The Coolidge examiner., 1938-12-08
N@~@~~~~~N~N
Imbr0pea 0 SUNDAY
Uniform C~-Oor
= LESSON =
By HAROLD L. LUNDQUIST. D. D.
Dean of The Moody Bible Institute
of Chicago.
G Western Newspaper Union.
Lesson for December IL
THE SIN OF COVETOUSNESS

LESSON TEXT-Exodus 20:l7; Luke
l2:13-21; Timothy 6:6-l0.
GOLDEN TEXT-Thou shalt not covet.
Exodus 2017.
Lesson subjects and Scripture texts Sc.
lected and copyrighted by International
Council of Religious Education; used by
permission.
THE word Of God is quick, and
powerful, and sharper than any two
edged sword. piercing even to the
dividing asunder of soul and spirit,
and of the joints and marrow, and
is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart CHeb. 4:1O.
These are the words that came to
the writer's mind as he read the
Scripture portions assigned for this
lesson. He would fain have set
aside his own comments and used
this column to print the words from
the Bible. If any reader of these
lines purposes to read just these
efforts to expound the truth. and
not to read the Bible itself, let me
plead with you to stop here and turn
to Gods Word. Let its powerful
truth grip your soul and change
your life.
1t seems peculiarly appropriate
that this lesson on covetousness
should come right in the midst OF
our preparations for Christmas. for
it directs our attention away from
things to God, from outward prep
aration to the preparation of the
heart. from greedy desire to true
liberality of heart Christmas may
be literally made over" for all OF
US if we receive its truth.
/. A Command (Exod. 20:1O.
Thou shalt not covet."
This last commandment carries
us beyond the domain of civil mag
istracy into that intellectual realm
of motive, desire, and thought,
where God alone is Lord and Judge"
Dykes. 1t deals with the heart,
out of which are all the issues Of
life. 1t reaches to the root of so
much that is wicked and destruc-
tive in the World-the covetousness
of man. The love of money makes
men lie. steal, kill, cheat; in fact,
1.-The whole realm of human inter-
relations is disorganized and broken
up by the dishonoring of the tenth
commandment" (Morgan.
ii. A Warning duke l2:13-2D.
Beware of covetousness."
The teaching of this passage is so
directly opposite to all ideas regard
ing such matters accepted by the
world at large. that it may be a
total surprise to some readers and
attendants at Bible school.
The yardstick Of success in the
world-for an individual, and organ
ization, or a nation; yes, even for
many a church-is the possession
Of wealth, or property, or other
things" Write it then in large let
tiers on the hearts and minds of our
boys and girls. "A mans life con-
sisteth not in the abundance of the
things which he possesseth" ". 15).
The one who was known to his
friends (and to himseD as "a rich
man" ". l6), but whom God knew
as a fool ". 20), had more than
he could use for himself He had
to build new and bigger barns,
and could not see the barns" that
were already prepared. for. as Am
brose says, Thou hast barns-the
bosoms Of the needy, the houses Of
widows. the mouths of orphans and
infants" He was a fool who loved
money for himself. One wonders
what he had to say for himself when
that very night he was called into
the presence of God to give an ac-
count of his stewardship ". 20). If
you are similarly situated and have
the same attitude, what will you
say in that day?
An important point which we
must note is that Jesus expressly re-
pudiated the connecting of His name
with the so-called social gospel in
His reply ". 14 to the question of
the covetous fellow who regard
ed his inheritance as of more i'm
portance than brotherly love. Those
who are ignoring the gospel of re-
demption and claiming Jesus as a
social reformer or the Judge and
divider" of some new economic So
luton for the worlds ills, need to
read and ponder this verse. Every
Christian is interested deeply in So
cial problems, but knows that the
first concern Of Christ and His fol-
lowers is the souls of men.
Ill. A Way of Victory q Tim. 6:6-
10).
Goodness with contentment."
AS a minister of the gospel the
writer would first remind himself
that this was written by Paul to the
preacher Timothy. Brethren in
the ministry, let us not fall into the
temptation and snare that comes
with the love of money.
In this dizzy age when many are
so intent on making money that they
have no time for home and children,
church and fellowship; when men
neglect their responsibilities and