Untitled Document

 

#8 Do Not Steal


Posted by: Buffalo Dream Center

Topic: God’s Top Ten

Verse: Hate what is evil, cling to what is good. Romans 12:9

Props:

Apple
Dime
Nickel


Instructions:



Discussion:

-I was thinking about how God right from the beginning of time has given us a very important choice to make.
-Following God's Top Ten is all about that choice.
-God created the world and filled it with good things to be a home for Adam and Eve
-Everything God made was very good.
-God wanted the very best for Adam and Eve
-God gave Adam and Eve a simple rule to follow.
-Who knows what that rule was? (Not to eat the fruit off a certain tree)
-What choice did Adam and Eve have? It is the same choice we have. It is the same choice everyone in the Bible had.
-To follow God or not to follow God
-What did Adam and Eve choose?
-They chose the wrong thing. They chose not to follow God.
-What happened? They had to pay the consequences - they got kicked out of the Garden of Eden, but more importantly they lost their relationship with God.
-We have the same choice to make today - Are we going to decide to live for Jesus?
-If we decide to live for Jesus:
-We live with Jesus forever in heaven
-On earth Jesus is our best friend- He protects us, guides us, takes care of us, and gives us the strength we need to do what is right.
-If we decide not to live for Jesus
-We do not live with Him in heaven forever
-We live alone on earth with no one to guide us, protect us, and take care of us.



The rule God gives us is that we are going to talk about today is: "Do not steal."
-Stealing has to do with respect
-What is respect? To think highly of someone, to treat special, not to abuse
-If you respect God and others you will not steal.
-If your friend goes to the store and buys a candy bar for $0.50 (Hold up candy bar), it would be disrespectful of you to steal that candy bar from your friend.
-If you go to the store and you see a toy you really want the best would be for you to save up your money and then go buy that toy. (Hold up toy)
-Stealing shows disrespect towards others, and God.

Stealing has a higher price than the store value.
-Everything in a store has a price.
-If you steal something there is a much higher price you must pay.
-If you get caught by the store you could have:
-To pay a high fine
-Go to jail
-Do community service.

-If you don't get caught - God still knows what you did.
-It shows God that you are really not living for him.


Story: The Consequences of Stealing

It may seem impossible for one little wrong, or sin, to ever turn into something big-especially death. The truth is that most big events have small beginnings. (Hold up the nickel and dime) Here's the evidence. This nickel and dime represent a little beginning that ended in death -15 cents that ended a life.

Ace was a young boy who was always in a hurry to get whatever he wanted. After all, you've got to make your own way in this world. Ace would say, "Take what you want, just don't get caught." The worst thing about what Ace was saying was that it worked for him. He was getting his way, or so it seemed.

The nickel and dime represent what Ace took from his mother's purse. Little needs grow into big needs. Ace just started taking whatever he needed whenever he needed it. This led to the day Ace and some of his friends felt like a joy ride. Of course, they didn't have a car. No problem for Ace: he knew the answer-just don't get caught.
The story would have ended happier if Ace and his friends had just been arrested for stealing, but that is not how it ended. The trip for Ace and his friends ended in a car accident. Nobody walked away from the accident. The ride ended in death.

It seems impossible, but stealing this nickel and dime lead to death. Little sins can lead to death. We need to turn from sin and not allow ourselves to believe that we can get away with it.

Conclusion: Pray with the kids