what does the 10th commandment require

Week #3 (5:3) ORANGE September 23, 2020 1 Peter 2:11

What does the tenth commandment require?

The tenth commandment requires us to be completely satisfied with our own status in life & to have a proper, loving attitude toward others & their possessions

ASK: What is the 10th commandment?

Exodus 20:17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's." (ESV)

ASK: What is coveting? Wanting other’s things.

It is not wrong to see something in a store or advertisement & decide to buy it. But we should not be greedy. God wants us to be grateful for His gifts to us & content with what we have presently. When we covet someone else’s possessions, fame, or ability, we are telling God that He has not provided for us properly. Paul knew how to be content.

READ: Philippians 4:11-13 (ESV)

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Why is this hard?

1 Peter 2:11 ESV

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

1 John 2:15–17 ESV

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Ephesians 2:1–4 ESV

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,

Our flesh, always wants to be satisfied and is not concerned with what is right or wrong.

Coveting can get us in to big trouble-

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 912 Monkey’s Clenched Fists

912 Monkey’s Clenched Fists

In North Africa the natives have a very easy way to capture monkeys. A gourd, with a hole just sufficiently large so that a monkey can thrust his hand into it, is filled with nuts and fastened firmly to a branch of a tree at sunset. During the night a monkey will discover the scent of food, and its source, and will put his hand into the gourd and grasp a handful of nuts. But the hole is too small for the monkey to withdraw his clenched fist, and he has not sense enough to let go of his bounty so that he may escape. Thus he pulls and pulls without success, and when morning comes he is quickly and easily taken.

—The Pilgrim

Week #3 (5:3) ORANGE September 23, 2020 1 Peter 2:11

What does the tenth commandment require?

The tenth commandment requires us to be completely satisfied with our own status in life & to have a proper, loving attitude toward others & their possessions

God forbids coveting because He wants us to put Him first & trust Him to provide for us.

READ: Hebrews 13:5

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

The things we own are far less important than obeying God, & when we put him first, He takes care of all our needs.

READ: Matthew 6:31

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Have the kids name on thing they are thankful for. Pray giving God thanks.

Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations & Quotes The Fisherman

The Fisherman

Once a rich industrialist, disturbed to find a fisherman sitting idly by his boat, asked, “Why aren’t you out there fishing?”

“Because I’ve caught enough fish for today,” was the reply.

“Why don’t you catch more fish than you need?” asked the rich man.

“What would I do with them?”

“You could earn more money and buy a better boat so you could go deeper and catch more fish. You could purchase nylon nets, catch even more fish, and make more money. Soon you’d have a fleet of boats and be rich like me.”

“Then what would I do?” asked the fisherman.

“You could sit down and enjoy life.”

“What do you think I’m doing now?” the fisherman replied.