Sift (Week 2 - Live Your Truth)
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Intro:
“Sift”
People sharing their realities
Internet = spread of thought
Sound good, but might be evil.
How know?
Sift opinions and info through Bible
Why?
Although culture changes, God does not change.
5 weeks = five common beliefs
Today = LIVE YOUR TRUTH
Body:
Tell story: the plaintiff, defendant, judge and clerk
Culture: “Both can be right.”
Why is LIVE YOUR TRUTH popular?
Being our own gods
Since Genesis 3.
2 Peter
Having a reasoned faith
Open Bible
Context
Written by Peter
Talking to early church about worldview concepts
Knew he was about to die
Warning to not be led astray
Tale as old as time
Still dealing with today
2 Peter 2:1–3 (NLT)
1 But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. 3 In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.
Addressing objections and accusations
False teachers distorting
Sound familiar
Accountability
False teachers denied this
How often do we do this; twist what Jesus said?
Bible: God meets rebellion with justice
False teachers in 2 Peter:
Wanted money
Despising God’s authority
Our default to “live my truth”.
Instead of living the only truth
Today: Sifting “living your truth.”
Share: Brandon Berrier, “I do what I want to!”
Bad taste about authority
Bc of human misrepresentations?
Coach too intense?
Parent that yells or has addiction?
God’s authority = worthy, bc kind and loving Father.
Can’t comprehend.
“Live your truth” = truth changes
Makes no sense
“no absolute truth” = absolute statement
Doesn’t work
How often do we base our identity and our worldview on our feelings?
I feel like I want this $ item
I feel like my life is over after she dumped me
I feel like yelling at my parents for telling “no”
I feel like if I say no, I will lose my friends
I feel like I am attracted to the same gender
I feel like I’m the only one that struggles with this
I feel like I want to kill her
I feel like I need another piece of cake
I feel like I am alone
I feel like God doesn’t love me
I feel like I need to perform to have value and worth
I feel like I can’t stick to this commitment
I feel like I can’t turn my phone off
I feel like if I had a different body, I would be happy
This feels really good, so it must be good for me
My feelings are so strong, I can’t think relationally
Feelings neither right nor wrong
Should not be primary compass bc unreliable (change quickly)
Bring feelings to Jesus; let Him interpret
Buying a house and reading through a contract
Need Jesus to help interpret feelings so don’t sign life away
Being careful of outside influences on identity
Only Jesus decided
Use Bible to sift identity
Illustration: “Are you sick?”
Can’t trip on Legos and say “Legos doesn’t exist and I feel no pain.”
Absolute reality:
Not based on personal interpretations or internal forces
Instead of “my truth,” “absolute truth in Bible
Might say “outdated” or “judgemental”
Nothing outdated about humans being imperfect
Nothing judgmental about the cross (selfless)
9 So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.
9 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.
God is merciful!
Wants to save
But those who refuse take on deserved punishment
If don’t want, Jesus doesn’t make take “get out of jail free card”
Many false teachers today
Can’t just watch any preacher of listen to any Christian song
Need to sift
14 They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed. They live under God’s curse.
12 These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed. They scoff at things they do not understand, and like animals, they will be destroyed. 13 Their destruction is their reward for the harm they have done. They love to indulge in evil pleasures in broad daylight. They are a disgrace and a stain among you. They delight in deception even as they eat with you in your fellowship meals.
19 They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you.
Heart of “live your truth” comes from place of wanting to be real about struggles.
Maybe have felt rejected
Don’t fit in
Have seen terrible things
Don’t believe bc what been through
Maybe that’s you!
Glad you’re here.
Do not judge
Love you and want to journey with you
Do not condemn or shame anyone
Watched video: “Charlemagne that God” interviewing Pete Davidson from SNL
Interview: “Live your Truth.”
Pete: funny man made in God’s image
Yet plagued by...
PTSD
Depression
Suicidal ideation
Crohn’s disease
A slew of addictions
Broken relationships
Might think “how can say he’s wrong? have compassion.”
Sad; doesn’t know God’s love and hope
Barely making it through life
His own god
Living his truth won’t heal him.
Ever read YouTube comments?
In comments of video, person after person...
“I’m suicidal”
“I’m barely getting by”
Etc.
World needs the unshakeable promises of God
“Live your truth” from lack of proof of God
“Materialistic” or “humanistic” worldview
Maybe that’s you
Materialists:
Only the natural
No supernatural
People aren’t special
Another piece of matter
Nothing ever matters
Humanists
Every person has value
No exploitation
Great things
Christian beliefs; humanists just don’t admit
Atheists
Can’t say that people matter if no God and everything is random
Takes a lot of faith
Popular viewpoints
Before “deconstruct,” need to sift
Why?
If we don’t, like a ship
14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
[Leader Note: Give a quick illustration by showing a minute or so of the video below of ships caught in storms.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPsmYPLhfHI ]
What we are like if don’t sift
Not easy to talk about
Saying this out of love
Wherever you are, Jesus wants to meet you there
Want to walk alongside you
To equip, so don’t get tossed
Article about living your truth, promises...
“Living your truth will free you”
Until doesn’t bring happiness
“You’ll be better prepared to handle adversity”
Until out of control > despair
“You won’t need others to validate your worth”
Until hit rock bottom and can’t will yourself to believe you matter
“You’ll have the confidence to speak your truth”
Until mind is changed
“You’ll no longer feel guilty about taking care of yourself.”
At expense of relationships
Article: How to Get there
Accept who you are currently
Realize your worth
Learn your own personal truth
Live your truth
What gospel says instead...
Accept that God is the loving authority over all things in life.
Realize that “You are more sinful than you ever thought you were AND you are more loved than you ever dreamed you could be.”
Learn that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” and how “in Him, we live and move and have our being.”
Live the truth with joy, despite your circumstances
Huge topic
Small groups: scratch surface further
Ask questions
Wrestle with doubts
Love on each other
Challenge each other
Dig into Word together
Be king as you listen well to others
PRAY