You Shall Not Steal

[SPEAKER_00]: Let's get started.

[SPEAKER_00]: We are continuing our series on the 10 commandments and it's been good, hasn't it?

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, thumbs up.

[SPEAKER_00]: And you see thumbs up.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's been good.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't appreciate that.

[SPEAKER_00]: So put those thumbs up.

[SPEAKER_00]: There we go.

[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you.

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[SPEAKER_00]: Let's go speed through the commandments.

[SPEAKER_00]: What's the first amendment?

[SPEAKER_00]: You should have no other gods.

[SPEAKER_00]: Do you guys say that?

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, no other gods.

[SPEAKER_00]: Second commitment, anyone know that one?

[SPEAKER_00]: Raise your hand, tell me.

[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, good job.

[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, good job, OK. No idols, no graining images.

[SPEAKER_00]: K, third commitment.

[SPEAKER_00]: Tell them?

[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, that's sixth commitment, but that was more recent for sure.

[SPEAKER_00]: Do not take those men in the day?

[SPEAKER_00]: Do not take the loser man.

[SPEAKER_01]: You guys say that, do not take the loser man in the day.

[SPEAKER_00]: Excellent.

[SPEAKER_00]: Remember the Saturday to keep it holy right on.

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[SPEAKER_00]: Number five, Josh.

[SPEAKER_00]: On your father and mother, close.

[SPEAKER_00]: That is an education.

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[SPEAKER_00]: Number six, Bella.

[SPEAKER_00]: There we go.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, the right on.

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[SPEAKER_00]: Number seven.

[SPEAKER_00]: I did this last time.

[SPEAKER_00]: There we go.

[SPEAKER_00]: Good one.

[SPEAKER_00]: And number eight.

[SPEAKER_00]: They don't know that.

[SPEAKER_00]: X is 21 15 Blake.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're going to use it's 428 because excess 2015 just says you shall not steal.

[SPEAKER_00]: I can be here for tonight is you shall not steal and this command forbids stealing.

[SPEAKER_00]: So here's a note of when Matthew taught you taught about others.

[SPEAKER_00]: The command is they have a negative sign of positive sign.

[SPEAKER_00]: Something they forbid, don't do that.

[SPEAKER_00]: Something they require, do that.

[SPEAKER_00]: So if this thing says do not steal, what is it required?

[SPEAKER_00]: Give.

[SPEAKER_00]: Be generous.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, and we'll see you a little bit more on packing that the rest is night.

[SPEAKER_00]: So, let's re-introduce for 28, and then we will.

[SPEAKER_00]: Didn't.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you have had to take them off for the reading of that word.

[SPEAKER_00]: Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor.

[SPEAKER_00]: doing honest work with his own hands that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

[SPEAKER_00]: Let's pray.

[SPEAKER_00]: Lord, thank you for your word.

[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for what Jesus is done for us to make us new.

[SPEAKER_00]: They will be transformed to the honest and fair and have integrity in all of us to be content with what you've given us and give thanks for it.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then be generous and hardworking and not lazy.

[SPEAKER_00]: Lord, make us see Jesus more, especially that's what we need right now.

[SPEAKER_00]: And we desperately, Lord, this is our prayer altogether, Holy Spirit, come and work in our hearts.

[SPEAKER_00]: Make them soft, because we can so easily be cold and hardened and prideful and not submitted to your word, or dull, or blind, we need you desperately, Lord, I need you.

[SPEAKER_00]: So come and help us understand your word,

[SPEAKER_00]: So way back in 1805, a man named George Mueller was born.

[SPEAKER_00]: Anyone that ever heard of George Mueller?

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I've heard about him too, so that makes a couple of us.

[SPEAKER_00]: This man was born in Prussia, which is now Germany.

[SPEAKER_00]: And he was born to a pretty rich dad.

[SPEAKER_00]: But early on in his life, he just struggled and just gave himself over to stealing.

[SPEAKER_00]: When he was 10 years old,

[SPEAKER_00]: Author is like he'd be stealing from his dad, who's rich and I'd money all over the house basically.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's steal this money.

[SPEAKER_00]: So one time to test him, his dad put money in his room and said, hey, can you take care of this and make sure it's protected?

[SPEAKER_00]: And guess what George Mueller did?

[SPEAKER_00]: My dad was gone, he took a son and put him in his shoe, brilliant, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: Brilliant idea.

[SPEAKER_00]: Well, guess what?

[SPEAKER_00]: When his dad came back, there was no as much money as before.

[SPEAKER_00]: And so he searched him and found it, and the George Mueller was disciplined.

[SPEAKER_00]: And this went on, but then it stopped him.

[SPEAKER_00]: He kept living in his way stealing more and more.

[SPEAKER_00]: Even though he got to boarding school, he's still in different ways.

[SPEAKER_00]: He was sometimes go on journeys, that he's not allowed to go on.

[SPEAKER_00]: From one hotel to another, wasting all his dad's money, and then once he lost his money, he would still keep going to these hotels, and then when he had stayed there for a couple days, he would try to leave without paying for it.

[SPEAKER_00]: But then he got caught, and he was thrown in jail for a month until his dad bailed him out.

[SPEAKER_00]: And you think, he'd stop, but he kept doing the same thing.

[SPEAKER_00]: He kept stealing, kept taking people's money, and lying to try to cover it up.

[SPEAKER_00]: Later,

[SPEAKER_00]: he's gone on more vacations, he just loved to all the entertainment pleasures and funny could get.

[SPEAKER_00]: And he went with his friends on a 43, he's like, I'm only gone a 43 day trip through Switzerland, because I've never been there before because he was in Germany.

[SPEAKER_00]: But the problem was, they didn't have money to do that.

[SPEAKER_00]: So they said he's what we'll do.

[SPEAKER_00]: We'll get our parents, we'll get some documents, we'll force their names, pretending that it's from them in order to give money from the people that are kind of under them, and then that's how we're going to fund our mission.

[SPEAKER_00]: So they were stealing and lying in fortune in order to get this trip.

[SPEAKER_00]: But it didn't stop there.

[SPEAKER_00]: He did this while his friends, but then when he was on the trip with his friends, they had this common money bag that hauled the hell out of their money in it, and he was the one in charge of it.

[SPEAKER_00]: And he even worked it out.

[SPEAKER_00]: So he had to pay way less for the trip than the other guys did.

[SPEAKER_00]: So he was stealing from his friends and even them.

[SPEAKER_00]: and he would keep deceiving and lying to them.

[SPEAKER_00]: But most people don't know George Miller for being a thief.

[SPEAKER_00]: Because God saved him.

[SPEAKER_00]: God had mercy on him and made him a thief, a generous man.

[SPEAKER_00]: When the Lord saved him, he immediately stopped stealing.

[SPEAKER_00]: And over time, he stopped lying to, even though there's so struggle with that.

[SPEAKER_00]: And he moved in time to Bristol and England.

[SPEAKER_00]: where he started an orphanage and throughout his life, he took care of 10,000 orphans.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know how he did it by train.

[SPEAKER_00]: He never asked a single person for money.

[SPEAKER_00]: When he had a need, he would just say, Lord, give me the money.

[SPEAKER_00]: I actually, we need this to provide for this kid.

[SPEAKER_00]: We need this order to build an orphanage.

[SPEAKER_00]: We need this to get food on the table.

[SPEAKER_00]: And there's so many crazy stories I don't have the book with me, but you can read his biography that might be good summary in video.

[SPEAKER_00]: 10,000 orphans, just through prayer, he raised 120 in today's money, $129 million.

[SPEAKER_00]: Never asking anyone, just asking God for provision.

[SPEAKER_00]: He records in his autobiography over 50,000 answers to specific prayer, and he found in 117 schools and distributed 250,000 bibles in Europe, educated 120,000 children.

[SPEAKER_00]: He also preached at a church called Bethesda Chapel for 66 years and then at the end of his life after he did all those things, he traveled 200,000 miles to preach all throughout Europe.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus changed him by his grace from being a greedy and selfish thief to giving his life to work hard, pray, and give in circles.

[SPEAKER_00]: And this way this command is all about, that's where the verse we read is all about.

[SPEAKER_00]: God commands us and will power us to change our greedy hearts and grabbing hands, snatching to generous hearts with giving hands, offering freely and working hands.

[SPEAKER_00]: So that moving saw on our passage, that the thief no longer steal, that's grabbing hands.

[SPEAKER_00]: Grab, grab, grab, grab, grab, grab, grab, grab, I want it for me.

[SPEAKER_00]: That comes to a greedy heart.

[SPEAKER_00]: But rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, working hands.

[SPEAKER_00]: This command calls us to have working hands, to do good on his work.

[SPEAKER_00]: And why does it want to see that?

[SPEAKER_00]: So that he may, but one who's once a thief, may have something to share with anyone in need.

[SPEAKER_00]: So that's what we're talking about tonight.

[SPEAKER_00]: This command tells us to no longer have draping hands, but to have working hands, building, doing productive things, and giving hands, offering, helping other people.

[SPEAKER_00]: Grab a hand.

[UNKNOWN]: There we go.

[SPEAKER_00]: Good job.

[SPEAKER_00]: Good job.

[SPEAKER_00]: OK. Let the thief no longer steal.

[SPEAKER_00]: So guys, what do you think is meant?

[SPEAKER_00]: What does it mean to steal?

[SPEAKER_00]: Bella?

[SPEAKER_00]: Thanks.

[SPEAKER_01]: It doesn't belong to you.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, that's a really good answer.

[SPEAKER_00]: Taking something that does not belong to you.

[SPEAKER_00]: Stealing is acquiring something that we want or we need.

[SPEAKER_00]: And the way that's not fair, not just on that and not honest.

[SPEAKER_00]: But when we have that word stealing, it encompasses a lot more things than just going up to someone saying, give me your lunch money or give me your thoughts if you guys have watched the movie I'm talking about.

[SPEAKER_00]: You might know what I'm talking about, it's only give me your thoughts.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's more than just taking someone's thoughts at the cafeteria.

[SPEAKER_00]: So that is the first thing that was outright stealing when we take anything that belongs to another person without their permission, whether it be the toilet friend, their money,

[SPEAKER_00]: The only that that's stealing feels the only proper ways to acquire something or if it's given to us, we buy it or if we aren't it by honest work.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's the only proper way to get something.

[SPEAKER_00]: But there's another way, not just out by stealing, but also cheating.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's wise cheating breaking this command.

[SPEAKER_00]: because you're thinking about, you're doing school or games you're doing sports and you break the rules in order to get this thing.

[SPEAKER_00]: Cause remember stealing is when you want something you need something, but you do it the way it's not fair.

[SPEAKER_00]: You try to get it in a way that's not fair in an honest.

[SPEAKER_00]: So when you break the rules, you're not playing fair.

[SPEAKER_00]: And so that's breaking this command of stealing.

[SPEAKER_00]: Whether it's a little board game or whether it's cheating on your,

[SPEAKER_00]: in your school to get a better grade.

[SPEAKER_00]: I recently, I would want to do with math when I was a kid.

[SPEAKER_00]: I want to try to look at the answer key if I could and try to write it all down, but that actually doing the real work, that's cheating, and that's stealing.

[SPEAKER_00]: Another one is lost items.

[SPEAKER_00]: So you see someone drops something like money on the ground,

[SPEAKER_00]: What we should do when someone loses something is make our first, first make efforts to restore it to its owner, before we take it to ourselves.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know what that means?

[SPEAKER_00]: Find us keepers, lose our beepers is stealing.

[SPEAKER_00]: You guys know that.

[SPEAKER_00]: Finders Keepers, those are the reasons for me persist healing.

[SPEAKER_00]: Sameing and I have some memories.

[SPEAKER_00]: I find these keepers now, though I think about it.

[SPEAKER_00]: Very fun memories.

[SPEAKER_00]: You can ask one of us later if you want.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's dealing.

[SPEAKER_00]: First, we should give it to them.

[SPEAKER_00]: And if there's no one claiming it, then it's like, OK, yeah, they're there.

[SPEAKER_00]: They're game.

[SPEAKER_00]: Finders Keepers, those are the reasons for me persisting.

[SPEAKER_00]: So think about this.

[SPEAKER_00]: This might be kind of weird.

[SPEAKER_00]: I remember, as a kid, going to the restaurant, like McDonald's, what a great place.

[SPEAKER_00]: And we order our food, and my parents would get, you know, the large diet coke with light ice, that was my mom would get.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then at the fries, at a burger, no onions for me, please, those were kind of weird.

[SPEAKER_00]: And maybe sometimes, when we go up there, we get an extra fountain drink, or an extra fry.

[SPEAKER_00]: But I was always so upset because when they did that, my parents were honest and went back to the counter and said, hey, you guys gave this to us, but we didn't buy this, so you want to take this back, they were being honest.

[SPEAKER_00]: They were not taking something that they didn't even not pay for, and I didn't like that because I was a sinner.

[SPEAKER_00]: But not only what would happen when they were honest like that is people be like, hey, thank you for being honest, you can have that back, and the same would happen to you, someone draw some money on the ground.

[SPEAKER_00]: And my dad would be like, hey, here's the $20 of my dad, but then your pocket, you can buy me some legos or something.

[SPEAKER_00]: But he'd give it back, and often that person would be kind like here, you could have that, or they'd take it, because it's there, so you know, it's rightfully there's.

[SPEAKER_00]: So if someone drops something, they lose something, and you don't give it back.

[SPEAKER_00]: Well, they give you something that didn't intend to give you, you should give it back, if you don't, it's stealing.

[SPEAKER_00]: Here's another one, this is kind of a bigger word, a pressure.

[SPEAKER_00]: This is it talked about a lot in the Bible, and it's a big word, but a pressure means using your power, or influence, or whatever it is, to get something that does not belong to you.

[SPEAKER_00]: For example, bullying, that would be a pressure, or enslaving someone because you're taking their time and their talents, their abilities, everything that belongs to them, you're just using it for yourself.

[SPEAKER_00]: So that guy who was stealing Napoleon's tots in the pulling dynamite, he was oppressing him.

[SPEAKER_00]: He was pulling him, he was taking what did not belong to him through force.

[SPEAKER_00]: And last one is when you borrow something from someone and you don't give it back, that's stealing.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's also not borrowing, because borrowing implies that you'll come back to them what you don't do that.

[SPEAKER_00]: So, an example for me, this was more early three years ago when I lived with my parents and my sisters, but we go out to a nice restaurant, and there'd be, as a green fire pizza, leftovers in the fridge.

[SPEAKER_00]: And they're my sisters.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I know that.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't like cheap one notice.

[SPEAKER_00]: If I take one piece of pizza, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: So I just kind of take that.

[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe just a bite.

[SPEAKER_00]: Just put it back in there.

[SPEAKER_00]: She won't notice.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's not my pizza.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not supposed to do that.

[SPEAKER_00]: You guys get the point.

[SPEAKER_00]: Anything that belongs to another person, we should not be taking for ourselves.

[SPEAKER_00]: Unless we ask them first.

[SPEAKER_00]: And they give us permission.

[SPEAKER_00]: So this command seeks, it's telling us that we want to acquire something, or we want to maintain our possession of something, we should not do it by dishonest or unfair means.

[SPEAKER_00]: The only lawful way to get something that we want is if we aren't it or it is given to us.

[SPEAKER_00]: Does that make sense?

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, but what's the hard to hide this command?

[SPEAKER_00]: Why is this, why does God command this?

[SPEAKER_00]: It's because God is a God of love.

[SPEAKER_00]: And that's behind all the commandments, I don't remember the two great commandments in the Bible.

[SPEAKER_00]: What's the greatest commandment?

[SPEAKER_00]: love God.

[SPEAKER_00]: You love the Lord.

[SPEAKER_00]: You got with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

[SPEAKER_00]: And the second is like it.

[SPEAKER_00]: Love your neighbor as yourself.

[SPEAKER_00]: Good job.

[SPEAKER_00]: Love your neighbor as yourself.

[SPEAKER_00]: So think about that first.

[SPEAKER_00]: Love your neighbor as yourself.

[SPEAKER_00]: How is this steel instrument?

[SPEAKER_00]: You can do this with any command.

[SPEAKER_00]: How does the command do not steal.

[SPEAKER_00]: Love it your neighbor as yourself.

[SPEAKER_00]: Well, think about it.

[SPEAKER_00]: Whenever we take something that belongs to someone else and keep it for us, I'll be saying, I love myself more than you.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I think I'm more important than you.

[SPEAKER_00]: I know you like this, I know you enjoy this, but I think I would enjoy it and what I want matters more than what you want.

[SPEAKER_00]: My happiness matters more than your happiness.

[SPEAKER_00]: And that's not loving your neighbors yourself.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's putting yourself above them.

[SPEAKER_00]: If we love our neighbors as ourselves, then instead of being envious and jealous and stealing, when they ask something good, we would rejoice and thank God for his goodness to them.

[SPEAKER_00]: We'd be glad that they got that.

[SPEAKER_00]: So love your neighbor as yourself.

[SPEAKER_00]: You would not want someone to steal from you.

[SPEAKER_00]: So do unto others as you would have to do to you.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's the golden rule.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's the loving of your neighbor as yourself.

[SPEAKER_00]: But also this command is written the great commandment to love God.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus says in Matthew 624,

[SPEAKER_00]: No one can serve two masters.

[SPEAKER_00]: Either he will hate the one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

[SPEAKER_00]: You cannot serve God and money.

[SPEAKER_00]: You have to choose.

[SPEAKER_00]: Will you love and live for possessions and enjoy the satisfaction and security they can give you or will you live for God?

[SPEAKER_00]: And the safety and satisfaction and security that you have in hand.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's one or the other.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus makes that very clear.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you live for money, that's ideology.

[SPEAKER_00]: Here's another verse.

[SPEAKER_00]: Hebrews 13 5 says, keep your life free from the love of money and be content with what you have.

[SPEAKER_00]: What do we have?

[SPEAKER_00]: It's better than money.

[SPEAKER_00]: He says in the next part of the verse, and Hebrews 13, for he himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's given us something much better than money.

[SPEAKER_00]: I will never leave you no forsake you.

[SPEAKER_00]: He said he'll be with us and he's better.

[SPEAKER_00]: So we can confidently say in response to God's promise he'd be with us.

[SPEAKER_00]: The Lord is my helper.

[SPEAKER_00]: I will not fear what can man do to me.

[SPEAKER_00]: We easily look to money and possessions for satisfaction, security, for pleasure and protection.

[SPEAKER_00]: And that's how we can know we love it more than God.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's how we can know that we need to turn.

[SPEAKER_00]: And he's better.

[SPEAKER_00]: And that's why Jesus calls us in 9, 6, 33 to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

[SPEAKER_00]: And all these things of the earth will be empty as well.

[SPEAKER_00]: We need to get our priorities straight, our loves in the right order.

[SPEAKER_00]: God above anything, any money, anything that money can buy.

[SPEAKER_00]: So, what that means for you, this man, do not steal, don't have grabbing hands.

[SPEAKER_00]: It means don't cheat in school, or games, or sports.

[SPEAKER_00]: And don't steal from your parents or friends or from stores.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you want something, then ask your parents.

[SPEAKER_00]: And if they decide not to give it to you, they trust that they know better than you, and submit to a respect for decision to withhold it.

[SPEAKER_00]: When time we were at a store, as a kid, it was a cool store, and they had these army guys in the bag, and I was like, I want that.

[SPEAKER_00]: But instead of asking my dad to buy it, or maybe I did, I can't remember.

[SPEAKER_00]: But we walked out of the store.

[SPEAKER_00]: And we were getting close to the car, and then I guess I was holding the bag behind me in my hand, somehow, but the owner of the store is like, hey, sir, your son's got army guys on his hand, he brings us back.

[SPEAKER_00]: And so I got caught because I was stealing.

[SPEAKER_00]: I should have asked my dad, or just recognize this not mine, I don't have any right to take it.

[SPEAKER_00]: I can meet and test what the toy's got's already given me, and my parents are giving me.

[SPEAKER_00]: So the proper thing to do when we want something or need something is to ask the God would help us to see whether, do I really need this God?

[SPEAKER_00]: Is this really something I need or is it just an idol?

[SPEAKER_00]: And then if it is a good thing and you want it, pray that God will give it to you because God is a good father and he loves you.

[SPEAKER_00]: He wants you to enjoy good things.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then, if you've prayed, work hard to get those good things.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you want to like a set or a video game or whatever, it might be that you like to get work hard, do chores, whatever is that you do to make money, in order to get that thing.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then once you get it, enjoy it.

[SPEAKER_00]: God wants you to enjoy the good things he gives you.

[SPEAKER_00]: And give thanks to God for it.

[SPEAKER_00]: So this command clearly forbids stealing, grabbing hands, that take what's not ours, and then the unfair or dishonest way we've tried to get those things.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's the state of negatively.

[SPEAKER_00]: But it put it positively like the rest of our verse says, this duty requires, if we want something, which should do, honestly, labor to get it, which is the next point, working hands.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you're using the 428 says,

[SPEAKER_00]: but the thief no longer should do about rather.

[SPEAKER_00]: Instead of that, let him laborer doing honest work with his own hands.

[SPEAKER_00]: Where he was supposed to do honest work with our own hands.

[SPEAKER_00]: You guys know that work is a good thing.

[SPEAKER_00]: Work is not a result of sin in the fall.

[SPEAKER_00]: God made work before suffering ever entered the world.

[SPEAKER_00]: Before there was ever sin.

[SPEAKER_00]: It was not punishment.

[SPEAKER_00]: It was gifts to us.

[SPEAKER_00]: Isn't that crazy?

[SPEAKER_00]: God wants us to enjoy our work.

[SPEAKER_00]: And please, he has these five 18 to 20 says that.

[SPEAKER_00]: And ecclesiasties 910 says, whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.

[SPEAKER_00]: Whatever your hand finds to do, whatever jog you haven't tried to do, don't do it half hardly, do it with all your might.

[SPEAKER_00]: Because this is not a God of make, just as 2015 says, God of make, put Adam in the gardening into work and keep it.

[SPEAKER_00]: Work is a good thing.

[SPEAKER_00]: It God wants us to enjoy work and their rewards that we get from our work.

[SPEAKER_00]: And we should do all our work as if we're doing it for him.

[SPEAKER_00]: The opposite of working hard.

[SPEAKER_00]: What do you think that is?

[SPEAKER_00]: What's the opposite of working hard?

[SPEAKER_00]: Black and old.

[SPEAKER_00]: Slacking off, I'm like, that's a good way of saying it.

[SPEAKER_00]: I was going to just say laziness, but that's way cooler.

[SPEAKER_00]: Slacking off or slough or a word in the Bible is being a slugger.

[SPEAKER_00]: You guys say slugger?

[SPEAKER_00]: All right.

[SPEAKER_00]: What does that make you think of?

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not slugger.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not a little slugger.

[SPEAKER_00]: Not a little slugger.

[SPEAKER_00]: A slugger.

[SPEAKER_00]: OK, so.

[SPEAKER_01]: Slugger reminds me that when so far in my house,

[SPEAKER_00]: Even, it's all three of our responsibility, so it's not just people who are slacking off, yeah, that's true, and also thinking of the word slugger, sounds like a slog.

[SPEAKER_00]: just sliding, sticking around the floor, not doing anything, like the whole day, and they move like six inches.

[SPEAKER_00]: And you come back and I say, oh look at, maybe two or half inches more.

[SPEAKER_00]: And there's little slide trail, they left behind too.

[SPEAKER_00]: Good job, slug.

[SPEAKER_00]: Go to the ant, oh sluggerde.

[SPEAKER_00]: Some of us are like sluggerds, like slugs.

[SPEAKER_00]: Probably six or six or seven of us has go to the ant, oh sluggerde.

[SPEAKER_00]: Consider her ways and be wise.

[SPEAKER_00]: Without having any chief officer or ruler, she prepares her bread and summer and gather her food and harvest.

[SPEAKER_00]: So don't get like a slut, be like an aunt.

[SPEAKER_00]: You see how busy ants are?

[SPEAKER_00]: They're always working, they're always doing things, or bees, they're always doing good work.

[SPEAKER_00]: And no one has to tell them to do it, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: Some of you guys, when the only time you're losing valuable is when your parents make you do it.

[SPEAKER_00]: But they say these ants, they don't have any chief officer or ruler, but they're doing good work because they realize that's what they're made to do, and we would make to work as well.

[SPEAKER_00]: Now let's keep going.

[SPEAKER_00]: Is this describing you?

[SPEAKER_00]: Could this be said to you, maybe in the summer?

[SPEAKER_00]: How long will you lie there?

[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, sluggard?

[SPEAKER_00]: When will you arrive from your sleep?

[SPEAKER_00]: A little sleep?

[SPEAKER_00]: A little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest.

[SPEAKER_00]: and poverty will come upon you like a robber and want like an armed man.

[SPEAKER_00]: You think I just a little bit more times leaping.

[SPEAKER_00]: Just don't make me do all this stuff and poverty will come upon you.

[SPEAKER_00]: God's saying it's foolish, it's stupid to be lazy, to be like a slug.

[SPEAKER_00]: Perhaps 24, similar, 33, 34 says, I passed by the field of a slugger.

[SPEAKER_00]: You guys say slugger again.

[SPEAKER_00]: By the vineyard of a man lacking sense, he's dumb.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's another way of saying it.

[SPEAKER_00]: Lacking sense.

[SPEAKER_00]: Think about this.

[SPEAKER_00]: Could this describe your guys' bedrooms?

[SPEAKER_00]: And keep reading this.

[SPEAKER_00]: And behold, it was all overgrown with thorns.

[SPEAKER_00]: Hopefully not thorns in your bedroom, but is it just all overgrown and wild?

[SPEAKER_00]: The ground was covered with nettles, or clothes, and toys.

[SPEAKER_00]: And its stone wall was broken down.

[SPEAKER_00]: Could that describe your bedroom?

[SPEAKER_00]: So the Bible might be calling you someone who likes sense.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm just saying, a sluggered.

[SPEAKER_00]: Then I saw and considered it.

[SPEAKER_00]: I looked and received instruction.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not going to be like this guy.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's what he's saying.

[SPEAKER_00]: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber and want like an armament.

[SPEAKER_00]: You guys get the point?

[SPEAKER_00]: Feel like it's pretty clear there.

[SPEAKER_00]: Don't be lazy.

[SPEAKER_00]: Don't be like a slug, be like an ant.

[SPEAKER_00]: And the things that you have, you know, jurisdiction over, the things that are in your realm, you should take care of.

[SPEAKER_00]: It should look nice.

[SPEAKER_00]: Your bedroom, your schoolwork, whatever you have to do.

[SPEAKER_00]: Work hard.

[SPEAKER_00]: Do it for the Lord.

[SPEAKER_00]: From all these passages, it's clear that it is God's will for us to work diligently and enjoy our work.

[SPEAKER_00]: And the rewards that we are in for a minute.

[SPEAKER_00]: God wants us to be busy at work and not lazy and idle just sitting around on our phones or planning video games.

[SPEAKER_00]: And here's a little secret.

[SPEAKER_00]: The Bible also said, says, the way of a slugger is like a hedge of thorns.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you guys have never been to the forest and you've been trying to go through like a hedge of thorns or brambles, and it's not very fun, is it?

[SPEAKER_00]: It's saying when you try to go the easy route, you try to just do a little bit more sleep, little slumber, take it easy, and you're procrastinating.

[SPEAKER_00]: It actually makes it harder.

[SPEAKER_00]: It becomes like a hedge of thorns, but it says, but the way of up the upright is a level highway.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I learned this, I was procrastinating, I would be lazy in my school.

[SPEAKER_00]: I learned that the hardware work at it, the more I'll enjoy it, and the easier it becomes.

[SPEAKER_00]: So you guys can choose to just always be lazy, always complain and not want to do your school.

[SPEAKER_00]: We can work hard, and I know this sounds crazy, but you actually enjoy it, and it'll be easier.

[SPEAKER_00]: You guys can challenge me on that later if you want.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's what the Bible says, so if you're wrong.

[SPEAKER_00]: So the applications of this are many.

[SPEAKER_00]: First, this summer, have a fun summer.

[SPEAKER_00]: Have a lot of fun.

[SPEAKER_00]: You should do good valuable things and have fun.

[SPEAKER_00]: But don't waste your summer either.

[SPEAKER_00]: Don't just spend it all on just drowning in front of a screen.

[SPEAKER_00]: whether it's social media or video games or a binge watching a show.

[SPEAKER_00]: I remember one day, my grandma was over and me and my brother played on the Wii, fast and furious for like the entire day.

[SPEAKER_00]: Only grandma was there, I guess what?

[SPEAKER_00]: My grandma's not alive anymore.

[SPEAKER_00]: And it was a beautiful day and we missed it all.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I can't get back that time with my grandma.

[SPEAKER_00]: You also might not be able to get back time with people in your family, people in your life who might not be around anymore.

[SPEAKER_00]: Enjoy friendships, enjoy your family, enjoy outside, enjoy really good things, and not just screams.

[SPEAKER_00]: Here's another one.

[SPEAKER_00]: Get a summer job.

[SPEAKER_00]: Does anyone have a job?

[SPEAKER_00]: Something they're going to do this summer?

[SPEAKER_00]: Wait, earn money?

[SPEAKER_00]: Leave that?

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not really.

[SPEAKER_00]: Long away, Kayla.

[SPEAKER_00]: dog sitting.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's other cable.

[SPEAKER_01]: Coding.

[SPEAKER_00]: Coding, man.

[SPEAKER_00]: Good job.

[SPEAKER_00]: Hey, love.

[SPEAKER_00]: You're such a good hard worker.

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, anyone else over here?

[SPEAKER_00]: Faith.

[SPEAKER_00]: What?

[SPEAKER_00]: Birthday.

[SPEAKER_00]: Did you make birthday cards?

[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, that's awesome.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's really cool.

[SPEAKER_00]: Working at a barn.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's always a good thing.

[SPEAKER_00]: I like barns.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jenny.

[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you.

[SPEAKER_00]: Baby sitting.

[SPEAKER_00]: Those are all super good thing.

[SPEAKER_00]: Question

[SPEAKER_00]: Mowing, those are good jobs.

[SPEAKER_00]: Guys, I'm so glad you're working like that.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's valuable.

[SPEAKER_00]: You don't need to spend your whole summer working.

[SPEAKER_00]: Actually, enjoy your summer, but it is good to work.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's good to learn good work principles.

[SPEAKER_00]: So find a summer job.

[SPEAKER_00]: Something valuable to do that helps another person and gets you money.

[SPEAKER_00]: Third, enjoy and use your money, but don't waste it, okay?

[SPEAKER_00]: Save money, give money, and then do enjoy and use your money.

[SPEAKER_00]: Don't waste it all.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm just kidding the next Lego set, the next video game.

[SPEAKER_00]: Fourth, I know guys, I'm sorry.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's good, it's still good to get those things, so you can do that still.

[SPEAKER_00]: Fourth.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're card at your school, when you have school, we're card at it.

[SPEAKER_00]: And fifthly, sorry, I shouldn't be numbering all these, but do work around your house to help your parents.

[SPEAKER_00]: Even if you don't get paid for it, don't get it allowed for it.

[SPEAKER_00]: They deserve it.

[SPEAKER_00]: You should show them respect and honor them.

[SPEAKER_00]: Do it without being asked, okay?

[SPEAKER_00]: Just like the ants, they don't have a chief officer or ruler.

[SPEAKER_00]: They just do good things.

[SPEAKER_00]: Guys, have your parents ever told you that they love it when you do something that's good and even though they didn't ask you to do it.

[SPEAKER_00]: Has your parents ever said that?

[SPEAKER_00]: My parents said that like, over and over again.

[SPEAKER_00]: The parents will love that.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you do something for them, then they may ask you to do.

[SPEAKER_00]: So, yeah, think about those chores.

[SPEAKER_00]: That your parents don't want to do.

[SPEAKER_00]: They would love it as you did it.

[SPEAKER_00]: Washing dishes, washing the floors, sweeping the floors, cleaning the windows, taking out the trash, mowing the lawn.

[SPEAKER_00]: Make it a goal that before you play and do something for yourself, you do something for someone else, especially your parents.

[SPEAKER_00]: That wants us to work hard and enjoy the rewards that we get through our work.

[SPEAKER_00]: So do that this summer by a fun Lego set or whatever you guys like to get with your money.

[SPEAKER_00]: All I can think of this Lego's right now because Lego's super awesome.

[SPEAKER_00]: And enjoy time with your friends this summer, but work hard.

[SPEAKER_00]: And we got tells us to have working hands.

[SPEAKER_00]: Beyond just working to get money.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's even bigger goal that got asked.

[SPEAKER_00]: And it's right here in our passage.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's not just to give possessions, but to give possession that we can use to help others, to give to and help others.

[SPEAKER_00]: This commands us to have giving hands.

[SPEAKER_00]: You can hold your outer hands like this.

[SPEAKER_00]: We've got no more draping hands, but working hands, building, doing productive things, you get your shovel, you dig, a hole of baby, whatever might be that you're doing, moiling along, working hands, and giving hands.

[SPEAKER_00]: We should have giving hands.

[SPEAKER_00]: That's the third point.

[SPEAKER_00]: So, look at if he's in 428, that last part.

[SPEAKER_00]: Why do we do this honest work?

[SPEAKER_00]: So, that he may have something to share with anyone who's in need.

[SPEAKER_00]: Think about that.

[SPEAKER_00]: Have you ever done a job?

[SPEAKER_00]: Be like, I'm so excited to motor one because then I can help my friend to meet his needs.

[SPEAKER_00]: Then I can give to the church.

[SPEAKER_00]: Then I can give to support a missionary or if a passion child.

[SPEAKER_00]: Has there ever been a thought in your mind?

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm so excited to work because I can use it to help other people.

[SPEAKER_00]: The purpose of working is to help others.

[SPEAKER_00]: Christ commands us to have giving hands, where we once had grabbing hands, to be no longer selfishly stingy, but selfishly, us sacrificially, just generous.

[SPEAKER_00]: Paul says we should have a work in that way, we should do in a way that's other oriented.

[SPEAKER_00]: Hart's full of love for our neighbors.

[SPEAKER_00]: God wants us to be happy and to enjoy the work reward for our work.

[SPEAKER_00]: And Jesus wants us to be happy, too.

[SPEAKER_00]: And that's why he said, and this is from an X-20 verse 35, he said, to give to others, be that it's more blessed to give than to receive.

[SPEAKER_00]: Do you get that?

[SPEAKER_00]: Galbot you to be happy and joy.

[SPEAKER_00]: They're over for your work.

[SPEAKER_00]: And Jesus wants you to be happy.

[SPEAKER_00]: So he says, give someone what you learned to other people.

[SPEAKER_00]: Use it to help other people.

[SPEAKER_00]: Because that's the greatest way to be happy with what we are.

[SPEAKER_00]: So how can we give?

[SPEAKER_00]: In our field guide, you probably have heard before, we can give our time, talents, and treasure.

[SPEAKER_00]: We have time, and you can try to have a lot of money.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know, you store up your allowance or your birthday money, nor in a buy certain things, but you have a lot of time, you can use that to give it to other people, sacrificially instead of serving yourself.

[SPEAKER_00]: You have talents.

[SPEAKER_00]: Think about, like, on your sports team or at your school, you have abilities that other people don't have.

[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe you can use that to encourage them, to coast them a little bit, to help them.

[SPEAKER_00]: Or you can use those talents to actually do a job and help someone out.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know what those are, use your talents to serve others.

[SPEAKER_00]: And in Treasure, we can give.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to talk about that because the Bible has a lot to say about giving.

[SPEAKER_00]: And three ways I'm going to talk about our hospitality, helping the poor and the needy, and supporting missionaries and pastors.

[SPEAKER_00]: Hospitality, listen to this from Luke 14-12-14.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus said to the man who invited him, when you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors.

[SPEAKER_00]: Let's they also invite you and you would be repaid.

[SPEAKER_00]: But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed.

[SPEAKER_00]: But blessed, that sounds like a pretty lame part.

[SPEAKER_00]: Do you think you will be blessed?

[SPEAKER_00]: because they cannot repay you, for you will be paid with the resurrection of the just.

[SPEAKER_00]: That doesn't make sense unless you believe in the hope of the Bible offers, of heaven being with God.

[SPEAKER_00]: Doesn't make sense unless you believe in the God like Jesus who gave himself for us.

[SPEAKER_00]: Hospitality, note that means it means loving strangers.

[SPEAKER_00]: Loving strangers are people who may not natural to love.

[SPEAKER_00]: If somebody applied that here at this youth group, someone comes and they're not as cool as you, they don't like the same things as you in your opinion, you think you're way smarter, way cooler, you might not be right about that, but you still think that, here's what you should do.

[SPEAKER_00]: You should go to them and talk to them.

[SPEAKER_00]: You should be a friend to them.

[SPEAKER_00]: No one's talking to them, be the one who talks to them.

[SPEAKER_00]: That means, that's what it means to love a string, that's what means to show hospitality.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's not just having them over making a five course meal.

[SPEAKER_00]: Love strangers.

[SPEAKER_00]: and just show them love, he's how G.S.

[SPEAKER_00]: loved you.

[SPEAKER_00]: G.S.

[SPEAKER_00]: welcomed us into his family.

[SPEAKER_00]: Now the one who's helped the needy.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus says this, do not seek and look 12.

[SPEAKER_00]: Do not seek which are to eat or what you're to drink, nor be worried.

[SPEAKER_00]: For all the nations of the world seek out for these things and your father knows that you need them instead seek his kingdom and these things will be added to you.

[SPEAKER_00]: Fear not little flock is your father's good pleasure to give to you the kingdom.

[SPEAKER_00]: Sell your possessions and give to the needy, provide yourselves with money bags that do not grow old, with the treasure in the heavens that does not fail.

[SPEAKER_00]: When no thief approaches and no mock destroys, for where your treasure is there, you're how it will be also.

[SPEAKER_00]: If you're always putting your money into earthly worldly things, which may not be bad things in themselves, they're good things.

[SPEAKER_00]: But if you're always putting your money to those things, those good things become gods.

[SPEAKER_00]: And what your money is in your heart's also.

[SPEAKER_00]: Do you want to have heart to set on Jesus, set on heaven, set on Jesus kingdom, and put your money there in your heart will follow.

[SPEAKER_00]: So that one.

[SPEAKER_00]: that teaches us to have merciful and generous hearts, which we lovingly give to those in need.

[SPEAKER_00]: As we look ahead to the true riches that we hope for in heaven.

[SPEAKER_00]: And the last one is support pastors and missionaries.

[SPEAKER_00]: Your parents probably do this, be all for that.

[SPEAKER_00]: You might have to give much money, but maybe you can give a couple dollars with your parents.

[SPEAKER_00]: And you can pray for those missionaries.

[SPEAKER_00]: This is what third John 5-8 says.

[SPEAKER_00]: Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testify to your love before the church.

[SPEAKER_00]: So these are basically missionaries that came through.

[SPEAKER_00]: You will do well to send them on their journey that are going to proclaim the gospel to a different people.

[SPEAKER_00]: In a manner worthy of God.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's saying, treat them as if they were God coming to your house, these missionaries.

[SPEAKER_00]: For they have gone out for the sake of the name.

[SPEAKER_00]: They represent Jesus, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.

[SPEAKER_00]: Therefore, we ought to support people like these that we may be fellow workers for the truth.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's saying, when you give to support a missionary, it's like you're on a mission field with them.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's like you're sharing the gospel with those people with them.

[SPEAKER_00]: We can't all be there in person and body, but we can be there to our given and through our prayers.

[SPEAKER_00]: So, not many of you have enough money to do these things right now, but prefer it from when you do have money.

[SPEAKER_00]: Start thinking about helping others who are in need.

[SPEAKER_00]: Start thinking about supporting pastors and missionaries, that's what people get to the church.

[SPEAKER_00]: And love those who are strangers who are on the outside.

[SPEAKER_00]: And we do this because it's what Jesus did for us.

[SPEAKER_00]: calling you and his verses saying to no longer be selfish, greedy heart with grabbing hands but a generous heart with giving hands.

[SPEAKER_00]: And that's because of who our Savior is.

[SPEAKER_00]: Second group of these eight nine says, considered the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, he had all of heaven for all eternity.

[SPEAKER_00]: If for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

[SPEAKER_00]: Think about what you used left behind a lost for us, for you and me.

[SPEAKER_00]: And we have only ever our whole life long, seemed against him.

[SPEAKER_00]: And he comes and he sees all our sins and you'd expect him to just throw us to jail and debt his prison forever, because we've committed crimes that deserve to pay the penalty of death and hell.

[SPEAKER_00]: But instead,

[SPEAKER_00]: Christ redeemed us.

[SPEAKER_00]: First Peter says, in chapter 1, verse 18, you are ransomed.

[SPEAKER_00]: Not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lame without blemish or spot.

[SPEAKER_00]: See, Christ gave himself the father gave his own beloved son to redeem you.

[SPEAKER_00]: He gave up everything.

[SPEAKER_00]: And he rose again to now offer you heaven.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's eternal riches.

[SPEAKER_00]: of grace and God.

[SPEAKER_00]: Ephesians 1, 7 says, in him we have redemption through his blood.

[SPEAKER_00]: The forgiveness of our trespasses.

[SPEAKER_00]: Every single time we've stepped over the boundary, disobey him, can all be forgiven.

[SPEAKER_00]: How long, how much, according to the riches of his grace?

[SPEAKER_00]: Which one will God's grace run out?

[SPEAKER_00]: One will address the Jesus' wrath.

[SPEAKER_00]: When we do we have out sin, God's grace.

[SPEAKER_00]: Never.

[SPEAKER_00]: God's grace is infinite.

[SPEAKER_00]: and there's always mercy for sinners like us.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's no sin to great that he cannot save.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus offers that to you.

[SPEAKER_00]: When you maybe had a greedy, grabbing, stealing heart, selfish, discontent, not grateful for what God's given you.

[SPEAKER_00]: He can forgive you.

[SPEAKER_00]: He can say he can make you new, just like he made George Mueller new.

[SPEAKER_00]: As he has spent money on what we love,

[SPEAKER_00]: I, it's easy for me to buy books.

[SPEAKER_00]: I love books.

[SPEAKER_00]: I know that by sound weird and nerdy, but I do love books.

[SPEAKER_00]: And so it's easy for me to spend money on them.

[SPEAKER_00]: Think about this.

[SPEAKER_00]: It was easy for Jesus to give his life for us.

[SPEAKER_00]: It wasn't easy to go, come down from heaven.

[SPEAKER_00]: But you didn't even give a second thought.

[SPEAKER_00]: He was happy to give his life to Shannon's precious blood.

[SPEAKER_00]: Why?

[SPEAKER_00]: Because it's easy to spend your most precious things and what you love.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus loved us, and if he did that to forgive your sins, you know you can come over right now.

[SPEAKER_00]: Don't think God cannot forgive you, for what you've done in today or this week, he can, and he can change you too.

[SPEAKER_00]: Come in and receive him then, by George Mueller, turn from your wicked ways with grabbing hands to be a person with working hands and giving hands.

[SPEAKER_00]: Imagine you've gotten made as a people who work with diligence and we pray with faith and we gave with joy.

[SPEAKER_00]: Every single one of us, especially once we've actually got more resource-built to do that, but even right now, if you made us more like George Mueller or even better like Jesus Christ our Lord, who joyfully gave us life for us, and we become those who freely and cheerfully give our time, talents and treasures to serve the King who gave up heaven for us.

[SPEAKER_00]: Lord, thank you, thank you for your mercy to us.

[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for giving us heaven.

[SPEAKER_00]: Well, it's amazing to think that we'll be there one day with you.

[SPEAKER_00]: And everything that we treasure in this world will be nothing compared to the joy and riches of just being with you.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's just a treasure that above everything else and to give everything to the different heaven.

[SPEAKER_00]: And more, we can so easily be focused on things of this world.

[SPEAKER_00]: So turn our hearts to heaven, turn our eyes upon Jesus.

[SPEAKER_00]: and made the things of Earth go strangely dim, not because they're not good, but because you're so much better.

[SPEAKER_00]: Or make that true of us, and make us generous as you've given grace to us.

[SPEAKER_00]: And Jesus name, amen.