10th Commandment – You Shall Not Covet

Whether material possessions, money, power, fame or status, we have been tricked into believing that newer, bigger, or better will bring us happiness. But the truth is, covetousness has an appetite that is never satisfied. In this message, Adrian Rogers reveals the secret of satisfaction so that we may know true contentment.

• The Perplexing Problem of Covetousness
• Covetousness is a Lack of Perspective
• A Proper Practice

God is saying to you today:
“l am the ultimate provider. Rely on Me for your every need. I am your rock and stronghold in times of trouble. Trust in My faithfulness, for I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

This command is not a command against legitimate and lawful desire.
When God saves you, he doesn’t make you passionless.
Where you have no passion, where you, you have no desire. It’s not wrong to want a home.
It’s not wrong to want clothes. It’s not wrong to want a family.
God has given you a desire for love, for satisfaction, for happiness, for success, for victory.
It’s not wrong to want these things. It’s not wrong to want to acquire things.
It’s the Lord by God that giveth the power to get wealth.
But we’re going to see the covetousness goes beyond that, which is legitimate to that, which is illegitimate, harmful and hurtful, profound truth.
Simply stated, this is love worth finding with pastor teacher and author Adrian Rogers.
Take your Bibles and open, would you please? To Exodus chapter 20?
And we look now at verse 17, Exodus chapter 20 and verse 17 and why you’re finding it?
May I say that Madison Avenue has done a job on the American people.
It has given us a bad case of the I wants and we can’t be satisfied unless it’s newer, bigger, better shinier are different.
And we’ve been told that we can be happy, we can have that different car, that better vacation, that more wonderful house, the more stylish clothes, if we can have this experience and the right credit card to go with it, we have got it made.
But the truth of the matter is these things are not bringing happiness.
To the contrary, a noted research firm has found out that homes that are having the most arguments are not having arguments over sex Children or in laws, but primarily over money, over possessions.
And many of these are people who have outwardly many things.
Well, let’s see what God’s word has to say about it.
Look, if you will in verse 17, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his man servant, nor his maid servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbors.
Thou shalt not covet. I’m talking today on the secret of satisfaction. Now, what is this command?
I mean, what is it when God says thou shalt not covet?
Well, what God is talking about is unlawful desire.
He’s not talking about lawful desire, but he’s talking about wanting those things to which we have no legitimate right now.
It may involve money or things, but it may deal with other things, influence a power of fame, appearance, popularity, whatever it is that someone else may have, you do not have and you have no legitimate, lawful reason to have what they have.
And because you don’t have it, your happiness is hindered.
You see, the spirit of covetousness says, I must have that thing in order to be happy.
You’re not satisfied with what you have. You have disobeyed the commandment to be thankful in all things.
And rather than being humbly grateful, you’re grumbly hateful.
A great philosopher said this to the man to whom little is not enough.
Nothing is enough. Don’t forget that to whom little is not enough, nothing is enough.
Covetousness has an appetite that is never satisfied.
And so we could just say, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s large salary, his education, his advantages, his good looks, his automobile, his dishwasher or whatever else.
It is that makes you envious. Now, this command is not a command against legitimate and lawful desire.
When, when God saves you, he doesn’t make you passionless where you have no passion where you, you have no desire.
It’s not wrong to want a home. It’s not wrong to want clothes.
It’s not wrong to want a family.
God has given you a desire for love, for satisfaction, for happiness, for success, for victory.
It’s not wrong to want these things. It’s not wrong to want to acquire things.
It’s the Lord by God that giveth the power to get wealth.
But we’re going to see the covetousness goes beyond that, which is legitimate to that which is illegitimate, harmful and hurtful now, this command is different than all of the other nine that we’ve looked at because this command deals not with what we do, but it deals with what we are.
It deals with attitude and not action. It deals with desires and not deeds.
This is the commandment that rightly sums up all of the others because it shows that the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.
I want you to think with me.
First of all about what I’m going to call the perplexing problem of covetousness in the first place.
I wanna say it’s a very deceptive problem, a very deceptive problem. Few.
If any people ever say, you know, I’ve got a problem, pray with me about it.
I’m a covetous person and you just don’t hear that.
Uh We, the Bible speaks of the cloak of covetousness in, in first Thessalonians two verse five, we, we have a cloak that it, we kind of hide in that cloak and some people with the very best reputations are inwardly covetous.
It’s, it’s a deceptive problem and it’s such a debasing problem.
You see this, this, this problem comes out of the heart.
I want you to take your Bibles and look if you will in the gospel of Mark with me for a moment and chapter seven and verse 21 here’s something that may amaze you listen to it for from within, out of the heart of men.
Now notice this out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornication, murders, thefts and now watch this covetousness.
Do you see the company that covetousness keeps wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, and evil eye blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
All these evil things come from within and defile the man. Covetousness comes from within.
It comes out of the heart. It is a debasing sin.
It, it shows the, the vileness that’s in our hearts and it is so destructive.
Put this verse in your margin by Exodus 20 verse 17.
1st Timothy chapter six verses six through 10.
First Timothy chapter six verses six through 10, listen to it.
But Godliness with contentment is great gain.
And by the way, I wanna say that’s the answer to the sermon title. The Secret of Satisfaction.
Godliness with contentment is great gain for we brought nothing into this world and it is certain that we can carry nothing out and having food and Raymond that is food and clothes.
Let us there with, let us be there with content now. Verse nine, listen to it.
But they, that will be rich. Now that doesn’t say those who are rich.
Some of the most Godly people on this earth are rich.
Some of the most mean people you’ll ever meet are poor.
Some poor people are Godly and some rich people are ungodly.
But the Bible does not condemn riches, but the Bible condemns making riches your goal.
If you do, if you do, you are headed for industrial strength problems. They, who will be rich?
That is my desire.
When you make it your goal to be rich, do you know what you’ve done?
You’ve just gotten another God. Your goal, your desire must be what Jesus said in Matthew six verse 33.
Seek ye first, the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
And it don’t ever tell young people make all the money.
You can just so you make it honestly because if you tell him that he’ll be making money when you ought to be soul winning, he’ll be making money.
When you ought to be praying, he’ll be making money when you ought to be sleeping or fishing or spending time with his 10 year old son.
They who will be rich.
Listen to it fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition for the love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after underscore that we’re talking about covetousness for a while which while some coveted after they have aired from the faith pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Pastor. I don’t understand that. When you say the love of money is the root of all evil, there are other kinds of evil.
Yes, but peel it back and covetousness causes us to break all the other commandments.
Uh For example, what are the first two? Have? No other gods don’t make any graven images.
What you read in the Bible? In Colossians three verse five, covetousness is idolatry.
When God become, when, when gold becomes your God and creed, your greed, you’ve broke in the first two commandments.
Then what, what was the next one? Say? It says, don’t take God’s name in vain.
How many people have you used God and tried to use religion to get ahead and to get for themselves, the things that they want and their religion is only a form of self service and hypocrisy.
Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy? Why is it today?
That business places cannot close down on the Lord’s Day. Covetousness, honor your father and your mother.
Why is it that we fail to take care of our aged parents and sometimes just warehouse them or let other people take care of them?
Why is it that parents don’t become honorable parents and take care of their Children as they want?
Why are people not even having Children today?
Covetousness and many of them, not all of them, many precious people want Children and cannot have them?
Thou shalt not kill? I read in the newspaper, some young men saw a automobile with big hub caps on it.
Wanted those hub caps kill the owner to get the hubcaps.
Thou shalt not kill what was behind that covetousness? Uh Thou shalt not steal.
Well, we take what belongs to other people. We want what they have covetousness. Thou shalt not bear false witness.
Why was stealing someone else’s reputation or trying by dishonesty to get ahead and we, uh, falsify contracts and tell lies.
Uh, that, uh, things may come to us.
Every one of the commandments is transgressed by this last one which says thou shall not covet.
Covetousness is an octopus that wraps itself around the soul and cannot be shaken off.
Homes are being destroyed by covetousness.
And the worst thing about covetousness is this, it will drag you down to hell.
You say pastor, that’s a little strong. Well, then I want to refer you to the word of God.
Put this one down. Ephesians five verse five for this.
Ye know, you know this, that no horger nor unclean person, nor covetous man who is an idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Pastor read that again for this.
You know that no hor monger nor unclean person, nor covetous man who is an idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Folks, folks listen, covetousness is not a minor thing.
God says it’s a form of idolatry. Well, that’s the problem.
Now, now how do we, how do we, how do we get hold of this thing?
Well, not only do we see this perplexing problem, but it’s so important that we get a proper perspective.
Covetousness is a lack of perspective. You see what is the secret of satisfaction and contentment.
It is promised and provided in the Lord Jesus Christ. Here’s a great verse. Oh, write this one down.
Your kids need it, listen to it. Hebrews 13. Let your conversation. The word conversation here means your lifestyle.
Let your lifestyle be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have for.
He hath said, I will never leave the nor for safety so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper.
I will not fear what man shall do to me.
The only truly contented and satisfied people in this world are people who have let go of this world with both hands and taken hold of Jesus Christ with both hands.
Do you have a knowledge of the word of God?
Do you have the wisdom that comes from this one book? Proverbs three verses 13 and 14.
Happy is the man that find wisdom and the man that get understanding for the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver and gain and the gain thereof and fine and gold.
You don’t have to have diamonds dripping from your fingers and gold around your neck.
If you’ve got God’s word in your heart and you have wisdom, you know more than all the wise acres in the Pentagon put together.
If they don’t know the Lord Jesus Christ, how rich you are to have the wisdom of God.
Do you have the peace of God that passes understanding in your heart that gives you satisfaction and you can be satisfied with your needs and not your greed.
Can you say with the Apostle Paul in Philippians four verse 11.
Not that I speak in respect of want for.
I have learned in what state I am there with to be content. John Muir Muir.
If you ever go to California out in San Francisco, go to Muir Woods.
It’s named after him where the, the redwoods are.
John Muir was talking to a railroad magnate, an industrialist, a man who was a, a wheeler dealer, a man who had millions.
John Muir who lived a simple life.
Said to that man, I am richer than you are.
He said, oh yeah, how is that?
So he said because I have everything I want and you don’t, I have all I want and you don’t.
I am contented and I have enough. If you have the peace that passes. Understanding.
Listen, folks, you’re rich, you’re rich. I was witnessing to a man.
He was standing in front of his house. I went up to talk to him.
He was not a Christian was in another city.
I ask him to give his heart to Christ.
He said, I’m doing just well. He said, I’ve got a steady income.
Said you see that house is paid for, did you see that car? It’s paid for?
He said, you see me, I’m doing fine. I said I’ve got a wife.
She’s a good woman is II I really don’t need what you’re talking about.
I looked him right now and I said, sir, would you be absolutely honest with me?
He said, of course, I said no, no, no, no, don’t say it easily.
I said, would you be absolutely honest with me? He sobered.
He, he said, yes, I will.
I put my eyes right in his eyes and ask him this question, sir.
Do you have peace in your heart? He said, I own my house.
I said, no, you said you’d be honest, you have peace in your heart.
I saw his chin as it began to quiver so his eyes as they welled up with tears.
And he said, no, I don’t have peace. How did you know?
I said because the Bible says there is no peace at my God to the wicked.
You don’t have peace. You’re poor. I don’t care what else you have.
If you have the peace of God that passes understanding.
If you know that you have a hope that is steadfast and sure my friend pal rich, you are be content with such things as you have for.
He had said, I will never leave the nor forsake the now I want you to learn some steps very quickly.
We’ve talked about a problem. We’ve talked about a perspective.
Let me talk with you very quickly about a practice. What must you do?
How can you teach your Children contentment? What is the secret of satisfaction?
Well, number one, trust in the Lord, trust in the Lord get to know Him.
A covetous person is a person who has not put his eyes upon the Lord.
Only God can satisfy the deepest longing of your heart. God has so engineered you.
God has made you where this world will not satisfy the whole in your heart.
Number two develop in your heart and in your Children, a spirit of thankfulness, be thankful unto him and bless his name.
Children. Today they go to the closet.
There’s not even enough room in the closet for all of the clothes and they complain, I don’t have anything to wear.
They’re surrounded by toys and gifts and trinkets and video games.
And they say I’m bored. I want something new. I want something different.
Do you know the problem friend? It is not wanting more. Do you know the problem with most of us?
It is not that we want more. We want more than somebody else.
We can be perfectly satisfied with what we’re wearing.
When we see somebody wearing something different, we can be perfectly satisfied where, where, where we live till we go off to, to visit the gut rocks and, and, and, and then they have a little bigger, a little better, a little nicer and they’re no longer are we satisfied?
It’s not that we want more. We want more than they want. Develop the habit of thankfulness.
Learn to love other people. Do you know why you covet, what other people have is because you don’t love them.
If you love them, you would rejoice that they have it.
I make it a habit when I go into a home and I see all the finery and the nice things and automobiles that someone may have.
I make it a habit to bow my head and say, thank you God for blessing these people.
You don’t covet what they have. You thank God that they have it.
And if you’re jealous of somebody else, I can tell you one thing, you do not love that person, learn to enjoy the grace of God in somebody else’s life.
And last of all, and this is so very important.
Do you know what the best way to deal with covetousness is?
Learn to give, learn to give.
I was listening to John Maxwell and he told about a congressman who was, he was talking with, this was a congressman from Ohio.
This congressman was a believer.
This congressman said to him to this pastor and I’m repeating it to you.
He said, I want to tell you what God taught me about stewardship.
He said, I took my son to mcdonald’s. My son wanted a large order of mcdonald’s french fries.
They just call them fries. He said, I put the money down on the counter, bought my son those french fries, we were having some Father and son fellowship and he said, he sat down and began to eat those French fries.
And he said, you know what they smell like, don’t you? You know how good French fries smell?
And he said, I just put my hand over there to get about two of those French fries and put them in my mouth.
He said, my son put his hand on my hand and said, dad, those are mine.
And he said, I thought to myself, my son has a bad attitude.
My son has a bad attitude.
And he said in five seconds, God spoke to me and gave me one of the greatest lessons I’ve ever had.
And he said, I thought this said in the first place, my son doesn’t know where those French fries came from.
I bought them for him and he says those or mine.
Secondly, my son doesn’t know this, that I have the power to take them away from him if I want to.
And furthermore, I have the power to get him a whole lot more.
I’ve got enough money in my pocket.
I could go up there and buy 20 large packs of fries and bury him in French fries if I wanted to.
And the third thing he needs to know is that I don’t need those French fries.
I could go by my own and eat them by myself.
I have to sit here and eat French fries with him.
And he said, God spoke to me. Mhm.
And he said, that’s the way you are when you are covetous and selfish.
God, keep us from covetousness.
Bow your heads in prayer.