Two weeks ago I started a little mini-series here on my blog called "A Christian Response to Wardrobe Malfunctions." As we approach Superbowl 44 and think back to that infamous halftime show with Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson in Superbowl 38, I want to take a look again at what we are called to be as Christians. As Paul writes to the church in Ephesus I am reminded of the show on TLC called "What Not To Wear." The premise of that show is a perfect backdrop to this series. The question being--what are we not to wear as Christians?

WHAT NOT TO WEAR AS A CHRISTIAN:

1) Take off LYING and put on TRUTH

In Ephesians 4:25 (NIV) Paul said, 25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.  We talked about this two weeks ago so let's keep moving...

2) Take off SINFUL WRATH and put on RIGHTEOUS ANGER

In Ephesians 4:26-27 (NIV) Paul also said, 26“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold.  That is what we covered last week, so here's what I want to talk about today...

3) Take off STEALING and put on SHARING 

One of my most vivid memories of my early days of life took place in first grade.  I was at school one day when one of the other students in my class brought in one of the few remaining He-Man toys that I did not own.  Of course, being only 6 years old, I just had to have it.  I saw it, I coveted it, and then I took it when nobody was looking!  A little later in the day, my friend found out that his beloved toy was missing and he told the teacher.  The teacher, knowing that I too was a big He-Man fan decided to come over and ask me if I knew what happened to the toy.  Of course, I had no idea (or at least that's what I told her)!  During recess, about an hour later, my teacher decided to take a look through my backpack and you'll never guess what she found!  OK, how did you guess?  Needless to say, she was not to happy about my lying and stealing episode, so she called my mother to inform her that I would need to stay after school for about an hour.  After everyone else went home I was given a little assignment.  I had to write on the chalk board 100 times, "I will not lie or steal."  An hour later my arm felt like it was going to fall off, but I was finally finished.  I wish I could say that this was the last time in my life that I ever stole anything, but unfortunately that just is not true!  Some people have to learn the hard way!  I guess I'm the kind of guy who has to find out for himself! 

Unfortunately I didn't have memorized our key verse for this lesson at that point in my life.  Ephesians 4:28 (NIV) says, 28He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.  Why does Paul need to tell Christians not to steal?  Well, most of the prisoners in Paul’s day were in prison for stealing.  When begging didn’t get them enough food they would steal!  It was a great temptation for people in their poverty to steal, and Christians were not exempt from this either.  Christians can and do steal.  Paul wouldn't be saying all of this unless that was the case. 

Isn’t it interesting that Satan was a liar from the beginning.  Satan was a murderer from the beginning.  And Satan was a thief from the beginning!  In John 10:10 (NIV) Jesus said, 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.  In the New Testament, Satan turned Judas into a thief and He turned on Jesus and betrayed Him.  In the Old Testament, Satan turned Eve into a thief.  She ate the fruit of the tree that wasn’t hers to eat.  I am reminded of one of those big rules God gave us in Exodus 20:15 (KJV), where it says, 15Thou shalt not steal.

Once upon a time, there was a couple that had two little boys, ages 8 and 10, who were very mischievous. They were always getting into trouble, and their parents knew that if any mischief occurred in their town, their sons were probably involved.  The boys’ mother heard that a pastor in town had been successful in disciplining children, so she asked if he would speak with her sons.  The pastor agreed, but asked to see them individually.  The 8 year old was brought in first and the pastor asked him, “Young man, where is God?”  The boy looked at him but didn’t say a word.  The pastor asked him again, “Young man, where is God?”  The boy again didn’t say a word.  The pastor asked him a third time, “Young man, I’m going to ask you one more time, where is God?”  At that the young man ran out of the room screaming, “We didn’t have anything to do with it!”  His mother who was waiting outside the pastor’s office with the 10 year old, said “Honey, what’s wrong?”  The 8 year old said, “God’s missing and the pastor thinks we stole him!”

Stealing can take on many forms.  It can come in the form of grand larceny, grand theft auto, filing for bankruptcy and never repaying your debts, not working the hours that you told your employer you worked, etc.  It can be plagiarism, downloading illegal music, or illegally copying copyrighted DVD’s.  It can be falsifying expense accounts, it can be not claiming income on your taxes!  It can come very subtly in padding out claims, borrowing and not paying back, or using your employers time for other things.  In America 16 million dollars a day goes down the drain because of shortages in department stores caused by employee theft—16 million dollars a day—that’s a lot of money!

Here is the awesome thing about the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer.  He doesn’t just enable you to keep the negative of the commandment, “Do not steal.”  The Holy Spirit also enables you to do something positive in order to replace the negative.  William MacDonald once said, “Only the positive power of grace can turn a thief into a philanthropist!”  John the Baptist once said, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same” (Luke 3:11 NIV).  As Christians we are longer allowed to live a life of stealing.  We are called to a life of service and sharing with those who are in need!