Question 1:
Who has been an example of personal
integrity in your life?
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
In the controlled
demolition industry, experts place a number of small explosives strategically
throughout the structure. Strategic placement is pivotal to destroy the
structural integrity of the building without destroying what’s around it.
The structural integrity of our lives and relationships matters just as much as it does for a building. It takes only a second for a relationship to implode. One lie can collapse a friendship. One slanderous accusation can destroy people’s perception of us. One wrong choice carried out to its fullest can cause a decade of growth to crumble. The Ten Commandments provide a solid foundation—built on honor and contentment—to ensure the structural integrity of our relationships.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE
SAY?
Exodus 20:15-16
15 “You shall not
steal. 16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”
A preacher got on a bus one day, gave the bus driver money for the fare, and the driver gave him the change. As the preacher sat down, he counted the coins, and discovered the bus driver gave him too much change. Returning to the front of the bus, he handed the driver two quarters and remarked, “You gave me too much change.” The bus driver smiled and said, “Pastor, I really appreciate this, because I was in your church service yesterday, and I heard your sermon on honesty. I intentionally gave you too much change to see whether you live by what you preach.”
Question 2: Why is it
so important for believers to be people of integrity?
Integrity ought to be
automatic for us. We never know who is watching our actions or listening to our
words. Conducting ourselves honorably and with integrity is at the heart of two
of the Ten Commandments: “You shall not steal” and “You shall not give false
testimony against your neighbor.” We are to treat others with respect—and that
includes respect for their possessions. Our words should also show respect for
the other person. These virtues are manifested in love and define a kingdom
disciple. Jesus summed it up when He said, “By this everyone will know that you
are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).
Loving one another includes speaking the truth in love at all times (Eph. 4:15). Many people excuse a lie because it is only “a little white lie.” A “little lie” is like being a “little pregnant”; it’ll always show up after a while. Lies have a way of creating a boomerang effect and coming right back at us to cause a lot of damage.
Living a life of integrity means modeling our thoughts, words, and actions after God. As we do this, we are able to advance His kingdom agenda on earth while bringing glory to Him and good to others.
Question 3: What are
the consequences for society when people don’t live with honesty and integrity?
Exodus 20:17
17 “You shall not covet
your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or
female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Aesop’s Fables include
the story of a dog crossing a bridge with a bone in his mouth. As he looked
into the water, he saw a reflection of what he thought was an even larger dog
with what seemed like an even larger bone. Wanting the bigger bone, the dog immediately
opened up his mouth to go after it. Yet in the process, the bone in his mouth dropped
into the water and quickly sunk to the bottom out of reach. Not only did the
dog fail to get the illusion of the larger bone, but he lost the one he had
been enjoying.
Not being satisfied with what you already have is the quickest path toward losing it. Advertisers are well aware of our propensity toward covetousness; they spend an inordinate amount of time and money attempting to make us dissatisfied. They know if we become discontent enough with our current state, we will succumb to their sales pitch. Due to our chronic covetousness, many of us have adopted the motto, “I shop, therefore, I am.” We’re not happy unless we’re constantly obtaining more.
- Contentment doesn’t rest on these things. Contentment is realizing that God has met your needs, and coupling that realization with gratitude.
- Contentment is being just as happy driving an old jalopy as you think you’d be driving a brand-new Mercedes®. In both cases you have transportation.
- Contentment is taking as much pleasure living in an 800-square-foot apartment as in a 4,000-square-foot house. In both cases, you have a roof over your head.
- Contentment is enjoying a hot dog as much as a T-bone steak. In both cases you are not starving.
Contentment is being
just as satisfied wearing clothing from a thrift store as you would be decked
out in a fancy outfit. In both cases you have clothes on your back.
When we live in a contented mindset, we are acknowledging the goodness of God in His provisions. We allow gratitude to replace a spirit of want. Circumstances or stuff should never drive our contentment. The secret to contentment comes through knowing that all we have and all we can do comes through Christ who strengthens us and provides for us.
Contentment is the key
to living a life of integrity because it provides the security necessary to
rest in the reality of the moment. When you know that all you have comes from
the One who loves you most, you can let go of any scheming, manipulating,
lying, slandering, or maneuvering to get ahead. You can rest in the truth that
God’s sovereign providential hand will provide all you need in order to
experience life to the fullest. Find contentment in what God provides and you will
find the secret to a satisfying life.
Question 4: What are
some practical steps we can take to prevent coveting in our lives?
Psalm 37:1-6
1 Do not fret because
of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; 2 for like the grass
they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. 3 Trust in
the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight
in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way
to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteous
reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
These words from King
David capture the heart of the commandment not to covet. He began by reminding
us not to envy those who do wrong. It’s easy to envy those who have no regard
for God yet seem to flourish. As another psalmist wrote, “My feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the
prosperity of the wicked” (Ps. 73:2-3).
The antidote for such
envy and dissatisfaction comes from looking to God instead of gawking at the
wicked. We are to “trust” and “take delight” in Him and Him alone. All we could
ever desire rests in God.
I’ll admit I struggled
with contentment in the early days of my ministry. I wanted the ministry to
grow and expand. I wondered at times how much of that growth rested solely on
my shoulders. That may all sound noble, but my attitude caused me to work long
hours when I may not have needed to do so. My focus was on my own efforts.
One key piece of advice
changed all of this for me. I received this advice from a former seminary
classmate of mine who had gone on to a great, impactful ministry of his own. He
said, “Tony, never forget this truth: you only have one Source. God is your
Source. Everything else is just a resource.” That truth enabled me to rest.
None of us needs to
worry or fret about what other people are accomplishing or doing. It’s a normal
inclination to make comparisons, but that doesn’t mean it’s healthy. We can let
go of competition and embrace our completion in Christ. When you do, you will
receive the desires of your heart. You will receive what God has for you—and He
never runs out of His provisions! He always has enough. Give Christ your heart
by giving Him your allegiance. Then watch Him bring you delight as He delights
in you.
Question 5: What
evidence have you seen that God’s commands are for our own good?
INTEGRITY
AND CONTENTMENT
On a
scale of 1-10, mark where you think you are in living a life of integrity
and
contentment. Then do the same for how others would view your life.
Take
any difference that exists to the Lord in prayer.
My
Prayer:
“Integrity
is doing the right thing,
even
when no one is watching.”
C. S.
LEWIS
LIVE IT OUT
How will you actively
seek to live a life of integrity? Choose one of the following applications:
- Check your words. Be
mindful of your words and actions this week. If you are tempted to say or do
anything that is not honest and truthful, stop yourself. Commit to being a person
of integrity.
- Memorize.
Commit to memory 2 Corinthians 9:8: “And God is able to bless you abundantly,
so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound
in every good work.” Let this verse continually remind you that you already
have all that you need.
- Encourage. We
could all use some positive affirmation in the area of integrity and
contentment. The things we view on media can cause us to become dissatisfied
with our own lives. Choose to be a source of encouragement to those who
struggle with discontentment.
Consider the impact
living a life of integrity and contentment will have on you and those around
you. Ask God to strengthen and empower you to be a person who keeps the heartbeat
of the Ten Commandments through a life of love.
Looking forward to see everyone this Sunday as we conclude our Ten Commandment series.
God Bless,
David & Susan
Teacher Notes:
Honor All Relationships
Who has been an example
of personal integrity in your life?
Video: Wonderful Life –
George Bailey’s Dad
INTEGRITY
AND CONTENTMENT
IN
CHRIST
Introduce the
importance of integrity and contentment in Christ – our lesson
says that it forms the foundation for good relationships.
Example: The implosion
of a structure can be an amazing thing to watch. One minute you are looking at
a fully standing building, and then within seconds, the entire structure
collapses into a pile of ashes and debris. 9-11
The structural
integrity of our lives and relationships matters just as much as it does for a
building.
- It takes only a second for a relationship to implode.
- One lie can collapse a friendship.
- One slanderous accusation can destroy people’s perception of us.
- One wrong choice carried out to its fullest can cause a decade of growth to crumble.
When God met with the
Israelites at Mount Sinai, He was as concerned about their relationships
with others as He was about their relationship with Him. Six of
the Ten Commandments deal with relationships between people; the last three
address right actions toward the property and reputation of
others as well as contentment with God’s provision. Centuries later
David wrote a psalm urging God’s people to trust and delight in God, who
fulfills humanity’s deepest desires.
Exodus 20:15 - 16
“You shall not steal.” “You
shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”
Stop stealing: Why do
people steal?
- People steal because they are discontent with what God has provided.
- People steal because they don’t trust God to provide. One of the greatest experiences is seeing God supply when you can’t.
- Theft is buying things on credit that you know you can’t pay – these people need plastic surgery. People in jail having lost their tomorrows because they had to have it today.
- Theft: Time, influence, money, property – stop stealing – rather he must labor (work)
No more lying: Why do
people lie?
- Use of the tongue falsely about your neighbor
- Be careful what you say about other folks
- Most of us have heard, “I hate a liar” but most of who have said this also believe that a lie can be a very present help in a time of trouble.
- People who were born liars …
- False witnessing took Jesus to the cross to die – 6 trials that bore false witness
- Gossip – reporting false information to damage another – false witness
Why is it so important
for believers to be people of integrity? (Actions & Speech)
- Integrity ought to be automatic for us. We never know who is watching our actions or listening to our words. Conducting ourselves honorably and with integrity is at the heart of two of the Ten Commandments: “You shall not steal” and “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” We are to treat others with respect—and that includes respect for their possessions. Our words should also show respect for the other person. These virtues are manifested in love and define a kingdom disciple. Jesus summed it up when He said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).
Be a person of
integrity in both your actions and speech.
- Respect for others includes showing respect for their property and possessions.
- Basic to any quality relationship is truth; anything less than truth is not enough.
Living a life of
integrity means modeling our thoughts, words, and actions after God.
Exodus 20:17
“You shall not covet
your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or
female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
What does coveting demonstrate
about our view of God?
Aesop’s Fables include
the story of a dog crossing a bridge with a bone in his mouth. As he looked
into the water, he saw a reflection of what he thought was an even larger dog
with what seemed like an even larger bone. Wanting the bigger bone, the dog immediately
opened up his mouth to go after it. Yet in the process, the bone in his mouth dropped
into the water and quickly sunk to the bottom out of reach. Not only did the
dog fail to get the illusion of the larger bone, but he lost the one he had
been enjoying.
Lesson: Not
being satisfied with what you already have is the quickest path toward losing
it.
What does contentment
in what God provides look like?
- Contentment is realizing that God has met your needs, and coupling that realization with gratitude.
- Contentment is being just as happy driving an old jalopy as you think you’d be driving a brand-new Mercedes®. In both cases you have transportation.
- Contentment is taking as much pleasure living in an 800-square-foot apartment as in a 4,000-square-foot house. In both cases, you have a roof over your head.
- Contentment is enjoying a hot dog as much as a T-bone steak. In both cases you are not starving.
- Contentment is being just as satisfied wearing clothing from a thrift store as you would be decked out in a fancy outfit. In both cases you have clothes on your back.
No more discontent.
- An illicit craving, a passionate longing to possess something that is not yours
- A neighbor’s possession (house), people, servants, means of production,
- I got to have it – the covetous person is never satisfied
- Once you break # 10 you’ve already broken all 9
- At the core of this commandment is the need to address greed and materialism
- Materialism is when you define yourself by what you have
- More money than we’ve ever had and more in debt than we’ve ever been
- Covetousness is idolatry – back to first two commands
Find contentment in
what God provides.
- We are to count God’s blessings to us, not our complaints against Him for not having everything we want, as if He shortchanged us somehow.
- We are to rejoice with what our neighbors have rather than envying them.
- Covetousness is a matter of the heart that cannot be legislated but it can be controlled through submission to the Lord.
Recap: Contentment
is the key to living a life of integrity because it provides the security
necessary to rest in the reality of the moment. When you know that all you have
comes from the One who loves you most, you can let go of any scheming,
manipulating, lying, slandering, or maneuvering to get ahead. When you let go
of all the flawed efforts to get ahead, you can rest in the truth that God’s
sovereign providential hand will provide all you need in order to experience life
to the fullest. Find contentment in what God provides and you will find the secret
to a satisfying life.
Psalm 37:1-6
Do not fret because of
those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they
will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord
and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the
Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the
Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward
shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
These words from King
David capture the heart of the commandment not to covet. He began by reminding
us not to envy those who do wrong. It’s easy to envy those who have no regard
for God yet seem to flourish. As another psalmist wrote, “My feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the
prosperity of the wicked” (Ps. 73:2-3).
The antidote for such
envy and dissatisfaction comes from looking to God instead of gawking at the
wicked. We are to “trust” and “take delight” in Him and Him alone. All we could
ever desire rests in God.
Truth: you only have
one Source. God is your Source. Everything else is just a resource.” We can
let go of competition and embrace our completion in Christ. When you do,
you will receive the desires of your heart. You will receive what God has for
you—and He never runs out of His provisions!
All we desire rests in
God.
- In God’s own time, now or in the final judgment, evildoers will be held accountable for their attitudes and actions.
- We are to find our delight in our relationship with the Lord.
- We can trust the Lord to accomplish all that needs to be accomplished and to do what is best for us.
LIVE IT OUT
Consider how Psalm 37 and the eighth, ninth, and tenth commandments connect to each other. The three commandments address the desire to succeed by taking advantage of others, whether it be stealing their goods, lying about them to aid their destruction, or coveting what they have and designing plans to take it away. All three reflect an attitude of personal discontentment and misguided thinking for how to fulfill one’s desires. Psalm 37 counters that attitude by affirming trust in the Lord as the means to the greatest delight in life and the surest hope for the future.
Paul spoke about his
own discovery of the true source of contentment, whereby he could set aside
selfishness and envy. He did not speak hypothetically or theoretically. He
spoke from experience. He had learned true contentment. “For I have learned, in
whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Phil. 4:11).
Contentment is an
attitude, a frame of mind; an expression of the heart. Such
an attitude does not come naturally, apparently not even to the likes of Paul.
He had to learn to accept his lot in life and to use his circumstances in the
best possible way to fulfill his life’s purpose.
