Session 2

SESSION 2: AN UNSHAKABLE TRUTH • The concept of truth in today’s culture has become extremely cloudy. Most people, (including many christians) are making decisions based on the idea of relative truth, which is built upon feelings, circumstances and the opinions of others. In this session, we will explore what God says about the source of absolute truth.

House concept: Plumbline

John 14:6 (NIV) “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

If you have THE WAY you have a foundation and a place to look when things are good and when things are bad. You have stability. You have the path to love, hope, peace, joy, security, safety, and belonging. Everything your soul needs.

Tonight we are going to talk about what you build on that foundation. Because I dont want you to be deceived to think that is the extent of life now. just laying on a sheet of concrete. No you need to grow and build upon this with the way you live your life and grow in your faith. Building will establish and firm up your foundation.

The New International Version (Chapter 3)

1 Corinthians 3:9-15 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

Pauls foundation: Jesus is the exclusive way to salvation. What your soul longs for. Relationship with God. But not all building upon that foundation is made equal. Some will be destroyed and others will be refined based on the quality of the work.

With God its not like anything goes. He doesnt say aww good try. He has standards and expects the best of your life. He also expects you to build to his standard and that is truth. Fortunately for you Jesus is the truth. So thats our standard.

Isaiah 28:16-17 See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone,

a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;

the one who relies on it

will never be stricken with panic.

17 I will make justice the measuring line

and righteousness the plumb line;

hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie,

and water will overflow your hiding place

A plumb line is a piece of string with a weight attached to the end that is used to check that something such as a wall is vertical or that it slopes at the correct angle.

A wall built with a plumb line is a perpendicular wall, a wall built with mechanical correctness and solidity. The wall built with a plumb line is a figurative representation of the kingdom of God in Israel, as a firm and well-constructed building. To hold a plumb line to a building may represent the act of construction; or it may be applied to a building in judgment as to the propriety of destroying it (2 Kings 21:13; Amos 7:7–8). The expression “And I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the level” (Isa. 28:17) refers to the process of using a plumb line, this being a figure by which what Jehovah is about to do is depicted as a building that He is erecting, and which He will carry out, so far as His despisers are concerned, with a plan of strict retribution. To carry a plumb line in the hand (Zech. 4:10) is a sign of being engaged in the work of building or of superintending the erection of a building.

Gods Judgement in scripture is to remove that which is crooked or built on a lie always with the intention to establish something straight according to the plumbline.

This core element of truth really comes down to who’s in charge. Who gets the final call and who gets the first call? Who gets to decide what reality is? Our culture will tell you that you get to decide what is true and what is real.

That logically breaks down pretty quick. There can only be 1 free being in the universe at 1 time.

John 8:31-32 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free

Truth brings freedom. Connecting your life to reality. You are sinful. You are broken. You don’t measure up.

There is freedom in that. There is freedom in knowing that Jesus has fulfilled this for you!

There is freedom in building according to truth now under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

How good I felt when my parents knew everything going on in my life.

You’re not alone!

The New International Version (Chapter 16)

John 16:1-15 All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4 I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, 5 but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. 7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. 12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

Pressure is off.

HS is going to convict the world of the truth of their sin. Thats not a you and me job. Hes got it. You and I are then instructed, taught, and let into truth by the spirit. Our Job is just to tell people how good it is to know the way and the truth.

The Spirit will convict the world or prove it guilty of sin of unbelief in the crucifixion of Jesus. Convict the world of Jesus righteousness and their lack of righteousness or its insufficiency. If the ruler of this world is Judged so all who align with the world are also judged.

The Spirit/Paraclete/Helper will reveal sin/need for Jesus righteousness/and the impending Judgement of the world to the World. Will also reveal Truth and glorify Jesus to believers. Jesus brought glory to the father so the spirit will bring glory to Jesus. As soon as the spirit is severed from God’s word the door is open to all sorts of craziness and imposters.

More help is on the way!

The New International Version (Chapter 4)

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

Maturity is stability! Its knowing what you believe. Its not being tossed back and fourth. Isn’t that what you want? Instead of feeling like you are in free fall or building something your whole life that will collapse?

Love your youth pastor. Love your leaders.