The Next Awakening - Lead to Truth

What does it look like to lead someone to truth? What does it look like to lead someone to anything?

Scripture says a lot about comparing God’s people to sheep. Not only am I a pastor now, leading God’s sheep, I also grew up on a sheep farm and I have some experience with real actual sheep.

Did you know that sheep need medicine? Sometimes it’s a shot and sometimes it’s an oral medicine given by syringe.

Did you also know that sheep have to be shorn? It’s really good for them and they feel better after.

How many sheep do you think knew that they needed medicine or knew that they needed to be shorn? The answer is none. How many sheep lined up to be given medicine or be shorn? Again the answer is none.

There are 2 ways you can chase by fear - use a sheep dog or make noises they are afraid of, or you can lead them with food. Which do you think is easier? My uncle Dave was a smart man…he chose to lead them with food. Every night when he fed them, he called to them from the barn and they would come running. They knew he was caring for them and feeding them, so they came running.

While they were eating at the trough, is was easy to go down the line and give them the medicine, make a mark on their back and on to the next.

I hesitated to use this example, because I didn’t want there to be an impression that as a church we want to lure people in with one thing and then force something onto them they weren’t expecting. We will always be transparent about what we are doing, but I wanted to highlight the difference in how to lead - it is either by the negative - in this case fear, or the positive - in this case food.

We’ve been in a series of messages from 1 John while looking at Jonathan Edwards 5 signs of true revival

Here is this list:

When esteem for the true Jesus is raised

When Satan’s kingdom is attacked (sin and worldly lusts)

When people come to love Scripture more

When men are led away from falsehood to truth (sound doctrine)

When there is an increase of love to God and man

We are on number 4. Hopefully you have an idea of where we are going today. Christianity and church as a whole has this reputation of trying to lead people to Christ through speaking against culture and the sin that is in the world - a world led by the master of lies, deceit and falsehood - the devil. That can work, but I would argue that it’s probably not the most effective way of leading someone from falsehood to truth.

That perspective focuses on the falsehood and from how I have read scripture, Jesus was always way more interested in just starting with truth and pointing people there. Throughout the letters by Paul and others, the overwhelming sense I get is that we are to place our focus and attention on truth, point to truth rather than pointing out falsehood.

Turn with me to 1 John 4. Our reading from 1 John today is going to be short. Let’s read the first 6 verses:

1 John 4:1–6 NIV

1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

John is saying that whoever listens to “us” knows God and therefore is able to recognize the Spirit of truth. Who is us? The apostles and in our day all the writers of the New Testament. If someone listens to what God’s Word says, they are able to recognize the Spirit of truth.

On the flip side, the person who does not listen to God’s Word is listening to falsehood, but they don’t know it. They don’t know it because their viewpoint or perspective does not include God.

I came across a very simple way of presenting the Gospel this week. A pastor in Georgia wrote this as a way to teach someone how to share Gospel truth with someone.

Jesus Left His Place

Jesus is God and He left heaven to come. His reason for coming is that He loves us and wants to save us from our sin.

Jesus Came to Our Place

Jesus, God in flesh came to earth in the form of a baby. We celebrate his birth at Christmas. He grew up and led a sinless life. He was tempted just like us, but unlike us, he never sinned.

Jesus Took Our Place

We have sinned and that sin deserves punishment. That punishment should be death, but Jesus took our place when he died on the cross.

Jesus Wants to Take Us to His Place

After his death, he rose from the grave and appeared to the disciples. The tomb is empty. We celebrate his resurrection on Easter. The promise is that he will return again and take his followers with him to heaven for eternity.

Jesus Left His Place

Jesus Came to Our Place

Jesus Took Our Place

Jesus Wants to Take Us to His Place

This is the truth we want to lead people to. I know…there are other Biblical truths that we’d rather argue with others about. There are nuances in Scripture we want to debate and examine, but let me just say that I don’t believe revival has ever broken out over someone arguing Greek and Hebrew verb tenses as much fun as they are.

Revival breaks out when hearts are changed. Revival breaks out when truth is revealed to someone who has believed a lie. Awakening happens in a culture when the truth of the Gospel is presented in a way that people can understand. Awakening happens when truth is revealed, not just to prove someone wrong or something false, but to point someone to the hope and joy in Jesus.