The 6 Marks of the Church- Truth

We live in a crazy world!

A world that is full of things that, just a few years ago, would have been unthinkable.

For instance, who would have ever believed that Republicans would WANT to hear what a Kennedy said and that the Democrats would try to censor him as he tried to speak in a committee on how to stop censorship in this country?

That a song performed by Jason Aldean (from Macon, GA btw) discouraging crime, especially in small towns, is labeled racist and that the video of that song got pulled by Country Music Television ?

When the video was released week-before-last, Aldean said the song represents an "unspoken rule" for those raised in small towns: "We all have each other's backs and we look out for each other."

That’s racist?

That, on Monday, retired Rear Admiral John Kirby would announce that the DOD sees abortion, transgender surgeries, drugs to change people’s sex as a “foundational, sacred obligation” of military leadership? That the DOD sees these things as absolutely necessary to ensure the readiness of of our military to fight to maintain our freedoms.

Really?

Killing babies makes us a greater threat to our enemies?

They cheer us on! Les enemies to fight.

So many unthinkable, crazy things happening on a daily basis!

I believe these and so many other unthinkable things are happening because we live in a society that has abandoned truth.

Objective truth

Biblical truth

As a result a deceitful, lying society such as ours is reaping the whirlwind.

Can we pray that WE will be different?

That WE will be marked by the TRUTH?

Prayer

Text: John 17:13-26

John 17:16–19 (LSB) [Jesus says, “These for whom I pray] are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. 18 “As You sent Me into the world, I also sent them into the world. 19 “For their sake I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.

Sanctified

First of all, Jesus is calling on us and His church to be marked by sanctification — a separation for that which is holy.

Jesus prayed and is STILL praying to the Father that we would be SANCTIFIED, set apart as holy by the truth.

That we would be TRANSFORMED & NOT CONFORMED:

Romans 12:2 (LSB) … do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may approve what the will of God is, that which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:2 (Phillips NT) Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.

Jesus is calling us to be in the world as a separate entity — one dedicated to Him.

One marked by Him.

One making a difference for Him.

Advancing NOT the kingdom of satan, but rather advancing the Kingdom of God.

It is one or the other, not neutral parties:

Jesus said in Luke 11:23 (LSB) “He who is not with Me is against Me and he who does not gather with Me, scatters.

We can’t be that separate, Jesus’ Kingdom-advancing church or individual if we conform to the lies and deceit that surround us.

Instead, we must embrace God’s truth as supreme.

We must be marked by the truth of Jesus.

He’s called us to embrace the PROMISE OF THE WORD

AND NOT TO COMPROMISE WITH THE WORLD

If we compromise with the world, we agree and align with the devil to destroy our lost family members, neighbors, co-worker — we agree that they should go to hell.

BUT, if we will embrace and proclaim the PROMISES of God, the TRUTHS of God, we will make a difference in the lives of those around us.

Let’s Be Marked by God’s Truths

For the sake of those who are lost we need to EMBRACE and PROCLAIM these truths revealed in this Word.

These truths WILL mark us as individuals and a church.

These truths will set us apart.

This is not an exhaustive list - so many more.

People WILL hate us for embracing and proclaiming these truths.

Other, so-called, self-professed Christians will hate us for embracing these truths.

It will take tremendous courage to embrace these truths.

To be marked by these truths.

The truth of:

Genesis 1:1 (LSB) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

And all the rest of the Genesis account — especially the creation of life on this planet.

There is not one shred of legitimate evidence for evolution.

I challenge you, show me your so-called truths.

Your carbon-dating

Your fossils

Your dinosaurs

And on and on.

They can all be debunked for what they are — lies of the devil.

Those who embrace the so-called “theory” of evolution do so for one purpose alone — so that they can do what they want to do.

They want no Creator to whom they must give an account.

And yet as says:

Ecclesiastes 12:14 (NLT) God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.

Hebrews 4:13 (NLT) Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes, and He is the One to whom we are accountable.

Further, we need to embrace the truth of:

Genesis 1:27 (LSB) And God created [humanity] in His own image, in the image of God He created [humanity]; male and female He created them.

Let’s embrace the truth.

And as Jesus says in: John 8:31–32 (LSB) So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly My disciples; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

If you have embraced the lies of homosexuality, transexuality and all the other lies of the devil concerning human sexuality.

Be set free!

Let the truth that there are only 2 sexes, female and male set you free.

You were born male or female — and God didn’t make a mistake when you were conceived.

Don’t buy the lie that God made you a homosexual — He did not.

He loves you too much to do that to you.

Don’t buy into the lie that science proves you were born sexually scrambled — there is NO science for that — NONE!

Don’t buy the lie that God made you a transexual, transhuman of some variety — He did not.

Again, He loves you too much to do that to you.

Instead embrace the sex given to you at conception — that you can never change or erase.

Your DNA will ALWAYS declare the truth of God.

Rather than rail against that truth, rather than listen to the lies of the devil who wants to:

As Jesus said in John 10:10 Steal, kill and destroy:

Steal your joy.

Kill your chances of a satisfying and fulfilling life.

And destroy you through suicide

Rather than try to change that truth by surgery or medications that WILL cause you to continually struggle with depression and thoughts of suicide.

Let’s embrace the truth!

Be set free to live as God created you.

Live a life of joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment.

Live the abundant life Jesus promised in the second half of John 10:10 (LSB) … I came that [you] may have life, and have it abundantly.

Right in there with the truth of our sexuality is the truth about marriage.

Matthew 19:4–6 (LSB) [Jesus] said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, 5 and said, ‘FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH’? 6 “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

May God help us to get reconnected with what marriage is all about.

It’s about procreation.

When we divorce sex from the God-given reason for sex we set ourselves up for disaster.

Genesis 1:27–28 (LSB) God created [humanity] in His own image, in the image of God He created [them]; male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that creeps on the earth.”

If we can get past an absolute obsession with human sexuality, maybe we can embrace the truth of human immortality. When confronted with eternity, we need to embrace the truth of:

Acts 4:12 (LSB) “And there is salvation in no one else [but Jesus Christ, the Nazarene], for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

There are NOT many ways to God, many ways of salvation, only One — Jesus Christ the Nazarene.

Don’t run from the truth of salvation in Jesus alone.

Let that truth mark your life.

May that truth mark this church.

May we embrace the Holy Spirit, who reveals truth:

Next Sunday night, Baptism in Holy Spirit.

Jesus said in John 16:13–15 (LSB) “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak from Himself, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 “He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. 15 “All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.

May the Holy Spirit, who reveals truth, reveal to you right now, that Jesus is King.

John 18:37–38 (LSB) Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “… for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” 38 Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” …

Pilate, open your ears! Jesus is TRUTH, because He is The KING — not A King, but THE King of kings…

As we saw Wednesday in Revelation 19:16 (LSB) And He [Jesus] has on His garment and on His thigh a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

And EVERYONE will bow before Him: Philippians 2:9–11 (LSB) Therefore, God also highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father.

Voluntary or involuntary?

Will we bow and confess that to which we have already surrendered here on earth?

Or will it be a forced honoring of the King before being thrown into the Lake of Fire?

You see, the Day of EVERYONE bowing before the King is coming so very, very soon.

So, may God help us to embrace the truth of:

2 Peter 3:3–4 (LSB) knowing this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”

2 Peter 3:9–10 (NLT) The Lord isn’t really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.

Jesus IS coming again!

As we study the scriptures that relate to the End Times on Wednesday night, we are convinced that Jesus could come back at any moment.

We MUST be ready.

Jesus said in Luke 12:40 (LSB) “You … be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”

Are You Ready?

Jesus stands ready to do what the Holy Spirit said in the prophecy given last week’s service. He is calling us to:

Receive the coal - to our lips to our heart.

Let the coal from off God’s altar burn away the sin, purge the sin that separates us from the love of God.

As the tongues and interpretation from 2 weeks ago said: Let’s let the fire fill us — the fire of the Holy Spirit who reveals TRUTH.

[The Spirit is calling us] To receive the shed Blood of Jesus.

To let the Blood of Jesus cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

As says Hebrews 9:13–14 (LSB) For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh [according to the Old Covenant], 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

The Spirit encouraged us to go beyond mere belief in history — to receive these things for ourselves — make them personal.

To experience Jesus in us.

As Colossians 1:27 (TPT) Living within you is the Christ who floods you with the expectation of glory! This mystery of Christ, embedded within us, becomes a heavenly treasure chest of hope filled with the riches of glory for his people, and God wants everyone to know it!

The Holy Spirit urged us not to delay — now is the time, now is the hour.

I don’t know why you are here today.

I didn’t come here to sing a few Gospel songs.

I didn’t come here to speak some warm fuzziness into your life life so many would do.

To hear some soothing prayers.

I came here because I wanted to worship the Living God.

I want want everything God has in store.

But perhaps you just wanted $3 dollars worth of God:

So you pray what Charles Swindoll wrote in his book, Improving your Serve:

"I would like to buy three dollars worth of God, please.

I would like to buy just a little of the Lord.

Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep.

Not enough to take control of my life.

I want just enough to equal a cup of warm milk.

Just enough to ease some of the pain from my guilt.

I would like to buy three dollars worth of God, please.

I would like to find a love that is pocket-sized — Not enough to make me love someone different from me.

Not enough to change my heart.

You see, God, I can only stand just enough of You to be at church when I have time — when it’s convenient.

I want just enough of God to equal a snooze in the sunshine.

I want ecstasy, not transformation.

I want the warmth of the womb, but not a new birth.

I would like to purchase a pound of the eternal in a paper sack.

And if it doesn't work, I would like to get my money back.

I would like to buy three dollars worth of God, please.

I would like to hide some for a rainy day.

Not enough for people to see a change in me.

Not enough to impose any responsibility.

Just enough to make folks think I am ok.

Could I just get three dollars worth of God, please?"

So many of us settle for enough of God to make us feel good,

but we miss out on the blessing of Christ transforming our lives.

I Speak the Name of Jesus Over You

As the worship team comes, I want to speak something different into your life.

I want to speak the Name of Jesus over you.

To speak peace, hope and freedom into your life.

To speak release from the chains of fear, anxiety and depression.

To speak light into your darkness.

The speak the defeat of the enemy’s plans over your life.

To speak Jesus into your family.

As we sing this song, will you indicate your faith, that you receive what God wants to pour into your life by stepping into the aisle and coming forward?

Will you receive the truth of God into your life and let it set you free?

Let it mark you?

Let it mark US as a church?

If so, I urge you to indicate your readiness, your faith to receive, what Jesus wants to do in your life, by coming forward for prayer.

Will you come and, by faith, receive what Jesus WILL pour into your life?