Truth Series #2
WORLDLY LIES
2 Cor. 3:17-18
CHCC – July 3, 2011
INTRODUCTION:
This is the second in a series of four sermons about TRUTH. A lot of people believe that all truth is relative. In other words, there is no absolute truth … it all depends on your point of view or circumstance.
I once read about a man who heard someone say: “There are 2 sides to every question” The man replied “Yes, there are two sides to every question… just like there are two sides to a sheet of flypaper, but it makes a difference to the fly which side he chooses.”
A lot of people say that all truth is relative, but it’s not really possible to live that way. There are consequences to setting absolute truth aside. You see, lies can literally ruin your life. And lies can come from a host of sources. Some of the lies we believe come from our own heads. These are often hidden lies that we believe about ourselves. We talked about those kinds of SELF-lies last week.
Other lies come from the culture around us. They can be called Worldly LIES. These lies may arrive in the form of advertizing, educational institutions, philosophies, media, books, magazine articles, TV shows, movies, music etc. So just how reliable are these messages? I contend that most of what the world tries to spoon-feed us is destructive --- but it’s disguised to seem helpful and wise.
James chapter 3 describes the difference between the world’s wisdom and God’s wisdom: The world’s "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.
In contrast, God’s wisdom is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. James 3:15, 17
Worldly LIES bombard us every day. We must learn to guard our minds against the assault of worldly pseudo-wisdom. One of the most pervasive lies in American culture is this:
1. My worth is determined by my performance …
This “worth equals performance” lie is all around us. It seems that everything is tied up with winning and losing. It’s all about competition and comparison --- good, better, best --- gold, silver, bronze --- win, place, show.
We feel this performance pressure in our jobs or at school. We experience the "keep up with the Jones’" pressure in the neighborhood. We compare our financial success, our family status, and even our spiritual status with people at work, in the neighborhood, and even at church.
I’ll let you in on a little secret: preachers fall into this trap all the time. At most ministers’ meetings the talk gravitates toward attendance figures and offerings (nickels and noses). The implication is that even in the church, success equals worth.
The problem with the “worth = performance” lie is that sooner or later we all come to the end of our success ride. Sooner or later we must focus on an uncomfortable question “Who am I apart from what I do? Am I a human BEING or just a human DOING?”
Since 1985 when I first came to CHCC, we’ve had ups and we’ve had downs. For the first 6 years, it was all ups. We grew about 10% every year and things were going great. I have to admit, I felt like my star was rising! Then trouble hit and we went through a period of decline followed by a plateau that lasted several years. During that time, it seemed that no matter how much I
worked and prayed and tried … we couldn’t seem to get the momentum going again.
I asked myself, was I a success in the first six years and a failure during the next six years? If I believed the LIE that my worth is determined by my performance the answer would have to be yes.
Around that time I heard a radio message from a neighboring pastor, Dr. Harris of Castle Hills FBC. He talked frankly about the ups and downs of his congregation. He said he had learned that the ups were no more to his credit than the downs were his fault. He no longer patted himself on the back for the good times, or to beat himself up for the bad times. He concluded that in a congregation good times come and go, just like the storms that blow through south Texas from time to time.
That was a good thing for me to hear. It reinforced the TRUTH I already knew. My value doesn’t depend on successes or failures. Neither does yours! For all of us, our true value comes from being “fearfully and wonderfully made by a loving heavenly Father.” God doesn’t judge you by the outcome of your efforts. God is pleased with a faithful heart.
Eph 2:8-9 tells us: It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
• Whenever you catch yourself listening to the LIE: My worth is determined by my performance …
• Replace it with the TRUTH: I am a child of my Heavenly Father, and He is pleased with me.
Another common Worldly Lie is that …
2. Life must be fair …
I heard about a Philosophy Professor who started the semester by asking his class, “Do you believe in absolute values like justice?” Some of the students argued that everything is relative and there is no absolute morality.
At the end of the debate, the Professor announced, “No matter what you think, absolute morality can be demonstrated. If you don’t accept what I say, I’ll flunk every one of you.”
Of course several students complained, “You can’t do that! That’s not fair!”
“You just proved my point,” the professor replied. “You’ve appealed to a law of absolute justice.”
The inborn instinct about right and wrong is universal. From it comes the innate idea about what is fair! Kids seem to arrive on earth with the fairness gene already firmly embedded in their little psyches. I can remember hearing our daughters say over and over, “That’s not fair!” Whenever I heard it, I used to sing a song I made up: “Whoever told you that life is fair?” (Of course, they really appreciated that wisdom from dear old dad.)
The TRUTH is that life just isn’t always fair. Some wind up with more than others. Some seem to get all the breaks. Some are lucky while others aren’t. Some are born into better circumstances. Some have better health. Some seem to have all the talent, or brains, or beauty … and other’s …well, not so much. That’s the fact, Jack!
The unfair reality is evident every day! A hard working young man is killed by a drunk driver who walks away from the wreck without a scratch. Drug dealers make millions and live in mansions. The best runner trips and falls thereby losing the race. A tornado strikes and hundreds of innocent people are killed. A kind person falls ill while a cruel person enjoys perfect health. It is hard to accept that unfairness happens.
So, what can we do when unfairness comes our way?
• Call a spade a spade. Don’t gloss it over. Be honest with yourself and God about how you feel … including your hurt or anger. But don’t rehearse it over and over in your mind. If you do, it will turn into bitterness or rage.
• Decide whether you should attempt to correct the unfairness. Some things are worth speaking up about (like being overcharged for car repair) and some are not (like someone getting more fries in their order than you got) There may be a time to stand up and say, “I’m not going to take this!” and sometimes it’s better to say, “No big deal, I’ll let this one slide.”
• Don’t take it personally. When we do, we tend to overreact, but the truth is that the unfairness is about the faults in unfair person … not about your personal worth.
• Finally, you need to forgive. This means letting go of the past so you can live fully in the here and now. It is up to you to handle unfairness so that you don’t pay twice for it – once when it happens to you, and again when you allow it to wreck your life.
If you don’t forgive, bitterness will grow like gangrene in your soul. The Holy Spirit will give you the power to truly forgive. Give it to God … and don’t look back.
The false belief that Life must be fair is a serious roadblock for many Christians. Some Christians believe that God has given them a guarantee of protection … from disappointment and disaster. This LIE is what causes people to blame God … and sometimes to actually turn away from God … when trouble comes into their life. I’ve seen people stop coming to church after a tragedy struck their family. They feel like God has fallen down on His part of the bargain. Or they say, “How can a good God let this happen?”
The TRUTH is that God NEVER promised a trouble-free life. In John 16:33 Jesus said this clearly. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Christians have their share in the troubles of life. So, welcome to the real world. The difference for a Christian is NOT in the outward circumstances but in the inward life. God gives us deep peace and confidence even while we’re going through troubles.
• If you find yourself thinking: Life must be fair …
• Replace the Lie with the Truth: --- In this world I will have trouble, but Jesus has overcome the world!
The most destructive Worldly LIE is this:
3. I am what I am – I can’t change – I’m hopeless
This could be called the blame and shame trap. It’s what makes someone think …
* “Oh well … I’ve always had a short temper, it’s just how I am.”
* “I’m hopelessly addicted to (fill in the blank – cigarettes, alcohol, overeating, pornography, immorality) and I’ll never be able to overcome it.”
* “What they did to me was so bad that I can never forgive them.”
* “What I did was so bad that I can never forgive myself.”
The truth is that the Christian life is all about change. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 says that because Christ lives in us, we see and reflect the glory of the Lord. We are being transformed into His glorious image, from one degree of glory to another. (NLT, NASB)
Two of my grandkids live in Illinois, so I only get to see them 2 or 3 times a year. Whenever I do see them, the first thing I say is, “Wow, look how you’ve grown!” They usually look at me like “what?” because they’re not aware of their own growth.
I feel that way sometimes with people in our church that I’ve known for years. I think back … and look at them now … and think, “Wow, look how you’ve grown!” We may not always be aware of our spiritual growth. But God sees it and exclaims, “Look how you’ve grown!”
This is the TRUTH of the Christian life. Every day you’re growing more like Jesus Christ … God is transforming you from one degree of glory to another.
Of course, we DO have a part to play in this. Our part is to BELIEVE the truth. The problem is that our conscience can sometimes mess us up. Before you become a Christian, the only thing your conscience could do was to CONDEMN. But when Jesus comes into your life, condemnation is overwhelmed by grace.
Romans 8:1-2 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
As a Christian, you’ve been saved by grace. You’re a child of the King. Your sins are forgiven … ALL of them. And through Jesus you always have the power to change.
If your conscience tells you, “you’re no good … you always mess up… you’re hopeless” you’re hearing LIES. As a Christian, your conscience should not sound like Judge Judy. Your conscience should be more like the GPS system in your car.
(Clive is the name we've given our GPS voice) Clive never condemns! He just says “recalculating” (in a pleasant Australian accent!) and then he calmly tells us the alternate route we need to take. If we miss that one, he says “recalculating” and tells us make a U-turn at the next opportunity.
That’s the blame-free life that Jesus has given you. When the Holy Spirit convicts you of sin, just “recalculate” and re-route your life … make a U-turn if you need to. But don’t waste time beating yourself up over your failures.
• No matter what circumstances you are in today, refuse to listen to the LIE of Satan that says: I am what I am – I can’t change – I’m hopeless …
• Replace the Lie with this truth: There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
CONCLUSION:
Replace the LIES of Satan with God’s truth:
* sins can be overcome
* addictions can be broken
* diseases can be healed
* financial needs can be met
* relationships can be resurrected
* God can give you the power to forgive yourself and others
Because the Holy Spirit lives in you, you can FORGIVE the unforgivable – you can find JOY in life – you can live without FEAR.
Despair is from Satan. But HOPE and CONFIDENCE can be yours through Jesus Christ … who is the way, the TRUTH, and the life.
