Know the Truth

Welcome, everyone. My name is Julian Miller and I am the Young Adult Pastor here at All Church. This ministry has been a thing since February of 2025, but tonight we are starting something new. It’s the same people and the same Church, but with a different spin, a new method and a stronger vision than before. Tonight is actually a really important night for us because this is the beginning of a new rhythm for YA. We have officially moved to a month full of Tuesday night opportunities to grow, worship and serve. And this is all for Jesus!

gathering weekly (Gatherings, Community Nights, service opportunities, events)

worship

teaching

breakout groups

deeper community

discipleship

This summer we want to explore the foundational pillars that actually sustain spiritual life and healthy Christian community. If a building loses its pillars, eventually it collapses. And the same is true spiritually.

Pillars

Teaching

Worship

Service

Mentorship

When we ask what the Church is supposed to look like… we don’t have to guess.

Core Series Passage:

Acts 2:42–47 ESV

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Today, lets start at the top—that first verse. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching…”

Know the Truth

Who were the apostles—they were the people that lived and walked with Jesus—knew Him best, had witness and His death and resurrection, and had been called by Him into apostleship (a kings ambassadors) to tell the whole earth about Him..

Matthew 28:19 ESV

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

The early church “DEVOTED” themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking bread and prayers”.

The root meaning for the Greek word used here is “to adhere steadfastly”, “to continue [in something],” “to be constant,” “to be steadfast,” and “to persevere”. This wasn’t passive belief but active, resolute commitment. In the face of ridicule, rejection, and persecution, these believers displayed a courageous love for the Lord Jesus and his church.

Not because information saves people… but because truth transforms people.

Truth is a fickle thing these days. We live in a world of competing truths. Examples:

“Do your own research.”

“Live your truth.”

“Truth is relative.”

social media experts

conflicting advice online

everyone speaking with authority

We have more information than any generation ever… but we’re also one of the most confused.

What if Truth isn’t something you invent—what if its Someone you follow?

1. Truth is not just information, its a person

John 14:6 ESV

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

Not: “I teach Truth.” “I know Truth”—”I AM TRUTH”.

Culture says: truth is internal, identity is self-created, feelings determine reality.

Jesus tells us that Truth isn’t found in ourselves, its in Him.

2. Truth sin’t meant to impress you, its meant to transform you

Truth isn’t hard to understand, its hard to surrender to.

John 8:31–32 ESV

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Truth is not:

hearing sermons

Christian podcasts

Bible trivia

What does mean to abide? It means to make your home in a place—to remain in it after you have started living there. Choose to believe and choose to stay. Truth changes you when you abide in it. It doesn’t change you from just hearing it.

You could say: Biblical truth is not content consumption. It’s surrender.

Ironically, its only through surrender that we experience true freedom. If Jesus is constantly talking about freedom for the captives, or that He is here to liberate those enslaved, then why do I need to surrender to something else. Have I been release from captivity only to end up under the yoke of another?

YES. He says, “My burden is light, my yoke is easy… take this and I’ll take yours.”

John 8:33–38 ESV

33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36

When we are found in Christ and are following God as Father we are not made slaves to Him—we are sons and daughters and share in Christ’s inheritance. When our father is sin, we are slaves to him.

John 8:33–38 ESV

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

Here is a clarification that we like to make:

3. Freedom comes from truth, not from self-expression.

This is what God’s wants to give us—Truth in the third person of the trinity—Jesus.

Culture says: Freedom is the ability to do, “whatever I want.” “truth is what I find it to be”.

Jesus’ definition: Freedom is “becoming who you were created to be.” “I set truth”.

Later in John 8 Jesus makes it clear that everyone has a father, its just a matter of which father. Human freedom rests within THE Father. When we rest in any other father, our perceived freedom is actually enslavement. Jesus was sent from THE Father. If we reject Him, we show who our true father is. Jesus is the word of God. How can we claim to love God yet reject His word?

We cannot. The Bible is God’s word with us. It’s a true story that leads to Jesus. If we reject His word, we reject the very voice that spoke us into existence. If we reject the Bible, we will find no truth and in turn—NO FREEDOM.

Here, like on Sundays, we will teach and discuss scripture! Because…

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

The Bible is God’s inspired Word that reveals who He is, points us to Jesus, and teaches us how to live in relationship with Him. Scripture consists of the Holy Spirit-inspired writings of God's prophets and apostles, preserved by God's people as His authoritative Word.

Teaching - “What is Right” Who God is, who we are, What sin is, what truth is.

Example - Culture says: “Follow your heart." Scripture says: “The heart is deceitful above all things..." (Jer. 17:9) Teaching gives us God's perspective.

Reproof - “What is wrong” It reveals sinful attitudes, false beliefs, unhealthy or unwise patterns.

Example - You think: “My worth comes from what people think about me." Scripture reproves that lie.

You think: “I'll be happy if I finally get that relationship." Scripture reproves that idol.

Reproof is conviction, not condemnation.

Correction - "How do I get back on track?" Reproof says “you’re off the path”, Correction says “here’s the path”. God never just points out the problem—he shows us the solution.

Example - “You’re finding your identity in approval”, “find it in Christ”. “You’re anxious and trying to control everything”, “Trust the Lord with all your heart”. Reproof identifies the wound. Correction applies the medicine.

Training in Righteousness - "How do I stay on the path?" Correction is a moment. Training is a process. This is where abiding comes back into play. This takes time. Just listening to sermon won’t do this. You become mature by repeatedly submitting yourself to God's Word. Training is what happens when truth moves from your head into your habits.

Conclusion - Connection back to Acts 2 and John 8.

The early church devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching because Scripture doesn't just give information—it transforms people through what we just studied. This will require abiding—it will take time AND THIS WHY WE ARE HERE.

But Jesus says, 'If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Because God's Word:

teaches us what is true,

reproves the lies we believe,

corrects the direction we're headed,

and trains us to live in freedom.

Pray and close, talk about prayer team ready to pray for YAs.