Covetousness: The Tenth Commandment

Why is covetousness the Tenth Commandment (Exodus 20:17)? Covetousness is not listed last because it is somehow the least of sins (James 2:8-11), but because it is “a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10), covetousness causes people to violate each of the other nine commandments. The sermon outline is available in two formats: Powerpoint (*.PPT) and webpage archive

(*.MHT).

In the slide show below, my list numbering was altered by the process used to convert the Powerpoint presentation to a slide show. So, if you want a presentation that makes numerical sense, download the Powerpoint.

https://s3.amazonaws.com:443/slideshare/ssplayer.swf?id=46605&doc=covetousness-the-tenth-commandment-29814

OUTLINE

I. Covetousness: The 10th Commandment
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” 1 Timothy 6:10

II. Exodus 20:3-17, The Ten Commandments, Thou shall…

1. Not have any other Gods before ME
2. Not make unto thee any graven image
3. Not take the name of thy Lord in vain
4. Remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy
5. Honor thy father and thy mother
6. Not murder
7. Not commit adultery
8. Not steal
9. Not bear false witness
10. Not covet

[Is there a reason for the order of the commandments?]

• •The first four commandments govern our relationship with God. Similarly, Jesus said that the first and great commandment was, “’You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’” (Matthew 22:37-38)

• •The first five govern our relationship to authority. We learn respect for God by first learning to respect our parents.

• •The last six commandments govern our relationships with other people. This can be summed up in Jesus’ command to, “’You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:-39-40)

[What about the prohibition against covetousness? Why is it last?]

It isn’t last because it is somehow a lesser sin (James 2:8-11).

[Let us examine the relationship that the sin of covetousness has with the other nine sins listed in the Ten Commandments.]

III. Covetousness: The 10th Commandment, a root of all kinds of evil

• Covet – Hebrew verb “chamad” (khaw-mad‘), “to desire, covet, take pleasure in, delight in”

• Exodus 20:17 – “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

IV. Covetousness: The 10th Commandment, a root of all kinds of evil

• Covet – Greek verb “epithumeo”, “to fix the desire upon” (epi, “upon,” used intensively, thumos, “passion”), whether things good or bad; hence, “to long for, lust after, covet, …”

• Romans 7:7-8 – epithumeo is translated “covet” & “desire”

• Genesis 3:6 – Eve saw the fruit as desirable (“chamad”)

• James 1:14-15; 1 John 2:16 – lust (“epithumeo”)

1.

3.[According to James, we are tempted by our desires. Isn’t this what happened to Eve?]

41 John 2:16, “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.”

• •Eve that the tree was good for food. Her flesh lusted for it.

• •The fruit was pleasant to Eve’s eyes. Her eyes lusted for it.

• •The fruit was desirable to make one wise. Eve’s pride told her she wanted to become wise by eating the fruit.

5.

V. Covetousness: The 10th Commandment, a root of all kinds of evil
Thou shall …
1. Not have any other gods
2. Not make any graven images (idols)
3. Not take the Lord’s name in vain
4. Remember the Sabbath
5. Honor Father & Mother

Covetousness leads to …
1. Micah & Dan (Judges 17-18:24)
2. Colossians 3:4-6
3. Job’s Wife (Job 1:10-11; 2:9)
4. Exodus 20:8-11
5. Corban (Mark 7:9-13); Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-13)

A covetous attitude caused . . .

1.Men from Dan to steal Micah’s “Gods.”

2.Men today to place material prosperity ahead of God.

3.Job’s wife to instruct Job to blaspheme God.

4.Men to disregard God’s command to honor father and mother.

[With respect to the Fourth Commandment, If one cannot work on the Sabbath (which is not a prohibition today), then one cannot work for material prosperity on that day, but must focus his attention on his relationship to God, family and others.]

VI. Covetousness: The 10th Commandment, a root of all kinds of evil
Thou shall not …
6. Murder
7. Commit Adultery
8. Steal
9. Bear False Witness (Lie)
10. Covet

Covetousness leads to …
6. Cain (Genesis 4:1-8); Proverbs 1:10-19
7. Exodus 20:17; David (2 Samuel 11:2-4); Ephesians 4:19 (cf. NIV)
8. Jacob (Gen. 27:6-29); Laban (Genesis 31:7,15,41,42); Achan (Joshua 7:21);
9. Gehazi (2 Kings 5:20-27); Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11)
10. 1 Timothy 6:5-10

Covetousness has also led men to . . .

1.Murder;

2.Commit adultery;

3.Steal; and

4.Lie.

5.

Ephesians 4:19

• NKJV – who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

• NIV – Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

• HCSB – They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more.

• ESV – They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

• TNIV – Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

As Paul wrote to Timothy, “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” 1 Timothy 6:10.

VII. Covetousness: The 10th Commandment
“For the love of money is aroot of all kinds of evil” 1 Timothy 6:10

[Perhaps covetousness is listed as the last commandment because it can cause man to commit the other nine.]

• Does the prospect of eternal life sound pleasant and delightful to you?

• Do you long for heaven?

• Then you should desire a relationship with Jesus Christ, and covet a good relationship with God.

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