Discerning Truth and Unity in Faith
Summary
In today's gathering, we celebrated Team Life Sunday, a day dedicated to recognizing and appreciating those who serve within our church community. This day is a reminder of our unity and commitment to making a difference in our community. We also discussed the significance of being part of a local church, emphasizing that it is not just a gathering of people but a community that provides accountability, refinement, and support. This is crucial in a world where false teachings can easily lead individuals astray.
We explored the theme of "True or False" through a series of biblical questions, highlighting the importance of discerning truth in a world filled with conflicting messages. We delved into 1 John 2:18-27, where John warns about the presence of antichrists—those who are against Christ—and the urgency of deciding what is true. The passage reminds us that truth is not determined by volume or sincerity but by alignment with God's Word.
We examined four key questions to help us discern truth: the importance of being part of a church, the identity of Jesus as the Christ, the nature of God as a Trinity, and the sufficiency of the Bible as the ultimate source of truth. These questions serve as a filter to evaluate the teachings and influences we encounter, ensuring they align with the truth of Scripture.
Ultimately, the message is a call to remain steadfast in our faith, grounded in the truth of God's Word, and to be vigilant against teachings that lead us away from Christ. For those who have not yet confessed Jesus as Lord, the invitation is open to embrace the truth that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
Key Takeaways:
- Unity in Service: Being part of a church community is vital for spiritual growth and accountability. It provides a space for believers to support one another and stay grounded in truth, especially in a world where false teachings can easily lead individuals astray. [28:25]
- Discerning Truth: Truth is not determined by how loudly or frequently it is proclaimed but by its alignment with God's Word. In a world filled with conflicting messages, it is crucial to discern what is true and what is false, using Scripture as our guide. [35:30]
- The Identity of Christ: Jesus is not just a figure to admire; He is the Christ, the anointed Messiah, and the only one who can save us. Recognizing Jesus as the Christ is essential for understanding the truth of the Gospel. [48:39]
- The Nature of God: God is a Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This understanding is crucial because many false teachings arise from a failure to recognize the triune nature of God. Affirming the Trinity helps us stay aligned with biblical truth. [53:22]
- Sufficiency of Scripture: The Bible is the ultimate source of truth, and there is no special knowledge beyond it. While God provides teachers and leaders, our relationship with Him is personal and does not require intermediaries. We must be cautious of teachings that add to or distort Scripture. [55:45]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Team Life Sunday Introduction
- [03:00] - Importance of Unity and Service
- [05:45] - Growth Track Invitation
- [08:15] - The "For Percival" Initiative
- [12:00] - Engaging with the Community
- [15:30] - True or False: Biblical Questions
- [28:25] - The Importance of Church Community
- [33:06] - Understanding Antichrists
- [35:30] - Determining Truth in a Confusing World
- [38:16] - Framework for Discerning Truth
- [42:23] - Dangers of False Teachings
- [45:27] - The Role of the Church
- [48:39] - Jesus as the Christ
- [53:22] - God as a Trinity
- [55:45] - The Sufficiency of Scripture
- [01:01:23] - Invitation to Faith
- [01:03:30] - Baptism and Communion
- [01:05:00] - Closing Prayer and Dismissal
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- 1 John 2:18-27
Observation Questions:
1. What does John mean by "antichrists" in 1 John 2:18, and how does this relate to the urgency of discerning truth? [33:06]
2. According to the sermon, what are some common misconceptions about the identity of Jesus and the nature of God? [48:39]
3. How does the sermon describe the role of the local church in helping believers discern truth and avoid false teachings? [42:23]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the sufficiency of Scripture and the role of human teachers in our spiritual journey? [55:45]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of "antichrists" challenge the way believers perceive threats to their faith today? [33:06]
2. In what ways does recognizing Jesus as the Christ impact a believer's understanding of the Gospel? [48:39]
3. Why is the understanding of God as a Trinity crucial in maintaining alignment with biblical truth? [53:22]
4. How can believers ensure that their faith is grounded in Scripture rather than being swayed by additional teachings or interpretations? [55:45]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your involvement in your local church. How does being part of a church community help you stay grounded in truth? Are there ways you can deepen your engagement? [42:23]
2. Consider the various messages you encounter daily. How do you discern which ones align with God's Word? What steps can you take to improve your discernment? [35:30]
3. Think about your understanding of Jesus as the Christ. How does this belief shape your daily life and interactions with others? [48:39]
4. How do you respond to teachings or beliefs that challenge the concept of the Trinity? What resources or practices can help you defend this core doctrine? [53:22]
5. Evaluate the sources of spiritual teaching you rely on. Are there any that might be adding to or distorting Scripture? How can you ensure your faith remains rooted in the Bible? [55:45]
6. Identify a specific area in your life where you feel overwhelmed. How can you rely on God rather than trying to handle it on your own? [57:45]
7. If you have not yet confessed Jesus as Lord, what questions or doubts do you have about this decision? How can you seek answers or support from your church community? [01:01:23]
Devotional
Day 1: Unity in Service Strengthens Our Faith
Being part of a church community is essential for spiritual growth and accountability. It provides a space where believers can support one another and stay grounded in truth, especially in a world where false teachings can easily lead individuals astray. The church is not just a gathering of people but a community that offers accountability, refinement, and support. This unity in service is a reminder of our commitment to making a difference in our community and staying true to the teachings of Christ. [28:25]
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:23-25, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your church community can you reach out to this week to offer support or encouragement in their spiritual journey?
Day 2: Truth is Measured by God's Word
In a world filled with conflicting messages, discerning truth is crucial. Truth is not determined by how loudly or frequently it is proclaimed but by its alignment with God's Word. The Bible serves as our guide to evaluate the teachings and influences we encounter, ensuring they align with the truth of Scripture. This discernment is vital to remain steadfast in our faith and vigilant against teachings that lead us away from Christ. [35:30]
"For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord." (Psalm 33:4-5, ESV)
Reflection: What is one message or teaching you have encountered recently that you need to evaluate against Scripture? How can you seek God's guidance in discerning its truth?
Day 3: Recognizing Jesus as the Christ
Jesus is not just a figure to admire; He is the Christ, the anointed Messiah, and the only one who can save us. Recognizing Jesus as the Christ is essential for understanding the truth of the Gospel. This acknowledgment is a call to remain grounded in the truth of God's Word and to embrace the truth that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. For those who have not yet confessed Jesus as Lord, the invitation is open to embrace this truth. [48:39]
"Simon Peter replied, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' And Jesus answered him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.'" (Matthew 16:16-17, ESV)
Reflection: How does recognizing Jesus as the Christ influence your daily decisions and interactions with others? What steps can you take to deepen your relationship with Him today?
Day 4: Affirming the Trinity
Understanding God as a Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is crucial because many false teachings arise from a failure to recognize the triune nature of God. Affirming the Trinity helps us stay aligned with biblical truth and strengthens our faith. This understanding is vital to remain vigilant against teachings that distort the nature of God and lead us away from the truth of Scripture. [53:22]
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20, ESV)
Reflection: How does your understanding of the Trinity shape your view of God and your relationship with Him? What can you do to deepen your understanding of the triune nature of God?
Day 5: The Bible as the Ultimate Source of Truth
The Bible is the ultimate source of truth, and there is no special knowledge beyond it. While God provides teachers and leaders, our relationship with Him is personal and does not require intermediaries. We must be cautious of teachings that add to or distort Scripture, ensuring that our faith remains grounded in the truth of God's Word. [55:45]
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV)
Reflection: What steps can you take to ensure that your understanding of God's truth is rooted in Scripture? How can you incorporate regular Bible study into your daily routine to strengthen your faith?
Quotes
"All right, good morning, church So glad that you are here To worship with us today And happy Team Life Sunday This is a Sunday that we do About once a month And definitely on growth track Sundays Where you see everybody wearing Their four Percival shirts And yeah, Mike, I see you flexing You got it You flexing it a little bit And we wear these just as Just a show of unity And doing this together And the people that are wearing these shirts And many other people may have them And forgot to wear them today That kind of signifies They are on Team Life Which is a gathering of people Who are serving Making a difference here At Percival Baptist Church So take a moment today Whenever you see somebody With a shirt on To say thank you For whatever they do Whether it's, you know, Safety and security Or coffee Thank you to the coffee people Or baby holding Or helping during the week With administrative stuff Whatever it is AV people Say thank you to them Whenever you see them And if you're interested In being part of that team That's one of the reasons That we do growth track Every month or so And that's tonight Four to seven o 'clock And it is one of the ways But that's the pipeline For getting on to What we call Team Life" [00:22:08] (78 seconds)
"True or false questions, they're designed to be tricky. And I've designed a few tricky ones for you today. Biblical true, false questions. All right. This is not a test. and you don't have to answer if you don't want to, right? I'm not trying to check you if you're right or wrong on this, all right? We want you all here. If you're wrong on these, we really want you here because we want to help you get them right. No, I'm kidding. Here's some tricky true -false Bible questions. Here's the first one. True or false? Noah took two of every kind of animal onto the ark. Okay. All right." [00:29:03] (37 seconds)
"The answer that I have on the screen is false. Okay. And here's why. Is he took, if you go back and read the story, he took two of every kind of unclean animal. He took seven of every clean animal onto the ark. He took seven because if you look at the story, there were some sacrifices afterwards and they were allowed to eat meat afterwards and they needed more animals than just two. Otherwise, that would be a problem. However, I did have someone point out to me, true -false can be tricky because he did take two of every animal. And I was like, ah, so you're all right." [00:29:40] (45 seconds)
"Is that for every person who has read this over the last 2 ,000 years, this matter is urgent. Right? It is urgent and it needs to be decided now. If I could summarize this verse for you, it would be like this. Is that there are people coming against Christ and people who are against Christ and every person in all the time needs to decide it is an urgent matter, true or false, and they need to do it before it's too late." [00:35:05] (31 seconds)
"That oftentimes people will determine what is true by who says it the loudest or who says it the most often or how many people say it. But no matter how loud they yell it or how many people share it or how many people say it, that is not the determiner of truth. Did you know that? It also doesn't matter how sincere they are. It doesn't matter how much they believe it. That is not the definition of truth. And you may be here today and you may have a very fluid definition of truth. By nature, truth can't be fluid." [00:35:41] (38 seconds)
"They come from within the church, and they split off and form their own groups based on their interpretations or manipulations. And it is important to stay in the context of the local church, not because she's perfect, far from it, but because it is a gathering of imperfect people who are looking at the perfect one together. For all of us, it is important, not just because God said to, which should be enough, but because we all need each other. We need accountability. We need refinement. We need course correction." [00:43:15] (36 seconds)
"Jesus wasn't ashamed of that identity either, because in one of the most literally trying times of his earthly life, as he stood before the high priest and was questioned before he was handed over to the Roman authorities, who then, you know, sentenced him to crucifixion and death, the high priest asked him in Mark 14, are you the Christ, the son of the blessed? And Jesus said, I am. And you will see the son of man seated at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven. So, Jesus can either really be the Christ or he is a liar." [00:50:12] (36 seconds)
"Because if he wasn't fully God, then he can't conquer hell, death, and sin. If he wasn't fully man, then he can't be the full sacrifice, the real sacrifice for our brokenness and our sin. Then he must be both. But suffice to say that there are many antichrists or false teachers that will fail on this point that God is a trinity. Because the only way that they can elevate themselves in their own teachings is to demote Jesus." [00:52:29] (34 seconds)
"Does God give us people to teach us? Yes. Scripture actually says that he gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, and teachers. Or he does give us those, but hear me this. You do not need man's teaching to get to God. You do not need man's teaching to get to God. He gave us his word. He gave us his Holy Spirit so that we would personally be able to have a relationship with him. We don't need the Pope." [00:56:06] (29 seconds)
"And the true or false question is posed to you. Do you agree? See, that is true. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. There is no one else who lived a perfect life, who died a death they didn't deserve, who rose from the dead, but Jesus. There's no one else that has the power to save you but Jesus. True or false, do you believe that? You've got to decide." [01:00:50] (28 seconds)
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