Politics, Property, and the Bible

Dennis Tuuri

Outline: Deuteronomy 23:15-24:7 Politics, Property and the Bible An Election Day Sermon for 2007 Sermon Notes for October 7, 2007 by Pastor Dennis R. Tuuri Introduction Measures 49, 50; Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness (The Rignt Use of Property) Gen. 4:10,11; Job 31:38-40; Heb. 12:24 The Eighth Word – Deut 5; 23:15-24:7 1. 15 “You shall not give back to his master the slave who has escaped from his master to you. 16 He may dwell with you in your midst, in the place which he chooses within one of your gates, where it seems best to him; you shall not oppress him. Change of Masters 2. 17 “There shall be no ritual harlot of the daughters of Israel, or a perverted one of the sons of Israel. God’s Right to our Persons, No Idolatry 3. 18 You shall not bring the wages of a harlot or the price of a dog to the house of the Lord your God for any vowed offering, for both of these are an abomination to the Lord your God. No Vain (Empty) Payment 4. 19 “You shall not charge interest to your brother—interest on money or food or anything that is lent out at interest. 20 To a foreigner you may charge interest, but to your brother you shall not charge interest, that the Lord your God may bless you in all to which you set your hand in the land which you are entering to possess. Giving Rest to the Poor 5. 21 “When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it; for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and it would be sin to you. 22 But if you abstain from vowing, it shall not be sin to you. 23 That which has gone from your lips you shall keep and perform, for you voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth. Pay Your Vows 6. 24 “When you come into your neighbor’s vineyard , you may eat your fill of grapes at your pleasure, but you shall not put any in your container. 25 When you come into your neighbor’s standing grain , you may pluck the heads with your hand, but you shall not use a sickle on your neighbor’s standing grain. Right Use of Property 7. 24:1 “When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, 2 when she has departed from his house, and goes and becomes another man’s wife, 3 if the latter husband detests her and writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her as his wife, 4 then her former husband who divorced her must not take her back to be his wife after she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the Lord , and you shall not bring sin on the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance. Divorce 8. 5 “When a man has taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war or be charged with any business; he shall be free at home one year, and bring happiness to his wife whom he has taken. Stealing Spouse 9. 6 “No man shall take the lower or the upper millstone in pledge, for he takes one’s living in pledge. Stealing Life 10. 7 “If a man is found kidnapping any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and mistreats him or sells him, then that kidnapper shall die; and you shall put away the evil from among you. Coveting and Stealing Comments 1. The Bible links life and property, thus exalting property, not debasing men. 2. The Bible limits our use of “private” property. 3. God-given limits establish the importance of private property. Questions from “Politics, Property, and the Bible” 1. Today’s sermon is an ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Day sermon. 2. Good ___ ___ ___ ___ are part of our evangelism of the nations. 3. In the Bible, the ___ ___ ___ ___ prays. 4. The ground is like a ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___. 5. Our nation’s Constitution says we have God-given rights to ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ and the pursuit of ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 6. Our joy is tied to our right use of ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___. 7. Most of Deuteronomy is a ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ on the Ten Commandments. 8. Today’s text is on the ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Commandment. 9. This Commandment tells us not to ___ ___ ___ ___ ___. 10. This text begins and ends talking about ___ ___ ___ as property. 11. It is a great sin to ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ form God. 12. The bible favors ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ property. 13. We should be very ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ about other people’s property.