Money

You Shall Not Steal (Part 2)

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“You shall not steal.” – Exodus 20:15

Q: What is the eighth commandment?
A: You shall not steal.

What does this mean?

Because we worship and love God, we shouldn’t take other people’s money or property and cheat them, but instead we should help them improve and protect what belongs to them.

Do you ever wake up in the morning and wonder if you’ll have breakfast to eat? Do you wonder if your parents will provide for you in this way? Sadly, some children around the world would have to say “yes” to these questions. They have no adults to lovingly care for them and their needs. But if your parents are reading this to you right now then most likely they feed you breakfast in the morning. You should be thankful for that!

God wants us to think about him like this. Just like you probably don’t stress out about whether or not you’ll have breakfast in the morning, God wants us to remember that he is our heavenly Father and he loves to provide for his children just like your parents love to provide for you. He will be there for you and will give you what you need.

Because this is true, we don’t have to steal to get what we need. God will provide what we need. He loves to give good gifts to his children and he has said that if we have food and clothing we should be content (1 Timothy 6:8).

Read Matthew 6:25–33:
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

1. If you were tempted to steal, do you think these verses might help you stop? How so?
2. Why does God command us not to be anxious?
3. Do you think God is aware of your needs?
4. Can you name some ways that God has provided for you in the past?

Prayer
Our Father, thank you so much that you have promised to provide in the future. We trust you. The evidence of this is our past. You have been so faithful to give us what we need in the past. May remembering this give fuel to our faith in the future. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

You Shall Not Steal (Part 1)

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“You shall not steal.” – Exodus 20:15

Q: What is the eighth commandment?
A: You shall not steal.

What does this mean?

Because we worship and love God, we shouldn’t take other people’s money or property and cheat them, but instead we should help them improve and protect what belongs to them.

Why do you think someone would want to steal? Have you ever felt the urge to steal something? Do you believe that stealing is wrong? If so, why is it wrong?

Sometimes people steal because they are greedy. Sometimes people steal because they are needy. Sometimes people steal to hurt someone else. In all of these cases stealing hurts the person being stolen from but it also hurts the person who does the stealing.

Why would that be?

If you are the one being stolen from you have something taken away from you that is of worth. If you are the one doing the stealing you probably believe that dishonesty is a better way to live and we know that that is a lie. In the end, living a lie always hurts us.

God wants us to not steal because it hurts us and hurts others.

Consider Ephesians 4:28, “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.”

1. Paul exhorts his audience in Ephesus to stop stealing and start doing what?
2. Why does he believe that working hard is important?
3. Do you know any people who are in need that you could bless?

Prayer
Our Father, may you give us energy to work hard and not be lazy. Help us to see our work as a way to bless people and not be selfish. May we never dishonor your name in the way that we use our money or respond to a lack of money. Help us to trust you instead of resorting to stealing. You have given us ample reasons to believe that you will provide. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Ruth #2 – Safe People

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At the Trinity Church, Pastor Mark Driscoll teaches from the book of Ruth, this week is entitled, “Safe People” Ruth 2:1-13

Jesus and True Greatness

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Jesus’ disciples argue over who is the greatest, but Jesus doesn’t rebuke their desire, he redirects it. He redeems the pursuit of greatness, showing the difference between worldly and godly greatness. True, godly greatness is simply service. Are you selfish or a servant? When we live a life that glorifies God and serves others, we receive joy in this life and eternal rewards in the life to come.

Jesus and Zacchaeus

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Zacchaeus was not just a wee little man, he was a man idolizing money and power and taking advantage of his neighbors. But when Jesus calls out to Zacchaeus, his life is changed forever. Zacchaeus immediately repents and offers restitution to anyone he’s wronged, which results in much rejoicing.

Investing for Jesus

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In this parable, a nobleman gives ten of his servants one mina each to engage in business with while he goes away to receive a kingdom. Those who steward their mina well are entrusted with cities to oversee; those who don’t have theirs taken away. Similarly, Jesus is a King with a kingdom, and we have the opportunity to be faithful servants of Jesus’ kingdom while we await his second coming.

Jesus on Money, Idolatry, and Comedy

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When a rich ruler comes to Jesus to ask how he can earn eternal life, Jesus calls him out on his sin of idolatry and pride. Idolatry is often a good thing that becomes a god thing and one of the surest ways to find your idol is to follow your money. Jesus, a master of word play, irony, and satire, uses humor to speak truth to the rich ruler by showing him two ways to find idols: follow the money and figure out what’s not funny to you.

The Parable of the Dishonest Manager

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In this difficult parable, Jesus teaches about money from the negative example of a dishonest manager. Everything belongs to God, and we are to wisely steward it. Jesus gives us a kingly, priestly, and prophetic view of money: Christians—rich and poor—need to be shrewd stewards who use their money to love people because wealth will fail (if not in this life, then at the end of this life). Money is a wonderful tool and a horrible god. Your money reveals your heart. Are you a shrewd steward who is able to love others financially? Do you understand that, in time, invariably, your wealth will fail you?

The Parable of the Rich Fool

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When it comes to wealth, Jesus looks at the heart—there are righteous and unrighteous rich, and righteous and unrighteous poor. In this parable, Jesus describes an unrighteous rich man, whom he calls a fool. The rich fool’s sin was not that he became wealthy, but that he worshiped his wealth instead of worshiping God with his wealth. If you aren’t content, you’ll covet, which is idol worship. You don’t need more wealth; you need more wisdom. Will you be foolish or faithful with what God gives you? Will you be rich toward God and others, or only think of yourself?

The Harvest is Plentiful

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God is both a sent God and a sending God; Jesus was sent as a missionary, and he sends his followers out on the same mission, to bring the good news of his person and work to as many as possible. Jesus says that the harvest is plentiful. Do you believe that today? Pray for more laborers who are willing to follow God’s specific call for them, like the seventy-two did in Luke 10.