Opening Activity

• Recap the commandments so far.
• Share a personal story about a time when you or someone you know told a lie which led to more lies or negative consequences.

Bible Story

• Today we are going to learn the 9th rule / commandment which is about saying the truth. It’s found in Exodus 20:16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”
• What are the different ways we can lie? We can lie about doing something wrong, like saying we ate all your vegetables when really we threw it under the table. We can also lie by exaggerating, like saying we can climb a tree when we really can’t. When we cheat, make excuses, sneak around to do something bad so we don’t get caught, or leave out a part of the truth, we are lying.
• Let’s move to the 10th rule/ commandment. It says“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:17)
• Coveting is being jealous for what others may have.
• Let’s learn a bible story of someone who lied and wanted things that were not his.
• Elisha had told Naaman to go to River Jordan and dip himself seven times in order to be healed from leprosy. He obeyed and he got healed.
• Naaman wasted no time in returning to Elisha’s house in Samaria,which was a 40 Kilometre trip from the Jordan River. He came to Elisha with a different attitude, he was healed and he was humbled. He had a heart of gratitude and desired to pay Elisha for his service.Naaman’s deadly disease was cured, and Elisha would be richly rewarded.
  Naaman came to Elisha a believer in God and His awesome power.He had discovered through his healing that only a true God could do such a miracle, and he was eager to share that with Elisha.
• Elisha agreed with Naaman, that the Lord whom he serves lives. But Elisha refused to accept any reward for his ministry. It was the work of God in his life as a free gift. Elisha knew that it was God’ work, not his so he didn’t want to receive any payment. If Elisha had taken money from Naaman it could have done damage to what God wanted Naaman to understand about Himself (2 Kings 5:15-16)
• But Elisha’s servant, Gehazi didn’t see it this way.He plotted his scheme to get money from Naaman.
  When Naaman saw Gehazi running towards him, he stopped his chariot to find out if anything was wrong. Naaman was concerned for Elisha and was eager to help in any way he could.
• Gehazi lies to Naaman hoping to receive a talent (approx. Kshs.200,000) in silver and two suits of clothes. Wow, what a request! That was a lot of money.
• But Naaman reveals his generous heart and gives Gehazi Kshs.400,000 and two expensive robes.Gehazi really made out, receiving more than he had hoped for.
• Naaman even sent two servants back with Gehazi to help him carry the gifts to his house. But Gehazi stops them at the hill where Elisha lived and sent the servants away, then quickly hid the money in his house.
• Elisha didn’t waste any time to confront Gehazi. God had revealed Gehazi’s deceit to Elisha so he gave Gehazi an opportunity to confess his sin. So to cover one lie, Gehazi told another. Elisha reveals to Gehazi that he is aware of his scheme and adds that a true servant of the Lord should not take personal rewards from people in return for blessings that God had given them.
• The leprosy of Naaman had been removed from him by his humble obedience and trust in God, but now leprosy would cling to Gehazi for lying and being greedy (wanting what was not his).
• In all these things Gehazi made himself untrustworthy. When we lie, people won’t want to trust us. Lying hurts our relationships with others, because people can’t trust us when we aren’t truthful. Honesty protects our relationships with others.
• So we can also see from the story that coveting hurts our relationship with God and with our neighbors ( people around us). Gehazi lied to Elisha and so lost his trust.

Questions

1. Being “green” with envy fits which commandment?
2. What are the different ways we can lie?
3. Why was Gehazi struck with leprosy?
4. Approximately how much did Naaman give Gehazi?
5. Which commandment is the hardest for you to obey?
6. Which commandment is the easiest for you to obey?
7. Recite the 9th and 10th commandment?
8. What are the last six commandments about?
9. What happens to our relationships if we break commandments 5-10?