Greg Laurie - Hot Button Issues (12/26/2017)
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Pastor Greg Laurie tackles hot-button issues like family, homosexuality, abortion, capital punishment, adultery, stealing, lying, and coveting through the lens of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. He stresses biblical authority over cultural trends, calls for making righteous judgments without condemning, and urges repentance and faith in Christ for forgiveness of sin.
Judging Rightly in a "Don't Judge" Culture
Well, let's grab our Bibles right now and let's turn over to Exodus chapter 20. The title of my message is Hot Button Issues. Let's pray.
Father, You've given us Your Word. And Your Word is truth. And it is from the basis of Your Word that we can evaluate what we should think, what we should say, what we should do, and how we should live. So we pray, Lord, that we will be biblically informed believers on all issues of life, even some that are controversial. Speak to us as we open Scripture. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
You know, there was a time when probably the best known verse among all people would have been John 3:16. Right? "For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son. Whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." It seemed like everyone either knew the verse or they knew a little bit about the verse. But that is no longer the favorite verse of most people, especially non-believers. In fact, I believe the non-believers' favorite verse is Matthew 7:1. I don't even think they know that it is Matthew 7:1, but it is the one they love to quote. And here it is. "Judge not, lest you be judged."
And why is that their favorite verse? Because that is usually what they say to you or to me when we have the audacity to have a biblical worldview. In other words, if we dare say something is right, or something is wrong, or we make an evaluation about something, they will shoot back. "How can you say that? That is so judgmental. That is so narrow-minded. That is so bigoted. Doesn't the Bible say, 'Judge not, lest you be judged'?" Well don't be put off by that. Because really a better translation of it would be "condemn not, lest you be condemned." I am not in the position to say who is going to get in heaven or who is going to end up in hell. Ultimately that is up to God.
Making Biblical Judgments Every Day
But I am to make judgments in life as a Christian. Every day I make judgments, don't I? If I am stepping into the street holding the hand of a small child, I look both ways to make sure it is safe, that is a judgment. If I am walking by a dog and I decide to pet it and suddenly he bares his teeth and growls, and I decide not to pet the dog because I like having a hand, that is a judgment. And so I am to make judgments and evaluations as a follower of Jesus Christ. Paul the Apostle said, "As believers are we not unworthy or worthy to judge even the smallest matters?" And he also said, "Judgment begins at the house of God." So we must make judgments but we must not condemn.
Well I bring this up because we are living in a time where it is politically incorrect to have certain views. And if you stand up for a certain issue you will be labeled in a certain way. So let's tackle some of the hot button issues that are talked about a lot in our culture today. Let's start with the family. What is the family? What isn't the family? What about gay marriage? Why is that a bad idea? And what about homosexuality? Isn't it true that a person is born gay? And then what about the topic of abortion? Why is it really wrong to, as some would say, terminate a pregnancy? Isn't that the right of the woman? And then what about capital punishment?
Why Address Controversial Topics Biblically?
Now some would say, "Oh, don't talk about those things. You are getting political now." Now wait a second. It is not my intention to be political for the sake of being political. It is my intention to address an issue from a biblical worldview if it has political ramifications. Or even if it doesn't. It doesn't matter to me. I am not going to back away from a topic because it is a political hot button in the moment. Because these are spiritual issues and these are moral issues. Don't forget slavery was once a political issue too. It was the law of the land. You had the right to own slaves. Was that wrong? Well of course it was. And our own President Abraham Lincoln helped to abolish slavery in his Emancipation Proclamation. And a lesser known person who had a significant impact over in England was William Wilberforce. He was a British parliamentarian who came to faith in Christ. And instead of just sitting idly by, he used his power in the political world to overturn slavery, the slave trade over there in England.
So yeah, there might be times that there is a little bit of a bleed over into the political world, but we must stand for what is true. We must think and we must act biblically. Now this is very important because there are even Christians who are well-meaning, who have a little bit of a biblical worldview, sort of intermingled with a lot of emotion, also influenced by what may be politically correct or culturally acceptable. What I am suggesting to you is I need to have a complete biblical worldview. And I need to make my decisions based on what the Bible says. That's right.
The Authority of Scripture Over Culture
So, let's start with the basic premise. How many of you believe the Bible is the Word of God? Okay, grab your Bible. Hold it up. Hold it up. This is the source of authority. This guy is holding an iPhone. But I know... But I know you have the Bible on there, don't you? Yes. Please put your phone on mute, sir. We don't want calls on this service. But this is the authority. The Word of God. And it is going to affect everything that we do. Or at least it should.
So we are going to look at Exodus chapter 20 that gives us the Ten Commandments. Now I wish I could talk about all the commandments today because they are so amazing. And there is so much there to unfold. But in the interest of time I am going to deal with six of the Ten Commandments. Let me just give you kind of a fly over of them. The Ten Commandments were given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. They are divided into two sections. Not five and five, but actually four and six. The first four commandments have to do with our relationship with God. Commandment number one, have no other gods before me. Commandment number two, have no graven images. Commandment number three, don't take the Lord's name in vain. Commandment number four, remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. The final six commandments have to do with our relationship with people.
Honoring Parents and God's Design for Family
So let's dive into commandment number five. Exodus 20:12. "Honor your father and your mother." Honor your father and your mother. Before a word is spoken about how you treat others we start with the family. Few things in life can bring us greater pleasure than our family. I was just with all of my grandkids yesterday and they were all swimming around in the pool and having a great time. Little Allie who is only two has her little floaties on which match my floaties that I wear in the pool as well. And then the older girls are a little bolder. They can swim a little bit better. And then there is little Christopher who I was holding who, well he just watches for now. But it is so much fun.
You know the family can bring so much joy. And few things can bring us greater pain than our families. You know when things aren't going well. But God has established the family. In fact it has been said that a family can survive without a nation. But a nation cannot survive without the family. God set it up. Bringing a man and a woman together in marriage. And then of course ultimately with children and grandchildren. That is His order.
So what does He start with? Honor your father and mother. We have certainly lost sight of this commandment. In fact the Bible tells us that one of the signs of the end times will be a lack of respect for one's parents. 2 Timothy 3:2, in the last days people will be lovers of themselves. Lovers of money. Boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents. So the Bible is telling us in the last days there will be an attack on the family.
Satan's Attack on God's Family Design
Know this. Satan always hates what God loves. God loves the family. In fact He established the marriage of a man and a woman as a physical representation of His love for the church and the church's love for Him. God effectively says, "You want to know how much I love my people? Look at the way that Christian man loves his wife. You want to know how much my people love me? Look at the way that Christian woman loves her husband." This is my model. This is my example for all of you to observe.
So it should come as no surprise that the devil would try to undermine the family. Notice it says, "Honor your father and mother." Not honor your father and father. Or honor your mother and mother. Or honor your mother and her live-in lover or her partner. We tamper with God's order at our own peril. There is a movement afoot in our country to redefine marriage and family. Media and modern culture are pushing for same-sex marriage. The normalization of homosexuality is also gaining momentum. TV programs that are popular today like Modern Family and The New Normal sort of illustrate this.
Biblical View on Homosexuality and Marriage
And with the emphasis on gay marriage and homosexuality in general you would think a huge percentage of the population must be gay now. I have heard some advocates say it is as high as 25 percent. Many accept the premise that it is at least 10 percent. But an extensive survey was just completed by the Gallup Polling Agency. The largest of its kind ever. In which 121,000 Americans were interviewed. And it revealed that 3.4 percent of the U.S. population are gay. That is a very small percentage. That includes gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender. But even though it may be a small percentage, it has become a very big topic. And it has come right to the doorstep of the church.
Now people like to portray Christians as anti-gay and gay bashers. That is not the case at all. We don't see this as a worse sin necessarily than any other sin. I don't see the Bible distinguishing the sin of homosexuality as the greatest of all sins. In fact the Bible does talk about greater and lesser sins. But it would appear that the worst sin would be to sin against the life. Let me illustrate. Jesus said to Pontius Pilate, a hardened, pagan, Roman man, "the one who delivered me to you has committed the greater sin." What would be a greater sin than sending Christ to be executed after he had been scourged as Pilate did? The greater sin was committed by the high priest Caiaphas who should have known better. And he is the one who sent Jesus to Pilate. That was the greater sin you see. So knowledge brings responsibility.
But yet at the same time we can't back away from this. We are not going out of our way to be critical of a person and a certain sinful behavior. We are just saying look we are not going to back down. If the Bible says something is a sin it is a sin. So if someone says do you think it is a sin to live in a homosexual lifestyle. Yeah I think that. "Oh you are homophobic." Oh please. Well you know what. For you to criticize me for making that stand I could just as easily say well you are biblophobic. Oh well you are. I mean we can go phobic all day long. Ok. Listen. I am sinophobic. Sin is sin. No matter how it manifests itself.
What Scripture Clearly Says About Homosexuality
Here is what the Bible says. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. "Don't you know that those who do wrong have no share in the kingdom of God. Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin who are idol worshipers, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, abusers, and swindlers. None of these have a share in the kingdom of God." Listen. The Bible does not give a confused statement on this topic. There is no confusion on this issue unless your confusion is with the Bible.
The apostle Paul in no uncertain terms clearly points out that homosexuality among other things is a sin in Romans 1:21-27. Again God's order is for a man and a woman to come together. Now some would say well I don't feel I should judge other people if that is the way they want to live. That is right. Now besides my God would never judge a person who lives that way. My God is loving. My God is accepting. Now you are not going to like what I am going to say to you right now. This God you are invoking is not the God of the Bible. God is loving. God is accepting. God is gracious. But God also says he will judge sin no matter how it manifests itself. And when you sort of redefine God in your own image saying my God says this or my God wouldn't do that you are violating commandment number one which says you shall have no other gods before him. It is a fake God. It is a fictitious God. Maybe to be more technical you are worshiping you. Because this God you are invoking is not real.
So yes we must stand on what the Scripture says. But wait. Come on now. Gay people are born that way. Well I don't actually believe that. Now I believe everyone is born a sinner. And I believe that some people may struggle with certain sins that others don't necessarily struggle with. Some may deal with same sex attraction. But that doesn't mean well I have been tempted in this way. That means I am gay. Now that means you are a sinner being tempted in this way. And you need to resist that temptation just as another person would resist the temptation to commit fornication, adultery, or to steal or to lie.
You Shall Not Murder – Life and Its Value
The next commandment. Number six. Verse 13. "You must not kill." If ever there was a commandment that was ignored it was this one. We live in a violent world. Even in America. Our culture is awash in violence and killing. Two million people a year become violent crime statistics in the United States. The Bureau of Justice Statistics just reported that violent crime in America rose last year. That is the first time in two decades. So we know all about violent crime all around us.
But a better translation of this verse would be "you shall not murder." I know it is often said you shall not kill. But a better translation is you shall not murder. This commandment forbids the taking of another human life for no justifiable reason. Understand this. The Bible does not condemn all killing. Numbers 35 plainly states the difference that God established between killing and murder. All murder is killing. But all killing is not necessarily murder. There are times when death is permissible though not desirable.
You say like when? Like in defending yourself. Like if someone breaks in your house. Now look if someone wants to steal my stuff I wouldn't ever want to take a life over stuff. As far as I am concerned they can have the stuff. But if they mean harm to my family there is going to be trouble. And I will tell you what. I will say praise the Lord and pass the ammunition. Jesus told his disciples to take a sword with them on their journey. Now these are the disciples of Christ. Take a sword. Why would they carry a sword around? For shish kebab? For self defense. It is justifiable to defend yourself.
Capital Punishment, Authority, and Abortion
And God has established order and laws that govern a culture by. And those who break the laws will face the repercussions. God has even raised up the military and the police to do his work. Romans 13:3 says the authorities do not frighten people who are doing right but they frighten those who do wrong. So do what they say and you will get along well. The authorities are sent by God to help you. The authorities are established by God for this very purpose to punish those that do wrong.
God has established the authorities. Now here is an interesting thing. He has established all authority. Check this out. When Paul wrote those words guess what authority was in power? The Roman government. And guess who was the Caesar of Rome? Caesar Nero. One of the craziest Caesars of the lot. One I might add who persecuted Christians. Yet Paul says all authority is established by God.
I believe that our president is in position right now because he has been established by God. And when he was elected and we knew it, I prayed for him. And we may have another president. And we may have the same president in the days ahead. But whoever is elected to this high office has been put there by God and we as Christians are to pray for that person. But we also should vote. That is one of the freedoms that we have in our country. Let me take it a step further. That is one of the responsibilities you have in this country. I would not say it is a sin to not vote. But I would say it is getting close to one. You are crazy.
Now let me explain. The Bible says to him that knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is a sin. And if I know that by casting that vote I can make a difference for the better of my country, and I did not do it, to me that is irresponsible. I think every Christian should register and vote. I think this is very important.
By the way, capital punishment. The Bible views capital punishment as justice, not murder. I bring this up because there are those that are opposed to capital punishment. And listen, you know, there are good people on both sides of this debate. So I am going to just simply say this. I believe there is a place for it. I believe it is legitimate. And I do find it ironic that sometimes those who are against it would favor abortion on demand. I find it curious that those people that will have the vigil outside of the place where the mass murderer who has been convicted is about to be executed, holding signs that say, "Thou shall not kill." But at the same time they believe that it is a mother's right to terminate a pregnancy or to abort the child if she wants to. So this to me is completely illogical. They want to kill the innocent and spare the guilty. I want to spare the innocent and see the guilty judged, bringing us to the topic of abortion.
Life Begins at Conception – Biblical Truth
Now, I want you to know something. This is not really debatable. And when I say this, I want you to understand, the Bible does not give a mixed message as to when life begins. The Bible is very clear in pointing out that life begins at conception. Listen to David's words in Psalm 139. "You knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion. In the dark of the womb, you saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed."
And now listen to Jeremiah's words. God says to Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:5, "I knew you before you were formed in your mother's womb. Before you were born, I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world." You see, God recognizes the unborn child. Notice he says, "I formed you in your mother's womb." Every child is created by God and should be given a chance to live. God does not say, "Well, I waited until you were born to have a plan for you because you weren't really a human. You were just a mass of tissue."
Listen, I know a little bit about this. Because I was conceived out of wedlock, you see. And that is often one of the reasons cited as to why a woman will get an abortion. "Hey, you know what? I am not married. This is inconvenient. This is a little bit embarrassing." Well, listen, I am sure glad my mom didn't abort me. You know? So, God has a plan for every baby out there. Irregardless of the circumstances of their conception. They are not illegitimate children. Maybe illegitimate parents. No illegitimate children.
The Devastating Impact of Abortion
Yet, despite this, abortions are so commonplace. Since the passing of Roe v. Wade in the early 70s, 50 million babies have been aborted in America. Every 15 seconds, an abortion occurs in America. Abortion has grown into a $500 million a year industry in the United States and an estimated $10 billion a year industry worldwide. Think of all those babies aborted. Think of all those babies killed in the United States. Would one of them have grown up to be a scientist who would have discovered the cure for cancer? Would one of them have grown up to be the President of the United States? Or maybe a preacher of the Gospel? Or... Well, we will never know, will we? Because those pregnancies were terminated.
You know, one thing that people don't talk about is the impact it has on women. Those who have had abortions, according to studies, experience a higher depression rate and attempt suicide at a far higher rate than those that have not had one. A University of Minnesota study on teen suicide found that the rate of attempted suicide increased ten times for teens who had aborted during those previous five months. Abortion is not the answer.
You say, well, what do you do? You carry the child to term. And you have a few options. Number one, perfect world. You marry the guy. You raise the child in the way of the Lord. And it's good. Option number two, you raise the child as a single mother. Option number three, you put the child up for adoption. There's plenty of people that would love to adopt that child. But you do not have the choice of aborting that child if you believe what the Bible says.
Adultery, Stealing, Lying – Sins That Hurt
Oh, I know we have new terminology for it to make us more comfortable with abortion. We call them fetuses. Embryos. Globs of cells. Uterine contents. Products of conception. And my favorite, potential human beings. That's actually used to say, it's a potential human being. Really? What else would it be? A horse? Listen, it's not a potential human being. It's a human being with incredible potential. Made in the image of God.
There might be someone listening to me right now that is pregnant. You're embarrassed. You're considering an abortion. No one will ever know. You think? Here's my challenge to you. Go get a sonogram. You say, why? Well, you know what a sonogram is, right? Effectively take a picture of the baby in your womb. It's amazing. The detail of sonograms now. And studies have found that 90% of pregnant women who got a sonogram decided against an abortion. You see. Because they realized that that's not uterine contents. That is a baby forming in my womb right now.
Now, I heard the story of a woman whose life was in danger. And this is often cited as a legitimate reason for abortion. You know, people say, I don't believe in abortion unless the mother's life is in danger. Well, actually, I don't even accept that. Let's say, mom, you are walking across the street with your little toddler child. And here you are. And a car comes speeding toward you. Now, what are you going to do? Well, mom says, I am going to get out of the way. I don't care about the child. But I am going to get out of my way because my life is in danger. If the car hits my child, that is okay. As long as it doesn't hit me. Are you kidding? What kind of a mother are you? Any self-respecting mother would impulsively push the child out of danger. And if she got hit, that is just the way it would go. Right?
I heard a story about a woman named Pam who was pregnant. And she was a missionary over in the Philippines. And she had amoebic dysentery. The leading cause of death in the country. And this was her fifth child. She was dehydrated, very sick. And she went to see a doctor. And he said, you need to abort this child. Because of the powerful medicines that you are taking, you could die carrying this child to term. So this is one of those real mother's life in danger scenarios. But Pam prayed with her husband. They decided to go for it. If she died, she died. But she wanted the child to live. So they had that child. Oh, by the way, the child was born. His name is Tim Tebow. Quarterback for the New York Jets. And an outspoken follower of Jesus Christ. I am glad Pam made the right decision.
Hate, Anger, and the Heart of Murder
Now as you listen to this message, you are thinking, oh man, Greg, you know, I am not really enjoying this that much. But I am feeling okay about myself because, at least to my knowledge, I have never murdered anybody. And, you know, and our family is intact. So I think I am okay. But wait a second. Jesus took this a step further in the Sermon on the Mount. And he said in Matthew 5, "You've heard that it was said by people long ago, don't murder. Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment. But I say, anyone who is angry with his brother is subject to judgment." This is talking about a person that has anger and hatred toward another person. Jesus is saying, I'm not just telling you it's wrong to murder. I'm saying it's wrong to hate.
Is there anyone you hate? If they walk in a room, your blood pressure goes up. Honestly, you wish they were dead. You need to repent. Because that's a sin. Well, sometimes they'll say, well, you know, I would never kill them. But I'll assassinate their character, man. I'll put stuff out on the Internet about them. I'll make up things about them. But the Bible tells us in Ephesians 4, we should get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander. And it said, be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another. Just as God through Christ has forgiven us, we as believers are not to hate, but rather we are to love our enemies.
The Devastating Effects of Sexual Sin
Now we come to commandment number seven. Exodus 20:14. "You shall not commit adultery." Now what is adultery? It's sex with someone besides your spouse if you're married. Fornication is sex with someone before you're married. According to the Bible, these are sins. All of us know someone, or many people, who have fallen into these sins. Can you imagine what our culture would be like if we obeyed this single commandment? Can you imagine how different our world would be? How many divorces would have been avoided? How many families would still be together? How many fathers would be home to raise their children?
Do you know that they can trace most social ills to the breakdown of the family? Kids that get into drugs? Teens that get pregnant? People that turn to violent crime? In almost every instance, they trace it back to the breakdown of the family, and specifically to the absence of the father. And so often marriages fall apart because of this sin.
Listen, God has given the marriage for there to be fulfillment and a oneness between a man and a woman. Sex is not some toy that we play with to satisfy our desires. The Bible says in Hebrews 13:4, "Give honor to marriage and remain faithful to one another in marriage. And God will judge those who are immoral, and He will judge those who commit adultery." And yet this sin is committed so often.
I'll tell you what, it hurts you. Some will say, well, come on, Greg, you know, it's not that bad. It was just a one-night stand. We're just having a little fun. As long as it's between two consenting adults, why is it wrong? Because listen to this. When a man and a woman come together sexually, a oneness takes place. Even if a man comes together with a prostitute, it's the same thing. 1 Corinthians 6, Paul says, "Don't you know that if you join yourself to a prostitute, you become one body with her. The two are united into one." So run away from sexual sin. No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. So it hurts you. And it hurts others as well.
Stealing, Lying, and Coveting – Internal Sins
Then, of course, there's teen pregnancy. Or just unwanted pregnancy. And that leads so often to abortion and so much more. Thou shall not commit adultery.
Commandment number eight. "You shall not steal." Verse 15. Such a widespread problem in our culture today. And among those who know stealing is wrong, it's interesting why they think it's wrong. A study was done among those who stole or thought about it. And they asked them the question, why don't you steal? The number one reason given was, well, I might get caught. Number two, well, the other person might try to get even. Or number three, well, you might not need the item. How about because God says it's a sin and it's wrong.
Here's what the Bible says about it. Ephesians 4:28. "He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but he must work. Doing something useful with his own hands. Then he may have something to share with those who are in need." So here's three principles to live by as a Christian. Number one, steal no longer. No brainer. Don't steal. And if you have stolen, stop. And if you took something from someone, give it back. I mean, I could steal something from someone and say, Oh, it was a sin. Lord, I'm sorry. And then keep it. No way. That's not yours. Give it back. It's called making restitution.
There's a story of a man named Zacchaeus in the scripture who was a tax collector. Which meant that he worked for Rome. He collected very high taxes from the people. Then to make matters worse, he added more on top and he pocketed the profit. So he had a conversation with Jesus. And afterwards he said, I'm going to restore fourfold that which I have taken from others. And Jesus said, "Truly salvation has come into this home." You see, he made restitution. So if you have stolen, steal no longer. That means don't download things illegally. Don't take things that don't belong to you.
Number two, it says then do something useful. He must work with his hands. God wants you to go out and be responsible and work for a living. Second Thessalonians 3 says, "Whoever does not work should not eat." We hear some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work, and wasting time meddling in other people's affairs. Settle down and get to work. Earn your own living. Newsflash. The world doesn't owe you a living. Newsflash number two. The government doesn't owe you a living. Be responsible and work if you can.
And number three, it says, Share what you have that you may share with those who are in need. See, as you work hard, and you save your money, you are able to help other people.
Commandment number nine, verse 16. "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." Don't lie. Now, of course, this one is a little harder to keep than others. I am not talking about bald-faced lies. By the way, I resent that term. Well, what is it like bald-faced? What is that supposed to mean? If you had hair, it is not as bad? Why do I have to be used as the illustration? This is personal. No, I am kidding.
There are those, of course, but a survey was done among people and they were asked why they lied. And the number one reason was the fear of offending someone. So I kind of get that, actually. Because there are times when you don't want to tell the truth to someone because you know it will hurt them. Guys, let's just say your wife is trying on an outfit and she says, "Honey, do I look fat in this?" Here is the answer, guys. No matter what, no. Why? Because you want things to be nice around the house. No, but you hear what I am saying. I am kind of encouraging the lie. So I am trying to make a point here how easy it is.
Maybe you were invited over to someone's house for a meal and it was awful. It was so bad you threw up three times inside of your mouth. Sorry, that was inappropriate. Anyway. So after the meal is done you are completely nauseated. The person who made it said "How did you like the meal?" Well, I have never seen those particular ingredients put together in such a way. See, you don't want to say what is true. It was horrible. So you maybe will say something else. But we tell these little white lies so called every day.
You know, someone calls your house you don't want to talk to them. Your child answers the phone and you say, "Tell them I am not home." That is called a lie. Or someone says, "Where were you?" "I forgot." "I love your outfit" when you don't. "I was just getting ready to call you" when you weren't. "The check is in the mail" when it isn't.
There are other ways that we can lie. Gossip and backbiting. Gossip topples governments. Wrecks marriages. Ruins careers. Destroys reputations. It causes nightmares. It spawns suspicion. It generates grief. Even its name hisses. Gossip. Just like a serpent, you see. And we will tell an intentional lie about someone else to hurt them. This is something we should never do.
Coveting – The Root of Many Sins
There is one commandment left that I would like to deal with in the little time we have left. Number ten. "You shall not covet." Verse seventeen. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. Or covet your neighbor's wife. Or your manservant or maidservant. His ox or donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
Now listen. Coveting is not desiring something we don't have. Sometimes people misunderstand. Maybe you are walking with your Christian friend down the street. Cool car drives by. You go, "Wow. Cool car." And your Christian friend says, "Thou shalt not covet." Maybe they even hold their Bible like, "Thou shalt not covet." Like this. You are like, "No, don't do that." But that is not correct what they are saying. It is not a sin to admire something.
What does it mean to covet? Notice the context. "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife." You see. Coveting is wanting something that will never be yours, should never be yours, and in fact belongs to someone else. I want that. That is what it means to covet. Actually the literal definition of the word covet means to set your heart on something, or a better translation, to pant after something. Sort of like a predator pursuing their prey. Like a dog with his food.
I heard about a Roman Catholic priest who had heard the confessions of 2,000 people. He had heard every kind of sin and iniquity confessed, even murder. But he said he had never heard anyone confess to committing the sin of covetousness. I think it is because we do not really know what it is. You see. But we do it all the time. In fact the apostle Paul said, "You know, I pretty much kept all the commandments, but this was the one I struggled with the most." Why? Because all the other commandments are external. "Thou shall not commit adultery." Okay, I have not done that. "Thou shall not kill." Okay, I have not done that. "Thou shall not take the Lord's name in vain." I have not done that. "Thou shall not covet." See, it is harder to figure out. It is internal.
It is where you want something that belongs to someone else and you are going to get it no matter what. For thirty pieces of silver, Judas Iscariot betrayed our Lord. 1 Timothy 6:10 says, "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, which while some have coveted after, they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." Listen, it is not a sin to want to be successful in business or to make a good living. But if you become obsessed with it and you are willing to do whatever it takes to get there, when that is the most important thing in life to you, that can become coveting and idolatry. Because the Bible says covetousness, which is idolatry.
It is sort of like, let us say you had a neighbor and he bought a new car. And you thought, "Wow, that is a really nice car." So you went down and bought a car just like it. Same model, same color, and coveting. That is copying. It is not a sin to copy. Irritating, yes. It is not a sin. Let us say you went over to your neighbor and said, "Hey, that is a cool car. Do you mind if I take it for a spin?" Your neighbor says, "Well, okay." So you go around the block and you keep driving. You never come back. That is Grand Theft Auto. You see. Now, it started with wanting something, but now you have taken it to the next level. I want her husband. I want his wife. I want this thing from that person. And you go after it.
The Purpose of the Commandments – Pointing to Christ
So here is the question. Have you ever committed any of these sins? Well, of course you have. Of course I have. Of course we have. In more ways than we realize. We have taken the Lord's name in vain. We have had other gods before Him. We have lied. Perhaps we have stolen or committed adultery or murdered. Or at the very least we have lusted or we have hated. And yet the Bible says if you offend in one point of the law you are guilty of all of it.
You know, some people will say, "Well, I live by the Ten Commandments. That is all the religion I need." No, you don't. No one lives by the Ten Commandments. There is only one person who has ever lived on earth who kept the Ten Commandments perfectly. It is Jesus. And every other man and woman has fallen short.
So then why did God give the commandments? They are not given to make us righteous. No. They are given to show us we are not righteous. They are given to show us we fall short of God's standards. They are given to show us we need help. The commandments drive me into the open arms of Jesus who died on the cross for all of my sins. And the Bible says He took the handwriting of ordinances that was against you nailing it to the cross. And what that means is He took the penalty of the commandments that say the soul that sins shall surely die. And He died in our place and absorbed God's wrath that should have come on me and upon you.
And if we will turn from that sin and believe in Him He will forgive us.
Invitation to Repentance and Forgiveness
Now we are going to close in prayer now. And there might be some of you that need to repent of some sin. Maybe you have been immoral. Maybe you have had an abortion. Maybe you have lied or you have stolen or you have coveted. Maybe you have hated. Maybe you are hating. Maybe you have even murdered someone. Would God forgive you? Yes He would. He will do it right now. But you have to admit it is sin. Stop making excuses for it. And turn from it.
The Bible says that if we confess our sin. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. What does it mean to confess our sin? A literal definition is to agree with God about it. To confess is to agree with God. So how does God view sin? Does God love sin? No. Does God hate sin? Yes. So if I agree with God I say that is sin. Right God? Yes it is. You hate it. Yes Lord? That is right. I hate it. So I should hate it too. And call it what it is. Alright Lord? I am sorry and I turn from it.
What does it mean to repent? It means to change your direction. The Bible says godly sorrow produces repentance. I mean you can be sorry sometimes for the repercussions of a sin but not for the sin itself. That is remorse. That is not repentance. Remorse is getting caught. Repentance is being sorry enough to stop doing it and change your behavior. So you need to repent of the sin if you want to be forgiven of it.
So if the Lord has spoken to you today and I have hit a raw nerve somewhere or some raw nerves plural. there is a remedy. There is forgiveness. Sort of like going in to see the dentist and they say those dreaded words we are going to have to do a root canal. Oh no. I hate those two words root canal. Oh. You know what that means. There is going to be some pain. Oh I know they say it won't hurt. It always hurts. Especially those drills. I don't care how good they are you feel it. And you know but the dentist is just doing his job because why did you go if you are like me you went because you had major trouble. I mean I don't go to the dentist unless I have serious tooth pain. And he says yeah you want to get rid of this pain you need a root canal. Listen I don't want a root canal but I don't want to live with that pain either. And I recognize the temporary pain will eliminate the ongoing pain. So all right lay it on me you get the root canal you get better and you are good to go.
So I come and the Lord sort of touches a nerve. Ow that hurt. Ow that hurt. Okay I need to do a root canal. No! You want to be free from this or not. So you need to turn from it right now. That's hard for some people because you don't want to admit it. You don't want to admit you've done something wrong but you have to to be forgiven of it.
So I'm going to give you an opportunity to make that commitment or recommitment. I'm going to extend an invitation right now to Christians and non-Christians. For the non-Christian I am inviting you to believe in Jesus and He will forgive you no matter what you've done. And He'll change you. And for the Christians I'm going to say if there's a sin in your life that you have not dealt with or a sin in your life that you're practicing and you need to repent of here's a chance now to get it right.
Let's all pray. Father now we thank You for Your Word to us. It's not always easy to hear. In our steps we can be forgiven and relieved of the pain that that sin brings through a guilty conscience that nags us day in and day out. Your Word even tells us if our heart condemns us You're greater than our heart. Lord I pray for any here that need to repent. Help them to do that now.
While our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed how many of you would say today. I want to believe in Jesus Christ. I want Him to come into my life and forgive me of my sin. I'm ready to say yes to Him. I want to follow Him from this moment forward. Pray for me. If that's your desire if you want Christ to come into your life today wherever you are would you lift your hand up? God bless you. God bless you. God bless each one of you. God bless all of you. Wherever you're seeing me right now outside in the amphitheater up in the court building Harvest Orange Crest Harvest Orange County you raise your hand too. You want Christ to come into your life. Lift your hand up. Let me pray for you. God bless all of you. God bless all of you.
And now there might be some of you who are Christians. who have committed these sins and you've never repented of them. You've tried to bury them but they haunt you. Maybe you're committing one of these sins. You're in an affair. You're in a homosexual lifestyle. You're stealing. You're doing one of these things. You know what's wrong. And God has spoken to you and you're ready to repent of it and turn your back on it today. If God has spoken to you raise your hand up. Let me pray for you. God bless you. God bless all of you standing. Or all of you with your hand up. Anybody else? Lift your hand up. God bless.
Now I'm going to ask all of you that have raised your hand if you would please to stand to your feet and I'm going to lead you in a collective prayer. Just stand up. Stand up. We're going to pray together. Wherever you are, stand. I don't want the rest of you to be looking around. You just pray. Look in your own heart. It's between these folks and God. Anybody else? You need to stand and make this commitment or recommitment to Jesus. Stand now. Wherever you are, stand up. At Harvest Orange County, stand up. Stand up. Because this is between you and God. It doesn't matter if I see you or if I don't see you. I have nothing to do with this. This is between you and the Lord. In a prayer, you're going to pray to Him right now.
One final moment. If you're going to stand, stand now. All right. All of you that are standing, pray this prayer out loud after me. Pray this now.
God be merciful to me, a sinner. I've broken your commandments. I have fallen short of your standards. I've sinned against you. And I'm sorry, Lord. And I repent of it today. And I want to walk in fellowship with you. I want to walk in friendship with you. So cleanse me of my sin. Thank you for the death of Jesus on the cross of Calvary. I choose to follow Jesus from this moment forward. In your name I pray. Amen.