Numbers – Possible Significance

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THE NUMBER ONE:
The number one is the number of unity and primacy. It is not made up of any other numbers and it is the source of all numbers. It symbolizes God, the first great cause of everything, who is independent from everything and the source of everything.

THE NUMBER TWO:
The number 2 is the number of witnesses, the number of confirmation. Punishment could not be applied to a guilty party unless the crime bad been witnessed by at least two people.

THE NUMBER THREE:
The number 3 is the number of divinity, the number of the trinity. The Lord Jesus Christ has three offices: prophet, priest and king. He was raised on the third day and His resurrection power enables us to defeat our three greatest enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil.

THE NUMBER FOUR:
The number 4 is the number of the earth. It is the world number; it is the number of God’s creation. There are four division to the day, morning, noon, evening and night. There are four seasons of the year; spring, summer, fall and winter. There are four gospels that give us the story of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus.

THE NUMBER FIVE: The number 5 and 10 are basically the same in the Scripture. 5 is the number of fullness or completeness. The human hand has 5 fingers; the feet have 5 toes and the body 5 senses.

THE NUMBER SIX:
The number 6 in the bible is the number of man. Man was created on the sixth day. And he was to work six days and rest on the seventh. The Lord Jesus was crucified on the sixth day of the week because he was dying as a man, for man.

THE NUMBER SEVEN:
There is not a more important number in the Bible or in the book of Revelation than the number 7. It is the number of perfection. How do we get that? Seven is 3 + 4. 3 is the divine number, 4 is the world number. 7 is the number where God and the world get together. The Hebrew word for seven comes from a root meaning, “to be full” or “satisfied.” It further represents “universal”.

The number 7 cut in half spells danger, disaster, despair, distress.

THE NUMBER TEN:
Ten therefore is an extension of the number 5. The number 10 also represents completeness. God sent ten plagues to the nation of Egypt. It was a full and complete judgment. The complete moral law was given in the Ten Commandments.

THE NUMBER TWELVE:
The number twelve is God’s governmental number. It is the number of the rule and government of God. 12 is related to 7. 4 + 3 = 7, but 4 x 3 = 12. The number of this world multiplied by the number of God is 12. So it refers to the rule and the reign of God over this world. There are twelve tribes of the nation of Israel. There are twelve apostles of the lamb.

THE NUMBER FORTY:
Now just as four is a symbol of this world, multiples of four deal with earthlty testing, or trials of this worrld. And the number 40, 40 being simply a multiple of 4, 4 x 10 = 40, is a symbol of earthly trial and testing.

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Last edited on Friday, 11.15.2011

10th Commandment
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.”

1 Cor 6:9-10 (KJV) 9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

SOMEONE DESCRIBE TO ME WHAT COVET IS.
Exodus 20:17
• Covet – khaw-mad’ – A primitive root; to delight in: – beauty, greatly beloved, delectable thing, ( X great) delight, desire, goodly, lust, (be) pleasant (thing), precious (thing).

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• Like we always do in this class, describe to me the ways and things that we can covet.
• What are the things that we covet, that are just going to be HARD, really HARD not to covet?
• What are things that we covet, that most of the time we don’t even think about it as covetousness?

Any more discussion on covetousness before we explore further?

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Before we even start today, can someone tell me when the first recorded case of covetousness in the bible was?
• Eve, garden of Eden.

Gen 3:6-7 (NIV) When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

What was “different” about this tree? There were probably vast amounts of trees in Eden, what made this one different?
• Desirable for gaining wisdom

Let’s look at Genesis 3:1-5 and evaluate it:
Gen 3:1-5 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Let’s examine the LIE that the serpent told Eve, and let’s compare it to some of our temptations and see the similarities. What did Satan do here to tempt Eve?
• He told a great deal of truth combined with the element of untruth.
• The tree was not physically fatal to life, and the eating of it really issued in a knowledge of good and evil.
Isn’t that the way a lot of us are tempted in to sin? Isn’t there always a little bit of “truth” mixed in to a little bit of “untruth” that tempts us into sin? This is one of Satan’s favorite ways of deceiving us to sin.

ye shall be as gods. Notice the word “gods” here. Satan uses the Hebrew word <ʾelōhîm> — which is the same word used for the true, supreme being, the SUPREME GOD, Yaweh. Satan was trying to persuade our Adam and Eve that they should, by eating this fruit, become wise and powerful as God, (for knowledge is power), and be able to exist for ever, independently of him.

RESULT: Not trusting God, he uses his own will to seek happiness by, as a surer way, as men do now.
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So, ok, covetousness is such a big deal that it made the Top 10, and if you had a computer program like mine, you can find all kinds of scriptures dealing with how “bad” coveting is. Let me ask you this, why is it such a BIG DEAL? Why is just “wanting something” such a big deal?
(DISCUSS)
• Possible answer:
o Because it is “idolatry: Col 3:5 (NIV) Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
o But covetousness is the root of all sins of word or deed against our neighbor. James 1:14-15 (NIV) 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
o Lack of covetousness will prevent most public crimes; “If you do not covet other people’s stuff, then you will not steal, rob, kill, destroy, etc.”
o Because covetous people are never satisfied.
o He has other gods before him.
o He worships his gold or treasures, be sets his affection on it. Expects protection and security from it.Places his confidence in it.
o Because covetousness is telling God that “HE” is not good enough to fulfill your needs and desires.
o It tells God that we are not content with his provisions. It neglects divine Providence
o Let’s face it, it tells God that we want what will gratify OURSELVES, not what will serve God.

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Let’s look at just a few verses that I thought were key for today’s lesson.

Our relationship with God.

This first verse MUST BE read in the KJV.
Psalms 10:3 (KJV) For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.

When talking about covetousness here, notice the scripture says “WHOM the Lord abhorreth.” Well, think about that, do you think you can be in “fellowship” with God when you are covetous? So, how would you get back in fellowship with God?

Our relationships with our family.

Prov 15:27 (NIV) A greedy man brings trouble to his family, but he who hates bribes will live.

If the bible says that covetousness “will” bring trouble to a family, do that mean it “might”, or does it mean it “will”? Is there any way around this?

The more you get, the less you have. AND, give to the needy, not your rich friends

Prov 22:16 (NIV) He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich–both come to poverty.

When is “enough” enough?

Eccl 5:10 (NIV) Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.

Woe’s and Warnings to YOU!

Isaiah 5:8 (NIV)Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land.

A wasted life, deserted and foolish

Jer 17:11 (NIV) Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay is the man who gains riches by unjust means. When his life is half gone, they will desert him, and in the end he will prove to be a fool.

Are you rich, who are your friends?

Ezek 33:31 (NIV) My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain.

Here’s the “answer” to it all……Here is the TRUTH for us believers.
Matt 6:19-21 (NIV) “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

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Matthew Henry Unabridged (reworded)
The tenth commandment strikes at the root:
• The preceding commands implicitly forbid all desire of doing that which will be an injury to our neighbour;
• this forbids all inordinate (excessive) desires of having that which will be a gratification to ourselves.
o “O that such a man’s house were mine! Such a man’s wife mine! Such a man’s estate mine!”

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Basic Christianity, John Stott.
The tenth commandment is in some ways the most revealing of all. It turns the Decalogue (The Ten Commandments) from an outward legal code into an inward moral standard. The civil law cannot touch us for covetousness, but only for theft. For covetousness belongs to the inner life. It lurks in the heart and the mind. What lust is to adultery, and temper is to murder, that covetousness is to theft.

The particular things which we are not to covet and which are mentioned in the commandment are surprisingly modern. In the housing shortage there is much coveting of our neighbor’s house, and the divorce courts would not be so full if men did not covet their neighbor’s wife. “Covetness….is idolatry” wrote Paul, and by contrast, “There is great gain in godliness with contentment.”
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Albert Barnes Commentary:
As the sixth, seventh, and eighth commandments forbid us to injure our neighbor in deed, the ninth forbids us to injure him in word, and the tenth, in thought. No human eye can see the coveting heart; it is witnessed only by him who possesses it and by Him to whom all things are naked and open.

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Spiritual Preparation – Bible Reading for Families
Pray daily that God would give you a heart that says everyday “The Lord if my shepherd, I shall not want.” Pray that you would have a heart for the poor and needy and would take action to give rather than get.

Consider fasting from at least one meal this week and giving the cost of the meal to those in need.

Read these before reading Matthew 5:38-42 (below)
Exodus 21:24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

Leviticus 24:20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. The one who has inflicted the injury must suffer the same injury.

Deuteronomy 19:21 Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Matthew 5:38-42
Eye for Eye
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’[a] 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

For Teachers
Context and Commentary
In Exodus, God gives His people a stern and final warning which strikes at the root of the evil that dwells in man’s fallen heart. While other sins such as theft, murder, adultery, and blasphemy are outward, covetousness is a sin that dwells inside. It is a sin that lies at the root of the bad tree. From it grows all manner of outward sin. No wonder God completed His Ten Commandments with it!
In the New Testament, the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles echo this command. God’s people, who make up the church, are not covetous. Period. We are alive in Christ and dead to sin. Yet how is it that covetousness can creep into the church? We have an enemy who likes to use this particular sin on unprepared Christians to tear down the church of Jesus Christ. When Christians neglect to put on the armor of God (Eph. 6), we are vulnerable to the Devil’s flaming darts. We get lazy or slothful in our prayer or daily study of the Holy Scriptures and soon the prince of liars finds an opening and exploits it.
The armored Christian however will know God’s will, for it is plainly laid out in His word: “Give to the one who begs from you” (Matt 5:42), “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matt 6:19-20), and to “Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame” to the feast of the kingdom of God (Luke 14:21).

John Calvin’s Commentary on the Harmony of the Three Gospels
Though the words of Christ, which are related by Matthew, appear to command us to give to all without discrimination, yet we gather a different meaning from Luke, who explains the whole matter more fully. First, it is certain, that it was the design of Christ to make his disciples generous, but not prodigals and it would be a foolish prodigality to scatter at random what the Lord has given us. Again, we see the rule which the Spirit lays down in another passage for liberality. Let us therefore hold, first, that Christ exhorts his disciples to be liberal and generous; and next, that the way of doing it is, not to think that they have discharged their duty when they have aided a few persons, but to study to be kind to all, and not to be weary of giving, so long as they have the means.
Besides, that no man may cavil (split hairs or quibble) at the words of Matthew, let us compare what is said by Luke. Christ affirms that when, in lending or doing other kind offices, we look to the mutual reward, and we perform no part of our duty to God. He thus draws a distinction between charity and carnal friendship. Ungodly men have no disinterested affection for each other, but only a mercenary regard: and thus, as Plato judiciously observes, every man draws on himself that affection which he entertains for others. But Christ demands from his own people disinterested beneficence, and bids them study to aid the poor, from whom nothing can be expected in return. We now see what it is, to have an open hand to petitioners. It is to be generously disposed to all who need our assistance, and who cannot return the favor.

Bible Fellowship Time
Discussion questions:

1. What is the purpose of the Ten Commandments?
2. What does God declare and reveal as a sin in the tenth commandment?
3. What specifically does he forbid the coveting of?
4. Are there some things that are good to covet? What are they?
5. What is this commandment’s relationship with the previous commandments?
Going Deeper – Matthew 5:40-42
40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

6. What is Jesus’ teaching on giving (v.42)?
7. Are Christians to be liberal or conservative in giving to those who ask or are in need? (Liberal)
8. Read Matthew 6:19-24. What does Jesus’ teaching in that passage say about a person that covets?
Matt 6:19-24 (NIV) “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

9. If we have covetous eyes which are on our neighbor’s possessions, what does that say about our body?
10. What does it say potentially about our salvation?

Application:

Anybody who knows English comedy will recognize the television show Are you being served? It was a very famous sitcom from the 1980’s in the United Kingdom and made its name by being full of double entendre’s based on innuendo and parody of the British social caste system. It is about the exact opposite of the Christian walk that Christ taught his disciples. If Christianity was a TV show, it would more accurately be called Who are you serving? Christians are called upon to give to and serve God and our neighbor liberally and without thought of return on investment. Particularly Jesus points out those who ask. Who are those who normally ask? The poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. A covetous person seeks after his own fleeting treasures, while a generous Christian seeks after the needs of others out of compassion and a genuine gratefulness to Christ for his own liberal sacrifice on their behalf. Are you laying up treasure here or in heaven?

Who are you serving?
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Thomas Manton

Let us be content with the portion God has given us of earthly things. God stands upon his sovereignty, and we must be content with God’s allowance, though he gives to others more and to you less; for God is supreme, and will not be controlled in the handing out of what is his own. The good man of the house pleaded, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?…Do you begrudge my generosity?” (Matt. 20:13-15) Though others have better trading, and finer apparel, and be more amply provided for than us, God is sovereign, and will give according to his pleasure, and you must be content. Nothing is deserved, and therefore certainly everything should be kindly taken. If a man is kept at another’s cost, we take it very ill if he murmurs and dislikes his diet. Certainly we are all maintained at a free cost, and, therefore, we should be content with whatever God will put into our hands. God in wisdom knows what is best for us. The shepherd and not the sheep chooses the pasture. Leave it to God to give what is suitable to your condition of life. God gives a portion as you are able to bear. Contentment itself is a gift of God and a great blessing. When our minds are suited to our condition, our earthly blessings are sweeter and more comfortable. Our happiness does not lie in abundance, but in contentment
(Luk 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.).
All spiritual miseries may be attributed to either a war between a man and his conscience, or a war between his affections and his condition. There may be just as much love in a lesser portion as in a greater. There is the same affection to a younger child, though he does have as large an allowance as his elder brother. The father loves him just as well. So a child of God may say “God loves me, though he has given another more than me.” Be content with what falls to your share in the gracious providence of God.

9TH Commandment
Exodus 20:16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

Exodus 20:16
Before we go any further, let’s have a biblical history lesson. In the Old Testament, when this LAW was written, in what manner could be you accused and proven guilty?
Deut 19:15-20 (NIV) One witness is not enough to convict a man accused of any crime or offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. 16 If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse a man of a crime, 17 the two men involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time. 18 The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against his brother, 19 then do to him as he intended to do to his brother. You must purge the evil from among you. 20 The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you.
Before we go in depth, going back to the 9th Commandment, Exodus 20:16, just like we normally do, in what ways does this apply to us in modern day, 2011?
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Can someone give me a New Testament equivalent to the 9th Commandment?

2Ti 3:1-3 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

1Ti 1:10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

Jas 4:11-12 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

Now, let’s take a “spin” on this. To give false testimony most of the time that requires “speech” correct? Let’s take a look at “speech” or “words” that we speak.

Matt 12:36-37 (NIV) But I tell you that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

FOCUS on the word [ACCOUNT]:

Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Rom 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

NOTICE in Matthew 12:36-37, you will give an account for everything you SAID. Now, notice in Ecc 12:14 and Romans 2:16, you will give an account for every “secret” thing….. or things you didn’t say but should have said.

Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
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Basic Christianity, John Stott.
The last five commandments express that respect for the rights of others which is implicit in true love. To break these commandments is to rob a man of the things most precious to him, his life (you shall not kill), his home or honor (you shall not commit adultery), his property (you shall not steal), and now his reputation (you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor)

This commandment is not only applicable to the courts of law. It does include perjury. But it also includes all forms of scandal, slander, idle talk and tittle-tattle, all lies and deliberate exaggerations or distortions of the truth. We can bear false witness by listening to unkind rumors as well as by passing them on, by making jokes at somebody else’s expense, by creating false impressions, by not correcting untrue statements, and by our silence as well as by our speech. [DISCUSS AT LENGTH]
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Ex 23:6-7 (NIV) 6 “Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits. 7 Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty.
When it says “do not deny justice to your poor”…. So it would also mean the opposite, which would be “what”? (Do not give favoritism in court to the rich). What does that make you think of today?
• OJ Simpson trial, the guilty that are rich or famous appear to get away with it because they can afford better/more lawyers.

Lev_19:11 “‘Do not steal.

How does this apply to today’s 9th commandment?
• Stealing someone’s reputation by lying, etc.

Lev_19:16 “‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people.

Psalms 15:1-3 (NIV) 1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? 2 He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart 3 and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman,

Psalms 101:5-7 (NIV) 5 Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him will I put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, him will I not endure. 6 My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he whose walk is blameless will minister to me. 7 No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence.
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Now, do not answer this….but think about yourself. If there is “one thing” you could change about yourself FOR THE BETTER, and it’s not “too hard” to do…..maybe you have a GOSSIP problem.

Prov 10:18 (NIV) 18 He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.

Prov 11:13 (NIV) A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.
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OK, so here’s another one. If you want to make your life better, and avoid temptation at the same time, here’s something you can do for yourself:

2 Tim 3:3-5 (NIV) without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God– 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
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Have you ever thought…that it was lies and slander that put Jesus and most of the disciples to death?

Matt 26:59-61 (NIV) 59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward

Acts 6:12 (NIV) 12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.

Folks, if lies and slander helped put Jesus and the disciples to death, then lies and slander are a powerful, powerful sin. No wonder God detests this sin.
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Eph 4:31 (NIV) Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

James 4:11 (NIV) Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.

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—Matthew Henry Unabridged
The ninth commandment concerns our own and our neighbour’s good name: Thou shalt not bear false witness, v. 16. This forbids,
1. Speaking falsely in any matter, lying, equivocating, and any way devising and designing to deceive our neighbour.
2. Speaking unjustly against our neighbour, to the prejudice of his reputation; and (which involves the guilty of both),
3. Bearing false witness against him, laying to his charge things that he knows not, either judicially, upon oath (by which the third commandment, and the sixth of eighth, as well as this, are broken), in common converse, slandering, backbiting, tale-bearing, aggravating what is done amiss and making it worse than it is, and any way endeavouring to raise our own reputation upon the ruin of our neighbour’s.
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Matthew 5:33-37 Oaths

33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.[g]
Matthew 5:33-37
• Break – ep-ee-or-keh’-o – to commit perjury: – forswear self.
Going Deeper – Matthew 5:33-37

1. Who is Jesus speaking to?
a. Mat 4:24-25 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.

2. What were the Jews guilty of regarding this particular teaching?
3. What is Jesus’ command (v.34)?
4. What is the common element between heaven, earth, Jerusalem, and the head (vv.34-36)? (God)
5. Does this mean we are not to ever take oaths?
6. What are you if you swear falsely or break an oath or vow? (a liar)
7. What does God think about lying again?
Message
Sunday’s sermon will include the following main points:
1. The Sin of Lying – deception and falsehood is sinful before God
2. The Scope of Lying – lying can affect anyone who is around us
3. The Seriousness of Lying – lies come from the father of lies and liars will suffer consequences
4. The Sources of Lying – different excuses for lying
5. The Sidekicks of Lying – sins that normally are accompanied by lying
Spiritual Preparation – Bible Reading for Families
Pray daily for a mouth that is honest and pure. Purify your heart through washing of the Word so that it may overflow only pure and righteous words for the building up or salvation of those around you.
Give thanks that you have the righteousness of Christ and the Holy Spirit to empower you to bear truthful witness in your daily walk.

Read and meditate each day: Psalm 120; Romans 12:1-2, 9-12; Proverbs 12:13-22

Psalm 120
A song of ascents.
1 I call on the LORD in my distress,
and he answers me.
2 Save me, LORD,
from lying lips
and from deceitful tongues.
3 What will he do to you,
and what more besides,
you deceitful tongue?
4 He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows,
with burning coals of the broom bush.
5 Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek,
that I live among the tents of Kedar!
6 Too long have I lived
among those who hate peace.
7 I am for peace;
but when I speak, they are for war.

Romans 12:1-2
A Living Sacrifice
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

DISCUSS: ALL OF US CHRISTIANS WOULD LOVE TO BE ‘AUTOMATICALLY’ TRANSFORMED….BUT WHY AREN’T WE? WHAT PREVENTS US? HOW CAN WE BECOME TRANSFORMED?
Romans 12:9-12

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Proverbs 12:13-22
13 Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk,
and so the innocent escape trouble.
14 From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,
and the work of their hands brings them reward.
15 The way of fools seems right to them,
but the wise listen to advice.
16 Fools show their annoyance at once,
but the prudent overlook an insult.
17 An honest witness tells the truth,
but a false witness tells lies.
18 The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
19 Truthful lips endure forever,
but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
20 Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,
but those who promote peace have joy.
21 No harm overtakes the righteous,
but the wicked have their fill of trouble.
22 The LORD detests lying lips,
but he delights in people who are trustworthy.

For Teachers
Context and Commentary
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus again refers back to the Ten Commandments. This time he references the 9th commandment from Yahweh. This command states that God’s people should not speak falsely or give false evidence regarding another person. In Jesus’ day, the Jews had become experts at bending the Law to their own wishes and getting around commandments on so-called technicalities. Stuart Weber comments “Legal technicalities can evolve to the point of destroying the justice they are supposed to serve. Truth loses itself in wordiness.” However, this not only applies to the judicial systems but also to private conversations or even thoughts. Lies are among the most damaging of sins and can destroy a person’s reputation and good name. The Scripture is filled with examples of liars. The very birth of sin in creation began with a lie; a so-called “half-truth” from Satan to Eve. We must constantly be on guard and in prayer against a lying tongue and wicked mouth.
Now that we are alive in Christ, his commandment to kingdom citizens is to love our neighbor, and our neighbor is every person we meet, whether saved or lost. One way of loving our neighbor is for the church to be a people of integrity and wisdom. Integrity means that we keep our promises, to the point where we don’t even have to promise and people will regard it as such because they know we will do what we have said. But he also expects wisdom in our responses. For when we say “yes” and do not do it, we are a liar. It is better to simply say “no” than to break faith with another person or party.

Bible Fellowship Time
Icebreakers

Were you ever promised something as a child (maybe by a parent) and the promise was broken? How did it make you feel?

Application:

Do lies and falsehood live in you? I hope not! As we’ve just discussed, lies and falsehood live in the flesh or sin nature. The Scripture says in Galatians 5 that “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.” We have nailed the sinful flesh to the cross. The apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote that “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” This does not guarantee that we will never sin again, we most definitely will at times. That flesh is on the cross, but it is still writhing a bit until we go to be with the Lord. But we must remember that Christ lives in us! If Christ lives in us, what great hope we have to overcome sin!
Closing Devotion
Read this devotion from Thomas Brooks for assurance of the hope that we have:

We do not stand before God in our own righteousness, but in the perfect, spotless, and matchless righteousness of the Lord Jesus. Weak hearts are apt to be troubled and discouraged when they look upon the sin that is in them, and the imperfections that attend their best service. Yet in Christ we have all. Your sins shall never provoke Christ to give you a bill of divorce. This is a great support that sin shall never separate us from God. It is slain judicially, and is under the sentence of condemnation. It has been sentenced though not fully put to death. The power of it is much abated, and its dominion and tyranny are overpowered. The Lord has stripped sin of all its ruling, reigning, domineering, and tyrannizing power. O Christian, look upon sin as dead! It is not to be obeyed, and not to be acknowledged. The Lord Jesus has given sin a mortal wound by his death and Spirit, and by the communication of grace to the soul. Thus sin shall never recover its strength and shall die a lingering death in the souls of the saints. It is like a tree cut at the root with a serious gash, and must die soon. Though for a time it may flourish, it may have leaves and fruit, yet it secretly dies, and will shortly wither and perish. Christ did not die all at once upon the cross, so also the slaying of sin is gradual in the souls of saints. Christ has given sin such a mortal blow, it will never recover. We may truly say that it is slain. Therefore, cheer up O weak souls, for certainly sin that is thus slain can never provoke Jesus Christ to give you a bill of divorce. Ah! That all weak Christians would be like the bee: to abide upon those sweet flowers and gather honey out of them.

Exodus 20:15 “You shall not steal.

We think this commandment is fairly straightforward, do not steal. But, in what ways can we, in the 21st century, steal? Discuss the various ways.

Do we always steal because we have need? Besides “need”, why would we steal, what motivates the crime?

Basic Christianity, John Stott
To steal is to rob a person of anything which belongs to him or is due to him. The theft of money or property is not the only infringement of this commandment. Tax evasion is robbery. So is dodging the customs. So is working short hours. What the worlds calls “scrounging” God calls stealing. To overwork and underpay one’s staff is to break this commandment. There must be few of us, if any, who have been consistently and scrupulously honest in personal and business affairs. As Arthur Hugh Clough wrote:
“Thou shalt not kill,” but need’st not strive
Officiously to keep alive
“Thou shalt not steal” – an empty feat
When it’s more lucrative to cheat.
These negative commandments also imply a positive counterpart. In order truly to abstain from killing, one must do all in one’s power to foster the health and preserve the life of others. To refrain from the act of adultery is insufficient. The commandment requires the right, healthy and honorable attitude of each sex towards the other. Similarly, to avoid stealing is no particular virtue if one is miserly or mean. Paul was not satisfied that a thief should stop stealing; he had to start working. Indeed, he had to continue in honest labor until he found himself in a position to give to those in need.

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Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible:
• The eighth commandment concerns our own and our neighbor’s wealth, estate, and goods:
• ASK: WHEN THE JEWS WERE LEAVING EGYPT, WHAT WERE THEY ALLOWED TO DO WITH EGYPTIAN PROPERTY? WHY? (and was only taking what was due to them for service) Though God had lately allowed and appointed them to spoil the Egyptians in a way of just reprisal, yet he did not intend that it should be drawn into a precedent and that they should be allowed thus to spoil one another.
• This command forbids us to rob ourselves of what we have by sinful spending,
• and to rob others by removing the ancient landmarks, invading our neighbour’s rights, taking his goods from his person, or house, or field, forcibly or clandestinely,
• over-reaching in bargains, nor restoring what is borrowed or found, withholding just debts, rents, or wages, and (which is worst of all) to rob the public in the coin or revenue,
• or that which is dedicated to the service of religion.
Adam Clarke’s Commentary:
• All rapine (the seizure of property by force) and theft are forbidden by this precept;
• as well national and commercial wrongs as petty larceny, highway robberies, and private stealing:
• even the taking advantage of a seller’s or buyer’s ignorance, to give the one less and make the other pay more for a commodity than its worth, is a breach of this sacred law.
• But the word is principally applicable to clandestine stealing, though it may undoubtedly include all political injustice and private wrongs.
• And consequently all kidnapping, crimping, and slave-dealing are prohibited here, whether practiced by individuals or by the state.
• Crimes are not lessened in their demerit by the number, or political importance of those who commit them. A state that enacts bad laws is as criminal before God as the individual who breaks good ones.
• It has been supposed that under the eighth commandment, injuries done to character, the depriving a man of his reputation or good name, are included, hence those words of one of our poets: –
Good name in man or woman
Is the immediate jewel of their souls.
Who steals my purse steals trash, –
But he that filches from me my good name,
Robs me of that which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed.
John Gill’s Expository on the Bible:
• private theft, picking of pockets, shoplifting, burglary, or breaking into houses in the night, and carrying off goods; public theft, or robbing upon the highways;
• domestic theft, as when wives take away their husbands’ money or goods, and conceal them, or dispose of them without their knowledge and will,
• children rob their parents;
• overreaching and circumventing in trade and commerce, unjust contracts, not making good and performing payments,
• detention of servants’ wages, unlawful usury, unfaithfulness with respect to anything deposited in a man’s hands, (The Parable of the Talents…the man with one Talent)
• advising and encouraging thieves, and receiving from them: the case of the Israelites borrowing of the Egyptians and spoiling them is not to be objected to this law, since that was by the command of God, and was only taking what was due to them for service; however, by this command God let the Israelites know that that was a peculiar case.

TREASURY OF SCRIPTURE KNOWLEDGE: Exo 20:15
Exo_21:16; Lev_6:1-7, Lev_19:11, Lev_19:13, Lev_19:35-37; Deu_24:7, Deu_25:13-16; Job_20:19-22; Pro_1:13-15, Pro_11:1; Amo_3:10, Mic_6:10-11, Mic_7:3; Zec_5:3-4; Mat_15:19, Mat_19:18, Mat_21:13; Luk_3:13-14; Joh_12:6; 1Co_6:10; Eph_4:28; 1Th_4:6
Matthew 7:7-12
Ask, Seek, Knock
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Notes on the text
• Ask – ahee-teh’-o – to ask (in generally): – ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require.
• Seeks – dzay-teh’-o – to seek (literally or figuratively); specifically to worship (God), be (go) about, desire, endeavor, enquire (for), require, (X will) seek (after, for, means).
• Evil – pon-ay-ros’ – bad, of a bad nature or condition
o 2a) in a physical sense: diseased or blind
o 2b) in an ethical sense: evil wicked, bad
• Law and Prophets – the entire Old Testament Scriptures

ASK: HOW DOES MATTHEW 7:7-12 RELATE TO THE EIGHT COMMANDMENT?

IN WHAT WAYS MIGHT GOD GIVE US WHAT WE NEED SO THAT WE DO NOT HAVE TO RESORT TO STEALING?

CAN SOMEONE GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE YOU MIGHT KNOW WHO GOD HAS OBVIOUSLY PROVIDED A DIRE NEED FOR SOMEONE? (DISCUSS MORE IF AVAILABLE).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge: Mat 7:7
and it: Mat_21:22; 1Ki_3:5; Psa_10:17, Psa_50:15, Psa_86:5, Psa_145:18-19; Isa_55:6-7; Jer_29:12-13, Jer_33:3; Mar_11:24; Luk_11:9-10, Luk_11:13, Luk_18:1; Joh_4:10; Joh_14:13-14, Joh_15:7, Joh_15:16, Joh_16:23-24; Jam_1:5-6, Jam_5:15; 1Jo_3:22, 1Jo_5:14-15; Rev_3:17-18
seek: Mat_6:33; Psa_10:4, Psa_27:8, Psa_69:32, Psa_70:4, Psa_105:3-4, Psa_119:12; Pro_8:17; Son_3:2; Amo_5:4; Rom_2:7, Rom_3:11; Heb_11:6

Message
Sunday’s sermon will include the following main points:
1. The rampant prevalence of theft – theft includes more than we commonly think of
2. The righteous penalty for theft – God will give thieves justice they deserve
3. The repentance prescribed for theft – the call to turn away from thievery
Spiritual Preparation – Bible Reading for Families
Pray daily that you will continue to be transformed into a likeness of Christ who gave everything for us and kept nothing for himself.

Consider fasting from one meal this week.

Read every day: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10;

2 Corinthians 12:7-10
7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Psalm 49:16-20
16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 for they will take nothing with them when they die,
their splendor will not descend with them.
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—
and people praise you when you prosper—
19 they will join those who have gone before them,
who will never again see the light of life.
20 People who have wealth but lack understanding
are like the beasts that perish.
For Teachers
Context and Commentary
The eighth commandment is against stealing. Stealing can rightly be defined as taking anything that does not belong to you and making it your own without permission. This includes goods, time, identity, spouses (adultery), and many other things. Yahweh has clearly declared this is a sin and always will be. The New Testament clearly affirms this commandment with its statement that thieves will not have eternal life. But the bible makes it pretty clear that we are all thieves at some point in our lives. We all have coveted and then stolen something. We may have thought it insignificant, but God does not. But that is not the only reason God forbids theft. God knows, in His omniscience, that a nation or community where theft is rampant will not flourish or even last at all. It is destined for collapse. But His people are to be an everlasting people, holy and just, reflecting His glory and the all-sufficiency of His providence and grace.
Jesus teaches in his Sermon on the Mount that not only is stealing a sin and not a characteristic of kingdom citizens, but that it comes from not trusting in God’s love and provision. When we covet and steal, it shows that we do not think He is all-sufficient for us. When we turn from the Bible to other worldly “wisdom” we are not trusting in Him. When we turn from only Name and the only Gospel to works-righteousness of other religions, we are robbing from God!

Jesus will not leave us alone though on this. He doesn’t instruct us to be passive in our walk. For Jesus’ disciples, it is not good enough to just not steal or to just passively trust. As is typical of Jesus’ teachings, he calls us to action to be pro-active and positive in our walk. He exhorts us to make the first move, the reach out to others like we would want others to do for us if we were on the other end. The world says “don’t do to others what you don’t want done to you.” Jesus says anybody can do that stuff. “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Go and do. This demands action that is many times physical, but more often than not prayerful. Do we trust His Word or not?

From Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines
This is the Golden Rule that governs a believer’s relationship to other people. While other religions have sayings similar to this, the Golden Rule is strictly Christian because it is positive. It does not say, “Don’t do to others what you don’t want them to do to you.” It lays the responsibility on the believer to act so that others will imitate the deeds and in the end glorify God…It is so difficult for us, in our own power and wisdom, to obey the commands He has given. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God,” says James 1:5, echoing what Jesus says here. The believer who seeks to obey the Word of God must constantly ask for strength, seek wisdom, and knock at God’s door for the supply of grace needed. Note that Christ bases prayer on the fatherhood of God (Mat_7:9-11). As God’s children, we may expect God to care for us and meet our needs.

Bible Fellowship Time
Icebreakers

Have you ever felt like God let you down or didn’t meet a need?
Do you feel any different about that situation now?
Discussion questions:
1. Why did God command the Israelites not to steal from one another?
2. Who is hurt by stealing?
3. How is God’s glory affected by stealing?
4. What does theft reveal about our heart?
5. What does it reveal about our faith?
Going Deeper – Matthew 7:7-12
6. Is God sufficient to meet our needs?
7. In what ways do we fail to trust in His sufficiency?
8. According to Jesus, why do we not have what could be ours?
9. What gifts has God already given us to sufficiently meet our needs?
10. According to Jesus, how are we to exercise our faith in practical ways?
Application:

God is our all-sufficient Lord and savior. While we were still sinners, thieves and liars and murderers, He loved us and sent His son Jesus Christ to die for us on Calvary.

There is an old hymn that goes:
“O the love that drew salvation’s plan! O the grace that brought it down to man! O the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary! Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found libery at Calvary.”

If He loved us enough to send His sinless Son to the cross, what reasons do we have to doubt or reject the immensity of His grace? Will He not give to all who ask in accordance with His will? Has He not said it?

Are you asking in faith?

Are you going in hope?

Are you doing in love?

Matthew 28:18-20 NIV
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Closing Devotion
From the Sermon by Samuel Ward (1577-1640):

Consider all that Christ has done for you. Consider how he has forgiven you and conferred so many favors upon you. Is there anything too good, too hard or dear for him? Joseph, the Lord has need of your tomb, will you deny him? Zacchaeus, do you love your wealth above him who saved you? Stephen, do you love your life above your Master? Do you dare to do anything that is displeasing to him? When you feel the pull of your heart toward sin, set your faith to work with all speed. Let it lay hold of God’s power. It secretly empowers your heart with a pliable willingness, and makes your will lamb-like. All this it does by laying hold of the effective cure of the death of Christ. The power of Christ’s resurrection also transforms the heart of man, and creates and infuses him with new principles of action. Trust in his power to mortify (bring under control) your flesh to sin, and make your spirit alive to holiness. Do you find a strong, in-bred, habitual vice troubling you and keeping you prisoner against your will? Have you often resolved to forsake it, but with failure? You must renounce the broken reed of your own power. Place your trust in the grace of Christ. Be weak in yourself and strong in the Lord, and by faith be more than a conqueror. If Satan has held possession in some strong fort of your heart, persist in resisting, and he shall fall like lightning before you. Christ can overcome the most putrefied sores of sins, so do not despair; through faith you can set your feet on their neck and triumph over them.

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Contact Adam

7th Commandment
Exodus 20:14 “You shall not commit adultery”.
Matthew 5:27-30.
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Notes on the text

Matthew 5:27-30
• Adultery – moicheuō – 1) to commit adultery
o 1a) to be an adulterer
o 1b) to commit adultery with, have unlawful intercourse with another’s wife
o 1c) of the wife: to suffer adultery, be debauched
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Why do you suppose that Jesus “clarified” the 7th Commandment this way? Why was it necessary to ‘expound’ or ‘expand upon’ the 7th Commandment?

Albert Barnes “Notes on the Bible”: It is probable that the Pharisees had explained this commandment, as they had the sixth, as extending only to the external act; and that they regarded evil thoughts and a wanton imagination as of little consequence, or as not forbidden by the law. Our Saviour assures them that the commandment did not regard the external act merely, but the secrets of the heart, and the movements of the eye. He declares that they who indulge a wanton desire, that they who look on a woman to increase their lust, have already, in the sight of God, violated the commandment, and committed adultery in the heart.

OK, speaking of “imagination”, who is the best example in the Bible where his “imagination” led to big time problems & eventual adultery?
• David.. whose deep and awful crime fully shows the danger of indulging in
evil desires, and in the roving of a wanton eye.

Matthew Henry is quoted as saying “The eye is both the inlet and outlet of a great deal of wickedness”
Someone read for me:
Genesis 39:7 Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”

Judge 16:1 One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her.

2 Samuel 11:2 2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful

Job 31:1 “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl.

Now, let’s move from the imagination to the “eye” and “hand” discussion. …..Obviously here Jesus does not want us to mutilate the body, so what is he doing here?
• Showing the importance of how the eye can lead you to eternal damnation.

When Jesus talks about plucking out the eye, some commentators discuss the IMPORTANCE of preaching “hell and damnation” (BY THE WAY, WHAT DO I MEAN BY PREACHING HELL AND DAMNATION?)…..what are your thoughts about this?
(Discuss how people feel about the Lord, bible thumping preachers/evangelist).

Matthew Henry Complete commentary on the Bible: Note,
• [1.] It is not unbecoming a minister of the gospel to preach of hell and damnation; nay, he must do it, for Christ himself did it; and we are unfaithful to our trust, if we give not warning of the wrath to come.
• [2.] There are some sins from which we need to be saved with fear, particularly fleshly lusts, which are such natural brute beasts as cannot be checked, but by being frightened; cannot be kept from a forbidden tree, but by cherubim, with a flaming sword.
• [3.] When we are tempted to think it hard to deny ourselves, and to crucify fleshly lusts, we ought to consider how much harder it will be to lie for ever in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone; those do not know or do not believe what hell is, that will rather venture their eternal ruin in those flames, than deny themselves the gratification of a base and brutish lust.
o QUESTION: Do you think that the secular world really thinks or really believes in “Hell” and “Hellfire”…. Eternity of pain and suffering?
o QUESTION: Do you think that Christians really think about it?
• [4.] In hell there will be torments for the body; the whole body will be cast into hell, and there will be torment in every part of it; so that if we have a care of our own bodies, we shall possess them in sanctification and honour, and not in the lusts of uncleanness.
• [5.] Even those duties that are most unpleasant to flesh and blood, are profitable for us; and our Master requires nothing from us but what he knows to be for our advantage.

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DISCUSS: Does this commandment also include flirting?

Basic Christianity, John Stott: This commandment has a far wider application than just to unfaithfulness in marriage.
• It includes any sort of sex outside the marriage relationship for which it was designed.
• It includes flirting .
• It also includes all sexual perversions, for although men and women are not responsible for a perverted instinct, they are for its indulgence.
• It includes selfish demands within wedlock. …. ????
• It includes the deliberate reading of pornographic literature and giving in to impure fantasies.

Jesus made this clear when he said “everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Just as to entertain murderous thoughts in the heart is to commit murder, so to entertain adulterous thoughts in the heart is to commit adultery. This commandment in fact embraces every abuse of a sacred and beautiful gift of God.

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QUESTIONS:
• Where are “most” marriages performed? (Answer: In Church).
• For marriages inside a church, the marriage ceremony is almost always performed by “whom”? (Answer: Preacher).
• Why do you think that “marriage” is such a sacred union to God? Why did God demand all the rules and regulations about “marriage”?
From “The Uncompromised Word of God” web site:
• Marriage is primarily designed so that a man and woman become one flesh. God said in Genesis 2:24,25
“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”
Genesis pointedly explains the creation of the help mate for Adam that would be one with Adam. The explanation in Genesis 2:21-23 says,
“And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; and the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”
This explains that the creation of woman from man demands their union. They were created from the same flesh to be the same flesh.
When the Pharisees asked our Lord a controversial question on divorce, He not only quoted what He had said in Genesis, but, added commentary on the law and the provision of divorce. First consider His answer. He starts by defining marriage from His Word in Genesis. In Matthew 19:3-6, we read
“The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, ‘Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?’ And he answered and said unto them,
‘Have ye not read, that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh’. Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh.’ What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.’ ”
So, first Jesus answers with the Word given in Genesis 2:25. He defines marriage from the Word. As Jesus is God, and is named as “The Word” in John 1:1, His explanation and interpretation of the Word given in the Old Testament is the ABSOLUTE basis for our understanding and interpretation of the Old Testament and law anywhere He explains it or quotes it. Therefore, marriage is defined by God as union of a man and a woman. The statement of “They shall be one flesh” is established as the statement made by God and not a second statement by Adam. Jesus, the Christ, quotes “and they shall be one flesh” as the very statement of God and not man.

From “bibletruths.net”
God is the author of marriage (a couple joined for life in a special spiritual and physical relationship). God said, “it is not good that the man should be alone…” (Gen. 2: 18). It is a common fact that man is a social being. His life is enhanced and increased by having a proper companion. God then said, “…I will make an help meet for him.” The Hebrew word translated “help meet” suggests a counter-part.
God made woman for man. It has been remarked that God made Eve, not Steve for Adam. The woman was created for man! (Gen. 2: 18-22, 23). The apostle Paul later wrote, “Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man” (I Cor. 11: 9). “…Man is not of the woman,” he further argues to illustrate man’s headship, “but the woman of the man” (vs. 8). Man is in “the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man” (vs. 7). Since God made woman for man, she is ideally suited both emotionally, anatomically, and psychologically to meet the needs of man.
The exclusivity of marriage. “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother…,” God says regarding the priority of marriage (Gen. 2: 24). A son/parent relationship is wonderful and demanding, but the marriage relationship is more demanding! Marriage, as ordained by God, involves one man and one woman. Eve, not multiple women, was made for Adam (Gen. 2). “They twain (two) shall be one flesh,” Jesus later said (Matt. 19: 5). The play and emphasis is on the numerical “two” and “one.” Marriage is monogamous and God was not pleased with polygamy, practiced subsequent to Genesis 2).
What constitutes marriage which is joined by God. The Bible speaks of God being “witness between thee and the wife of thy youth.” Also, “…the wife of thy covenant” (Mal. 2: 14).
Mal 2:14 (NIV) You ask, “Why?” It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.
One commentator wrote regarding Bible marriages: “The actual marriage seems to have been accompanied by certain solemn promises and blessings (The Pulpit Commentary, vol. 14, on Malachi 2: 14). The totality of the teaching of the Bible shows what we call the “exchanging of vows.” I stress this facet of marriage to say there is a manifest difference between marriage and just living together in fornication.
We are taught to obey civil laws when they do not collide with God’s laws, as such (Rom. 13: 1-7, Acts 5: 29). As a rule, all counties, States, and municipalities have laws relative to marriage – issuance of marriage license, filing of license, etc. Such civil practice is good because it creates order, intent, and record.
The purpose of marriage. The ideal marriage is both physical and spiritual. “…To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and every woman have her own husband,” the Bible says (I Cor. 7: 2). The conjugal aspects of marriage are clearly and unashamedly taught (I Cor. 7: 3-6, Heb. 13: 4).
Marriage is also for the producing and education of children (Gen. 1: 28). Paul wrote of the woman, “notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety” (I Tim. 2: 15).
Many are conversant with the physical considerations of marriage – the conjugal, children, etc. – but not enough are aware of the spiritual. The biblically ideal marriage involves an acknowledgment of God and his word at the beginning and throughout the marriage. Men and women entering marriage should be as compatible as possible. Moreover, spiritual compatibility should be a requisite. In short, both should be Christians (I Pet. 3: 7, see also Eph. 5: 22-33). Many conflicts and problems occur because neither or just one is a Christian (Acts 26: 28). The expression “one flesh” I am convinced refers to more than the sexual. While they remain two entities, they unite in purpose. The spiritual is also seen concerning the nurturing of children. Children are to be brought “up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6: 4). Children are also to “obey your parents in the Lord…” (vs. 1).
Headship in marriage. All relationships must have structure in order to properly function, marriage is no exception. The truth stated in the Bible is the husband is the head, the wife is to be in subjection, and the children are to obey their parents in the Lord (Eph. 5: 22-6: 4). The too common American family is in direct opposition to God’s teaching regarding marriage. Marriage is not a democracy with all ruling, including the children! Alas, many men lack leadership abilities. They are growing up in homes where biblical headship is not practiced – even members of the Lord’s church. More and more preachers and elders (role models) do not rule their own houses (I Tim. 3: 4, 5, Tit. 1: 6). In the case of elders, some local churches have become mutually ruled! (See Hebrews 13: 17.)
The longevity of marriage. God ordained marriage is manifestly permanent (Gen. 1, 2). In alluding to and reinstating the original marriage law, Jesus said: “…what therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matt. 19: 6). “For the woman which hath a husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth…,” Paul wrote (Rom. 7: 2). The only exception or contingency to the continuance of the marriage bond, other than death, is adultery. The innocent mate may elect to sever the marriage bond (his tie) based on the fornication of their mate (Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9).
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From http://infidelityfacts.com/infidelity-statistics.html

Below are compiled statistics on infidelity and marriage:
Percentage of marriages that end in divorce in America: 53%
Percentage of “arranged marriages” (where parents pick their sons or daughters spouses) that end in divorce: 3%
Hmmmmm. Why 53 voluntary, and 3% arranged?
Medical field(s) with the highest divorce rate: psychiatrists and marriage counselors
Why?
Percentage of marriages where one or both spouses admit to infidelity, either physical or emotional: 41%
Percentage of men who admit to committing infidelity in any relationship they’ve had: 57%
Percentage of women who admit to committing infidelity in any relationship they’ve had: 54%
Percentage of men and women who admit to having an affair with a co-worker: 36%
Percentage of men and women who admit to infidelity on business trips: 36%
Percentage of men and women who admit to infidelity (emotional or physical) with a brother-in-law or sister-in-law: 17%
Average length of an affair: 2 years
Percentage of marriages that last after an affair has been admitted to or discovered: 31%
Percentage of men who say they would have an affair if they knew they would never get caught: 74%
Percentage of women who say they would have an affair if they knew they would never get caught: 68%

Ask: If you do research on infidelity, what reasons do you think you will find on “why” men cheat:
Why Men Cheat

Statistically speaking, men cheat for a single primary reason: sex.
Many men experience the natural urge to “spread their seed”.
Now to be sure, in the case of marriages or committed relationships, there is far more than just biology at work. Many men report a loss of sexual desire for their wives after children are born…or even after witnessing their wives give birth. Their wives, to them, no longer appear as sex objects, but rather maternal figures.
Another widely reported cause is the breakdown of fun or spontaneity in the relationship. For example, to men in long-term relationships sex will become routine or mechanical. Not an adventure as it once was, but simply as a means to an end. And so they seek that adventure, that adrenaline rush, with another woman (or women).
Yet another cause is more biology related…the need to conquer. Think ego. It’s reported that many men will seek sex outside of a relationship simply to see if they can do it. To see if they can convince a woman they are attracted to…to sleep with them. It’s the “notch in the belt” phenomenon that while frowned upon in America, is surprisingly widely accepted in many parts of the world.

Ask: If you do research on infidelity, what reasons do you think you will find on “why” women cheat:
Why Women Cheat

Statistically, women don’t cheat for the sake of sex. It’s of secondary concern for them. The #1 reason why they cheat is for an emotional connection. And this is particularly true of women over the age of 30.
In more than a few instances, women won’t even cheat physically. They will carry on emotional affairs…where they’ll fall in love and experience emotional intimacy with a men, while never taking it to the physical level. It’s these type of affairs that can continue on for years, without ever being detected, and often leaving a wake of destruction in their path.
Studies have found that in long-term relationships, women, whether they work outside of the house or not, often find themselves “shut out” emotionally. Over 70% of women are still the primary caregivers for their children while also being the cook and the maid…whether or not they have a full or part-time job. This leaves them precious little time for themselves to foster a woman’s natural urge to grow emotionally. An urge typical ignored by men whose primary interest is physical contact.
Thus the longing for a man who can “see who they really are” begins. And in the weeks, months or even years that follow, they will usually find such a man – or think they’ve found one. An interesting point to takeaway of this female need for an “emotional bond” : affairs initiated by women generally last 3 times long than those initiated by men.
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© Bill Mitchell, 7-Day Detective 2005
Since 1971 William F. Mitchell, Jr. has documented the activities of those who commit adultery. As an investigator proving thousands of adultery, Mr. Mitchell has compiled these statistics:

About Marriages and Divorce:
• 50-70 percent of all American marriages end in divorce.
• Within the last decade, incidents of adultery have risen to this alarming rate of 50-70 percent in America.

About the Adulterers:
• 100 percent of adulterers violate the trust they shared and enjoyed with their spouse.
• 10-20 percent of spouse’s cheating begins as Internet affairs in chat rooms or at game websites.
• 75 percent of adulterers are middle-class wage earners.
• 1-5 percent of adulterers are pastors or clergy.
• 90 percent of clergy divide churches and cause spiritual upheaval within their sphere of influence. Many congregants become skeptical, bitter and resentful.
• 60-70 percent of adultery victims are women.
• 30-40 percent of adultery victims are men. This number has increased dramatically over the past decade and a half, due in part to the increased presence of women in the workplace.
• 10-15 percent of female victims are between the ages of 20-25 years old.
• 50-75 percent of female victims are between the ages of 25-50 years old.
• 1-2 percent of female victims are married more than 25 years to the same spouse.
• 10-20 percent of adultery victims claim to be Christians, and the cheating spouse usually is a regular attendant of church or religious activities.
• 15-20 percent are repeat offenders.
• 99.9 percent deny they are having an affair and hide the truth! The exception is when they confess without being forced into it.
• 70-80 percent who willing confess to infidelity recovery and enjoy a stronger marriage in time.

About the Affair:• 50-75 percent of extramarital affairs take place with someone from the workplace.
• 70-80 percent of the time, extramarital activity lasts six months to a year but not longer.
• 20-25 percent of adulterers frequent motels or hotels.
• 75 percent of sexual activity occurs in a residence, apartment, or office location.
• 80-85 percent of domestic relations investigations reveal evidence of adultery when one spouse questions the other’s devotion and loyalty.
• 30-50 percent of affairs involve alcohol during their indiscretions.
• 50 percent of extramarital affairs take place under cover of darkness or in the shadow of the night.
• 50-65 percent of extramarital affairs occur on weekends.
• 10-15 percent of marriages survive affairs after professional or non-professional (clergy) counseling where the act of forgiveness occurs.
• 10-25 percent of spouses having affairs bring financial ruin to their marital home.
• 10 percent of affairs result in physical abuse with their spouse at some stage of the affair.
• 100 percent of extramarital affairs take their toll on biological and stepchildren.
Don’t make any sudden moves!
Confronting your partner too soon will only help him or her hide their tracks and go deeper into denial and hiding. Author Bill Mitchell, a licensed private investigator, has helped thousands of individuals successfully find out if their partners are cheating and catch them! Use his smart, proven steps to immediately take charge of your situation and your life.
Do your relationship this one favor…before things go any further
If you’re living with the pain of not knowing, it’s OK to do something about it. You at least owe it to yourself to know what you could do. Written in a friendly, caring style, this book is first and foremost about caring for yourself and doing what’s right for you.

© Bill Mitchell, 7-Day Detective
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Message
Sunday’s sermon will include the following main points:
1. Cultural Considerations – how sinful man corrupts the sexual relationship
2. Scriptural Considerations – what God has revealed about sex and adultery
3. Pragmatic Considerations – the damage caused by adultery
Spiritual Preparation – Bible Reading for Families
Pray daily that you would be faithful to God in worship of Him alone and in your relationships with others.
Consider fasting from one meal this week.
Read every day: Romans 1:16-17; 2 Peter 1:1-12; Psalm 6
HAVE SOMEONE READ THIS ENTIRE SCRIPTURE
Read every day Romans 1:16-17
New International Version (NIV)
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[a] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”[b]
ASK: HOW DOES THIS HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE 7TH COMMANDMENT?
HAVE SOMEONE READ THIS ENTIRE SCRIPTURE: Read every day 2 Peter 1:1-12
1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:
2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Confirming One’s Calling and Election
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Prophecy of Scripture
12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.

AFTER THIS SCRIPTURE IS READ, DISCUSS HOW THIS RELATES TO THE 7TH COMMANDMENT. ALSO, VERSE 12, WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT “REMIND YOU OF THESE THINGS”, ASK HOW WOULD CHURCH, ABF, SMALL GROUPS, OR DAILY BIBLE READING AND PRAYER BENEFIT.

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Adam