Buy the Truth
Scripture Reading: John 8:31- 47
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My
word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the
truth shall make you free.”
33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never
been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin
is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a
son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be
free indeed.
37 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me,
because My word has no place in you. 38 I speak what I have seen with My
Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.”
39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.”
Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the
works of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you
the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the
deeds of your father.”
Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one
Father—God.”
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I
proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent
Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to
listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your
father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not
stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie,
he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But
because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me
of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of
God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of
God.”
The freedom Yeshua refers to is not freedom as the world portrays it. The way
the world portrays it is deception. The enemy has no truth in him. Even when it
sounds like truth, it isn’t. There’s so much new age stuff going around and it
sounds good, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a lie. People will say that
there has to be more than one way. What about the person who never hears the
name of Jesus? It sounds like a reasonable assumption, but listen to what out
Lord says.
John 14:2-6
2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have
told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for
you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you
may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how
can we know the way?”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to
the Father except through Me.
You see, He says that He IS the only way to the Father. That is not just
something someone made up. That’s why our witness to the world who has not
heard the Gospel is so crucial. So, what about the one who never hears His
name? That’s something for the Father to judge, not me.
Romans 1:18-21
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19
because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown
it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are
clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal
power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although
they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but
became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
The truth is that creation does truly reveal His majesty. No one has an excuse to
not seek the truth. But you know what? The people that come up with this
argument have heard His name; and rejected it as the way. They’ve used all their
reasoning to cast away that which is true and freely accepted the lie. Paul writes
to the Romans that they suppress the truth in unrighteousness because their
foolish hearts were darkened.
John 3:16-21
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For
God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the
world through Him might be saved.
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe
is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only
begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has
come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because
their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and
does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who
does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that
they have been done in God.”
It says they loved darkness. You how the bugs will run when you shine a light on
them. Go dig in the dirt where there are lots of beetles and other bugs and put a
flashlight on them and just watch them scurry back into the dirt and slime. That
where they’re most comfortable. It’s the same way when it comes to the true Light
of the world. If you try to shine the love of Yeshua onto to someone and they
scurry away, it’s because they are still more comfortable in darkness. But it
doesn’t have to stay that way. If you’ve been in a dark room or a cave or
something and suddenly come out into the bright light, it is pretty startling, even
blinding where you can’t see at all. But guess what? The more you expose
yourself to that light, you see that eventually your eyes become adjusted and
suddenly you can see. Because they scurry does not mean that we should stop
showing the light but just that their eyes haven’t had time to adjust yet.
John 4:23-24
23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will
worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to
worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in
spirit and truth.”
The hour is now! We are to worship in truth. No Santa Claus, no easter bunny.
How can that be truth? Things like that being allowed into the church have
opened the door to so much more. Did you know that people who say they are
Christians, are just as likely to go to a fortune teller or attend a séance? That
should not be. That is nothing but deception. The enemy has not changed his
tactics since the garden. His objective is still to get you to doubt what God has
said. What better way to do that than to make you believe people you know were
not saved are in a happy place where they’re waiting for you to join them? What
need would there be for Messiah if that were truly the case?
Proverbs 91:4 - He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
Don’t get caught up in the lies. His truth is our protection; our shield and buckler.
We can take refuge in what is true, under His wings.
Proverbs 23:23 - Buy the truth, and do not sell it,
Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.
The truth is what we must seek. Nothing else will truly set us free. No matter what
game of deception the world tries to trick you with. Forget everything else you
could possibly buy and make sure you get the truth.
Psalm 86:11-15
11 Teach me Your way, O LORD;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
12 I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And I will glorify Your name forevermore.
13 For great is Your mercy toward me,
And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
14 O God, the proud have risen against me,
And a mob of violent men have sought my life,
And have not set You before them.
15 But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious,
Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.
God wants to teach us His ways. He has laid His truth before us in a nice
compact collection of writings. It’s called the Bible. We are blessed to live in an
age and in a place where it is readily available to us. Do we appreciate that
blessing? Do we take advantage of it?
Proverbs 3:3-6
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
4 And so find favor and high esteem
In the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
Ask of your Father in heaven and He will give it to you. We’ve talked about this
before. He is our Father and as any father does, He will give us good things
when we ask for it.
Psalm 51:6 - Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
It is His desire for us to have His truth deep within us, in our hearts.
John 16:13-15
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all
truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He
will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He
will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father
has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
He has freely given us His Holy Spirit so that we will be able to do that which would
normally be impossible
John 17:17-19
17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into
the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I
sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
Like water and soap, we have to worship in spirit and in truth. It’s a combination.
One without the other is not neither as effe
Sermon by: Denise Baxley
Date April 13, 2008
Scripture Reading: John 8:31- 47
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My
word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the
truth shall make you free.”
33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never
been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin
is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a
son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be
free indeed.
37 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me,
because My word has no place in you. 38 I speak what I have seen with My
Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.”
39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.”
Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the
works of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you
the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the
deeds of your father.”
Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one
Father—God.”
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I
proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent
Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to
listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your
father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not
stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie,
he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But
because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me
of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of
God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of
God.”
The freedom Yeshua refers to is not freedom as the world portrays it. The way
the world portrays it is deception. The enemy has no truth in him. Even when it
sounds like truth, it isn’t. There’s so much new age stuff going around and it
sounds good, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a lie. People will say that
there has to be more than one way. What about the person who never hears the
name of Jesus? It sounds like a reasonable assumption, but listen to what out
Lord says.
John 14:2-6
2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have
told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for
you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you
may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how
can we know the way?”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to
the Father except through Me.
You see, He says that He IS the only way to the Father. That is not just
something someone made up. That’s why our witness to the world who has not
heard the Gospel is so crucial. So, what about the one who never hears His
name? That’s something for the Father to judge, not me.
Romans 1:18-21
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19
because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown
it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are
clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal
power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although
they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but
became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
The truth is that creation does truly reveal His majesty. No one has an excuse to
not seek the truth. But you know what? The people that come up with this
argument have heard His name; and rejected it as the way. They’ve used all their
reasoning to cast away that which is true and freely accepted the lie. Paul writes
to the Romans that they suppress the truth in unrighteousness because their
foolish hearts were darkened.
John 3:16-21
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For
God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the
world through Him might be saved.
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe
is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only
begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has
come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because
their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and
does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who
does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that
they have been done in God.”
It says they loved darkness. You how the bugs will run when you shine a light on
them. Go dig in the dirt where there are lots of beetles and other bugs and put a
flashlight on them and just watch them scurry back into the dirt and slime. That
where they’re most comfortable. It’s the same way when it comes to the true Light
of the world. If you try to shine the love of Yeshua onto to someone and they
scurry away, it’s because they are still more comfortable in darkness. But it
doesn’t have to stay that way. If you’ve been in a dark room or a cave or
something and suddenly come out into the bright light, it is pretty startling, even
blinding where you can’t see at all. But guess what? The more you expose
yourself to that light, you see that eventually your eyes become adjusted and
suddenly you can see. Because they scurry does not mean that we should stop
showing the light but just that their eyes haven’t had time to adjust yet.
John 4:23-24
23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will
worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to
worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in
spirit and truth.”
The hour is now! We are to worship in truth. No Santa Claus, no easter bunny.
How can that be truth? Things like that being allowed into the church have
opened the door to so much more. Did you know that people who say they are
Christians, are just as likely to go to a fortune teller or attend a séance? That
should not be. That is nothing but deception. The enemy has not changed his
tactics since the garden. His objective is still to get you to doubt what God has
said. What better way to do that than to make you believe people you know were
not saved are in a happy place where they’re waiting for you to join them? What
need would there be for Messiah if that were truly the case?
Proverbs 91:4 - He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
Don’t get caught up in the lies. His truth is our protection; our shield and buckler.
We can take refuge in what is true, under His wings.
Proverbs 23:23 - Buy the truth, and do not sell it,
Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.
The truth is what we must seek. Nothing else will truly set us free. No matter what
game of deception the world tries to trick you with. Forget everything else you
could possibly buy and make sure you get the truth.
Psalm 86:11-15
11 Teach me Your way, O LORD;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
12 I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And I will glorify Your name forevermore.
13 For great is Your mercy toward me,
And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
14 O God, the proud have risen against me,
And a mob of violent men have sought my life,
And have not set You before them.
15 But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious,
Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.
God wants to teach us His ways. He has laid His truth before us in a nice
compact collection of writings. It’s called the Bible. We are blessed to live in an
age and in a place where it is readily available to us. Do we appreciate that
blessing? Do we take advantage of it?
Proverbs 3:3-6
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
4 And so find favor and high esteem
In the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
Ask of your Father in heaven and He will give it to you. We’ve talked about this
before. He is our Father and as any father does, He will give us good things
when we ask for it.
Psalm 51:6 - Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
It is His desire for us to have His truth deep within us, in our hearts.
John 16:13-15
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all
truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He
will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He
will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father
has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
He has freely given us His Holy Spirit so that we will be able to do that which would
normally be impossible
John 17:17-19
17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into
the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I
sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
Like water and soap, we have to worship in spirit and in truth. It’s a combination.
One without the other is not neither as effe
Sermon by: Denise Baxley
Date April 13, 2008
