Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "God Is..." in this Sunday service.
God Is... TRUTH
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, April 18, 2010
www.churchatmirrorlake.com
Sermon Notes:
John 18:38 “What is truth?” Pilate asked.
Big Idea: God is Truth. Any other “truth” is a poser, a false god. If we follow any other “truths” we are following after other gods. Our God is the only God who is always for us, who loves us unconditionally. Sell out to the real Truth and find real life—the rich and satisfying life promised in Jesus.
1. Truth is a person—Jesus. John 14:6
2. Truth does not change. Hebrews 13:8
3. Truth—real truth—is good. Ephesians 1:13
Truth:
- Promises us good things--2 Samuel 7:27-29
- Leads me and teaches me--Psalm 25:5
- Gives me hope--Psalm 119:43
- Stands the test of time--Proverbs 12:19
- Saves lives--Proverbs 14:25
- Births peace--Zechariah 8:16
- Turns us from sin--Malachi 2:6
- Makes us holy--John 17:17-19
- Sets us free--John 8:32
- Cannot be opposed--2 Corinthians 13:8
- Keeps us winning the race--Galatians 5:7
- Good News that God saves--Ephesians 1:13
- Makes us like Christ--Ephesians 4:15
- Empowers us to stand our ground--Ephesians 6:14
- Give us an expectant attitude--Colossians 1:5
- Changes lives--Colossians 1:6
- Grows faith and produces thankfulness--Colossians 2:7
- Firmly tells us we belong to God--2 Timothy 2:19
- Shows us how to live--Titus 1:1
- Cleanses sins--1 Peter 1:22 (loves covers, truth cleanses: Jesus full of truth and grace—covers and cleanses our sins!)
- Produces confidence in our salvation--1 John 3:19
Proverbs 23:23 “Get the truth and never sell it…”
“Get the truth…”
Where are you finding “truth”? (Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me.”)
- Obvious “idols”—horoscope, psychics, witchcraft
- Not-so-obvious—self-help gurus, celebrities, magazines, books and newspapers, friends, other’s opinions, life experiences, your own “inner voice”-- The “truisms” we want to hide from are not the truth. “I am an addict,” may be true, but it is not the truth. “I am a failure, a bad person, a lousy husband, a terrible father, a scared new mother, a liar, a cheat, stupid, worthless, sick and tired, ready to quit, never going to make it, etc” may be true, but they are not truth.
- Pick and choose—rip out the pages of the Truth you don’t like, agree with, or are not ready to face.
- Go all in
- Trust the Word
1 Timothy 2:3-5 “This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.”
John 8:31-32 “Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (remain faithful and you will know the truth, and then you will know freedom. We want it the other way—know the truth and we will be faithful—obedience precedes understanding)
- Receive His Spirit
John 14:17 “He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.”
John 16:13 “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.”
1 Corinthians 2:14 “But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.”
1 John 2:20 “But you are not like that, for the Holy One has given you his Spirit, and all of you know the truth.”
- Love His Church
1 Timothy 3:15 “so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth.”
2 John 1:1 “This letter is from John, the elder. I am writing to the chosen lady and to her children (the church), whom I love in the truth—as does everyone else who knows the truth”
“…And never sell it…” Deal or No Deal?
Daniel 8:10-12 “Its power reached to the heavens, where it attacked the heavenly army, throwing some of the heavenly beings and some of the stars to the ground and trampling them. It even challenged the Commander of heaven’s army by canceling the daily sacrifices offered to him and by destroying his Temple. The army of heaven was restrained from responding to this rebellion. So the daily sacrifice was halted, and truth was overthrown. The horn succeeded in everything it did.” Heaven’s armies are restrained from responding because we respond to the circumstances instead of responding to the truth (Worship is a response to truth).
John 8:44 “For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
John 4:23-24 “But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
If worship is a lifestyle rather than an action, then a lifestyle lived by the Truth, responding to the Truth (response-able) would be the lifestyle the Father is looking for. For instance, when tired, hurt, brokenhearted, the Truth feed 5000 men and their families instead of withdrawing and becoming “me-focused”. When betrayed, the Truth sought out his betrayers with the goal of restoration, not retribution. When the Truth was cursed, he blessed. When he was rejected, he offered acceptance. When he was forsaken and alone, he trusted, worshipped and obeyed. When he was despised, hated, and persecuted, he loved and forgave. When he was misunderstood, he gently taught. When he was tempted, he spoke the truth.
The Blessing of Living in the Truth:
2 Samuel 7:27-29 “O LORD of Heaven’s Armies, God of Israel, I have been bold enough to pray this prayer to you because you have revealed all this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you—a dynasty of kings!’ For you are God, O Sovereign LORD. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant. And now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign LORD, it is an eternal blessing!”
3 John 1:4 “I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.”
A Life-Giving Church for People Just Like You!
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