INSIGHT
 

   How much are your opinions worth? How about your statements? Your speech? Your words?  Have you ever lied? Have you ever manipulated the truth so that it looks and sounds like the truth but is really a self-centered attempt to justify your actions? I’d like to think that my words are as good as gold.  Gold doesn’t change.  If I buy it, it will remain gold until Jesus comes again.  Even if I die gold will still be gold until Jesus comes again.  Gold will never turn into some worthless material and real gold is gold all the way through; not just coated with gold.  How about your words?  Are your statements/actions sometimes just “gold-coated”? Are your statements/actions sometimes unreliable? People don’t know whether to believe you or dismiss you as a liar?

 

   Every time you lie, whether it is by manipulating truth, deceiving, outright misrepresenting something or someone, your integrity suffers. You steal trust from people.  You begin to owe trust. It is very interesting that it only takes one lie to destroy someone’s integrity and other people’s trust in that person.  One lie. One “small, innocent, white, lie”.

 

The ninth commandment deals more with honesty, sincerity and integrity than with issues of knowledge, accuracy and facts.

 

 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor does not require you to be omniscient, but it does require you to be honest.  It does not demand that you have the full content of factual truth in your possession, but it does require you to be trustworthy when you speak about some matter wherein the facts are in your possession.”

 

   You are not responsible for lacking in information on a particular subject or being perplexed and confused about some difficult matter;  but you are responsible for telling the truth and not misrepresenting the facts so as to deceive, mislead, or send someone down a blind alley. 

The Heart of God: The Ninth Commandment
The Pinocchio Syndrome...

Key Text:                             Exodus 20:16

"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”

 

Theme:

Many echo the words of Pilate when they reflect an attitude of cynicism by the response, “What is truth?” Many people today rely on being deceitful and manipulative to get  what they want. So much misrepresentation and dishonesty exists that “truth” has become an idealistic concept--unexisting and nonsense to those who make their living by deception. As people of God, required to emulate divinity, falsehood should never be an option that we are willing to pursue. The words that we speak are only valuable if they are truthful.  Otherwise, they are not even worth the paper this is printed on.

 

Application:

Here are some helpful suggestions:

1.      Trustworthiness: requires you to give honest opinions and judge impartially. Tell the truth in love, even if it hurts.

2.      Integrity: To have integrity is not to be fragmented (partially truthful and/or partially dishonest). Be consistent. Speak the truth whatever the circumstance, situation or position you are in.

3.      Encouragement & Praise: There’s always something positive that can be found in a person. Be an edifier instead of a destroyer (slanderer). Always give the benefit of the doubt, never assume. When you slander someone you assume--and that is lying!

4.      Accountability: Hold yourself accountable in everything you do.  If you find yourself making excuses and justifying your actions, chances are that you are being dishonest to those you are letting down and deceitful to yourself. Wake up and let the Spirit transform you into a person able to give an account!

May the Lord richly bless you!

 

Sermon Outline

 

“You Shall Not Give False Testimony”

Introduction: Last Week

 

   1. The eighth commandment dealt with the

       importance of moral action!

   2. “You shall not steal” applies physically and spiritually!

   3. We rob God when we don’t sacrifice our best.

   4. We rob God with our words!

       a. We rob him with faithless words Malachi 3:13-ff

 I. Ninth Commandment: Moral Speech

    Exodus 20:16

 “You Shall Not Give False Testimony Against Your

    Neighbor”

 

     A. Do not give false testimony

           1. Who is my Neighbor?

              a.  Who does Jesus consider to be a neighbor?

             b.  Luke 10:25-37

              c. Anyone you come across is your neighbor!

             d. How does false testimony effect people?

           2. The Perils of False Testimony.

              a. Numbers 13:26-14:1-4

 b. A nation is lead astray by false testimony         

                 --The faithless deprived the promised land.

                 -- Joshua and Caleb’s faithful response and
                     their inheritance of the promised land!

                    

     B. Speak Faithful Words to One Another!

           1.  A vision for the faithful.

              a.  Malachi  2:4-9 

               b.  Our lips need to preserve knowledge

(speak what you know).

               c.  Never assume! 

               d.  Nothing false should be on our lips.

               e.  Speak faithful words!

 

     C. Speak Wholesome Words To One Another!

           1.  Ephesians 4:22-ff

               a.  Wholesome = nutritious for the soul.  

               b.  Don’t talk anything which is not good for
                    the soul-- spiritual “Wheatiesä”!!

 

II. Conclusion:  Hebrews 13:15

 

         1.  Combine speech with action!

         2.  This is pleasing to God.  
Small Group Study

Warm-up:

Can you illustrate how it is possible to say something that is factually true but morally false?

 

See To It                                                       Psalm 15

 

1. To whom does the opening question of this Psalm refer?

 

2. What is the underlying theme of this short yet powerful

    Psalm?

 

3. How is true happiness achieved in light of this Psalm?

    Explain.

 

4. Read verse 3. Explain how not being these thing can

    attribute to the breaking of the ninth commandment?

 

5. Read verse 4. Explain how not being these thing can

    attribute to the breaking of the ninth commandment?

    What does it mean when the Psalmist says, “who keeps

     his oath even when it hurts”?

 

6. Read verse 5. Explain how not being these thing can

    attribute to the breaking of the ninth commandment?

 

Seeing It Closer                               

 

1. Is there a distinction in your mind between lying about

    trivial matters and lying about important things?

 

2. Is it possible to lie by being silent? Can you illustrate how

   this might happen? Have you ever been guilty of it?

 

3. Imagine for a moment that people’s noses actually grow

    when they tell lies. Would your own appearance be

    altered?

 

4. How can you guard your heart against the temptation to

     lie?

 

Getting To It:

Lying is not a fine art to be practiced. It is an offense against God and man. There should be a quality of honesty and integrity in us--whether in business, professional life, filing a tax return, or simply in casual conversation--that sets us apart. Let us be a people who do not excuse themselves in dealing with lies!

This week's Quiet Times:

The Pinocchio Syndrome

 

MONDAY

Exodus 20:16 reads “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor”.  This week we will read about how an expert in the law tested Jesus and sought to justify himself by asking the question, “Who is my neighbor?”.  Before we examine this part of the commandment, we should first understand how the Lord feels when we speak anything false.  For a deeper understanding, let’s read Acts 5:1-11.  Read carefully - What happened to Ananias and Sapphira?  Why?  In verses 3 and 4, Peter convicts Ananias of lying - Who does he say he lied to?  Read verse 7.  Sapphira had an opportunity to tell the truth or continue in the lie.  What did Peter ask her?  What was the lie they were telling?  Ananias and Sapphira wanted the brethren to think they sold their house and gave all of the money to the Lord.  Why do you think they wanted to do this?  Perhaps they wanted everyone to pat them on  the back.  They didn’t have to do this, as Peter pointed out in verse 4.  Think of ways you seek to make yourself look better to a brother or a sister.  Have you ever said something that wasn’t altogether true?  Who are you really lying to?  “Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up.” (James 4:10)

 

TUESDAY

We know that the Lord does not want us to speak what is false.  Ananias and Sapphira truly found out the hard way.  Now let’s look at another part of the commandment.  God commands his people not to speak falsely about their neighbor.  Read Luke 10:25-37.  You will see Jesus define who and what a neighbor is - something the teachers of the law were unable to do.  If you are unfamiliar with the relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans (Gentiles), research it in a good study Bible or commentary.  The “expert in the law” was seeking to justify himself, not to learn.  He probably treated those he considered neighbors (like his fellow Jews) pretty good, but judging by what Jesus said to him, how do you think he viewed non-Jews (such as the Samaritans)?  Read the parable and stand in awe of God who knows the heart of every man!  What did the priests and the Levites do when they saw the man who was suffering?  Weren’t they supposed to love their neighbor as themselves ( Lev. 19:13-18)?  Didn’t they consider this man a neighbor?  How about the Samaritan?  Apply this to your own life.  Do you consider all people as your neighbor or only certain people?  Do you avoid some people because of something you consider undesirable about them?  If so then today is the day to repent!  Love your neighbor as yourself!  Speak the Word of God to someone you may have passed up otherwise.  Remember that someone did this for you. 

 

WEDNESDAY   

God’s heart is filled with love for us and he understands more than we do the consequences of our sin.  How many people throughout history have been wrongly hurt, brutalized, imprisoned and even killed because of a false testimony made against them?  We begin to learn how powerful this sin is as children the very first time we get away with blaming someone else for something we did-”I didn’t do it-he did it!”  False testimony is an extremely dangerous sin.  Look at Matthew 26:69-75.  In these passages we read about Peter giving false testimony about Jesus.  What caused him to do this?  Who did it effect besides himself? Read Luke 22:54-61 for further insight.  Not only did Peter give false testimony about Jesus, he also missed a great (evangelistic) opportunity to love his neighbor as himself.  Next read Acts 16:16-24 .  When Paul and Silas got in the way of somebody’s money-making operation, how did the people respond (see verse 19)?  What did they use as a weapon against Paul and Silas? - false testimony.  The results were devastating!  However, the Lord in his usual awesomeness turns it to spectacular!  Read the rest of the chapter.  Our society promotes and rewards false testimony.  The courtrooms are filled with people seeking to make money by filing false claims against one another.  The Lord changes us just as he changed Peter from a false testifier to a preacher of truth.  See his true testimony in Acts 2:22-36. 

 

THURSDAY

Read Exodus 23:1-9.  The NIV labels these as laws of justice and mercy.  As you read them, think of ways you are guilty of breaking these laws.  What kinds of things sway you to give false testimony?  Have you ever hurt someone by giving in to your heart this way?  Now read Numbers 13 and 14.  What did God promise in 13:1, 2?  In verse 32, what caused the Israelites to doubt?  What did this lead the Israelites to say and believe in 14:1-4?  Do you see how damaging false testimony is?  Was God bringing the Israelites into Canaan only so they could die by the sword?  The bad report, which was faithless and false, caused the whole nation to doubt.  As a result, they were deprived entrance into the promised land.  Think of some ways you have spoken faithlessly.  What did you say and how did it affect the Body?  Read on in this chapter and learn from the faithful responses of Joshua and Caleb (see verses 5-9).  Call a brother or sister today and speak faithful words to them!

 

FRIDAY

Wasn’t yesterday’s reading awesome?  How do we fulfill the commands God has given us today?  Read Galatians 5:1-15.  What happened to the Galatians in verses 1-9?  How did a false teaching affect them spiritually?  In verses 10-15, what was the way to overcome the damage done by this false testimony?  Read Romans 13:8-10 and discover how to fulfill the law.  Write verse 10 on an index card and memorize it.