This morning we consider the Tenth Commandment. You shall not covet, as it is summarized and explained in the Heidelberg Catechism. We turn together to Philippians chapter 4. Philippians 4, reading together verses 4 through 19. Philippians chapter 4, beginning at verse 4. Hear now the Word of God. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again. Rejoice. Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me, put it into practice and the God of peace will be with you. I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. Moreover, as you Philippians know, in early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only. For even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. I have received full payment, and even more, I am amply supplied, and now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. And I invite you to turn with me in the back of this altar hymnal to page 56. Page 56 we find Lord's Day 44. There are three questions and answers with this Lord's Day. we want to consider only question and answer 113, which deals with the Tenth Commandment. Page 56, Lord's Day 44, question and answer 113, as we profess what we believe together by reciting this answer. The question asks, What is God's will for us in the Tenth Commandment? That not even the slightest thought or desire, contrary to any one of God's commandments, should ever arise in my heart. Rather, with all my heart, I should always hate sin and take pleasure in whatever is right. Beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we have considered together of the first nine of the Ten Commandments, we have seen that our God places before His redeemed people His standard of holiness. Not my standard, not your standard, but God's standard of holiness. And the law of God is our instructor, it's our teacher, which says, as God's people, you shall not live this way, but you shall live this way. And even though Scripture makes it abundantly clear to us that the heart is involved. For example, our Lord Jesus Christ made it clear that to hate is murder, and to have a lustful look is adultery. Even though the heart is involved, lest we should still say with the Pharisees, hey, I'm okay. I follow the letter of the law. I worship only the true God. I don't make idols. I don't swear. I religiously keep Sunday holy. I don't steal, murder, commit adultery, or lie. Lest we should still say that God comes to us now with the tenth commandment and says there's one more test. What is it that you desire? As we know, this commandment deals with coveting. With this commandment, the spiritual condition of our heart is judged in the light of our interests and our desires. With this commandment, God places before each one of us the question, what do you really want most of all? The answer will reveal what's in your heart and what's in my heart. Instead of addressing a specific outward act, this commandment addresses my inner life, the heart of the matter. For the redeemed child of God, this is the question of contentment. And therefore, we consider together this Word of God, grateful living expressed through contentment. We want to notice two things. First of all, the adversary, or boys and girls, we could say the enemy of contentment. And secondly, the expression or demonstration of contentment. And very simply, the adversary or the enemy of contentment is coveting. The Tenth Commandment reads in Exodus 20, verse 17, You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor. You shall be content is the positive side of this commandment. But now what does it mean to covet? What does it mean to covet? To covet means to strongly desire, to eagerly long for or want. It is to consider something in your mind and desire to possess it and enjoy it. Now, I hope you see from that definition that in and of itself, it's not wrong to covet. The Hebrew word for covet is used in both a good and a bad sense in Scripture. There are things that were created for us to covet righteously. For example, the food that is necessary for our bodies. Our children's well-being. As parents, we covet their well-being. We may covet righteously our spouses. In Psalm 108, as we find it in the song number 218 in the Psalter hymnal, there's a phrase, Thine aid we covet most. We are to covet God's aid and His blessing. The question is, what is the object of my coveting? What is it that I desire? How do I desire it? And why do I desire it? The commandment is clear that I am not to covet that which belongs to someone else, namely my neighbor, that which has not been given to me. Paul gives the flip side of this when he says in verses 11 and 12, I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. In other words, in answer to the question of the sin of coveting, Paul says, don't desire what your neighbor has, but be content with what you have. Because what you have is right for you, whether it's little or whether it's much. Your house, your spouse, your job, your possessions are all right for you. Why? Because God has given them to you. We must include here that the sin of coveting has the idea that the desire for something not my own is so strong and so intense that this desire is given an extremely important and even sinful place in our lives and this desire moves toward getting my hands on the object of desire, no matter what that means, no matter what it takes. According to the letter of the Tenth Commandment, nothing that belongs to my neighbor, in other words, not one thing that doesn't belong to me is to be more desirable to me than what is mine. Now it's true, we must all confess that we struggle with this, don't we? It becomes more subtle, no doubt, the older we get, As we mature, as we grow, we are able to cover up our covetousness a little better than we are younger. We see this especially in small children. What child number one has always looks better to child number two than what child number two has. And child number two will do whatever it takes to get his grubby little hands on whatever it is that child number one has. But all of us at some point in time have fallen prey to the familiar cliche that the grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence. You see, congregation, we are so quick to see all that God, and complain about, all that God keeps out of our possession. We're quick to see that, but we are slow to see, and we are slow to be thankful for all of the unearned blessings poured out upon us from the hand of God. That seems to skip our attention somehow. Beloved, with this commandment, God forbids His children from looking on the other side of the fence and coveting that which He has forbidden us to have or that which He has not yet given to us. Don't forget what Jesus said. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. Now the Tenth Commandment, according to the letter of it, speaks of coveting possessions and property. But as we have seen with the other commandments, this is simply a part that includes the whole. a sample, if you will, of so much more. We may not covet, we may not have a sinful desire for health and fame and position or power either. The catechism points to the deeper spirit of the commandment when it says that not even the slightest thought or desire contrary to any one of God's commandments should ever arise in my heart. The commandment, as recorded in Scripture, lists my neighbor's house, and wife, and servants, donkey, and all his possessions. And as things are listed in this tenth commandment that were dealt with before in the previous commandments, it becomes clear that this commandment points back to all of the commandments in a different way. All of God's commandments are in view in this commandment. I may not desire other gods or foreign worship or to dishonor authority or to steal or to lie or the other commandments. And instead, I am to be content to worship God as He has required in His Word. I am to be content with God as He has revealed Himself in His Word. I am to be content with the parents and the authority that God has seen fit to place over me. See, beloved, the focus or emphasis of this commandment is the desire that lives inside the believer. That's the heart of the tenth commandment. The other commandment said, you shall not do this or that. But this last commandment adds to this, you shall not even desire to do this or that. The first nine commandments laid hold of our behavior and our actions by the sovereign hand of God. And this commandment then digs down deep and lays hold of the foundations of those very actions. We know well what Scripture says. It was included in our law liturgy. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. And Bible history confirms this. Eve's desire to be like God led to her sinful action. Joseph's brothers envied his position as dad's favorite, and we know what they did. Achan coveted the goods of Jericho and that moved him to steal and to lie. Ahab's greed for Naboth's vineyard led to murder. Amnon coveted and lusted after his half-sister Tamar and he committed rape. And then let's include David's coveting of Bathsheba. Absalom coveting the crown. Or Gehazi coveting Naaman's gifts. And with all of these examples, we are shown in the sinful actions that were performed, we are shown there the result of the intense desire to possess. What it led to. The Tenth Commandment is in place, in a sense, to keep the other commandments in check. Coveting leads to other gods and to adultery and murder and stealing and lying. But we are called to be content and to be satisfied with the position and the possessions God has given to each of us. And not to desire something else in a sinful way. You see, simply doing this or that is not the end of the story. It doesn't begin with the outward actions, but it begins with the inside. And with this commandment, God addresses that which only He can see. He said to Samuel, man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. And as the psalmist says in Psalm 139, it is God alone who searches and knows me, my thoughts before I think them, and my words before I say them. The Tenth Commandment is like a spiritual EKG, electrocardiogram, boys and girls, that's a test for the heart. And the Tenth Commandment is like a spiritual EKG that traces and records the spiritual movements of the heart of man. And we must understand here that God not only forbids coveting that results or ends up in action. But even those desires that do not become deeds are included here. Earthly authority. Our civil magistrate commands us to behave decently. Those who are being judged in a court of law are being judged according to their behavior. But our supreme lawgiver goes to the root and commands us to desire decently. And when the Pharisees thought that they were excellent law keepers, they ran into trouble with the Tenth Commandment. And that's why Jesus said that they cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. And He called them whitewashed tombs, which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of men's bones and uncleanness. And as well, Jesus said to them, even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Beloved, if God doesn't cause us to take a deep down look at our own hearts, then we too would sleep in self-deceit as I believe Paul probably did it at a time in his life. He said in Romans 7, verse 7, For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said you shall not covet. And of course, we know that he's talking about the law. He would not have known what sin is apart from the law. But before this, no doubt, since he thought he was blameless in the eyes of men. As a righteous Pharisee, he was persuaded that he was righteous before God until this commandment went straight to his heart. Coveting is the adversary or enemy of contentment and demonstrates again a lack of contentment with our position, with our possessions. And ultimately it demonstrates a lack of contentment in our God. But God commands His redeemed people to forsake coveting and instead be content. And because of His great love for His people, we can be content because He who is all in all has given of Himself to remove the power of sin from us. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Because of Christ's atonement, the Holy Spirit regenerates God's chosen people. Gives us new birth. And we have been given new hearts that believe in God by grace through faith. Hearts that are content with the provision of God's hands. Hearts that trust that indeed His grace is sufficient for all our needs. He gives His people new hearts, redeemed hearts, that see the things of this world as means to the end of glorifying God and enjoying Him forever. And therefore, we have a new desire for only that which is necessary to accomplish that end of glorifying God and enjoying Him forever. That new life in Christ is no longer characterized by coveting, but by contentment, which comes to expression. It's to be demonstrated. And the expression of contentment is both defensive and offensive. Like athletic competition, we are called to defend against something and to take action as well, to go out and take action against something. But what are we called to defend against? Again, the first part of the catechism is to answer the slightest thought or desire contrary to any one of God's commandments. There is to be a no-admittance or no-entrance sign posted on the door of our hearts. And that's because our heart is to be a restricted area, restricted to taking pleasure in whatever is right, as the Catechism also says. Those who have been born again by the grace of God are called to put off, as Paul says in Colossians 3, verse 8, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language. And the borders of our heart are to be tightly shut against evil desires. Now, why is this so important? Because the sinful deed is always the ripe fruit of the sinful desire which is rooted in the heart. You know that to kill the weeds in your garden, you have to get to the root. As long as the root is still alive, so is the weed. But when the root is destroyed, it cannot blossom into fruit. Now, Eve is an example of the evil blossom. In her, sin snuck from the heart to the eyes, from the eyes to the hands, from the hands to the mouth. We find the same pattern, for example, in Achan or in David, as well as many others. We can even see that same pattern in our own lives if we stop to look close. The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, that two-edged sword not only cuts away that which is rotten, but it guards against that which is rotten. We are to guard our hearts, which includes turning our eyes away from anything that would cause us to covet. But the expression of contentment is also offensive. And there is a negative offensive action and a positive offensive action. The negative offense is that with all my heart I should always hate sin. And the positive offense is that we take pleasure in whatever is right. And with regard to the negative expression, once again, there is no room for question. With all my heart, always hate sin. I believe the older version of the catechism is even more pointed, even is stronger. All times, all sin, whole heart. We may not cherish even one little sin. Sin must be treated as our worst enemy. And this is where the Christian is to have an attitude of hostility. Boys and girls, young people, we are to hate sin. There can be no neutrality over against sin because sin is not neutral. Jesus said, either you are for me or you are against me. And we are not to make excuses for sin. Oh, he or she is just a child. They didn't know any better. Or my life is so difficult, sometimes I just can't help myself. Beloved, we must hate that which would make us discontented. There is also to be no compromise. Secret sins or sin disguised under neatness or kindness is just as terrible as naked, filthy sin. Out in the open sin. We are not to distinguish between sins, saying some is not as bad as others. Remember, sins of omission, omitting, failing to do what God commands, those sins are just as hideous as sins of commish and committing that which God forbids. The tree that bears no fruit is just as harmful for God's vineyard as the tree that bears poisonous fruit. And as well, our hatred for sin is to be ongoing. It's to be long-lasting. Circumstances and situations may change for you and me throughout our life, but God's Word and His commands remain the same forever. And sin is sin no matter where we are. The believer's language, for example, must be the same on the job site as it is in church. And this hatred for all sin is to employ all my heart. There is no room for weak, hesitant, spineless, or spiritless hatred for sin. It must be an intense, earnest, and complete hatred for sin. Hebrews 12 says, Lay aside every weight in the sin which so easily entangles us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Sometimes we don't want to be labeled as negative or controversial, so we are tempted to compromise. Beloved, we must call sin what it is. Sin. And we are to treat it as our mortal enemy. Because that's what it is. Paul says in Ephesians 2 that we were dead in trespasses and sins. And this is a life or death struggle, and watchfulness is a must. 1 Peter 5 verse 8 says, Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. We are not to give the devil more with which to accuse us. Beloved, the sin of covetousness that blooms into sinful action simply is not fit for the kingdom of God. And therefore, as we actively hate all sin, we are to engage in the offensive by taking pleasure in whatever is right. This is the positive side of coveting. The righteousness of God and all that is pleasing to Him is that which we are to desire. We are to covet that. Paul admonishes the church at Corinth to earnestly desire the best gifts. Psalm 42 says, As the deer pants for the water brook, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. We read in Psalm 84, My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. And as well, Paul says in Philippians 4, verse 8, Finally, brothers, whatever is true, Whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. We are called to covet, to strongly desire to live according to God's will with all of our thoughts and inclinations and desires mobilized for God's kingdom and His righteousness. We can all confess that God blesses us with so many of our righteous desires, again, including the food and the drink that we need for our bodies. Yet, He calls us to be content with whatever He gives. Do not be anxious then, saying, what shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? Or with what shall we clothe ourselves? But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Contentment is the biblical response to covetousness. It is to acknowledge that it is God who supplies our needs and it is to properly accept by faith whatever it is that He offers. Psalm 145, verse 16 says, You open your hand and you satisfy the desire of every living thing. God calls His people to be holy even as He is holy. And this must begin in the heart. This is His standard. In congregation, if He required anything less, He would not be God. No doubt all of this is difficult for each one of us as we can identify with Paul. For the good that I want to do, I do not do. But the evil that I do not want to do, that I do. But our comfort and hope is in nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. Our lack of contentment and our fill of covetousness has been satisfied by the blood of Jesus Christ. Again, beloved, for those who never turn to God in repentance and faith, for those who continue to employ contentment's adversary, namely covetousness, and express the sinful fruits of that, their only hope is in the kingdom where moth and rust are destroyed, where thieves break in and steal, and the fruit of their desire is the eternal lake of fire, hell. But for those born again for the sake of the blood of the Lamb, for those who repent of their sins, confessing them, the heavenly kingdom awaits them where there is perfect contentment in God and in the things of God. This is the promise of the Gospel. And what a promise it is. The love of God is matchless for those who fear Him. And our comfort is that although like Paul, we fail in the doing of all righteousness at every turn. We fail constantly, yet the Spirit of God renews us so that we possess the desire and love for God's commandments. More and more every day we hate the sin that remains in us against our will. And more and more by the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, we find contentment in our God. And that's what it comes down to, doesn't it? Being content in the God of our salvation, then everything else falls into place. One day, not only will we who are saved by grace delight in all righteousness, but according to the finished sanctifying work of the Spirit, that delight will be perfectly expressed as we will perfectly demonstrate that contentment in glory. We are called to grateful living expressed through contentment. And beloved, what is God's promise of contentment? Verse 19 says, And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. And then what is the essence of contentment? Verse 7, And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen. Shall we pray? Dear Heavenly Father, as we bow before You at the close of this sermon and the end of this service, we are grateful for Your Word of Truth. We know, Father, that sometimes it cuts us deeply because we see ourselves more clearly than we would like to see ourselves. And that is true again this morning as we must confess that so often our desires are not in accordance with Your will. We are not content as we ought to be. But we always want something different. And Father, we pray that You would work in our hearts and lives in a most powerful way and continue to work that work of sanctification by your Holy Spirit that more and more we would be content with all that you have given to us. For indeed, our blessings are so numerous. Father, if there are those here this morning hour who have not yet known even a bit of that contentment, who have not yet turned to you in repentance and faith, Father, do not let them rest peacefully, but nudge them each and every moment until they turn to you in repentance and faith and find contentment that it can only be found in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Father, hear our prayer, not because we deserve that You should hear us, but for Jesus' sake and in His name alone we pray. Amen.