4.3.22 - Character Essentials: Integrity

Message Video & Notes

Character Essentials: Integrity

Mark 6:14-29

This is a fascinating study of a pivotal scene in the life of King Herod. Notice how he is attracted to the message of John the Baptist but unwilling to commit to it. Notice also how he does not want to have John the Baptist killed but he does anyway. Why is that?

We can learn from the mistakes of others. King Herod is an example of a lack of integrity and what causes people to lack integrity. What are the many lessons you see in this story? Be sure to read it several times and make very practical lessons that can apply to your everyday life today.

We look at 3 symptoms of a lack of integrity.

1. Guilty Conscience

2. Controlling Desire to Please People

3. Reluctance to Admit You Have Sinned

1. A Guilty Conscience

   • Key Concept: Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching. — C.S. Lewis

   • Key Verse: Psalm 32:3-5 — For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.

   • Community Group Application: Community Group members know and apply God's word and let their God given conscience guide their actions in every situation.

2. Controlling Desire to Please People

   • Key Concept: A person of integrity desires to Please God in all situations no matter what others think or do.

   • Key Verse: Matthew 20:28 — Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

   • Community Group Application: Community group participation and weekly church gathering are essential to live a life of integrity and live against the flow.

3. Reluctance to Admit You Have Sinned

   • Key Concept: There is no better test of a person's integrity than what they do when they are wrong. — Marvin Williams

   • Key Verse: Proverbs 11:3 — The integrity of the upright guides them but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

   • Community Group Application: People of integrity are quick to admit to God and anyone effected that they are wrong and have sinned.