Jeff Schreve - What's Yours is Mine
Sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees and when it comes to the Eighth Commandment, «You shall not steal,» sometimes we don’t see that we are guilty of breaking this commandment. Now, George Barna did a survey of the Ten Commandments. They asked a bunch of adults about the Ten Commandments. When it came to the Eighth Commandment, «You shall not steal,» 86% of the adults surveyed said, «Now that’s a commandment that I keep. I do not steal». And maybe you’re thinking to yourself, yeah, I feel good about this one. I didn’t feel so good about last one when you talked about commandment number seven, «You shall not commit adultery». Remember? It’s the seven… these two don’t have anything to do with these folks over here. «You shall not commit adultery,» and you said I had trouble with that one. But this one, man, I keep this commandment.
Now, interestingly, Ten Commandments, written in stone by the finger of God on two tablets of stone. But we like to say that on one tablet, you have the first four commandments that are all vertical. Is all deals with our vertical relationship with God. And we worship God only, the First Commandment. We worship God, Second Commandment, rightly, «You shall have not any idol worship». Third Commandment, we worship God reverently, «You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes his name in vain». And then commandment number four, «Remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy,» we worship God regularly.
First four on the first tablet all deal with our vertical relationship with God. And then starting in, «Honor your father and mother,» we start going horizontal. And as Jesus said, «The greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and all your mind». That’s the first tablet. Second tablet, «And you shall love your neighbor as yourself». And the next six commandments deal horizontally. And the Lord is saying in commandment number six, number seven, and number eight, «People matter so hold life to be sacred. You shall not commit murder». And so, you shouldn’t murder your neighbor. You shouldn’t take your neighbor’s spouse. You need to honor his spouse and you need to honor his property. Commandment number eight, «You shall not steal,» don’t take from your neighbor what doesn’t belong to you.
So, let’s look at five ways that people break the Eighth Commandment. The first way people break it is the obvious way. It’s the way most of us think about this commandment. We steal by committing the crime of robbery. And when people say, you know, «You shall not steal,» they say, «Yeah, I don’t do that». I mean, they think of stealing, you put on a mask, and you get a gun, and you go to the bank, and you rob the bank, or you rob the liquor store, or you rob the drug store, or you rob the convenience store, or at night you break into somebody’s house and you rob that person and that person’s house, you ransack the place.
We think of that as stealing, that’s breaking the Eighth Commandment and it is, obviously. But that’s not all that it is. And things were going on in Israel like that. Ezekiel 22, verse 9, «The people of the land have practiced oppression and committed robbery,» to take away by violence. That’s the word there in the Hebrew, that’s what that means. Practice robbery, «And they have wronged the poor and needy and have oppressed the sojourner without justice». And God was pointing out their sins in Ezekiel 22, one of their sins was you’re robbing people. You’re taking by violence what doesn’t belong to you.
Second way, because hopefully most of us would say, «Well, I don’t have a ski mask and a gun that I put on and go rob banks». You know, we think about those kinds of things. So, most of us say, «Hey, I’m doing pretty good on the first way». How about the second way? We steal by failing to give an honest day’s work. Say, «Preacher, let’s go back to number one because I feel a lot better about that one». But we have that phrase: «An honest day’s wage for an honest day’s work». Now, this is a heart check for us to see, am I stealing from my employer or my employer is buying my time and buying my expertise? Am I giving my employer what they’re paying for or am I cheating my employer? Am I mailing it in, so to speak, giving half-hearted effort, taking lots of extra time on personal business and not work related things?
Colossians chapter 3 says, «Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do you work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve». Have you ever heard that expression: «When the cat’s away, the mice will play»?
And people in different jobs, you know, if the boss is there, then they’re working hard because the boss is there, he’s walking around, he’s looking at things. But when the cat’s away, then the mice will play and the work doesn’t get done. Why? Well, there’s nobody here to watch us. But see, for a believer… well, we know that God sees everything, «The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good». And we’re not working for our boss, per se. We’re working for the Lord. And so, we know that God sees us and we want to work hard because we work for the Lord. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. So, we steal by failing to give an honest day’s work.
Third way, we steal by cheating people in business. By cheating people in business dealings. We’re dishonest. Proverbs chapter 20 in verse 10 says this, «Differing weights and differing measures, Both of them are abominable to the Lord». You say, «Yeah, I’ve read that before». What does that mean, «Differing weights and differing measures»? Well, people in Bible times, they would have stones, a stone weight. And so, when you would do business with them, they would have a scale, because you would pay in copper or silver or gold, and they would have a scale to know how much you were supposed to pay, how much silver to pay. And so, they would have a stone that they would put on the other side of the scale to balance it out. To figure out, «Okay, well, you owe me this much».
Well, you would use a differing stone if they were buying something, they were, the merchant, buying from a wholesaler, they would want to use a different weighted stone to their benefit. If they were selling, then they would use a lighter stone so that would be to their benefit. Differing weights, differing measures. It’s cheating people. Both of them are an abomination to the Lord. How long has this been going on? It’s been going on for a long time because men have learned from early on in their sin nature how to cheat other people in business. It’s a sin to do that. It’s breaking the Eighth Commandment.
And listen, God commands us to pay the people we owe. Pay the people we owe, pay our debts. It’s a terrible witness when Christians don’t pay their debts. This is what James chapter 5, verse 4 says, «Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth,» the Lord of Armies. That should strike fear into our hearts. This was what was going on when James wrote this. You had rich people oppressing poor people and they would do the work in their fields and then the rich people wouldn’t pay them. And the Lord says, «That has reached the ears of the Lord of Armies. Jehovah Sabaoth, Yahweh Sabaoth, the Lord of Angel Armies. We need to pay those we owe».
Now, how about this one? The fourth way. And some of you are gonna have to really think about this one because you’re gonna say, «Pastor Jeff, you’re making this up,» but I’m not. We steal by withholding marital love to our partner. You say, «For sure you made that one up». I didn’t make it up. 1 Corinthians chapter 7, this is what the Scripture says, «Let the husband fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Stop depriving one another,» the word for depriving, used in the New American Standard, 1 Corinthians 7:5, means robbing. Stop robbing one another. Stop defrauding one another, «Except by agreement for a time that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again lest Satan tempt you because of your lack of self-control».
Now, God created marriage. He designed marriage. And as we talked last week about, «You shall not commit adultery,» and the sacredness of sex, God is saying, «Listen, for a husband and wife I created this wonderful thing that’s exclusive for the husband and the wife. It’s the only time that this can happen is the sexual relationship between a husband and wife». And God says, «No,» until you get married, and when you get married, he gives you a big green light and says, «Yes». Because this is to be enjoyed and it’s to be enjoyed frequently. And stop depriving one another. And I understand there are times where, physically, there’s some issues and when you have, there’s pregnancies and things like that.
You know, there’s some physical issues, I get that. And it’s never right for a husband to demand things of his wife, for a wife to demand things of her husband. But in the way God designed marriage, a husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church and a wife is to see to it that she respect her husband. And the way God wants it to be is there is a loving mutual respect, and trust, and love for one another and it culminates in the act of marriage. And the Lord says, «Hey, don’t withhold that. Don’t use that as a weapon because that’s a form of stealing». And then, how about number five? We steal by failing to honor God with our wealth. We fail to honor God with our wealth. «Honor the Lord,» Proverbs chapter 3, verse 9, «Honor the Lord from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; So that your barns may be filled with plenty And your vats overflow with new wine». To put God first in your finances.
If we fail to put God first in our finances, then we’re dishonoring God. And more than just dishonoring God, we’re stealing from God. The last book in the Old Testament is the book of Malachi and this is what the Lord says in the book of Malachi, «'Return to Me, and I will return to you, ' says the Lord of hosts. 'But you say, „How shall we return“? 'Will a man rob God? '» Oh, no. Lord, a man would never rob God. I mean, why in the world would you even ask us that question? «Will a man rob God? Well, you’re robbing me! But you say, 'How have we robbed You? ' In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you»!
The tithe is the Lord’s, the tithe is 10%. We read about the tithe way before the law came into being. We read about it in the book of Genesis. When Jacob had an encounter with the Lord at a place called Luz, he renamed it Bethel, the house of God. And he said, «Lord, of all that you give me, I will surely give a tenth to you». A tithe, a tenth. That’s what the word tithe means, tenth. And Jacob said, «I’m gonna give a tenth back to you». Why a tenth? Because it’s just a way of expressing to God that it all belongs to God. Everything we have, «Every good and perfect gift comes down from above, from the Father of lights in whom there is no variation nor shadow of turning». It all belongs to God. And God is saying, «Listen, the tithe, the tenth, is mine and bring the tithe into the storehouse».
Hey, when we rob God, God says, «Return to me and I will return to you». How should we return? «Why don’t you get right with me and quit robbing me. And if you do, you’ll find out that I’ll open up the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing on you so great that you can’t even contain it». We tend to love money. «The love of money is the root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many a pain». Hey, it’s not money that’s the root of all evil. It’s the love of money. And that is something you’re susceptible to and I’m susceptible to. So, what does the Lord say? «Honor me from your wealth». Why? Because that breaks the chains of materialism that so easily can wrap themselves around your heart and my heart.
«No man can serve two masters,» Jesus said, «he’ll hate the one and love the other or he’ll despise the one and cling the other». You cannot serve God and wealth. And so, every time when we bring the tithe and we give the offerings… the offerings are above the tithe, above the 10%. When we do that, we’re saying, «Lord, I trust you to meet my needs. Lord, I want to honor you in my finances because you alone are worthy». We steal by failing to honor God with our wealth. So, as we get ready to land the plane, what’s the answer to our stealing problem?
Because, no doubt, as we go down the list of just these five things, I could have shared more, but just these five things, probably most of us would say, «Well, we’re not committing the crime of robbery, but many of us are having trouble with number two, failing to give an honest day’s work to our employer. Many of us are having struggle with number three, we steal by cheating people in business. Maybe we’re withholding marital love. Maybe we’re failing to honor God with our wealth». So, we stand condemned. Hey, I’m breaking the Eighth Commandment. What do I do? Ephesians 4:28, «Let him who steals steal no longer; but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need».
For parents, for children, for grandparents, for all of us in here, we need to put Ephesians 4:28 into practice and we can. Hey, you might be nailed to the wall as we’ve been going through those things, as it relates to the Eighth Commandment. You say, «Well, I’m a thief. I didn’t know that. I’m robbing God. I didn’t know that. I’m breaking the Eighth Commandment. I didn’t know that. What do I do»? Well, you can make a choice today in three areas. Number one: you can choose to walk in integrity. «Let him who steals steal no longer». Okay, so, I’m confronted with the fact that I’m stealing. Oh, I’m not gonna steal anymore. I’m gonna quit doing that. I’m gonna quit robbing God. I’m gonna quit robbing my employer. I’m going to walk in integrity.
You know, the word integrity means soundness. It speaks of purity. I always think about it this way. Integrity is kind of like solid wood furniture and a lack of integrity is veneer over particle board. You know, if you want to buy a solid wood desk, it costs a lot more than a veneer over particle board desk. But now, if you look at them from a distance, you can’t really tell the difference between veneer over particle board and solid wood.
You know how you can tell the difference though? Is when you put the screws to it. When you put the screws to veneer over particle board, you find that, hey, once the screw goes in, it gets mushy inside there because particle board is just wood shavings glued together. It’s not solid. And a person of integrity is solid. They’re true blue. They’re gonna say, «Hey, I’m gonna practice Ephesians 4:28. I’m going to steal no longer. I’m gonna be a person of honesty and a person of integrity».
Secondly: we can choose to embrace industry. Industry means hard work. «Let him who steals steal no longer,» that’s integrity, «but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good». To be a person of hard work. Hey, when it says, «Let him labor,» that means to toil to the point of exhaustion. Let him work hard. You say, «Well, Jeff, work is a part of the curse». No, it’s not. Sweat is a part of the curse. Work is not a part of the curse. Before Adam and Eve sinned in Genesis chapter 3, Adam, in Genesis chapter 2, God gave him a job to be a farmer, to cultivate and keep the Garden of Eden. And before God gave him a wife, he gave him a job. Ladies that aren’t married, remember this: don’t hook up with somebody that doesn’t have a job. That’s not biblical. Let him get a job and then you can go out with him. That’s important.
So, embrace hard work. And listen, whatever you do, if it’s honest work, then put in honest labor and know that that pleases God. 1 Corinthians 10:31, «Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God». Martin Luther used to say, «A dairy maid can milk cows to the glory of God, as she does it for Jesus». So, choose to walk in integrity, choose to embrace industry, and lastly: choose to practice generosity. To practice generosity. «Let him who steals, steal no longer; but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need,» to be a generous person. Hey, how generous are you?
Luke 6:38 Jesus said, «Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return». Now, remember the people there, they wore robes and so when they would get some kind of grain or something, they would open up their robe like this. «Give, and it will be given to you». And they would pour into their lap and shake it down so it would get all the air space taken up. So, it would be full to overflowing. «Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return».
What does that mean? What you think is a lot that you give to somebody else. God says, «Okay. I see. That’s how you give and that’s how I’ll give to you». The Lord says, «He who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; but he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully». How big of a blessing do you want from God? You know, if your giving is doled out with an eyedropper, you know, I mean, you go to the restaurant and somebody does a good job in serving you and you say, «Well, they did a really good job. I have a shiny new quarter for them,» you know, that kind of thing. You know, waitresses and waiters, they hate to work on Sundays because church people go to eat on Sundays and church people are so cheap. We need to be generous people, generous.
And listen, if you say, «Well, I don’t wanna be like that». Well, share with those that have need. That’s such a great testimony when you’re generous with people. What did God do for you and me? «Knowing that you are not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ». God so loved you and me that he gave the greatest treasure in heaven, «His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life».
Listen, as we close out today, you’re a thief. I’m a thief. Our parents were thieves. Adam and Eve, one of their sins when they ate of the fruit that they weren’t supposed to eat, was stealing because the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that belonged to God. It didn’t belong to them. They were given permission to eat of any tree of the garden, «You may freely eat, but from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you die». They took what didn’t belong to them. We’re all thieves. You know, Jesus was crucified between two thieves. You and me were two thieves, but one thief responded to the Lord’s grace and the other thief didn’t. You ever responded to the Lord’s grace? If not, you can today.