The Neighbor

“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. You shall not covet…anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16-17)

Lying and our Neighbor (Exodus 20:16; Ephesians 4:15)

• What is ‘false testimony’? (Exodus 20:16)
• The triangle of truth assessment: what we take in, what we think, what we speak out
• What lying does to us and our neighbor
• The remedy: “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15)

Envy and our Neighbor (Exodus 20:17; 1 Timothy 6:6)

• What does it mean to ‘covet’? (Exodus 20:17)
• Envying our neighbor
• The insecurity of envy
• The remedy: “godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6)

When Lies and Envy Broke Open with Life (Mark 11-15)

1. When have you seen a simple lie create a big impact? What happened?
2. This weekend at Eastbrook we conclude our series, “Chiseled,” on the Ten Commandments by looking at the final commandments found in Exodus 20:16-17. Read these verses out loud and invite God to speak to you as you study the Scripture.
3. The context implied in Exodus 20:16 is the courts of law. Why do you think truth telling about others is so important in the law court?
4. Of course, the implications of this command go beyond the courts of law and into our everyday lives. In Colossians 3:9, Paul writes: “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.”Why is this important as a reflection of new life in Jesus Christ?
5. In what ways might you need to live in the truth more? How do you need to watch how you speak about other people?
6. The next commandment centers on two words “covet,” which is translated from the Hebrew word for desiring, wanting or craving something, and “neighbor’s” as applied to various physical objects. What does this commandment tell us about desire?
7. Some commentators see coveting—or envy—as the source of all other sins. Why do you think this might be the case?
8. The final commandment takes us beyond the external actions of the previous command- ments and into our hearts. Where do you struggle most with envy of others right now?
9. What is one thing God is speaking to you through this study? If you are alone, write it down. If you are with a small group, discuss these things with one another.