Fellowship With God - Loyalty To The Truth - (Part 5 Of 5)

Title: Fellowship With God - Loyalty To The Truth

Text: I John 2:18-28

Pray!!!

Read Text!!!

Introduction:

Two men had an argument. To settle the matter, they went to a Sufi judge for arbitration. The plaintiff made his case. He was very eloquent and persuasive in his reasoning. When he finished, the judge nodded in approval and said, "That’s right, that’s right."

On hearing this, the defendant jumped up and said, "Wait a second, judge, you haven’t even heard my side of the case yet." So the judge told the defendant to state his case. And he, too, was very persuasive and eloquent. When he finished, the judge said, "That’s right, that’s right."

When the clerk of court heard this, he jumped up and said, "Judge, they both can’t be right." The judge looked at the clerk of court and said, "That’s right, that’s right."

- What is the truth? After reading this story I am left thinking, who’s right and who’s wrong? Someone has to be right!

- In our world, there is a right way of doing things and a wrong way of doing things.

- In our world, there is truth and there is Anti-truth.

- So what is truth? Pilate asked that question to Jesus as he was questioning Him.

John 18:38 says, What is truth? Pilate asked.

- Many people from that day forward has been asking the question concerning truth.

- And many people have been confused by the topic.

- Many people have had false interpretations concerning the Word of God.

- Many erroneous teachings on certain topics like salvation, baptism, Heaven and Hell, Jesus, Angels, demons, and the Bible.

- Many say Jesus was just a myth, or some say He was just an angel, while others say just a prophet. Some have even said that Jesus was satan’s brother.

- But I am here to proclaim to you this evening that Jesus is the Son of God. He came to this earth and took on a human nature.

- Jesus is fully God, but yet fully man. And His death on the Cross paid the penalty for my sin, all I need to do is receive the free gift of salvation.

- Jesus is the only way to Heaven and without Him I have no hope, no matter what new age teaching or government might say. God’s Word must have the final say in my life.

- The Word of God speaks of the Truth of God. God has revealed the truth to us found in His Word.

- If we want to know truth, we need to read and study God’s Word.

Transition:

- We need to understand that many anti-christs have gone out trying to deceive people into believing a lie.

- An antichrist or false Christ leads a rebellion against everything that God is and promotes. Now we know that one will come that will literally be the devil incarnate

- And he will lead a rebellion against the N.T. church. Yes we are gone, but the influence will still be in our world.

- It will be covered up or lied about by the antichrist.

- Now John says many have already gone out. This basicly means there are people who are promoting false teachings concerning God’s Word and are leading people asrtray from the truth found in God’s Word.

- This evening I want to give you 4 common lies the enemy tells the church and non church goers about themselves.

- Please recognize that it’s not only four, but is exhaustive. I have narrow it down to four because of time.

- So 4 lies the spirit of antichrist wants you to believe that is not found in God’s Word.

Point 1: That I am Powerful

John 19:10-11 says, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Pilate said. Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you? Jesus answered, You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

- There are many examples in the Word of God that show people thinking they have power over God or other people.

- An example is Jezebel, sidonian wife of Ahab who promoted baal worship, killed the prophets of God, opposed Elijah, and had Naboth killed.

- Her death was prophesied in I Kings 21:17-24, (vs 23) and it was carried out by Jehu in (II Kings 9:30-37)

- The point is very clear, God is in control not me or you. I have no power unless God gives me His power to perform His work.

- God gives us His grace to help us conquer the enemy.

- Everyone wants to be like God, or wants to in a position of power.