Codes of Sinai (Part 10)

Codes of Sinai (Part 10)

Keeping our Desires in Check!

Slides of the Ten Commandments

Exodus 20:17 (NKJV)

 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

Her husband had skillfully amassed a multi-million dollar fortune. When her husband learned that he was dying he asked only one thing of her---he told her the entire fortune is yours but please do this one thing, have a will drawn up. He said something to the effect----Since we have no children everyone will try to dip their hand in the till. So please draw up a will. You can have it all given to charity if you wish---just don’[t let any of it get into the hands of those conniving no good relatives of ours who’ve always been trying to mooch off of us.” But after his death she had no will drawn up. Years later at the age of 81 Mrs. Henrietta Garrett died in her Philadelphia home on the night of November 16, 1930. She left behind a $17 million dollar estate and no will. She had at the time of her death only one known relative a second cousin---and she had less than a dozen friends still living. But at the news of her death, the vultures descended. It wasn’t dozens or even hundreds of people who claimed they were entitled to some of the estate---it was thousands---in fact to date more than 26,000 people from 47 of the United States and from 29 foreign countries have staked their claims. Over the course of time more than 3000 lawyers have been employed on the case.

In their efforts to get some of this money---alleged relatives and friends have committed perjury, forged family records, altered church records, changed their names and concocted all kinds of stories of illegitimacy. Twelve have been fined, ten sent to jail, two have committed suicide, three have been murdered. In the meantime the estate’s grown to over $30 million. 

This last commandment again reveals the motive of the heart!

In loving God with all our heart, mind, soul & strength and loving our neighbor as ourselves, do we wrongly desire what someone else has, or what we don’t have?

 As stated last week, one of the signs of the last days is people will be full of covetous. 

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NKJV)
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

Notice God did not say “Do not covet”, but rather He told us what not to covet!

Covet means to “pant after” or desire, desire is very important, but wrong desires are very destructive.

Psalm 42:1 (NKJV)
1  As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.

[1]

There are things we should covet, our love for our spouse, our children, our love for God etc.

As with all the other commandments; God does not just tell us what not to do.  But in telling us what not to do, He is telling us what to do!

Do not murder, don’t take life, but give life, lay down your life for someone else.

Don’t take God’s name in vain, but give glory and honor to His name.

Don’t steal but be generous in your giving.

Don’t commit adultery, but give your love & body to your spouse.

Don’t bear false witness, but speak the truth in love.

Do Christians covet?

George Barna is famous for the church related surveys and polls he conducts. He took one on the Ten Commandments and according to his survey 53% of the Christians that responded claimed they weren’t guilty of coveting. That’s over half of the Christian population who has a handle on this one. But in that same poll 91% of the Christians who took the poll said that they lie regularly. 

 Desire is a tool. Just like money, it can be used for evil or good!

Our money can provide us shelter & transportation, things our families need,  or it can buy us illegal drugs,  alcohol, pornographic material, and things that will destroy our lives and families.

Like our money, our coveting can bring about good or it can bring about evil. The primary meaning of the word covet is desire. When we covet something—we desire it. We want it. Sometimes we want it so bad we can’t get it out of our mind and it preoccupies all of our thoughts. When we covet something, we feel as if we need it, possibly even feel as if we can’t live without it. 

Exodus 20:17 (NLT)
17 “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.”

[2]

Notice the things that are listed for us not to covet, there’s a common dominator, “what belongs to someone else”.

SLIDES

1.      Don’t covet your neighbors house:

a.      Don’t covet their, house size, their garage, their swimming pool, their riding mower, their driveway, their closet size and etc.

2.      Don’t covet your neighbor’s wife:

a.       Don’t covet their spouse, their looks, body size, intelligence and etc.  (Well if I had a husband like…. Or a wife like….. then I would treat them this way or I would do that. 

                                                                          i.      Proverbs says, to be happy with the wife of our youth.

3.      Don’t covet your neighbors, menservants, or maidservants.

a.      Don’t covet your neighbors, house keeper, or that they have a lawn service or whatever.

b.      Don’t covet their kids.  (Well if my kids would act like that, then…)

4.      Don’t covet your neighbors, ox or donkey.

a.      Don’t covet your neighbors automobile, their SUV, their home theater, their cardinal season tickets, or here in the rural counties, don’t covet their 4-wheel drive pick up truck, their fishing boat, their shotgun, their hound dog, or the washing machine sitting on the front porch!

b.      Don’t covet your neighbor’s job, education or promotions.

Through this commandment God is telling us “I don’t want you harboring desires for those things and relationships which I have said are off limits to you.”

Is it wrong for a person to want to own their own home? No, not at all. But it is wrong for a person to want to take their neighbor’s home out from under him.

Is it wrong for a man to desire his wife? Of course not. But it is wrong for him to want another man’s wife. 


“All he ever really wanted in life was more. He wanted more money, so he wagered

inherited wealth into a billion-dollar pile of assets. He wanted more fame, so he broke into the Hollywood scene and soon became a filmmaker and star. He wanted more sensual pleasures, so he paid handsome sums to indulge his every sexual urge. He wanted more thrills, so he designed, built, and piloted the fastest aircraft in the world. He wanted more power, so he secretly dealt political favors so skillfully that two U. S. presidents became his pawns. All he ever wanted was more. He was absolutely convinced that more would bring him true satisfaction. Unfortunately, history shows otherwise.
[He] concluded his life … emaciated; colorless; sunken chest; fingernails in grotesque, inches-long corkscrews; rotting, black teeth; tumors, innumerable needle marks from drug addiction. Howard Hughes died,… believing the myth of more. He died a billionaire junkie, insane by all reasonable standards.”

[Bill Hybels, “Power: Preaching for Total Commitment,” Mastering Contemporary Preaching (Portland, OR: Multnomah Press, 1989), 120-121]. 

You might have a covetous heart if……..

[SLIDE]

If you often find yourself depressed because your neighbors or friends drive more expensive cars or wear more expensive clothes than you do

 [SLIDE]
If you have no difficulty hurting with your neighbor when they’re going through tough times but you do find it hard to rejoice with them when something great has happened in their life

[SLIDE]
If you’ve been known to withdrawal from others and pout because of something you want but can’t have

[SLIDE]
If you’re the eternal pessimist, live by Murphy’s law---always see the glass as half-empty rather than half-full---and always thirst for more---

 
[SLIDE]
If you’re constantly badmouthing others who have something you wish you had---

[SLIDE]
If you have trouble showing appreciation---and the gifts you receive never seem to be quite good enough---

[SLIDE]
If your idea of success is having the biggest pile of the newest and most expensive stuff or if you hate the fact your collection isn’t quite complete and someone else’s is

[SLIDE]
If you tend to believe that all you need is a little more, then you’ll be happy---

There’s a story told on Nelson Rockefeller ----he was being interviewed and the reporter asked him, “Mister Rockefeller, how much money doe it take to be happy?” And the wealthy tycoon answered “It always takes a little bit more.”

[SCRIPTURE SLIDE] “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them.” Ecclesiastes 5:10-11

[SCRIPTURE SLIDE] “Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast only a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle” (Proverbs 23: 4-5). 

OK you may ask, “I get it, but how do I change this attitude & behavior?”

1. Back to the First Commandment.  “Put God First”  this last commandment bring us full circle to putting God first.
1. If He is our number one desire then we won’t covet. It’s the first key to getting all relationships right. King David came to realize that---you see he had put himself on a fast downhill spiritual track---it began when he desired his neighbor’s wife more than remaining in a right relationship with God---from there it was just a small step to committing adultery with her---then in order to take her from her from his neighbor, David conspired to have her husband killed—then he lied about it and brought dishonor upon himself and his family. In the process of doing these things David broke nine of the Ten Commandments! After being caught in this web of sin, David cried out to God for help---asking God to create a clean heart in him---asking God to wash away his sins and to restore joy to his life. Because David was sincere God granted David his request.

Matthew 6:31-36 (NLT)
31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

1. Seeking God first: when we’re running after God then we won’t be running after the wrong things.
2. If our neighbor’s wife lays out to get a sun tan than we need to avoid looking out those windows where we can see her. If we’re constantly wanting to buy new clothes, new electronics and more stuff---we need to throw away the Sunday ads before we look at them. You know don’t you that those ads are part of a trillion dollar industry whose sole purpose is to make you discontent and to suck you into the myth of more? 

[SCRIPTURE SLIDE] 
1 John 2:15 (NIV) we read --- “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 

[SCRIPTURE SLIDE] 
And in Colossians 3:2 we’re told--- “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” (NKJV) 

1. Another practical way, of overcoming coveting is making a list of all the things you have to be thankful for:
1. All the ways God has blessed us. #. What we already have.
2. What He’s brought us through
3. What we do have.

                                                              i.      Maybe we don’t have a large home but even the worst homes in our area provide nicer accommodations that what the majority of the world’s population goes home to at the end of the day. So they messed up your drive through order and gave you a regular cheese burger instead of the bacon cheeseburger you paid for---at least you won’t have to go to bed with an empty stomach like millions do every night.

[SCRIPTURE SLIDE]

 Philippians 4: 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

1. The greatest blessing and gift we have is our eternal life, and relationship with God.  All things great & small will decay and wear out.  Even our bodies, but the eternal life of God in us will never grow old or die.
2. We all tend to get caught up each week in this life, and all the treasures of this life that we either have, or we’re trying so hard to get.
1. But Homes eventually fall apart.
2. Cars rust and quite running
3. Clothes wear out stain & go out of style or size
4. Toys and electronics break or become outdated.
5. Even our bodies began to wear down.

2 Corinthians 4:16 (NLT)
16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.

[3]

[Scripture Slide]

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” 

          5.  We can’t take it with us!!

[SLIDE]

1 Tim 6:6-7

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” 

Back to that interview with Nelson Rockefeller. Remember his answer to how much money is needed to make a person happy? “a little more.”

Shortly after Rockefeller died a reporter was trying to learn how large of an estate Rockefeller had built up during his life time and so he asked one of Rockefeller’s accountants… “exactly how much money did Mr. Rockefeller leave behind.” The accountant very coolly replied, “all of it.” 

The story is told of young Charles Darwin that one day he was eagerly holding one rare beetle in his right fist, another in his left when suddenly he caught sight of a third beetle that he simply knew he must have for his collection. What to do? In a flash he put one of the beetles in his mouth for safekeeping and reached for the third beetle with his now free hand. But the mouth-imprisoned beetle squirted acid down Darwin’s throat--so that in a fit of coughing he lost all three beetles.

 ------James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) p. 26. 

1. The Fourth Practical way we can rid ourselves of a covetous heart is:
1. Learn contentment

Philippians 4:11-13 (NLT)
11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

[4]

1 Timothy 6:3-10 (NLT)
3 Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These teachings promote a godly life. 4 Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions. 5 These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy. 6 Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. 7 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. 9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

[5]

Hebrews 13:5-6 (NKJV)
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

[6]

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[1]  The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[2]  Tyndale House Publishers. (2004). Holy Bible : New Living Translation. (2nd ed.). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.

[3]  Tyndale House Publishers. (2004). Holy Bible : New Living Translation. (2nd ed.). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.

[4]  Tyndale House Publishers. (2004). Holy Bible : New Living Translation. (2nd ed.). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.

[5]  Tyndale House Publishers. (2004). Holy Bible : New Living Translation. (2nd ed.). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.

[6]  The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.