OUR WORLD IS FULL OF THEFT. A LITTLE TIME WATCHING FOX NEWS, CNN, OR READING USA TODAY LEAVES US WITH ILLUSTRATIONS OF THEFT NEARLY EVERY DAY.
a) Consider the story recorded in 1 Kgs. 3.
b) At this time Solomon was king; he had asked God to give him a “wise and understanding heart.”
2) The Bible says two women who were harlots came to see him (1 Kgs. 3:16).
a) Both had babies that were born about the same time. One of the children died.
b) Verse 19 – READ
c) Both women appeared before Solomon and made the same basic claim.
d) One woman was the real mother and the other was a baby thief.
3) This type of things is still going on today—people try to steal children.
4) Another fascinating story involving theft is found in Judg. 17.
a) Here we read about a man named Micah.
b) This man stole from his mother—he stole quite a bit of money from mom.
5) He did finally confessed the theft and returned the money.
6) A son stole from his mother. Do people today steal from their relatives?
7) Theft has also been a problem between employer and employee.
a) Jesus gave an example of this in Lk. 16.
b) Verse 3- READ
8) This employee stole quite a few assets from his boss before he was terminated.
9) Verses 5-7 – READ
a) By reducing the amount of debt that people had, this man gained favor with his master’s suppliers.
b) He got favoritism by theft.
10) Others steal from their employers by an improper use of time.
11) What would we say about a man who is paid for 8 hours a day but he only works 6?
12) When we think of people who steal and commit theft, we may think of the unsaved.
13) Mt. 21.
14) Verse 12 – READ
15) Verse 13 – READ
16) The temple was to be a place of worship; a place of prayer.
a) People who sold animals for sacrifice had turned the process into a money making venture.
17) This type of thing may be legal, but it hardly moral.
18) Today when people are not fair when they deal with others, they commit a form of theft.
a) Christians want, therefore, to be fair with all people.
b) We want to be just in our business dealings with others.
19) Religious people can commit robbery in other ways as well.
a) We can rob God.
b) There are those who have talents that could be used for God, but some say “I will keep my talents for myself.”
c) Another may have some time that could be dedicated to God, but that time is spent elsewhere.
d) Others may have money that could be devoted to the kingdom of God, but it is put somewhere else.
20) In Mal. 3:8 a prophet asked some people, “Will a man rob God”?
21) God’s prophet said in verse 9: “Ye are cursed.”
22) Are we also guilty of theft – either towards our fellow man or towards God?
23) We do not want to be someone that God classifies as a thief.
24) God went on to say (Mal. 3:10) that we are to bring to Him what we have.
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