Sermon Central
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Speaking The Truth
Contributed by Jeff Glenn on Sep 3, 2001 (message contributor)
Summary: In a world filled with falsehood, we as believers not only need to recognize the truth, but know it, stand on it and speak it.
Speaking the Truth
By way of introduction, here are four scriptures that deal with the truth:
John 8:32 (The truth will set us free)
John 14:6 (Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life...")
John 17:17 (Jesus prayed in the garden, "Sanctify them with Your word. Your word is truth.")
John 18:38 (Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?")
I) We Speak the Truth by Using our gifts. (V.11-12)
A) What "some" of these gifts are: (v.11)
1) Gifts used in the first century church:
a) Apostles and prophets (The Book of Acts is
a turning point. Prophets were known
primarily in the Old Testament times and
the apostles were used to establish the
church. There are those who will say that
the apostolic age is over while others say
that the church is still in the apostolic
days. My convictions are that the
apostolic days are over because after the
church was established, the apostles
aren’t mentioned when it came to mission
work. Jesus said to go and make disciples,
not apostles. Matthew 28:19-20)
2) Gifts used in today’s church:
a) Evangelists and Pastor/Teacher (I believe
that my calling is not one of "preacher",
but pastor/teacher.)
B) What these gifts are for: (v.12)
1) Equipping the saints for the work of
ministry. (Every believer needs to
participate in some type of ongoing Bible
study and fellowship in order to be able to
handle what they encounter on a daily basis.)
2) Edifying of the body of Christ. (Adopt a
mindset of being an encourager.)
II) We Speak the Truth by coming to the Unity of the
Faith. (V.13-14)
A) Knowledge (v.13a) (II Timothy 3:7) (We have
technology at our fingertips, but what we
learning about humanity as it relates to
spirituality?)
B) Maturity. (v.13b-14) (Romans 8:29) (If you
have a problem with change, then you will have
a problem with God because God is in the
process of changing us into the image of His
Son.)
1) Fullness of Christ. (He wants us to be just
like Jesus.)
2) Stability. (We must grow up in the faith.)
III) We Speak the Truth by coming Under the Authority
of Christ. (V.15-16)
A) We speak in love. (v.15a)
B) We grow up in Him. (v.15b)
1) The whole body is joined together (v.16a)
2) The whole body works together (v.16b)
3) The whole body grows together (v.16c)
4) The whole body is edified together (v.16d)
* We must work together for the Gospel’s sake.
