FALSE WITNESS AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOR!
OPENING PRAYER
IAM THANKFUL TO GOD FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE USED IN THIS WAY AND TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITHIN THE RICHNESS OF HIS HOLY WORD. IT IS WITH GREAT JOY THAT I COME BEFORE YOU TO SPEAK TODAY CONCERNING THE 9TH COMMANDMENT WHICH IS "YOU SHALL NOT BARE FALSE WITNESS AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOR"
THE PROBLEM WE HAVE AS CHRISTIANS IS WHEN VIEWING THE COMMANDMENTS WE TEND TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH COMMANDMENTS WE VIEW OURSELVES BEING GUILTY OF!
WE TEND TO VIEW MORE THE PHYSICAL ACT OF BREAKING THE COMMANDMENT AND NEVER SEE THE SPIRITUAL VIOLATION OF THE COMMANDMENT!
EX. IDOLATRY, THE PHYSIACAL VIOLATION WOULD BE KNEELING DOWN WORSHIPING A STATUE OR IMAGE, HOWEVER THE SPIRITUAL VIOLATION WOULD BE ANYTHING YOU HOLD IN HIGHER REGARD THAN GOD OR HIS WORD!
ADULTRY, THE PHYSICAL VIOLATION WOULD BE SEXUAL UNFAITHFULNESS TO YOUR MARRIAGE PARTNER, HOWEVER THE SPIRITUAL VIOLATION WOULD BE UNFAITHFULNESS TO GOD OR HIS WORD!
MURDER, THE PHYSICAL VIOLATION WOULD BE THE UNLAWFUL TAKING OF A HUMAN LIFE, HOWEVER THE SPIRITUAL VIOLATION WOULD BE AN UN WILLINGNESS TO LOVE YOUR BROTHER OR SISTER IN CHRIST, AS CHRIST HAS LOVED YOU!
THE FOCUS OF TODAYS COMMANDENT WITHIN THIS SERMON IS NO DIFFERENT, WE SIMPLY DO NOT SEE THIS COMMANDMENT AS AN ON GOING SIN PROBLEM IN OUR LIVES BECAUSE WE TEND TO LOOK AT THE PHYSICAL VIOLATION OF THE COMMANDMENT AND NEVER VIEW THE SPIRITUAL VIOLATION!
ANOTHER SITUATION CONCERNING THE NINTH COMMANDMENT IS WE TEND TO VIEW THE LETTER OF THE COMMANDMENT AND NOT THE HEART OF THE COMMANDMENT, IN OTHER WORDS WE TEND TO APPLY OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING AND NEVER CONCERN OURSELVES WITH GODS TRUE APPLICATION OF THE COMMANDMENT, AND FROM RESEARCHING SCRIPTURE THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.
(LET US BEGIN)
EXODUS 20:16 "YOU SHALL NOT BARE FALSE WITNESS AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOR." (9TH COMMANDMENT)
ISAIAH 45:18-19 FOR THUS SAYS THE LORD, WHO CREATED THE HEAVENS, WHO IS GOD, WHO FORMED THE EARTH AND MADE IT, WHO HAS ESTABLISHED IT, WHO DID NOT CREATE IN VAIN, WHO FORMED IT TO BE INHABITED: IAM THE LORD, AND THERE IS NO OTHER. I HAVE NOT SPOKEN IN SECRET, IN A DARK PLACE OF THE EARTH; I DID NOT SAY TO THE SEED OF JACOB SEEK ME IN VAIN; I THE LORD SPEAK RIGHTEOUSNESS, I DECLARE THINGS THAT ARE RIGHT.
HEBREWS 6:16-18 FOR MEN INDEED SWEAR BY THE GREATER AN OATH FOR CONFIRMATION IS FOR THEM AN END OF ALL DISPUTE. THUS GOD, DETERMINING TO SHOW MORE ABUNDANTLY TO THE HEIRS OF PROMISE THE IMMUTABILITY OF HIS COUNSEL, CONFIRMED IT BY AN OATH, THAT BY TWO IMMUTABLE THINGS, IN WHICH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD TO LIE, WE MIGHT HAVE STRONG CONSOLATION, WHO HAVE FLED FOR REFUDGE TO LAY HOLD OF THE HOPE SET BEFORE US.
WITHIN THE BOOK OF EXODUS IT WAS AT MOUNT SINAI THE LORD APPEARED IN THE MIDST OF FIRE, LIGHTNING, SMOKE BILLOWING UP TO HEAVEN LIKE A FURNACE AND A TRUMPET BLAST COULD BE HEARD, THAT IT WAS UNDER THESE CONDITIONS THE ISREALITES MET GOD AND WERE DEEPLY AFRAID AND SHAKEN. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT GOD NOT ONLY PRESENTED THROUGH HIS SERVANT MOSES THE DECALOGUE "TEN COMMANDMENTS" WHICH IS HIS WILL FOR US, BUT GOD ALSO PRESENTED HIS CHARACTER AS WELL!
WITHIN THE PREVIOUSLY READ VERSES FROM THE BOOK OF ISAIAH AND HEBREWS WE CAN EASILY VIEW GODS CHARACTER.
THE LORD WHO:
1) SPEAKS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
2) DECLARES THINGS THAT ARE RIGHT.
3) AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD TO LIE.
GOD DECLARES HIS CHARACTER TO BE "THE TRUTH" GOD IS "THE TRUTH" THIS IS HIS CHARACTER!
SO NOW GODS CHARACTER OF "THE TRUTH" IS DESIRING FOR US TO BE CONFORMED TO HIS CHARACTER, PRESENTS HIS WILL FOR US WITHIN THE 9TH COMMANDMENT,
"YOU SHALL NOT BARE FALSE WITNESS AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOR"
THIS COMMANDMENT CONCERNS BAREING FALSE TESTIMONY AGAINST SOMEONE THAT WOULD CAUSE HIM OR HER UNJUSTIFIED INJURY, WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO TESTIMONY THAT ONE MIGHT GIVE WITHIN A COURT ROOM.
SO NOW GOD DESIRES FOR US TO BE CONFORMED TO HIS CHARACTER OF THE TRUTH ESPECIALLY IN SPEECH.
PSALM 34:13 KEEP YOUR TONGUE FROM EVIL AND YOUR LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT.
PROVERBS 25:18 A MAN WHO BEARS FALSE WITNESS AGAINST HIS NEIGHBOR IS LIKE A CLUB, A SWORD AND A SHARP ARROW.
GOD WARNS US THROUGH HIS WORD IN PSALMS TO CONTROL OUR TONGUE FROM SPEAKING DECEIT. IN PROVERBS WE SEE TO BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOR IN A COURT CAN ACT LIKE A WEAPON, CRUSH DIVIDE OR PIEARCE LIKE A CLUB, SWORD OR ARROW!
THE BOOK OF JAMES DESCIBES THE TONGUE AS A SMALL SPARK THAT CAN CAUSE A HUGE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE JUST LIKE A FOREST FIRE.
WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO CHOOSE CONTINUE TO SIN AGAINST THE LORD BARING FALSE WITNESS AGAINST THEIR NEIGHBOR ?
PROVERBS 6:16-19 THESE SIX THINGS THE LORD HATES YES SEVEN ARE AN ABOMINATION TO HIM: A PROUD LOOK, A LYING TONGUE, HANDS THAT SHED INNOCENT BLOOD, A HEART THAT DEVISES WICKED PLANS, FEET THAT ARE SWIFT IN RUNNING TO EVIL, A FALSE WITNESS WHO SPEAKS LIES, AND ONE WHO SOWS DISCORD AMONG BRETHERN.
PROVERBS 19:5 A FALSE WITNESS WILL NOT GO UNPUNISHED, AND HE WHO SPEAKS LIES WILL NOT ESCAPE.
WITHIN PROVERBS 6:16-19 WHEN WE ABOMINABLE THINGS WE CONSIDER MURDER OR DIVINATION TO BE AN ABOMINATION, WE NEVER REALLY CONSIDER BAREING FALSE WITNESS TO BE SO TERRIBLE BEFORE THE LORD THAT IT IS CONSIDERED AN ABOMINATION, HOWEVER IT IS AN ABOMINATION THAT THE LORD HATES!
WITHIN PROVERBS 19:5 IT’S SIMPLE THOSE WHO BARE FALSE WITNESS WILL NOT ESCAPE! OF THOSE ISREALITES WHO CHOOSE TO DISOBEY THE LORD AT SINAI 23,000 WERE BITTEN BY SNAKES AND DIED IN A SINGLE DAY! OF THOSE WHO DISOBEYED THE LORDS COMMAND NONE, NOT A SINGLE ONE EVER ESCAPED, THEIR DEAD BODIES REMAIN IN THE DESERT OF ARABIA TIL THIS DAY IN THE FORM OF DUST!
I HAVE A FRIEND NAMED GREG WHO IS JEWISH AND OWNS HIS OWN CAR DEALERSHIP. I REMEMBER ONE DAY WHILE VISITING AT HIS OFFICE HE WAS DESCRIBING A PROBLEM HE WAS HAVING CONCERNING ANOTHER MAN WHO WAS UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE AND HAD BEEN CONTACTED BY THIS AGENCY TO SUBMIT HIS RECORDS OF A POSSIBLE PURCHASE OF AN AUTOMOBILE. NOW MY FRIEND GREG HAD THE RECORDS AND WILLINGLY PRODUCED THE RECORDS SHOWING THE SALE HOWEVER THE RECORDS INDICATED THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD TO A DIFFERENT PERSON THAN THE MAN IN QUESTION, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE WAS CERTAIN THAT THE MAN IN QUESTION AND THE INDIVIDUAL OF RECORD WERE BOTH ONE AND THE SAME PERSON SO HE ASKED MY FRIEND GREG IF HE COULD RECALL THE SALE FROM MEMORY AND LINK THE TWO TOGETHER INORDER TO HELP THE CASE FOR THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY. HOWEVER GREG SAID HE HONESTLY DID NOT REMEMBER THE SALE AS IT HAPPENED SOME TIME AGO. APPARENTLY GREG TOLD ME THAT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY WAS PRESSURING HIM TO A POINT THAT MADE HIM FEEL VERY UNCOMFORTIBLE AND BY THIS POINT HE WAS WILLING TO SAY YES THIS IS THE SAME MAN AS THE ONE OF RECORD EVEN THOUGH HE TRUELY DIDNT REMEMBER IN ORDER TO GET THE DISTRICT ATORNEY OFF HIS BACK!
MADE ME WONDER THAT IF MY FRIEND WHO WAS JEWISH AND FAMILAR WITH THE 9TH COMMANDMENT CONCERNING BAREING FALSE WITNESS, WOULD HE STILL HAVE CONSIDERED BAREING FALSE WITNESS AGAINST HIS MOTHER OR BROTHER AS HE WAS ABOUT TO DO AGAINST THIS OTHER MAN???
YOU SEE MY FRIEND GREG WAS FAMILAR WITH SCRIPTURE AND WAS FAMILAR WITH ALOT OF OTHER THINGS!
HE WAS FAMILAR WITH:
BOOK OF EXODUS
GOD BEING THE TRUTH
GOD DESIREING TRUTH FROM US
DAMAGE A FALSE TONGUE CAN CAUSE
GODS HATRED OF A FALSE WITNESS
ABOMINATION OF A FALSE WITNESS
GODS WRATH
23,000 WHO WERE STRUCK BY DEATH IN A SINGLE DAY
ALL THE DISOBEDIANT DEAD ISREALITES IN THE DESERT
A FALSE WITNESS WILL NOT ESCAPE
10 COMMANDMENTS AND COULD RECITE THEM OFF MEMORY
EVEN THE 9TH COMMANDMENT CONCERNING FALSE WITNESS
SO I ASK YOU, WHY WOULD HE CONSIDER AFTER ALL THIS KNOWLEDGE EVEN REMOTELY CONSIDER BAREING A FALSE WITNESS ?????
BECAUSE MY JEWISH FREIND GREG LIKE MANY HERE DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION!
WHO IS OUR NEIGHBOR ????
WHO IS OUR NEIGHBOR ????
MY JEWISH FRIEND LIKE MOST OF US HERE KNOW THE COMMAND CONCERNING "YOU SHALL NOT BARE FALSE WITNESS AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOR!"
BUT TRAGICALLY DONT REALIZE WHO IT APPLYS TOO!
WHO IS OUR NEIGHBOR ???
WEBSTERS DICTIONARY SAYS:
NEIGHBOR: ONE LIVING OR LOCATED NEAR ANOTHER, TO BE NEXT TO OR NEAR TO; BORDER ON.
QUESTION STILL REMAINS WHO IS OUR NEIGHBOR? WHO IS THIS PERSON OR PERSONS THAT WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL NOT TO BARE FALSE WITNESS AGAINST ??
IS IT OUR:
MOTHER, FATHER, BROTHER, SISTER, CHILDREN ???
IS IT:
PERSON SITTING NEXT TO US RIGHT NOW ?
PEOPLE WHO LIVE ABOVE US AT HOME ?
PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEXT DOOR TO US ?
THE GUY WHO PUTS THE LIDS ON OUR GARBAGE CANS ?
LADY WHO BABY SITS OUR CHILDREN ?
IS IT YOU ?
IS IT ME ?
WHO ?
I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A SILLY LITTLE STORY WITH YOU:
ONCE THERE WAS A LITTLE OLD SCOTTISH COUPLE WHO LIVED IN SCOTTLAND WHO HAD NEVER YET SEEN THEIR GRAND CHILDREN THAT LIVED IN NYC, THEY HAD NEVER FLOWN BEFORE AND WERE TAKING THEIR VERY FIRST FLIGHT ABOARD A LOCKEED TRISTAR 3 PROPELLAR AIRCRAFT. WELL ALL WAS FINE TIL ABOUT HALF WAY ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN THE PILOT MADE ANNOUCMENT "LADIES AND GENTLMAN MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT 1 OF OUR 3 ENGINES HAS JUST GONE OUT, NO NEED TO BE ALARM THE OTHE 2 ARE VERY CABABLE OF GETTING US NYC SAFELY, HOWEVER JUST BEAWARE THAT WE WILL HAVE A 1HOUR DELAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH!" ABOUT A HALF HOUR LATER THE PILOT COMES BACK ON TO ANNOUNCE "LADIES AND GENTLEMAN MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION, I WOULD LIKE TO INFORM YOU THAT OUR 2ND OF 3 ENGIENS HAS JUST GONE OUT! NO NEED FOR ALARM THOUGH THIS AIRCRAFT IS VERY CABABLE OF MAKING THE TRIP TO NYC ON OUT LAST ENGIENE, HOWEVER THERE WILL BE A 3 HOUR DELAY IN OUR FLIEGHT PLANS! THANK YOU AND HAVE A PLEASANT FLIGHT" AT THAT MOMENT GRAND MA TURNS TO GRAND PA AND SAYS "MY DEAR IM AFRAID IF THAT 3RD AND FINAL ENEGIENE GOES OUT WELL BE UP HERE ALL NIGHT!"
PROBLEM WITH GRAND MA WAS HERE "PERCEPTION" SHOULD THE 3RD AND FINAL ENGIENE GO OUT, REGARDLESS OF HER SINCERE PERCEPTION OF REMAINING UP IN THE AIRPLANE ALL NIGHT DID NOT NECCERALARLY MAKE IT TRUE!
PERCEPTION HAS TO DO WITH BASICALLY HOW WE VIEW THINGS!
MY JEWISH FRIEND’S PERCEPTION WAS THE MAN IN QUESTION WAS NOT HIS NEIGHBOR! THEREFORE LIKE GRANDMA, OUR PERCEPTION OR THE WAY WE VIEW WHO IS OR WHO ISNT OUR NEIGHBOR DOESNT NECCERSARILY MEAN THAT IT IS TRUE!
OUR NEXT SCRIPTURE SHOULD HELP US SEE CLEARLY WHO GOD SAYS OUR NEIGHBOR IS!
LUKE 10:25-37 "GOOD SAMARITAN"
THE ROAD FROM JERUSALEM TO JERICHO DECENDS APPROX 3000 FEET WITHIN A SPACE OF 17 MILES, MAKING IT DANGEROUS AND WAS A KNOWN AREA IN JESUS DAY FOR ROBBERS TO HIDE A LONG THE WINDING PATH. THE MAN WAS TRAVELING FROM JERUSALEM TO JERICHO SO MOST LIKELY HE WAS JEWISH. BUT WHILE THE MAN WAS WOUNDED AND LAID ALONG THE PATH A PRIEST WHO SERVED IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD AND ONE EXPECTED TO LOVE OTHERS AVOIDED THE MAN! NEXT A LEVITE WHO ASSISTED THE PREIST IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD ALSO EXPECTED TO LOVE HIS FELLOW BROTHER, SIMPLY SAW HIM AND CROSSED TO OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD. FINALLY A SAMARITAN WHO WAS DESPISED BY THE JEWS CAME UPON THE HELPLESS MAN, DECIDED TO HELP HIM AND CARRIED THE MAN TO AN INN AND PAID FOR HIS CONTINUED CARE! THE SAMARITAN SHOWED MERCY THEREFORE HE WAS THE NEIGHBOR!
JESUS WAS TEACHING BY THIS STORY THAT A PERSON SHOULD BE A NEIGHBOR BY SHOWING LOVE TO ANYONE WE MEET INCLUDING OUR ENEMIES. OUR GREATEST NEIGHBOR WAS JESUS CHRIST WHOSE COMPASSION AND SELF EMPTING LOVE WAS POURED OUT FOR US, HIS ENEMIES! WE WHO COULD NOT HELP OUR SELVES IN OUR SINS, WERE LIKE THE HELPLESS MAN LAID ALONG THE ROAD WHEN HE WHO WE DESPISED "GOD" CAME ALONG AND SHOWED US MERCY IN HIS COMPLETED WORK UPON THE CROSS IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST!
OUR NEIGHBOR IS JESUS CHRIST AND BECAUSE HE SHOWED HIMSELF TO BE A NEIGHBOR TO US BY POURING OUT HIS LOVE UNTIL DEATH FOR US HIS ENEMIES, SINNERS LIKE US! BECAUSE OF HIM HIS EXAMPLE MAKES EVERYONE ELSE WE MEET INCLUDING OUR ENEMIES BECOMES OUR NEIGHBOR BECAUSE JESUS RESCUED US.
HERE IS WHERE WE VIOLATE THE 9TH COMMANDMENT!
ROMANS 13:8-10 OWE NO ONE ANYTHING EXCEPT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER, FOR HE WHO LOVES ANOTHER HAS FULFILLED THE LAW. FOR THE COMMANDMENTS, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTRY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT BARE FALSE WITNESS, YOU SHALL NOT COVET", AND IF THERE IS ANY OTHER COMMANDMENT, ARE ALL SUMMED UP IN THIS SAYING, NAMELY "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOUR SELF." LOVE DOES NO HARM TO A NEIGHBOR; THEREFORE LOVE IS THE FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW.
AS CHRISTIANS WE CANNOT LET ANY DEBT REMAIN OUT STANDING EXCEPT THE CONTINUING DEBT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER!
CHRISTIANS HAVE OBLIGATIONS TO EXPRESS LOVE TO THEIR FELLOW MAN, WE SHOULD NEVER FALL SHORT OF LOVING OTHERS!
FOR HE WHO LOVES HIS FELLOW MAN HAS FULFILLED THE LAW!
LOVE IS MERCIFUL EVEN UNTO ONE’S ENEMIES, LOVE DOES NO HARM TO IT’S NEIGHBOR, TO LOVE ONE’S NEIGHBOR IS THE UTTER FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW!
IN CONCLUSION:
ACTS 1:8 "BUT YOU SHALL RECIEVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS COME UPON YOU; AND YOU SHALL BE MY "WITNESSES" TO ME IN JERUSALEUM, AND ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA AND TO THE END OF THE EARTH.
THE 9TH COMMANDMENT CONCERNS BAREING A FALSE WITNESS AGAINST OUT NEIGHBOR. WHEN WE EXCEPT JESUS CHRIST AS OUT LORD AND SAVIOR AND RECOGNIZE THAT HE LOVED US WHO WERE HIS ENEMIES BY EMTYING HIMSELF COMPLETELY UNTIL DEATH UPON THE CROSS FOR US, HE BECOMES OUR GREATEST NEIGHBOR! WHEN WE DO NOT OR ARE UNWILLING TO FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE BY DISPLAYING A TRUE SELF EMPTYING LOVE FOR OTHERS WHO ARE OUR NEIGHBOR’S, THAN WE DO NOT DISPLAY A TRUE WITNESS! WE BARE A FALSE WITNESS OF OUR CLAIM TO BE A CHRISTIAN AND A CHILD OF GOD. THEREFORE WE CAUSE UNJUSTIFIED HARM TO HIS HOLY NAME AND WE BECAOME GUILTY OF VIOLATING THE 9TH COMMANDMENT! WHEN WE VIOLATE THIS COMMANDMENT WE BECOME AN ABOMINATION IN HIS SITE AFTER ALL CHRIST HAS DONE FOR US.
"THOU SHALT NOT BARE FALSE WITNESS AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOR!"
LET US PRAY!
