Theme: The Ten Commandments
Title: No 10 Covetous or Content?
Date: 2010-09-05
Colossians 3.1—17
Lord, as we look at your Commandments
take from us any thought about how bad other people are, breaking your laws and we congratulate ourselves that we are not as bad as them.
Rather may our prayer be that you will have mercy on me a sinner.
Teach us where we are going wrong and how to get back to you.
take from us any thought about how bad other people are, breaking your laws and we congratulate ourselves that we are not as bad as them.
Rather may our prayer be that you will have mercy on me a sinner.
Teach us where we are going wrong and how to get back to you.
17 “You shall not covet your neighbour’s house. You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.”
Have you had that experience
when you finally decided what you’ll have in a restaurant
and then when the meals arrived
you wished you’d ordered what your neighbour was having?
when you finally decided what you’ll have in a restaurant
and then when the meals arrived
you wished you’d ordered what your neighbour was having?
Or a car sweeps past you on the motorway a 10 reg. gleaming fast …
Or think back to how you felt at school prize day or sports day
and what you felt about people going up to get their prizes and medals.
Were you really happy for them
or were you thinking ‘it should have been me’ I wish it was me’.’
and what you felt about people going up to get their prizes and medals.
Were you really happy for them
or were you thinking ‘it should have been me’ I wish it was me’.’
I am starting this series on the Ten Commandments
from the end rather than the beginning -
lets not say it’s the wrong way round;
rather we are starting with that which is nearest to our experience
because even if we have never stolen or committed adultery or murdered
we have all coveted.
from the end rather than the beginning -
lets not say it’s the wrong way round;
rather we are starting with that which is nearest to our experience
because even if we have never stolen or committed adultery or murdered
we have all coveted.
To covet is to have desire for something
in a way that takes away all peace with God or neighbour
in a way that takes away all peace with God or neighbour
it may be a possession or it may be a position
it could be a car or a sports medal or a job promotion
but if our desire leaves us feeling discontented, angry, jealous
then we’ve crossed the line between desire and coveting.
it could be a car or a sports medal or a job promotion
but if our desire leaves us feeling discontented, angry, jealous
then we’ve crossed the line between desire and coveting.
Lets be clear that not all desire is wrong
We have deep desires for good things:
pleasure and joy, belonging, security comfort and safety excitement adventure
We want to be well respected, looked up to, to be significant and loved
and to have some meaning in our lives.
We desire that those near and dear to us should do well.
Those are not wrong desires
but desire becomes coveting
when we have an illegitimate or wrongful desire for something
that, for whatever reason, is not ours to have.
We have deep desires for good things:
pleasure and joy, belonging, security comfort and safety excitement adventure
We want to be well respected, looked up to, to be significant and loved
and to have some meaning in our lives.
We desire that those near and dear to us should do well.
Those are not wrong desires
but desire becomes coveting
when we have an illegitimate or wrongful desire for something
that, for whatever reason, is not ours to have.
Lets look at some Bible stories that illustrate the dangers of crossing that line
We start with the earliest story and perhaps the saddest
what happened in the garden of Eden in Genesis 3.
Somebody pointed out to me recently
that so many of the Ten Commandments are prefigured in Genesis 1-3
That there is only one God whom we should worship
that we should honour him as creator and not worship the creation – no idols
that we should respect the one day in seven principle of sabbath rest
the foundations of family life, marriage and children are there
and in c 3 clearly we are to set limits on our desires, do not covet.
6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food,
and that it was a delight to the eyes,
and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,
she took of its fruit and ate,
and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. ‘
what happened in the garden of Eden in Genesis 3.
Somebody pointed out to me recently
that so many of the Ten Commandments are prefigured in Genesis 1-3
That there is only one God whom we should worship
that we should honour him as creator and not worship the creation – no idols
that we should respect the one day in seven principle of sabbath rest
the foundations of family life, marriage and children are there
and in c 3 clearly we are to set limits on our desires, do not covet.
6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food,
and that it was a delight to the eyes,
and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,
she took of its fruit and ate,
and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. ‘
Good to eat, good to look at, good for the ego
to make you wise and independent of God
These inflamed desires shouted so loudly that the clear command of God
not to eat of that one tree, with everything else freely available
was set aside, ignored.
The result?
7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.
Shame and guilt. They hide from each other and they hide from God
That wonderful free open relationship with the LORD
where they could walk and talk with him was lost;
the results of that disobedience have marked and shaped
every human being since.
To covet is to have desire for something
in a way that takes away all peace with God or neighbour:
to make you wise and independent of God
These inflamed desires shouted so loudly that the clear command of God
not to eat of that one tree, with everything else freely available
was set aside, ignored.
The result?
7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.
Shame and guilt. They hide from each other and they hide from God
That wonderful free open relationship with the LORD
where they could walk and talk with him was lost;
the results of that disobedience have marked and shaped
every human being since.
To covet is to have desire for something
in a way that takes away all peace with God or neighbour:
Don’t fondly imagine that a good Christian redeemed by God
is immune from coveting:
John wrote in his first letter (2.15-16), addressing believers:
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For everything in the world
—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes
and the boasting of what he has and does
—comes not from the Father but from the world.
Isn’t it almost as if John is commenting on Genesis 3?
Good to look, at good to eat, desired to make one wise …
is immune from coveting:
John wrote in his first letter (2.15-16), addressing believers:
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For everything in the world
—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes
and the boasting of what he has and does
—comes not from the Father but from the world.
Isn’t it almost as if John is commenting on Genesis 3?
Good to look, at good to eat, desired to make one wise …
Or take the story of King Ahab in 1 Kings 21
a wealthy and powerful man who still wanted more
who coveted Naboth’s vineyard.
The vineyard was close to Ahab’s palace.
Ahab offered to buy the vineyard to use for a vegetable garden,
But Naboth refused to sell the inheritance of his fathers.
He saw that property as something he had inherited
and held in trust to pass on to his descendants
a conviction which was supported by the Old Testament law;
What happens next shows how Ahab had crossed the line
from a reasonable desire to extend his garden to a covetous desire
which destroyed his peace with God and his neighbour
(4) So Ahab went home, sullen and angry
because Naboth had said, I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.
He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat.
And then his wife Jezebel proposed a wicked solution
to set up false charges against Naboth and get rid of him.
And Naboth was wrongly convicted and executed
and Ahab got the property he longed for but he got no peace with God.
a wealthy and powerful man who still wanted more
who coveted Naboth’s vineyard.
The vineyard was close to Ahab’s palace.
Ahab offered to buy the vineyard to use for a vegetable garden,
But Naboth refused to sell the inheritance of his fathers.
He saw that property as something he had inherited
and held in trust to pass on to his descendants
a conviction which was supported by the Old Testament law;
What happens next shows how Ahab had crossed the line
from a reasonable desire to extend his garden to a covetous desire
which destroyed his peace with God and his neighbour
(4) So Ahab went home, sullen and angry
because Naboth had said, I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.
He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat.
And then his wife Jezebel proposed a wicked solution
to set up false charges against Naboth and get rid of him.
And Naboth was wrongly convicted and executed
and Ahab got the property he longed for but he got no peace with God.
It’s a very good rule of life
that if something goes wrong, if we don’t get what we want
and we react with anger, sulking, resentment, jealousy …
then we have let our desire which might otherwise be fine and good
cross that line of danger into disobedience.
that if something goes wrong, if we don’t get what we want
and we react with anger, sulking, resentment, jealousy …
then we have let our desire which might otherwise be fine and good
cross that line of danger into disobedience.
I could give many more examples from the Bible about these dangers:
the jealousy Saul had for David, his desperate, insecure, driven life,
or Simon in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 8.9-23) who so wanted spiritual gifts
that he thought he could pay money for them
but Peter warned him to repent of his bitterness of spirit and captivity to sin.
the jealousy Saul had for David, his desperate, insecure, driven life,
or Simon in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 8.9-23) who so wanted spiritual gifts
that he thought he could pay money for them
but Peter warned him to repent of his bitterness of spirit and captivity to sin.
But the ultimate warning about being greedy
is surely in the story Jesus told about the rich fool
A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops.
He said to himself, “What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.”
Then he said, “I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones.
Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods.
And I’ll sit back and say to myself, ‘
My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy!
Eat, drink, and be merry!’”
But God said to him, “You fool! You will die this very night.
Then who will get everything you worked for?”
Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth
but not have a rich relationship with God. (Luke 12:16–21 NLT)
is surely in the story Jesus told about the rich fool
A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops.
He said to himself, “What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.”
Then he said, “I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones.
Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods.
And I’ll sit back and say to myself, ‘
My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy!
Eat, drink, and be merry!’”
But God said to him, “You fool! You will die this very night.
Then who will get everything you worked for?”
Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth
but not have a rich relationship with God. (Luke 12:16–21 NLT)
Lets be absolutely clear that coveting -
our out of order, out of control desires for whatever -
destroys peace with God and peace with others.
our out of order, out of control desires for whatever -
destroys peace with God and peace with others.
The collapse of the Presbyterian Mutual Society is a scary revelation
of how even respectable prudent moral Presbyterians
can be guilty of covetousness.
of how even respectable prudent moral Presbyterians
can be guilty of covetousness.
[The PMS is a savings group for members of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
a bit like a credit union which is currently in administration.]
I speak as a saver who wonders will I get my money back.
Many of us were attracted by the good interest rates year by year.
We were at best naively over confident
that it would be well supervised and regulated.
We went along unthinkingly with the bubble economics of the boom years
that property values and shares would always keep rising.
We can put some of the blame on the British government
for some actions and lack of action
and we need to be aware that some small savers
are in serious financial hardship
but having said all that, anyone involved needs to ask:
were we swept along by an undercurrent of covetousness?
a bit like a credit union which is currently in administration.]
I speak as a saver who wonders will I get my money back.
Many of us were attracted by the good interest rates year by year.
We were at best naively over confident
that it would be well supervised and regulated.
We went along unthinkingly with the bubble economics of the boom years
that property values and shares would always keep rising.
We can put some of the blame on the British government
for some actions and lack of action
and we need to be aware that some small savers
are in serious financial hardship
but having said all that, anyone involved needs to ask:
were we swept along by an undercurrent of covetousness?
Dr Stafford Carson, last year’s Moderator
has been trying to help in this situation.
Recently he commented that sadly the staff of the Society,
secretaries answering the phone and doing admin.,
have had to endure all sorts of abuse as if it were their fault.
Do you see the difference
between an understandable concern to manage one’s money
which makes you disappointed at this outcome
and a giving way to anger and bitterness like Ahab, like Simon
when things don’t turn out the way we had planned?
Have some savers crossed the line into coveting
threatening their peace with God and with others?
A matter for continued repentant prayer.
has been trying to help in this situation.
Recently he commented that sadly the staff of the Society,
secretaries answering the phone and doing admin.,
have had to endure all sorts of abuse as if it were their fault.
Do you see the difference
between an understandable concern to manage one’s money
which makes you disappointed at this outcome
and a giving way to anger and bitterness like Ahab, like Simon
when things don’t turn out the way we had planned?
Have some savers crossed the line into coveting
threatening their peace with God and with others?
A matter for continued repentant prayer.
What are the answers or antidotes to coveting?
HEART SURGERY
Simon in Acts 8 had been baptised, he was among the followers of Christ
but Peter discerned that his heart was not right,
he needed to repent of his craving for spiritual gifts
and the folly of thinking he could buy them.
but Peter discerned that his heart was not right,
he needed to repent of his craving for spiritual gifts
and the folly of thinking he could buy them.
It is not just Simon whose heart is not right.
God made a wonderful promise through the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel (36:26):
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you;
I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh”
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you;
I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh”
This heart transplant is exactly what happens when we come to know Jesus.
He removes from us our old hearts, curved in on themselves,
self-obsessed and selfish.
In their place, he gives us his own heart. It is an extraordinary exchange.
He takes our messy, malfunctioning hearts and replaces them with his.
If your heart feels tired and self-obsessed,
might it not be evidence that you need that heart transplant?
Whoever we are, wherever we are,
we need to ask him to take our old hard heart from us
and give us his heart instead.
We all need a heart transplant.
We need to turn our lives over to Jesus,
to stop running our lives on our terms and accept his terms
to allow his death to cover our sins
and to live in the power of his resurrection.
Have you had that heart transplant?
He removes from us our old hearts, curved in on themselves,
self-obsessed and selfish.
In their place, he gives us his own heart. It is an extraordinary exchange.
He takes our messy, malfunctioning hearts and replaces them with his.
If your heart feels tired and self-obsessed,
might it not be evidence that you need that heart transplant?
Whoever we are, wherever we are,
we need to ask him to take our old hard heart from us
and give us his heart instead.
We all need a heart transplant.
We need to turn our lives over to Jesus,
to stop running our lives on our terms and accept his terms
to allow his death to cover our sins
and to live in the power of his resurrection.
Have you had that heart transplant?
And just as after heart surgery
people need to learn new ways of exercise and lifestyle
to stop their new heart and arteries getting clogged up
with a new heart
so we need the following disciplines which run counter to coveting.
people need to learn new ways of exercise and lifestyle
to stop their new heart and arteries getting clogged up
with a new heart
so we need the following disciplines which run counter to coveting.
BE THANKFUL AND CONTENT
It was there chiming away in the final verse in our reading from Colossians 3
Be thankful, (15) gratitude in your hearts towards God, (16)
giving thanks to God the Father through him (17)
And contentment is seen in Philippians 4.11-12
The apostle Paul, wrote from prison:
“I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,
whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want”
in or out of prison, in good times and bad, in boom and recession.
Are we known for being thankful, contented people,
or ungrateful, discontented, complaining.
Whose company would you prefer?
It was there chiming away in the final verse in our reading from Colossians 3
Be thankful, (15) gratitude in your hearts towards God, (16)
giving thanks to God the Father through him (17)
And contentment is seen in Philippians 4.11-12
The apostle Paul, wrote from prison:
“I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,
whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want”
in or out of prison, in good times and bad, in boom and recession.
Are we known for being thankful, contented people,
or ungrateful, discontented, complaining.
Whose company would you prefer?
DON’T THINK ‘MINE’ THINK ‘GOD’S’
It is a good exercise to imagine our hands as holding on to all our possessions
and to all we hold most dear in life
it might be our position at work or in the community, what people think of us
our big ambitions.
Do we not often grasp everything tightly? It’s for me. It’s mine.
Like a child with a toy, we don’t want to let go and share with someone else.
It is a good exercise to imagine our hands as holding on to all our possessions
and to all we hold most dear in life
it might be our position at work or in the community, what people think of us
our big ambitions.
Do we not often grasp everything tightly? It’s for me. It’s mine.
Like a child with a toy, we don’t want to let go and share with someone else.
We need to come to a place where we see all that we have and all that we are
as gifts from God held in trust for a while
to use and enjoy but to hold lightly not tightly.
as gifts from God held in trust for a while
to use and enjoy but to hold lightly not tightly.
To covet is to have desire for something
in a way that takes away all peace with God or neighbour
in a way that takes away all peace with God or neighbour
When we hold on too tightly where is our peace with God and others?
When we learn to hold things lightly, thankfully
as belonging ultimately to God and not us
we shall find peace.
When we learn to hold things lightly, thankfully
as belonging ultimately to God and not us
we shall find peace.
One last thing, which I may repeat each week with each commandment.
The law of God shows us what God wants in our lives
but does not show us how to be reconciled with God.
The commandments are rather a map showing us ways in which
to please and serve the God who has first loved us and rescued us.
The law of God shows us what God wants in our lives
but does not show us how to be reconciled with God.
The commandments are rather a map showing us ways in which
to please and serve the God who has first loved us and rescued us.
We started with the last commandment
But lets remember how the commandments start
with God telling his people who he is and what he has done for them
and therefore this is how they are to live .
But lets remember how the commandments start
with God telling his people who he is and what he has done for them
and therefore this is how they are to live .
The preface to the ten commandments is in these words,
I am the Lord thy God,
who have brought you out of the land of Egypt,
out of the house of bondage.
The preface to the ten commandments teaches us
that because God is the Lord, and our God, and redeemer,
therefore we are bound to keep all his commandments.
I am the Lord thy God,
who have brought you out of the land of Egypt,
out of the house of bondage.
The preface to the ten commandments teaches us
that because God is the Lord, and our God, and redeemer,
therefore we are bound to keep all his commandments.
We must never think:
if I can be less covetous, less greedy then God will love me.
Rather we should be thinking
because God loves me and I am secure in him
then I can let go of all this stuff and desire to acquire
and being grumpy when I don’t get it
and I can start being thankful and content and generous
and holding things in trust.
if I can be less covetous, less greedy then God will love me.
Rather we should be thinking
because God loves me and I am secure in him
then I can let go of all this stuff and desire to acquire
and being grumpy when I don’t get it
and I can start being thankful and content and generous
and holding things in trust.
‘If we could just obey this one commandment
it would have such an impact on our lifestyles
that the change would perhaps draw more people to Christ than anything else.’
(Stephen Gaukroger)
it would have such an impact on our lifestyles
that the change would perhaps draw more people to Christ than anything else.’
(Stephen Gaukroger)
And could it be that people are not being drawn to Christ in great numbers
because we don’t obey this commandment?
because we don’t obey this commandment?
Riches I heed not nor man’s empty praise
Lord, you are our inheritance, now and always
Let us no longer crave the salty water which just makes us more and more thirsty
Let us know what it is to drink deeply of your love and grace in Jesus
Setting us free, giving us life, enabling us to overflow with blessing to others
Let us know what it is to drink deeply of your love and grace in Jesus
Setting us free, giving us life, enabling us to overflow with blessing to others
The Shorter Catechism on the Ten Commandments
(basic teachings of the Presbyterian Church, drawn up in 1647, in modern English]
Tenth Commandment Exodus 20.17
You shall not covet your neighbour’s house.
You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife,
or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey,
or anything that belongs to your neighbour.
Q. 43. What is the preface to the ten commandments?
A. The preface to the ten commandments is in these words,
I am the Lord thy God,
who have brought you out of the land of Egypt,
out of the house of bondage.
Q. 44. What does the preface to the ten commandments teach us?
A. The preface to the ten commandments teaches us
that because God is the Lord, and our God, and redeemer,
therefore we are bound to keep all his commandments.
Q. 80. What is required in the tenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment requires
full contentment with our own condition,
with a right and loving frame of spirit
toward our neighbour, and all that is his.
Q. 81. What is forbidden in the tenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment forbids
all discontentment with our own situation,
envying or grieving at the good of our neighbour,
and all out of order, inappropriate thoughts or feelings
about what our neighbour has.
“Coveting is like sea water;
the more we drink the thirstier we become.”
(Schopenhauer 1851)
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