Sermon on the Ten Commandments (#10): “You Shall Not Covet”

• Covet or Content?

1. (Luke 12:15) Don’t Seek Possessions
   • (Explanation) Jesus warns us not to rest our identity upon money. We can try to build up our savings accounts, get great jobs, buy huge houses, but completely miss out on all joy in our lives. The deceiving thing about coveting is this: there’s no limit. You can never be satisfied if you struggle with coveting. It’s like as if every time you covet something you big yourself a deeper hole, trapping yourself in a pit. The only way out is by being content.
   • (Illustration) Amy Carmichael: As a child, she wanted blue eyes so badly; constantly, she would pray that God would miraculously change their color – He never did though. Later in her life, she became a missionary to the country of India. At that time, people who had any kind of eye color other than brown were viewed suspiciously. In fact, to blend in with the people, she dyed her skin with coffee. If her childhood prayer had become a reality, her life work would’ve been altered significantly. In India, Amy Carmichael had a remarkable life of service, ministering in that country for 55 years.
   • (Application) Consider this quote from Carmichael: “One can give without loving, but one cannot love without giving.” This is the exact opposite of covetousness, for when one covets, he is selfishly seeking to satisfy his own appetite and desires. However, love is sacrificial service to another. Which leads us to the second point…
2. (Matthew 6:19-21) Seek Heavenly Treasure
   • (Explanation) Here’s the thing about “desires”: desires are good. Buddhism teaches that we need to be rid of desires altogether and experience a state of nirvana, which is illogical because in attempting to rid yourself of “desires,” you are actually “desiring” nirvana. Jesus, on the other hand, calls us to desire things that will not wear down, rust, or get destroyed. I think this refers to how much we value God, and that means, if we live our lives according to God’s will on earth, then there will be rewards for us in heaven.
   • (Illustration) Imagine that you are given a credit card with an unlimited limit. Each time you use that credit card, you add more on your account. However, this is a “Kingdom” credit card, so whenever you do things to build up treasure in heaven, you can use this card. So, the more you use the card, the more treasure you are storing up in heaven.
   • (Application) [1] How do we “build up” treasure? Loving God and serving others with a heart that is pleasing to God. [2] What is the heavenly treasure? Scripture doesn’t tell us too much on this detail – there are 5 crowns mentioned in the Bible. Whatever the treasure is, we can be assured that it’s good.
3. (2 Corinthians 8:9) Seek Christ, Our Ultimate Treasure {Who to consider}
   • (Explanation) Out of everything that we can see about this 10^th commandment, I think this verse presents the most amazing truth: Christ became poor so that we could become rich. Imagine Bill Gates giving up his entire life saving’s so that someone else would become as he once was. Christ gave up everything, even His own life to be crucified on the cross, so that we could be rich in His grace. G-R-A-C-E (“God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense”).
   • (Illustration) Joe Flacco: 120.6 million dollar contract for 6 years. Let’s say you are a homeless bum on the streets of Baltimore. As he walks towards you, He says, here’s 120.6 million dollars; it’s all yours. Consequently, Flacco is out of money, and so he becomes the bum on the street.
   • (Application) If you struggle with coveting, think as often as you can about the example of Christ – how He became poor so that we could become rich. Maybe even memorize this verse if you’d like.

Conclusion:

• Do we covet what others have? {covet other families have more money; covet someone’s appearance; covet the talents of others; etc.) It can be hard not to. But you see, coveting what others have shows us that we don’t really value what God has provided for us. And also, God wanted to show us that our desires are easily captured by things that don’t matter. So really, this command is meant for us to keep our minds and hearts directed toward God. (Isaiah 26:3)

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Sermon on the Ten Commandments (#9): “You Shall Not Bear False Witness”

• “True and False Witnesses”

1. (Matthew 15:19-20a) A False Witness Destroys Lives
   • (Explanation) If you notice, these kinds of sins affect others, except for that first one. So speaking lies can have a devastating affect to not only yourself, but others too. Where do lies come from? The heart. And the heart is extremely powerful, so much that we can cook up feelings of hatred toward others, even to the point of destroying lives by speaking falsely about them.
   • (Illustration) Ray Lewis – What if the witnesses at the scene were Giants fans or enemies to Lewis? Witnesses can either tell the truth to defend a person’s innocence, or lie to take advantage of them.
2. (Proverbs 14:25) A True Witness Saves Lives
   • (Explanation) Can you mame some jobs that involve saving lives: firemen, doctors, paramedics, military, etc. Here, the Bible teaches us that speaking the truth can save lives.
   • (Application) Ways that speaking the truth can save lives: (1) Sharing the Gospel (2) Confronting sin (3) Encouraging the depressed. Whatever the case, speaking the truth is always an honorable thing.
3. (John 18:33-40) A False Witness Killed Jesus
   • (Explanation) For everyone who has ever been falsely accused of doing wrong, Jesus is the greatest example. This government ruler, Pilate, questions Jesus to see why in the world people want Him executed. The only reason is that people hate the fact that He calls Himself a King; it’s a ridiculous trial! Now, in those days, the people would celebrate a holiday called Passover – at that time, the people could release one prisoner. This time it could be either Jesus or a criminal named Barabbas. They released the guilty man and convicted the innocent man. Think about this: perhaps this is a picture of all of us. We’re all the rightful criminals against God, and yet we are released from the penalty of our sin because Jesus died in our place on the cross. A false witness got Jesus killed and we’re all responsible. But look at what’s next: A true witness not only died for us, but saved our lives.
   • (Illustration) Katniss & Prim – Katniss took the place of Prim that surely would’ve led to the little girl’s death.
   • (Application) What makes the story of the Gospel even greater is that Jesus didn’t die for just the cute, “innocent” 12-year olds, but the evil thieves and criminals.
4. (1 John 2:1-2) A True Witness Saved Our Lives
   • (Explanation) God’s desire for us is that we would not sin; but when we do sin, we don’t look to Jesus as our judge in the courtroom but as our lawyer.
   • (Illustration) Driving in a car when you’re speeding, you see a police car on the shoulder – you get fined, he pays for the ticket, all you have to do is sign.

• Conclusion:
  • Telling the truth is important because it shows love, rather than hatred, towards others.
  • The truth about Jesus, that He is either your judge or advocate, is probably the most important thing to ever think about.

Sermon on the Ten Commandments (#8): “You Shall Not Steal”

3 Truths About Jesus And Thieves

1. (Ephesians 4:28) Jesus Confronted Thieves {see also Jesus and the money changers @ the temple}
   • (Explanation) The whole idea in Ephesians 4 is how Christians can live in a new and better way than previously. So, here the Apostle Paul, who is getting this information from Jesus, says, “Don’t steal anymore if you’re a Christian.” What is at the core of stealing? The very simplest explanation is that stealing shows that you simply don’t care about your neighbor – you automatically consider yourself better than others. Also, stealing shows that you simply don’t care about God. There are thoughts that go through your mind when you steal something: one is that that “nobody will ever know.” But the truth is, God does know AND your stealing habits do affect others.
   • (Illustration) Robin Hood {steal from rich/give to poor} – However, God’s Word says, “Stop stealing, earn money, and then give to the poor.”
   • (Application) Illegal music downloading
2. (Luke 19:1-10) Jesus Befriended Thieves
   • (Explanation) Some of you are familiar with the children’s song: “Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he. He climbed in a sycamore tree, for the Lord he wanted to see…” Here’s the thing about Zacchaeus: everyone hated him because he was a tax collector, and he would often charge people way too much in taxes, and just keep a lot of the extra tax money for himself – that’s stealing. So, it’s understandable why he was an outcast, but had lots of money. And when people saw that Jesus was going to eat a meal with Zacchaeus in his house, people “grumbled” – they were shocked and angry. The question is, would our attitudes be the same? If we saw Jesus going to the house of Zacchaeus, would we grumble?
   • (Application) 2 People to consider in this store: [1] Maybe you’re Zacchaeus in this story – The feeling you can’t be forgiven and that you are stuck in your ways of deception. [2] Maybe you’re an onlooker in the crowd – The feeling of being sinned against.
   • (Illustration) Debit card theft – my emotions towards the unknown thief were quite negative. I couldn’t stand the reality that someone tried to take what I worked so hard to get – over $800. If I saw Jesus inviting that man for dinner, I would get a little uncomfortable to say the least. All I know is that by God’s grace, a man like Zacchaeus can be completely changed just by encountering the Son of God. And since I come to Jesus as a Zacchaeus, a man who tried to manipulate His Father for my own benefit, why should I ever look to others with a begrudging heart?
3. (Luke 23:32-43) Jesus Died For Thieves And With Thieves
   • (Explanation) On the cross, as Jesus was being crucified, there were two men with him. One of them was completely in opposition to Jesus, while the other had a repentant heart – his heart toward Christ was changed. Even this one thief was a terrible criminal and deserved his crime, he was on a cross next to Jesus, who was perfect; Jesus didn’t deserve death. And yet, there he hung, between two thieves.
   • (Illustration) Write on a piece of paper: What is the worst you can image? Then, throw away the paper.
   • (Application) The Bible is not a story of how good people go to heaven; it’s a story of how sinners can have a relationship with the God whom they have sinned against.

Conclusion:

1. • So what does this all mean for us?
     • 1- Stealing is a sin [it goes against loving God & loving our neighbors]
     • 2- Thieves are not out of the reach of God’s grace and a relationship with Jesus Christ – the question is, to each of us, will we be like the one thief on the cross who had a careless attitude towards Christ? Or, will we be like the other thief who humbled himself and trusted in Christ to save him from his sins?
     • 3- If you are a Christian, and you are struggling with the sin of stealing, will you make a commitment tonight to follow God in obedience to the 8^th commandment?
       • Return stolen items
       • Get a friend for accountability help
       • Daily asking God for the courage to follow His commandments

Sermon on the Ten Commandments (#7): “You Shall Not Commit Adultery”

• 3 Questions to Ask About Adultery

1. (Genesis 2:18-25 & 3:7-8) Why Is Adultery So Serious?
   • (Explanation) Okay, so we’re backtracking all the way to the creation of the world where God created Adam, but He announces that this isn’t good. So he makes someone who will be a perfect wife for him, and while sleeping, Adam has emergency surgery and God forms a woman. He wakes up, looks across from him and says, “Whoa man.” In verse 24, we see that God has a pattern for a man and a woman: leave father and mother, and join together in marriage. And so they really had a perfect marriage for a little while. But then, what happened in chapter 3? The very first sin involved a marriage: Adam didn’t show protective leadership for his wife, and Eve and herself was deceived too. Look at verses 7-8 though; their sin caused a shame between one another and between themselves and God. And so, they couldn’t completely trust one another any more.
   • It destroys trust with the person you are closest to.
2. (Hosea 2:7) What Are The Consequences of Adultery?
   • (Explanation) Don’t know if you’ve ever gone through the book of Hosea, but in this book, there’s a strange story happening. {Have student imitate Hosea} God spoke to his prophet Hosea, and told him that his wife was going to commit adultery against him. But God told Hosea to stay committed to his wife, even though she would be completely unfaithful. And so through the life of Hosea, God is teaching all of us that we’re like Hosea’s wife, Gomer. We’re often unfaithful to God; we often are swept away by sin and idols like a woman betrays her husband. But what happens to us when we’re unfaithful to God? Look at the end of verse 7: we realize that a life committed to God is much better than the way we’ve been living. We are left empty and in despair. You ever feel that way?
   • It deceives you into emptiness and despair. But is there any hope for an adulterer?
3. (Matthew 5:27-28) How Do I Know If I Am Committing Adultery?
   • (Explanation) You know, it’s easy to follow the 7^th commandment if all that matters whether or not we cross a line we design ourselves. When does adultery occur, say, for a man who cheats on his wife? Is it on a date? Is it in the secret “love” letters? Is it when he’s in her home alone, or further? Jesus says that it’s even before any of those actions are taken: adultery starts in the heart.
   • It is not about crossing a man-made line but causing lust.

• Conclusion: We’ve probably all broken this commandment to some degree. So, we’re all equally guilty before God – what’s done is done and we can’t reverse it. However, the only hope that we could ever have a relationship to God is only possible because of the grace of God. Jesus didn’t die for the your sins, he died for those who have cheated on spouses, who have been unfaithful to God all of their lives, etc. God’s grace covers all. I don’t know where you stand on this commandment, whether you’ve been physically immoral or whether you’ve simply broken this commandment in your heart. Wherever you stand, I want you remember the grace that God offers. So that if we break the 7^th commandment, we would repent of our disobedience and find forgiveness in what Jesus has done for you through the cross and His resurrection.

Sermon on the Ten Commandments (#6): “You Shall Not Murder”

Series Introduction: When I served as a youth pastor, I taught a series on the Ten Commandments. The applications were geared towards teenagers. These sermons were essentially my sermon notes and will hopefully help you in your studies, though I’m sure if I were to preach these again, there are some things I would change. Enjoy!

•  Introduction:
  • Kiyoshiro Yamamoto could get 67 years in prison if convicted of smuggling and selling meat from endangered Sei whales at the now-defunct Hump restaurant in Santa Monica….[One person commented on that website article] “Isn’t that ridiculous! I can get less for killing someone!!!!!” [A person responded to that comment and said,] “There is an unlimited supply of you.” [4 people “liked” that response]
• Questions:
  • Are men and women a special creation, or are they on the same level of importance as animals?
  • When does life begin?
  • What is at the heart of this 6^th commandment? Is it more than just a command to keep yourself from killing people?
• Proposition/Topic: 3 Topics About “You Shall Not Murder”

1. [Genesis 9:6-7] Murder Is An Assault On the Image of God
   • (Explanation) What this really shows is that men and women are God’s most special creation, and to destroy a life is to destroy someone made in the “image of God.” [1] Signature on a painting. [2] Think of a how a mirror reflects a picture of you. So, if you murder someone you are murdering a person creation to be a reflection/mirror of God Himself. Therefore, murder doesn’t just affect others; it affects God also.
   • (Illustration) List of most valuable possessions…What are some of your most valuable possessions? {cell phone/wedding ring/laptop/people are much more important}
   • (Application) People are not only important and valuable to God, but they are important and valuable to us as well.
2. [Psalm 139:13-16] Murder Can Start In A Mother’s Womb
   • (Explanation) When it comes to the issue of murder, we need to know what defines someone as a person and when life begins. According to the Bible, God is carefully involved in forming each child in a mother’s womb. And so, the popular topic in our day is about two options we have on human life: pro-life or pro-choice. What are the reasons someone would be pro-choice? Compare those reasons with what Scripture teaches about the beginning of life, the importance of human life, etc.
   • (Illustration) Duck, Duck, Goose. Do you all have any control over whether you’re called a duck or a goose? You never had a chance to make that choice; I made it for you. So it is with abortion.
   • (Application) So what does this all mean for us? What if a friend of yours got pregnant – teenager, before marriage? Let’s say they come up to you and ask, “Should I have an abortion?” [1] It is against God’s commands [2] Your baby is a human being created in the image of God, he/she is valuable.
3. [Matthew 5:21-22] Murder Doesn’t Always Involve A Knife or Gun
   • (Explanation) Wow, those are some strong words. What this means for us is that a lot of us have broken the 6^th Sure, we’re not convicted criminals, but we have committed sins that are just as wrong in the sight of a perfectly holy God. So, we can’t look at murderers and say, “At least I’ve never been as low as you” because Jesus says that even hatred against another person is just as evil. That’s a little scary for me.

Sermon on the Ten Commandments (#5): “Honor Your Father and Mother”

Series Introduction: When I served as a youth pastor, I taught a series on the Ten Commandments. The applications were geared towards teenagers. These sermons were essentially my sermon notes and will hopefully help you in your studies, though I’m sure if I were to preach these again, there are some things I would change. Enjoy!

***Quick caveat: for those that have read my other sermons on this series, you will notice that this one is basically an outline. Evidently, I was very busy this week and did much of the sermon prep on paper! But feel free to incorporate this outline into your own studies.***

• Topic: God’s Heart For Families

1. God’s Heart For…Fathers
   • (Explanation)
     1. Fathers Instruct (Ephesians 6:4)
     2. Fathers Discipline (Hebrews 12:7)
2. God’s Heart For…Mothers
   • (Explanation)
     1. Mothers…Do A LOT! (Proverbs 31:10 and 25-30)
3. God’s Heart For…Children
   • (Explanation)
     1. Obey & Honor Parents (Ephesians 6:1-3)

• Conclusion: Why Are Families Important to God?
  • Our families on earth remind us of our relationship to God (John 1:12)
  • When we live out the roles in our families, we are fulfilling God’s purposes for us. (Ephesians 5:22-25 & 5^th Commandment)

Sermon on the Ten Commandments (#4): “Remember the Sabbath Day, to Keep it Holy”

Series Introduction: When I served as a youth pastor, I taught a series on the Ten Commandments. The applications were geared towards teenagers. These sermons were essentially my sermon notes and will hopefully help you in your studies, though I’m sure if I were to preach these again, there are some things I would change. Enjoy!

• Introduction: Name the country that has the highest average of vacation days per year. (Germany – 30)
• Subject Step: Today we’re talking about a pretty relaxing topic: rest.
• Proposition: Why Is The Sabbath Important?
• (Genesis 2:2-3) The Sabbath Follows The Pattern Of God’s Creation Week
  • (Explanation) In Genesis 1, we read of the details about how God created the universe, and the things we see on earth. Days 1-6, God created everything that was to be made, but on the 7^th day, He rested. It wasn’t like He needed a break, but He was purposefully setting a pattern for our weeks.
  • (Illustration) Tuning a guitar – the idea is, “We need a standard for living.”
  • (Application) If we take 1 day out of the week devoted to public worship, resting from our jobs, taking some time to relax, spend time with family and friends, I think we’d find our lives to be a little more in synch with God’s will.
• (Mark 2:23-38) The Sabbath Is For Our Own Good
  • (Explanation) What had happened is that the Pharisees were hard-core law police. They knew very well that God had said for His people to keep the Sabbath and rest from work, but in their pursuits of keeping the rules of the law (and adding their own rules on top of God’s law), they missed the purpose of these laws and their attention was turned away from God Himself.
  • (Illustration) Comparison: a love letter from a wife vs. a grocery list
  • (Application) The Pharisees didn’t really seem to pay attention very much to the things written in the Bible about how God has a loving relationship with His people – on the other hand they had the commands down. It would be as if my entire focus in my relationship to Cindy was just to check off things in a shopping list but to have no affection for her. We can do that easily with studying God’s commands that we focus so much on doing obeying these 10 commandments, but we forget that these commands are for our benefit. This is good news that we have a day in each to reflect and worship God who pursues us for a relationship.
• (Acts 20:7 & Heb. 4:9-10) The Sabbath Reminds Us Of The Gospel
  • (Explanation) So here’s what this verse teaches us: the churches from the time right after Christ had ascended into heaven were meeting together for worship. Now, instead of meeting on Saturday, they met on Sunday (“the first day of the week”). That brings us to an important point: When we gather together for public worship, our focus is not on ourselves, but on Christ and what He’s accomplished – we are reminded of the Gospel!
  • (Argumentation) Hebrews 4:9-10
  • (Application) The Gospel is so important because we really work hard to please God on our own efforts, but it’s never enough. On the other hand, the Gospel says that Christ has already accomplished the work necessary to be reunited with God.
  • (Illustration) Ultramarathon – some of these are over 1,000 miles during a period of several days. 70,000 people, approximately, attempt to run these events. I’d probably die, but I at least know that it doesn’t sound appealing to me. A lot of people constantly live their lives as if they always on a treadmill – that is, they are constantly trying to do religious things in order to be accepted in God’s sight. Can you imagine coming into church with the option of sitting in a nice, comfortable recliner or a treadmill – which one would you choose? Here’s the thing about the Sabbath – it reminds us of the Gospel! It reminds us that we are accepted into God’s family by simply placing our faith in Christ and His finished work on the cross.
• Conclusion: What happens once we get rest? We are empowered to work; serving God, then, becomes a joy. That’s what happened to me, I thought if I could just complete a few more items of my “Christianity” list, then I would be accepted and have rest. But with God, it’s the other way around; He says, (1) “Enter my rest” (2) Now, go into all the world and make disciples.