Equipping the Saints part 5

Exposing Lies with Truth (Jesus )Pt 5.

Text Isaiah 9:2 “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: They that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.”

The first Lie we find was in Gen 3 where the Satan attacked God’s

Word

2. His Character

3. mans identity

1. Attack on the Word “Yea, hath God said…?” (Gen 3:1)

This is not just a question — it is a strategy. It introduces doubt concerning divine revelation.

If God's Word is uncertain, truth becomes negotiable.

2. Attack on God’s Character vs 4&5 — Ye shall not surely die , For God doth know:

The lie suggest:

God is withholding good.

Romans 8:32 “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

God’s warnings are manipulative.

Ezekiel 18:23 “Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?”

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

God cannot be trusted

Jeremiah 17:7–8 “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.”

Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

. The serpent reframes obedience as oppression.

2 Peter 2:19 “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.”

Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death.”

3. mans Identity ( you will become as gods )

The lie was not that man could become like God — the lie was that autonomy would complete him.

False autonomy.

Instead of reflecting God, man sought independence from God.

Man was already created in the image of God The Father Gen 1:26

Satan’s Strategy (Genesis 3)

Question God’s Word = Is that really what God means ?

Distort God’s Motive = God is holding out on you!

Deny Consequences = You wont surely die !

Offer False Autonomy = You will be like gods

That’s one of the biggest lies,

Jesus identifies the origin of lies

John 8:44 “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

The Consequences of Believing the Lie

Darkness Becomes the Human Condition Primary Texts: Romans 1; Ephesians 2; Isaiah 59

When Lies are believed Humanity becomes:

Spiritually dead

Morally confused

Relationally separated

Spiritually dead = James 1:13–15 “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

Morally Confused = Romans 1:18–32 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

Relationally separated from God (The fruit of Disobedience )

Isaiah 59:2 “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, And your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”

Genesis 3:23–24 “Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”

God’s Intervention: Light Enters the Darkness

John 1:1–9 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”

John 8:12 “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Our part

Ephesians 5:8–9 “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)”

Matthew 5:13–16 “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Children’s church message

🕶 Object Lesson: Sunglasses in the Dark

Text: Book of Isaiah 9:2

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light…”

🎒 What You’ll Need:

A pair of dark sunglasses

A flashlight (or use the room lights)

👀 Step 1: Start with the Glasses

(Stand in front of the children wearing dark sunglasses.)

Ask: “Does it look bright in here to you?”

Take a few careful steps and pretend to squint.

“These glasses make everything darker. It’s harder to see clearly.”

Then say:

“But wait… are the lights actually off?”

No! The room is still bright. The problem isn’t the light — it’s what I’m looking through.

🐍 Step 2: Connect to Genesis

In the Book of Genesis, the serpent gave Adam and Eve something like dark glasses.

He said:

“Did God really say?”

“You won’t surely die.”

“God is holding out on you.”

“You’ll be like God.”

Those lies were like putting on dark glasses.

Suddenly:

God didn’t look good anymore.

Sin didn’t look dangerous.

Disobedience didn’t look serious.

But the problem wasn’t God. The problem was the lie they were looking through.

🌑 What Happens in the Dark?

When they believed the lie, darkness came.

They hid. They felt shame. They were separated from God.

The Bible says in Book of Isaiah 59:2 that sin separates us from God.

Lies always bring darkness.

And Jesus tells us in Gospel of John 8:44 that the devil is the father of lies.

💡 Step 3: Take Off the Glasses

Now slowly remove the sunglasses.

“Oh! It’s much brighter now!”

The light was here the whole time. I just needed to remove what was blocking it.

In Gospel of John 8:12, Jesus said:

“I am the light of the world.”

Jesus doesn’t just bring light — He helps us see clearly again.

🌟 How This Happens to Us

Sometimes lies are like dark glasses in our hearts:

“God doesn’t really care.”

“It won’t matter if I sin.”

“You don’t need to obey.”

“You’ll be happier your own way.”

But when we trust Jesus and believe His Word, it’s like taking off the glasses.

We see:

God is good.

God gives good gifts.

God can be trusted.

Obedience protects us.

✨ Our Part

In Gospel of Matthew 5, Jesus says we are the light of the world.

When we:

Tell the truth

Obey God

Show kindness

Trust Jesus

—we help others take off their “dark glasses” too.

❤️ Big Idea to Remember

Lies darken. Jesus shines.

If something makes God look unkind or sin look harmless — that’s a lie.

But when we look to Jesus, the Light shines — and we can see clearly again.