back to index2021-08-08 God of Truth
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Let's take a moment to go before the Lord and pray, 00:00:14.200 |
Heavenly Father, God, we pray that as each Sunday, 00:00:20.880 |
God, we know that you are revealing to us your will, 00:00:37.780 |
Lord, that we would be edified by your powerful word. 00:00:45.260 |
So just by way of asking you to get in a frame of mind, 00:00:51.240 |
I want to ask you to think about the last time 00:00:55.260 |
that you're about to get into some major trouble, okay? 00:01:07.460 |
There was a time when I used to work at a sales admin 00:01:32.420 |
Think about a time when you were getting into trouble, 00:01:42.640 |
when was the last time you were tempted to lie, okay? 00:01:47.640 |
This silly machine, I don't know why it sent the thingy. 00:01:57.680 |
And the thing about it is, when it comes to maturity, 00:01:59.920 |
even from a young age, we recognize that for little ones, 00:02:05.680 |
that lying came pretty natural to us, you know? 00:02:15.640 |
And the thing about it is, our maturity doesn't mean 00:02:19.880 |
Actually, our parents are looking at us like, 00:02:21.760 |
do you have the maturity to tell me the truth 00:02:24.840 |
when you make your mistakes, when you sin, right? 00:02:33.120 |
sometimes even though I wish I would mature a lot faster, 00:02:47.040 |
Now, the thing is, I don't go camping a lot a lot. 00:02:52.120 |
but I have enough camping gear to last me like months. 00:03:05.360 |
I bought this really amazing solar panel generator, okay? 00:03:25.320 |
But the next question always is, how much did it cost? 00:03:29.160 |
And immediately I felt this weird tingling sensation. 00:03:32.920 |
They're gonna judge me if I say how much this thing cost. 00:03:38.160 |
So I said something silly like, oh, you know, 00:03:51.800 |
But then I think, oh gosh, they're gonna know. 00:04:07.560 |
But I started in my head looking for a number 00:04:27.280 |
And that's a bit scary because that can be a habit. 00:04:31.920 |
It can be a lie that exists in major decisions. 00:04:40.080 |
And in the end, it could cause us to be very, very far 00:04:46.320 |
is because I've been doing my devotions through Genesis. 00:04:48.440 |
And so today's sermon is gonna be a bit of a walkthrough 00:04:52.520 |
As a heads up, we'll hit lots of different passages. 00:05:07.600 |
saying out of what's contained in your heart, 00:05:14.200 |
And what I realize is as we look at the history of mankind 00:05:24.480 |
But when you look at the history of sinful man, 00:05:31.100 |
this pervasive expression of our sin, which is lies. 00:05:36.280 |
And so straight into it, my point is going to be 00:05:41.520 |
I recognized I myself, I'm a man of unclean lips. 00:05:55.400 |
In Genesis chapter four, we have the story of Cain. 00:06:01.320 |
Essentially, these are the early first human beings, 00:06:11.400 |
It says in this passage, Cain told Abel his brother, 00:06:14.840 |
and it came about when they were in the field, 00:06:17.580 |
Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him. 00:06:21.400 |
Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is Abel, your brother?" 00:06:30.860 |
Just from the very get-go, what we see is Cain 00:06:43.560 |
being that close to God where God is speaking to him, 00:06:46.800 |
should know in the back of his head, God probably knows. 00:06:55.200 |
I don't know, but then there's also deflection. 00:06:59.180 |
This is at the heart of the kind of motivation behind sin. 00:07:06.560 |
Have we ever instinctually lied to avoid guilt and blame? 00:07:11.560 |
Have we ever instinctually just lied to shift? 00:07:24.680 |
This is at the knee-jerk reaction of the sinful heart 00:07:48.060 |
And what happens is as God had called Abraham 00:07:51.800 |
to travel out of his homeland into a promised land 00:08:21.400 |
"so that it may go well with me because of you 00:09:00.560 |
Scripture says, actually, those who are paranoid, 00:09:08.840 |
every excuse for you to guard yourself, right? 00:09:14.160 |
These predictions, so to speak, cause us to lie, 00:09:28.760 |
your lies that you actually commit lie to you. 00:09:37.080 |
one of the worst things that can happen to you ever 00:10:01.920 |
In Genesis chapter 20, verses one through seven, 00:10:23.400 |
"So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent and took Sarah." 00:10:27.880 |
But then, this is one of the most scariest things 00:10:32.540 |
"God came to Abimelech in the dream of the night 00:10:35.460 |
"and said to him, behold, you are a dead man. 00:10:42.220 |
"Because the woman whom you have taken for she is married." 00:10:51.520 |
and he said, "Lord, will you slay an entire nation 00:11:00.760 |
"In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands, 00:11:08.680 |
"And I also kept you from sinning against me. 00:11:15.320 |
"for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, 00:11:48.520 |
for his people to come through this pure line. 00:11:59.600 |
And utter sin tends to create incredible drama. 00:12:02.760 |
See, we have this false belief that it's just a small lie, 00:12:08.360 |
and maybe something really, really unharmful. 00:12:19.120 |
Lies tend to create this kind of drama where, 00:12:30.060 |
Because we ourselves are deceived when we lie. 00:12:32.960 |
Now, what's more is when we resort to ungodly means, 00:12:46.660 |
It ends up actually inspiring more ungodliness around us. 00:12:55.140 |
I know right now it's already feeling a little heavy 00:13:01.780 |
because as we walk through the biblical narratives, 00:13:06.900 |
And for me, as I walk through it, I recognize there is, 00:13:17.060 |
I may not be saying blatant, high, brazen lies, 00:13:23.400 |
Here, what I was trying to make the point of is, 00:13:26.160 |
when we lie, it sets a precedence for the rest. 00:13:29.680 |
And look at Isaac, Abraham's son, Abraham's precious son, 00:13:39.640 |
"And when the men of the place asked about his wife, 00:13:58.120 |
You marry a beautiful woman, your life is hard. 00:14:04.240 |
these guys are just trying to save their own lives, 00:14:10.160 |
Came about when he was there for a long time, 00:14:14.920 |
and behold, Isaac was caressing his wife, Rebekah, 00:14:26.840 |
"Because," I said, "I might die on her account." 00:14:30.920 |
You recognize, you recognize that the same logic, 00:14:46.960 |
And what we're getting at is, there is a thought process. 00:14:50.040 |
There is not just this like, oh, I just happened to say, 00:15:10.240 |
a story that you guys are very familiar with, okay? 00:15:14.820 |
As you know, Isaac, once he becomes old in his age, 00:15:31.780 |
And from that, he wants to give his blessing over. 00:15:42.720 |
"It's going to be delicious 'cause I'll make it for you 00:15:54.700 |
He said, "Then he came to his father and said, 00:16:06.860 |
I mean, maybe he did the, "I am Esau, your son, firstborn. 00:16:44.620 |
and what he has to say when Isaac starts to question him. 00:16:47.820 |
He is going to use pieces and family members, 00:17:19.960 |
In verse 21, it says, "Then Isaac said to Jacob, 00:17:23.660 |
"Please come close, that I may feel you, my son, 00:17:29.180 |
So I am guessing if you just picture yourself 00:17:35.520 |
Like you put on the wool and stuff like that, 00:17:46.420 |
He's inching closer and he already knows his voice 00:18:00.500 |
He did not recognize him because his hands were hairy 00:18:04.720 |
So he blessed him and he said, "Are you really my son?" 00:18:27.100 |
I started thinking about various sins that I've committed 00:18:34.120 |
And one of the patterns that I saw in my own life 00:18:37.380 |
and then also in the lives of people at council too 00:18:40.020 |
is when we're in a lie, you rarely actually give up. 00:18:54.340 |
He's even asked for proof by touching his hand 00:19:03.680 |
This was when I was really interested in Bia, 00:19:06.820 |
but the thing about it is I had done that thing 00:19:18.900 |
my good older brother at that time was Elder James Hong. 00:19:24.100 |
And one time he just kind of grabbed me by the shoulder 00:19:27.060 |
And back then he called me Moon, my Korean name. 00:19:30.060 |
And he was like, "Hey Moon, are you interested in Bia?" 00:19:45.500 |
And then he was like, "Oh, let's go for a drive and stuff." 00:19:47.460 |
'Cause back then when we were stressed with studies 00:19:49.900 |
or stuff like that, we'd just go for a drive. 00:19:53.460 |
and he was just giving me the opportunity, dude. 00:19:56.100 |
And then he looked over at me and he grabbed my shoulder 00:19:59.420 |
and he's like, "Dude, she asked me what I thought of you 00:20:07.420 |
So embarrassed 'cause he asked me multiple times, 00:20:20.020 |
And I looked at him and I was like, "Oh my God, 00:20:24.260 |
But I think back to that and it's like, even in, 00:20:37.100 |
You double down on your sin, it's like, "I am Esau, 00:20:46.660 |
I imagine if we were to just jump in that scenario 00:20:54.060 |
Because he's covered in a facade, literally in sheep's clothe. 00:21:02.940 |
But it convicts my heart because, do you guys remember, 00:21:05.980 |
Pastor Peter preached a sermon through chapter 11 00:21:09.620 |
about the members of the hall of faith, so to speak, 00:21:13.660 |
And I'm sitting here, reading through Genesis, 00:21:22.540 |
"So much so, he lies to his own father to his face, 00:21:33.620 |
"His father is easily manipulated because he's blind. 00:21:57.420 |
even after the reconciliation of the brothers. 00:22:01.300 |
So turn your Bibles over to Genesis chapter 33, 00:22:04.940 |
and look at the track record of sin in mankind. 00:22:09.940 |
What happens is, Jacob, because of the consequence 00:22:20.020 |
And as you guys know the story, he comes into a land, 00:22:28.860 |
and then it's kind of like, "Ha ha, just desserts. 00:22:30.780 |
"You trick people, you get tricked, bada boom," right? 00:22:34.180 |
And then he ends up having two wives, which is, again. 00:22:37.220 |
And then there's all this turmoil going back and forth. 00:22:39.180 |
There's actually a lot of deception back and forth 00:22:43.700 |
where he has to do some trickery to get all the sheep, 00:23:05.540 |
"Your brother is coming for you with 400 men." 00:23:12.460 |
Now, just as a side note, as a consequence of sin and lies, 00:23:35.360 |
so he puts the least favorites right up at the top, 00:23:53.540 |
but then the story doesn't have a happy thingy. 00:24:05.460 |
Then Esau said, "Let us make our journey and go now, 00:24:16.140 |
"Let's go down together to our homeland," right? 00:24:32.840 |
"Please let my Lord pass on before his servant, 00:24:37.480 |
"according to the pace of the cattle that are before me, 00:24:53.060 |
So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 00:24:56.460 |
Jacob journeyed to Succoth and built for him a house 00:25:07.660 |
but essentially what's happening is Esau's like, 00:25:09.420 |
"Come with me," and Jacob's like, "No," right? 00:25:15.100 |
People who tend to lie make really convincing excuses. 00:25:25.660 |
And what ends up happening is that you go on ahead. 00:25:34.580 |
which is about 50 miles south of the Dead Sea. 00:26:03.020 |
You lied to your brother even after you reconciled. 00:26:27.360 |
It's like, "You think Esau really is so mature 00:26:36.780 |
"No, no, we'll stay a safe distance over here." 00:26:41.240 |
Because if you're a suspect, you're suspect of other people. 00:26:54.240 |
And you yourself get deceived, you are deceiving, 00:26:57.520 |
and there is just a constant feeding of deception 00:27:14.560 |
"who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, 00:27:20.200 |
"continually devises evil and spreads strife." 00:27:28.520 |
He's basically exhibited every form of lying you can do, 00:27:40.080 |
but he's not actually forthright with your intentions. 00:27:50.440 |
And the thing about it is Jacob is such a survivor, 00:28:00.280 |
Now, the thing is, as I was thinking about that, 00:28:14.920 |
"when we look back at our pre-converted state, 00:28:21.480 |
being a Christian, do we not have similar motivations? 00:28:32.760 |
I will never, ever use God for my gain in my fake story. 00:28:59.080 |
And what I realized is, the scripture is true. 00:29:13.200 |
and tell you your lies are just what everybody does. 00:29:23.320 |
You don't wanna hurt him like that, so just lie. 00:29:29.600 |
What we realize is, "Woe is me, we're ruined. 00:29:37.820 |
"for my eyes have seen the King and the Lord of hosts." 00:29:43.200 |
the normal practice and pattern of this earth, 00:30:00.640 |
and I feel like the temptation to lie is almost every day. 00:30:08.560 |
And I gotta confess that because the motivation 00:30:21.440 |
We have to make sure that we turn to the one true God 00:30:38.960 |
like, do you have any idea what you've done to your family? 00:30:41.760 |
Do you know the consequences of your sin and lies? 00:30:47.880 |
You had such a good relationship with your mom. 00:30:57.800 |
Your relationship with your brother's broken, 00:31:31.340 |
and he dictates everything that happens in the middle. 00:31:52.700 |
redeeming us and moving us from the kingdom of darkness 00:32:06.960 |
and then working in your heart through his gospel, 00:32:15.420 |
Recently, stories of people lying, just faking, 00:32:30.640 |
I know that first point was the longest point ever. 00:32:35.220 |
is the consequences of not turning to the God of truth 00:32:43.960 |
because without the truth, without the God of truth, 00:33:05.960 |
of thinking that, you know, I'm going to use this lie 00:33:17.960 |
there is a massive lie that's putting over you. 00:33:33.640 |
like being there as the almighty, all-powerful God. 00:33:46.280 |
But Satan is so good because he is the father of lies, 00:33:52.120 |
He wants you to believe that your feeble attempt 00:34:11.840 |
It's never worked, and it's never going to work. 00:34:24.840 |
the pattern of sin, of lying that the people had. 00:34:37.840 |
These individuals were lying to find protection. 00:34:43.640 |
These individuals were lying to promote themselves. 00:34:50.300 |
These individuals are lying to find security. 00:34:53.240 |
These individuals are lying to find provision. 00:34:55.600 |
These individuals are lying to get their way. 00:34:58.320 |
There is motivation behind all these things, you guys. 00:35:05.420 |
The gospel addresses that stuff in every single way. 00:35:25.640 |
I 100% deal with your guilt by taking that debt 00:35:29.440 |
of your sin upon the cross of Christ, and it's done. 00:35:37.000 |
and I want you to know I guard you in my name. 00:35:43.160 |
Jesus says, I want you to sanctify them in your truth 00:35:46.240 |
and guard them in your name, in your power, preserve them. 00:35:54.740 |
God says, I will glorify you and exalt you in due time. 00:36:09.660 |
Through the gospel, all inspiration for lies dissipates, 00:36:16.340 |
because we're 100% provided for in the kingdom of light. 00:36:24.620 |
and walking in the truth, we can lie down in peace. 00:36:35.220 |
There's no suspicion, like, are you gonna hurt me? 00:36:43.660 |
Because you exist in the presence of the God of truth. 00:36:48.340 |
And so my final last exhortation to you is you, 00:36:51.900 |
we have to, we have to believe and walk in this God, 00:37:04.880 |
that he by his character and nature never, never, ever lies. 00:37:15.220 |
and we have to make sure we're abiding in his presence, 00:37:17.900 |
operating as his kingdom, according to his truth. 00:37:26.460 |
into every single part of my life, and it's all there. 00:37:32.220 |
Because scripture says, in Titus chapter one, 00:37:39.860 |
scripture says this, Paul, a bondservant of God 00:37:51.180 |
and the hope of eternal life, which God cannot lie, 00:37:57.420 |
but at the proper time manifested even his word, 00:38:00.420 |
and the proclamation with which I was entrusted 00:38:03.140 |
according to the commandment of God, our savior. 00:38:05.580 |
Scripture says, God is not a man that he should lie, 00:38:15.700 |
For has he not spoken, and will he not make it good? 00:38:20.820 |
Let's take a moment to do a compare and contrast, 00:38:35.680 |
that I think every single person struggles with 00:38:42.940 |
and here is reigned by the prince of darkness, 00:38:45.500 |
and here is reigned by the God who never ever lies. 00:38:51.980 |
telling you, you can do it, just do this, it'll work. 00:38:57.540 |
Here's one who's telling you, they're after you. 00:39:00.100 |
Here's one who is telling you, wait a minute, 00:39:02.600 |
now things are different, you need to do this, 00:39:16.140 |
you know, change of thought, I know I had you 00:39:20.180 |
that was just broad picture, but now I want more detail. 00:39:27.660 |
You have a God who says, I'm so powerful and true, 00:39:34.380 |
and the scripture says, the sum of his word is truth. 00:39:53.980 |
What if I look not capable of doing what you ask? 00:39:58.060 |
What if I don't look as good as that other guy? 00:40:11.660 |
His truth and unchanging, and his mercies and his grace 00:40:19.820 |
There's a passage that's really, really beautiful 00:40:22.480 |
where God is talking about his promises to David. 00:40:25.520 |
Look at what he says, Psalm 89 verse 33, okay? 00:40:31.380 |
But I will not break off my loving kindness from him, 00:41:06.940 |
that I referred to Pastor Peter preaching a while ago 00:41:09.420 |
talking about Jacob, that was not to excuse his sin. 00:41:41.500 |
There are people in the Old Testament narrative 00:41:46.980 |
and lack of trust in God, they were unwilling to move. 00:41:49.260 |
But Jacob, every time God said, I want you to move, 00:41:52.760 |
He looked at his posse, so to speak, his whole crew, 00:42:01.340 |
Because he trusted this unchanging, trustworthy, 00:42:10.060 |
And so my challenge to you is if you struggle 00:42:17.940 |
you recognize that that is at the core of the sin 00:42:22.800 |
of every single person I presented to you today. 00:42:27.380 |
Essentially, they would just wanna hide themselves. 00:42:38.660 |
This is one great promise of the gospel and the scriptures. 00:42:42.360 |
God has chosen you to be conformed to the image of his son. 00:42:47.360 |
God has chosen you to be holy and blameless as he is. 00:42:52.500 |
And God has chosen you to be truthful as he is. 00:43:06.140 |
And so I pray, and I'm gonna read a couple verses here 00:43:16.200 |
as a means to just like, oh gosh, I just can't do this stuff. 00:43:29.780 |
But I will leave among you a humble and lowly people, 00:43:33.180 |
and they will take refuge in the name of the Lord. 00:43:36.520 |
The remnant of Israel will do no wrong and tell no lies, 00:43:41.520 |
nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths, 00:43:50.940 |
As we close off, I wanna ask you this interesting question. 00:44:01.520 |
Now for me, when I got saved as a senior in high school, 00:44:05.540 |
our church, I was so thankful for the ministry, 00:44:07.520 |
but our church, like, they wanted to provide opportunities 00:44:13.300 |
so they had revival nights, right, every Fridays. 00:44:20.280 |
I approached it with like, okay, I'm just gonna come. 00:44:27.020 |
And back then we sang a lot of vineyard songs 00:44:28.860 |
where it was just like, fill me, fill me, fill me. 00:44:37.780 |
I was just waiting for something to touch me deep. 00:44:40.820 |
And I wished that would produce in me a revival. 00:44:43.820 |
But brothers and sisters, revival is not nebulous, 00:44:53.600 |
is any time revival happened, God presented himself 00:44:57.680 |
and revealed, I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 00:45:09.860 |
And the people, upon looking, just like Isaiah, 00:45:12.300 |
just like Jacob, when they saw him and heard him, 00:45:26.100 |
he read the word and says, "Let's put all those idols away. 00:45:40.000 |
"the idols are for blessings, the lies are for protection. 00:45:43.400 |
"This is for the people that I hold onto as idols 00:46:27.440 |
your perspective where people have tried to lie to you, 00:46:31.600 |
maybe making a case that our intentions or heart is good 00:46:38.400 |
Father, today we want to come before you so open, 00:46:42.500 |
exposed to your glorious light and your truth, 00:46:44.940 |
to say you are the God of truth who sees all things, 00:46:48.940 |
and in you there is nothing that can be hidden. 00:46:57.660 |
I pray, Father God, that we would be so drawn to that. 00:47:06.880 |
if anybody is struggling where they've already made a web, 00:47:10.620 |
I ask God that you would grant to them strength 00:47:16.220 |
Lord, grant to us to walk with spiritual strength 00:47:19.540 |
that we might combat and fight against the flesh, 00:47:24.380 |
and fight against even the own motives of our own heart, 00:47:27.820 |
and God, help us to walk in faithfulness to you. 00:47:35.020 |
Today, we're gonna be observing the communion, 00:47:38.260 |
and so as we do so, what an appropriate time to think about 00:47:46.300 |
where we were not only untruthful, deceptive, 00:47:49.900 |
but also if there's any residual sin in your life. 00:48:00.580 |
It says here in 1 Corinthians chapter 11, verse 23, 00:48:14.100 |
"And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 00:48:19.740 |
"And in the same way, he took the cup also after supper, 00:48:23.060 |
"saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood. 00:48:26.620 |
"Do this as often as you drink in remembrance of me." 00:48:30.060 |
And so we participate in this, remembering the amazing, 00:48:37.460 |
where our Savior was broken, and he shed his blood for us. 00:48:43.000 |
"For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, 00:48:46.480 |
"you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 00:48:49.580 |
"Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup 00:48:54.120 |
"shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 00:49:05.180 |
What we'll do is, I'll give you just a few moments 00:49:13.540 |
And if there's anything you want to repent of, 00:49:20.580 |
And then after I give you several moments to pray, 00:49:24.960 |
I do wanna make mention that if you've joined us here today, 00:49:28.780 |
and you have not believed on Christ as Savior, 00:49:33.320 |
because this is an act where we proclaim Christ. 00:49:39.300 |
Our Savior is so good that he can break through any sin. 00:49:46.420 |
the forgiveness of God, ask him for it today. 00:49:53.620 |
and then I'll gather us to participate in this together.