Ten Commandments - Do not steal.

Sermon Notes: Ten Commandments. No8

‘Do not steal.’ Exodus 20:15

Stealing is taking something without permission which belongs to another person. There are a number of words for stealing today: (theft – nick – robbery – burglary – shoplifting – hold-up – make off with – pickpocket – hi-jack)

That says there are a lot of ways to break this commandment.

1: Why do people take things that do not belong to them?

1. People are discontented with what they already have.
2. People envy others when they look at what they’ve got.
3. We’re greedy as a human race – we can never have enough

We always want more, a little more, not a lot, but a little bit more.

2: What I’ve termed ‘excusable’ theft.

Employers not paying fair wages to their workers because they say they are not making enough profit. (Excuse)

Employees: The most common theft in the workplace is time. People come to work late – people leave early – people take long coffee-breaks. Then there’s taking and helping themselves to company supplies without permission.

3: Negligent theft – borrowing.

Have you borrowed something you haven’t returned? Books – tools – games – videos – dishes? We need to return those things that we’ve borrowed.

4: Defrauding others: withholding from others what is rightfully theirs.

Government: paying taxes. Romans 13:7, ‘Give to everyone what you owe them. Pay your taxes and import duties and give respect and honour to all to whom it is due.’

The 8th Commandment is all about living honestly as God’s people, living lives of integrity as Christian people in a society that, that is not always the case.

Six practical action points:

1: Put God first and give God first place in every area of dealings and money matters.

1 Chronicles 29:14, ‘But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you have already given us.’

2: Others are watching who aren’t Christians.

The credibility of the Gospel is at stake here, do not discredit God, honour Him and give Him His place in all of your dealings.

3: Live honestly and make an honest living, even if it means you will make less money.

Proverbs 16:8, ‘It is better to be poor and godly than rich and dishonest.’

4: Change your heart attitudes and then change your life and your actions. It’s our heart and heart attitudes that God is changing and will lead to a change in our lives. Christian conversion is all about ‘Change.’

5: Make amends and put right anything that is wrong. The Bible is big on making amends. Exodus 22 will tell you what God has got to say on it.

6: Trust God for all you need day by day! God will bless you.