Sunday, September 27, 2015

The message today at NRN

Today I returned from two weeks of vacation.  My body is rested and my soul replenished.  I am excited to preach the message that has marinated in my heart for many days.  Here is the text of my message today at North Raleigh Church of the Nazarene: 


Part 9   DO NOT LIE

INTRO: So, there’s an old Jewish proverb about a rabbi who lived in a small town, and he was a man of good character. He had given many years of his life to serving the people in that community. They saw him as an honest, forthright, trustworthy, and hardworking man—until one day, a visitor came to town.
A new resident joined them in that small town, and for reasons unknown to the rabbi, started saying untruthful, horrible things about the rabbi, undermining his credibility and character. This led to a lot of speculation and division in the community. Some became suspicious of the rabbi’s character. Others assumed every negative thing they heard and turned against him. This really devastated this man, who had worked so hard for so many years to build up a reputation in that community. And this went on for some time. The visitor decided that he would remain in that town and call it his home.
After an extended period of time, the man who had moved to the town and undermined the rabbi’s reputation met with the rabbi and said, “I regret what I’ve said and what I’ve done. It was unfounded and untrue, and I want to make it up to you. So, what can I do to fix what I’ve broken, to straighten out what I’ve made crooked?”
The rabbi told him, “I want you to go home and take your pillow off of your bed. I want you to go outside on a windy day. I want you to tear the pillowcase and I want you to scatter all of the feathers from your pillow into the wind.”
The man did that, returned back to meet with the rabbi and said, “I did as you asked. Is there anything else I can do?” And the rabbi said, “You need to take your pillowcase and go collect every single feather.” And the man said, “But that’s impossible!” And the rabbi said, “Exactly my point.”

Today’s topic is bearing false witness about your neighbor, lying about someone. And once we release that lie, we can never regain the truth.
Today we find ourselves in the Ten Commandments at the ninth commandment. So, we’re going through Exodus 20. Today, we’re in verse 16. And the ninth commandment is, “Do not lie.” Here’s exactly how God says it through Moses: 

 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”                                                                      Exodus 20:16

God considers lying a very serious matter regardless of whether the consequences of that lie are immediate and deadly or not. 

There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.              Proverbs 6:16-19 


WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO TELL THE TRUTH?

1. Truth demonstrates you’ve REALLY   CHANGED

“Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices . . .”                                                                                                Colossians 3:9-10

“I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.”                                     I John. 2:21

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 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 14:16-17 (LB)

Lies evidence that you are still a liar. In John 14:16-17.

 Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as the “Spirit of Truth”. When you took Jesus as your Savior, you received the Holy Spirit who now lives within you and is supposed to be in control of your life. If the Spirit of Truth is present and in control, what should be flowing out of your life? [TRUTH] Then how come you are still lying? Lying in your life brings into question either the presence of the Holy Spirit which would mean you are not saved, or it brings into question whether He has control of your life.



2. Truth provides PROTECTION for you.

Whatsoever is true . . . think on these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”                                                                                       Philippians 4:8

“Stand firm then with the belt of truth buckled . . .”               Ephesians 6:14

“In a recent survey . . . it was found that 15 percent of the ladies tinted their hair, 38 percent wore a wig, 80 percent wore rouge, 98 percent wore eye shadow, 22 percent wore false eyelashes, and 93 percent wore nail polish. And 100 percent voted in favor of a resolution condemning any kind of false packaging.”                                                            [Tales of the Tardy Oxcart, p. 146]

3. Truth identifies you with the FATHER

“I am the way, the truth, and the life . . . “                      John 14:6

“. . .it is impossible for God to lie . . .”                            Hebrews 6:8

Have you ever thought about what it would be like if God could lie? 

     Think about some of the promises that He has made to you:

“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am, there you may be also.”

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.”


“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.”

“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become sons of God”

“. . . nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.”

“My God shall supply all your needs. .



4. Truth creates a spirit of TRUST between you and others. 

“Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth. I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the LORD.”           Psalm 31:5-6 

               
“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.”                                       Ephesians 4:25

Let’s have a teachable moment:    

C.S. Lewis has well said that a little lie is like a little pregnancy. Everyone is going to know soon enough.

5. Truth frees you from BONDAGE
               “. . . the truth will set you free.” John 8:32


How many of you have ever told a lie, and then had to tell a bigger one to cover that one, and then had to tell a bigger one to cover that one. . . and so on?    …lies enslave.
Mark Twain Quotes: on slide
Lies trap you because you have to live in your own false little world that you have created. You can’t allow anyone to see the true you. You have to keep up the show and keep pretending that you’re that person that everyone loves you to be.


ILL: The last birthday that you counted was 15 years ago. “While Jan was visiting her mother, they went for a walk and bumped into the pastor.  "Is this your daughter?" he asked. "Oh my, I remember her when she was this high." Without pausing Jan’s mother said, "Well, she’s twenty-four now." Jan, 35-years-old, nearly fainted on the spot. After everyone had said their good-byes, Jan asked her mother why she’d told such a whopper. "Well," she replied, "I’ve been lying about my age for so long, it suddenly dawned on me that I’d have to start lying about yours too."”                  – Bible Illustrator. 


HOW TO OVERCOME LYING


1. Recognize the ultimate CONSEQUENCE of lying

“All liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire.”      Revelation 21:8 

2. Confess and TURN   YOUR   BACK on the sin.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”                                             1 John 1:9



ILL: To prevent this problem in one church, the “minister wound up the services one morning by saying, "Next Sunday I am going to preach on the subject of LIARS. And in this connection, I would like you all to read the 17th chapter of Mark." The next Sunday, the preacher rose to begin, and said, "Now, all of you who have done as I requested and read the 17th chapter of Mark, please raise your hands." Nearly every hand in the congregation went up. "Very good," said the preacher. "You are precisely the people I wish to speak to this morning. There IS no 17th chapter of Mark!"” – Bible Illustrator.


3. Admit your human nature is DECEITFUL. 

“Out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts . . . deceit.”                           Mark 7:21-22
    “The heart is deceitful above all things…”                              Jeremiah 17:3

4. CHANGE   your thinking about truth and lying. 

“Put away all lying, each one speak truth with his neighbor.”                        Ephesians 4:25

“Buy the truth and do not sell it again.”                  Proverbs 23:23

5. Remind yourself daily to ADIBE  by your new decision.

 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 
                                                                 2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV

“You will never change your life until you change something you do daily.”                                                                ~ John Maxwell

6. Look to the source of TRUTH for help

“I am the way, the truth and the life.” John 14:6 (NKJV)

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength I need.”
                                                                              Philippians 4:13


Closing ILL: If you were to ask Jesus, “How do I look?, what would he say? What signs would he hang around your neck – “Liar”, “Hypocrite”, “Cheater”. We all carry those signs to one extent or another. You’ve broken promises to your family; you’ve broken promises to God. When you asked Jesus to be your savior, you promised Him your life. But you’ve taken it back so many times. Why don’t you come and bring it to the foot of the cross this morning.
PERSONAL STORY

I’ve asked a few people to help me this morning with a little experiment. Come forward.  They are going to show us the lies Satan places in our hearts and what happens when we bring it to the foot of the cross and experience God’s forgiveness and grace.

God’s grace has saved you because of your faith in Christ. Your salvation doesn’t come from anything you do. It is God’s gift. It is not based on anything you have done.                                                                        Ephesians 2:8-9a

Ø Abused – Depressed                       - Restored  Joyful
Ø Hatred God                                      - Now I love God
Ø In church, but far from God          - Stopped running and experience His grace
Ø Addicted to Alcohol                          - Found Freedom in Christ
Ø Didn’t have anyone I could trust       - Found selfless Christian friends
Ø Never felt good enough                   - He loved me in spite of my failures

Ø I was lost                                          - Now I am found 



PRAYER

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