Can You Really Trust The Bible?

本站添加: 2026-05-25

[00:00:13]Hey, [music] hey, hey.

[00:00:23][music] Well, howdy, howdy, howdy, and welcome to the Real Faith Live Show. While the world is getting darker, real faith is getting a little hotter and a little brighter.

[00:00:56][music] [music] Well, howdy and welcome to the Real Faith Live Show. I'm [music] Ashley.

[00:01:12]This is my husband, Landon. Pastor Landon Chase. How's it going? Yes, we are here recapping. We had an awesome time in DC [music] last week. Um, if you didn't see that, check on social, check our sermons. Uh, we had a great time just with [music] some worship events trying to get our nation dedicated back to the Lord starting here in our nation's capital. Um, and also we brought [music] the remnant out. So, if you were part of the remnant, if you know what that is, um, maybe we saw you, hello again. But if not, Lana's [music] going to share a little bit more about what the remnant is. And we've been hearing some really, really cool stories of what God's been doing through that group. So, the remnant, what it is, is just a community of believers that are banding [music] together with real faith, standing to not bow to bail. Uh, this is a biblical concept. Pastor Mark shared about it last week in [music] the sermon. It was awesome. If you missed that, check it out. Very, very helpful.

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[00:02:00]You're probably some people in a town where there's not a great church and you need someone to help put courage in your spine. [music] And that's that's what we do at Real Faith. Uh, we get the gospel out. Pastor Mark delivers the word to you. Uh, so we appreciate you being part of it. [music] And what we ask in return is you to partner with us in prayer and financially monthly. Uh [music] cuz it it takes a lot to run this ministry. And uh we couldn't do it without supporters like you. And if everybody does some, man, it helps. And uh we the remnant, we're trying to do more events where we bring people out. And we did one of those at our new headquarters [music] about a month and a half ago and we brought a family out from Texas. Um and uh they came shared their story with us and we really hadn't heard it. Uh so much [music] tragedy in their life. um multiple deaths very close into the family just [music] it was horrific. Um and through uh the love the love of a very kind, sweet, humble wife uh sending some of Pastor Mark's [music] clips and encouraging that they watched church together u a husband's heart was [music] turned back to the Lord and then a family was and then they started watching church every single week on Sunday. Uh, and then all of a sudden their extended family, they [music] invited them over for brunch and church and then that grew and grew and grew and it healed the family system. And that's what we're doing at Real Faith. And we [music] got to hear that story because of the remnant. And so if you join the remnant, uh, you can text Stan to 99383.

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[00:04:03]What is wrong with Christianity today?

[00:04:06]It's funny [music] if you get it. U but this is going to be an incredible sermon series diving into some of the biggest objections [music] and questions about Christianity. So buckle up, get ready.

[00:04:16]This is an incredible sermon.

[00:04:20][music] >> [music] [music] [music] [music] >> You guys ready to get to work? We're going to have a great time. I promise you that.

[00:05:15]So, we're starting a brand new sermon series today. what's wrong with Christianity today? And so, uh, there's a scripture in 1 Peter 3:15. It says, "Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, and do this with gentleness and respect." The big idea is as people have questions, do your homework, answer them in a way that is thorough, respectful, and gentle. And so, my intent in this sermon series is to do exactly that. So, we have taken out some billboards from LA to New York.

[00:05:50]We have conducted some online polls and we've asked people their primary questions about and objections to Jesus Christ and Christianity. And so, we have many of those issues and I'll be dealing with uh those each week of this sermon series. Uh the first one today is why should people trust the Bible? This is sort of the issue under all the issues.

[00:06:15]This is the question that answers all the other questions. And so I will just give you a way of preface. This is going to be more like a class. And so if you're a nerd, you're welcome. This is going to be great day for you. Uh in addition, this is the most content I've ever had for a sermon in 30 years as a senior pastor. So we actually have 160 slides. And so it's going to take me a number of sermons. I'm not sure how many. So, the way this is going to work, each service will be a completely different sermon and I will just roll through the content until I'm done. And if we can't knock it out in the five services this weekend, I'll do some more next weekend and we'll pick up where we left off. And so, my topic today is really about the Bible. And it's the issue. The other issues that people want to hear about that I'll be addressing are issues like sexuality, also issues like exclusivity. Do you need Jesus to go to heaven? Well, all of those really come down to is the Bible true or not?

[00:07:18]If the Bible is true, then we use the Bible to answer all those questions. And so, this is really the bedrock informative issue for the Christian faith. So, I'll be talking about the Bible and the scriptures. And so when we're talking about the Bible, we're talking about the best-selling, most translated, most read, most controversial, most loved and hated book in the history of the world. [snorts] In addition, when we're talking about the Bible, there is no Christian faith apart from the scriptures. The entirety of our faith is based upon the Bible. And so my encouragement is that you would consider scripture as God's perfect word. Some of you are already Christians and you believe in God's word. Other of you may have questions. I want to answer those.

[00:08:06]Some of you may not yet be Christians and I want to compel you to consider Jesus Christ, the Christian faith, as revealed in the sacred scriptures. And for some of you, you have family and friends and neighbors and co-workers, people that you love, and they've got a lot of questions. And I want to help you answer those questions. And I would submit to you that perhaps the best thing you can do is just buy people a copy of the Bible for themselves.

[00:08:29]>> Amen. This changed my life. So, I was uh 17 years of age at a public high school and I met a really cute, adorable gal and she realized that I probably wasn't a Christian. So, she bought me this Bible. This was my first Bible. [snorts] >> I became a Christian reading this Bible at the age of 19 and I was in Romans chapter 1 at a state university and the scriptures said that I was called to belong to Jesus Christ. And in that moment, the Holy Spirit brought me from death to life and he gave me a love for Jesus and a hatred for sin and my life has been changed ever since. I then got into a great Bible teaching church and I got taught books of the Bible. We went on a men's retreat and God spoke to me audibly. He said, "Mary Grace, the gal that bought me the Bible," and the moral of the story is if you're a single guy, if a gal buys you a Bible, buy her a ring. That's a good gal.

[00:09:27]So he said, "Mary grace, preach the Bible, train men, and plant churches."

[00:09:33]And so this is what I have been doing in my life. And I have been doing this as a senior pastor. And this is my 30th year preaching the word of God oftentimes book by book and line by line. That's what I do.

[00:09:51]And I I want to honor publicly my best friend, my wife Grace, who bought me my first Bible. And I would just encourage you. I would encourage you if there's somebody you love, give them a copy of the scriptures. She had my name on it.

[00:10:06]This isn't actually the original cover.

[00:10:08]I read it so many times that it fell apart and I had to have a new cover put on it. And today, if I'm totally honest with you, the font is so small, I can no longer read it.

[00:10:19]Yeah. So that's how long I've been reading this Bible. So that being said, um the importance of the scriptures cannot be overstated.

[00:10:29]And we live in a day when outside of the church there is disregard for the scriptures. But within the church there is often a diminished courage to teach the scriptures as the word of God. And so I want to begin with a quote that I conducted from a scholar. His name is uh Dr. Daryl Bach. And this was a personal interview. He is a great biblical scholar. He has a PhD from the University of Aberdine and is a humbled scholar from Tubigan University in Germany. And he said, and I quote in my interview with him, "You can't talk about Christianity without scripture."

[00:11:03]Amen.

[00:11:04]>> Amen.

[00:11:04]>> If you take scripture away, you won't have much left. Although you might have a belief in God and might know a little bit about who Jesus is, you wouldn't know very much. That's a starting point and reference point for all of us. Not that we're worshiping the book, but we're engaged with the concepts that put us in proper relationship to God. That's good.

[00:11:23]>> I'm going to quote a lot of scholars and scriptures in our times together. I'm going to do a lot of reading so that it is precise. When the book is published, the footnotes will be added. But I want to start by explaining to you what we mean by the scriptures. And just so you know, we are a bibleelving church. And I am a bibleelving pastor. You are a Bible learning people and I am a Bible teaching pastor. That's just bedrock and fundamental for us here. But what are the scriptures? Some of you may not be familiar with them. I'll just summarize it for you. The Bible is actually a library of 66 books. 39 books in the Old Testament before Jesus written over the course of a thousand years as long as 3,500 years ago from our present day. It was the early church father origin in the uh second and third century who first coined the phrase old and new testaments. Prior to origins designation, the Jews in the early church would have only known the old testament as the law, the prophets, the writings or the scriptures. That's how Jesus referred to them. The New Testament has 27 books written after Jesus. And they were composed over the course of 40 to 50 years, roughly 2,000 years ago. You see God's sovereign hand over history. Scripture means writing and Bible means book. So the Holy Bible means holy book. The books of the Bible were mainly written on papyrus, a paper made out of reads. The human authors of the Bible include kings, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, poets, statesmen, a doctor, and scholars. The books of the Bible cover history, sermons, letters, songs, and love letters. It's in indeed a historical uh series of books in a library format.

[00:13:11]There are also geographical surveys, architectural specifications, travel diaries, population statistics, family trees, inventories, and numerous legal documents. God has something to say about everything. The Bible is a multi a multicultural book with writers in Asia, Africa, and Europe. The 1,189 Bible chapters were added in the 1200s.

[00:13:37]And the three 31,173 verses were added in the 1500s by Robert Stephanus, a Protestant book printer condemned as a heretic for printing Bibles while fleeing to Geneva on horseback.

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[00:14:17]It's amazing how many people have made such great sacrifices for us to have the word of God. We honor each of them. The Old Testament has 929 chapters and 23,214 verses. The New Testament has 260 chapters and 7,959 verses. In the Old Testament, the longest book is Psalms. The shortest book is Oadiah. In the New Testament, the longest book is Acts and the shortest book is 3 John. When we speak of the scriptures, that's what we're speaking about.

[00:14:49]Furthermore, I just need you to understand that for those who would simply dismiss and say, "I don't believe the Bible," the question would be, "Why would you not even consider it?" And we'll get into what the Bible claims for itself. But since there has been this great effort over the course of multiple nations and generations and actually millennium through three different languages and continents to bring us the scriptures, I want you to see God's providential sovereign hand at work bringing us the word of God. And I would ask you to at least consider that it is the word of God and allow it to speak for itself.

[00:15:30]And so when we come to the scriptures, uh, what we're talking about is God speaking through human beings in a perfect way. [snorts] We'll get into this a little later in our time together, but there are two primary ways that God gave us books of the Bible. So the next question is, what's the difference between a writing prophet and a speaking prophet? So number one, some prophets wrote down what God told them.

[00:15:56]God spoke to them and they wrote it down. This is a bit like a court stenographer. They hear something and they write down, record for us, report for us what they heard. God speaks to and through them. One example is in Ezekiel 24 uh verses 1 and two in the nth year in the 10th month on the 10th day of the month. You will see often times in scripture that it is very specific about times and dates and places and kings. And what we're seeing is when history and archaeology catches up with the Bible, it repeatedly confirms the facts, but it's very specific. The word of who? The Lord. The scriptures are the word of the Lord came to me. He said, "Son of man, write down the name of this day, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day." So God speaks to and through Ezekiel and says, "Son, grab a pen. The day is here. Note the year, the month, the day, the time. I'm telling you today, there's going to be an invasion of the nation. He writes this down prophetically before it happens. And so, it is Ezekiel, the man of God, writing down what we now would call the book of Ezekiel. This is Ezekiel is declaring that he is reporting and recording what God is revealing. So, some people just write down what God tells them. others speak it and then someone else writes it down for them. The example here would be the prophet Jeremiah. He writes Lamentations and Jeremiah books of the Bible. In Jeremiah 36:4, then Jeremiah called Baruk the son of Nariah and Baroo wrote on a scroll at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the Lord that he had spoken to him. All the words of who?

[00:17:45]>> The Lord that he had spoken to him. So what he's saying is God spoke to me and then I told Baroo what to write down and then Baroo faithfully does that. This is a reporter. This is a recorder of that which is revealed by God. So some of the books of the Bible they are handwritten by the person who receives the revelation from God. Others they are hearing it through the person to whom God spoke and revealed. I'll give you one example. There's a it comes to memory there's an occasion at the end of one of the New Testament letters where the apostle Paul literally says see I'm writing this with my own hand.

[00:18:26]There are other times that he says and Timothy who is writing this down says I.

[00:18:32]So they tell you who is writing it. And so this is how we get the various books of the Bible. So what I want to look at now are six ways that God works through his word. What does God's word accomplish as it is sent forth? And the list of things is really quite remarkable, unprecedented, and unparalleled. Number one, uh God's word includes God's word creating the world and divine beings.

[00:19:01]The planet that you live on came into existence by the authority of the word of God.

[00:19:08]>> I I'll read it to you. Psalm 33:6. By the word of the Lord, the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth, all their hosts, that would be divine beings, angels, and such.

[00:19:18]When you look at the world, when you watch the sunset or sun rise, when you go on vacation and you enjoy creation, remind yourself God created all of this by the sheer power of his word.

[00:19:32]This is where oftenimes those who are naturalistic and atheistic, they don't understand or believe in the word of God. So they're trying to determine or to ascertain where did creation come from? Where did we get all this matter?

[00:19:45]How did it organize itself? God spoke.

[00:19:49]>> That's it.

[00:19:51]It says this as well in Hebrews 11:3. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the the word of God so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

[00:20:04]>> Do you know what God needs? Nothing.

[00:20:08]That's why when God created the world, he spoke it into existence out of nothing. Our God needs nothing. And what's amazing is God didn't need pre-existing material to create our universe. He just spoke it into being and suddenly that which did not exist came into existence. It's a miracle.

[00:20:29]Some would call this uh the big bang. We would call this the big God. Okay? That he just spoke it into existence.

[00:20:36]Number two, God's word created humanity.

[00:20:40]Think of your life and all the people that you know and love. We're all here because God spoke humanity into existence. Our five children exist. Our grandchildren exist. You and I exist because God spoke humanity into existence and breathed life into our nostrils through the sheer power and authority of his word. It says this in Genesis 2:7, "The Lord God formed the man out of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils, the breath of life, and the man became a living creature." So God created Adam, but he didn't he didn't exist with a soul or spirit as we do. And God breathed life into him. You will note or denote that this is the same language that the scriptures use for themselves. I I'll get to this in future lectures, but it says in 2 Timothy 3:16 that all scripture is God breathe. Just like God breathed life into Adam, God breathed life into his word. Just as God brought life into the world through Adam, God brings his word into the world through sheer force of the authority of his matchless word. says this as well in Job 33:4, the spirit of God has made me and the breath of the almighty gives me life. So Job here, he is uh writing what is the oldest book of the Bible.

[00:22:05]Now history starts in Genesis 1 and2. So that's the oldest report in the Bible.

[00:22:12]But the oldest writing of the Bible is the book of Job. It was written prior to the writing of Genesis. So Job is ancient history, the earliest history.

[00:22:24]And what Job says is, "I know how I came into existence.

[00:22:29]God's word spoke me into existence."

[00:22:32]You need to know that you're a miracle.

[00:22:35]You need to know that life is sacred.

[00:22:38]You need to know that you have a soul and that God has made you to have a spiritual relationship with him. That's what it notes and dnotes speaking of God breathing life into Adam and God creating us through the sheer force of the authority of his word. Number three, not only does God create the world and divine beings and human beings, God's words, it brings God's will. What we're going to see here is that there is no force equal to there is no authority comparable to the word of God. And I I will just read it and then let me summarize it. But Isaiah 55:11, God says, "My word." Whose word?

[00:23:19]>> It's God's word. God says, "This is my word."

[00:23:23]My word that goes out from my mouth. So it goes from God's mouth through his servants into the scriptures.

[00:23:32]He goes on to say, "My word that goes out from my mouth shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose and shall succeed in the things for which I sent it." What God is saying here is when my word goes out, nothing can stop it. When my word goes out, it does exactly what I intend for it to do. You need to know that the strongest power and the greatest authority is in the word of God.

[00:23:59]>> This is why you and I need to know and to speak the word of God. And it is why Satan and demons will misquote use and abuse the word of God.

[00:24:07]>> What God creates, they counterfeit. But there is no authority comparable to the word of God.

[00:24:14]>> And I I know that we'll put this sermon online sometime next year, but here we are. It's July. If I might just note something. It's July.

[00:24:24]It's hot. We're in Arizona.

[00:24:28]>> It's It's really hot. We have a testimony from the front row. It's very hot. People say it's a dry heat. So, it's still hot. So's a pizza oven, but I don't want to live in one. It's still hot.

[00:24:40]And um this building that we are in was decrepit and derelct and falling apart and empty. And here we are in the middle of an afternoon and we are packed with people standing. You know why? Because of God's word. That's why. That's why [applause] you get a church the same way that God created the world and brought humanity.

[00:25:03]You just unleash the word of God. And then the word of God comes with full authority and power and it brings life and it changes people and it brings with it its own resources and its own authority and it culminates in God's glory.

[00:25:17]>> I'm just telling you I I have banked 30 years of my ministry life and every moment of my life since God saved me at the age of 19 on the word of God. And I'm happy to report God's word always comes with authority and it never fails to accomplish what he intends for it to do. And the same is true not only in the cosmos but in your life.

[00:25:40]>> In your life. Number four, God's word saves sinners.

[00:25:45][clears throat] >> 1 Peter 2:3, you have been born again through the living and abiding word of God. Okay? You can't become a Christian unless you know the scriptures.

[00:25:56]U some people will say, "We just need to show people the gospel." You can't because the gospel is about the sinless life, the substitutionary death, the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

[00:26:09]People cannot be saved by good deeds.

[00:26:11]They can only be saved by good news.

[00:26:14]You can't just feed the homeless or do justice for the poor and have them know that they are a sinner and Jesus Christ is their savior. Good works are helpful, but they do not save. Only good news can save. And unless somebody knows and understands the word of God, they can't realize that they are a sinner in violation of God's word, being judged by God's word, needing to repent of their sin, receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, because all of the scriptures have been fulfilled in Jesus.

[00:26:43]He alone declared himself to be God unlike the founder of any major world religion. He said he was without sin. We murdered him. He rose from the dead, proving his claims to divinity. That he is the way, the truth, and the life. And no one comes to the father but by him.

[00:26:58]>> So only through the word of God are sinners saved. And so if you love people, let me say this, be willing to offend them with the truth so that God can save them through his word. I would rather have an offended person going to heaven than an unoffended person going to hell. And when people hear the Bible for the first time, they usually bristle because it tells them that they are a sinner and need a savior, that they are a problem and not a solution. But the good news starts with the bad news that we are sinners. And then the good news is that Jesus is our savior. We are saved by the word of God. Number five, God's word guides the Christian. So once you do become a Christian, you say, "Well, how do I live the Christian life?"

[00:27:42]Psalm 119 verse 105. Your word is a a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

[00:27:50]Not only are we created by the word of God, we are saved by the word of God.

[00:27:54]And then we are directed, led and sustained by the word of God. Some of you who are here hearing this may wonder, how can I hear from God? simply open the word of God and you will receive a word from God that God wants to speak to you and he wants to direct you not just in ways that are theoretical but in ways that are also highly practical.

[00:28:17]I don't know about you, I like to go for walks at night. I usually bring a flashlight.

[00:28:23]What he's saying is God's word is a light unto our path. And what that means is we live in a dark world.

[00:28:31]The world is a dark place.

[00:28:33]How do you know where you're going unless you have light? Well, the word of God, it illuminates the path for the believer. And let me say this, when it says that his word is a light under your path, that is a lantern, not a high beam.

[00:28:47]Often times, all you see is the next step.

[00:28:51]>> And faith is obedience to the next step as revealed in the word of God. My encouragement to you would to be a regular Bible reader. And when you read, be asking, "What step should I be taking?" That your walk with God is ultimately about obeying whatever that next step is. As his word is a lamp unto your path, it's like, "Okay, this is the next step. I need to give. I need to serve. I need to pray. I need to repent.

[00:29:15]I need to forgive. What is my next step?" And God's word will direct your path all the way until his presence. And you find yourself at home with Jesus Christ forever in the kingdom of God.

[00:29:29]Number six, scripture is the highest authority which tests all other truth claims.

[00:29:35]And what I'm what I'm doing here, I'm wanting the Bible to speak for itself.

[00:29:40]I want I want the Bible to speak for itself. So whether we receive or reject the Bible, we're doing so on the truth claims of the Bible. But it says this in Acts 17:11. Now these people who received the word of God, a particular group were more noble. They received the word with all eagerness. examining the scriptures daily to see if these things were so. So the context here is in the book of Acts, this is the historical record of the New Testament. And it says that when Paul taught, he said, "This people that I taught were actually superior to those people that I taught because these people tested everything by what? The word of God."

[00:30:23]>> Let me ask you this. If Paul says that he needs to be tested by the word of God, shouldn't everyone and everything be tested by the word of God? After all, Paul is the greatest mind arguably in the history of the world. And he is one of the most influential thinkers that the planet has ever entertained. And what he says, I really appreciate those people because when I taught them, they listened and they heard and they weren't rebellious or disingenuous, but they said, "Well, let me just check the scriptures and make sure what you're saying is accurate.

[00:30:54]You and I need to see that the word of God is the highest authority. To use an analogy in our culture, uh in the court system, what is the highest court of authority? It's the Supreme Court. And there are lesser courts of lower authority. So, as Christians, we could say, I believe in science. I believe in social science. I I I appreciate philosophy, general revelation. But over all of that is scripture. Scriptur is like the Supreme Court of highest authority.

[00:31:25]And so it's not that we reject other authority, but we test all authority by God's authority. And that is the word of God. My encouragement to you would be this. Just keep examining what you're hearing or believing.

[00:31:41]Is it biblical? Is it according to the word of God? Are you echoing what God has said? Or are you contradicting what God has said? And most of the time, if you are new and I invite you to come back, most of the time I tend to just preach through books of the Bible for this reason. I just finished here uh my 40th book of the Bible, preaching or teaching in some form or fashion from beginning to end. And I believe that because the whole of scripture is from God. All of it is beneficial. But as we learn to study all of the Bible in its context according to the storyline as God taught, then it helps us to learn to test everything else by the word of God.

[00:32:23]>> And I would just encourage you, I love being your pastor. It's a great honor.

[00:32:27]You're honestly a very teachable people.

[00:32:29]And so you make my job a great joy. But don't just borrow my faith. Have your own. And don't just borrow my Bible study. Do your own. And don't just follow my research. Do your own.

[00:32:43]The Bible is perfect, but Bible teachers are not. I assure you of this. I make every effort to do the best possible job I can. When the Bible says that, you know, you should labor in preaching and teaching. I take that very personally.

[00:32:59]But because I want the best for you, I don't want you to just listen to me. I also want you to test everything I teach you by the scriptures. And I want you to study the scriptures for yourself so that you're not just borrowing my faith, but you're having your own. Furthermore, I do know that as you test everything by the word of God, the Holy Spirit is going to meet you and is going to encourage you and transform you in a powerful and supernatural way. Uh the Bible, we'll get into this in a future talk, but the Bible is written or inspired, I should say, by God the Holy Spirit. That means when we humbly pray and open the scriptures, the author meets with us. That's where reading and studying the Bible is like anything else. How many of you have got a book from ancient literature that you just love and if you could sit down with the author and ask them, "Hey, let me ask you about this." I know whether it's Shakespeare or Dustki or Toltoy or Lewis, I don't know who you appreciate, but wouldn't it be great for your perfect favorite author, your most beloved book, if you could just sit down with the author and say, "Okay, let me ask you my questions." [snorts] When you open the scriptures, the Holy Spirit who wrote them meets with you to teach you.

[00:34:12]>> Amen.

[00:34:13]>> It's the only book. Two things happen when you read it. Number one, the author meets with you. Number two, as you study it, it studies you and it shows you your sin, your folly, your error, your stubbornness, and the condition of your own heart. It's a supernatural experience to humbly come to the word of God. Um, I have devoted my entire adult life to studying the word of God and every week I am seeking to test everything by the word of God and what I find is it's the most magnificent adventure I have ever found. There is nothing like the word of God. It challenges me. It comforts me. It rebukes me. It instructs me. It amazes me. It shocks me. It humbles me. But I promise you this friends, it never bores me.

[00:35:02]And it never fails me.

[00:35:05]This is because let me move on to the next point. When the scriptures speak, God speaks. We'll hit this more thoroughly in another talk. But the God of the Bible, uh, well, that God loves the truth and truth tellers.

[00:35:22]Let me just ask you this. How many of you really appreciate honest people?

[00:35:28]>> Yeah. Our God is only and always honest and truthful.

[00:35:34]And he loves those who are truthful.

[00:35:38]Here's what it says, and I'll I'll read these quickly. Psalm 126, the words of the Lord are pure words like silver refined, purified seven times. Psalm 119 160, your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.

[00:35:56]Proverbs 30:5, every word of God proves true. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

[00:36:04]Matthew 22:29 Jesus answered them, "You are wrong because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God." John 8:31-32, Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Jesus said, "It's all about the truth." John 17:17, which is Jesus high priestly prayer, the longest prayer that we have recorded of Jesus ever speaking. He says, "Sanctify them in the the truth. Your word is truth."

[00:36:36]Jesus says 76 times in the four gospels, "I tell you the truth."

[00:36:41]And he says 25 times just in John's gospel, "Truly I say to you," Jesus keeps saying, "I'm telling you the truth." Ephesians 4:25, "Lastly, therefore, for the Christian having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the the truth to his neighbor, for we're members of one another."

[00:37:00]God cares a lot about the truth.

[00:37:03]Our God only reveals, communicates the truth. Our God works through the truth.

[00:37:08]Even in one of the ten commandments, God says, "Don't lie." Lying is an abomination to God.

[00:37:16]How much of what is communicated in our day is misinformation or disinformation?

[00:37:20]>> How much of it is malicious and intentional, not accidental, but it's purposeful?

[00:37:26]we call controlling the narrative which the father of lies really appreciates.

[00:37:33]See our God is a truth teller and the truth matters to our God.

[00:37:38][snorts] Some of you need to learn to be truthful.

[00:37:41]Some of you are more worried about your reputation than truth and you're more worried about the outcome than the truth. And you're more worried about getting your way than glorifying your God. One of the ways that we as Christians worship our God is by receiving his truth and then communicating it without editing it.

[00:37:58]There are things in the Bible that you won't like because they expose you. They convict you. They reveal you. But they will bless you if you will heed and obey them.

[00:38:09]>> God also, the God of the Bible, he hates lies and liars.

[00:38:13]Uh before I jump into all the scriptures that we'll read, how many of you have been brutally or bitterly lied to >> or lied about?

[00:38:23]>> You're like, "That is not true."

[00:38:27]See, the God of the Bible, he fully understands because no one has been lied to or lied about more than the God of the Bible.

[00:38:35]And so, when we're operating in the truth, we're glorifying God. When we're operating in lies, we are denigrating God.

[00:38:44]Here's what God has to say about lies and liars. Exodus 20:1 16, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." Don't lie about people.

[00:38:54]Psalm 101:7, "No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house. No one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes."

[00:39:03]Psalm 56, you destroy those who speak lies. The Lord abhores the deceitful.

[00:39:09]Proverbs 6:16-1 17. There are things that the Lord hates. One of them is a lying tongue. Proverbs 12:22, "Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord."

[00:39:20]Proverbs 13:5, "The righteous hates falsehood, but the wicked brings shame and disgrace." Proverbs 19:9, "A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish."

[00:39:33]Isaiah 5:20. Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.

[00:39:38]We call that marketing and politics and algorithms.

[00:39:45]Who put darkness for light and light for darkness. Who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. John 8:44. By the way, we're just going in the order of the Bible. And the reason I'm going to give you a lot of scripture is this. The Bible says that faith comes by hearing the word of God.

[00:40:02]Paul tells a young man, "Until I arrive, devote yourself to the public reading of scripture." That's what we're doing today. Jesus says this in John 8:44.

[00:40:13]It's quite shocking and sobering. You are of your father, the devil, and your will is to do your father's desire desires. He does not stand on the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. I don't know about you, my native language is English. Satan's native language is lying.

[00:40:38]That's why if you start lying, pretty soon you're going to get into a lot of trouble. How many of you have tried to learn or at least when traveling speak a different language, but that is their native language and they're a lot more sophisticated at it than you are.

[00:40:55]See, whatever language you speak, when you start lying, you're speaking the devil's language.

[00:41:02]And he is a master at his language. He is incredibly proficient. That is his native language. This is why when you start lying, he starts winning because now you are speaking not the language of heaven, but the language of hell.

[00:41:17]Furthermore, Romans 1:18, the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who by their unrighteousness do what to the truth?

[00:41:27]>> Suppress the truth. What I love about this is this image is so incredibly poignant. It's not that people don't know the truth, don't hear the truth, don't understand the truth. It's that they don't like the truth, so they suppress it.

[00:41:44]We see this all the time in politics.

[00:41:46]One administration comes and goes and then the next administration comes in and then hypothetically you learn all these things that were previously not reported because someone was Romans 11:18ing them, suppressing the truth. Just hypothetical case.

[00:42:04]But how many of you are shocked that someone you know has been suppressing the truth and all of a sudden you realize I didn't know that you hid that that happened.

[00:42:14]There is suppression of the truth. Let me say this. Lying is saying something that is untrue. Lying is not saying all that is true. And lying is suppressing that which is true.

[00:42:30]Lying is a horrific thing. And let me say this, when we get to heaven, there will be no lying.

[00:42:37]And so we should start practicing the truth to prepare for that place.

[00:42:42]In addition, not only does God love the truth and those who tell the truth and God hate lies and those who lie, God also does not change his mind.

[00:42:54]This is very important because some would teach or even postulate that God said something but he was wrong and that's not the truth. So now he's changed his mind and he's correcting himself.

[00:43:08]This is what you will see in Eastern religions with a yin and a yang. That god is good and evil, darkness and light, and he lies and tells the truth, which isn't true. You also see this on the front of apostate, mainline, liberal. They call themselves denominations. I call them abominations.

[00:43:25]But one of the statements that they will put on a banner or flag outside of these churches is God is still speaking.

[00:43:31]Usually accompanied by the symbol of a rainbow. And what they're saying is, yeah, God used to say certain things are naughty, but he's changed his mind.

[00:43:41]Let me say this, God doesn't need to change his mind because God doesn't make mistakes.

[00:43:49]God doesn't need to correct himself because he's a perfect God and he perfectly communicates everything every time.

[00:43:56]Some of you would even believe this progressive myth. And this progressive myth is that we're all evolving and so is God. There's something even called open theism or process theology which is it's a heresy. It's a false teaching.

[00:44:12]And that is that God is like us learning and growing and maturing and changing.

[00:44:18]And that God is changing his mind as he learns more things along with us. God is not in history with us. God is over history for us. God knows everything.

[00:44:30]God has nothing to learn. God is perfect and good. God never errors. And God never speaks an error that he needs to correct.

[00:44:40]>> God doesn't change his mind. And um I'll give it to you. Numbers 23:19. God is not a man that he should or God doesn't lie or a son of man that he should change his mind. God never says, "I'm sorry. I got that wrong. Please forgive me upon further reveal." He has said, "And will he not do it? Or has he spoken and will he not fulfill it?" 1st Samuel 15:29, "The glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man." This may shock you. [snorts] We all have regrets in our life. Amen. Let's be honest.

[00:45:19]>> God doesn't.

[00:45:21]God does not. When God flooded the earth in the days of Noah, he does not regret that. When God sent flaming roadar to the perverts in Sodom and Gomorrah, he does not regret that. When God disciplined his own children and made them walk around the wilderness for 40 years while they grumbled, he does not regret that.

[00:45:41]You need to know that there are things in the Bible that you will be inclined to omit, avoid, explain away, or apologize for. Don't. If God doesn't regret what he says and does, you should not regret what he says and does. You should reinforce what he says and does.

[00:46:01]>> God has no regret. God has no mistake.

[00:46:05]Furthermore, I just feel inclined in the spirit to say this. God doesn't need to apologize to you.

[00:46:12]Some of you, God, I feel like you failed me. God, I feel like you owe me. God, I feel like you need to explain to me. God would say, "You need to trust me. I don't regret."

[00:46:25]I believe that soft words produce hard people. I believe that hard words produce soft people. I believe that some people have a hard heart because ultimately all they've received is soft words.

[00:46:39]We're talking here about God and God's authority and God's glory and God's sovereignty.

[00:46:47]And there's there's no right for us to look at God and say, "I would have done things differently."

[00:46:54]Instead, say, 'Lord, I trust what you have done.

[00:46:58]If you don't regret it, neither do I.

[00:47:01]How about the next on God does not change his mind. Uh God does not change.

[00:47:06]Malachi 3:6, for I the Lord God do not change. How many of you have heard, "Well, the God of the Old Testament is different than the God of the New Testament." He's like, "No, I don't change.

[00:47:17]Titus 1 2 and 3. God who never lies [snorts] promised before the ages began at the proper time manifest in his word.

[00:47:26]Hebrews 6:18. It is >> impossible for God to lie.

[00:47:31]God only speaks out of his character. He can't lie because his character is altogether true.

[00:47:38]Hebrews 13:8. This is really good news.

[00:47:40]Jesus Christ is the same >> yesterday, today, and forever. Aren't you glad Jesus didn't wake up today and say, "I regret saving you.

[00:47:50]I regret forgiving you. I regret adopting you." Upon further review, I'm changing my mind.

[00:47:57]See, I'm glad that God doesn't change and change his mind. Furthermore, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He's speaking here about the universal church, which is all of God's people in all the nations and all the generations.

[00:48:12]And what this means is that every Christian has the same Jesus.

[00:48:17]There's no gay Jesus and straight Jesus.

[00:48:19]There's no, you know, I got it right the first time and I'm sorry I did that Jesus. There's one Jesus and he never changes.

[00:48:28]>> And we have no right to pretend that we have the authority to change him or our perception of him.

[00:48:35]In addition, um God does not change his word.

[00:48:42]I'm running out of time, so I think that I will possibly close here. We'll know in a few minutes.

[00:48:49]But if God doesn't change his mind, wouldn't it make sense that God wouldn't change his word?

[00:48:56]>> If if God says, "Here's the truth."

[00:49:00]And God can't lie, then God wouldn't need to change the truth because God got it right the first time every time. Does this make sense?

[00:49:10]God doesn't change his word.

[00:49:13]Now, there's a lot of progressive people and those who would say, "Well, you know, God said this, but now, you know, he's he's sort of changing his mind and and now we have a right to change his word."

[00:49:32]Some people don't have the audacity to say, "Well, the Bible is wrong."

[00:49:37]Instead, they just ignore it or skip it or try to explain it away.

[00:49:42]But God doesn't change his word.

[00:49:45]I'll show you where it says this.

[00:49:48]Psalm 33:11, the council of the Lord stands how long?

[00:49:52]>> Forever.

[00:49:54]The plans of his heart to all generations. There's not one generation that gets revelation from God and then the next generation that gets contradictory or different revelation from God.

[00:50:08]What Christians believed 2,000 years ago, if Jesus hasn't returned, we should still believe in 2,000 years because it continues forever. How about this? Psalm 1819. Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. How long is God's word fixed?

[00:50:24]>> Forever. Isaiah 40:8. The grass withers, the flower fades, everything comes and goes. But the word of our God will stand >> forever.

[00:50:33]>> It'll stand forever.

[00:50:36]In 7 million years, when Jesus Christ raises you from the dead and you are learning about God, nothing that will be taught to you forever and ever will contradict what has already been written in his word.

[00:50:54]I I don't know about you, I'm so glad that there's something that is right and won't change.

[00:51:01]>> Everything in our world is either wrong or if it is right, it changes.

[00:51:06]>> God's word is right and it never changes. How about this? Matthew 24:35.

[00:51:12]Jesus says, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."

[00:51:19]If you believe in the word of God, you are believing that which is eternal, secure, forever, unchanging, trustworthy, and altogether true.

[00:51:30]Lastly, I love this. First Peter 1 23 and 25, it speaks of the living and abiding, remaining word of God. Isn't it amazing? Here we are thousands of years after Peter penned that. We're still reading the same words. We're still believing the same truths. We're still meeting with the same God. We're still experiencing the same life change that is empowered by the word of God. All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord remains what?

[00:52:10]>> Forever and ever and ever.

[00:52:13]Let me uh let me invite the prayer team up as we close our time. Let me get my pen. I have 20 pages of notes. We've covered 2.5 pages.

[00:52:24][laughter] And so, uh, pray for me. I, uh, I slept three hours. I was at a wedding yesterday and just flew in. And, uh, I've got a little work to do. So, we, uh, we are, we are moving slowly but steadily. And, uh, I've got a lot more to cover.

[00:52:44]Um, let me just close with my pastoral encouragement to you.

[00:52:51]There's one God.

[00:52:54]>> He made the world.

[00:52:56]He made you.

[00:52:59]That God is personal.

[00:53:03]That God has a name and his name is Jesus Christ.

[00:53:08]That God wants a relationship with you.

[00:53:12]And to initiate that relationship and to sustain that relationship, that God speaks to you.

[00:53:19]He wants to communicate to you. He does that primarily firstly through his word.

[00:53:28]God has been working for thousands of years through roughly 40 authors in three languages on three continents to have not just a book for you to read, but 66 books for you to read. God wants to have you transformed by the renewing of your mind. God wants you to learn to take every thought in obedience captive to Christ. God wants you to rise above all the lies and noise. God wants you to hear directly from him so that you can become more like him, that you can obey him, that you can walk with him, that you can see the next step that he has for you because he cares for you. And I'm just wanting you. I'm desperate for you to know that this God wants to speak to you through his word and he wants to hear from you. We call it prayer and worship. When we pray, we're talking to the God who talks to us. And as we listen to him, when we hear and obey his word, he listens to us, he hears and obeys our prayers. Another way that we do that is through worship. It's how we come together. And as we hear from God, we respond to God. The God who speaks to us, we speak to him. The God we're listening to, he then listens to us. And this is how we cultivate and build, grow, nurture, sustain this relationship, this very personal, intimate, loving, fantastic, life-changing, eternity altering, soul smiling relationship with God. So, you've heard about the word of God. The things that I would now ask you, make sure that you spend time in God's word every day and that God's word is in you.

[00:55:14]Number two, talk to your God. And we're going to do that right now. Pray and worship. And as we worship, that's how we pray together to build this relationship with God. Lord, I thank you that I get to teach your word. Lord, this is your church. These are your people. This is your pulpit. These are your scriptures. This is your word.

[00:55:38]Lord, this is all this is all under the authority of Jesus Christ. It is all bloodbought by the Savior.

[00:55:47][snorts] Lord God, I thank you that I live in a nation where I have the freedom to preach your word every week.

[00:55:54]I thank you for the freedom we have to distribute it globally to over a hundred nations every week.

[00:56:01]I thank you Lord God that there is unprecedented, unparalleled power and authority in your word. [music] I thank you that there's nothing like your word.

[00:56:10]There's nothing alongside your word.

[00:56:12]There's nothing over your word and there's nothing that compares to your word. Holy Spirit, my prayer is that these dear people who give me the honor of teaching them the scriptures, that they would spend time regularly in your word, that they would hear from you and they would respond to you by obeying you and by speaking to you in prayer and by honoring you in worship. And Lord Jesus, we come to do that right now. And we come to do that under the authority of the scripture in Jesus' name. Amen.

[00:56:44]Please stand. And if you need prayer, join us. Come forward.