WEBVTT 00:00:00.650 --> 00:00:03.149 Hello, you are listening to Second City Sermons, 00:00:03.270 --> 00:00:06.209 a ministry of Second City Church in Midtown Harrisburg. 00:00:06.870 --> 00:00:08.750 It's our hope that these sermons will draw you 00:00:08.750 --> 00:00:11.169 more into the life of following God, Father, 00:00:11.330 --> 00:00:14.150 Son and Holy Spirit. Please consider coming and 00:00:14.150 --> 00:00:16.469 joining with us each Sunday morning at 10am in 00:00:16.469 --> 00:00:18.809 the heart of Midtown Harrisburg. You can find 00:00:18.809 --> 00:00:22.329 us online at SecondCityChurch .org and on Facebook, 00:00:22.629 --> 00:00:25.030 Instagram and YouTube. We hope you enjoy this 00:00:25.030 --> 00:00:29.559 sermon. God Bless. I'm going to read another 00:00:29.559 --> 00:00:35.899 part of Servant on the Mount, because that's 00:00:35.899 --> 00:00:41.700 what I thought we were going to read. This is 00:00:41.700 --> 00:00:54.770 chapter 6, verse 19. where neither moth nor rust 00:00:54.770 --> 00:00:57.390 destroys, and where thieves do not break in and 00:00:57.390 --> 00:01:00.969 steal. For where your treasure is, there your 00:01:00.969 --> 00:01:06.670 heart will be also." We pray. Lord God, we pray 00:01:06.670 --> 00:01:08.989 that as we turn to this next commandment, Lord, 00:01:09.049 --> 00:01:12.030 that we would find your law to be lovely than 00:01:12.030 --> 00:01:14.989 to be desirous, that we would want, we would 00:01:14.989 --> 00:01:18.680 seek to walk in your ways. that we would see 00:01:18.680 --> 00:01:21.079 the beauty of Jesus who walks in them perfectly 00:01:21.079 --> 00:01:25.099 and desire to be his disciples, those that follow 00:01:25.099 --> 00:01:31.519 him. Gotta pray. Lord, we know, I think of the 00:01:31.519 --> 00:01:34.560 reading that Gordon read for us before the confession, 00:01:34.640 --> 00:01:37.599 we know that there's so many, it is such a temptation 00:01:37.599 --> 00:01:40.819 to be religious and empty. And we see that in 00:01:40.819 --> 00:01:44.239 the gospels, whitewashed tombs, just going about 00:01:44.239 --> 00:01:47.359 the ways. Trying to look good. God, I pray that 00:01:47.359 --> 00:01:50.040 that would not be the effect of looking at your 00:01:50.040 --> 00:01:52.239 law, not huffing ourselves up, not trying to 00:01:52.239 --> 00:01:54.959 look good, but seeking to really love you with 00:01:54.959 --> 00:01:58.099 our whole heart and mind and soul and strength, 00:01:58.180 --> 00:02:02.260 all of our being laid in worship to you. And 00:02:02.260 --> 00:02:05.700 so Lord, do with this time what you will and 00:02:05.700 --> 00:02:08.460 conform us to the image of our Lord, the image 00:02:08.460 --> 00:02:11.219 of beauty and goodness and truth in whose name 00:02:11.219 --> 00:02:15.979 we pray. Amen. All right, some of you I I'm sure 00:02:15.979 --> 00:02:20.340 know this because one of the most famous Covers 00:02:20.340 --> 00:02:22.580 of the Saturday Evening Post those famous ones 00:02:22.580 --> 00:02:25.979 that were painted by Norman Rockwell is the painting 00:02:25.979 --> 00:02:30.580 from 1936 called tipping the scales Some of you 00:02:30.580 --> 00:02:32.060 might know that know what I'm talking about as 00:02:32.060 --> 00:02:36.379 soon as I mention it, but it's it's a great Painting 00:02:36.379 --> 00:02:38.300 there's there's two people in it and in between 00:02:38.300 --> 00:02:40.860 the two there's a scale and one of them is this 00:02:40.860 --> 00:02:43.740 older woman She's in this lovely flower dress, 00:02:43.879 --> 00:02:45.840 and she has this cute black hat with all these 00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:48.360 flowers around it, too. She just looks really 00:02:48.360 --> 00:02:51.060 quaint. Silvery hair that's nicely done up underneath 00:02:51.060 --> 00:02:56.000 her hat. And she's come to the butcher, maybe 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:59.919 for a Sunday chicken, or maybe it's big enough. 00:02:59.960 --> 00:03:01.759 I kind of doubt it, but it's like a Thanksgiving 00:03:01.759 --> 00:03:03.879 turkey. She's come to the butcher, and so on 00:03:03.879 --> 00:03:05.800 the other side of the scale is the butcher, and 00:03:05.800 --> 00:03:10.530 he's got this big bushy butchery. white mustache 00:03:10.530 --> 00:03:14.530 and these beautiful spectacles, glasses, small 00:03:14.530 --> 00:03:17.090 that fit his head just perfectly. And here's 00:03:17.090 --> 00:03:19.189 what's happening. They're both smiling, they're 00:03:19.189 --> 00:03:22.110 both grinning in this because in some ways they 00:03:22.110 --> 00:03:25.469 think they have kind of won one over on the other. 00:03:25.590 --> 00:03:30.750 What's happening is that under the paper, the 00:03:30.750 --> 00:03:33.539 butcher paper that's holding the bird, You can 00:03:33.539 --> 00:03:35.639 see hidden by that paper from the view of the 00:03:35.639 --> 00:03:38.680 woman, the butcher pushing his finger down on 00:03:38.680 --> 00:03:42.719 the scale. And on the other side, this woman 00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:45.919 with this just lovely grin, you can see that 00:03:45.919 --> 00:03:48.939 she's so warm and she's also thinking she's won 00:03:48.939 --> 00:03:52.680 the day. Hidden by the scale itself from the 00:03:52.680 --> 00:03:56.099 view of the butcher, she's pushing up on the 00:03:56.099 --> 00:04:01.199 scale. They've figured out. how to win the upper 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:04.979 hand. They're both pleased with themselves and 00:04:04.979 --> 00:04:09.159 totally unaware of the other. And of course, 00:04:09.319 --> 00:04:11.340 like most of Rockwell's paintings, it's just 00:04:11.340 --> 00:04:17.720 this depiction of American life. Normal, wholesome, 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:22.839 American everyday life. They look like charming 00:04:22.839 --> 00:04:27.050 people. But man, they are both breaking the Ten 00:04:27.050 --> 00:04:30.589 Commandment, or the Eighth Commandment. And you 00:04:30.589 --> 00:04:33.269 know what? They look like people, she certainly 00:04:33.269 --> 00:04:35.970 looks like somebody that would protest strongly 00:04:35.970 --> 00:04:41.430 being called a thief. You know? Thank you very 00:04:41.430 --> 00:04:44.790 much. I'm a good, upstanding, hard -working American 00:04:44.790 --> 00:04:50.970 citizen. Not some Bonnie and Clyde. Not some 00:04:50.970 --> 00:04:55.829 Butch Nelson, Babyface Cassidy. You know not 00:04:55.829 --> 00:04:59.689 robbing banks doing some bank heists and jumping 00:04:59.689 --> 00:05:07.670 on the train Cutting town I imagine this butcher 00:05:07.670 --> 00:05:13.810 would be like Pretty pretty indignant if somebody 00:05:13.810 --> 00:05:16.410 said hey don't go to that butcher pushing down 00:05:16.410 --> 00:05:20.819 the scales not trustworthy But I also imagine 00:05:20.819 --> 00:05:22.660 that he would he might call the police maybe 00:05:22.660 --> 00:05:24.500 not the first time if the check bounce We would 00:05:24.500 --> 00:05:26.000 the second time be like this person's trying 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:32.699 to rob me Yeah I imagine this older woman is 00:05:32.699 --> 00:05:35.199 cooking up this roast chicken or roast turkey 00:05:35.199 --> 00:05:39.959 for her grandchildren whom she dotes upon And 00:05:39.959 --> 00:05:42.459 who she dreams will be the leaders of the future 00:05:44.779 --> 00:05:48.040 And neither of them seem to be faced by the idea 00:05:48.040 --> 00:05:51.339 of sort of padding their pocketbooks at the expense 00:05:51.339 --> 00:05:55.639 of another, right? So the last couple of weeks 00:05:55.639 --> 00:05:57.060 we've looked at the Sermon on the Mount a little 00:05:57.060 --> 00:05:58.759 bit in relation to a couple of Ten Commandments, 00:05:58.819 --> 00:06:01.420 because Jesus does, and we saw in chapter five 00:06:01.420 --> 00:06:04.459 that Jesus makes it really clear that we cannot 00:06:04.459 --> 00:06:08.920 let ourselves off the hook for murder and adultery. 00:06:09.500 --> 00:06:11.740 anger and lust are thrown in there and they are 00:06:11.740 --> 00:06:14.459 rightly done so because they are also so easily 00:06:14.459 --> 00:06:18.000 connected with harming the other and faithlessness. 00:06:19.019 --> 00:06:23.540 And I think it's possible for us to get to the 00:06:23.540 --> 00:06:25.660 eighth commandment, because Jesus makes it so 00:06:25.660 --> 00:06:28.259 explicit that the sixth and seventh are related 00:06:28.259 --> 00:06:30.540 to us, that we get to the eighth commandment 00:06:30.540 --> 00:06:37.129 and we can all collectively go... Let's just 00:06:37.129 --> 00:06:44.610 breathe a sigh of relief here. Finally, we can 00:06:44.610 --> 00:06:50.410 exhale. Y 'all, there was a survey done by the 00:06:50.410 --> 00:06:55.629 Barna Group several years back. 86 % of adults, 00:06:55.649 --> 00:07:01.829 this is in the US, said that they completely 00:07:01.829 --> 00:07:08.959 satisfy the commandment. do not steal 86 percent 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:13.439 that's a pretty good number i imagine you'd put 00:07:13.439 --> 00:07:16.399 yourself in that number statistically you would 00:07:16.399 --> 00:07:19.579 if it 86 percent's a pretty high number you know 00:07:19.579 --> 00:07:21.680 maybe some of you are like i might so it's 50 00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:28.939 percent of you right um like the second command 00:07:28.939 --> 00:07:31.000 commandment that prohibits the making of idols 00:07:32.180 --> 00:07:34.220 And our inclination when we hear that to think 00:07:34.220 --> 00:07:36.360 like that applies to the Hindu family that has 00:07:36.360 --> 00:07:38.300 a little you know, like incense that they burn 00:07:38.300 --> 00:07:42.139 and stuff like that We tend to think of this 00:07:42.139 --> 00:07:48.120 command do not steal as Kind of applying to the 00:07:48.120 --> 00:07:50.540 guy that walks down down Green Street late at 00:07:50.540 --> 00:07:52.839 night one in the morning, you know Pulling on 00:07:52.839 --> 00:07:54.420 door handles just going is this one unlocked? 00:07:57.090 --> 00:07:59.730 Maybe if we're thinking a little bit more with 00:07:59.730 --> 00:08:02.889 a little more greater complexity, we're like 00:08:02.889 --> 00:08:09.610 Bernie Madoff Wall Street Ponzi scheme, you know, 00:08:10.029 --> 00:08:12.329 we certainly don't tend to think of ourselves 00:08:12.329 --> 00:08:17.449 But just like Jesus spoke of anger and lust murder 00:08:17.449 --> 00:08:20.790 and adultery there in chapter 5 What did we hear 00:08:20.790 --> 00:08:22.769 in chapter 6 that we're not supposed to lay up 00:08:22.769 --> 00:08:27.189 treasures in heaven or? Ross rest moth and rust 00:08:27.189 --> 00:08:29.170 destroy and where thieves break in and steal 00:08:29.170 --> 00:08:35.649 right the shun this kind of idea Just to find 00:08:35.649 --> 00:08:40.750 that our treasures are in heaven It's not just 00:08:40.750 --> 00:08:44.230 because there are thieves here on earth But that 00:08:44.230 --> 00:08:46.230 our own thieving is always a reflection of where 00:08:46.230 --> 00:08:49.509 our treasures are, right? Our own grabbing on 00:08:49.509 --> 00:08:51.809 to things have to do with what our faith is in 00:08:51.809 --> 00:08:56.580 our trust is in okay So this morning, I want 00:08:56.580 --> 00:08:59.019 us to consider just a question like what is stealing 00:08:59.019 --> 00:09:02.360 and why does it matter? Pretty easy. What is 00:09:02.360 --> 00:09:06.279 stealing? This is the last. So there's three 00:09:06.279 --> 00:09:10.240 commands that are really short, right? Don't 00:09:10.240 --> 00:09:12.120 murder, don't commit adultery, and this is the 00:09:12.120 --> 00:09:14.539 last one. Don't steal. The other ones have a 00:09:14.539 --> 00:09:16.799 few more words to them. But quite literally, 00:09:16.940 --> 00:09:19.899 these three commands in the Hebrew are just two 00:09:19.899 --> 00:09:21.860 words, right? Two words. We've talked about this 00:09:21.860 --> 00:09:23.919 last couple of weeks. And these two words are 00:09:23.919 --> 00:09:26.039 lo, the same words as the last couple of weeks, 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:30.519 but logonaf, which is really, don't take stuff 00:09:30.519 --> 00:09:35.240 that doesn't belong to you. Don't steal. Don't 00:09:35.240 --> 00:09:38.019 take something from somebody else without their 00:09:38.019 --> 00:09:41.360 permission that is not properly yours to have. 00:09:42.019 --> 00:09:44.559 Don't take something that doesn't belong to you. 00:09:45.299 --> 00:09:47.580 And doesn't it, again, just strike you as so 00:09:47.580 --> 00:09:52.940 simple? I think it kind of does. And so one of 00:09:52.940 --> 00:09:54.679 the things that I've been doing in this series, 00:09:54.799 --> 00:09:56.179 in the Ten Commandments, is I've been looking 00:09:56.179 --> 00:09:58.820 at the great catechisms of the Protestant Reformation. 00:09:58.919 --> 00:10:00.940 Because if you read Luther's catechism, or if 00:10:00.940 --> 00:10:03.240 you read the other catechisms, pretty much all 00:10:03.240 --> 00:10:07.139 of them explain with some great detail the Ten 00:10:07.139 --> 00:10:09.220 Commandments. So I'm going to read to you a couple 00:10:09.220 --> 00:10:11.340 of those. One of the great catechisms that came 00:10:11.340 --> 00:10:13.200 out of the Protestant Reformation was the Heidelberg 00:10:13.200 --> 00:10:17.000 Catechism, written in Heidelberg, Germany in 00:10:17.000 --> 00:10:20.779 1563. So that was part of the German Reformed 00:10:20.779 --> 00:10:24.340 tradition, which second church, when it was started 00:10:24.340 --> 00:10:27.980 in 1864, was the second German Reformed church 00:10:27.980 --> 00:10:31.269 in Harrisburg. The very first Church in Harrisburg 00:10:31.269 --> 00:10:33.909 was actually Salem German Reformed Church, and 00:10:33.909 --> 00:10:36.090 it was built by John Harris, who laid out Harrisburg. 00:10:36.190 --> 00:10:38.190 We're the second German Reformed Church. And 00:10:38.190 --> 00:10:40.950 so let me read for you question 110 from the 00:10:40.950 --> 00:10:44.070 Heidelberg Catechism. What does God forbid in 00:10:44.070 --> 00:10:47.110 the Eighth Commandment? God forbids not only 00:10:47.110 --> 00:10:50.649 outright theft and robbery punishable by law, 00:10:51.370 --> 00:10:54.370 but in God's sight, theft also includes all scheming 00:10:54.370 --> 00:10:57.429 and swindling in order to get our neighbor's 00:10:57.429 --> 00:11:00.490 goods for ourselves. whether by force or means 00:11:00.490 --> 00:11:06.889 that appear legitimate. Such as inaccurate measurements, 00:11:09.690 --> 00:11:14.750 doing this and this, right? Of weight, size, 00:11:14.830 --> 00:11:19.129 or volume, fraudulent merchandising, counterfeit 00:11:19.129 --> 00:11:26.080 money, excessive interest. All of the reformers 00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:27.860 talk about excessive interest in some of their 00:11:27.860 --> 00:11:29.940 writings actually, but I mean all the great reformers. 00:11:29.960 --> 00:11:33.759 They would have hated payday loan places because 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:37.240 it hurts the poor so much. Or any other means 00:11:37.240 --> 00:11:40.299 forbidden by God. In addition, God forbids all 00:11:40.299 --> 00:11:44.720 greed and pointless squandering of his gifts. 00:11:46.200 --> 00:11:49.259 Fairly extensive, right? Kind of getting us to 00:11:49.259 --> 00:11:52.320 think more broadly about what does it mean to 00:11:52.320 --> 00:11:56.129 steal? Well, so that's one of the great catechisms 00:11:56.129 --> 00:11:57.870 of the Protestant Reformation, the German Reformed 00:11:57.870 --> 00:12:00.289 Church specifically, the Heidelberg catechism. 00:12:01.950 --> 00:12:04.330 1563. If you go forward a little bit, what you 00:12:04.330 --> 00:12:06.769 find is actually the great confessional documents 00:12:06.769 --> 00:12:09.509 of the Presbyterian tradition, and we're part 00:12:09.509 --> 00:12:11.110 of that as a church in the Presbyterian church 00:12:11.110 --> 00:12:13.509 in America. And those great documents were written 00:12:13.509 --> 00:12:17.009 in 1643 to 47 at the Westminster assembly, and 00:12:17.009 --> 00:12:18.970 so they're called the Westminster Confession 00:12:18.970 --> 00:12:21.350 of Faith and Larger and Shorter Catechisms. The 00:12:21.350 --> 00:12:23.629 Larger Catechism is the best part, they're all 00:12:23.629 --> 00:12:25.350 great, but the Larger Catechism is where you 00:12:25.350 --> 00:12:28.029 get the Ten Commandments sort of expounded. And 00:12:28.029 --> 00:12:30.149 I wanna read to you some of that, okay? So here's 00:12:30.149 --> 00:12:34.549 question 141. What are the duties required in 00:12:34.549 --> 00:12:37.649 the Eighth Commandment? The duties required in 00:12:37.649 --> 00:12:40.909 the Eighth Commandment are truth, faithfulness, 00:12:41.190 --> 00:12:44.149 and justice in contracts and commerce between 00:12:44.149 --> 00:12:48.129 man and man. So honorably business dealings, 00:12:48.570 --> 00:12:51.870 right? Good contracts that honor the other person. 00:12:52.640 --> 00:12:55.379 rendering to everyone his due restitution of 00:12:55.379 --> 00:12:57.620 goods unlawfully detained from the right owners 00:12:57.620 --> 00:13:00.039 thereof restitution think about how actually 00:13:00.039 --> 00:13:03.159 Zacchaeus says I'm going to pay back fourfold 00:13:03.159 --> 00:13:05.539 and Jesus says salvation has come to your house 00:13:05.539 --> 00:13:10.159 today for all that I took unjustly um giving 00:13:10.159 --> 00:13:12.360 and lending freely according to our abilities 00:13:12.360 --> 00:13:15.120 and the necessities of others so lending towards 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:18.309 the necessities of others Moderation of our judgments, 00:13:18.429 --> 00:13:20.710 wills, and affections concerning worldly goods, 00:13:21.049 --> 00:13:24.049 a provenance, care, and study to get, keep, use, 00:13:24.149 --> 00:13:26.529 and dispose of those things which are necessary 00:13:26.529 --> 00:13:30.690 and convenient for the sustenance of our nature." 00:13:30.690 --> 00:13:34.190 That's maybe a long -completed statement, but 00:13:34.190 --> 00:13:36.250 one of the things that maybe that applies to 00:13:36.250 --> 00:13:39.429 is, hey, Flora says, I think I can be a nurse, 00:13:39.470 --> 00:13:41.110 and that would be a good way to sustain myself 00:13:41.110 --> 00:13:43.629 and love others. That's maybe a proper application 00:13:43.629 --> 00:13:45.500 of this is what it's saying. One of the things 00:13:45.500 --> 00:13:47.480 that you can do is actually seek, how do I work 00:13:47.480 --> 00:13:54.960 in the world well? A lawful calling and diligence 00:13:54.960 --> 00:13:59.179 in it, or your work. Frugality, avoiding unnecessary 00:13:59.179 --> 00:14:04.120 lawsuit suits and surety ship, or other like 00:14:04.120 --> 00:14:06.940 engagements. And an endeavor by all just and 00:14:06.940 --> 00:14:09.100 lawful means to procure, preserve, and further 00:14:09.100 --> 00:14:13.500 the wealth and outward estate of others, as well 00:14:13.500 --> 00:14:18.389 as our own. It's wildly expansive. I'm not done. 00:14:18.750 --> 00:14:21.610 Question 142. What are the sins forbidden in 00:14:21.610 --> 00:14:23.649 the Eighth Commandment? The sins forbidden in 00:14:23.649 --> 00:14:25.610 the Eighth Commandment, besides the neglect of 00:14:25.610 --> 00:14:27.570 the duties, so it's like all that other stuff 00:14:27.570 --> 00:14:31.950 that I just said, that stuff, are theft, robbery, 00:14:32.389 --> 00:14:36.870 man stealing. By the way, I actually read this 00:14:36.870 --> 00:14:40.870 week, there was a statement about different ways 00:14:40.870 --> 00:14:43.690 that man stealing happens. This was written, 00:14:43.870 --> 00:14:46.590 also in Germany in the 17th century. And one 00:14:46.590 --> 00:14:50.669 of the ways that was listed was stealing children 00:14:50.669 --> 00:14:59.470 for the growth of a monastery. Man stealing and 00:14:59.470 --> 00:15:02.509 receiving anything that is stolen, receiving 00:15:02.509 --> 00:15:06.330 things that are stolen. Fraudulent dealing, false 00:15:06.330 --> 00:15:08.210 weights and measures. There's that one again. 00:15:08.769 --> 00:15:13.870 Removing landmarks. meaning unjust disputes over 00:15:13.870 --> 00:15:16.309 the border between your land and your neighbors. 00:15:17.529 --> 00:15:21.929 This is upholding the surveyor's job as a just 00:15:21.929 --> 00:15:26.269 and good job. Injustice and unfaithfulness in 00:15:26.269 --> 00:15:28.049 contracts between man and man are in matters 00:15:28.049 --> 00:15:32.710 of trust, oppression, extortion, usury, bribery, 00:15:32.950 --> 00:15:38.080 vexatious lawsuits, unjust enclosures, depopulations, 00:15:38.360 --> 00:15:42.139 unjust enclosures and depopulations, unjust annexations 00:15:42.139 --> 00:15:44.759 maybe of one area towards something else for 00:15:44.759 --> 00:15:49.299 the maybe the sake of, you know, gain. And grossing 00:15:49.299 --> 00:15:52.460 commodities to enhance the price. And grossing 00:15:52.460 --> 00:15:55.779 commodities to enhance the price. Supply and 00:15:55.779 --> 00:15:58.740 demand. Maybe we can limit the supply of this 00:15:58.740 --> 00:16:05.740 so that we can increase our pocketbooks. Unlawful 00:16:05.740 --> 00:16:07.559 callings and all their unjust or sinful ways 00:16:07.559 --> 00:16:09.460 of taking or withholding from our neighbor what 00:16:09.460 --> 00:16:13.419 belongs to him, or of enriching ourselves, covetousness, 00:16:13.659 --> 00:16:15.740 inordinate prizing and affecting worldly goods, 00:16:16.100 --> 00:16:18.820 distrustful and distracting cares and studies 00:16:18.820 --> 00:16:21.980 in getting, keeping, and using them, and being 00:16:21.980 --> 00:16:26.279 at the prosperity of others, as likewise idleness, 00:16:26.799 --> 00:16:29.220 prodigality, wasteful, I actually had to look 00:16:29.220 --> 00:16:33.240 at that, prodigality, wasteful over -adulgence. 00:16:35.319 --> 00:16:39.759 excessive extravagance, wasteful gaming, so a 00:16:39.759 --> 00:16:42.240 type of gambling, and all other ways whereby 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:44.860 we do unduly prejudice our own outward estate 00:16:44.860 --> 00:16:48.980 and defraud ourselves of the due use and comfort 00:16:48.980 --> 00:16:54.200 of that estate which God has given us. That's 00:16:54.200 --> 00:16:57.799 a lot, isn't it? I mean, in so many ways, you 00:16:57.799 --> 00:17:00.039 can see how it doesn't apply just to the 17th 00:17:00.039 --> 00:17:03.480 century in England. with the 21st century here 00:17:03.480 --> 00:17:06.119 in the United States. And of course, I could 00:17:06.119 --> 00:17:11.900 go on, and the Bible could go on, and so we will. 00:17:12.740 --> 00:17:16.299 No, but not with the same kind of way. Okay, 00:17:16.920 --> 00:17:18.359 I mean, thinking about this, in some of the ways, 00:17:18.579 --> 00:17:22.140 what's the way that people steal so much in our 00:17:22.140 --> 00:17:26.549 day? I mean, think of time. How often time is 00:17:26.549 --> 00:17:30.589 stolen? An employee has a contract to work a 00:17:30.589 --> 00:17:34.230 certain amount of hours in a given time frame, 00:17:35.329 --> 00:17:38.930 and that lunch break extends another 15 minutes 00:17:38.930 --> 00:17:41.309 here and there, and the coffee break extends 00:17:41.309 --> 00:17:45.450 here around the copy machine, and just this taking 00:17:45.450 --> 00:17:50.289 of what has been agreed upon. Filling out false 00:17:50.289 --> 00:17:53.250 time cards in the rare places that those still 00:17:53.250 --> 00:17:57.900 exist. I remember, so I had a great job in college. 00:17:58.039 --> 00:18:00.299 I loved it. I worked for Seattle City Parks Department. 00:18:01.059 --> 00:18:02.819 My first summer at the beginning of the day, 00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:06.160 I would walk along Alki Beach and pick up trash, 00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:09.519 and I loved it. And then the next couple of summers, 00:18:09.640 --> 00:18:11.799 I walked along the beach at Lincoln Park in West 00:18:11.799 --> 00:18:13.619 Seattle. It's just a great way to begin the day, 00:18:13.779 --> 00:18:15.200 trim trees throughout the day. I love that job. 00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:17.380 Well, I mean, there were a couple of people that 00:18:17.380 --> 00:18:18.920 I worked with who I got along with very well, 00:18:18.920 --> 00:18:20.200 and I'm not going to name, even though I don't 00:18:20.200 --> 00:18:21.380 think they're ever going to watch this sermon. 00:18:22.170 --> 00:18:27.150 But I remember very clearly how they would just 00:18:27.150 --> 00:18:30.869 joke about how they would lie about sick days 00:18:30.869 --> 00:18:32.549 because, man, it was a nice day out and their 00:18:32.549 --> 00:18:34.329 buddies were going for a motorcycle ride and 00:18:34.329 --> 00:18:41.750 they wanted to go too. They'd steal time. Stealing 00:18:41.750 --> 00:18:45.710 time. This is wild to me, but I looked it up. 00:18:46.049 --> 00:18:51.529 Time theft costs U .S. employers between 450 00:18:51.789 --> 00:18:57.990 billion dollars and 550 billion dollars annually. 00:18:59.289 --> 00:19:02.390 Time theft. That's how much it costs employers. 00:19:04.410 --> 00:19:07.349 For an individual business, it accounts for one 00:19:07.349 --> 00:19:12.829 to eight percent of payroll. So up to eight percent 00:19:12.829 --> 00:19:16.349 of payroll is just lost because of time theft. 00:19:18.630 --> 00:19:21.440 Of course, it's not just the employee. Employees, 00:19:21.700 --> 00:19:24.559 employers can do that too, right? Demand that 00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:26.460 which is beyond actually what was agreed upon. 00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:29.359 It's a way of theft, right? That the employers 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:31.140 are doing to the employees and they can take 00:19:31.140 --> 00:19:33.380 advantage of it because, hey, no one paying. 00:19:34.339 --> 00:19:35.660 You need to show up all this other time even 00:19:35.660 --> 00:19:39.180 if we didn't agree to that. Get this, this is 00:19:39.180 --> 00:19:42.359 pretty wild. I read about this hotel that reported 00:19:42.359 --> 00:19:46.519 that in the first year of business, it had to 00:19:46.519 --> 00:19:53.160 replace 38 ,000 spoons. Why is everybody taking 00:19:53.160 --> 00:19:59.220 the spoons? And 350 coffee pots, and 100 Bibles, 00:19:59.299 --> 00:20:00.539 which I was like, oh, praise the Lord, somebody 00:20:00.539 --> 00:20:04.259 took the Bibles. That's great, take the Bibles, 00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:06.059 y 'all, if you need to take a Bible today, you 00:20:06.059 --> 00:20:10.579 can have one of our Bibles, okay. But it's just 00:20:10.579 --> 00:20:15.440 so pervasive. Stealing someone's reputation. 00:20:15.819 --> 00:20:17.839 is an application of this commandment. That's 00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:18.980 something that's talked about in the Bible, and 00:20:18.980 --> 00:20:20.319 it's something that happens. It's a good deal. 00:20:20.599 --> 00:20:24.799 Destroying somebody's character, right? Gosping 00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:28.299 about somebody, trying to talk about them bad 00:20:28.299 --> 00:20:30.539 so that you can maybe get the promotion for somebody 00:20:30.539 --> 00:20:34.839 else, you know, and cut down somebody else. Taking 00:20:34.839 --> 00:20:37.759 credit for somebody else's work so you can look 00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:44.950 good, right? It's just applied so much. Even 00:20:44.950 --> 00:20:48.670 if the villain Lago, right? Jed and Shakespeare's 00:20:48.670 --> 00:20:51.049 Othello said it, it's true and Shakespeare wrote 00:20:51.049 --> 00:20:55.069 it, he who steals my purse steals trash but he 00:20:55.069 --> 00:20:59.210 finches my good name makes me poor indeed. Somebody's 00:20:59.210 --> 00:21:01.170 good name is an important part and we can actually 00:21:01.170 --> 00:21:05.329 steal that from them. That is wrong and that 00:21:05.329 --> 00:21:10.609 is breaking the eighth commandment. And of course, 00:21:10.750 --> 00:21:13.130 this is what we do towards God. We steal his 00:21:13.130 --> 00:21:17.829 honor. his glory. We do not give him the worship 00:21:17.829 --> 00:21:22.670 that he is due. We steal what is rightly his. 00:21:22.970 --> 00:21:24.849 We believe that our goods and our wealth and 00:21:24.849 --> 00:21:28.309 our honor and our jobs and our children are all 00:21:28.309 --> 00:21:36.829 ours. Our time, Lord, is ours. We work hard for 00:21:36.829 --> 00:21:41.829 it. It's not just the kind providence of God 00:21:41.829 --> 00:21:44.990 that you have it and somebody else doesn't. Should 00:21:44.990 --> 00:21:47.250 all good gifts come from our Heavenly Father 00:21:47.250 --> 00:21:51.849 above? They're all His. He bestows them on who 00:21:51.849 --> 00:21:55.569 He will. We steal from Him when we do not acknowledge 00:21:55.569 --> 00:22:00.849 Him as the giver of all good things. So it's 00:22:00.849 --> 00:22:04.349 true, like I said last week, that so often what 00:22:04.349 --> 00:22:05.589 the commandments are doing is they're giving 00:22:05.589 --> 00:22:09.059 you the most bold kind of part of the command, 00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:11.359 but there are so many things that follow from 00:22:11.359 --> 00:22:15.759 it. Murder is not just manslaughter, but it's 00:22:15.759 --> 00:22:19.240 not preserving the life of the other, right? 00:22:20.039 --> 00:22:23.200 Adultery is not just that, but it's also so many 00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:27.119 other things, and we know it is. Of course, the 00:22:27.119 --> 00:22:31.279 same is true for stealing. That's what we could 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:33.559 say what it is, so many ways that we can apply 00:22:33.559 --> 00:22:35.619 it. But why does this matter? Okay, so just a 00:22:35.619 --> 00:22:39.450 few things. Why does it matter? One, and this 00:22:39.450 --> 00:22:42.849 might seem like a strange thing to start with, 00:22:42.970 --> 00:22:46.390 is that you're made for work. You're made to 00:22:46.390 --> 00:22:49.289 work. And a lot of times what ceiling is doing 00:22:49.289 --> 00:22:50.990 is it's saying, you know, there's an easy way. 00:22:51.809 --> 00:22:56.210 If I can just take it, if I can kind of, you 00:22:56.210 --> 00:22:59.420 know. Work the system so that I can get the upper 00:22:59.420 --> 00:23:01.380 leg instead of actually acting justly in the 00:23:01.380 --> 00:23:03.059 world and maybe I can get ahead and not have 00:23:03.059 --> 00:23:06.700 to work so hard. But God actually made you for 00:23:06.700 --> 00:23:08.680 work. He works six days and he rests on seven 00:23:08.680 --> 00:23:10.980 days. He said, go and do likewise. In fact, one 00:23:10.980 --> 00:23:12.519 of the things he first thing he tells is to be 00:23:12.519 --> 00:23:14.200 fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, subdue it, 00:23:14.420 --> 00:23:19.519 have dominion over it. Work, cultivate a life. 00:23:19.769 --> 00:23:24.509 in this world that reflects me and I like to 00:23:24.509 --> 00:23:27.309 work and create and you are made to do so as 00:23:27.309 --> 00:23:29.990 well. We are placed in the garden to tend to 00:23:29.990 --> 00:23:34.730 it and often stealing is a form of laziness. 00:23:38.029 --> 00:23:41.049 Stealing can take the honor or the reputation 00:23:41.049 --> 00:23:43.609 of another away because we want to get ahead 00:23:43.609 --> 00:23:45.609 of them, right? We want to look better in our 00:23:45.609 --> 00:23:48.359 own eyes from who they are. taking that which 00:23:48.359 --> 00:23:51.380 is not ours is simply saying, I deserve it without 00:23:51.380 --> 00:23:55.700 the hard work. Lifting ourselves up is often 00:23:55.700 --> 00:23:59.539 putting others down. And so actually, you know, 00:23:59.539 --> 00:24:01.900 you can think of what Melias read for us in Ephesians 00:24:01.900 --> 00:24:04.740 chapter four, where Paul is instructing them, 00:24:04.740 --> 00:24:07.019 how do we live this Christian life? And there's 00:24:07.019 --> 00:24:08.720 all kinds of things like, don't be angry, you 00:24:08.720 --> 00:24:09.779 know, don't let this thing go down in your anger 00:24:09.779 --> 00:24:12.039 and stuff like that. But one of the things that's 00:24:12.039 --> 00:24:15.230 said is, let the thief no longer steal. He's 00:24:15.230 --> 00:24:17.670 like, that is part of your old self that has 00:24:17.670 --> 00:24:19.990 been put to death. Just put on the new self. 00:24:20.609 --> 00:24:22.630 Put on this new life in Christ. And part of that 00:24:22.630 --> 00:24:25.450 new life is, do not steal any longer. Let the 00:24:25.450 --> 00:24:29.549 thief no longer steal. Instead, it says, but 00:24:29.549 --> 00:24:35.549 rather let him work. Why does it matter? Because 00:24:35.549 --> 00:24:37.990 we're made for work. And then Paul actually goes 00:24:37.990 --> 00:24:41.349 on to say, doing honest work with his own hands 00:24:41.349 --> 00:24:45.099 so that he may... have something to share with 00:24:45.099 --> 00:24:49.440 anyone who's in need. Part of your work is so 00:24:49.440 --> 00:24:54.700 that you can give to others. We were made to 00:24:54.700 --> 00:24:57.119 work and we were made to work in such a way that 00:24:57.119 --> 00:25:00.079 we are not taking what is not properly ours, 00:25:00.640 --> 00:25:03.019 but we have something to offer the life of the 00:25:03.019 --> 00:25:06.940 world. And that in some ways actually brings 00:25:06.940 --> 00:25:08.859 me to the second reason why I think it matters. 00:25:09.200 --> 00:25:12.339 And the second reason is that, so we were made 00:25:12.339 --> 00:25:15.220 for work, but we were also made for trust. We 00:25:15.220 --> 00:25:21.099 were made for faith. We were made for dependence, 00:25:21.779 --> 00:25:24.599 right? So our first parents, again, were placed 00:25:24.599 --> 00:25:27.920 in the garden with God under his delight, his 00:25:27.920 --> 00:25:29.319 goodness, right? He says, this is very good. 00:25:29.640 --> 00:25:32.640 But also under his shelter, his protection. and 00:25:32.640 --> 00:25:35.680 we're to live with Him in a relationship of trust, 00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:39.140 to believe that His words to us are good and 00:25:39.140 --> 00:25:40.720 right, and actually the boundaries in which He 00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:43.619 puts us in are good and right. And so, you know, 00:25:43.619 --> 00:25:46.359 there's this command, don't take of this tree. 00:25:46.940 --> 00:25:48.960 And of course, understandably, you're like, well, 00:25:49.000 --> 00:25:50.819 why would God do that? And there's all kinds 00:25:50.819 --> 00:25:52.480 of thoughts about that. But at the very least, 00:25:52.660 --> 00:25:53.819 one of the things is that from the very beginning, 00:25:53.859 --> 00:25:57.200 they were to trust. that God's provision for 00:25:57.200 --> 00:25:59.079 them is enough and that His words for them are 00:25:59.079 --> 00:26:01.779 good and right and that they might not even know 00:26:01.779 --> 00:26:04.799 why that is. And yet His words for them are good. 00:26:05.059 --> 00:26:08.920 And of course, that's why among other things, 00:26:09.099 --> 00:26:12.460 why the first sin is not just the sin of lying, 00:26:12.460 --> 00:26:14.640 which it is, but it's also stealing. It wasn't 00:26:14.640 --> 00:26:18.339 theirs. God had not given it to them. Instead, 00:26:18.359 --> 00:26:20.440 they were to live this life of trust and dependence 00:26:20.440 --> 00:26:23.740 that what God has given them is enough that He 00:26:23.740 --> 00:26:28.579 will provide for them in their need. And so when 00:26:28.579 --> 00:26:31.099 we steal, it matters because it actually goes 00:26:31.099 --> 00:26:33.240 against what we're made for, this life of work, 00:26:33.259 --> 00:26:36.359 but also this life of trust and dependence on 00:26:36.359 --> 00:26:40.759 God and His love and care for us. And so this 00:26:40.759 --> 00:26:43.740 brings me to the third thing of why I think it 00:26:43.740 --> 00:26:46.720 matters. And this is kind of simple too, is that 00:26:46.720 --> 00:26:50.980 it matters because our stuff is from God. This 00:26:50.980 --> 00:26:55.410 matters because our stuff is from God. Interestingly, 00:26:55.750 --> 00:27:00.769 in Malachi, Malachi chapter 3, God talks about 00:27:00.769 --> 00:27:03.990 how we rob from God when we don't tithe, but 00:27:03.990 --> 00:27:06.569 what's the point of that? The point of the tithe 00:27:06.569 --> 00:27:08.369 is actually saying, all that I have is yours, 00:27:08.430 --> 00:27:11.690 right, as we sing. And when we actually take 00:27:11.690 --> 00:27:15.329 that, which is not ours, we're actually fighting 00:27:15.329 --> 00:27:17.630 against this idea that God is the giver of gifts. 00:27:18.230 --> 00:27:20.289 Let me read a little bit of that for you. Malachi 00:27:20.289 --> 00:27:23.509 3, 6. For I the Lord do not change therefore 00:27:23.509 --> 00:27:25.990 you a children of Jacob are not consumed from 00:27:25.990 --> 00:27:27.730 the days of your fathers You've turned aside 00:27:27.730 --> 00:27:29.910 from my statutes and have not kept them return 00:27:29.910 --> 00:27:32.170 to me and I'll return to you says the Lord of 00:27:32.170 --> 00:27:35.769 hosts But you say how shall return well man Rob 00:27:35.769 --> 00:27:40.650 God Yet you are robbing me you say how have we 00:27:40.650 --> 00:27:42.670 robbed you and your tithes and contributions 00:27:42.670 --> 00:27:46.789 Your curse with a curse for your robbing me the 00:27:46.789 --> 00:27:50.109 whole nation of you He's going to keep going 00:27:50.109 --> 00:27:52.190 in that. But there's this way in which we actually 00:27:52.190 --> 00:27:57.690 rob God. We can actually take from him. Of course, 00:27:57.809 --> 00:28:00.450 it's kind of wild to me that Abraham gives a 00:28:00.450 --> 00:28:04.269 tithe in Genesis 14, and it predates this Old 00:28:04.269 --> 00:28:08.150 Testament tithing kind of idea. But why is this 00:28:08.150 --> 00:28:10.789 going on? Like, why does the Old Testament talk 00:28:10.789 --> 00:28:12.049 about this? And why is this a good Christian 00:28:12.049 --> 00:28:16.680 practice to give? One reason, okay, we can say 00:28:16.680 --> 00:28:18.480 this. It's not like God needs it, right? Does 00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:23.039 God need our stuff, our money, our tithe? Psalm 00:28:23.039 --> 00:28:25.480 50 says kind of famously that he owns the cattle 00:28:25.480 --> 00:28:28.140 on a thousand hills, right? It's not like he's 00:28:28.140 --> 00:28:31.000 a need. He speaks and things just come into being. 00:28:32.480 --> 00:28:35.420 But why this matters is because we have to remind 00:28:35.420 --> 00:28:37.920 ourselves again and again that all that we have 00:28:37.920 --> 00:28:43.240 and all that we are is ultimately God's. He doesn't 00:28:43.240 --> 00:28:45.829 need it. But he commands us to give even the 00:28:45.829 --> 00:28:47.529 tithe and these kinds of things because he wants 00:28:47.529 --> 00:28:50.809 to reinforce this again and again that all Everything 00:28:50.809 --> 00:28:53.529 belongs to him And again, let me get back to 00:28:53.529 --> 00:28:59.309 this. Okay, we think that our property The property 00:28:59.309 --> 00:29:02.150 the stuff that we own can be disposed of as we 00:29:02.150 --> 00:29:08.130 will right Meaning we can use our time we can 00:29:08.130 --> 00:29:10.170 use our resources and we can use our minds and 00:29:10.170 --> 00:29:12.390 everything that we have as we will they are ours 00:29:14.409 --> 00:29:17.329 But actually at the heart of this command is 00:29:17.329 --> 00:29:20.269 that they're not ours, is that they are God's. 00:29:20.309 --> 00:29:22.049 Stealing is not just an affront to your neighbor, 00:29:22.109 --> 00:29:25.890 it is also an affront to God. What the Bible 00:29:25.890 --> 00:29:28.029 says is that everything that we have is not our 00:29:28.029 --> 00:29:31.190 own. In fact, it tells us that we ourselves were 00:29:31.190 --> 00:29:36.170 bought with a price. It says that our bodies 00:29:36.170 --> 00:29:39.690 are not our own. You don't just get to do whatever 00:29:39.690 --> 00:29:43.099 you want. It says they are to be offered up to 00:29:43.099 --> 00:29:45.759 the Lord as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing 00:29:45.759 --> 00:29:50.420 to Him. Everything that we have, all of it belongs 00:29:50.420 --> 00:29:55.680 to God. He gives them to us. You simply hold 00:29:55.680 --> 00:30:00.319 them as a trustee, tending to them. But also, 00:30:00.859 --> 00:30:05.220 as the parable of the talent says, you will have 00:30:05.220 --> 00:30:08.259 to give an account to the Lord for how you used 00:30:08.259 --> 00:30:15.579 all of what you have. Okay, so anyway, what is 00:30:15.579 --> 00:30:18.099 stealing? It's quite simply, in the shortest 00:30:18.099 --> 00:30:21.359 way, it's taking what is not yours to take. But 00:30:21.359 --> 00:30:23.819 it encompasses so much. Why does it matter? Because 00:30:23.819 --> 00:30:27.200 it robs us of actually what we are made for. 00:30:27.640 --> 00:30:30.460 We're made to work. We're made to trust. We're 00:30:30.460 --> 00:30:34.200 made to have faith. But it also robs God of what 00:30:34.200 --> 00:30:36.319 is rightly His because He's the one that gives 00:30:36.319 --> 00:30:38.859 gifts, gives talents. And He also says, you're 00:30:38.859 --> 00:30:40.259 going to have to give an account for how you 00:30:40.259 --> 00:30:44.980 dealt with them. So stealing is not just stealing 00:30:44.980 --> 00:30:46.539 from the other, but in a way it's also stealing 00:30:46.539 --> 00:30:51.440 from yourself and it's stealing from God. Which 00:30:51.440 --> 00:30:53.880 is to say that when we sit with all of this, 00:30:54.579 --> 00:30:58.119 we can't write it off as the command for the 00:30:58.119 --> 00:30:59.579 guy that's walking down the street, checking 00:30:59.579 --> 00:31:01.460 the handles of the door, like the car doors. 00:31:01.519 --> 00:31:04.160 We can't write it off as like, oh man, Bernie 00:31:04.160 --> 00:31:07.720 Madoff, Bonnie and Clyde, the cute lady with 00:31:07.720 --> 00:31:11.849 the flowery hat, the butcher. this is a command 00:31:11.849 --> 00:31:16.769 for you and for your pastor and For your children 00:31:16.769 --> 00:31:19.910 and for your friends and for your roommate for 00:31:19.910 --> 00:31:24.130 your spouse Okay, so I'm gonna leave you with 00:31:24.130 --> 00:31:28.210 an assignment today I'm gonna give you an assignment. 00:31:28.309 --> 00:31:30.450 You do not have to bring this back to me. But 00:31:30.450 --> 00:31:33.230 actually I'd be really interested if you did 00:31:33.230 --> 00:31:37.690 Here's what it is. It's kind of simple. I would 00:31:37.690 --> 00:31:41.289 like you Maybe as an individual but more like 00:31:41.289 --> 00:31:42.950 it would actually be better if you did this with 00:31:42.950 --> 00:31:45.150 somebody else to get a roommate or your friend 00:31:45.150 --> 00:31:48.470 Or your children or whatever or your spouse. 00:31:48.670 --> 00:31:52.569 I want you to take a pen and a paper and I want 00:31:52.569 --> 00:31:54.170 to I want you to actually write down together 00:31:54.170 --> 00:31:57.369 and think together. How do I steal? I've given 00:31:57.369 --> 00:32:03.130 you so many categories Like I mean this if you 00:32:03.130 --> 00:32:06.369 need help get out the larger catechism question 00:32:06.369 --> 00:32:10.220 141 and 142 Get out the Heidelberg Catechism. 00:32:10.380 --> 00:32:12.380 Get out Luther's Catechism. It's got lots of, 00:32:12.380 --> 00:32:18.019 it's great too. And just ask, like, how do I 00:32:18.019 --> 00:32:22.039 break this, right? And then I also want you to 00:32:22.039 --> 00:32:25.059 ask, how am I tempted to steal? Because what 00:32:25.059 --> 00:32:26.680 the Lord invites us to do is see that these are 00:32:26.680 --> 00:32:28.559 not just commands for our external appearances, 00:32:28.700 --> 00:32:32.440 but commands for our hearts. And after you do 00:32:32.440 --> 00:32:35.900 that, okay, after you do that, I want you, listen 00:32:35.900 --> 00:32:38.099 to me. None of you are writing this down, so 00:32:38.099 --> 00:32:42.180 listen attentively, class. After you do that, 00:32:42.240 --> 00:32:45.799 I want you to get out of Bible and I want you 00:32:45.799 --> 00:32:48.920 to turn to the Gospel of John, Matthew, Mark, 00:32:48.980 --> 00:32:51.500 Luke, John. It's the fourth book in the New Testament. 00:32:52.059 --> 00:32:53.740 I want you to get it out and I want you to read 00:32:53.740 --> 00:32:55.740 what were our words of forgiveness and peace 00:32:55.740 --> 00:32:58.299 this morning, which is John chapter 10, verse 00:32:58.299 --> 00:33:02.160 10. And it says this, the thief comes only to 00:33:02.160 --> 00:33:08.069 steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come 00:33:08.069 --> 00:33:12.289 that they would have life and have it abundantly. 00:33:13.869 --> 00:33:17.670 And as you write down those stealing acts, as 00:33:17.670 --> 00:33:21.569 you write down those stealing temptations, I 00:33:21.569 --> 00:33:25.230 want you to give it to Lord and receive His new 00:33:25.230 --> 00:33:31.529 life. Let me pray. Lord. Again, these commands 00:33:31.529 --> 00:33:34.609 just seem so utterly applicable to us. I pray 00:33:34.609 --> 00:33:38.930 that we would not stop our ears and harden our 00:33:38.930 --> 00:33:43.670 hearts, that today we would hear your voice, 00:33:44.609 --> 00:33:47.250 and we would run to you, and we would love you, 00:33:47.329 --> 00:33:49.769 and we would live for you. In Jesus' name, amen. 00:33:58.829 --> 00:34:01.410 Please consider subscribing to this podcast and 00:34:01.410 --> 00:34:04.250 joining us in person each Sunday at 10 a .m. 00:34:04.549 --> 00:34:07.309 You can find us online at SecondCityChurch .org 00:34:07.309 --> 00:34:10.409 and on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Thanks 00:34:10.409 --> 00:34:12.190 again for listening. God bless.