The Truth Will Set You Free
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Introduction
Introduction
Greetings...
Postmodernism stands on five pillars which are...
Relativism - Truth is relative and not concrete.
Pluralism - The acceptance of everyone with no regard for exclusivity.
Tolerance - Tolerating only values that deemed worth of tolerance.
Secularism - The rejection of all forms of religion and worship for secular ideas and desires.
Pragmatism - The more something is accepted the more truthful it is.
Relativism - That truth is relative and not concrete because it is based on pragmatism.
Why would I bring up postmodernism in a lesson from ?
Because postmodernism has infect the church so much that God’s Word has become victimize by it.
Within these two chapters we find the answer to postmodernism and hopefully a clearer picture of why this philosophy is so dangerous to us, the church.
With that in mind let’s look at our lesson today.
Truth Is Vital To Everything
Truth Is Vital To Everything
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Relativism explained.
Relativism explained.
Relativism says, “there is no such thing as absolute truth, what is true for you isn’t necessarily true for me.”
I’ve always been amazed at the ways in which humanity have striven to promote this this idea but only as far as it fits their narrative.
Take America right now and the great divide we have between conservative politics and liberal politics.
Both groups demand they are right while neither “in the political realm” strive to prove they are right by basing their ideas in facts. All you hear is “your wrong and I’m right.”
If relativism only stayed in the world there would be no need to discuss it but the truth is it has infiltrated the church and...
Relativism is “killing the church.”
Relativism is “killing the church.”
The catch phrase “truth is relative” has been around for a while but it is only in the last 40 to 50 years or so that it has really had an impact on the church.
While teaching a college class one time I had an elder make a remark and the class agree with him.
He said, “you can’t know if the Bible is true or God is real, we just have to take these things on faith.”
How many of you or those you know in the church have said statements like...
“You have your interpretation and I have mine” or “we can agree to disagree.”
Brothers and sisters all those statements are based on “truth is relative.”
Truth is not subjective it’s objective.
Truth is not subjective it’s objective.
No one really believes that “truth is relative.”
Let’s say someone, who says they believe this, goes and buys a six dollar cup of coffee and hands the cashier a ten dollar bill. The cashier then hands them back just one dollar. The custom complains and the cashier says that one dollar is equivalent to four dollars “truth is relative.”
Jesus did not subscribe to the idea that “truth is relative” when He explained to the Jews “who had believed him”...
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.”
Summery
Summery
If you can “know” something it isn’t based on personal perspectives, feelings, or opinions, it is based on facts.
If you can “know” something it isn’t based on personal perspectives, feelings, or opinions, it is based on facts.
Summery
Summery
The thing is no one in the church, just like in the world, really believes this but they like using it whenever they don’t like the truth in front of them.
points out that truth isn’t relative.
Truth Leads To Faith
Truth Leads To Faith
Jesus tried to get all to understand this.
Jesus tried to get all to understand this.
Jesus, in , challenged the people to “judge with right judgment” i.e. seek truth, which led to the people asking themselves “can this be the Christ?”
25 Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? 26 And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?
Jn 7:
40 When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people over him.
Jn 7:40
Unfortunately what we don’t find in both these passages is “truth seeking.”
We don’t see anyone really trying to get to the truth.
Some of them understood some facts but none of them tried to determine “truth” concerning Jesus.
These people were satisfied with “not knowing the truth” but simply believing what they wanted.
The first is based on “wishes” the second is based on facts.
An honest heart loves truth.
An honest heart loves truth.
Truth is God’s word.
17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
God is truth.
God is the Word.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The Word became flesh but only spoke what the Father told Him.
16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
28 So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.
Jn 1:1
The Bible is the mind of God breathed out.
16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
The inspired (breathed out) Bible is truth.
17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
Therefore, Jesus and by divine right the Father and the Spirit are truth.
This is significant because we read that the Bible i.e. truth is what produces and grows faith.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Summery
Summery
A person that loves truth will seek truth out no matter what and the results will always be a growth in faith.
Notice in people were wondering if Jesus was the Christ, if only they sought truth above all else.
They won’t allow their personal perspectives, feelings, or opinions to enter their determination of truth.
This fact escorts us to our last point...
This means they will listen to every criticism of their “studies” and determine if that criticism is valid or not.
Truth Leads To Peace
Truth Leads To Peace
Peace of mind is based on knowledge.
Peace of mind is based on knowledge.
Peace of mind starts by having all the facts at your disposal.
Peter would show the importance of knowledge in his second letter we have providentially preserved.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,
Faith or the studying of God’s Word requires a virtuous heart to gather knowledge and knowledge is key to have any peace.
After all anxiety typically comes from the “unknown” possibilities.
When all the facts are gathered there still remains something else that is required to achieve peace of mind.
Peace of mind is culminated in understanding.
Peace of mind is culminated in understanding.
Having the facts is a great start but if that is where you end the journey you won’t have truth, faith, or peace of mind.
Facts only give information we are required to take that information and make logical and reasonable conclusions from it.
This isn’t “personal interpretation” anymore than logically and reasonably determining 2+2 = 4.
The reason the church “as a whole” has struggled with peace is because many “in the church” simply don’t want biblical unity.
In other words they don’t really care about truth.
Let’s take to illustrate this point.
Now the world likes to use passages from the Bible whenever it fits their narrative.
After former president Bill Clinton was caught committing adultery in the White House the media often quoted most of Jesus’ words in , “He who is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone.”
This same mentality is also found within the brotherhood as I’ve personally lost count the amount of times brethren have told me “he who is without sin cast the first stone.”
This is typically said when you are correcting their unrighteous behavior and followed by “the Bible says you can’t judge me” taken from ().
The reason I said earlier that the church struggles with peace is because they don’t really want biblical unity is found in this passage.
The church says things like “you can judge me” or “he who is without sin cast the first stone” because they don’t love the truth.
People often say this passage is “very hard to understand” or “
Brethren it doesn’t even take much study to see that no one in the crowed had a right to stone the woman, not because of their sin in general but because of the sin they were committing right then.
These men brought a woman that had been caught in the “very act of adultery.”
4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.
Jn 8:
The law of Moses clearly states both man and woman were to be tried not just the woman.
22 “If a man is found lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman. So you shall purge the evil from Israel.
None of these men were in a position to stone the woman because they were disregarding the very law they professed to honor.
Mt 7:
3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.
5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
Jn 8:3-4
Hence Jesus’ statement “him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Now after Jesus wrote on the ground the men left and only Jesus and woman remained and the two corresponded.
10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
Jn 8:
The word condemned, in the Greek, means to pass sentence on someone. The Law of Moses was clear that if there were no witnesses there is no sentence that can be passed ().
Summery
Summery
If we love the truth we won’t be satisfied with accepting “false doctrine,” why because false doctrine can’t be proven it can only be desired.
If we love and seek truth we won’t “end up” with fancifulness and mythical doctrines but the unadulterated truth.
If we love and seek truth we won’t “end up” with fancifulness doctrines but truth.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Understanding truth is required to have biblical faith and peace of mind in this old sinful world.
We will never have unity in the Lord’s church if we don’t love truth more than personal lusts or desires.
Let’s learn from these two chapters in John about the importance of seeking the old paths of righteousness found in the Holy Writ of God.
David once asked the inspired question to God, “who shall dwell on your holy hill?” God responded...
2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart;
Invitation
David asked the question “Who shall dwell on your holy hill” and notice the answer.
2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; 3 who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend; 4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the Lord; who swears to his own hurt and does not change; 5 who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.