Take a Stand: For Truth

Introduction

SCRIPTURE: Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in---who slipped in to spy out our FREEDOM that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into SLAVERY---to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the TRUTH of the gospel might be PRESERVED for you.

STORY:

PROPOSITION: The truth of the gospel is WORTH standing up for.

INTERROGATIVE: How do I stand up for the gospel the right way? Why is the gospel “worth it”? What happens if we don’t stand up for truth?

TRANSITION: That’s what we are going to look at today and point 1 is:

POINT 1: In order to take a stand for truth you have to be HUMBLE.

Paul could have easily brought the need for Jewish influence into the public light and made a lot of people mad, which could have caused a massive rift in the early christian church. So Paul did something different…he met with them in private to explain the gospel that God had given him and that he had been preaching to the Gentiles for fourteen years.

The way you say something or the intent behind what you say MATTERS.

“Speak the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” (Eph. 4:15) Your motivation in sharing the truth of the gospel always should be LOVE. Who loves to be around somebody that is constantly rubbing the truth in your face when you say something wrong? NOT ME! We all know those people…or you may be one of those people. The way you tell others the truth is important. Most of the time someone knows when you are doing or saying something to genuinely help them out or if you’re just doing it to make yourself look good or because somebody told you that you HAVE to do it. Paul knew that he needed to honor the other apostles like he would desire to be honored himself. He didn’t want to put them on blast, but he was going to stand for the truth of the gospel.

Always test what you think, believe, or what is said to you to the BIBLE.

Paul wanted to make sure to meet with the other apostles to make sure that he was not running in vain. Paul didn’t want to be preaching a gospel that was actually contrary to what Jesus says. So along with going in private, he humbled himself to sharing the good news of Jesus with the other apostles to make sure that he wasn’t wrong in what he was communicating. We have to be like the Bereans in Acts 17:11 “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” Never think of yourself too highly to get something wrong and don’t think of your pastors or those above you to be perfect in all that they say.

POINT 2: Truth brings FREEDOM, lies bring BONDAGE.

Paul makes it very clear that the truth of the good news of Jesus and His death on the cross brings freedom to all who believe it! John 8:31-32 “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

The truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ is worth standing up for because it brings FREEDOM. Freedom from sin, freedom from what others think about you, freedom from what you might think about you, freedom from Satan’s clutches, freedom from hell.

Paul turns around and makes the obvious opposite statement that lies bring bondage. When you believe a lie you are chaining yourself to something that will only take you so far. What do I mean by that? A relationship will only bring you so much happiness, following the rules will only give you so much of a sense of accomplishment, being good at a sport will only bring you so much excitement and notoriety, being skilled at an instrument will only give you so much satisfaction. Worldly things cannot FILL the hole in your HEART that Jesus can. Lies that you believe chain you to something that only the truth can unlock you from.

POINT 3: Your stand for truth PRESERVES.

Standing for the truth means more than how it affects YOU, because it affects GENERATIONS after you. The value of truth in your life and those around you will dictate what the future looks like. What do I mean by that? What if Paul caved? What if Paul came out and told everyone that the Judaizers were right, we need to keep the law as an extension of our salvation. The truth could have been lost because of silence or bending to the lies that weigh on us in our culture. The things that Paul was fighting against are in many ways the same things we are fighting against. You can’t earn your salvation. Don’t put your faith and trust in a government system…they aren’t god even though they think they are. Satan is still trying to keep people so busy that they don’t slow down to spend time with God. We still have to address sexual ethic in our culture just like Paul did. In every culture and in every time period their were bold men and women of faith that had to stand up for the truth so that you would hear it today unfiltered and unhindered. And same goes with today. You have to stand up for the truth in the Bible so that one day your grandkids can enjoy the freedom that Christ gives and so that the truth doesn’t get lost.

Your life is important when it is lived for GOD to benefit OTHERS.

APPLICATION

Find 3 ways to posture yourself in humility this week: Pray for someone, Serve someone who needs help, Encourage someone who is struggling.

Memorize one of these verses this week to remind yourself to stand up for truth when you feel scared, ill equipped, or fearing of man: Ephesians 4:15, John 8:31-32, Acts 17:11, Proverbs 12:22, Proverbs 12:19