Introduction

Good morning, family!

It's another beautiful day to gather together, to connect, to learn, and to grow in our faith. I'm thrilled to see all your eager faces. This morning, we're here to talk about living with truth and authenticity in our Christian lives.

Now, I know that's a big topic. It's something we all grapple with, in big ways and small. But it's also something that's so crucial to our faith, to our walk with God, and to our relationships with each other.

The great Christian author, Christine D. Pohl said it well:

"We don't always notice how profoundly our expectations, desires, and practices are … shaped by our culture. We bring the values of self-actualization, individual success, consumption, and personal freedom—and the choices that result from them—to church life, just as we bring them into family and work. . . . This is not a promising recipe for strong or lasting communities."

And how true that is. We bring many false narratives from the world into our community here. We bring the values and the ideologies of a culture that is far from God into a community that is meant to represent the nature of God. A community of forgiveness, kindness, and truth-telling.

Let's take a look at the Scriptures that will guide our conversation today. The first is from Psalm 86:11, "Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name." The second is from John 8:31-32, "To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, 'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'"

These passages remind us that truth isn't just something we know. It's something we live. It's something we hold to. It's something that shapes us and frees us. It's something that God teaches us, and something that we're called to live out in our lives and in our communities.

So, let's get started. But first, let's pray.

Dear Heavenly Father, we come before you today, eager to learn, eager to grow. We ask that you would guide our conversation, that you would open our hearts to your truth, and that you would help us to live it out in our lives. We ask for your wisdom, your guidance, and your love as we talk about these important topics. Amen.

So, let's talk about the importance of living truthfully...

The Importance of Living Truthfully

Living truthfully is a calling that echoes throughout the Scriptures. It's a calling that's woven into the very fabric of our faith. It's a calling that's as relevant today as it was two thousand years ago. It's a calling that challenges us, that shapes us, that frees us.

When we think about living truthfully, we often think about honesty. We think about telling the truth, about not lying or deceiving. And that's certainly part of it. But living truthfully is about so much more than just honesty. It's about authenticity. It's about integrity. It's about being true to who we are, to who God has created us to be.

In Psalm 86:11, the psalmist prays, "Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name." This is a prayer for truthfulness. It's a prayer for a heart that's undivided, a heart that's fully committed to God, a heart that's authentic and true.

And then in John 8:31-32, Jesus tells his followers, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Here, Jesus is talking about a truth that's more than just facts or information. He's talking about a truth that's lived, a truth that's embodied, a truth that sets us free.

So, what does this look like in our lives? How do we live truthfully?

First, living truthfully means living with integrity. Integrity is about being the same person in all situations. It's about being the same person on Sunday morning as you are on Saturday night. It's about being the same person in public as you are in private. It's about living in a way that's consistent with our beliefs, with our values, with our faith.

Second, living truthfully means living authentically. Authenticity is about being true to who we are. It's about not pretending, not putting on a mask, not trying to be someone we're not. It's about being honest with ourselves, with God, and with others about our strengths, our weaknesses, our successes, our failures, our hopes, our fears.

Third, living truthfully means living transparently. Transparency is about being open, being vulnerable, being real. It's about letting others see us as we really are, not as we wish we were. It's about sharing our struggles, our doubts, our questions, our joys, our victories.

Finally, living truthfully means living faithfully. Faithfulness is about being true to our commitments, to our promises, to our word. It's about being reliable, being trustworthy, being dependable. It's about showing up, sticking it out, staying the course.

Living truthfully is not easy. It's not comfortable. It's not convenient. But it's worth it. It's worth it because it's what we're called to do. It's worth it because it's what brings us closer to God. It's worth it because it's what sets us free.

The Role of Authenticity in Christian Communities

As we continue our discussion, let's consider the role authenticity plays within our Christian communities ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO