WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.600 --> 00:00:01.700 Grace, mercy, and peace 2 00:00:01.700 --> 00:00:05.000 be unto you from God, our Father and our Lord, and Savior Jesus 3 00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:05.800 Christ. 4 00:00:06.500 --> 00:00:07.200 Amen. 5 00:00:09.200 --> 00:00:13.500 Our text is the text of The Commandments 9 and 10, which just heard 6 00:00:14.100 --> 00:00:16.500 specifically. Thou shalt not covet 7 00:00:16.500 --> 00:00:17.400 thy neighbor's. 8 00:00:20.300 --> 00:00:23.800 Right now, I am coveting a different sound system. 9 00:00:26.300 --> 00:00:31.300 We have actually redone it and I get to be the guinea pig. 10 00:00:32.900 --> 00:00:35.300 So can you hear me? 11 00:00:36.800 --> 00:00:39.300 It's like that Verizon .. . 12 00:00:42.700 --> 00:00:46.200 We could begin here with a question. 13 00:00:47.800 --> 00:00:52.800 Usually, when we shorten these Commandments, we shortened them to you 14 00:00:52.800 --> 00:00:54.200 shall not covet. 15 00:00:57.500 --> 00:01:03.500 But I would like to suggest that this gives a false impression of what 16 00:01:03.500 --> 00:01:05.400 the Commandment is really about. 17 00:01:06.500 --> 00:01:08.000 Making it over broad. 18 00:01:12.100 --> 00:01:17.700 The Commandments and the language of the Old Testament are clear, that 19 00:01:17.700 --> 00:01:21.400 it is coveting things that are possessed or closely related to our 20 00:01:21.400 --> 00:01:22.100 neighbor, 21 00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:27.600 that is the problem, not simply Desiring things. 22 00:01:32.700 --> 00:01:37.700 Jesus broadens, the term neighbor in His parable of the Good 23 00:01:37.700 --> 00:01:38.500 Samaritan. 24 00:01:39.300 --> 00:01:43.500 Making it about anyone who loves to takes care of another in need. 25 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:44.900 What's fascinating 26 00:01:44.900 --> 00:01:51.100 is we get that Parable backwards too, because Jesus asks, who was 27 00:01:51.100 --> 00:01:54.200 neighbor to the one in need. 28 00:01:57.700 --> 00:01:58.400 Not really 29 00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:00.000 the one in need was the neighbor. 30 00:02:03.500 --> 00:02:06.500 So now the question is, who is our neighbor? 31 00:02:08.100 --> 00:02:11.400 But that's not a hard question. 32 00:02:12.200 --> 00:02:15.900 We may not be able to answer it correctly, but we can safely say that 33 00:02:15.900 --> 00:02:17.500 anyone we encounter 34 00:02:19.000 --> 00:02:20.000 is our neighbor. 35 00:02:24.200 --> 00:02:25.400 It could be much more. 36 00:02:25.600 --> 00:02:30.000 I've had preaching done by pastors, which said it was everybody in the 37 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:30.800 world. 38 00:02:31.700 --> 00:02:37.000 Well, maybe, but, I don't know that's really necessarily the whole or 39 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:38.100 part of the definition. 40 00:02:45.400 --> 00:02:47.400 So then, another question, arises. 41 00:02:48.600 --> 00:02:53.800 Is coveting in and of itself sin? 42 00:02:56.400 --> 00:02:58.100 Now, it's a matter of semantics. 43 00:03:00.500 --> 00:03:05.200 In this case, it probably matters, whether one considers all earnest 44 00:03:05.200 --> 00:03:07.000 desire to be coveting. 45 00:03:09.000 --> 00:03:12.500 Or simply unrighteous earnest desires. 46 00:03:13.600 --> 00:03:20.000 Of course, if one defines coveting is unrighteous earnest desires, it 47 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:23.600 is always sin because it is always unrighteous. 48 00:03:27.100 --> 00:03:31.800 But if one does not put the unrighteous part in, it might be okay to 49 00:03:31.800 --> 00:03:37.500 use the word covet. Like I covet the love of my wife. 50 00:03:39.600 --> 00:03:40.400 That's not coveting 51 00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:41.500 my neighbor's wife. 52 00:03:41.600 --> 00:03:43.500 That's covering my love 53 00:03:43.900 --> 00:03:44.900 where it belongs. 54 00:03:51.800 --> 00:03:56.600 An example like this would be that spouse example, person, might yearn 55 00:03:56.600 --> 00:04:00.500 for another without this being in itself, unrighteous. 56 00:04:02.200 --> 00:04:05.500 As the permanent commitment of marriage, concentrates and makes 57 00:04:05.500 --> 00:04:06.200 righteous 58 00:04:06.300 --> 00:04:11.600 the fruit of that yearning in that righteous one flesh relationship. 59 00:04:14.100 --> 00:04:17.500 In this case, I would say whether that whether coveting your own wife 60 00:04:17.500 --> 00:04:21.000 or husband is appropriate, language depends on what is included in the 61 00:04:21.000 --> 00:04:21.899 definition. 62 00:04:24.500 --> 00:04:29.400 And language has been used in the English language about God coveting, 63 00:04:29.400 --> 00:04:30.500 our prayers, 64 00:04:30.500 --> 00:04:32.900 although you don't hear that much money Lutheran's. 65 00:04:37.500 --> 00:04:39.200 It is also true 66 00:04:41.200 --> 00:04:46.600 that God earnestly desires us as lost and condemned creatures and 67 00:04:46.600 --> 00:04:50.300 restores us to standing as his beloved Sons and Daughters. 68 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:54.900 Although we are adopted, not begotten in that state. 69 00:04:56.100 --> 00:05:01.500 He earnestly desires or perhaps even covets our prayers gratitude and 70 00:05:01.500 --> 00:05:02.600 devotion to him. 71 00:05:03.600 --> 00:05:09.500 And knows that when we are prayer for word based devoted people, we 72 00:05:09.500 --> 00:05:10.600 are much better off. 73 00:05:13.400 --> 00:05:17.900 But this is all again, kind of semantic argument. 74 00:05:19.100 --> 00:05:26.500 The real issue is whether or not we covet inappropriate things, not 75 00:05:26.500 --> 00:05:29.900 whether we simply deeply and earnestly desire. 76 00:05:34.700 --> 00:05:37.600 Before we get to further, good news here 77 00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:39.700 there is another consideration as well. 78 00:05:41.500 --> 00:05:46.600 Paul does indicate that there is a problem with continual lust for 79 00:05:46.600 --> 00:05:47.200 more. 80 00:05:50.300 --> 00:05:53.300 And I think we Americans are particularly good at this. 81 00:05:53.300 --> 00:05:56.900 We have whole Industries designed to make us covet things 82 00:05:56.900 --> 00:05:58.000 we don't need. 83 00:05:59.300 --> 00:05:59.800 However this 84 00:06:00.200 --> 00:06:03.800 might not be, that thou shalt not covet commandment, but rather simply 85 00:06:03.800 --> 00:06:05.000 the First Commandment. 86 00:06:06.200 --> 00:06:09.100 Because we are really good at idolatry. 87 00:06:11.300 --> 00:06:15.500 I just point out to indicate the issue can be complicated and not simple. 88 00:06:20.900 --> 00:06:22.600 But there is great comfort 89 00:06:22.900 --> 00:06:25.800 in this earnest coveting by God for his people. 90 00:06:28.100 --> 00:06:32.300 He is ready to pay a really big price to see that we are saved. 91 00:06:34.400 --> 00:06:39.800 In the parable of the landlord of the Rebellion tenants God sends many 92 00:06:39.800 --> 00:06:45.600 messengers to his tenants until he finally sends his own son to the 93 00:06:45.600 --> 00:06:47.400 ungrateful wretches. 94 00:06:49.500 --> 00:06:53.900 Once they have slain the Son in the kingdom is given over to others. 95 00:06:55.100 --> 00:07:00.900 Assumedly in this immediate case the redeemed Jews and gentiles. 96 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:07.500 But here, the important point is that the Father is prepared to risk 97 00:07:07.500 --> 00:07:13.400 and pay the ultimate price in sending his Son into this terribly 98 00:07:13.400 --> 00:07:15.000 difficult situation. 99 00:07:16.700 --> 00:07:17.500 An even better 100 00:07:17.500 --> 00:07:22.500 interpretation might be that he comes to redeem, our lost rebellious 101 00:07:22.900 --> 00:07:24.800 and sinful selves. 102 00:07:25.300 --> 00:07:31.700 Changing us from enemies of Christ to these new tenants, ready to 103 00:07:31.700 --> 00:07:35.700 serve in the Kingdom of his grace, 104 00:07:36.200 --> 00:07:37.600 mercy, and peace. 105 00:07:41.900 --> 00:07:43.400 The important message here 106 00:07:43.400 --> 00:07:46.100 is that, God desires us. 107 00:07:47.700 --> 00:07:51.000 But then the question arises, why? 108 00:07:54.900 --> 00:07:57.500 God provides the answer himself. 109 00:07:59.700 --> 00:08:03.400 He really does love us. 110 00:08:05.400 --> 00:08:08.000 Way more than we love ourselves. 111 00:08:10.300 --> 00:08:13.600 He knows all of our flaws and weaknesses, but they don't matter to 112 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:14.000 God. 113 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:22.400 Sometimes when I think about myself and my wife, I'll say to her 114 00:08:22.900 --> 00:08:23.200 honey 115 00:08:23.200 --> 00:08:24.400 you're very nice to me. 116 00:08:25.600 --> 00:08:27.000 I wouldn't marry me. 117 00:08:30.600 --> 00:08:31.600 It's the truth. 118 00:08:34.700 --> 00:08:35.799 She loves me 119 00:08:37.100 --> 00:08:38.600 better than I love myself. 120 00:08:41.799 --> 00:08:48.100 He has given all for us because for some inexplicable reason 121 00:08:49.200 --> 00:08:54.900 He deeply loves you and me and fully desires that we should live in 122 00:08:54.900 --> 00:08:59.800 his kingdom to use, Luther's words and be his own. 123 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:05.900 And serve him in Everlasting righteousness, and innocence and 124 00:09:05.900 --> 00:09:06.800 blessedness. 125 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:11.500 And he sent his own Son 126 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:18.300 to pay the price of this salvation and take the punishment that we 127 00:09:18.300 --> 00:09:19.200 deserved. 128 00:09:21.200 --> 00:09:24.600 We now endure the simple death of this body and life 129 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:31.300 that we may fully experience the new life to come and be in full and 130 00:09:31.300 --> 00:09:33.600 complete fellowship with the Beloved. 131 00:09:34.800 --> 00:09:38.100 Who also fully loves all of us. 132 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:49.300 And when he redeemed us, he set our path as Paul says, in Ephesians 133 00:09:50.300 --> 00:09:51.800 by putting good works 134 00:09:51.800 --> 00:09:55.500 there prepared in advance for us to do. 135 00:09:57.700 --> 00:09:59.600 We to get the privilege 136 00:10:00.700 --> 00:10:05.800 of sacrificing, praying, praising, 137 00:10:07.400 --> 00:10:08.700 loving our neighbors. 138 00:10:10.200 --> 00:10:13.500 Earnestly and righteously doing good things 139 00:10:15.300 --> 00:10:19.100 and giving thanks to our Eternal God and Savior. 140 00:10:21.000 --> 00:10:27.500 Yes, we are still sinners, but God wants us to regard ourselves as new 141 00:10:27.500 --> 00:10:28.200 and again. 142 00:10:29.400 --> 00:10:34.300 He wants us to see our sinful nature as our alien nature. 143 00:10:35.300 --> 00:10:40.300 And our proper sound, new nature, as the true us. 144 00:10:43.400 --> 00:10:49.200 We get a foretaste of the, Heavenly feast to come, even right here. 145 00:10:51.500 --> 00:10:54.900 In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 146 00:10:55.500 --> 00:10:56.100 Amen. 147 00:10:57.100 --> 00:11:00.100 Now May the peace of God that passes all understanding 148 00:11:00.500 --> 00:11:02.900 keep your hearts and minds in Christ in 149 00:11:02.900 --> 00:11:04.200 Jesus our lord. 150 00:11:04.800 --> 00:11:05.500 Amen.