Key Thought:  Covetousness is listed with many heinous sins like extortion, idolatry, fornication, and adultery. Let’s look at bad it is, and what we can to do to overcome it.
March 4, 2023

1. Have a volunteer read Joshua 7:21-25.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What reason did Achan give for taking the garment, silver, and gold?
3. Personal Application: What are the normal things that people covet? What is the real problem with coveting? Share your thoughts..
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “Why is there inconsistency in the Bible about the spoils of war? When Jerusalem was surrounded by armies and God killed all the enemies in the camp, everyone was encouraged to take as much spoil as they wished, but here Achan took gold and silver and was cursed with a curse. What made the difference?” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read John 12:3-8.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What did Mary do that attracted so much attention during the feast?
3. Personal Application: What is the difference between a legitimate desire and covetousness? Share your thoughts
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Why did Judas respond to Mary’s act with the expensive perfume the way he did? Was he discontent with the misuse of that which could have been given to the poor, or did he have other motives?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Acts 5:1-11.

1. Ask class members to share a short
2. What were the results of the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira upon the church?
3. Personal Application: What was worse, holding back part of the money, or lying about it? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “What if they had agreed to give half their profit from selling the property to the church? Would they have been destroyed for not giving all their proceeds?” How would you respond to your relative?

4. Have a volunteer read I Corinthians 10:13.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What promise is here, and why is it important to understand the context of covetouness?
3. Personal Application: What are other things, besides money, that we can covet? Share your thoughts?
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

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Is this True, or False? As long as it doesn’t belong to someone else, there’s nothing wrong with strongly desiring more. Join us as we discuss Lesson 9, Beware of Covetousness.

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Boldly Sharing Jesus

By Andrew McChesney

On an Easter Sunday, retired pastor Simo Vehkavuori stood in a packed train traveling home to the capital, Helsinki, from evangelistic meetings that he had conducted in central Finland. A 24-year-old university student boarded the train and looked around for a seat.

Image © Pacific Press

“Even though the train looks full, why don’t you walk through the cars and see whether you can find an empty seat?” Simo said to her.

She returned, smiling. “I found two free seats,” she said. “One for me and one for you. Come with me!” The two sat opposite each other. “Excuse me, but do you mind if I ask you how you feel about religion?” Simo asked.

“I’m quite far from spiritual things right now,” she said.

“Would you like to know how I became a believer?” Simo said.

She did, and Simo told her. As the train approached Helsinki, he said, “Would you mind if I remembered you in my prayers?”

The student burst into tears. The tears flowed down her cheeks, and she said, loudly, “That would be really great! Please do that.”

Before parting ways, Simo said something that he often tells new friends: “May you be encouraged to know that, even though you are very busy, you can serve a risen Jesus Christ, the One who atoned for our sins on the cross of Calvary. And that’s not all. This same Jesus has promised to come back and will take us to a heavenly home where eternity will start. So, dear friend, let us stay on the heaven-bound journey under the Father’s loving hand until we reach our destination. May the Lord bless you through His grace.”

On another train trip, Simo was surprised when a woman greeted him and even shook his hand as he boarded. “Hello, I’m a retired Seventh-day Adventist pastor,” he replied. “That’s interesting,” the woman said. “I have never heard about Adventists. I want to hear all about your church on this 500-kilometer [300-mile] trip. Here were two empty seats. Let’s sit together.”

Simo spoke about the Adventist Church for the whole trip. As they left the train, a man walked up behind them. “Thank you for the interesting train ride,” he said, eagerly grabbing Simo’s hand with both of his hands. “Thank you for being so brave to share God so loudly that all of us could hear.”

At 84, Simo seeks divine appointments on every train. “The older I get, the bolder I get in sharing Jesus,” he said.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. Find more mission stories at adventistmission[dot]org

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Further Thought:

 In the conquest of Jericho, Achan was not the only man carrying silver and gold back to the camp of Israel. Joshua had told the men to bring back the silver and gold and vessels of brass and iron to the treasury of the house of God (Joshua 6:19, Joshua 6:24).

Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com

Everything else was to be burned. Achan, however, was the only man to keep something for himself. “Of the millions of Israel there was but one man who, in that solemn hour of triumph and of judgment, had dared to transgress the command of God. Achan’s covetousness was excited by the sight of that costly robe of Shinar; even when it had brought him face to face with death he called it ‘a goodly Babylonish garment.’ One sin had led to another, and he appropriated the gold and silver devoted to the treasury of the Lord — he robbed God of the first fruits of the land of Canaan.” — Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 496.

In Paul’s list of signs of the last days, the first two items involve our attitude toward money and possessions. “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money [covetous]” (2 Timothy 3:1-2, , NKJV). Selfishness and love of money are significant descriptions of humanity in the last days — our day.

Discussion Questions:

<–Thursday

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Covetousness is a matter of the heart and, like pride and selfishness, often goes unnoticed, which is why it can be so deadly and deceiving. It’s hard enough overcoming sins that are obvious: lying, adultery, stealing, idolatry, Sabbath breaking. But these are outward acts, things that we have to think about before we do them. But to overcome wrong thoughts themselves? That gets tough.

Read 1 Corinthians 10:13. What promise is given here, and why is this so important to understand in the context of covetousness?

How then, in God’s power, can we be protected against this dangerously deceptive sin?

1. Make a decision to serve and depend on God and to be a part of His family. “Choose you this day whom ye will serve; … but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).
2. Be daily in prayer and include Matthew 6:13, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.” When feeling covetous of something that you know you should not have, pray over it, claiming promises in the Bible for victory, such as 1 Corinthians 10:13.
3. Be regular in Bible study. “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11, NKJV).

Image © Lifeway Collection at Goodsalt.com

Jesus tackled the human/sin problem. He was tempted on every point that we are tempted on. And for power to resist, He spent whole nights in prayerful communion with His Father. And Jesus didn’t leave this earth until He had both forged the way by example and then promised power to make it possible for every person to live a life of faith and obedience — to develop a Christlike character.

“Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; And to our God, for He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:6-7, , NKJV).

<–Wednesday Friday–>

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