08 No Stealing

BEAUTIFUL BOUNDARIES: NO STEALING

Exodus 20:15

Ephesians 4:28

Proposition: God commands His people to respect others’ possessions and earn & share what they have.

Motivation:

Who has had something stolen from them?

∙ Bill Belichick & New England Patriots

stealing signs

Belichick fined $500,000

Patriots fined $250,000 & loss of draft pick(s)

What’s the big deal?

Interviewee statement:

∙ “If your not cheating, you’re not trying.”

Read Exodus 20:15

Boundary

= you do not have a right to unlawfully take from someone else - possessions or person

Beauty

= honesty, security, generosity, peace

Explanation

What are some ways we steal?

def. - taking something from someone without permission

should not be limited solely to possessions

▸ last five commandments focused on how we value God by valuing others

“Loving your neighbor as yourself”

Taking someone’s possessions

Kidnaping - depriving someone of their freedom

one of the charges against O. J. Simpson

most serious of the charges

∙ 1 Timothy 1:8-10

Dishonest practices

∙ Deuteronomy 25:13-16

Wendy’s - underweight 1/4lb patties

∙ employee/employer

Colossians 3:22-4:1

honest day’s work for an honest day’s wage

remember who you are working for

∙

Greed

∙ Matthew 6:19-24

unethical or inappropriate focus on gaining money detracts from proper worship of God

∙ placing work before God

∙ concerned more for this life than the next

What does stealing do?

devalues others

∙ unlawfully &/or unrighteously taking anything from another conveys belief you are more valuable than they are

degrades God

∙ Malachi 3:6-10

∙ Haggai 1:3-4

Expectation:

What is your Christian responsibility?

more than just not doing something,

also what are we to do

∙ David Kinnaman quote

(“American Lifestyles Mix Comassion and Self Oriented Behavior” -www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page= BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=264 - 2052007)

Put on Christ - Ephesians 4:17-28

∙ Eph. 4:17-19 = don’t live like the world

- challenges at CCF, avoiding work

- pirating music & programs

Barna reports

∙ 86% of teens believe music piracy either morally acceptable or not even a moral issue

∙ moral pragmatists - “whatever works” philosophy

∙ David Kinnaman quote p. 3

(“Fewer than 1 in 10 Teenagers Believe that Music Piracy is Morally Wrong” - www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdates&BarnaUpdateID=162 - 4262007)

“having lost all sensitivity”

∙ Eph. 4:20-24 = put off old, corrupted self; put on Christ

“be made new in the attitude of your mind”

“be created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness”

∙ Eph. 4:28 = provide for others

Be Good Stewards

∙ honest gain is good

Proverbs 10:16, 11:18

∙ enjoy what you have

John 2:1 - Jesus at a wedding feast

Luke 5:27-29 - Levi’s banquet

∙ help others in need

1 Timothy 6:17-19

▸ Recognizing all things belong to God

Psalm 24:1-2