15^th Sunday after Pentecost – A Review of the 9^th and 10^th Commandments – September 13, 2009

THE HEART OF THE MATTER

(Based on 1 Kings 21:1-16)

A middle-aged man opens his eyes and just stares at the ceiling. He yawns, stretches, and then droops his shoulders. He pulls the blankets down, sits on the edge of his bed, and shakes his head with a sigh. He puts on his robe, walks to the window and stares out at a beautiful vineyard. He shakes his head again. He shuffles his feet as he slowly makes his way to his bed again and flops down on his pillow, sulking. This behavior continues for the better part of a day. Finally his wife enters the bedroom and asks, “Why are you moping around? And why won’t you eat?” He answers, “Because I said to the man who owns that beautiful vineyard, ‘Naboth, why don’t you sell me your vineyard, I’ll pay you whatever you want. In fact, if you would prefer, I will give you a better one in its place.’ But he refused to sell it to me, saying that God forbids anyone to sell their inheritance permanently that it should leave the family.” His wife replies, “You’ve got to be kidding me – aren’t you the king? Get up and eat. Since you’ve got no guts, I’ll get the vineyard for you.” So King Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, sends a letter to the nobility of the town, proclaiming a celebration. Naboth is given a seat of prominence but she seats scoundrels on either side of him. During the celebration they bring charges against Naboth saying, “This man cursed God and King.” So the people drag him outside the city and stone him to death. When King Ahab hears that Naboth is dead, he gets up and takes possession of Naboth’s vineyard.

This morning we conclude our sermon series study on the Ten Commandments. As we do, we see how Ahab coveted a vineyard he could not have. We see him cooperate in a theft and a murder. And what prompted all this? What was the center of the issue? Ahab’s heart was the issue. He wasn’t content with the blessings God had given him. And as we study our lesson, we get to the heart of the matter: His evil thoughts and desires.

And you know if we’re honest, which often times we are not, we have to admit that we act like King Ahab and are not satisfied with all the rich blessings we have. If we’re honest, we have to acknowledge that we’ve been jealous when others have more than we do, or who have better than we do, or have more expensive than we have. If we’re honest, we have to acknowledge that often we follow the Toddler’s Rules of Possession, which read, 1. If I like it, it’s mine. 2. If it’s in my hand, it’s mine. 3. If I can take it from you, it’s mine. 4. If I had it a little while ago, it’s mine. 5. If it’s mine, it must never appear to be yours. 6. If I’m doing or building something, all the pieces are mine. 7. If it looks just like mine, it is mine. 8. If I saw it first, it’s mine. 9. If you are playing with something and you put it down, it becomes mine. 10. If it’s broken, it’s yours. And if we’re honest, we have to confess that even in our wildest dreams we can never say that we have kept our hearts pure or that we are clean and without sin.

Even though we might chuckle a bit at those Toddler’s Rules of Possession, coveting is no laughing matter. Even though such attitudes as greed and covetousness are held up as virtues in our society under the title “ambition,” coveting remains a serious matter of the heart - one which affects every aspect of our lives. Over the past two months, we’ve taken an in-depth look at how that’s the case with all of the commandments. The heart of the matter is our hearts in any given matter. Why do we steal? Because we covet. Why do we commit adultery? Because we covet another person. Why do we lie and hurt others reputation? Because we covet a better reputation for ourselves or covet the apparent admiration we think we get when knowing something others don’t. Why do we fail to do what we should? Because our hearts are not right! By coveting we always break another of God’s commandments! We make ourselves our own god instead of the true God and we end up breaking the first commandment!

What fitting bookends the first and last commandments make! They get to the heart of the matter. We aren’t content with the blessings God has given us and so we reject him as our God – breaking the First Commandment – and serve ourselves and our wants instead – breaking the 9^th and 10^th Commandments. And though these sins may be hidden from all others and we may appear pious and holy on the outside, we can’t escape the notice of God who knows and sees all thoughts, attitudes, and our hearts.

Why do you and I have these sinful desires? Why are we not satisfied with what the Lord has blessed us with? Why do we concern ourselves with what others have and what we don’t? The Apostle James explains our motives in very clear terms when he writes, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet” (James 4:1,2). A battle rages within us between your naturally sinful heart and your new person that the Holy Spirit created in you at your baptism. Your new person wants to be satisfied with what the Lord has blessed you with, but your sinful self whines and complains about what others have and what you don’t have.

Our problem is that we allow our sinful hearts to win those battles. We allow ourselves to become dissatisfied with the great blessings God has given us and want more of what we do not have. But the Lord has set his standard, “Do not covet.” It is not for us to deviate from. He is still serious about sin. And for such rebellion, for such covetous desires, for the attitudes and sinful hearts that produce the sinful thoughts, we deserve to be banished to an eternity of hell. In his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul reminds us, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins…gratifying the cravings of your sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts…[and became] objects of wrath” (Ephesians 2:1,3).

But then the Apostle continues, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved…God raised us up with Christ” (Ephesians 2:4-6). Because the Lord God loves you, because he shows mercy to you that you do not deserve, because he does not want to see you dead, because he does not want to see you shut out of his heaven, he raised you up from your deadness and made you alive. Through your baptism the Holy Spirit intimately connected you with Christ. So, on the cross you died with Jesus, and in the tomb you were buried with him, and there your sins were buried. Your sins of coveting and sinful desires were buried in Christ’s tomb because he took them to the cross and paid for them with his blood. Now they have been buried, never to be seen again by God. But unlike your sins, Jesus did not remain in the tomb. He rose again on Easter Sunday. In the same way the Holy Spirit raised you up with Christ. Through your baptism you have been given a new life, here on earth and forever in heaven. Today and everyday, as you in repentance recall what your baptism has done for you, you will bury your covetous desires. Everyday you will dig that deep hole and lay to rest those sinful longings. Let your new person rise to live for Christ.

In your new life through baptism your new person rises to live according to the Lord’s directives in the 9^th and 10^th Commandments. The Apostle Peter encourages us to no longer conform to the evil desires we had, but to be holy in all we do, “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do” (1 Peter 1:14,15). We can say with the Apostle Paul, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances…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. I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11-13).

With such contentedness comes big change in our lives. Now, with our sinful nature crucified with Jesus along with its passions and desires, we have new attitudes, new selves, and new hearts. Now, what we covet more than anything is time spent with our Savior in his Word! Now our thoughts and desires are not “How can I get more?”, but “How can I give more?” Not “Me first,” but “Me last.” Not “What do I want,” but “What does God want.” And in response to Jesus’ selfless sacrifice for us, we long to serve him; to “Serve one another in love” (Galatians 5:13) and “Look not only to [our] own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).

Rejoice, dear friends, in all that you have through Jesus! “And be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5). And in thanks to him, and with the Holy Spirit’s strength, strive with all your power to keep the Ten Commandments, not just in what you say and do, but in your thoughts, attitudes, and hearts as well. Amen.