Character — Lesson 5

1. 0:00In your Bibles, would you turn to Proverbs chapter 9? I'll be reading Proverbs chapter 10, verse 9. It says, Whoever walks in integrity, walks securely. But he who makes his way crooked, we find out. The bar moved. No. It moved. I have to cause a joke on myself. Please don't do it. We've seen it.
2. 1:13And I won't tell a soul. Cross my heart. Ain't nobody gonna know. Hardy, and so will you. Got to tell him not to do it, beggar. Just a stupid... That's a choice for Mr. Juna, Hardy. No one wanted the penalty assessed. Not even Jones and Hagan. This was no way to win a match. Maybe you're mistaken, Juna. Maybe it moved before you touched the impediment. Might not have moved at all. The light plays funny tricks this time of day.
3. 1:52a bowl is deemed to have moved if it leaves its original position in the least degree but not if it merely oscillates and comes to rest in its original position is she different can you be certain sometimes a bowl will shudder and then settle back again jimmy the bowl's here any road to here hit it quick old boy before you have time to think about it i want to live like that i want to walk around in that integrity
4. 3:01Or the lack thereof affects everything we do and every relationship that we have. The person with integrity has the power to inspire and enact great, great influence. The person with integrity makes those without it very nervous. In fact, sometimes they can even grow to hate them. But the person with integrity and the people who admire that aspect in them will with great tears thank them for it.
5. 3:32even though it may cost them as they change their life to adjust to warning. The person who lacks integrity, though, is set apart as well. The person who lacks integrity has great, great influence as well. And he or she must constantly wield that power to keep their true selves concealed. Sometimes that influence is so great, it's so hard to resist, because if you're the person with integrity, you're made to feel like you're the oddball out. You're the one in the wrong. You feel like the fool, the idiot.
6. 4:02The one who is getting in the way. If you just sit down and shut up and go along, then we could get some things done. You're told it's no big deal, but it is a big deal. It's your very life. And if you choose to have integrity, if you choose to have it, you'll preserve what God gave you when He created you and His intention for you. It will unravel the world when you do it. Evidence, I think, is seen in the life and death of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
7. 4:33Unless we have integrity, we're not ready to lead. Leading without integrity is disastrous. God loves his people and he wants the best for his people. And part of that plan and purpose of his is that people of integrity lead his people so they can become people of integrity. And so the question that's so very important here is this. Are you worth following? Or maybe restated in another way, do you have integrity? What is integrity? Here's some definitions here on the slide.
8. 5:03As you think on these, maybe write them down. I want you to listen to this definition that engineers use to describe structural integrity, right? In a building or a bridge. I hope we have it here. You know, this is on the second floor. This chapel's pretty old. It sits on top of the oldest part of the building, okay? Just saying. Structural integrity is the ability of an item, either a structural component or a structure consisting of many components, to hold together under a load.
9. 5:33including its own weight, without breaking or deforming excessively. It assures that the construction will perform its designed function during reasonable use for as long as its intended lifespan. Items are constructed with structural integrity to prevent catastrophic failure, which can result in injuries, severe damage, death, or monetary losses. And so I rewrote structural integrity, and I named it Christian Integrity.
10. 6:01See if you hear some similarities. Christian integrity is the ability of a disciple, either a single disciple or a school of disciples, to hold together under the burdens of life and ministry, including the burden of their own sin and need for growth, without breaking or deforming. It ensures that the disciple will perform his, her, designed function in the kingdom of God until taken home by the Father. Disciples must have integrity.
11. 6:30to prevent catastrophic failure in ministry and in life, which can result in injuries, severe damage to the body of Christ or to their family. It can result in spiritual death and or loss of identity. In Psalm 15, David is going to describe the man of integrity. And as I read this Psalm, I want you to listen for that definition for sure. But I want you also to listen for the blessings that come with the...
12. 6:59person, the man or the woman who has integrity. Psalm 15 reads, Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart, whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor and casts no slur on others, who despises a vile person, but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps an oath even when it hurts.
13. 7:30and does not change their mind who lends money to the poor without interest and who does not accept a bribe against the innocent whoever does these things will never be shaken and we're going to talk about the defining qualities of a person with integrity a little bit more but did you notice the blessings what were they the person would be with dwell with god the person of integrity
14. 7:56The person of integrity would not fail to honor or bless their loved ones, other folks. And finally, the person would never be shaken. I want that, don't you? Isn't that worth more than anything else? I mean, won't these blessings alone take care of all of our concerns in this life? They're found in integrity. So integrity is no lying. Of course, a lie is a statement of what is known to be false with the intention to deceive.
15. 8:25When we tell a lie, we are deceiving and manipulating people. Now, usually people are going to lie to cover up something that they did wrong, but people will also lie to keep things pleasant emotionally. Sometimes a lie is agreeing with something you don't agree with for a good biblical reason by saying nothing. We lie when we deceive others by intentionally leaving something out or when we communicate ambiguously in order to save face or avoid offending another.
16. 8:56We lie when we allow someone to believe something about us that is not true because it feels good. We lie when we allow someone to say something about another or our God that is not true and we do not make an attempt to set it right. Proverbs 12, 22 reads, The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in men who are truthful. No stealing. Stealing is taking the property of another wrongfully without permission and especially as a habitual practice.
17. 9:27But I think we steal when we are not punctual. We steal another person's time or company's time or an institution with vision's time. When we receive blessings and we don't attribute it to God, we're stealing His glory. We have defraud and slander mentioned here. That's to make a false or damaging statement about someone. To say things that will damage the reputation of another. I guess that's kind of like stealing too, isn't it? We're stealing.
18. 9:56the reputation of that person when we build a case for something that is not true in their life. Keeping one's word is mentioned. Person of integrity keeps his promises. I think this means that you keep your promises to God. You keep your promises to yourself and you keep your promises to others. How many times have we failed to do that thing we promised we would do? Get on that diet, stay with it.
19. 10:25get that thing out of our life that doesn't need to be there. How many times have we said, son, I'll do this with you and didn't arrive to do it and then basically said, son, listen, I had something really important come up. You know what you just said? You're not that important to that person. When you break your promise, you say to them in effect, you weren't worth enough for me to keep my promise with you. Consider the consequences of not keeping a promise. Proverbs 20 verse 6 says,
20. 10:58Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but faithful man, who can find? It talks about a person of principle here, doesn't it? I think that means having the courage to stand up for your convictions even when it costs you. We saw that in the video at the beginning of this lesson. In summary, integrity demands that all we say be intentionally true. It also demands that we live in truth and work to be sure
21. 11:26that we do not approve of what is false or wrong, either passively or actively, and that we call for integrity in others as well. But what's the big deal with integrity? Well, I think it is a big deal. Let's look at this story and see what we conclude afterward. In Joshua 6, the children of Israel are being led by Joshua into the Promised Land. Their conquest of Canaan has begun with the city of Jericho.
22. 11:53And after having marched around the city for six days, Joshua tells the people on that day, the Lord has given you the city. They're going to enter it. They're going to lay conquest to it because the Lord is going to knock down the walls. In these moments before the walls fall, Joshua tells the soldiers that all of the plunder in the city belongs to God. It's to go in His treasury. Well, the Israelites go in and the victory is theirs, just like God promised. But there's a problem. There's a man named Achan.
23. 12:23And he takes some of the things that were supposed to go into the Lord's treasury. You see, when he saw the plunder, beautiful robe from Babylonia, 200 shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing 50 shekels, I think he reasoned, I put my life at risk here. I fought for the cause. I fought faithfully. We won. I deserve these things. This will be okay. And he took them and he hid them in his tent and no one knew except him, maybe his family.
24. 12:53God knew. Because of this sin, the Lord no longer went with Israel into battle, which meant that Israel no longer won. In fact, they lost horribly. Joshua chapter 7 tells us that Joshua sends 3,000 men into battle against Ai. But because the Lord was not with them, because of the sin of Achan, they were run out. They were defeated. And 36 of those men lost their lives. Joshua's left flabbergasted as to what has happened. When he inquires of the Lord, the Lord tells him in verse 11, Israel has sinned.
25. 13:23they have violated my covenant which i commanded them to keep they have taken some of the devoted things they've stolen they've lied they've put them with their own possessions that is why the israelites cannot stand against their enemies they turn their backs and they run because they have been made liable to destruction i will not be with you any more unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction
26. 13:51Go, God says, consecrate the people. Tell them, consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel says. There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them. Well, Joshua's sick. I mean, this is a huge setback. Discouragement must fill his mind and his heart. Fear running through the camp. Will they have the heart to fight again after this? Will God go with them any longer?
27. 14:20and so joshua goes to the tribe of israel to find the one responsible family by family they know what's going on but achan does not step forward he remains in hiding he's hoping that he can avoid the inevitable but finally he has no choice and it falls to him he's the only family left standing in the selection process and he confesses his sin because he can't hide it any longer and joshua and the people take action
28. 14:46They take Achan and his family and all he has and they stone them at the Lord's command. Now, can you imagine the looks on the faces of the women whose husbands died in the fight at Ai? Can you imagine what they cried out to Achan? Your lack of integrity cost me my husband. God promised us so much wealth, wealth that could never be taken from us, but you couldn't wait. You had to steal. Well, you stole my husband from me. I hope it was worth it, Achan. Can you hear the words of his wife?
29. 15:20Oh, Achan, what have you done? What have you done to us? Can you hear the sweetness and voices of his sons and his daughters? Dad, are they going to hurt us? Why are they doing this? What is happening? In all that goes through Achan's mind, I'm convinced is the thing that goes through anyone's mind when they realize that they were tested and found lacking in the area of integrity. What goes through their mind is this. I lost everything that was important. Everything.
30. 15:52Joshua's last words to Achan in 7 verse 25. Why have you brought this trouble on us? His response, I think, would be for no good reason, for absolutely no good reason at all. Achan acted unfaithfully. He did not believe God. He did not obey God. And he got on the wrong side of things. You see, integrity is really a gift and a promise from God. If we have it, it ensures that all that is truly important will be secure. What does Psalm 15 say?
31. 16:22He who does these things, speaking of integrity, will never be shaken. Why is lack of integrity a big deal? Because God won't be with you. Because your work will not stand, it won't last. Because you will bring trouble to those you love. J.M. McCaleb, a missionary of the Churches of Christ of Japan, once said, Look well to your decisions, for on them depends not only your own future destiny,
32. 16:54but that of others as well. So do we have integrity? As a nation, not so much. The Day America Told the Truth is a book based on extensive opinion surveys, which guaranteed the participants that their identities would be kept secret. But it reveals an alarming crisis of integrity in America. It reveals that 91% of Americans lie regularly at home and at work. In answer to the question, whom have you lied to regularly?
33. 17:23The statistics included 86% lied to parents and 75% to friends regularly. Most workers admit to goofing off for an average of seven hours, almost a whole day a week at work, and half admit that they regularly call in sick when they are perfectly well. In kind of a he-he-he, I got away and I'm proud of it way. Another question was asked, what are you willing to do for $10 million? 25% would abandon their families.
34. 17:5423% would become a prostitute for a week. And 7% would kill a stranger. In a gathering of 100 Americans, there are seven who would consider killing you if the price was right. How many people are here? About 100? Okay, which seven of you? Keep your eyes open. There's seven of us who are out to get the rest of us if there were $10 million involved, okay? In 1983, George Gallup conducted a survey among business executives.
35. 18:2180% confessed to driving while drunk as compared to 33% of the public. 78% admitted using the company phone for personal long-distance calls. 35% had cheated on their income taxes. 75% had stolen work supplies for personal use. In a paper presented in a symposium on employee theft sponsored by the American Psychological Association, this is interesting. Inventory shortages cost department stores.
36. 18:49And speciality chains, $8 billion a year. So where is that going? Well, 10% is attributed to clerical error, right? 30% to shoplifting. 60% or $6 million a day is attributed to theft by employees. Well, there's America. What about our church? In the book Disciplines of a Godly Man, page 119.
37. 19:16The author Kent Hughes says that his research reveals that there is little statistical difference, 1% or less, between the ethical practices of the religious and the non-religious. So Christians are almost as likely as non-Christians to falsify their income tax returns, commit plagiarism, bribe to obtain a building permit, ignore construction specs, illegally copy a computer program, steal time, commit phone theft.
38. 19:45Exaggerate a product. Tell people what they want to hear. Selectively obey the rules. Cheat in order to get ahead. What about in ourselves? How about us here this morning? Where are you on integrity? Where do you need to start? Well, if you're hiding something, confess it to someone who is trustworthy, who you know loves you, and be free of that thing. If I were to turn out all the lights,
39. 20:15in here if there were one switch that controlled all the lights in here and i just flipped it and then i flipped it back on immediately the dark goes away let me tell you something the minute you go i will have integrity in my life and you turn that on boom that's how quick things can start changing and transforming in your life so powerful is it to have integrity what is the potential damage if it is found out if it is left to continue is it worth it
40. 20:41James 5.16 says, Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. Secondly, be habitually honest. Keep your word. Keep your promises. Commit to telling the truth and living for what is right. Ask, how can I be integral before God in all things? Proverbs 11 verse 3 in the New Living Translation reads, Honesty guides good people. Dishonesty destroys treacherous people.
41. 21:11Helmut Thieke, a German theologian who maintained his integrity through Hitler's Third Reich, he said this, the avoidance of one small fib may be a stronger confession of faith than a whole Christian philosophy championed in lengthy, beautiful sermon. If you are wrong, admit it and set things right. This may be painful and costly, and it may take you time to right the wrong.
42. 21:44You may need to seek godly, wise counsel into how you go about righting the wrong. Some of the things we've got ourselves into don't unravel and set themselves right quickly, and they involve other people. Be wise about how you give others time to forgive you, how you seek counsel, but put together a plan for making things right. Be patient and trust God to work it through. If you are in the right, stand. Stand strong and stand to the end.
43. 22:15Though it cost you your life, maintain your integrity. Don't sell out for anything. In the movie Braveheart, William Wallace makes an alliance with Robert the Bruce for the blessing of his people. After heeding the advice of his manipulative father, Robert the Bruce betrays Wallace, and it leads to many of his men being killed in battle. And the pain he feels when he realizes what he lost by doing that
44. 22:49Shatters his soul. Watch this. I think your face looks graver than mine. Son, we must have alliance with England to prevail here. You achieved that. You saved your family. You increased your land. In time, you will have all the power in Scotland. Lands, titles, men, power, nothing. Nothing?
45. 23:54i have nothing men fight for me because if they do not i throw them off my land and i starve their wives and their children those men who bled the ground red at falkirk they fought for william wallace and he fights for something that i've never had and i took it from him when i betrayed him and i saw it in his face on the battlefield and it's tearing me apart all men betray all lose
46. 24:31I don't want to lose heart. Yes, he does. I will never be on the wrong side again. Later in history, after this decision to never be on the wrong side again, Robert became one of the most famous warriors of his generation. Eventually led Scotland during the first war of Scottish independence against England versus aligning with them. He fought successfully during his reign to regain Scotland's place as an independent country and is today revered by Scotland as a national hero.
47. 25:23This clip in the movie represents the moment where he decided he would not be on the wrong side again and integrity transformed his life. If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters.

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