The Omaha guide., 1946-09-14
JESUS AND C~ovEToUsNEss

JESUS AND COvETOUSNESS
LESSON TEXT-Exodus 20.I7: Prov
eTbs 10 %. =: Lake y 1871.
ME.iORY SELECTION-He that u=ss
eth N lAs rcaes shall fail. but ihs
righteous srru flourish as a branch
Proverbs II -
The Ten Commandments. lie
study q which We colcs-5e tocsy
Cthe remaining lessons OF Ire quar-
ter deal wItA other laws}. have beec
revealed 20 Us IS being. character
ized BY their nre-ity. their eonpre-
hensive touch with all Of life. and
fidelity 10 the right But they are
also unique and different from
al other laws ID that they Teschl
into tie inner ecess Of a mans
heart. 2 realm where only GEO
can IucEe and act.
This last commandment tzgainsi
covet0usncsJ emphasizes tnat point.
for it does Lot expressly require
or forbid T-F set. but deals with the
motive IL saas action Man can
judge snn-acr mans acts. but he
Cannot iunse AIS motives. desires or
H0Jghfs. Gcd rust do that.
Bat W7n Can. By the erase Sf
God. Cca.rol his motives: and hence
we have this commandment and us
Interpretation.
4. Coyet0usness - What It Is
Gxod. 20:ID.
70 covet does not mean just 10
desire. but 70 have an unrestrained
desire Tor that which We ought not
10 have or which by right belongs
TO another
II shows itself In our day in a
more general way an inordinate
desire for possessions in general.
There too man loses himself. II
may be a surprise 70 many to learn
hat c0veiirg. OF desiring what be-
longs TO another. is a sin II has be-
come one OF the respectable sins"
accepted in the best circles and
Iractced by many church people.
AS a matter o. fact, this sin under
lies all the other sans against which
the commandments speak He who
has a love for money and an evil
desire 10 have his neighbours pos
sessions viii hate. lie. steal. cheat
Eu- In fact as DR.. C. Caszp6al
Morgan says. The whole realm Of
human i~ntsrrelations Is disorgaI-
tied and broken up-by the 'dishoner-
ing c: the tenth commandment"
n. Covet0usncss What IL Does
UProv. II-E. "a: Luke ~l2:l3-2lJ.
!. II Makes a Man Stingy prov.
ll.23 24l. The righteous man seeks
mat which 3 good and he knows
noulng - the cilse-hsted sunginess
u-n.ch u4tnnaids .r ne God and man.
sonall mes ID III. lie Is to lose.
arc u te III ial IS to gain
especially N lie things Of God
God gives Ideally James l:5).
and tn- man eau Knows God scat
tiers n.t b y lbs money. but his
rs q u..-d snL service for Gods
GiJry
IN sad contrast Is the man who
ke.ps his pusrsiuns fer himself
an r APPS or,r lie b~arrenness Of
soul ard lcanr-ss Of life
2 II Makes a Man Envious
luke ~I2.is-I5i. Noting the ability
Of Jesus In dealing with others. tn
man thought % divert the Lord from
his real miaistry 10 the souls Of men
10 The settling Of social problems
all becalse he was greedy.
Suuc church leaders think that IS
our business now TO preach
and promote a social gospel. They
had better reread verse u.
3 u Makes q Man Selfish duke
1916. i7l. The vino was known
20 has friends as the rich man"
a.. To- was known 10 God as a
fool tv. 21l. because having more
than he could use he boarded Il for
himself. One wouders what he had
10 say for himself when hat very
night he was called into he prss-
ence of Cod ~ give an cou q
his steNardShip tv. 20l. II you are
similarly situated and have the
same attitude. what VIII you say ID
that day.
l. IL Makes a Man Proud (Luke
1919. AL around him we're he
hungry. RE d eded no barns. for
there we're the empty hands o. TIE
needy: but money had made hEn
hard and proud He woaA buiis
bigger Sarns. perhaps the biGeest In
that community. People would mar
vel az his prosperity and he would
live long to enjoy il.
But Il did not work out mat
way. for. alas. Il is true Of covet-
BUSINESS that
S Il Makes a Nan FoOlisn Luke
I2.i9-2D. The man who reckons
without God IS sure 70 come 70
grief. Leaving him out Of ones
thinking and planning invites dis
aster.
God called. and ne VINO hac
thought to 80 on for years in self.
ish pleasure. found that he must e
and leave Il all Worse yet. he had
20 face the judgment Of God uPor
his eternal soul
Do y fail to note hat there Is Z
way % lay Up treasures in HEAVIER
by a close walk with Christ. com.
ing 70 appreciate and cultivate the
Joys q the spirit and so using
ones possessions that they count fol
the glory Of God Even gold car
be 50 invested for God as to senc
II on to eternity What an oppor
tunityl