[Reason #7 of “10
Reasons Why I Need Jesus”
Exodus
20:15
You shall not steal.
Intro: [Ever leave a
restaurant and notice people smiling at you? At first you may think you are
looking good and people are pleased to see you. Then you look at a mirror. You
didn't just eat your lunch. You're wearing part of it. It's embarrassing. The mirror tells the truth about the
spaghetti sauce, mustard, or catsup now a part of your wardrobe.] A major
purpose of God’s Law is to serve as a
moral or ethical mirror. We look at the demands of divine law and see how
our ethical behavior has been compared to what God requires. It isn’t pretty,
is it? God demands perfection; we offer imperfection. God requires love for him
and our neighbor—always. We offer a lot less in attitude and behavior. We focus on the 7th Commandment
today and see another reason why we need Jesus, why I need Jesus. And I’ll
phrase it this way:
Another Reason
Why I Need Jesus:
I See Jack
Roland Murphy in my Mirror
1. I see loveless dishonesty in my life.
2. I want love and integrity in my life.
Part
1: I see loveless dishonesty in my life (like Jack Murphy)
1. Jack Murphy,
born in CA (1938) and grew up in PA, was a top student with an aptitude for
music and sports. He had a passion for surfing, and won a National Championship
(nickname: “Murph the Surf”). By the
age of 17, he had been invited to play violin with the Pittsburgh Symphony
Orchestra. In addition to being a surfer
and concert violinist, Murphy was a tennis pro, movie stunt man and high-tower
circus diver. But Murphy also had a dark side: he eventually become known
as a jewel thief and convicted murderer. In 1964, thieves stole more than 20
gems, including the Star of India, a
563-carat star sapphire, from the Museum
of Natural History in NYC. “Murphy loved the getaway scenarios that felt
like something straight out of an action film. There was the thrill of escaping
the law by boat or car, and this was part of a glamorous package that included
an affluent lifestyle made up of swanky parties, fancy apartments and yachts
around the Caribbean.”
2. By 1970 (age 32) he had been convicted
of theft and murder and sentenced to two
life sentences in prison, plus
20 years. His God-given gifts and skills were misused and earned him
punishment.
3. What
hits me the hardest about Jack Murphy are these 2 main truths: (1) He was
greatly blessed with talent, intellect, social and educational opportunities,
athletic and musical abilities – how fully the Creator blessed him! (2) He used
what he had lovelessly, dishonestly, putting sinful desires and selfish
ambition first, way ahead of wants and needs of others around him. He stole
much from others, sometimes silently and cleverly and sometimes violently. If
you think I am now going to draw
parallels between him and me – and you – you are correct. Are we not richly
blessed with abilities and opportunities that the majority in the world can
only dream about? But don’t we abuse, or fail to use, so much? It’s not for
lack of gifts and possessions; it’s the evil nature that is never satisfied and
never thankful for what’s received.
4. And the complexity of ways to steal!
It’s not just stealing a farm animal or moving a boundary stone anymore. One of
the employees at a bank in Kansas was putting money in the ATM machine and
accidently put $20 bills in the $10 slot, and $10 bills in the $20
slot. So when people pushed $10, they got $20, and when people
pushed $20, they only got $10. You can finish this story yourself. All the
people who were short-changed $10 came complaining and demanding that the bank
pay them back. But guess what? Not one customer who
got too much money back came into the bank to return the
money. They just drove away. That’s called “stealing.”
5. And our difficulty to confess it.
Norman Rockwell painting (Oct 1936): In the picture, both the woman and the
butcher have pleased looks on their faces…as if each knew a secret joke. Look
closely at their hands. The butcher is pushing DOWN on the scales with his thumb
and the woman is pushing UP on the other side with a dainty forefinger. They think
they are taking advantage of the other…. STEALING without the other knowing. It
serves to illustrate our attitude toward the 7th commandment. Both the butcher and the lady would resent
being called thieves. Stealing often masquerades as “smart business,
clever advertising, just looking out for oneself, a victimless crime (when
insurance companies and government are involved), or necessary because “everyone
else is doing it.” It’s still stealing. Movies & TV often romanticize
dishonesty and make it legitimate if “good or clever” people rob “bad guys.”
But it’s still stealing and sinful.
6. That’s why I – we –
need Jesus! It’s more than a lack of love for my
neighbor or too much love for myself. It’s a lack of trust and love for God and
sometimes more than that. I disagree with how much he chose to give me;
I am not content with the kind of gifts he sent me and I am not content to let
him distribute or redistribute things as he wills. If we trust God to provide
everything we need and the things we should have, we’re not going to
steal. I need that kind of trust and love to stand before God on Judgment
Day – and can get this only from Jesus, who has it and shares it freely.
Transition:
Let’s return to the saga of Jack Roland Murphy, “Murph the Surf.” He was
sentenced to a double life sentence plus 20 years. But the rest of his story
needs to be told.
Part
2: I want love
and integrity in my life (like Jack Murphy)
1.
After some famous Christian
athletes visited his prison and shared the good news of Jesus, Murphy was on the receiving end of a
miracle of God. He was given new life in Christ. He began participating in
the prison chaplaincy program, leading Bible studies, and mentoring other men
in prison. His parole date was moved up progressively because of good behavior.
After 19 years in prison he was
released with a lifetime parole. Once free from prison, Murphy began visiting
prisons and jails all over the U.S. as a part of prison ministry. The
Parole Board terminated his "lifetime parole" in 2000. To this day he
continues to serve Jesus and souls.
2. I can understand it if people see
“injustice” in this. Many would say he should have to pay
for his crimes in full and it isn’t fair for his sentences to be reduced and
his parole lifted. I get that. But I chose to talk about Jack Murphy today
because of the parallel between him and us because of Jesus Christ. Murphy
received two blessings: (1) the opportunity
to begin a new life with new goals, new patterns of giving rather than
taking, new level of integrity and honesty. (2) a new heart, new way of thinking, new set of desires and intentions
in his heart, mind, and will. This allowed him to take advantage of the new
opportunities and freedoms by cultivating a different lifestyle. It’s not just a matter of “education” or
getting new information – a new heart is needed. (Teddy Roosevelt: man
without education may steal from a freight car; a university graduate may steal
the whole railroad.)
3. That’s why I – we –
need Jesus! Jesus gives more than pardon or
forgiveness. His love gives birth to love in us. “If anyone is in Christ he is a
new creation!” (2 Cor 5:17). I am not saying that is more
important than the forgiveness of sins and I am not saying that living a
new life results in forgiveness of sins. No, that is all 100% by grace, freely
given and fully paid for by Jesus Christ. But I am saying that it’s a wonderful
package deal: new life and a growing faith-life accompanies heavenly
citizenship. And new promises! Recall today’s
Readings: 2 Co 9:6-11 [call to generosity on the foundation of
gracious giving of God guaranteed!] and Mt 6:19-24 [encouragement to
seek heavenly treasures rather than lesser and less secure earthly ones]. God’s
love and faithfulness are the key. As in Philippians 4:19—“And my God will meet all your needs
according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” With that
confidence, and with thankful love for what he did for us, we express new
attitudes about money and possessions – our own and our neighbor’s.
Conclusion:
Dr. Madison Sarratt taught mathematics
at Vanderbilt University (in Nashville). Before giving a test, the professor
would admonish his class something like this: "Today I am giving two examinations--one in trigonometry and the other
in honesty. I hope you will pass them both. If you must fail one, fail
trigonometry. There are many good people in the world who can't pass trig, but
there are no good people in the world who cannot pass the exam of honesty." Well
expressed. If we are identifying priorities, character is higher than math
skills – or literature knowledge, spelling skill, or penmanship. That’s
why we all need Jesus – to remove our guilt for loveless dishonesty and to
supply a new heart that can express love and integrity here on earth and
forever in heaven! Amen.
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