Truth
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John 8:31-36
Today is the first Sunday of 2022.
As such I want to cast a vision for Mills Memorial Baptist Church and what we will study on Sundays in 2023.
I think the one thing that is missing in this world, more than anything else is this - TRUTH.
Society and this world will try to say that there is no absolute truth.
You have your truth, and I have mine.
What is truth to you, is your truth.
And it is just as much truth as my truth.
But this is FALSE - a lie from Satan himself!
There is only one Truth!
And what you believe does not change the truth!
Our World needs truth today!
Jesus is the Truth!
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
But now in these coming weeks in 2023, I want to talk to the Christians!
We need the truth also - Oh we may have the truth unto salvation, but many are missing much after that!
Throughout this year every sermon series I preach will be connected to the truth!
Jesus, in John 8, was speaking the people there that were gathered around Him at the Temple.
Here in this passage Jesus gave an astounding promise in verse 32.
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
There are Christians all over the world today that are struggling in a bondage of their own making!
When a Christian accepts Christ as their Savior, they are free from the bondage of sin.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
And yet many of us, voluntarily place ourselves back under bondage to the sins that we had before.
In fact Jesus in this passage says,
34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Whether it because of an outside temptation from our enemy the World System around us.
Or whether it is a direct temptation from Satan himself.
Or perhaps it is just our old flesh that we yield to instead of Christ.
Whatever the temptation, or wherever drawing is coming from, we yield.
But Jesus makes this amazing promise: ...ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
I want to look at Three warnings within this promise this morning.
Let’s take a look at the first one:
I. The Promise Is to Those Who Believe
I. The Promise Is to Those Who Believe
v. 31 a
“The said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him,...”
Jesus was not talking to the Pharisees, warning them that they better believe, if they want freedom.
Jesus was talking to the Jews which believed.
These believers already had the freedom of Salvation!
But Jesus knew that they would face temptation.
They could have freedom from temptation and sin.
But it would only be available to those who are saved.
If you are here today and you have not accepted Jesus as your Savior, this promise is not yet for you.
If you are listening to my voice today and you want freedom from sin, it is only available to those who trust in Christ, and believe that He is the Savior of all man kind.
This promise is only available to the children of God!
From time to time I will make a promise to my children that if they do something, they will get something.
Let’s say that the Kooi’s decided to promise their kids an Ice Cream if they said their Bible verse in Kids for Christ next week. If my kids came up to the Bro. Kooi and said, “I said my Bible verse, where is my ice cream?” Bro. Kooi would have every right to say, “That promise was for my children, I don’t have an ice cream for you.” And no one would bat an eye.
And yet there are people all over who are not the children of God, and yet want to claim His promises.
My friend This Promise is for Those Who Believe.
But it’s not too late today! “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”
And if you do, this promise is for you too!
The promise that the truth shall make you free!
Secondly, I want you to see that...
II. The Promise Is to Those Who Continue
II. The Promise Is to Those Who Continue
v. 31 b
“If ye continue in my word,”
He isn’t giving a blanket promise here.
It has a condition.
The condition is that if you want to be made free, you need to continue in His Word.
Paul told the young man that he mentored...
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
I knew a young man that would often make the statement about the sermon that was preached that day, “I’ve heard that before.” This is a young man that grew up in church faithfully attending Sunday School, Morning Service, Evening Service, and Wednesday Bible Study. He had made up his mind that he had learned all he needed to know, I guess, and unless they could show him something else out of the Bible that he hadn’t seen before he lost interest. That young man is struggling today!
We need to continue in those things which we have learned.
Jesus said if ye continue in my Word...
So how do we continue in His Word?
This Word that is translated continue, is the Greek word “meno” it is the same word that is translated Abide in John 15:4
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
So we see two things connected to this word: Freedom and Fruit bearing.
So how do we Continue?
A. Submit to the Authority of the Bible
A. Submit to the Authority of the Bible
The Bible needs to be the Final Authority in our lives!
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
This is the only use of the word success in the Bible.
And it is dealing with the study, and meditation, and obedience of the Word of God.
Far too many Christians are getting their answers from the wrong authorities.
let me tell you today:
1. Your Flesh Is Not Your Authority
1. Your Flesh Is Not Your Authority
You do not have to do whatever your flesh desires.
You can fight it, we will see in a moment a very practical way to fight it.
You should not be following your flesh.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
No the flesh is not your authority…you need to yield to the Spirit.
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
God has give us the ability to say no to our flesh!
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
This flesh is not your authority and secondly...
2. This World Is Not Your Authority
2. This World Is Not Your Authority
The world will try to tell you what to believe
Evolution
Gender Roles
Gender Norms
Homosexuality
Your Truth/My Truth
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
We need to prove ourselves according to our one true and Final Authority - the Word of God.
If it doesn’t line up with the Bible, then don’t believe it!
Say no to the authority of this World, and obey God’s Word!
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
So If you see something that contradicts what the Bible says:
Trust God!
Trust His Word!
So Submit to the Authority of God’s Word, then secondly, to continue You must...
B. Receive the Bible Every Day
B. Receive the Bible Every Day
Sunday morning is not going to win the battle!
If we only ate on Sunday Morning, and tried to make it the rest of the week without eating, we would not be very productive!
We need spiritual sustenance every day, all day long!
So how can we get this Spiritual Food?
1. Reading
1. Reading
Read the Word of God everyday
Make it your goal to Read the Bible Everyday.
I believe with all my heart that consistency is more important than quantity!
God can use one verse every day more than 10 chapters a few days a year.
Set yourself up a goal and a schedule to read the Bible.
Whether in canonical order, or chronological order, or any order that works for you.
But read the Bible every day!
130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; It giveth understanding unto the simple.
So read it and gain light for your life every day.
2. Studying
2. Studying
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
We need to do more than just a casual reading of God’s Word.
When you read a passage keep a notebook with you and jot down a passage or word that you want to learn more about.
Use tools like Strong's Concordance, or even Google, and search about that verse, or word and do some studying about it.
If you read about a story in the Bible, look it up in some of the tools you have available to you, and look at pictures of the land where it took place.
Don’t be content with just being a casual student of God’s Word.
Dig in, and learn more!
I don’t care how long you have been saved, you can still learn more…it may be that your tools just need to get more in depth.
3. Memorizing
3. Memorizing
As you read write down in your notebook verses that jump out at you, especially if they deal with a sin you are struggling with, or maybe just something you need.
11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, That I might not sin against thee.
9 BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.
31 The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide.
20 My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thine heart.
Carry 3x5 cards with you throughout the day with Bible verses that you are working on memorizing
Download a Bible Memory phone app that will help you review verses.
“I just can’t memorize”
Hogwash! What you are saying is “I just don’t want to memorize.”
If you memorize one verse a year, it’s better than none!
4. Listening
4. Listening
Another way you can Receive the Bible Everyday is to listen to it.
Bible on Tape/CD/MP3/Bible App
Listen to sermons - if you miss a service - listen to the sermon online.
Listen to other churches sermons:
Lancasterbaptist.org - Dr. Paul Chappell
Twinriversbaptist.org - Dr. Jeff Owens
First Baptist Hammond - John Wilkerson
If you don’t like any of these, find yourself any church that you know are preaching the truth, and listen to it!
5. Meditating
5. Meditating
Meditating on Scripture is when you take a passage of Scripture or a verse and roll it over and over through your mind.
The Bible speaks of it often:
1 Blessed is the man That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; And in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That bringeth forth his fruit in his season; His leaf also shall not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Find a quiet place
Pick a verse or passage
Draw it out in a diagram (doesn’t have to be grammatical)
Think of the imagery…picture it in your mind.
Personalize the Passage
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what it means practically.
Read a good commentary
Think about it as you fall to sleep.
So we are talking about how to continue in God’s Word.
We said Submit to the Authority of the Bible
We said, Receive the Bible Every Day
Then lastly,
C. Apply the Bible Everywhere
C. Apply the Bible Everywhere
20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
This verse illustrates the person who threw the seed of the Word, and some took it in and used it.
Quickly what are some practical things you can do to do this?
1. Journaling
1. Journaling
Write each day the things that God has taught you, you will soon begin to see how God is applying Scripture in your life.
It helps you put feelings into words, and your words sometimes into prayers.
Don’t be afraid to draw instead of write.
2. Follow the Holy Spirit
2. Follow the Holy Spirit
Practice listening to that still small voice inside of you.
Ask God to speak to you throughout the day and help you make decisions.
Then listen as you come to a crossway.
Follow what the Lord wants you to do.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
So Journal, and follow the Holy Spirit, the third practical thing you can do to Apply the Bible Everywhere is...
3. Use It Against Temptation
3. Use It Against Temptation
Any sin that you struggle with search for a Scripture that deals with that sin, and use it!
Memorize it, meditate on it, and pull that Sword out and use it against the temptation!
Jesus did this as our perfect example!
So we saw that this promise, “The truth will set you free,” was made to those who Believe
and that The Promise Is to Those Who Continue.
Just one more warning before we go...
III. The Promise Can Be Missed
III. The Promise Can Be Missed
vs. 33-36
33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
The Jews that were listening didn’t get it…they were in danger of missing the whole point.
If they sin, they are the servant of sin.
If we allow the Son to make you free, ye shall be free indeed!
Don’t be a Christian, a believer, that is content with getting your ticket to heaven, and then continue in bondage.
Continue in the Truth!
It takes work!
But it is worth every moment!