8 Words To Change Your Family: Truth Series

8 Words to Change Your Family: Truth

Ephesians 4:15

Rev. Brian Bill

5/22/11

I heard about a guy who sees a sign in front of a house: “Talking Dog for Sale.” He rings the bell and the owner tells him the dog is in the backyard. The guy goes to the back and starts asking questions of the dog: “Can you really talk?” he asks. “Yep,” the mutt replies. “So, what’s your story?”

The dog looks up and says, “Well, I discovered my gift of talking pretty young so I told the CIA and in no time they had me sitting in rooms with world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping. The travel really tired me out so I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security work and now I’m just retired.”

The guy goes back and asks the owner what he wants for the dog. The owner says, “Ten dollars.” The guy says, “Are you serious? That dog is amazing. Why on earth are you selling him so cheaply?” To which the owner replies, “He’s a big liar. He didn’t do any of that stuff. You can’t believe a word he says.”

Can people believe the words that you say? This morning we’re going to take a look at the topic of truth as we continue in our “8 Words to Change Your Family” series. Let me summarize the three words we’ve looked at so far:

• Vision: Our parenting today builds a generational legacy tomorrow.

• Love: Love is more an action than an emotion.

• Forgiveness: If you’re going to grow, you must let it go.

As we begin today, I’m reminded of Pilate’s question to Jesus in John 18:38: “What is truth?” He asks the right question but didn’t stick around to hear the right answer. Two immediate answers come to mind. First, Jesus Himself is truth. That’s what John 14:6 says, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Secondly, God’s Word is truth. We see this in John 17:17: “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” And since Jesus said, “Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” in John 18:37, let’s listen to what He has to say right now.

There are a lot of different directions this message could go but I want to focus on just three aspects of truth. We must trust the truth, we must tell the truth and we must teach the truth.

1. Trust the Truth. Matthew 7:24 helps us see that if want a stable faith and a stable family, we must have a firm foundation. We’re to trust the truth and not just focus on facades: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Another word for rock is truth. Wise families build on the foundation of truth.

Notice what happens when the hurricanes of life come. Families that aren’t anchored to God’s truth will fracture: “The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

From the outside, both families appeared to be well-built and neither looked to be defective. The houses are finished and furnished. The main difference between the two builders is that only one took the time to dig down to the solid rock while the foundation of the other house settled on sand. The nature of sand is to be shifting, sliding and sinking while a rock is stationary, strong and secure.

It strikes me how abruptly and suddenly this storm comes on the scene. Notice that adversity comes from above (the rain fell) and from below (the floods came) and from all sides (the winds blew). Problems drench us like driving rain. Observe also that the same storm hits both houses. No individual is immune from adversity.

Both home-builders had the privilege of hearing the words of Jesus. The difference between the two is that only one trusted the truth and put it into practice. It says “everyone who hears…and puts them into practice.” This is in the present tense, meaning that we are to continually hear and continually heed. Here’s the literal translation: “and keeps doing them.”

Are you reading the Bible daily? Are you committed to regular Sunday morning participation? Are you plugged into a small group? Some of you have recently come to faith in Christ. If you have not yet been baptized as a believer, that’s your next step of obedience. Our next baptism day will be on Sunday, June 12th. Contact the church office to get on the list.