Integrity and Deception
Audio Recording
Sermon Outline
Speaker: Rev. Scott Strickman
Sermon Series: Proverbs
Proverbs 20:17; 28:18 (ESV)
20:17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.
28:18 Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered,
but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.
Sermon Outline
It is wise to live with integrity and to gain understanding about why we are lured by deception and what the real consequences are.
1. Lured by deception
Proverbs 20:17 “Bread gained by deceit…”
2. Impact of short-term thinking
Proverbs 20:17 “…is sweet to a man but afterwards his mouth with be full of gravel”
3. Waking in integrity
28:18 “Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered…”
Prayer of Confession
Our wise and loving God: we turn to you for help, admitting our lack of integrity. We are guilty of seeking to get what we want in ways that are wrong. We have been deceptive, and we have been deceived. We have suffered the consequences of various sins, and we have raged, blamed and rationalized rather than admitting our wrong and making things right. The turmoil and tensions within us are more than we can bear. Forgive us. We thank you that you offer grace through Jesus and we receive it by faith. Renew us by the power of your Spirit so that we enter this week with undivided hearts, eager to walk with you, ready to do what is right, and trusting you to lead us in what is good and honorable. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
When are you tempted to compromise to get what you truly want? What kinds of compromises are tempting enough for you to consider?
Why is Jesus’ teaching to “let your yes be yes” and to speak the truth plainly so difficult? What is hard about consistently speaking truthfully?
What impact does lying have on relationships?
Why can it be intensely satisfying to get what you want, especially if you have compromised and used corrupt means to attain it? Can that kind of satisfaction last?
What outcomes can one typically expect from deceitful patterns and habits (lying, manipulating, exaggerating, gaslighting, etc.)? What impact do these patterns have on the person doing them? What kind of person do they become?
Is it true that people who live with integrity, who aim to be honest and straightforward, are disadvantaged?
If acting with integrity doesn’t always work, what incentives are there to still act with integrity? How should you maintain integrity when it is not working (in unjust situations, for example)?
What does the person who has confidence that the Lord will deliver His faithful gain from that understanding? How does that add wisdom and perspective? How does it motivate integrity?
How are Christians meant to understand that Jesus walked with integrity but wasn’t delivered? Why did things turn out that way? What does it tell us about God, and how the gospel works?
What is one area of your life where you lack integrity? What can you do to make different choices in that area this week? How can the gospel of grace encourage, strengthen and guide you as you seek to make progress in that area?