Sermon Central
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To Tell The Truth Series
Contributed by Michael Luke on Dec 1, 2015 (message contributor)
Summary: God's word is truth. We, as his people, must practice truth.
Series: Big 10
“TO TELL THE TRUTH”
OPEN
One young boy is constantly late for school and what's worse is that he always has a big lie explaining why. The teacher tells the principal that she has had it with his exaggerations. The principal tells her to send the boy to him the next time he shows up late. He will tell the kid a lie so big that he will never tell another one.
The next day, the boy shows up 2 hours late. The boy says, “I was 2 hours early today so I had time to fish in the pond on my way to school. I caught a 17-pound bass and had to take it home. If I didn't clean it and freeze it, my mom would've been angry. That's why I'm so late”
The teacher promptly takes him to the principal's office and explains the story to the principal. The principal tells Johnny about his own trip to school that day. He says, “I was walking to school on the trail through the park today when I heard something behind me. I turned around and was shocked to see a giant grizzly bear behind me. He was 24 feet tall and had 6-inch fangs. He was going to attack me! Just then a little dog ran out from the bushes, jumped up and attacked the bear. The little dog killed the bear and then ate the whole bear right there in front of me. What do you think of that, young man?" J
The boy replied, “Oh yeah, that's my dog Sparky. That's his third bear this week."
We are born liars. You don’t teach kids how to lie. You teach them not to lie. 66% of all Americans say there is nothing wrong with telling a lie. When asked if they believed that honesty is the best policy, only 31% said they agreed with that statement. When you deal with other people – be it a business deal, in your family, in your neighborhood, at work, or in your school – tell the truth.
LYING DISHONORS GOD
Prov. 12:22 – The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy. Prov. 6:16-19 – There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, 19 a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. God hates lying so much that mentions it twice in that passage.
God is serious about his people being truth tellers and not liars. Deut. 19:16-21 – If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime, 17 the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time. 18 The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite, 19 then do to the false witness as that witness intended to do to the other party. You must purge the evil from among you. 20 The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you. 21 Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
God’s hatred of lying is embedded in fact that he is the embodiment of truth. Heb. 6:18 –It is impossible for God to lie.” God cannot lie.
The essence God the Father is true – Rom. 3:4 – Let God be true, and every human being a liar. The essence of God the Son is true. Jn. 14:6 – “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The essence of God the Holy Spirit is true. Jn. 16:13 – “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” The Word of God, the Bible, is true . Jn. 17:17 – “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”
On the other hand, Satan is a liar and the father of lies. Jn. 8:44 – “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Lying is contradictory to the very nature of God. It puts us in the enemy camp.
