Transforming Lies into Truth: A Vision for Impact
Summary
In today's gathering, we explored the vision for our church over the next three years, focusing on how we can position ourselves for greater organizational fruitfulness and community impact. We discussed the potential hiring of an executive pastor to manage the business side of church operations, allowing us to expand our small groups and leadership development. Jaime, currently the teaching pastor at our Pittsburgh campus, will transition into this role, necessitating the hiring of a new campus pastor. This change is part of our broader vision to adapt and grow as Chatham County undergoes rapid development. Our prayer is that the spiritual transformation we seek will outpace the physical changes in our community.
We delved into the theme of our "Change Your World" series, examining how lies have distorted our understanding of God, ourselves, and our purpose. The biblical narrative reveals that humanity's downfall began with the lie that God was withholding something from us. This lie led to a world where exploitation and using others became the norm, rather than blessing and serving one another. We identified three core lies that often drive our lives: "I am what I have," "I am what I do," and "I am what others think of me." These lies lead to a cycle of using and exploiting others, rather than living in the truth and blessing those around us.
Nehemiah 5 provides a powerful example of how to address these issues. Nehemiah listened to the outcry of the poor, became righteously angry, and took action to correct the injustices within his community. He called out the exploitation and offered a path to restoration, urging the people to replace their pursuit of wealth with a reverence for God. This story challenges us to confront the lies in our own lives and communities, to speak truth, and to restore relationships through blessing.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to be people of truth, replacing lies with the truth that sets us free. This begins with addressing the lies within ourselves before we can effectively change the world around us. We are invited to listen, become righteously angry at injustice, ponder our actions, and then act to bring light and truth into dark places. Our mission is to be instruments of change, blessing others and transforming our world through the power of truth and love.
Key Takeaways:
1. Vision for Growth and Impact: Our church is embarking on a three-year vision to expand our impact in Chatham County, focusing on organizational fruitfulness and community engagement. This includes hiring an executive pastor to manage church operations, allowing us to grow our small groups and leadership development. As we adapt to the rapid changes in our community, we pray for spiritual transformation to outpace physical development. [00:00]
2. The Power of Lies: Lies have distorted our understanding of God, ourselves, and our purpose. The biblical narrative shows that humanity's downfall began with the lie that God was withholding something from us. This lie led to a world where exploitation became the norm, rather than blessing and serving one another. We must confront these lies to live in truth and bless those around us. [09:56]
3. Core Lies That Drive Us: We identified three core lies that often drive our lives: "I am what I have," "I am what I do," and "I am what others think of me." These lies lead to a cycle of using and exploiting others, rather than living in the truth and blessing those around us. Recognizing and addressing these lies is crucial for personal and communal transformation. [16:40]
4. Nehemiah's Example of Righteous Anger: Nehemiah 5 provides a powerful example of addressing injustice. Nehemiah listened to the outcry of the poor, became righteously angry, and took action to correct the injustices within his community. He called out exploitation and offered a path to restoration, urging the people to replace their pursuit of wealth with reverence for God. [20:07]
5. Our Call to Be People of Truth: As followers of Jesus, we are called to be people of truth, replacing lies with the truth that sets us free. This begins with addressing the lies within ourselves before we can effectively change the world around us. We are invited to listen, become righteously angry at injustice, ponder our actions, and then act to bring light and truth into dark places. [34:16]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Vision for Growth and Impact
- [03:15] - Organizational Fruitfulness
- [05:45] - Transition of Leadership
- [08:20] - Change Your World Series
- [09:56] - The Power of Lies
- [12:30] - Core Lies That Drive Us
- [16:40] - Consequences of Believing Lies
- [20:07] - Nehemiah's Example of Righteous Anger
- [24:07] - Pondering and Acting on Injustice
- [27:44] - Replacing Lies with Truth
- [30:15] - Offering a Path to Restoration
- [32:50] - Our Call to Be People of Truth
- [34:16] - Prayer and Closing
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Nehemiah 5:1-13
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Observation Questions:
1. What specific injustices were the poor people in Nehemiah 5 crying out against, and how did Nehemiah respond to their complaints? [20:07]
2. According to the sermon, what are the three core lies that often drive our lives, and how do they affect our relationships with others? [16:40]
3. How did Nehemiah demonstrate righteous anger, and what steps did he take to address the exploitation within his community? [24:07]
4. What was the outcome of Nehemiah's confrontation with the nobles and officials, and how did it lead to restoration? [27:44]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the story of Nehemiah 5 illustrate the impact of lies on a community, and what does it teach about the importance of addressing these lies? [09:56]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that righteous anger can be a catalyst for positive change, and how can one discern between righteous and self-righteous anger? [20:07]
3. How does the sermon connect the lies we believe about ourselves to the broader theme of exploitation and blessing in our communities? [16:40]
4. What role does the fear of God play in replacing the core lie of acquisition, according to Nehemiah's example? [27:44]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on the three core lies mentioned in the sermon: "I am what I have," "I am what I do," and "I am what others think of me." Which of these lies do you find most challenging, and how can you begin to replace it with truth in your life? [16:40]
2. Consider a situation in your life where you have witnessed or experienced exploitation or injustice. How can you apply Nehemiah's example of listening, pondering, and acting to address this issue? [24:07]
3. The sermon emphasizes the importance of being people of truth. What practical steps can you take to ensure that you are living in truth and blessing those around you, rather than exploiting or using them? [34:16]
4. How can you cultivate a healthy expression of righteous anger in your life, and what are some specific situations where this might be necessary? [20:07]
5. Nehemiah offered a path to restoration by urging the people to give back what they had taken. Is there someone in your life to whom you need to offer a path to restoration or forgiveness? How can you take the first step? [27:44]
6. As the church embarks on a three-year vision for growth and impact, how can you personally contribute to this vision, particularly in the areas of small group expansion and leadership development? [00:30]
7. Reflect on the rapid changes in your community. How can you be an instrument of spiritual transformation that outpaces physical development, as the sermon suggests? [00:30]
Devotional
Day 1: Vision for Growth and Impact
Our church is embarking on a transformative three-year vision aimed at expanding our impact through increased small groups, community engagement, and organizational development. This vision includes hiring an executive pastor to manage the business aspects, allowing the church leadership to focus more on spiritual growth and leadership development. By delegating operational responsibilities, the church can concentrate on nurturing the spiritual lives of its members and fostering a community that is both spiritually vibrant and socially impactful. This strategic move is expected to enhance the church's ability to serve its congregation and the wider community effectively. [00:00]
"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:58, ESV)
Reflection: What specific steps can you take this week to contribute to the church's vision of growth and impact, either through small groups or community engagement?
Day 2: The Power of Lies
Lies about God, ourselves, and what makes us valuable have historically led to exploitation and broken relationships. Recognizing and replacing these lies with truth is essential for personal and communal transformation. The biblical narrative shows that the world was thrown into chaos by the lie that God is withholding good from us, leading to a cycle of exploitation rather than blessing. By confronting these lies, individuals can begin to transform their relationships and communities, moving from a mindset of exploitation to one of blessing and truth. [09:56]
"For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth." (2 Corinthians 13:8, ESV)
Reflection: Identify a lie you have believed about yourself or God. How can you replace this lie with a truth from Scripture today?
Day 3: Nehemiah's Example
Nehemiah's response to injustice in his community provides a model for addressing exploitation and injustice. He listened to the cries of the oppressed, became righteously angry, and took action to restore justice and blessing. This process involves recognizing the lies that drive exploitation, speaking truth to power, and offering a path to redemption and restoration. As followers of Jesus, individuals are called to be people of truth, bringing light to dark places and offering hope and healing to those who are marginalized or ignored. [20:07]
"Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy." (Proverbs 31:8-9, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your community is crying out for justice? How can you take a step to listen and act on their behalf this week?
Day 4: Righteous Anger and Action
There is a place for righteous anger in addressing injustice. This anger should lead to constructive action, guided by truth and aimed at restoring relationships and communities to a state of blessing. Righteous anger is not about personal vendettas but about standing up for what is right and just. It is a call to action that seeks to bring about positive change and healing in situations of injustice and exploitation. [24:07]
"Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil." (Ephesians 4:26-27, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on a situation where you feel righteous anger. How can you channel this anger into constructive action that aligns with God's truth?
Day 5: Personal and Communal Transformation
Before we can change the world, we must address the lies within ourselves. By aligning our lives with God's truth, we can become instruments of change, bringing light and blessing to the world around us. Personal transformation is the first step towards communal impact, as individuals who live in truth and integrity inspire others to do the same. This transformation is not just about personal growth but about becoming a beacon of hope and change in a world that desperately needs it. [34:16]
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2, ESV)
Reflection: What is one lie you need to confront in your life to align more closely with God's truth? How will addressing this lie impact your community?
Quotes
"Almost everyone agrees the world is not what it could be or should be. Isn't that interesting? Everyone agrees the world is not what it could be or what it should be. Now, why that is and how to fix it, we have all kinds of different ideas around that. But we actually have almost universal agreement. The world is not as it could be or should be. You look around and say, man, this stuff is just not right." [00:05:35] (19 seconds)
"God's people then replace lies with truth. That's what we do. We replace lies that people believe about God, about themselves, about what makes us happy, about why we're here on earth, about what's valuable or important. We replace lies with truth, and we replace exploitation or ignoring people with blessing. This is the work God calls his people to do. And you and I are in places where people are being exploited, ignored, or used, who are supposed to be blessed, loved, and served." [00:11:07] (35 seconds)
"There's a time and a place to ponder, to give the Lord space and room, to deal with your anger, to maybe even redirect it or transform it or redeem it. There's a time to ponder and then there's a time to act. Have the hard conversation. Say the hard thing. Bring it into the light. Now, on the other hand, some of you don't got time to ponder. You're people of action. You get angry and you move. It takes you about 0 .22 seconds before you're acting, right? Before you're ready to act and lash out or let someone have it." [00:25:01] (34 seconds)
"Before we go and change all the lies out there and deal with the problems out there, we got to deal with the lies that work in us. This is the call for all of us who are following Jesus to be people of integrity, that we would be people who are genuinely dealing with the brokenness inside of each of us. before we go out and change the world. And then Nehemiah gives us a map for changing your world, especially when you see exploitation. One, he listens to the complaints of the exploited, to the poor. He doesn't ignore them, doesn't blow them off. He listens." [00:31:09] (26 seconds)
"If you're a Jesus person, I want to call you to be relentless about bringing all the things into the light, that nothing grows. No sin, no shame, no guilt. Because darkness is a place where lies and sin and guilt and shame just grow and grow and grow. So Nehemiah, he acts. He brings things to the light, and then he offers a redemptive path to restore blessing as a primary way of relating. He gives it to the rich people, says, hey, give them back the stuff. Stop charging interest, right? He helps them to reset." [00:32:00] (30 seconds)
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