Taking & Giving

In: 1. The Bible is the tale of 2 cities- Jerusalem & Babylon

2. It’s also the tale of two ladies crying out- harlot (immediate) wisdom (future)

3. Proverbs 7 Harlot calls out- deceptive, rebellious, I’ve been looking for you, my husbands gone, ox to the slaughter, path to the grave

4. Proverbs 8 Wisdom calls out- if you find me you find life, I am truth, hate me love death

a. Wisdom build her house

1) Proverbs 24:3 By wisdom a house is built

2) Proverbs 14:1 Every wise woman builds her household, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands

b. On what are we building our lives?

1) Luke 6:46-29 So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? 47 I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. 48 It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. 49 But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the sand, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great

2) Are we building on the rock or the sand?

3) Rock- obedience, the sand- disobedience

5. Series- “From death to life”

a. Ephesians 4:17-24 Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 Take off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God

b. Take off the old, put on the new

1) Clothes in the closet categorized by your weight? Get rid of them

c. We dress for our new life as a new man

6. Last week we took of Lies and Falsehood and put on Truth

7. Today we take off Anger and Stealing and put on Peace and Generosity

a. From being a Taker to being a Giver

b. v26-28 Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil. 28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.

Ts: Take off being a Taker and put on being a Giver

I. TAKE OFF BEING A TAKER

A. Anger

1. A strong feeling that makes you want to hurt someone or be unpleasant because of something unfair, painful or bad that has happened

a. Unmet expectations, Un-appreciated, resentment, bitterness, revenge

b. Relationships are intended to be sources of support, encouragement, and openness, but the bitter person comes to feel that relationships are frustrating and unsatisfying and they lose faith and trust in others

c. Most of the time what Anger says is you owe me something, I was ripped off, I will punish you so I can get even. Bringing others down makes us feel like we are even, instead of lifting ourselves up

1) Romans 12:19 Don’t take revenge- leave room for God

2) James 1:20 The anger of man doesn’t bring about God’s righteousness

3) 1 Peter 2:23 He did not retaliate when he was insulted. When he suffered, he did not threaten to get even. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.

2. Don’t sin by letting anger control you

a. Does anger control me?

1) Does it take up the majority of my thoughts?

a) Two boxes for people (negative & positive box)

2) Do I keep digging in the box of things I don’t like, things I wish I would have said or want to say? When we get bumped what spills out?

b. Whoever angers me controls me

1) Oklahoma football (season tickets- they owe me) bad mood all day

2) Madison spilling drinks- 2 Samuel 14:14 water spilled that can’t be picked up, we will all die. God doesn’t seek ways to destroy lives, but to restore them

3) Is anger controlling me or am I controlling my anger?

3. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry

a. If you hold on to anger it will mature into bitterness

1) Deal with our anger, don’t feed it

2) Bitterness is anger that forgot where it came from

3) Yoda- Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering

a) Problem is we are the one who suffers

· Bitterness is drinking poison and hoping it kills your enemy- Richard Exley

b) Those around you will also suffer

· Hebrews 12:15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, that no one be like a bitter root springing up and causing trouble, and through him many become defiled (dye, stained)

· Movie butter popcorn stains

b. Anger gives a foothold to the devil

1) A plot of land, a handle to hold on to (opposite of a love handle)

2) Unresolved issues give the devil a foothold

3) Deal with it immediately. Don’t let it fester overnight

4) Don’t give the devil an opportunity. An unhealed division is a opportunity for the devil to sow into your life

5) Mark 6:19 Herodias nursed a grudge against John the Baptist- feed it

a) Up to half the kingdom, but chose to punish John

4. There is a Godly anger (which isn’t a sin)

a. A selfless anger which motivates us to serve the Lord and others

1) A brokenness over a situation

2) Its directed at the things God hates- child abuse, trafficking (sound of freedom)

3) Jesus being angry with the Pharisees (Mark 3:5)

4) Angry with the money-changers (John 2:13-17)

b. It’s not self-righteous anger, but righteous anger

5. Anger can be very selfish and self-righteous. It’s about me and my expectations. I want to take from someone else

B. Stealing

* 28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.

1. Stop stealing

a. Stealing was common in the ancient world (Boat docks, bath houses, locks)

b. Thou shalt not steal- 8th commandment

c. John 10:10 The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy (devil)

d. Shortcut- taking what someone else worked for

e. Disrespect- taking credit for what others did, for their hard work

2. Start working

a. We should put in the hard work ourselves instead of living on the backs of others

b. There’s nothing that feels quite like getting robbed (car)

c. Thessalonians 3:7-10 Imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you. 8 We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow. 10 Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work should not get to eat.”

d. Leviticus 19:9-10 When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien

1) Provision for the poor if they will do the work

3. Stealing is taking something that doesn’t belong to you

* Take off being a taker

II. PUT ON BEING A GIVER

A. Peace through forgiveness

1. Romans 12:18 Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.

2. Ephesians 4:31-32 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.

a. The only way to wash off anger and bitterness is to get in the bathtub of God’s grace (Realize what God did for you)

b. Matthew 18- man forgiven millions is unforgiving of pennies. v32-33 You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?

c. Forgiveness is Faith expressed through love

3. Anger is always looking for rationalization, justification

a. 1 Peter 2:23 He did not retaliate when he was insulted. When he suffered, he did not threaten to get even. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly

b. Anger says I don’t trust God to take care of it or do it the way I want Him to

c. Unforgiveness says the blood of Jesus isn’t enough for me

4. Peace only comes through forgiveness

5. Give honor where honor is due

a. Devil means slanderer (tear others down, false, damaging statements

b. Ephesians 4:29 (right after quit stealing) Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up, that it may benefit those who listen

6. Forgiveness is a gift you give to others AND to yourself

a. Forgiveness doesn’t make someone who did wrong suddenly right; it simply makes you free

b. Reconciliation takes two people, but forgiveness only takes one

c. If you can’t forgive and forget then just pick one

d. The first to apologize is the bravest, the first to forgive is the strongest, and the first to forget is the happiest

7. Take off anger and put on forgiveness

B. Generosity

* 28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, so you may have something to share with those in need

1. Give generously

a. We work to earn SO we can GIVE

1) It’s exciting for a child to earn so they can buy or give- toy, car, missions

2. Work so you can be a part of the team

a. Sometimes a brother or sister falls on hard times. We have a pool of money to help them, BECAUSE so many have worked and been generous

1) It’s a tough decision to help those who aren’t part of the team

a) To take the tithe of others and use it to help those in trouble who don’t contribute

2) Ironically, Malachi 3:10 calls those who don’t return their tithe… thieves

3. We are blessed to be a blessing

a. Our money, the stuff we own are tools to bless others

b. We are stewards. We don’t own anything, it all belongs to God

1) Our money, homes, vehicles- are to be used to bless others

c. Are we on the team, blessing to be a blessing

1) Make our corners big, drop handfuls on purpose

* Take off stealing and put on generosity

Cn: 1. Take off being a Taker and put on being a Giver

2. The town drunk came to Christ and turned his life around. His workmates tried to shake him and said, "Surely a sensible man like you can't believe in the miracles the Bible talks about. You cannot, for instance, really believe this Jesus of yours turned water into wine." The man replied "Whether He turned water into wine or not, I do not know; but in my house I have seen him turn wine into furniture, food on the table and clothes for my family"

3. Christianity is about life-change, from death to life

4. Which one best describes you- a Taker or a Giver

a. Do I take from others with my anger, revenge, slander, stinginess?

b. Do I give to others through grace, mercy, forgiveness, encouragement, generosity?

Al: 1. Stop tearing down others, making it about me, my wants, my needs- be a giver

2. Salvation- taking your life in your own hands, give it to Jesus