Collide Week 3- Get Truth

Proverbs 23:23 NKJV

23 Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.

Truth is in short supply within our world. The word of God gives us all of the truth we need to live a full life in Christ. We should keep these truths and consider them wisdom, instruction, and insight for our lives. No matter what we do, we cannot lose truth.

Think: The word of God is the only place we can find the real truth. So, what are my current thoughts around the Bible? Are those thoughts prohibiting me from spending enough time in it?

The goal with reading the Bible is not simply to read it, but ultimately to do it. I need to feel the truth as much as I read the truth, so that I can live the truth.

Do: I have to be willing to actually open God’s word every morning and every evening. Start with something short and easy, when it comes to getting into a rhythm with the Bible.

Scripture: Proverbs 23:23

Introduction

Today we are in week three of our series “Collide.” In week one, we laid the foundation for standing firm on the word of God, the only truth we can find in this world. Then in week two, we talked about the first thing God desires out of our lives- transformation of mind once we initially learn to stand firm in our faith, amidst the conflicting values of the world we constantly collide with.

We must be renewed and transformed.

And today, we are going to take it one step further, because after God begins to transform us, especially within our minds, we have to pursue the source of truth so that we can ultimately live it out. The word, the truth of God, is powerful and effective.

Listen to this story:

“One day a shoemaker in Meshed, a very religious city in Northeastern Iran, brought home for his lunch some cheese which the grocer had wrapped in a page of the New Testament, which he was using as wrapping paper. After eating his lunch he picked up a piece of paper and read the story of the man who hired laborers for his vineyard, and at the end of the day paid all the laborers the same wage, whether they had worked twelve hours or one.

The shoemaker liked the story, and the next day went again to the grocery store and bought cheese, asking that it be wrapped ‘in another page of that book.’ Finally, on the third day he bought what remained of the New Testament and showed it to his brother. The two of them then went to a missionary, who gave them a complete copy, and also gave them regular instruction in the Word of God. Both men were later baptized and were among the first believers in that city.” - Dr. William Miller

Even when the words of scripture are torn page by page and used as trash, it still has power to redeem.

Main Teaching

Turn with me to Romans 7:15

Romans 7:15 NKJV

15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”

In this verse, Paul is talking specifically about sin. But I wonder how many of us take this same principle and apply it to our time spent with God in His word, or lack thereof. We know what we should do, but don’t do it. I’m believing that today is the day God is going to give you a new hunger for His word.

Turn with me back to the Old Testament in Proverbs, chapter 23 verse 23. The writer of Proverbs tells us something about the Truth that is incredibly important. He emphasizes how important it is in this one verse.

Proverbs 23:23 NKJV

23 Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.

“Buy the truth and do not sell it-- wisdom, instruction and understanding as well.”

We have already said the truth comes from the word of God. But once we have it, how do we keep it? The first step is what the writer of Proverbs makes clear in this verse.

Don’t sell it

I don’t think he is talking about us standing on the side of the road with our Bible, attempting to sell the physical Bible to someone. Instead, the writer is talking here about an internal struggle. It is one thing to receive the Word of God. It is another thing to actually keep it as your priority in life.

Story Idea: Talk about someone you know who was once very close to God, but then started having doubts about the truth in scripture. They started to doubt what they believed, and were swayed in a different direction by the world.

Unfortunately, this happens to people all the time. As we mentioned in week one of this series, the things of the world can be seductive. They attempt to draw us in and convince us of their truth, rather than the truth.

It is easy to sell ourselves short by selling what we hold onto as the truth in Scripture. Maybe some of us are in that place right now. We feel an internal war going on within us. We feel as if we are being pulled in two different directions, and the direction of the world is gaining an advantage because we know it will offer a satisfaction that we can see and feel, although it is temporary. Jesus had an external dialogue with a woman about this same struggle in her life. Turn with me to John 4:7-15;

John 4:7–15 NKJV

7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 9 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? 12 Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” 15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”

In this story, Jesus offered the woman the true source of life, one that would satisfy her completely. Before this interaction, she was in the middle of being pulled in worldly directions, all the while searching for what would truly satisfy, and then it came walking into her life. The truth incarnate, Jesus Christ, collided with her sin and she was set free. The Bible tells us elsewhere that Jesus is the word of God in the flesh (John 1:14).

Therefore, if we know Jesus, we know the truth. NOTICE I DID NOT SAY IF WE KNOW ABOUT JESUS WE KNOW TRUTH… BUT RATHER THAT IF WE KNOW JESUS, ARE IN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM THEN WE KNOW TRUTH.

And how do we learn more about the truth? We spend time in the word of God! Once we know it, and we learn not to lose it, I believe there is a proper response God desires from us next… We give it away freely.

Go share it

All throughout the Bible, it is made clear that the word was never meant to just dwell within us. Turn with me to the very end of Matthew’s gospel, in chapter 28:18-20.

Matthew 28:18–20 NKJV

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

This passage is often called “The Great Commission.” Jesus commands His disciples to go and spread the word of God: the Gospel message about Him to the world. I believe the same commission is given to us when we accept Christ. When we begin to read and study the word of God, even when we begin to put it into practice, we are then called to go and share it.

And, amazingly, sharing the word with others will strengthen our own faith as well!

Story Idea: Talk about a time when you had the chance to share with someone about Jesus. Hone in on the fact that when you were sharing what you believe, you reflected on the times in your own life and your own story when God showed up for you in a powerful way. This strengthened your own faith in the words you were saying.

This isn’t just me, or people in ministry who are called to do this. Instead, God is calling YOU to do the same! We are all called to give it away, to share the gospel freely. And what a joy it is to share with others what God has done. You have a story to tell as well. Chances are, if you have invited Jesus to do something in your life, He has shown up.

Share it with someone this week!

Conclusion

Today, maybe you are in a place where you are tempted to sell yourself short by following worldly temptations rather than the eternal truth in the word of God. You feel like you have an internal wrestling match going on. The kingdoms are colliding within you and you feel you need to make a choice.

Today can be the day you submit fully to God’s Word. It’s the only source of true, abundant life. It’s the only thing that can fully satisfy you.

Will you allow it to do it’s work in you?

Would you pray that God would soften your heart to His gospel?

Once you receive the word, as we talked about today, pray for opportunities to share it. This is as simple as knowing what it says, living it out, and sharing your story of redemption with those around you.

Will you pray for an open door to share this week with someone close to you? There’s so much joy that comes with giving the gospel to someone else. In fact Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)

It will strengthen your faith in Christ. He’s called us to believe, receive, and give. Get ready for the open doors coming your way this week.

Let's pray together.