TLDR;
This sermon explores the eighth commandment, "Thou shalt not steal," revealing its depth and implications for Christians. It goes beyond the obvious act of taking physical possessions, and examines the various subtle ways we can steal, such as taking people's time, credit, or God's glory. It emphasizes the importance of repenting from the heart behind stealing, which includes rejecting God as owner and provider, and violating His design for love, justice, and stewardship. The sermon concludes by encouraging listeners to replace taking with blessing, laboring to give, and sharing God's love with others.
- Recognize the many ways we steal, both obvious and subtle.
- Repent of the heart behind stealing, acknowledging that it rejects God as owner and provider.
- Replace taking with blessing, laboring to give and sharing God's love with others.
Opening [0:00]
The speaker introduces the topic of the eighth commandment, "Thou shalt not steal," acknowledging the prevalence of stealing, scams, and corruption in today's world. He shares a personal anecdote about his bicycle seat being stolen to illustrate how stealing can lead to distrust. He also touches on everyday inconveniences like forgotten passwords and disabled phone screens, linking them to the broader concept of theft and the need for security in a world where stealing exists.
1. Recognize The Many Ways We Steal [6:30]
The speaker defines stealing as taking what doesn't belong to you, whether it's tangible items or intangible things like time and credit. He provides examples of obvious stealing, such as taking money or possessions, and subtle stealing, such as taking people's time by being late for meetings, robbing God of glory or time, engaging in fraud or scams, taking credit from others, corruption, withholding appreciation, shoplifting, not returning borrowed items, cheating in business, giving dishonest effort at work, withholding what is due, and damaging someone's reputation. He emphasizes that stealing is more than just taking things; it's taking, withholding, or misusing what belongs to God and what He has entrusted to others.
Obvious and Subtle Stealing [8:06]
The speaker elaborates on the different ways we can steal, distinguishing between obvious and subtle forms. Obvious stealing includes taking money or possessions, while subtle stealing involves taking people's time, robbing God of glory or time, engaging in fraud or scams, taking credit from others, corruption, withholding appreciation, shoplifting, not returning borrowed items, cheating in business, giving dishonest effort at work, withholding what is due, and damaging someone's reputation.
2. Repent Of The Heart Behind Stealing [16:42]
The speaker transitions to the second point, emphasizing the importance of repenting of the heart behind stealing. He explains that stealing is not merely a hand problem but a heart problem, and that the heart behind stealing rejects God as owner and provider, violates God's design for love, justice, and stewardship, and destroys people and spreads lies.
Stealing Rejects God As Owner [17:15]
The speaker explains that when someone steals, they are rejecting God as the owner of everything. He emphasizes that God owns our time, our families, and all that exists. Taking something from someone is not only taking from that person but also from God, who gave that item to them.
Stealing Rejects God As Provider [18:06]
The speaker explains that stealing rejects God as provider. People often steal because they want something that God has not yet given them. By taking matters into their own hands, they reject God's role as the one who supplies their needs. The speaker references verses from the Old and New Testaments that highlight God's promise to provide for His people.
Stealing Violates God's Design For Love, Justice, And Stewardship [20:48]
The speaker explains that stealing violates God's design for love, justice, and stewardship. When someone steals, they are not loving their neighbor, being just, or being a good steward. Instead, they are acting in opposition to love, justice, and stewardship, which God hates.
Stealing Destroys [24:40]
The speaker emphasizes the destructive nature of stealing, stating that the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. He shares a personal story about his family experiencing a break-in and the trauma it caused, highlighting the far-reaching effects of stealing beyond just the loss of material possessions. He also references the story of Achen in Joshua 7:1, where stealing led to defeat in battle and severe consequences for the individual and his family.
Stealing Spreads Evil Because Sin Begets Sin [28:10]
The speaker explains that stealing spreads evil because sin begets sin. He uses the example of David's sin with Bathsheba to illustrate how one sin can lead to a cascade of other sins, including adultery, lying, and murder. He warns that small sins can be dangerous because they can lead to a whole host of other sins.
3. Replace Taking With Blessing [30:28]
The speaker transitions to the third point, encouraging listeners to replace taking with blessing. He references Paul's words in Ephesians 4:28, urging those who have stolen to steal no longer but to labor, performing with their own hands what is good, so that they will have something to share with one who has need. He emphasizes that God turns takers into givers and provides a chart with practical examples of how to replace stealing with giving in various areas of life.
Labor To Give, Not Steal [32:08]
The speaker provides a chart with practical examples of how to replace stealing with giving in various areas of life. If before we stole things, now let us work extra hard to give to someone who has need. If before I was late to a meeting, what must I do? I must plan my day to come a little early or maybe a lot early. If we steal peace from our wife, what? Maybe we can give ourselves more because the Bible says, "Husbands, love your wife as what? Christ loved the church and gave himself for her." If you stole attention from your children before, labor to be present. If you stole from your employer before, give excellence this time. If before you stole glory from God, labor to do double time and ask God to redeem your days.
Testimony Sharer - Manny Aguila [35:57]
Manny Aguila shares his testimony of how the love of Christ transformed his life and taught him to walk in integrity, even when compromise seemed easier and more profitable. He recounts an experience in his early years in corporate sales when an agent offered him a bribe to allow him to negotiate with one of his accounts. He also shares how God sustained him through various health and financial challenges, including a stroke and the passing of his sister.
Heart Of Thief Vs. Giver [44:44]
The speaker contrasts the heart of a thief with the heart of a giver. The thief rejects God as owner, while the giver trusts God as owner and provider. The thief violates God's design, while the giver upholds God's design for love, justice, and stewardship. The thief destroys people and spreads evil, while the giver blesses people and spreads God's love.
Closing [45:43]
The speaker explains how a taker becomes a giver by receiving something they do not deserve. He references the story of Zakius, who went from being a thief to a giver after meeting Jesus. He emphasizes that Jesus paid a debt He did not owe because we owed a debt we could not pay. He concludes by encouraging listeners to receive the gift of eternal life and to share God's love with others.
Sunday Fast Track [53:46]
Bianca Kadderon interviews brother Peter Tanti Jr. to answer questions about the message.
Q1. In what ways can we became thieves without stealing materially? [54:19]
Peter Tanti Jr. explains that stealing is not just about taking things. It's also about taking what does not belong to you and taking what God has given others, such as time, recognition, God's glory, and peace.
Q2. What does true repentance from stealing look like? [54:58]
Peter Tanti Jr. explains that true repentance involves being sorry and then trying to make up for what you've done to the best of your ability, such as returning money, being early to meetings, returning resources, and working hard to rebuild trust.
Q3. How should Christians respond to issues of theft [55:51]
Peter Tanti Jr. explains that Christians should pray, be faithful where they are, disciple one another to raise a young generation that is faithful to Jesus, and partner together to pray for the nation and to love it.
