150,000 a year in the US.
00:41:14.10\00:41:18.77
As soon as that $150,000 a
year threshold is surpassed,
00:41:20.08\00:41:24.43
interest in religion,
interest in Christian things
00:41:24.53\00:41:26.86
begins to fall way off
of the national average.
00:41:26.89\00:41:29.77
Why is that?
00:41:29.80\00:41:31.65
Because it's hard to
maintain a commitment to Christ
00:41:32.29\00:41:36.04
and to the world to
come when we're so busy
00:41:36.35\00:41:38.89
building up things for
ourselves in the here and now.
00:41:38.93\00:41:42.24
A lack of contentedness
could begin to create within us
00:41:45.00\00:41:50.43
a desire to take
that which is not ours,
00:41:51.32\00:41:54.43
even by unlawful means.
00:41:55.10\00:41:57.44
#1, Thou shalt not steal,
financial integrity in all
00:41:58.30\00:42:03.17
aspects of life.
You've got to treat
00:42:03.20\00:42:04.84
the person on the other end
of that business transaction
00:42:04.87\00:42:06.85
as though that person was Jesus,
as though that person was you.
00:42:06.88\00:42:10.31
"Do unto others as you
would have them do unto you."
00:42:10.34\00:42:13.15
#2, what lies at
the root of stealing?
00:42:13.30\00:42:16.50
Why would somebody even
want to take what is not
00:42:16.53\00:42:18.52
lawfully theirs? A
lack of contentedness
00:42:18.55\00:42:21.17
with what they have, and a
distrust that God is a provider
00:42:21.20\00:42:25.83
instead of a withholder.
00:42:25.86\00:42:27.55
#3: stealing from God.
00:42:28.02\00:42:31.61
Open your Bible to the gospel
of John, that's the 4th book
00:42:32.04\00:42:34.70
of the New Testament, John
1. I want to show you 4 words
00:42:34.73\00:42:41.72
that are unquestionably
some of the most powerful words
00:42:44.28\00:42:47.63
in the Bible.
00:42:47.67\00:42:49.36
We know John 1:1 very
well, "In the beginning it was"
00:42:49.78\00:42:52.05
"the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God."
00:42:52.08\00:42:54.13
"The same was in
the beginning with God."
00:42:54.16\00:42:55.26
"All things were made
by Him; and without Him"
00:42:55.30\00:42:57.03
"was not any thing
made that was made."
00:42:57.06\00:42:58.48
Now look at verse 4 and look
at the first 4 words of verse 4.
00:42:58.51\00:43:03.08
My Bible says:
"In Him was life".
00:43:03.11\00:43:09.66
Life is centered in Jesus
Christ, your life is held in
00:43:10.75\00:43:15.79
the very palm of His hands.
00:43:15.82\00:43:18.74
John 14:6, finish it with
me: "I am the way, the truth,"
00:43:19.61\00:43:24.86
"and the life." Jesus
speaking to Martha there
00:43:24.89\00:43:28.18
at Lazarus' tomb said "I am
the resurrection and the life."
00:43:28.21\00:43:34.16
The consistent teaching of the
New Testament is that our life
00:43:35.91\00:43:40.16
is in Christ's
hand. In Him was life.
00:43:40.38\00:43:44.32
If you were to die right now,
you could not raise yourself
00:43:45.00\00:43:48.89
back up. Your
life is not your own.
00:43:48.92\00:43:53.47
Just try, right
now, to cause your heart
00:43:53.75\00:43:56.33
not to beat for a
moment, just try it.
00:43:56.36\00:43:59.10
Your heart is beating
independent of your consent.
00:43:59.83\00:44:04.31
Now, you could of
course, commit a terminal action
00:44:04.76\00:44:06.81
and end your life, but
you can't suspend your heart.
00:44:06.84\00:44:10.65
You can't just decide
"Okay, I don't want my heart."
00:44:10.95\00:44:12.77
God has given you life, you
are drawing from the fountain
00:44:13.08\00:44:16.61
of His life. Jesus said
to the woman at the well
00:44:16.81\00:44:18.86
"Whosoever shall drink of
the water shall thirst again,"
00:44:18.89\00:44:20.72
"but the water that I
shall give him shall be in him"
00:44:20.75\00:44:22.19
"a well of water springing
up into everlasting life."
00:44:22.22\00:44:25.48
Your life is Christ's
life, can someone say amen?
00:44:25.51\00:44:29.17
Careful!
00:44:29.67\00:44:31.51
Paul says, don't you
know something, I'm reading in
00:44:34.54\00:44:36.15
1 Corinthians
6, "what?" he says.
00:44:36.18\00:44:40.55
"Don't you know that your
body is the temple of the"
00:44:41.15\00:44:47.21
"Holy Spirit, which is in
you, that you have of God?"
00:44:47.75\00:44:50.55
Listen to these words now
"And you are not your own."
00:44:50.65\00:44:56.14
Someone ought to say
amen. That's what Paul says,
00:44:58.27\00:45:01.01
that's not what David
Asscherick says, that's Paul.
00:45:01.04\00:45:03.03
"You are not your own."
You are bought with a price.
00:45:03.13\00:45:06.95
Someone does own
you, but it ain't you.
00:45:07.29\00:45:10.39
You are the manager of
your life, you are the manager
00:45:11.34\00:45:15.25
of your body, you do not
own your body, and you do not
00:45:15.28\00:45:19.57
own your life, are we
clear on that, yes or no?
00:45:19.60\00:45:22.59
The Bible never says "In
David Asscherick was life."
00:45:22.74\00:45:25.29
David Asscherick is a piece
of dirty, he's a piece of dust.
00:45:25.49\00:45:28.51
If God didn't put His life into
me, I wouldn't have any life.
00:45:28.54\00:45:32.32
I am drawing on the
bank of the life of Christ.
00:45:32.35\00:45:37.07
Paul says you are not your own.
Oh oh, you know what that means?
00:45:39.79\00:45:45.48
It means if I'm using this
body, if I'm using this life
00:45:46.05\00:45:51.57
for purposes other
than the Owner intends,
00:45:51.60\00:45:56.44
guess what I'm
doing, I'm stealing.
00:45:57.03\00:46:00.02
That's exactly right.
00:46:01.02\00:46:02.65
When my life is
being lived for me
00:46:05.07\00:46:07.93
I have stolen my
body from Christ.
00:46:08.17\00:46:12.30
When my mouth opens to
speak ill of a brother,
00:46:12.90\00:46:15.56
to speak ill of a
sister, I have given my breath,
00:46:15.59\00:46:19.99
I have taken possession of
it, I've taken ownership of it,
00:46:20.02\00:46:22.90
I have stolen, I have snatched
it out of the hands of Christ.
00:46:22.93\00:46:26.86
Beloved, think about that.
00:46:28.02\00:46:29.74
Your body doesn't belong to you,
00:46:31.59\00:46:33.73
your breath doesn't
belong to you, you don't belong
00:46:34.37\00:46:37.56
to you! You belong
to the Manufacturer
00:46:37.59\00:46:42.66
of you, and the
Manufacturer of you is Christ.
00:46:42.69\00:46:45.96
Can someone say amen?
So if you chose to live
00:46:45.99\00:46:48.99
your life in a way that
is inconsistent with God's
00:46:49.02\00:46:51.61
revealed will for your
life, you're committing the act
00:46:51.65\00:46:55.26
of thievery, you are taking
from God what is lawfully His.
00:46:55.46\00:47:02.17
Thou shalt not steal.
00:47:02.95\00:47:06.36
Commandment's getting
broader now, isn't it?
00:47:08.16\00:47:10.28
It doesn't just mean you
shouldn't steal comic books
00:47:11.27\00:47:13.14
from the comic book store.
Now you mean when I go into
00:47:13.17\00:47:16.35
a business transaction, I have
to treat the person on the other
00:47:16.38\00:47:18.32
side of that
business transaction as though
00:47:18.35\00:47:19.82
that person was Christ?
00:47:19.85\00:47:22.15
I have to treat the
person on the other side of this
00:47:22.50\00:47:24.00
business transaction as
I would want to be treated?
00:47:24.03\00:47:26.92
The
commandment's getting broader.
00:47:26.95\00:47:29.48
You mean to tell me, when
I'm tempted to have something
00:47:30.20\00:47:32.05
that God has not appointed
me to have in lawful means
00:47:32.08\00:47:35.00
that I am being discontent
and not trusting God as a giver,
00:47:35.13\00:47:38.81
instead thinking of
Him as a withholder?
00:47:39.01\00:47:41.56
And now you mean to tell
me that when I live my life
00:47:42.16\00:47:44.35
out of harmony with
God's revealed will, that I am
00:47:44.38\00:47:46.66
stealing the very
life that God has given,
00:47:46.69\00:47:49.41
I'm snatching it from his
hand, my breath, my words,
00:47:49.44\00:47:52.32
my life, my body?
That's exactly what I'm saying!
00:47:52.35\00:47:56.13
And suddenly, those 4 simple
words: "Thou shalt not steal"
00:48:00.12\00:48:03.96
begin to take on a myriad
of interpretive possibilities.
00:48:06.61\00:48:12.44
Life is made up of time.
00:48:14.05\00:48:17.44
Life is made up of
what, everyone? Time.
00:48:17.92\00:48:20.59
See if you can
finish this with me,
00:48:20.62\00:48:23.50
what is time? Time is...money.
00:48:25.11\00:48:27.87
Malachi 3, "Will a man
rob God?" That's the question
00:48:30.67\00:48:37.49
God asks in verse 8, "Will a man
rob God, yet you have robbed Me"
00:48:37.52\00:48:42.31
"But you say,
wherein have we robbed you?"
00:48:42.34\00:48:44.45
"In tithes and in offerings."
00:48:44.48\00:48:48.31
Beloved, there are saints
in the church who would never
00:48:48.34\00:48:52.81
entertain the thought
of sneaking a candy bar
00:48:52.84\00:48:55.24
into their pocket,
00:48:55.27\00:48:57.15
but who do not
pay an honest tithe.
00:48:57.79\00:49:00.34
You know what that tells me?
00:49:00.61\00:49:02.36
You wouldn't dare
steal from the grocery store,
00:49:02.79\00:49:05.71
but you'll steal from God.
00:49:05.74\00:49:07.77
Notice I didn't say "Pay a
tithe", I added an adjective
00:49:09.80\00:49:13.34
there, didn't I,
what word was that?
00:49:13.37\00:49:15.38
"Pay an honest tithe."
00:49:15.48\00:49:18.61
You know the word
"tithe" is a tenth.
00:49:19.99\00:49:23.06
And God has said it in the
plainest of language in the
00:49:23.84\00:49:26.26
Old and the New Testament,
00:49:26.29\00:49:28.24
He
requires...what word did I say?
00:49:29.22\00:49:32.05
- [Audience] Requires -
He requires us to render
00:49:32.08\00:49:34.30
to Him 1 tenth.
We don't give tithe,
00:49:34.33\00:49:38.03
we don't pay tithe, we return
tithe, someone aught to say amen
00:49:38.06\00:49:42.67
It's not like the
electric bill, beloved.
00:49:43.15\00:49:45.37
What percentage of your
money does God own anyway?
00:49:46.87\00:49:49.97
He owns 100% of it. We
say that God owns the cattle
00:49:50.38\00:49:52.60
on 1000 hills, He
owns the hills too.
00:49:52.63\00:49:56.06
God owns the other 90%,
He's only asking for you
00:49:57.78\00:50:00.43
to return to Him 10%
of it, plus some offerings
00:50:00.46\00:50:05.60
to support ministries like
3ABN, can someone say amen.
00:50:05.89\00:50:09.64
I'm going to tell something
absolutely fascinating,
00:50:10.93\00:50:12.83
and if there's any treasurers
here, they're going to hate what
00:50:12.86\00:50:14.65
I'm about ready to say:
Every single person in this room
00:50:14.68\00:50:18.23
could stop paying tithe and
offering today and God's work
00:50:18.26\00:50:22.74
would still go forward.
00:50:22.77\00:50:24.94
God doesn't need your
money, He can create money
00:50:24.97\00:50:27.83
if He needed it.
When we render our tithes
00:50:27.86\00:50:30.88
and our offerings to God,
it isn't just for God, beloved,
00:50:30.91\00:50:35.83
it's for you
00:50:36.17\00:50:38.11
because your heart is
deceitful above all things,
00:50:38.54\00:50:40.34
and desperately wicked,
the selfish heart of man
00:50:40.37\00:50:42.69
needs an opportunity, needs
a vehicle to render back to God
00:50:42.72\00:50:47.60
part of what He
has already given you,
00:50:47.84\00:50:50.80
and I say it's a mighty
good deal that He only asks us
00:50:50.83\00:50:53.36
to give back, to return
back, 10%, can someone say amen?
00:50:53.39\00:50:58.88
We'll pay an honest tithe,
00:51:00.85\00:51:03.67
but what about our
time? Time is money.
00:51:04.23\00:51:07.26
I was reading this book
called "Christ object lessons",
00:51:08.30\00:51:10.69
it's a fantastic book
on the parables of Christ,
00:51:10.72\00:51:14.45
and it was on the
parable of the talents.
00:51:15.15\00:51:18.20
And I read this sentence: "Of
no talent that God has given"
00:51:18.91\00:51:25.55
"will He require a more strict
account than of our time."
00:51:26.29\00:51:33.72
The author of that
volume says "The value of time"
00:51:34.79\00:51:38.45
"is beyond
computation." Life is too short
00:51:38.55\00:51:44.33
to be trifled away.
00:51:44.36\00:51:47.81
Your time is God's time.
00:51:48.54\00:51:52.50
When we use our time for our
selfish ends, we are stealing
00:51:53.39\00:51:57.79
away the time, and the
life, that God has given to us.
00:51:57.82\00:52:01.79
We may pay an
honest tithe some of us,
00:52:02.01\00:52:04.04
but how much time are
we spending in ministry
00:52:04.07\00:52:06.97
to God's lost children?
Someone ought to say amen!
00:52:07.00\00:52:11.56
And that leads
me to our 4th point:
00:52:13.27\00:52:15.41
robbing the
world of the good news.
00:52:15.86\00:52:19.63
Let's go back to that
statement that we read earlier
00:52:21.14\00:52:22.93
from Matthew 7:12, Jesus
said: "Therefore all things"
00:52:22.96\00:52:29.62
"whatsoever ye would
that men should do to you,"
00:52:29.65\00:52:32.87
"do even so to them: for this
is the law and the prophets."
00:52:33.03\00:52:37.35
Now let's turn the
tables. Let's pretend you're
00:52:37.45\00:52:41.31
not a church going person,
let's pretend you're sitting
00:52:41.34\00:52:44.86
this afternoon in your
living room watching the game.
00:52:44.89\00:52:48.87
No interest in the
things of God, and maybe even
00:52:48.90\00:52:51.38
no awareness of the things
of God, let's turn the tables.
00:52:51.41\00:52:54.71
You're neighbor is a
Christian, you ain't.
00:52:54.81\00:52:59.33
Now, knowing what you
know here today, in this room,
00:53:00.11\00:53:03.79
come on now, knowing what
you know right here today,
00:53:03.82\00:53:06.82
if somehow that knowledge
could be infused to you,
00:53:06.85\00:53:10.35
would you want your
neighbor to come and tell you
00:53:10.58\00:53:14.06
about the things
of God? Yes or no?
00:53:14.09\00:53:17.05
Yes or no?
[Audience replies] Yes.
00:53:17.86\00:53:20.31
The golden rule is not
so golden any more, is it?
00:53:23.87\00:53:26.91
Beloved, news flash!
00:53:28.05\00:53:31.20
People who don't put
their faith in Christ
00:53:31.30\00:53:33.25
will be eternally lost.
00:53:33.28\00:53:35.92
Is that correct? Yes or no?
00:53:38.18\00:53:40.51
I'm quoting Romans 10,
"For whosoever shall call"
00:53:40.90\00:53:44.29
"upon the name of
the Lord shall be saved."
00:53:44.32\00:53:46.11
That's verse 13, "how then,
shall they call on Him, on whom"
00:53:46.14\00:53:50.25
"they've not believed, and how
then shall they believe in Him"
00:53:50.28\00:53:52.68
"of whom they have not
heard, and how shall they hear"
00:53:52.71\00:53:55.20
"without a preacher?"
00:53:55.23\00:53:57.19
And you're thinking "Oh, I'm
off the hook, because I ain't"
00:53:57.29\00:53:59.30
"a preacher. Pastor
Asscherick's the preacher",
00:53:59.33\00:54:01.35
but the word in the
Greek doesn't mean someone who
00:54:01.38\00:54:03.14
stands up in a suit
and tie on a platform,
00:54:03.17\00:54:05.12
the word means someone
who shares, who proclaims.
00:54:05.15\00:54:08.13
It doesn't have to be
like this, we are all called
00:54:08.23\00:54:10.82
to be preachers,
someone say amen!
00:54:10.85\00:54:13.12
Could we, as a
church, be robbing the world
00:54:15.85\00:54:19.13
of the opportunity to
hear the gospel when our life
00:54:19.16\00:54:22.95
is more bent and more interested
in selfish pursuits than winning
00:54:22.98\00:54:27.41
souls to Christ?
00:54:27.44\00:54:29.36
Now that might
sting a little bit.
00:54:31.94\00:54:34.74
Beloved, I want to
end on a positive note.
00:54:35.99\00:54:38.89
Jesus said to the
disciples of John the Baptist,
00:54:40.75\00:54:43.51
Go away, go tell John the
things you have seen and heard.
00:54:44.06\00:54:50.05
You don't have to come to Arise
to be a witness for the Lord,
00:54:54.41\00:54:57.75
Jesus Christ.
00:54:57.78\00:54:59.80
Being a witness for the Lord,
Jesus Christ, flows naturally.
00:55:00.55\00:55:04.80
What word did I say?
Naturally, out of an authentic
00:55:04.83\00:55:08.41
experience with
the living Christ.
00:55:08.61\00:55:11.98
Peter and John were
arraigned before the Sanhedrin,
00:55:13.90\00:55:16.97
and they say "We don't
want you preaching in the name"
00:55:17.00\00:55:18.65
"of Jesus anymore.
You're stirring up Jerusalem."
00:55:18.68\00:55:21.45
I love Peter's
response, I'm quoting Acts 4,
00:55:21.75\00:55:25.23
he says "Hey, listen. Whether
it's right in the sight of God"
00:55:25.26\00:55:28.35
"for us to obey you
more than God, you decide,"
00:55:28.38\00:55:31.00
"but as for us" - verse
20 - "we can't but speak"
00:55:31.10\00:55:36.36
"the things which we
have seen and heard."
00:55:36.39\00:55:40.29
You know what Peter's saying
"I can't keep my mouth shut."
00:55:40.40\00:55:43.79
"The good news is so
good, I've got to tell someone."
00:55:44.38\00:55:48.10
Can someone say amen?
00:55:48.13\00:55:50.39
Beloved, when we are not
telling others about what Christ
00:55:50.73\00:55:53.62
has done for us, and is
doing in us, we are potentially
00:55:53.65\00:55:57.93
robbing them of the opportunity
to exercise saving faith
00:55:58.09\00:56:04.08
in Christ.
00:56:04.11\00:56:05.88
Thou shalt not steal.
00:56:05.98\00:56:07.82
How would you feel if you
were on the other end of that
00:56:09.11\00:56:10.80
transaction, would you want
your neighbor to come next door,
00:56:10.83\00:56:13.46
you better believe it.
00:56:13.49\00:56:15.37
And suddenly the
command, "Thou shalt not steal"
00:56:17.66\00:56:19.36
is a little bigger, isn't it?
00:56:19.39\00:56:21.31
It demands absolute,
unswerving financial integrity.
00:56:22.47\00:56:28.76
Not "Thou shalt not
steal, unless you're hungry."
00:56:29.81\00:56:32.60
Not "Thou shalt not
steal, unless your kids"
00:56:33.03\00:56:34.44
"don't have clothes." No!
00:56:34.47\00:56:35.97
"Thou shalt not steal!"
It's not up for negotiation.
00:56:36.00\00:56:40.79
You can steal from God, you
can rob from God with your time
00:56:43.33\00:56:46.12
and with your
offerings. What lies at the root
00:56:46.15\00:56:49.90
of stealing? It's a
lack of contentedness
00:56:49.93\00:56:52.07
with what God has provided.
And last but not least:
00:56:52.10\00:56:55.08
could we be stealing from others
00:56:55.41\00:56:57.82
the opportunity
00:57:01.22\00:57:03.47
to exercise saving
faith in Jesus Christ.
00:57:04.66\00:57:07.28
I wonder if that
was our standard today
00:57:07.51\00:57:10.18
how many of us are guilty
of stealing even this week.
00:57:10.21\00:57:14.37
Beloved, I want to
be a commandment keeper,
00:57:20.37\00:57:23.18
how about you?
00:57:23.21\00:57:24.80
I want to tell you something,
you can't do it in your
00:57:26.48\00:57:28.81
own strength, you need the
living Christ to live in you.
00:57:28.84\00:57:33.24
Only Christ can give us strength
to keep His commandments,
00:57:33.27\00:57:35.57
someone ought to
say amen, but beloved,
00:57:35.60\00:57:37.82
when the living
Christ comes into the life
00:57:37.85\00:57:39.82
we will keep these commandments
not just by the letter,
00:57:39.85\00:57:42.55
but by the spirit.
00:57:42.58\00:57:44.28
Let us pray. Father in heaven,
00:57:45.25\00:57:47.25
You've seen us raise our hands.
Lord, we want to keep these
00:57:47.28\00:57:50.87
commandments not
just by the letter,
00:57:50.90\00:57:52.84
not just as the Pharisee,
not just as whited sepulchers,
00:57:52.87\00:57:55.73
we want to keep
these commandments in our
00:57:55.76\00:57:57.29
inward being, and
even the simple commandment
00:57:57.32\00:58:00.26
"Thou shalt not steal",
we have seen that is much
00:58:00.29\00:58:02.51
broader than many
of have anticipated.
00:58:02.54\00:58:05.26
[Music for Credits]
00:58:05.29\00:58:07.29