7-18-2020 Alfred Station Seventh Day BAPTIST Pastor Ken “Thou Shall Not Steal” Exodus 20:15, Ephesian 4:28
Remember number 8, Thou shall not steal. In baseball stealing bases is accepted in the game. The stealing in baseball is not the stealing we are talking about today. This commandment is part of the Covenant document we have with God. Also this commandment, thou shall not steal, is a Universal commandment. The Apostle Paul said even the Gentiles who have no Law, know that you are not supposed to steal. Stealing is taking what belongs to another person and taking it for yourself. Stealing and not getting caught is still stealing.
Also, seeing something, wanting it and taking it is stealing if you don’t pay for it. It is called shoplifting. A fourth grade boy decided he was going to steal from a store. He came into the store and started pocketing stuff. He was caught and taken to the manager’s office. Instead of the manager calling the Police, he called the boy’s father. The father came and took the boy into the backroom and we heard cries as the father spanked the boy. When they came out, the father said the boy would work 2 hours a day after school for the store and to make sure the boy worked. There is a fallacy, a belief of “I see it, I want it, I take it”. The idea that stealing and not getting caught is okay is dead wrong. When people ask if stealing when you are hungry is okay, we should ask if the Christian community is doing their calling by feeding people. Jesus said when you feed the poor, you are feeding Him.
In Exodus it says when your neighbor gives you something and it is stolen from your house, you have to prove that you didn’t steal it. If the thief is caught then he has to repay double for your neighbor and for you. In Exodus it says if your neighbor lends you a saw and the blade breaks, you have to make restitution and pay him for the broken blade. If you don’t then you are stealing. Now if the neighbor is with you while you are using his saw and the blade breaks, you don’t have to pay him. He was there and witnessed his saw blade break.
In Ephesians Paul wrote “Stop Stealing!” This means someone was stealing. If no one was stealing then he would not have said it. Paul says the Holy Spirit will help you stop stealing. He says you should get a job working with your hands. The job should be a good job so don’t sell drugs and don’t be a prostitute. Have a good job that shows you are a Christian and not a thief. Paul also said if a man won’t work then he should not eat. Some people in Paul’s time were lazy and were saying Jesus is coming back so why work? Paul said get a job to make money to take care of the needs of your family, the needs of the Church and the needs of the Christian community. Jesus said He was hungry and you fed Him. He was naked and you clothed Him. He was homeless and you took Him in. Work so you can have all you can and give all you can to others. Thou shall not steal.
AMEN
Remember number 8, Thou shall not steal. In baseball stealing bases is accepted in the game. The stealing in baseball is not the stealing we are talking about today. This commandment is part of the Covenant document we have with God. Also this commandment, thou shall not steal, is a Universal commandment. The Apostle Paul said even the Gentiles who have no Law, know that you are not supposed to steal. Stealing is taking what belongs to another person and taking it for yourself. Stealing and not getting caught is still stealing.
Also, seeing something, wanting it and taking it is stealing if you don’t pay for it. It is called shoplifting. A fourth grade boy decided he was going to steal from a store. He came into the store and started pocketing stuff. He was caught and taken to the manager’s office. Instead of the manager calling the Police, he called the boy’s father. The father came and took the boy into the backroom and we heard cries as the father spanked the boy. When they came out, the father said the boy would work 2 hours a day after school for the store and to make sure the boy worked. There is a fallacy, a belief of “I see it, I want it, I take it”. The idea that stealing and not getting caught is okay is dead wrong. When people ask if stealing when you are hungry is okay, we should ask if the Christian community is doing their calling by feeding people. Jesus said when you feed the poor, you are feeding Him.
In Exodus it says when your neighbor gives you something and it is stolen from your house, you have to prove that you didn’t steal it. If the thief is caught then he has to repay double for your neighbor and for you. In Exodus it says if your neighbor lends you a saw and the blade breaks, you have to make restitution and pay him for the broken blade. If you don’t then you are stealing. Now if the neighbor is with you while you are using his saw and the blade breaks, you don’t have to pay him. He was there and witnessed his saw blade break.
In Ephesians Paul wrote “Stop Stealing!” This means someone was stealing. If no one was stealing then he would not have said it. Paul says the Holy Spirit will help you stop stealing. He says you should get a job working with your hands. The job should be a good job so don’t sell drugs and don’t be a prostitute. Have a good job that shows you are a Christian and not a thief. Paul also said if a man won’t work then he should not eat. Some people in Paul’s time were lazy and were saying Jesus is coming back so why work? Paul said get a job to make money to take care of the needs of your family, the needs of the Church and the needs of the Christian community. Jesus said He was hungry and you fed Him. He was naked and you clothed Him. He was homeless and you took Him in. Work so you can have all you can and give all you can to others. Thou shall not steal.
AMEN