Property Rights In The Kingdom of God

Property Rights In The Kingdom of God Exodus 22.1-4 Property Rights can be a sticky situation. Who owns the land has been a subject of debate in Israel as the descendants of Ishmael grew along with the descendants of Isaac for almost 4,000 years. , and continue to make headlines today. How about personal property today in 2026, here in America, in the world? As believers we know that everything belongs to God. We just sang about it, This Is My Father’s World I had a friend who was the Soccer Coach at Alfred University. He resigned it to buy a Christian Bookstore in the town where I was pastoring. He had his pastor come and do a dedication service for the newly open store. At the service the pastor said, “When you have had a rough day go back into the office and say the Lord let’s talk about what happened in Your store today.“ So if we dedicate something to the LORD it belongs to Him. Are there such things as property rights in the land in which we live? Constitution property rights are primarily protected by the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, which ensure that no person is deprived of "life, liberty, or property without due process of law". Additionally, the Fifth Amendment’s Takings Clause prohibits the government from taking private property for public use without providing "just compensation". As a church we experienced this issue 60 years ago when they enlarged Sunrise Highway. Government seized our land. We took them to court. They gave us $20,000 which went to buying the property we are on now. This property is deeded to the Bay Shore Church of the Nazarene. What about personal property rights today? Take the property my Dad and Mom purchased in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains. My Dad had to hire a surveyor when they built their house there. He came with his Equipment and dropped stakes. They are there now 53 years later. * There are laws of the land and there is the Kingdom of God. If someone steals according to the law of the land and here in Exodus, they must repay. The penalty is not just returning the stolen property but more to instill fear and respect. Jesus said, “And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.” Matthew 5.40 This is a radical, non retaliatory action, and generosity. This can fall under the same category as plucking out your eye. Was this to be taken literally? Or was Jesus speaking in these terms to help us understand the attitude we should have? One of being dead to this world. Stealing is wrong, very wrong! Angry attitudes towards those who sin against are as well. The Kingdom trumps everything in our lives. Paul elaborates on this by saying, “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for Whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3.8 Our Kingdom attitude ought to be dead to things we have stolen or lost. Under the law of the land a crime has been committed. In the Kingdom of God what does it really matter? Stealing is in the Ten Commandments. It is wrong. Without this in our Constitution we would have pandemonium and anarchy. Personally, Les Miserables helps us. Jean Paul The Bishop and The Candlesticks The Bishop's Candlesticks is a famous one-act play by Norman McKinnel, adapted from a scene in Victor Hugo's classic novel Les Misérables. It tells the story of an escaped, hardened convict who breaks into a kind bishop's home, only to be completely reformed through an act of profound compassion. The Plot Unfolds * The Break-in: A starved and angry convict breaks into the bishop's cottage, threatening him with a knife and demanding food. Instead of panicking or calling for the guards, the bishop treats him with immense kindness, giving him a warm meal, wine, and a place to sleep. 
 * The Betrayal: While the bishop and his sister sleep, the ungrateful convict steals the bishop's cherished silver plates and flees into the night. 
  * The Arrest: The police catch the convict and bring him back to the cottage. To protect the man, the bishop lies to the authorities, stating that he gave the silver plates to the convict as a gift. Grace is the basis of the New Covenant. We will take the LORD’s Supper in a few minutes. Is there anyone who can say, “I am without sin?” We all have things to confess to the LORD: an unkind attitude, a struggle with envy. Are we policemen or paramedics? Police are concerned with who to fault. Paramedics just saving lives. There must be traffic laws or we would all be running red lights, not the few who do now. There must be personal forgiveness or we would all be thrown into jail. And we would be carrying around bundles for too heavy for us to make any progress. I love the version of the LORD’s Prayer. Praying for God’s Kingdom to come… Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. We see Jesus risen and talking with His disciples after a totally un faith, unjust trial. He isn’t saying, “Let’s go and round up all those involved. Let’s give them what they gave Me.” They would be crucifying thousands! He has every right to do i! He did not come to condemn the world but to save it. What if the local government is opposed to the Kingdom of God? Persia, bulldozing Carmen’s father’s work China My neighbor, Peter, came to me Monday, after I the bulk of this message written, and confessed, “I stole some of your stones.” After the south side of the front yard had been rearranged by the sewer installation I noticed some border stones missing. I figured they got buried. I told him, “Thank you! You are giving me a great illustration for my Sunday Morning Message. I explained that if we were under the law of Moses he would have to me the stones and then double for my trouble. He asked, “Do you want them back?” I answered, “No, Jesus told us that if someone asks for our shirt, give him your coat as well.” Besides I have been witnessing to him for 40 years. I want to see him come to Christ. He has been a good neighbor, has put up with me all these years. What are a few stones compared with an eternal soul. He confessed this after he admired the Daylilies and I said, “Whatever you like, tag it and I will split them after they bloom.” I love how God tests us. How He brings us in on His Word as we teach if. I love what I get to do and how simple it is to witness for Jesus. I thought as the people began to sit in the shade on the lawn about 4pm on Monday, to get food later, how some of you here give up your Monday Evenings to share God’s Love how Diddi and her Sister flew to the Dominican Republic to be with a mother and her son, who was having surgery, how Mary Burke has helped elderly friends get to Doctor Appointments, grocery shop, and listened and carried them on her heart!…. how you guys are living in Kingdom Come! Feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, taking care of widows and orphans here and in Kenya, Uganda, Pakistan… doing it unto Jesus! Visiting that mystical Presence of Jesus in each person. We ought to be thankful for property rights in America. Hebrews 10.34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. * It is okay to “own” property on Earth so long as we realize it ultimately belongs to the LORD. We have no power after we are gone. We need laws to govern but it is ultimately the LORD Whom we must consider decides. Our Home is in Heaven and we await a Savior from there. Surrendering our lives (and our rights) to God, our Father is our way to peace and security. David walked away from the Kingdom so not to split it. Absolom. Cory Ten Boom, The Hiding Place Used that house in Holland to rescue Jews in WWII * Property we “own” should be used for the Eternal Kingdom. Paul, the Apostle rented hiss house in Tarsus out. This provided him an income as he did his world mission work. One of the things that emerged in my Mom’s Celebration of Life was the use of that property and house for the Kingdom of God. Feasts were held there. Teenaged boys camped in those hills. Christian workers found refuge there. Bible Studies were held there. And now we wait to see what is next. Have people over. Invite people into your home. Remember Fiza, the Pakistani young lady wanting to come from Thailand to open a work among the growing Muslim Urdu speaking people. Pray over taking her in, her Dad and Mom. God will use to launch an outreach to the Muslim people. They need Jesus as well. Be ready this week for insurmountable opportunities!!! They are all over! Just next door! In a time when property belonging to the church is being sold, let’s see how God can use that which He has entrusted to us. This building has always done that since 1984. We are doing it with the parsonage now. My kids are bivocational pastors here on Long Island. It’s all about the Kingdom of God! We are going to come and take the LORD’s Supper. Jesus poured out His life for us. We should do the same for Him.