Central CC of Fresno

“Do Not Steal”

Exodus 20:15

June 24, 2012

Respecting personal property.

When did you learn there was a possessive called: yours, mine, ours, and theirs?

Did you ever confuse them?

Jesus transforms the commandment in   Matthew 6:19-21 (NLT)
¹⁹ “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.
²⁰ Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.
²¹ Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Ephesians 4:28 (MSG)
“Did you used to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can't work.”

There are only three ways to get wealth:

·        work for it,

·        have it given to you,

·        steal it, and stealing is wrong.

The Bible gives us a theology of personal possession. It dignifies personal property and connects it to the image of God. 

Stealing assaults another’s dignity, who has a right to the rewards for his work.

The ultimate theft is stealing from God. Our stuff is ours but entrusted to us by God.

How do we rob God?

We rob God of the praise due His name.

We rob God of the worship due Him.

We rob God of time and talent we invest in selfish pursuits.

We rob God of possessions and money

We rob God of our priorities and our passions.

When Jesus was crucified, on His right and on His left were two thieves.  The only difference was that one repented and the other did not.

It remains the same today.