Sift (Week 2 - Live Your Truth; 3rd Draft)

Announcements:

Certainly! Here are the revised bullet points with times for each event and the note about FUGE Camps being waitlisted:

1. **Vision Statement**

- "Glorify God: KNOW, GROW, GO!"

2. **Continuing New Series**

- "Tonight: Dive into 'Sift'!"

3. **Esteban Offering Update**

- "Goal Met! New Goal: $45.00!"

4. **Durham Rescue Mission**

- "Serve: Impact lives this Saturday, 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM!" (meet in parking lot at 3:30PM)

5. **Nerf Gun War**

- "Epic Nerf War: Sunday, May 26, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM, North Campus Gym. Food Provided!"

6. **Summer Kickoff**

- "Pizza & Kickball: Wednesday, June 5, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM, North Campus (outside)!"

7. **FUGE Camps**

- "Adventure awaits: FUGE Camps! Waitlisted, more spots (hopefully) coming soon!"

How does this look?

Intro:

Talk about “Sift” series

Although culture changes, God does not change.

Today = LIVE YOUR TRUTH

Body:

Tell story: the plaintiff, defendant, judge and clerk

Culture: “Both can be right.”

Share context of 2 Peter

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.

Talk about the false teachers and accountability

Our default setting is to want to “live my truth.”

Share story: Brandon Berrier, “I do what I want to!”

Talk about authority in general

Talk about God’s authority

God’s authority is worthy of following because He is a kind and loving Father.

Explain why “live your truth” makes no sense

Basing 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

Talk about our “feelings”

Talk about buying a house and reading through a contract

Relate this to Jesus helping us interpret our feelings

Talk about identity

Use Bible to sift identity

Share story about classroom prank: “Are you sick?”

Talk about absolute reality and the idea of it being judgmental

The idea of absolute truth is not judgmental.

2 Peter 2:9 (NLT)

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.

2 Peter 3:9 (NLT)

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.

Talk about God’s mercy and judgement

Talk about false teachers

2 Peter 2:12–13 (NLT)

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.

2 Peter 2:19 (NLT)

19 They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you.

Talk about the heart of “Live Your Truth”

Talk about video: “Charlemagne tha God” interviewing Pete Davidson from SNL

“Talk about “Live your truth” being from lack of proof of God, and segue into Materialism and Humanism

Talk about materialists:

Talk about humanists

Return to the idea of sifting, warning against what happens if we don’t sift:

Ephesians 4:14 (ESV)

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.

Talk about this as an analogy for not sifting, and our intentions for this warning

Talk about article on living your truth

“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.

1 John 4:16 (NLT)

16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.

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.”

Ephesians 2:4–5 (NLT)

4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

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”

John 14:6 (NLT)

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

Acts 17:28 (NLT)

28 For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

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.

Philippians 4:12–13 (NLT)

12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Talk about small groups

PRAY