Hello, friends, and
welcome to 3ABN Worship Hour,
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where as I like to always say,
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we worship the Lord
here in spirit and in truth.
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That's what the Bible says.
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And that's what
we're gonna be doing
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during this time.
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We have a very
special message today
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that I'm very excited
to be sharing with you.
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And we're just gonna worship
the Lord in word, in song.
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And we're gonna have a
little bit of music here
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toward the end of
this presentation,
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but I don't wanna
take too much time
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because I wanna give
plenty of time for the Lord
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and His Word, right?
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Because we need to be opening
our hearts and our minds,
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as the Bible says,
let this mind be in you,
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which is also in Christ Jesus.
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Well, we can't
have the mind of Christ
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unless we get into His Word,
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His Word shares for us
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and gives to us
His will for our life.
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So before we go any further,
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before I reveal the
title of this presentation,
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I wanna go to the
Lord in prayer right now.
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Let's do that.
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Our Father in heaven,
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Lord, You are so wonderful.
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You are so marvelous.
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And as I always
like to start my prayers
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by acknowledging
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that You are
worthy to be praised.
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And we thank You,
Lord, for being our God.
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And we need not ask
that You are here with us
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because You have
promised us in Your Word
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that where two or three or
more are gathered in Your name,
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there You are in the midst.
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So we know You're here with us.
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We just ask You, Lord,
to pour out Your spirit up
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in a mighty way
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into our hearts, into our minds.
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And that we may be
able to rightly divide
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Your word of truth,
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that your words just come alive
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and that it will
penetrate our hearts and minds
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to the point that we
are drawn closer and closer
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to our Savior Jesus Christ.
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So thank You, Lord,
for Your never-ending love,
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Your wonderful grace and mercy.
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For it is in the name of
Jesus Christ that we pray.
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Amen.
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We certainly do live in
a social media world now.
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It's kind of crazy to say that
because just a few years ago,
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there really was no
such thing as social media
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and if it was, it
really wasn't that popular.
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And I happen to have
a social media account.
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I don't spend
too much time on it,
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but I try to use it
primarily for ministry purposes,
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for sharing the truth,
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for sharing the
good news of Jesus Christ
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through song
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and through inspirational quotes
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and sometimes, you know,
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the Lord will impress upon me
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to share something that
many people might consider
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to be a little controversial.
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And you know, the truth
sometimes is controversial.
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Not because God wants it to be,
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not because we want it to be,
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but because we live in a world
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where it seems like
the lines are just blurred.
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It seems like
people are questioning
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more and more what is truth?
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In fact, we're gonna jump
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into that
passage in just a moment,
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but I've gotta set this
up to reveal to you my title.
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I'm excited about it.
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Some of you may not
fully get it at first,
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but I think
throughout this presentation,
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throughout this sermon,
you will understand the title.
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And I wanna kind of set that up.
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It was a few weeks ago
back in October actually
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that I made a Facebook post,
a social media Facebook post.
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And I was simply
just stating, kind of,
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asking a rhetorical question
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that I already
know the answer to,
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but basically trying to
plant a seed in people's minds
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to be able to kind of
shift them in the direction
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of thinking about what is
truth according to God's Word.
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And so, this is what I shared.
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So right there,
you'll see Ryan Day,
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this is my Facebook account,
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and this is the
message that I shared.
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When did truth
become subjective?
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We now live in a
world of my truth
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rather than the truth.
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And then of
course I ended with sad,
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and kind of a
little sad emoji there.
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I was just trying to
share and open my heart about
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how it seems like
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as we have shifted quickly
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in a direction over the years
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a change has occurred
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in the minds
and hearts of people
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where people
seem to not even know
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what absolute truth is anymore.
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It seems to be subjective.
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And so, that's
what I was sharing.
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Now, of course,
I had many people
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that responded to this post,
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as I was trying to
spark people to think.
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I was hoping that it would spark
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some critical
thinking in the minds
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of those people who
would come across this post.
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And one particular
post really stood out to me
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so much that when
I saw it immediately,
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I burst into laughter
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just because I found it
a little comical at first,
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but as I got to
thinking about it,
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I realized that the
brother who posted this,
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he meant exactly what he said
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and I found myself
saying these very short words.
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It's very short phrase in
the days and weeks to come.
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And so, here's the
very, very short response.
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You see it there.
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I kind of blocked
his name and picture out,
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but this brother
responded true dat.
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He responded, look at
that, true dat and you can see,
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I responded there
with kind of a laughy face.
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It kind of caught me off guard.
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True dat, of course,
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those of you who are
looking at this right now,
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there's some of you
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that are
probably going true dat.
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What is true dat?
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Of course, it's a
type of American slang.
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It's a new age,
sling of communication.
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They really
simply means that's true.
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It'd be like you and
me responding to someone
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who said something
truthful and we might say,
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you know, hey,
yeah, that's true.
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That's a true statement.
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This brother made it very
clear when he read my post,
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he agreed.
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And he said, true dat.
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And all I could think about
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over the next
hours, days, weeks to come
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as I would hear, I
about drove my wife crazy
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because almost
every little response
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that I would give
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to something that I agreed
with or that I thought was true.
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I would be walking
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around my house
saying true dat, true dat.
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Yeah, true dat.
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So I know that it may sound
a little crazy as I'm trying,
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as I'm being a
little silly here,
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but nonetheless,
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I want this to be
a memorable sermon.
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It may have a silly
title, but I promise you,
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this sermon title is given,
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and its objective is
to stick in your mind
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so that you remember
the purpose of this message.
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And so for that reason,
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as I was preparing this sermon,
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I found myself
thinking of those words
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as I was preparing this sermon.
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And as I was going
through all of the scriptures
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and pulling everything together
and tightening everything up,
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all I could hear myself saying
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over and over and
over was true dat.
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So nonetheless today's title
of our sermon is "True Dat."
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That's right, true dat.
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Because we're going to be diving
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deep into the Bible, my friends.
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And I believe
that as we continue
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through this message
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and in the many days to come
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after you hear this message,
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you will remember it
because of that title.
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And you'll probably even
adopt that little bit of sling
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into your vocabulary as
you hear truthful things,
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you can say true dat
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because it is indeed true
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when we're
referring to the Word of God,
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the truth of God's Word.
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I wanna jump right
into John Chapter 18.
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And the reason
why we're going there
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is because it has one
of the most famous scenes
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that we see in all of scripture.
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Of course, I'm
referring to the interrogation
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of Jesus Christ
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by the Roman
governor Pontius Pilate,
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and that famous interrogation
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in which he's
asking Jesus questions,
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but then he ultimately ends
up asking a question himself.
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And that
question is what is truth.
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So let's go to the
Word of God right now,
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John 18 beginning with verse 33.
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Notice what the Bible says.
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It says, "Then Pilate
entered the Praetorium again,
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called Jesus and said to him,
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'Are you the King of the Jews?'
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Jesus answered him,
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'Are you speaking
for yourself about this,
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or did others tell
you this concerning Me?'
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Pilate answered, 'Am I a Jew?
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Your own nation
and the chief priests
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have delivered You to me.
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What have you done?'
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Jesus answered,
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'My kingdom is
not of this world.
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If My kingdom
were of this world,
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My servants would fight,
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so that I
should not be delivered
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to the Jews,
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but now My
kingdom is not from here.'
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Pilate, therefore said to
Him, 'Are you a King then?
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And Jesus answered.
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'You rightly say
that I am a King.
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For this cause I was born,
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and for this cause I
have come into the world
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that I should bear
witness to the truth.
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Everyone who is of the
truth hears My voice.'"
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And here's that famous verse.
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Verse 38, "Pilate said
to him, 'What is truth?'
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And when he had said this,
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he went out again to
the Jews and said to them,
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'I find no
fault in Him at all.'"
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Interesting. What is truth?
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And the truth of the matter
is we live in a day and age
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where the genuine
truth is being attacked.
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We live in a day and
age where most people
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do not really
believe in an absolute truth.
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You're gonna hear
me say that quite a bit
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throughout this presentation.
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As I was
preparing for this sermon,
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the Lord impressed upon my heart
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to bring attention
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to the absolute
truth of His Word,
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because we live in a day and age
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where many people
might hold the idea
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or the ideology,
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the perspective
of Irish playwright,
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Oscar Wilde.
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When he said
these words, he said,
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"The truth is rarely
pure and never simple."
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There's people that
hold this type of mentality
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in the society
that we live in today.
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Another famous quote,
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as I was doing research on this,
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I found Bob Dylan,
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the famous musician
and singer Bob Dylan
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had these words
to say about truth.
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He said, "All the
truth in the world
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adds up to one big lie."
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And there are
people that believe this,
00:10:01.40\00:10:04.13
that there is no absolute truth.
00:10:04.17\00:10:07.60
And we live in a world today
00:10:07.64\00:10:08.97
where people
have their own truth.
00:10:09.00\00:10:11.47
They live according to
the standard of my truth
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or my own truth.
00:10:13.74\00:10:15.08
You have your
truth and I got my truth.
00:10:15.11\00:10:17.41
I have my own path,
you have your own path.
00:10:17.45\00:10:20.35
You have your own
light, and I have my own light.
00:10:20.38\00:10:24.72
In fact, Oprah
Winfrey, famous talk show host.
00:10:24.75\00:10:29.92
She had these words to
say in the Huffington Post.
00:10:29.96\00:10:31.63
She said, "What I know for sure
00:10:31.66\00:10:33.13
is that speaking your truth
00:10:33.16\00:10:36.87
is the most
powerful tool we have."
00:10:36.90\00:10:39.70
So what she's saying here
00:10:39.73\00:10:41.27
is she simply
advocating the idea
00:10:41.30\00:10:43.34
that we all have our own truth.
00:10:43.37\00:10:45.47
And that
certainly is a reflection
00:10:45.51\00:10:47.44
of what seems to be the
majority of thinking today.
00:10:47.48\00:10:51.01
And I'm gonna hone in on
this in just a few moments
00:10:51.05\00:10:53.05
because you expect,
00:10:53.08\00:10:54.55
you would expect the
world to have this mentality.
00:10:54.58\00:10:57.65
In other words,
00:10:57.69\00:10:59.02
people outside of
the Christian Church,
00:10:59.05\00:11:00.42
who don't necessarily
identify as Christian,
00:11:00.46\00:11:02.96
who don't necessarily
identify as a religious person
00:11:02.99\00:11:05.89
or have a
particular religious belief.
00:11:05.93\00:11:07.83
You expect someone
from outside the church
00:11:07.86\00:11:10.27
to hold these particular beliefs
00:11:10.30\00:11:11.97
or to have this
particular perspective.
00:11:12.00\00:11:14.00
But when you get
inside the church, my friends,
00:11:14.04\00:11:16.37
and we see this
type of mentality
00:11:16.40\00:11:19.37
floating around
inside the church,
00:11:19.41\00:11:21.11
my friends, we're in trouble.
00:11:21.14\00:11:23.61
And like Oprah Winfrey said,
00:11:23.65\00:11:24.98
your truth is the
most powerful tool
00:11:25.01\00:11:28.18
that you have.
00:11:28.22\00:11:29.55
Do you have a truth?
00:11:29.58\00:11:30.92
Do you have your own truth
00:11:30.95\00:11:32.29
or that's what the world
would like you to believe.
00:11:32.32\00:11:34.62
New and upcoming author
Alex Elle also had this to say.
00:11:34.66\00:11:38.29
She said, "Live in your purpose.
00:11:38.33\00:11:41.00
Follow your light.
00:11:41.03\00:11:43.00
Love in your truth."
00:11:43.03\00:11:45.33
Again, the same concept.
00:11:45.37\00:11:46.77
You have a
truth, I have a truth.
00:11:46.80\00:11:48.27
We have to live
according to our own truth.
00:11:48.30\00:11:51.54
It's not absolute
according these people.
00:11:51.57\00:11:54.84
Famous actor,
Sylvester Stallone,
00:11:54.88\00:11:58.98
listen to what he has to say
00:11:59.01\00:12:00.35
as he is recorded to
have said these words.
00:12:00.38\00:12:02.22
He says, "I believe
there's an inner power
00:12:02.25\00:12:04.95
that makes winners or losers.
00:12:04.99\00:12:07.39
And the winners are the ones
who really listen to the truth
00:12:07.42\00:12:10.46
of their hearts."
00:12:10.49\00:12:11.83
In other words, trust yourself,
00:12:11.86\00:12:13.73
trust your own truth.
00:12:13.76\00:12:15.16
You have your own truth.
00:12:15.20\00:12:16.60
You have a truth
within your own heart.
00:12:16.63\00:12:18.57
You need to
follow your own truth
00:12:18.60\00:12:20.57
that is within your own heart.
00:12:20.60\00:12:23.20
Of course,
another famous author,
00:12:23.24\00:12:25.07
influential
author, Elizabeth Gilbert.
00:12:25.11\00:12:27.64
She had these
words to say, she said,
00:12:27.68\00:12:29.14
"True power comes from
standing in your own truth
00:12:29.18\00:12:33.31
and walking your own path."
00:12:33.35\00:12:35.58
My friends, these are the words
of the majority of the world
00:12:35.62\00:12:38.65
we live in today,
00:12:38.69\00:12:40.02
but I'm gonna tell
you today, my friends,
00:12:40.06\00:12:41.39
this also seems to be
the mentality, the dangerous,
00:12:41.42\00:12:44.99
as I always say,
00:12:45.03\00:12:46.36
stinking thinking
that is entering in
00:12:46.39\00:12:49.30
and lurking into the minds
and hearts of Christians today.
00:12:49.33\00:12:53.37
I wanna share one more with you.
00:12:53.40\00:12:54.74
I think this one
was quite interesting.
00:12:54.77\00:12:56.20
I certainly don't agree with it
00:12:56.24\00:12:58.11
but famous,
00:12:58.14\00:13:00.21
motivational speaker
and author, Steve Mariboli.
00:13:00.24\00:13:03.08
I think that's how you say it.
00:13:03.11\00:13:05.05
He had this to say,
and he said these words.
00:13:05.08\00:13:07.32
He said, "Stop
lying to yourself.
00:13:07.35\00:13:09.68
When we deny our own truth,
00:13:09.72\00:13:12.85
we deny our own potential."
00:13:12.89\00:13:17.23
So again, that
concept that we all have
00:13:17.26\00:13:19.76
our own personal truth.
00:13:19.79\00:13:21.23
We all have our own
reality that we live in
00:13:21.26\00:13:24.63
and that reality is
ours, no one can take it away.
00:13:24.67\00:13:27.60
And, my friends,
what we would call this,
00:13:27.64\00:13:29.57
it's not just a
dangerous mentality.
00:13:29.60\00:13:31.31
It actually has a name.
00:13:31.34\00:13:32.67
And we live in a world today
00:13:32.71\00:13:34.38
of what many of
the psychologists
00:13:34.41\00:13:36.54
and sociologists and
philosophical thinkers
00:13:36.58\00:13:40.72
today call relativism.
00:13:40.75\00:13:42.18
We live in a
world of relativism.
00:13:42.22\00:13:44.52
And simply,
relativism is the concept
00:13:44.55\00:13:47.16
and I think it's summed up here
in this interesting statement.
00:13:47.19\00:13:49.46
My truth is what I say.
00:13:49.49\00:13:51.49
My truth is what I say.
00:13:51.53\00:13:53.06
My truth is what
I make it out to be.
00:13:53.09\00:13:55.23
You have your
truth, I have my truth.
00:13:55.26\00:13:57.73
And that just seems to also be
00:13:57.77\00:13:59.60
the mentality of
many Christians today.
00:13:59.63\00:14:02.14
Again, I wanna
make this very clear.
00:14:02.17\00:14:03.54
This message is not
probably going to resonate
00:14:03.57\00:14:06.21
with every single person,
00:14:06.24\00:14:07.68
because many people
again have their own opinions
00:14:07.71\00:14:10.51
outside of the church
00:14:10.55\00:14:11.95
who may not necessarily resonate
00:14:11.98\00:14:13.31
with Christianity,
00:14:13.35\00:14:14.68
who may not
necessarily be a Christian.
00:14:14.72\00:14:16.95
I still encourage you
to listen to this message
00:14:16.99\00:14:18.75
because there may
be something in here,
00:14:18.79\00:14:20.22
a nugget of truth
00:14:20.26\00:14:21.59
that the Lord
wants to share with you.
00:14:21.62\00:14:23.02
But, my friends,
I'm here to preach today
00:14:23.06\00:14:24.89
to all those
professed Christians
00:14:24.93\00:14:27.96
who profess Jesus
Christ as Lord and Savior,
00:14:28.00\00:14:31.10
who believe that
they are a representative
00:14:31.13\00:14:33.07
of Jesus Christ and a
follower of Jesus Christ.
00:14:33.10\00:14:35.44
We need to be
asking the question,
00:14:35.47\00:14:37.41
is truth what it really is.
00:14:37.44\00:14:39.07
Is truth absolute or is
it what I want it to be?
00:14:39.11\00:14:41.98
Is it subject to opinion?
00:14:42.01\00:14:43.71
Is truth
subjective or is it objective?
00:14:43.75\00:14:46.82
And speaking of relativism,
let's identify what that is,
00:14:46.85\00:14:49.28
'cause that's a big word.
00:14:49.32\00:14:50.65
Many people may
wonder, what is relativism?
00:14:50.69\00:14:52.02
What are you speaking of
00:14:52.05\00:14:53.39
or talking about
when you say relativism?
00:14:53.42\00:14:56.59
Here's the definition I
found from Oxford dictionary.
00:14:56.62\00:14:58.93
Relativism simply is
the doctrine that knowledge,
00:14:58.96\00:15:02.16
truth, and morality
00:15:02.20\00:15:03.97
exist in relation to culture,
00:15:04.00\00:15:06.40
society, or historical
context, and are not, get this,
00:15:06.43\00:15:11.57
they are not absolute.
00:15:11.61\00:15:13.94
That's the
concept of relativism.
00:15:13.98\00:15:16.41
A person who thinks
00:15:16.44\00:15:18.01
with a
relativism type of thinking
00:15:18.05\00:15:20.75
is a person who
believes that truth,
00:15:20.78\00:15:23.12
it comes from the
perspective of maybe the culture
00:15:23.15\00:15:25.75
that they live in,
00:15:25.79\00:15:27.12
maybe the culture
they live in defines
00:15:27.16\00:15:29.09
what truth really is,
00:15:29.12\00:15:30.46
or perhaps maybe the
society that they live in,
00:15:30.49\00:15:32.59
their environment will define
what that truth is to them.
00:15:32.63\00:15:36.36
Or perhaps maybe from
a historical perspective,
00:15:36.40\00:15:38.90
they're looking at history,
they're studying history.
00:15:38.93\00:15:41.37
And from a
historical perspective,
00:15:41.40\00:15:42.87
they have determined
that there is a certain truth
00:15:42.90\00:15:45.57
to them personally
00:15:45.61\00:15:47.04
that may not necessarily
exist to everyone else.
00:15:47.08\00:15:49.48
In other words,
everyone has their own truth.
00:15:49.51\00:15:53.11
And the dangers of relativism,
my friends, is simply this.
00:15:53.15\00:15:56.08
Let me just spell it
out very clearly for you.
00:15:56.12\00:15:58.85
The dangers of
relativism is the fact
00:15:58.89\00:16:00.99
that people who
believe in this relativism,
00:16:01.02\00:16:05.09
the concept that
they have their own truth,
00:16:05.13\00:16:06.93
simply believe
that now they live
00:16:06.96\00:16:09.56
in their own reality.
00:16:09.60\00:16:10.93
It separates them
00:16:10.97\00:16:12.30
from the
objective truthful reality
00:16:12.33\00:16:14.34
that each and every
one of us are bound to.
00:16:14.37\00:16:17.14
In other words,
they're not bound
00:16:17.17\00:16:18.51
to the same objective reality,
00:16:18.54\00:16:20.14
the same objective
truth that everyone else is,
00:16:20.18\00:16:22.44
they live in and
of their own reality.
00:16:22.48\00:16:24.98
And because they
have their own truth,
00:16:25.01\00:16:27.12
their own life,
their own path of,
00:16:27.15\00:16:29.88
in this case, we're gonna
use the word righteousness
00:16:29.92\00:16:32.35
for a Christian's perspective.
00:16:32.39\00:16:34.39
My friends, we
have to understand
00:16:34.42\00:16:36.19
that according to relativism,
if you believe this thinking,
00:16:36.22\00:16:39.09
if you have this
stinking thinking concept
00:16:39.13\00:16:41.23
that your truth
is your own truth,
00:16:41.26\00:16:43.16
you have your own truth.
00:16:43.20\00:16:44.53
You have your own way
00:16:44.57\00:16:45.90
that everything is
according to your own,
00:16:45.93\00:16:47.67
is subject to your own opinion.
00:16:47.70\00:16:49.40
My friends, at
the end of the day,
00:16:49.44\00:16:50.77
we have to
understand what we are doing
00:16:50.81\00:16:52.61
as we're
destroying the foundations
00:16:52.64\00:16:54.81
of communication.
00:16:54.84\00:16:56.34
We're going to a
point to where we no longer
00:16:56.38\00:16:58.51
can communicate
rightfully with each other
00:16:58.55\00:17:01.45
or correctly with each other
00:17:01.48\00:17:02.82
or understand in a
foreshore absolute way
00:17:02.85\00:17:08.19
what truth really is
00:17:08.22\00:17:09.56
because even within
the Christian Church,
00:17:09.59\00:17:11.79
the truth is being eroded.
00:17:11.83\00:17:13.76
The absolute truth
is found in God's Word.
00:17:13.80\00:17:16.73
So I'm gonna ask a question,
00:17:16.77\00:17:18.40
should Christians
view truth as absolute?
00:17:18.43\00:17:23.71
If I am a Christian
00:17:23.74\00:17:25.51
and I'm identifying
myself as a Christian,
00:17:25.54\00:17:28.04
should truth be absolute?
00:17:28.08\00:17:30.81
Well, first before
we answer that question,
00:17:30.85\00:17:32.55
I wanna identify
what a Christian is.
00:17:32.58\00:17:34.02
Okay.
00:17:34.05\00:17:35.38
I have a very clear,
simplistic definition
00:17:35.42\00:17:37.29
that of course I have
created based on the Bible,
00:17:37.32\00:17:40.62
as well as some
other dictionaries
00:17:40.66\00:17:42.36
and definitions that we found,
00:17:42.39\00:17:44.09
but we pulled
some sources together
00:17:44.13\00:17:45.99
to bring about
a very simplistic,
00:17:46.03\00:17:48.36
very clear
foundational definition
00:17:48.40\00:17:50.67
of what a biblical Christian is.
00:17:50.70\00:17:52.37
And here it is,
00:17:52.40\00:17:53.74
"A Christian is someone
who follows Jesus Christ
00:17:53.77\00:17:57.54
in obeying His word
00:17:57.57\00:17:59.14
for the purpose of
replicating His character."
00:17:59.17\00:18:03.31
It's that simple.
00:18:03.35\00:18:04.68
Someone who follows Jesus Christ
00:18:04.71\00:18:06.88
in obeying His word
00:18:06.92\00:18:08.28
for the purpose of
replicating His character.
00:18:08.32\00:18:11.19
You are a follower of Jesus.
00:18:11.22\00:18:13.15
You wanna replicate
00:18:13.19\00:18:14.52
the right
righteousness of Jesus.
00:18:14.56\00:18:16.12
You, you know,
your righteousness
00:18:16.16\00:18:17.53
is like filthy
rags as the Bible says.
00:18:17.56\00:18:19.66
You need Jesus
Christ righteousness
00:18:19.69\00:18:21.53
to be your own.
00:18:21.56\00:18:22.90
In other words, you
wanna be like Christ,
00:18:22.93\00:18:25.07
but in order to be
like Christ, my friends,
00:18:25.10\00:18:27.57
we have to understand
00:18:27.60\00:18:28.94
that we have to be
obedient to His word,
00:18:28.97\00:18:31.27
that we have to be
obedient to His following.
00:18:31.31\00:18:33.61
And so,
00:18:33.64\00:18:35.51
I have another
definition for you
00:18:35.54\00:18:36.95
because not everyone
is a Christian, obviously,
00:18:36.98\00:18:39.61
but many people
identify as a Christian,
00:18:39.65\00:18:42.15
but you know,
there are some people
00:18:42.18\00:18:43.52
that identify as a Christian
that really aren't Christians.
00:18:43.55\00:18:45.99
In fact, this one
is a Ryan Day specialty
00:18:46.02\00:18:48.26
that I'm about to bring up.
00:18:48.29\00:18:49.86
I believe that many
people while they believe
00:18:49.89\00:18:51.99
they're actually Christians,
00:18:52.03\00:18:53.40
they're actually not Christians,
00:18:53.43\00:18:54.80
they are what I
like to call selftian.
00:18:54.83\00:18:57.07
That's right.
00:18:57.10\00:18:58.43
S-E-L-F tian like
Christian, selftian.
00:18:58.47\00:19:01.47
Okay.
00:19:01.50\00:19:02.84
And here's the
definition of a selftian.
00:19:02.87\00:19:04.97
"Someone who may profess
00:19:05.01\00:19:06.74
Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior,
00:19:06.78\00:19:08.78
but does not follow His word.
00:19:08.81\00:19:10.68
This person lives
00:19:10.71\00:19:12.05
according to
their own understanding
00:19:12.08\00:19:13.88
rather than the
truth of God's word."
00:19:13.92\00:19:17.29
That's right.
00:19:17.32\00:19:18.65
Relativism, truth is subjective.
00:19:18.69\00:19:21.59
Truth is what I want it to be.
00:19:21.62\00:19:23.63
I have my truth,
you have your truth.
00:19:23.66\00:19:25.89
And my truth is, I
believe I'm a Christian.
00:19:25.93\00:19:28.06
I believe I'm a
follower of Jesus.
00:19:28.10\00:19:29.43
I believe I'm saved.
00:19:29.46\00:19:30.80
But at the end of
the day, my friends,
00:19:30.83\00:19:32.17
we have to be
honest with ourselves
00:19:32.20\00:19:33.90
just because you may profess
that you are a Christian,
00:19:33.94\00:19:36.27
doesn't make you a Christian
00:19:36.30\00:19:37.77
because you very well may find
yourself in the selftian camp.
00:19:37.81\00:19:41.74
And I'll tell you what
clearly at the end of the day
00:19:41.78\00:19:43.61
separates a
selftian from a Christian.
00:19:43.65\00:19:45.55
Many of those things
that I just mentioned
00:19:45.58\00:19:47.35
is absolutely true,
00:19:47.38\00:19:48.72
but let's get a
little deeper here.
00:19:48.75\00:19:50.09
You see we all as Christians
claim to believe in the Bible,
00:19:50.12\00:19:53.39
we claim to follow the Bible.
00:19:53.42\00:19:54.86
And this Bible is
comprised of 66 books.
00:19:54.89\00:19:57.19
Okay?
00:19:57.23\00:19:58.56
And you may have
a different version.
00:19:58.59\00:19:59.93
I have here the
New King James version.
00:19:59.96\00:20:01.33
I have many different versions
of scripture in my library,
00:20:01.36\00:20:04.40
King James, New King James, NIV.
00:20:04.43\00:20:06.17
You go down the list.
00:20:06.20\00:20:07.54
When I study the Word of God,
00:20:07.57\00:20:08.90
sometimes I look at
many different versions
00:20:08.94\00:20:10.77
of the Bible,
00:20:10.81\00:20:12.14
but a selftian
has a special version.
00:20:12.17\00:20:14.58
A selftian has
their own version.
00:20:14.61\00:20:16.75
In fact this is
a special version
00:20:16.78\00:20:18.55
that most Christians
have in their library.
00:20:18.58\00:20:20.68
They may not be able
to see it all the time,
00:20:20.72\00:20:22.22
but they certainly refer to it.
00:20:22.25\00:20:23.59
I just like to call it
the self revised version.
00:20:23.62\00:20:26.05
That's right. The
self revised version.
00:20:26.09\00:20:27.92
Of course, I'm being
a little facetious here
00:20:27.96\00:20:29.86
for the purpose
of proving a point.
00:20:29.89\00:20:31.43
Many people go
00:20:31.46\00:20:32.79
by their own
self revised version.
00:20:32.83\00:20:34.33
They pick a little
here, take a little here.
00:20:34.36\00:20:36.30
They've created
their own little truth,
00:20:36.33\00:20:38.23
their own little
Christian bubble.
00:20:38.27\00:20:39.80
But at the end of
the day, my friends,
00:20:39.83\00:20:41.17
we're gonna ask the question,
00:20:41.20\00:20:42.54
same question
today that we've read
00:20:42.57\00:20:44.54
that Pilate
asked, what is truth?
00:20:44.57\00:20:46.68
For a Christian, what is truth?
00:20:46.71\00:20:48.64
And inside this
self revised version,
00:20:48.68\00:20:50.51
again, I'm being a
little facetious here,
00:20:50.55\00:20:51.98
but I'm trying to make a point.
00:20:52.01\00:20:53.35
We have two special
books instead of 66 books.
00:20:53.38\00:20:56.12
We have 68 books
00:20:56.15\00:20:57.49
and the two added
books in most selftians
00:20:57.52\00:20:59.65
is the first
opinions and second opinions.
00:20:59.69\00:21:01.99
Two special books,
first and second opinions.
00:21:02.02\00:21:04.53
My friends, let me
make it clear here.
00:21:04.56\00:21:07.13
We may all have an opinion.
00:21:07.16\00:21:08.73
We may all have a
version of our truth
00:21:08.76\00:21:11.63
that we may think and we create
and exist in our own minds.
00:21:11.67\00:21:14.84
But at the end of the
day, as we're gonna learn,
00:21:14.87\00:21:16.87
truth is absolute.
00:21:16.91\00:21:18.27
In fact, that's the
question we're asking right now.
00:21:18.31\00:21:20.38
In fact, for
the purpose of this,
00:21:20.41\00:21:21.74
everything that
we've just set up
00:21:21.78\00:21:23.11
to this point, you
know we can respond to?
00:21:23.14\00:21:24.48
We can just simply say true dat,
00:21:24.51\00:21:26.41
because all that's
true that we just said,
00:21:26.45\00:21:28.08
true dat Very clearly.
00:21:28.12\00:21:29.45
You can say it with me.
00:21:29.48\00:21:30.82
I can hear you
saying it at home, true dat.
00:21:30.85\00:21:32.35
That's right.
00:21:32.39\00:21:34.02
We're asking the question,
00:21:34.06\00:21:36.26
is truth
absolute for Christians?
00:21:36.29\00:21:39.09
Should Christians
believe that truth is absolute?
00:21:39.13\00:21:41.86
I wanna know what Jesus said,
00:21:41.90\00:21:43.43
because since I'm
a follower of Jesus,
00:21:43.47\00:21:45.37
I'm a Christian I want
to know what Jesus said.
00:21:45.40\00:21:47.64
And Jesus tells us
in John Chapter 14,
00:21:47.67\00:21:49.64
these beautiful
words we know it.
00:21:49.67\00:21:51.17
John 14: 15, he
said, "If you love Me,
00:21:51.21\00:21:54.21
keep My commandments."
00:21:54.24\00:21:56.85
If you're going to be a
follower of Jesus Christ,
00:21:56.88\00:21:59.25
Jesus says, you must love Me
00:21:59.28\00:22:00.62
and in showing Me that love,
00:22:00.65\00:22:01.98
you're going to be
obedient to My commandments.
00:22:02.02\00:22:04.19
Of course, we
know that's a big part
00:22:04.22\00:22:05.55
of the Word of God.
00:22:05.59\00:22:06.92
And in that same chapter,
00:22:06.96\00:22:08.29
Jesus is recorded to
have said these words.
00:22:08.32\00:22:10.06
John 14:23, Jesus
says and answers to,
00:22:10.09\00:22:13.53
"Jesus answered
to them and said,
00:22:13.56\00:22:15.33
'If anyone loves Me,
00:22:15.36\00:22:16.77
he will keep My word,
and My Father will love him,
00:22:16.80\00:22:19.80
and we will come to him
and make our home with him."
00:22:19.83\00:22:23.04
But he goes on to
verse 24 and he says,
00:22:23.07\00:22:24.81
"He who does not love Me
00:22:24.84\00:22:26.41
does not keep My words
00:22:26.44\00:22:28.28
and the word which
you hear is not of Mine,
00:22:28.31\00:22:30.98
but of the
Father's who sent Me."
00:22:31.01\00:22:34.22
So the question we're asking.
00:22:34.25\00:22:36.15
Let me bring it
up one more time.
00:22:36.18\00:22:37.59
Should Christians
view truth as absolute?
00:22:37.62\00:22:40.46
Got a question.
00:22:40.49\00:22:41.82
Did Jesus view
truth as absolute?
00:22:41.86\00:22:43.59
Yes, He did.
00:22:43.63\00:22:44.96
And we're about to
see that right now.
00:22:44.99\00:22:46.80
Notice what the Bible
says here in John 18:37.
00:22:46.83\00:22:50.63
We read this earlier,
but just to be reminded,
00:22:50.67\00:22:52.83
Jesus viewed truth is absolute.
00:22:52.87\00:22:54.97
And as Christians,
00:22:55.00\00:22:56.34
should we view
truth as absolute?
00:22:56.37\00:22:57.81
Because if we're Christians,
00:22:57.84\00:22:59.17
remember we're a
follower of Jesus
00:22:59.21\00:23:00.64
and His word as we just read.
00:23:00.68\00:23:02.21
We can't be a follower or claim
00:23:02.24\00:23:03.85
to be a follower of Jesus
00:23:03.88\00:23:05.25
and not follow His word
00:23:05.28\00:23:06.61
or not keep His
words as He just said.
00:23:06.65\00:23:08.58
So we're gonna go to John 18
beginning with verse 37 again,
00:23:08.62\00:23:11.62
notice what Jesus had to say.
00:23:11.65\00:23:13.36
He said, "For
this cause I was born,
00:23:13.39\00:23:15.96
and for this cause I
have come into the world
00:23:15.99\00:23:18.19
that I should bear
witness to, notice, the truth.
00:23:18.23\00:23:22.40
Everyone who is of
the truth hears My voice."
00:23:22.43\00:23:26.40
Notice, even in
the original Greek
00:23:26.43\00:23:28.47
right here
where I've highlighted
00:23:28.50\00:23:29.84
those words, the truth,
00:23:29.87\00:23:31.24
you find the definite article.
00:23:31.27\00:23:32.84
Jesus was clear, my friends.
00:23:32.87\00:23:34.94
Jesus believed that
the truth was absolute
00:23:34.98\00:23:37.31
because He used
the definite article.
00:23:37.35\00:23:39.28
He just didn't say,
look, I've come into the world
00:23:39.31\00:23:41.38
to reveal a truth
00:23:41.42\00:23:42.88
that everyone
who hears My voice,
00:23:42.92\00:23:44.35
they are of a truth.
00:23:44.39\00:23:45.79
No, no. He said,
they're of the truth.
00:23:45.82\00:23:47.59
I've come into
this world to preach
00:23:47.62\00:23:49.22
and to declare and
to live out the truth.
00:23:49.26\00:23:52.69
That's why He also
said in that famous verse
00:23:52.73\00:23:54.66
found in John 8:32,
00:23:54.70\00:23:56.97
we almost have it
memorized because we say it off.
00:23:57.00\00:23:59.50
And sometimes we
say it a little wrong,
00:23:59.53\00:24:01.37
but here are those famous words.
00:24:01.40\00:24:03.04
In John 8:32 Jesus
says, "And you shall know, "
00:24:03.07\00:24:06.54
there it is again
the definite article,
00:24:06.57\00:24:08.44
"the truth and the
truth shall make you free."
00:24:08.48\00:24:13.11
That's right, my friends,
00:24:13.15\00:24:14.48
Jesus was clear that
truth is indeed absolute.
00:24:14.52\00:24:18.29
It's not
something that we create.
00:24:18.32\00:24:20.19
It's not something that exists
00:24:20.22\00:24:21.69
in our own little
alternate reality.
00:24:21.72\00:24:23.86
Jesus made it true and
clear that truth is absolute.
00:24:23.89\00:24:28.36
In fact, even
referring to Himself,
00:24:28.40\00:24:31.40
and we're gonna highlight this
a little more in just a moment,
00:24:31.43\00:24:34.47
but you know, that famous verse
found in John 14:6, I love it.
00:24:34.50\00:24:38.87
Jesus referring to Himself.
00:24:38.91\00:24:40.28
He said, "I am
the way, the truth,"
00:24:40.31\00:24:43.61
there it is
again, definite article,
00:24:43.65\00:24:46.25
"the truth and the life.
00:24:46.28\00:24:48.18
No one comes to the
Father except through Me."
00:24:48.22\00:24:51.55
And we read all those texts.
00:24:51.59\00:24:53.25
We read all that truth
about how Jesus is the truth.
00:24:53.29\00:24:56.22
He is the way, the
truth, and the life.
00:24:56.26\00:24:58.56
And to that, I can say,
00:24:58.59\00:24:59.93
because I believe 100%
that Jesus is the truth.
00:24:59.96\00:25:03.10
I say true dat.
00:25:03.13\00:25:04.97
That's right, true dat.
00:25:05.00\00:25:06.33
You can say it with me,
true dat, because that is true.
00:25:06.37\00:25:08.97
Amen.
00:25:09.00\00:25:10.34
And we can be,
00:25:10.37\00:25:11.71
we can know and rely on the fact
00:25:11.74\00:25:13.07
that that is indeed true.
00:25:13.11\00:25:15.58
So the question is,
00:25:15.61\00:25:16.95
can Christians know
what truth is today?
00:25:16.98\00:25:20.12
Okay, we know
that truth is absolute,
00:25:20.15\00:25:22.28
but can we know
00:25:22.32\00:25:23.65
what that absolute truth is now.
00:25:23.69\00:25:25.02
Many people today would
say, no, not really, right?
00:25:25.05\00:25:27.22
Because, you know,
maybe truth exists.
00:25:27.26\00:25:29.72
Maybe that absolute
truth is out there somewhere,
00:25:29.76\00:25:32.09
but we can't
really know what it is.
00:25:32.13\00:25:34.20
Again, that's that stinking
thinking that relativism,
00:25:34.23\00:25:36.87
we don't want
anything or any part of that
00:25:36.90\00:25:38.63
because as Christians,
00:25:38.67\00:25:40.30
Jesus was very, very clear
00:25:40.34\00:25:42.44
as to what He
wanted us to believe.
00:25:42.47\00:25:45.01
And so, I want to just
bring a series of texts together
00:25:45.04\00:25:47.98
to answer this question.
00:25:48.01\00:25:49.54
Can Christians know
what truth is today?
00:25:49.58\00:25:51.31
Let's start with Jesus' words.
00:25:51.35\00:25:53.31
Because again, He is
the way, He is the truth,
00:25:53.35\00:25:55.62
He is the life.
00:25:55.65\00:25:56.99
And this is what
He said in Matthew 4:4
00:25:57.02\00:25:58.75
as He was being
tempted by the devil.
00:25:58.79\00:26:00.62
We know those famous words.
00:26:00.66\00:26:02.02
He said here, "He said to him,
00:26:02.06\00:26:03.59
'It is written,
00:26:03.63\00:26:05.16
man shall not
live by bread alone,
00:26:05.19\00:26:07.30
but by every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God.
00:26:07.33\00:26:13.03
So notice here, Christ is making
00:26:13.07\00:26:14.40
a definitive statement.
00:26:14.44\00:26:15.77
He's saying, "Look,
00:26:15.80\00:26:17.14
if you're going to
be a follower of Me,
00:26:17.17\00:26:18.67
if you're going to be
of Me, I've created man,
00:26:18.71\00:26:21.54
I am the creator He
says, and I'm telling you, man,
00:26:21.58\00:26:24.31
that I've created
should live by the Word of God.
00:26:24.35\00:26:27.42
They should live
only by what comes
00:26:27.45\00:26:29.18
from the mouth of God.
00:26:29.22\00:26:30.55
Now take that and
tie that to John 17:17,
00:26:30.59\00:26:33.32
when Jesus was praying
in the Garden of Gethsemane.
00:26:33.36\00:26:35.69
And he said these
famous words sanctify them.
00:26:35.72\00:26:38.86
That is make them
holy, set them apart.
00:26:38.89\00:26:40.90
Sanctify them
through thy," there it is,
00:26:40.93\00:26:43.47
"truth, Thy word is truth."
00:26:43.50\00:26:47.70
I love that.
00:26:47.74\00:26:49.07
Thy word is truth.
00:26:49.10\00:26:52.34
And so, my
friends, now take that.
00:26:52.37\00:26:54.64
Again, we're
building some blocks here
00:26:54.68\00:26:56.51
and connect that
to Psalm 119:160.
00:26:56.54\00:26:59.65
I love this one, the
119 Chapter of Psalm.
00:26:59.68\00:27:02.38
So much packed in that chapter.
00:27:02.42\00:27:04.65
Notice what David
writes here, he says,
00:27:04.69\00:27:06.02
"The entirety of
Your word is truth,
00:27:06.05\00:27:11.86
and every one of
your righteous judgments
00:27:11.89\00:27:14.63
endures forever.
00:27:14.66\00:27:16.30
Okay, so let's
take the two texts
00:27:16.33\00:27:17.67
that we've just read,
00:27:17.70\00:27:19.03
sanctify them through Thy truth.
00:27:19.07\00:27:20.84
Thy word is truth.
00:27:20.87\00:27:22.30
And David makes it clear
00:27:22.34\00:27:23.67
under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
00:27:23.71\00:27:25.04
Lord, the entirety
of Your Word is truth.
00:27:25.07\00:27:28.68
Guess what?
00:27:28.71\00:27:30.05
That means from
Genesis to Revelation,
00:27:30.08\00:27:32.08
we can know what truth is.
00:27:32.11\00:27:34.18
We can know
00:27:34.22\00:27:35.55
that the
absolute definitive clear,
00:27:35.58\00:27:38.02
genuine truth of God's Word
00:27:38.05\00:27:39.72
is found right
here in the Bible.
00:27:39.75\00:27:41.92
And we can trust it
every single word is from God
00:27:41.96\00:27:45.36
and that it is trustworthy.
00:27:45.39\00:27:47.50
That's why I
love again, Psalm 119.
00:27:47.53\00:27:49.66
It's one of my
favorite chapters.
00:27:49.70\00:27:51.03
119 that famous
verse found in verse 105.
00:27:51.07\00:27:55.30
It says, "Your word
is a lamp unto my feet
00:27:55.34\00:27:58.44
and a light unto my path."
00:27:58.47\00:28:00.98
So God's Word is a light.
00:28:01.01\00:28:03.58
And if you've ever
been in a dark place,
00:28:03.61\00:28:05.41
you desire to see, right?
00:28:05.45\00:28:07.32
You desire light.
God's Word is that light.
00:28:07.35\00:28:10.05
That's what God inspired
His Bible prophets to say,
00:28:10.09\00:28:13.42
that His Word is that light.
00:28:13.46\00:28:15.19
It is the lamp
that lights our path.
00:28:15.22\00:28:17.43
Now keep that in
mind, God's Word is a what?
00:28:17.46\00:28:19.73
It's a light.
00:28:19.76\00:28:21.13
Now take that in consideration
when we read Isaiah 8:20,
00:28:21.16\00:28:25.10
because the
question we're asking is,
00:28:25.13\00:28:26.47
can we know what
this absolute truth is?
00:28:26.50\00:28:29.14
Here it is, Isaiah 8:22,
00:28:29.17\00:28:30.84
"To the law and
to the testimony!
00:28:30.87\00:28:33.01
If they speak not
according to this word,
00:28:33.04\00:28:35.04
it is because there
is no light in them."
00:28:35.08\00:28:38.51
Did you hear that?
00:28:38.55\00:28:39.88
When we don't
speak as Christians,
00:28:39.91\00:28:42.25
oh, I just wished
I could scream this
00:28:42.28\00:28:44.45
from the mountaintop.
00:28:44.49\00:28:45.82
When we as
Christians, my friends,
00:28:45.85\00:28:47.56
come up with this
messy thinking that,
00:28:47.59\00:28:49.69
you know what?
00:28:49.72\00:28:51.06
Truth is what I want it to be.
00:28:51.09\00:28:52.43
Truth is, I've got my own truth.
00:28:52.46\00:28:54.40
I've got my own ideas.
00:28:54.43\00:28:55.83
I've got my own perception.
00:28:55.86\00:28:57.43
Here's the dangerous one.
00:28:57.47\00:28:58.80
I've got my own interpretation.
00:28:58.83\00:29:00.97
Ryan, that's
your interpretation,
00:29:01.00\00:29:02.34
well I have my
own interpretation.
00:29:02.37\00:29:04.11
Oh, Ryan, that's true for you,
00:29:04.14\00:29:06.34
but it's not
necessarily true for me.
00:29:06.37\00:29:08.04
My friends, if
we are Christians,
00:29:08.08\00:29:11.35
true, genuine Christians,
00:29:11.38\00:29:13.82
then we are of Jesus Christ.
00:29:13.85\00:29:15.92
And if we are
true, genuine Christians,
00:29:15.95\00:29:18.05
then we are of the Word of God,
00:29:18.09\00:29:20.92
which means we
believe harmoniously
00:29:20.96\00:29:23.49
that the foundational
absolute finite truth
00:29:23.53\00:29:26.90
at the end of the
day is God's Word.
00:29:26.93\00:29:29.66
And if we don't speak
according to this word,
00:29:29.70\00:29:31.63
according to Isaiah 8:20,
00:29:31.67\00:29:33.40
when we don't speak
according to this word,
00:29:33.44\00:29:35.50
the Bible says
there is no light in us.
00:29:35.54\00:29:38.27
You know what that means?
00:29:38.31\00:29:39.64
That means the Word
of God is not in you.
00:29:39.67\00:29:41.74
Because again, the Word of
God is a lamp unto our feet
00:29:41.78\00:29:44.25
and a light into our path.
00:29:44.28\00:29:45.61
We don't have God's Word in us,
00:29:45.65\00:29:46.98
and when we don't
have God's Word in us,
00:29:47.02\00:29:48.75
we don't have God in us.
00:29:48.78\00:29:52.29
Man, so to all of
that, that I just said,
00:29:52.32\00:29:55.49
say it with me true dat.
00:29:55.52\00:29:58.69
All of that is true, true dat.
00:29:58.73\00:30:02.30
Absolutely.
00:30:02.33\00:30:04.30
So why should
the Bible be received
00:30:04.33\00:30:08.57
as the ultimate truth?
00:30:08.60\00:30:10.74
You know, these are questions
00:30:10.77\00:30:12.57
that a very
skeptical philosophical thinker
00:30:12.61\00:30:16.31
of today would ask.
00:30:16.34\00:30:18.08
Okay, Ryan,
there's a genuine truth.
00:30:18.11\00:30:19.65
Okay. It's founded.
00:30:19.68\00:30:21.02
But what about the Word of God?
00:30:21.05\00:30:22.68
I mean, what is it
about it that tells me
00:30:22.72\00:30:26.15
that I should receive
it as the ultimate truth.
00:30:26.19\00:30:28.12
Right?
00:30:28.16\00:30:29.49
And I'm gonna show
you some statistics,
00:30:29.52\00:30:30.93
some disturbing statistics
in just a moment, my friends,
00:30:30.96\00:30:34.03
that tell us that Christians,
professed Christians today,
00:30:34.06\00:30:39.00
they believe that truth
00:30:39.03\00:30:40.60
that is the
religious biblical truth
00:30:40.64\00:30:42.90
is subject to opinion.
00:30:42.94\00:30:44.27
I'm gonna show you
that more Christian,
00:30:44.31\00:30:46.17
more than half of the Christians
00:30:46.21\00:30:48.04
in this world
today, believe that mess.
00:30:48.08\00:30:51.71
And I believe it's
a dangerous thinking.
00:30:51.75\00:30:54.35
So why should
the Bible be received
00:30:54.38\00:30:56.15
as the ultimate truth?
00:30:56.18\00:30:57.52
Well, let's consider this truth.
00:30:57.55\00:30:59.32
And I made a
note here very clear
00:30:59.35\00:31:00.69
for all of us to see.
00:31:00.72\00:31:02.06
You see the Bible,
00:31:02.09\00:31:03.43
and this is the
foundation of it right here.
00:31:03.46\00:31:05.09
The Bible identifies truth
00:31:05.13\00:31:07.50
as a quality intrinsic
to the very nature of God!
00:31:07.53\00:31:13.10
And this should not come as
too much of a surprise to us
00:31:13.13\00:31:15.50
since the Bible is primarily,
say it with me about whom?
00:31:15.54\00:31:19.51
Jesus Christ.
00:31:19.54\00:31:22.38
So why should the Bible be
00:31:22.41\00:31:24.11
that ultimate
final truth for us?
00:31:24.15\00:31:25.75
Because it's about Jesus Christ.
00:31:25.78\00:31:27.58
It identifies Him.
00:31:27.62\00:31:29.25
It identifies
the character of God.
00:31:29.28\00:31:31.22
You can't
separate the Word of God
00:31:31.25\00:31:33.09
and you can't separate
the Word of God from God.
00:31:33.12\00:31:35.92
Jesus indeed
called Himself the truth.
00:31:35.96\00:31:40.03
He was full of the truth.
00:31:40.06\00:31:43.00
The Bible makes it
clear that He told the truth.
00:31:43.03\00:31:46.33
The Bible makes it
clear that it says that,
00:31:46.37\00:31:48.90
you know whose words are true
00:31:48.94\00:31:50.94
according to Revelation 21
00:31:50.97\00:31:52.61
in verse and Chapter 22 as well.
00:31:52.64\00:31:54.68
Jesus also taught
the way of God in truth
00:31:54.71\00:31:58.05
according to the
Book of Matthew there,
00:31:58.08\00:31:59.71
as well as Mark and Luke,
00:31:59.75\00:32:01.08
you'll see the
references on the screen.
00:32:01.12\00:32:02.78
Jesus also
taught about the truth.
00:32:02.82\00:32:05.42
Right there we
read John 17 earlier.
00:32:05.45\00:32:07.22
John 17:17, "Thy word is truth."
00:32:07.26\00:32:09.56
He taught about the truth
00:32:09.59\00:32:10.93
and, of course, He
came into the world
00:32:10.96\00:32:13.03
to bear witness to the truth
according to John Chapter 18.
00:32:13.06\00:32:17.83
My friends, we
have to understand
00:32:17.87\00:32:20.10
that the Bible has a
better and higher standard.
00:32:20.14\00:32:25.21
It is a better
and higher standard.
00:32:25.24\00:32:27.74
It defines truth as being
utterly, reliable and enduring.
00:32:27.78\00:32:32.68
And the reason is simple.
00:32:32.71\00:32:34.35
Authentic biblical
truth is inextricably linked
00:32:34.38\00:32:39.22
to the dependable
unchangeable character of God.
00:32:39.25\00:32:44.63
It identifies who God is.
00:32:44.66\00:32:46.86
It tells the story
of the character of God.
00:32:46.90\00:32:50.70
Truth cannot,
listen to these words,
00:32:50.73\00:32:53.64
truth cannot be
unhinged from absolutes,
00:32:53.67\00:32:57.77
even though
everyone's got their own opinion
00:32:57.81\00:32:59.14
as to what truth is,
00:32:59.17\00:33:00.51
and they live in
their own little reality.
00:33:00.54\00:33:01.88
Well, this is my
truth and that's your truth.
00:33:01.91\00:33:03.24
My friend, true,
genuine truth for Christians
00:33:03.28\00:33:05.98
cannot be
unhinged from absolutes.
00:33:06.01\00:33:07.92
You see, you can
trust everything God says.
00:33:11.02\00:33:14.99
He never lies.
00:33:15.02\00:33:16.56
He always keeps His word.
00:33:16.59\00:33:18.66
And, of course, He's
faithful to all His promises.
00:33:18.69\00:33:22.46
That's why David
was able to write
00:33:22.50\00:33:24.23
in Psalm 31:5 very clearly.
00:33:24.27\00:33:27.14
I love this.
00:33:27.17\00:33:28.50
He says, "Into your
hand, I commit my spirit,
00:33:28.54\00:33:31.57
you have redeemed
me, O Lord God of truth."
00:33:31.61\00:33:36.71
You see David wrote that
00:33:36.75\00:33:38.08
under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
00:33:38.11\00:33:39.65
because God is truth.
00:33:39.68\00:33:43.08
And so as Christians,
00:33:43.12\00:33:44.52
when we come to this idea that,
00:33:44.55\00:33:45.89
well, that's true for
you, that's not true for me.
00:33:45.92\00:33:48.16
My friends, 40
00:33:48.19\00:33:49.52
more than 40,000
different denominations
00:33:49.56\00:33:51.63
that exist today.
00:33:51.66\00:33:52.99
And the question is, why?
00:33:53.03\00:33:54.66
If we all have the same truth,
00:33:54.70\00:33:56.60
if we all have the same
foundational amazing truth
00:33:56.63\00:33:59.43
that's found in God's Word.
00:33:59.47\00:34:00.84
And we all claim to
be followers of Jesus,
00:34:00.87\00:34:03.00
why in the world we got
40,000 different denominations?
00:34:03.04\00:34:05.71
I'm gonna reveal to
you in just a moment
00:34:05.74\00:34:07.28
why we have 40,000
different denominations.
00:34:07.31\00:34:10.18
It's because
even Christians today,
00:34:10.21\00:34:12.28
the majority of Christians today
00:34:12.31\00:34:14.52
live in a false
reality of relativism.
00:34:14.55\00:34:18.35
They believe that
the truth of God's Word
00:34:18.39\00:34:20.02
is subjective
00:34:20.06\00:34:21.62
and that it's subject to opinion
00:34:21.66\00:34:23.53
and personal
ideology, ideological thinking.
00:34:23.56\00:34:27.60
Numbers 23:19 tells us
00:34:27.63\00:34:29.66
another amazing truth
about God, a beautiful promise.
00:34:29.70\00:34:32.47
It says, "God is not a
man that He should lie,
00:34:32.50\00:34:35.30
nor a son of man
that he should repent.
00:34:35.34\00:34:38.94
Has he said, and will He not do?
00:34:38.97\00:34:42.21
Or has He spoken, and
will He not make it good?"
00:34:42.24\00:34:46.11
I love that.
00:34:46.15\00:34:47.48
I love how Moses is just,
00:34:47.52\00:34:49.18
he's just
unpacking it right there.
00:34:49.22\00:34:50.72
He's saying, look, who is God?
00:34:50.75\00:34:52.55
He's the truth.
00:34:52.59\00:34:53.92
When He speaks,
listen and believe
00:34:53.96\00:34:56.32
because when he
speaks, He speaks truth.
00:34:56.36\00:34:58.16
His promises are
sure, He cannot lie.
00:34:58.19\00:35:01.13
In fact, Paul even echoed
this message in Titus 1:1-3.
00:35:01.16\00:35:06.53
Let's read that right
now. Notice what Paul writes.
00:35:06.57\00:35:08.94
He says, "Paul, a
bordservant of God
00:35:08.97\00:35:10.77
and an apostle of Jesus Christ,
00:35:10.81\00:35:12.64
according to the
faith of God's elect
00:35:12.67\00:35:14.41
and the acknowledgement
of, here it is, the truth,
00:35:14.44\00:35:17.91
which accords with godliness,
in hope of eternal life,
00:35:17.95\00:35:21.78
which God, there it
is again, who cannot lie,
00:35:21.82\00:35:25.05
promised before time began."
00:35:25.09\00:35:27.12
I love that.
00:35:27.16\00:35:28.49
I just wanna
pause there for a moment
00:35:28.52\00:35:29.86
before we go into verse 3.
00:35:29.89\00:35:31.23
I just wanna highlight that
00:35:31.26\00:35:32.59
and reemphasize the
fact that God cannot lie.
00:35:32.63\00:35:36.03
He is unchangeable,
00:35:36.06\00:35:37.50
but now notice
what he continues to say
00:35:37.53\00:35:39.67
in verse 3.
00:35:39.70\00:35:41.07
He says, "But has in due time
00:35:41.10\00:35:44.07
manifested His
word through preaching,"
00:35:44.11\00:35:47.24
I love that,
00:35:47.28\00:35:48.61
"which was committed to me
00:35:48.64\00:35:51.28
according to the
commandment of God,
00:35:51.31\00:35:54.68
our Savior."
00:35:54.72\00:35:56.05
Did you catch that?
00:35:56.08\00:35:57.42
How was this
truth brought to him?
00:35:57.45\00:35:59.12
By the Word.
00:35:59.15\00:36:00.49
And, of course, it
was committed to him
00:36:00.52\00:36:02.19
according to the
commandment of God, our Savior.
00:36:02.22\00:36:05.46
You know speaking
of the commandment,
00:36:05.49\00:36:07.13
let me ask this question.
00:36:07.16\00:36:08.80
What governing principles
00:36:08.83\00:36:10.73
epitomize the truth as
found in God's character?
00:36:10.77\00:36:14.70
What should
Christians believe on that?
00:36:14.74\00:36:17.41
What governing
principles epitomize the truth
00:36:17.44\00:36:20.58
as found in God's character?
00:36:20.61\00:36:23.04
You know, that's just an
overwhelming clear answer.
00:36:23.08\00:36:26.38
If you are a Bible
Christian, then you know
00:36:26.41\00:36:28.58
it is none other than God's law,
00:36:28.62\00:36:29.95
the Ten Commandments.
00:36:29.98\00:36:31.32
In fact, notice, in
Psalm again 119:142.
00:36:31.35\00:36:35.12
Notice what David writes.
00:36:35.16\00:36:36.49
He says, "Your righteousness
is an everlasting righteousness
00:36:36.52\00:36:40.33
and your law is truth."
00:36:40.36\00:36:44.80
You see, the law
of God tells the truth
00:36:44.83\00:36:47.90
because it is a transcript
of the character of God.
00:36:47.94\00:36:51.47
The law of God tells us
who God is, who is truth.
00:36:51.51\00:36:54.68
And therefore, my friends,
if we're going to be Christians
00:36:54.71\00:36:57.58
living in these last days,
00:36:57.61\00:36:59.48
should we be preaching
00:36:59.51\00:37:00.85
that the law is done away with?
00:37:00.88\00:37:02.32
Because in a sense,
00:37:02.35\00:37:03.69
we're preaching and
teaching that the law,
00:37:03.72\00:37:05.22
of course, if
it's done away with,
00:37:05.25\00:37:06.59
and that means we're doing away
00:37:06.62\00:37:07.96
with the loving
character of God.
00:37:07.99\00:37:09.32
You can't
separate God from His law
00:37:12.43\00:37:15.86
because it tells the same story.
00:37:15.90\00:37:18.33
In fact, I'll put
some references up here.
00:37:18.37\00:37:20.00
I'm not going to read
all of those references,
00:37:20.04\00:37:21.77
but I wanna show you here.
00:37:21.80\00:37:23.14
The Bible makes it very clear
00:37:23.17\00:37:24.51
that God and His law are good.
00:37:24.54\00:37:26.94
They are holy.
00:37:26.98\00:37:28.31
God and His law are perfect.
00:37:28.34\00:37:30.35
Pure, just, true,
spiritual, righteous.
00:37:30.38\00:37:34.32
They're righteousness,
faithful, love, unchanging,
00:37:34.35\00:37:38.15
and I love this
last one eternal.
00:37:38.19\00:37:41.16
God is eternal.
00:37:41.19\00:37:43.06
His law is eternal.
00:37:43.09\00:37:44.99
His Word is eternal. Guess what?
00:37:45.03\00:37:47.10
Truth is eternal.
00:37:47.13\00:37:48.66
Guess what? True dat.
00:37:48.70\00:37:50.03
That's what you need
to be saying right now.
00:37:50.07\00:37:51.50
True dat 'cause all of that
is true about God in His Word.
00:37:51.53\00:37:56.60
I told you, after this sermon,
00:37:56.64\00:37:57.97
you're gonna be
saying it at home.
00:37:58.01\00:37:59.47
I've been saying
it, makes me feel good.
00:37:59.51\00:38:01.31
I like to say it.
00:38:01.34\00:38:02.68
It's fun because we need to live
00:38:02.71\00:38:05.21
in a day and
age where the truth,
00:38:05.25\00:38:06.61
when the truth
is being attacked.
00:38:06.65\00:38:08.15
When the truth is being eroded
00:38:08.18\00:38:09.52
at every corner,
00:38:09.55\00:38:10.89
God needs a people
that's going to stand firm
00:38:10.92\00:38:12.25
on the truth.
00:38:12.29\00:38:13.62
Not a truth, not a version
of our own personal truth,
00:38:13.66\00:38:16.42
but we need to be standing
on the truth of God's Word.
00:38:16.46\00:38:20.63
So I wanna ask
another important question
00:38:20.66\00:38:22.03
right now.
00:38:22.06\00:38:23.67
Why does so many
professed Christian struggle
00:38:23.70\00:38:26.84
with accepting and
formulating their lives
00:38:26.87\00:38:28.70
around the truth of God's Word?
00:38:28.74\00:38:32.97
Why does it seem
like so many Christians
00:38:33.01\00:38:36.64
are failing to
receive this truth,
00:38:36.68\00:38:40.25
are failing to
accept it as true?
00:38:40.28\00:38:42.75
And you say, well, Ryan,
00:38:42.78\00:38:44.12
I don't really know of
any Christians that are,
00:38:44.15\00:38:45.49
I'm gonna show you
00:38:45.52\00:38:46.86
some statistics
in just a moment.
00:38:46.89\00:38:48.22
But I wanna show you
from a biblical perspective,
00:38:48.26\00:38:51.56
why this is the case.
00:38:51.59\00:38:54.00
First of all, I'm
gonna read a text,
00:38:54.03\00:38:55.36
one of the shortest
text in all of Scripture,
00:38:55.40\00:38:57.17
but I believe
it's one of the most,
00:38:57.20\00:38:58.57
truly one of the
most inspired text
00:38:58.60\00:39:00.37
that we can find in Scripture.
00:39:00.40\00:39:02.14
It was written by Paul
00:39:02.17\00:39:03.77
and Paul says this
very short sentence,
00:39:03.81\00:39:06.14
five words, do
not quench the spirit.
00:39:06.17\00:39:12.45
In other parts, he talks about
00:39:12.48\00:39:13.82
how we should not
grieve the Holy Spirit.
00:39:13.85\00:39:20.29
So why are
Christians struggling to accept
00:39:20.32\00:39:25.19
the actual, absolute,
genuine truth of God's Word
00:39:25.23\00:39:28.43
today for what it is?
00:39:28.46\00:39:30.10
Well, because the
majority of Christians today
00:39:30.13\00:39:32.63
are quenching the spirit.
00:39:32.67\00:39:35.24
You see and when
you quench the spirit,
00:39:35.27\00:39:37.11
let me tell you a
little bit of something
00:39:37.14\00:39:38.47
about the spirit here.
00:39:38.51\00:39:39.84
In fact, I'm
gonna let Jesus tell you
00:39:39.87\00:39:41.21
a little bit of
something about the spirit.
00:39:41.24\00:39:42.58
In fact, we've all read
it, but in case you haven't,
00:39:42.61\00:39:44.95
this is what the Bible
says in John 16:13, Jesus says,
00:39:44.98\00:39:48.88
"However, when He,
notice what He recall,
00:39:48.92\00:39:51.12
what He calls the spirit.
00:39:51.15\00:39:52.49
He says, "When He,
the Spirit of truth,"
00:39:52.52\00:39:56.09
there it is.
00:39:56.12\00:39:57.46
"When the Spirit
of truth has come,
00:39:57.49\00:39:59.89
He will guide you
into" how much truth?
00:39:59.93\00:40:02.30
"All truth,
00:40:02.33\00:40:03.80
for He will not
speak on His own authority,
00:40:03.83\00:40:05.70
but whatever He
hears He will speak
00:40:05.73\00:40:07.54
and He will tell
you things to come."
00:40:07.57\00:40:10.77
So get this.
00:40:10.81\00:40:12.67
Why are Christians struggling?
00:40:12.71\00:40:14.68
Because they're
quenching the spirit.
00:40:14.71\00:40:16.71
If the spirit's, one
of the spirit's attributes
00:40:16.75\00:40:18.91
and purposes is to
come into this world
00:40:18.95\00:40:20.32
to show us truth,
00:40:20.35\00:40:21.68
to reveal all truth to us,
00:40:21.72\00:40:23.18
but yet we're
quenching the Holy Spirit.
00:40:23.22\00:40:24.75
My friends, we're quenching
the life source of truth.
00:40:24.79\00:40:29.59
In fact, notice what
Jesus said in Matthew 13:13-15.
00:40:29.62\00:40:33.73
This is the result of
quenching the spirit of truth.
00:40:33.76\00:40:38.77
Jesus says,
"Hearing you will hear
00:40:38.80\00:40:41.10
and shall not understand,
00:40:41.14\00:40:42.80
and seeing you will
see and not perceive,
00:40:42.84\00:40:45.54
for the hearts of this
people have grown dull.
00:40:45.57\00:40:47.68
Their ears are hard of hearing
00:40:47.71\00:40:49.04
and their eyes have been closed,
00:40:49.08\00:40:51.68
lest they should see
00:40:51.71\00:40:53.15
what their eyes and
hear with their ears,
00:40:53.18\00:40:56.28
lest they should understand
with their hearts and turn,
00:40:56.32\00:40:59.25
so that I should heal them."
00:40:59.29\00:41:01.66
You know what
Jesus is saying here?
00:41:01.69\00:41:03.29
He's saying, when you
cut off the source of truth,
00:41:03.32\00:41:06.93
when you are quenching the
Spirit of God in your life,
00:41:06.96\00:41:10.10
when you're
grieving the Holy Spirit,
00:41:10.13\00:41:12.10
you're taking away
this, you're cutting off,
00:41:12.13\00:41:15.00
you're severing the
spiritual supply line
00:41:15.04\00:41:17.61
of truth for your life.
00:41:17.64\00:41:19.94
And when you do
that, guess what?
00:41:19.97\00:41:21.41
You may have
eyes, but you can't see,
00:41:21.44\00:41:24.41
you may have ears,
but you can't hear.
00:41:24.45\00:41:26.78
You may have a mind,
00:41:26.82\00:41:28.15
but you're not
really perceiving.
00:41:28.18\00:41:29.52
That's why we have
so many people today.
00:41:29.55\00:41:30.92
I walk around with the
plain truth of God's Word
00:41:30.95\00:41:32.65
and I'll be showing people,
00:41:32.69\00:41:34.02
teaching people the
truth is found in God's Word.
00:41:34.06\00:41:35.92
And one of the most
interesting intriguing things
00:41:35.96\00:41:38.33
to hear is when
you actually show
00:41:38.36\00:41:40.36
someone the plain
simple truth of God's Word,
00:41:40.40\00:41:43.43
and they look at that and
say, well, I don't see that.
00:41:43.47\00:41:45.20
Well, of course
you don't see that
00:41:45.23\00:41:47.00
because having
eyes you can't see,
00:41:47.04\00:41:48.87
having ears you can't hear.
00:41:48.90\00:41:50.24
And the reason why
many people are in this case
00:41:50.27\00:41:52.24
is because they're
quenching the leading,
00:41:52.27\00:41:54.28
guiding power of the
Spirit of truth in their life.
00:41:54.31\00:41:58.08
That's why Paul goes on to write
00:41:58.11\00:41:59.45
in 2 Thessalonians
Chapter 2, notice what he says.
00:41:59.48\00:42:02.48
This is
ultimately the prophetic,
00:42:02.52\00:42:05.22
this is a prophecy
basically of what's gonna happen
00:42:05.25\00:42:08.12
when people
sever that connection,
00:42:08.16\00:42:10.33
when they can no longer
see, this is what it says.
00:42:10.36\00:42:12.66
2 Thessalonians Chapter
2 beginning in verse 10.
00:42:12.69\00:42:15.16
He says, "And with
all unrighteous deception
00:42:15.20\00:42:17.00
among those who perish."
00:42:17.03\00:42:18.37
Why are they perishing?
Here's why they're perishing.
00:42:18.40\00:42:21.07
"Because they did not
receive the love of the truth
00:42:21.10\00:42:25.31
that they might be saved.
00:42:25.34\00:42:27.11
And for this reason
00:42:27.14\00:42:28.48
God will send
them strong delusion,
00:42:28.51\00:42:29.84
that they
should believe the lie,
00:42:29.88\00:42:32.51
that they all may be
condemned who did not believe,
00:42:32.55\00:42:35.18
there it is again, the truth,
00:42:35.22\00:42:37.25
but had pleasure
in unrighteousness.
00:42:37.29\00:42:40.69
My friends, this is
the world we live in today
00:42:40.72\00:42:42.62
and it breaks my heart
00:42:42.66\00:42:44.79
as a Christian living
among other Christians.
00:42:44.83\00:42:48.00
We should all as
Jesus Christ prayed
00:42:48.03\00:42:49.66
in the Garden of Gethsemane,
00:42:49.70\00:42:51.03
we should all be in
one mind and one accord.
00:42:51.07\00:42:53.57
We should all be on
the same biblical page.
00:42:53.60\00:42:57.61
But the truth is, we're not.
00:42:57.64\00:43:00.14
And the reason why
is because this church
00:43:00.18\00:43:02.34
is flooded with wheat and tares,
00:43:02.38\00:43:05.25
with Christians and selftians.
00:43:05.28\00:43:07.45
Those who live
00:43:07.48\00:43:08.82
in their own
false alternate reality
00:43:08.85\00:43:10.59
and those who are grounded
00:43:10.62\00:43:12.32
to the absolute
truth of God's Word.
00:43:12.35\00:43:15.22
And Jesus said light
and darkness cannot coexist.
00:43:15.26\00:43:18.49
Why do you think the
church is so divided today?
00:43:18.53\00:43:21.86
Never been divided
as much as it is today.
00:43:21.90\00:43:24.43
Because the devil
is attacking the truth.
00:43:24.47\00:43:27.94
In fact, notice
what Isaiah 59:14-15
00:43:27.97\00:43:31.21
has to say,
00:43:31.24\00:43:32.71
this is somewhat of a
prophecy even for our time,
00:43:32.74\00:43:35.01
notice here.
00:43:35.04\00:43:36.38
It says,
"Justice is turned back,
00:43:36.41\00:43:39.15
and
righteousness stands afar off,
00:43:39.18\00:43:41.88
for truth is
fallen in the street,
00:43:41.92\00:43:44.89
and equity cannot enter.
00:43:44.92\00:43:47.16
So truth fails,
00:43:47.19\00:43:48.86
and he who departs from
evil makes himself a prey."
00:43:48.89\00:43:53.40
Don't you feel
like that sometimes
00:43:53.43\00:43:55.76
when you finally decide,
00:43:55.80\00:43:57.13
and you've seen the light
00:43:57.17\00:43:58.50
and you wanna
bring yourself in harmony
00:43:58.53\00:44:00.14
with the light of God's Word,
00:44:00.17\00:44:01.60
it seems like
you become an enemy
00:44:01.64\00:44:02.97
to everyone around you.
00:44:03.00\00:44:05.21
You become a prey.
00:44:05.24\00:44:06.61
That's the word
of God, not my words.
00:44:06.64\00:44:09.54
Look at these statistics.
00:44:09.58\00:44:11.08
According to a 2019,
00:44:11.11\00:44:13.01
I think actually
I made a typo here,
00:44:13.05\00:44:15.42
but I'm gonna clarify it.
00:44:15.45\00:44:16.79
It's either 2019 or
2018 but notice this,
00:44:16.82\00:44:20.52
this is a legitimate study
that I found online, get this.
00:44:20.56\00:44:24.06
And this is a
statement that they made.
00:44:24.09\00:44:26.23
You'll see it up
there on the kind of
00:44:26.26\00:44:27.76
in the top
left-hand corner there,
00:44:27.80\00:44:29.13
it says, "Religious belief
00:44:29.16\00:44:32.17
is a matter of personal opinion.
00:44:32.20\00:44:34.37
It is not about
objective truth."
00:44:34.40\00:44:35.74
So they wanted to know
00:44:35.77\00:44:37.11
what evangelicals
believe about this.
00:44:37.14\00:44:39.61
That is Christians.
00:44:39.64\00:44:40.98
So they made this statement
and they wanted to know,
00:44:41.01\00:44:42.38
do you agree with this statement
00:44:42.41\00:44:43.75
or do you not?
00:44:43.78\00:44:45.11
My friends, look
at this, 47%, okay.
00:44:45.15\00:44:49.05
Only 47% strongly
disagreed with this statement.
00:44:49.08\00:44:55.36
Less than half of
the Christians polled
00:44:55.39\00:44:59.56
disagreed with this
statement as they should have,
00:44:59.59\00:45:02.63
because truth is not a
matter of personal opinion.
00:45:02.66\00:45:05.77
It isn't, and that it
is an objective truth,
00:45:05.80\00:45:09.57
but yet notice more than 50,
00:45:09.60\00:45:11.31
at this point 53% of the people,
00:45:11.34\00:45:13.54
everyone else,
00:45:13.58\00:45:14.91
even that group
that said somewhat there,
00:45:14.94\00:45:16.34
somewhat, I somewhat disagree.
00:45:16.38\00:45:18.11
If you somewhat
disagree with that, my friends,
00:45:18.15\00:45:20.25
then you're not
grounded in the genuine truth
00:45:20.28\00:45:21.85
of God's Word.
00:45:21.88\00:45:23.35
You fall in the camp
with the rest of them.
00:45:23.39\00:45:25.35
Fifty three
percent of Christians
00:45:25.39\00:45:27.16
said that they
either somewhat or,
00:45:27.19\00:45:29.79
you know, pretty
much agree with the fact
00:45:29.82\00:45:31.39
that yet truth is
subject to opinion.
00:45:31.43\00:45:33.60
My goodness,
Lord have mercy on us.
00:45:33.63\00:45:35.60
In fact, if you go on
to look at the next study
00:45:35.63\00:45:37.73
that I found here,
00:45:37.77\00:45:39.10
a 2019 Lifeway
Research Study, again,
00:45:39.13\00:45:41.64
how much of the Bible they ask,
00:45:41.67\00:45:43.24
how much of the Bible
have you personally read?
00:45:43.27\00:45:45.37
Look at this,
10% says none of it,
00:45:45.41\00:45:48.44
only a few
sentences for people of 13%
00:45:48.48\00:45:51.55
of those who took this survey.
00:45:51.58\00:45:54.35
Thirty percent said
several passages or stories,
00:45:54.38\00:45:57.32
15% said at least half of
it, 12% said almost all of it.
00:45:57.35\00:46:01.89
And of course only 19% said
00:46:01.92\00:46:04.03
all of it or all
of it more than once.
00:46:04.06\00:46:06.29
My friends,
there's a large number
00:46:06.33\00:46:08.16
of Christians
that took this survey.
00:46:08.20\00:46:10.67
And this is the results.
00:46:10.70\00:46:12.57
This is the
world that we live in.
00:46:12.60\00:46:13.94
And you say, Ryan, why
is that such a big deal?
00:46:13.97\00:46:15.34
Because now
listen to this statistic.
00:46:15.37\00:46:16.71
If this one doesn't
bother you get this.
00:46:16.74\00:46:18.37
According to the
American Bible Society,
00:46:18.41\00:46:20.68
now they don't have
a slide for this one,
00:46:20.71\00:46:22.04
but I want to just
verbalize this one very clear.
00:46:22.08\00:46:24.38
According to a recent
American Bible Society survey,
00:46:24.41\00:46:27.72
almost nine out
of 10 households,
00:46:27.75\00:46:29.75
that's 87% own a Bible
00:46:29.78\00:46:33.69
and the average
household has three Bibles.
00:46:33.72\00:46:37.13
But yeah, we don't agree
with what truth is anymore
00:46:37.16\00:46:40.00
because there's more than
40,000 different denominations.
00:46:40.03\00:46:42.20
Why?
00:46:42.23\00:46:43.57
Because we got a bunch of people
00:46:43.60\00:46:44.93
who have their own
version of the truth.
00:46:44.97\00:46:46.33
This is the world we live in.
00:46:46.37\00:46:47.70
You can't put 10
Christians in a room anymore
00:46:47.74\00:46:49.57
and agree on the
absolute truth of God's Word.
00:46:49.60\00:46:51.97
Everyone's got
their own opinion,
00:46:52.01\00:46:53.68
40,000 different opinions.
00:46:53.71\00:46:55.61
My friends, have mercy.
00:46:55.64\00:46:57.58
Where are have
come as a society?
00:46:57.61\00:47:00.38
And again, this
bar graph here, 2019.
00:47:00.42\00:47:02.98
Notice this, which of
the following describe
00:47:03.02\00:47:05.12
the Bible to you.
00:47:05.15\00:47:06.49
And look at this, 52%
said, a good source of morals,
00:47:06.52\00:47:10.49
38% said, a good
historical account,
00:47:10.53\00:47:14.00
37% said, it's helpful today.
00:47:14.03\00:47:15.86
But the one that
bothers me the most
00:47:15.90\00:47:17.77
is 36% of the people
that took the survey said
00:47:17.80\00:47:21.44
that they believe
that the Bible is true.
00:47:21.47\00:47:23.94
Only 36%, my friends,
00:47:23.97\00:47:28.48
and we wonder why Paul preached
00:47:28.51\00:47:31.01
and I could just imagine this
brother preaching it with power
00:47:31.05\00:47:33.95
from 2 Timothy 4:2 and onward.
00:47:33.98\00:47:36.89
When he said, "Preach the word,
00:47:36.92\00:47:39.49
be instant in
season and out of season,
00:47:39.52\00:47:41.79
reprove, rebuke with and exhort
00:47:41.82\00:47:44.06
with all long
suffering and doctrine.
00:47:44.09\00:47:46.13
For the time will come,"
this is a prophecy, my friends,
00:47:46.16\00:47:49.06
"the time will come
00:47:49.10\00:47:51.00
when they will not
endure sound doctrine,
00:47:51.03\00:47:52.60
but after their own lust."
00:47:52.63\00:47:54.37
Again, their own
opinion, their own thinking,
00:47:54.40\00:47:57.74
their own truth.
00:47:57.77\00:47:59.41
"Shall they heap to themselves
teachers having itching ears,
00:47:59.44\00:48:02.11
and they shall
turn away their truth."
00:48:02.14\00:48:04.01
Excuse me, "their
ears from the truth
00:48:04.05\00:48:06.21
and shall be
turned into fables."
00:48:06.25\00:48:08.85
And I can tell you as a response
00:48:08.88\00:48:10.39
to what we just
read, I can say true dat.
00:48:10.42\00:48:16.22
That's the reality
of what we live in today
00:48:16.26\00:48:18.29
in Christianity.
00:48:18.33\00:48:20.43
Many people living
according to their own lust,
00:48:20.46\00:48:23.73
their own truth,
their own desire.
00:48:23.77\00:48:27.14
So I wanna ask
00:48:27.17\00:48:28.50
with the last couple of
minutes remaining that I have
00:48:28.54\00:48:30.94
in the bulk of this sermon here.
00:48:30.97\00:48:32.31
I just wanna
make this very clear.
00:48:32.34\00:48:34.81
How can we make
sure that we are grounded
00:48:34.84\00:48:38.51
that is always grounded
00:48:38.55\00:48:40.75
in the genuine
truth of God's Word?
00:48:40.78\00:48:43.85
Well, let me give you this text.
00:48:43.89\00:48:45.22
It's one of my favorite ones,
00:48:45.25\00:48:46.65
and I rely on it
to keep me humble
00:48:46.69\00:48:48.92
and to keep me in check often.
00:48:48.96\00:48:50.99
And that's found
in Proverbs 3:5-6.
00:48:51.03\00:48:54.10
The Bible says,
"Trust in the Lord
00:48:54.13\00:48:55.66
with all your heart,
00:48:55.70\00:48:57.50
and lean not on
your own understanding,
00:48:57.53\00:49:01.47
in all your
ways acknowledge Him,
00:49:01.50\00:49:04.04
and He shall direct your path."
00:49:04.07\00:49:09.84
I love that.
00:49:09.88\00:49:11.21
You see when you're a
true, genuine Christian.
00:49:11.25\00:49:13.82
That is a true,
genuine follower of Jesus.
00:49:13.85\00:49:16.58
You don't trust yourself.
00:49:16.62\00:49:18.52
You don't trust your own way.
00:49:18.55\00:49:20.12
That's why the Bible says
00:49:20.16\00:49:21.49
over in Proverbs
14:12, somewhere,
00:49:21.52\00:49:23.19
I think it's Proverbs 14:12.
00:49:23.22\00:49:24.89
There is a way which
seemeth right into a man,
00:49:24.93\00:49:27.00
but the end thereof
are the ways of death.
00:49:27.03\00:49:33.23
That's why Paul
says in 2 Timothy 2:15,
00:49:33.27\00:49:35.97
"Study to show
thyself approved unto God,
00:49:36.00\00:49:38.67
a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed,
00:49:38.71\00:49:40.94
rightly dividing
the word of truth."
00:49:40.98\00:49:44.08
You see, we do need
to read the Word of God.
00:49:44.11\00:49:47.32
You need to be
reading your Bibles each day.
00:49:47.35\00:49:49.58
But more than that, my friends,
00:49:49.62\00:49:50.95
we need to be
studying the Word of God.
00:49:50.99\00:49:53.25
We need to be
students of the Word of God.
00:49:53.29\00:49:55.72
How can we be grounded
00:49:55.76\00:49:57.09
to the plain
truth of God's Word?
00:49:57.13\00:49:59.49
The absolute
truth of God's Word?
00:49:59.53\00:50:01.86
If we're not
students of the Word,
00:50:01.90\00:50:03.87
if we don't trust in the Lord
00:50:03.90\00:50:05.33
more than we trust in ourselves,
00:50:05.37\00:50:07.40
but it seems like more
and more Christians today,
00:50:07.44\00:50:09.10
instead of trusting in God,
00:50:09.14\00:50:11.01
they trust in themselves
more than they trust in God.
00:50:11.04\00:50:13.11
And therefore,
00:50:13.14\00:50:14.48
because they trust in themselves
00:50:14.51\00:50:15.84
more than they trust in God,
00:50:15.88\00:50:17.41
they become their own God.
00:50:17.45\00:50:21.05
I wanna trust in
the light of God's Word.
00:50:21.08\00:50:24.25
I wanna believe right
there in Psalm 119:105
00:50:24.29\00:50:27.69
when it says plain and clear,
00:50:27.72\00:50:30.26
"Thy word, Your word, O God,
00:50:30.29\00:50:32.53
is a lamp unto my feet
and a light unto my path."
00:50:32.56\00:50:38.07
Do you trust in the Word?
00:50:38.10\00:50:40.00
Are you a true
Christian or you a selftian?
00:50:40.04\00:50:44.37
Do you have your
own self revised version
00:50:44.41\00:50:46.78
with those two added
first and second opinions
00:50:46.81\00:50:49.08
that you rely on quite a bit.
00:50:49.11\00:50:50.45
Or do you rely on a
plain thus saith the Lord?
00:50:50.48\00:50:54.08
You see, we need to
learn to trust in God
00:50:54.12\00:50:56.85
because it's only His strength
00:50:56.89\00:50:59.65
that's going to get
us through, not our own.
00:50:59.69\00:51:02.36
At this moment, I would
like to allow my brothers,
00:51:02.39\00:51:05.46
Tim Parton and
Pastor John Lomacang,
00:51:05.49\00:51:07.86
to bless us with a song.
00:51:07.90\00:51:09.36
It's gonna talk about
how God is our strength
00:51:09.40\00:51:12.00
and we should
place our trust in Him.
00:51:12.03\00:51:14.27
Sometimes life
seems like words and music
00:51:27.15\00:51:34.12
That can't quite become a song
00:51:34.16\00:51:40.06
So you cry inside
00:51:40.10\00:51:43.26
Then you try again
00:51:43.30\00:51:46.74
Wondering what could be wrong
00:51:46.77\00:51:52.31
Then you turn to the
Lord at the end of yourselves
00:51:52.34\00:51:58.55
As we've done at
time or two before
00:51:58.58\00:52:04.25
We find the truth is the same
00:52:04.29\00:52:07.69
As it's always been
00:52:07.72\00:52:11.59
You never will need more
00:52:11.63\00:52:17.67
It's not in
trying, but in trusting
00:52:17.70\00:52:24.21
Not in running, but in resting
00:52:24.24\00:52:30.48
Not in wondering, but in praying
00:52:30.51\00:52:36.28
That we find the
strength of the Lord
00:52:36.32\00:52:42.92
It's not in
trying, but in trusting
00:52:42.96\00:52:49.36
Not in running, but in resting
00:52:49.40\00:52:55.80
Not in wondering, but in praying
00:52:55.84\00:53:01.61
That you'll find
the strength of the Lord
00:53:01.64\00:53:06.68
He's all we need
00:53:17.26\00:53:20.60
For our every need
00:53:20.63\00:53:23.97
We never need be alone
00:53:24.00\00:53:30.21
But He'll let us go
00:53:30.24\00:53:33.14
If we choose to live life
00:53:33.17\00:53:38.85
On our own
00:53:38.88\00:53:42.78
Then the only good
00:53:42.82\00:53:45.95
That will ever be said
00:53:45.99\00:53:49.09
From the pain we
find ourselves in
00:53:49.12\00:53:55.50
There are praises to gain
00:53:55.53\00:53:58.83
And the wisdom to say
00:53:58.87\00:54:02.97
I'll never the leave Him again
00:54:03.00\00:54:08.81
It's not in
trying, but in trusting
00:54:08.84\00:54:15.38
Not in running, but in resting
00:54:15.42\00:54:21.92
Not in wondering, but in praying
00:54:21.96\00:54:27.93
That you'll find
your strength in the Lord
00:54:27.96\00:54:34.47
No, it's not in
trying, but in trusting
00:54:34.50\00:54:41.18
Not in running,
but it's in resting
00:54:41.21\00:54:47.55
Not in wondering, but in praying
00:54:47.58\00:54:53.59
That you'll find
your strength in the Lord
00:54:53.62\00:55:00.50
Not in wondering, but in praying
00:55:00.53\00:55:07.10
That you'll find
00:55:07.14\00:55:09.34
The strength of the Lord
00:55:09.37\00:55:16.34
Praise the Lord.
00:55:25.65\00:55:27.16
You guys couldn't
have chosen a better song.
00:55:27.19\00:55:29.96
It's really,
really good. Thank you.
00:55:29.99\00:55:32.53
My friends, the Bible reminds us
00:55:32.56\00:55:34.73
one of my favorite text,
00:55:34.76\00:55:36.70
one of the most
beautiful promises
00:55:36.73\00:55:38.13
in all the Scripture.
00:55:38.17\00:55:39.53
2 Chronicles 7:14 which says,
00:55:39.57\00:55:44.54
"If My people who
are called by My name
00:55:44.57\00:55:47.78
will humble themselves, and pray
00:55:47.81\00:55:50.45
and seek My face
00:55:50.48\00:55:52.35
and turn from their wicked ways,
00:55:52.38\00:55:54.85
and I will hear from heaven
00:55:54.88\00:55:57.19
and will forgive their
sin and heal their land."
00:55:57.22\00:56:02.76
You see, some of us
need to take a big bite
00:56:02.79\00:56:07.90
of humble pie
every once in a while.
00:56:07.93\00:56:11.03
You see, the only way
we can come to understand
00:56:11.07\00:56:13.97
and to truly submit ourselves
00:56:14.00\00:56:16.91
to that absolute
genuine truth of God's Word
00:56:16.94\00:56:21.78
is if we're humbled
00:56:21.81\00:56:23.61
and if we humble
ourselves in God's presence.
00:56:23.65\00:56:27.78
You see, it's
really all about surrender
00:56:27.82\00:56:29.15
at the end of the day.
00:56:29.18\00:56:30.89
You surrendering
your will to Him.
00:56:30.92\00:56:34.52
And so in closing now,
00:56:34.56\00:56:36.36
I do wanna say
thank you for joining us,
00:56:36.39\00:56:38.76
but I wanna give a final
appeal to surrender your will
00:56:38.79\00:56:41.86
to the Lord right now.
00:56:41.90\00:56:43.67
You say, "Lord, I
don't trust my thinking.
00:56:43.70\00:56:46.60
I don't trust my truth,"
00:56:46.63\00:56:48.44
if there is such a
thing, of course, there is not.
00:56:48.47\00:56:50.71
His truth is the
only truth that matters.
00:56:50.74\00:56:54.21
Let us pray as we close.
00:56:54.24\00:56:55.88
Father in heaven,
00:56:55.91\00:56:57.51
simple and clear,
we want Your truth,
00:56:57.55\00:57:01.02
we need the only
truth that matters
00:57:01.05\00:57:03.02
and that is Your truth.
00:57:03.05\00:57:04.42
Give us Your Holy
Spirit. Teach us Your will.
00:57:04.45\00:57:07.42
Teach us Your ways and
take us away here today.
00:57:07.46\00:57:11.46
We ask and pray in Jesus' name.
00:57:11.49\00:57:13.90
Amen.
00:57:13.93\00:57:15.30
Amen.
00:57:15.33\00:57:16.67