28th November 2025

28th November 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Exodus 20:15)


Message (Alan Burke)


It would be so much handier if I had a magical money tree, even if I wasn’t allowed to spend a penny of it on myself there is so much that could be done in the church, in the community that I live but I don’t have a magic money tree and no doubt the power of such a thing would destroy me. We may not have a magic money tree but all of us have things that are ours, you might have a mint condition Ford Capri 280 Brooklands and want to rub it in my face that I will never get to drive such a car never mind own one and that’s ok, honest. Or you might have Pioneer P3a lying in the attic that you never look near, you might have a million hidden under the mattress and you know with all these things the inference of this commandment is that it is right and good for you to have private property. It is is right and good that we earn, that we labour for what we have and that we inherit as individuals and families and that property ought to be protected so that it isn’t taken from those whom it belongs to. This commandment is a prohibition against taking something that does not belong to us in any way or form. It protects private property, it helps us to love our neighbour, it impacts the whole community and requires that we trust the LORD for all that we have. 


And now I’m going to make an application from of this command that for some will touch a nerve. I wasn’t going to make this application until I went and did some In Service Training and in one of speakers challenged us there about what the scripture does. He in a throw away comment mentioned 2 Timothy 3 where we are told; “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” For rebuking and correcting, so here it is… how much have you stolen from the LORD your God? See, told you it would touch a nerve. Truth is we don’t like talking about money. 


The principle in the Old Testament was tithing, the LORD through Malachi rebuked his people for how they were stealing from him (Malachi 3:6-12). The tithe was a principle laid out because of how our hearts work, we forget that the LORD has given us all that we have and given us such a wonderful salvation in Christ Jesus. The reality for us, those who have respond to the claims of Christ we have a different attitude to earthly possessions and the standard for us is much greater than the principle of tithing for we have been redeemed by the blood of Christ, when we know who God is and what he has done, we should give according to our means, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have (2 Cor 8:11-12). This means what those on minimum wage can give will be very different to someone on 100k a year, what those with dependants can give will be very different to those who have none, for those who have a mortgage it will be different for those who do not. What we give tells of the reality within. 


Are you stealing from God, have bought into the lie that has been sold by our consumeristic society, instead of being willing to give it all to God we are more preoccupied by what we have and what we get out of God, instead of using what we have to love our neighbour and show the love of God we want to horde what we have. One last thing before we close for today. I know you haven’t obeyed this commandment and I know I haven’t. We are all law breakers, thieves, it may be respectable stealing, things that no one bats an eyelid at and it may be things that are secret that if they were to get out people would be horrified. But remember that while Jesus was on the cross on one side was a thief and on the other side there was a thief, two of them, one of them saw his sin and turned to Jesus and Jesus said to him, today you will be with me in paradise. Let us turn from our sin and turn to the saviour.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q31 What is effectual calling?
A. Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.
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