WEBVTT 00:00:05.919 --> 00:00:08.560 Let's start out by doing a little reading. 00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:17.120 It'll take a couple of minutes, but I want to read in Ephesians, starting, say, chapter 5. 00:00:17.120 --> 00:00:21.039 And I just want to set this context for us putting on the armor. 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:29.039 And so if you'll follow along, kind of pay attention to all the different kinds of relationships that you hear being talked about in this passage. 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:39.759 So therefore, be imitators of God as beloved children, and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 00:00:39.759 --> 00:00:47.359 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 00:00:47.359 --> 00:00:54.479 Let there be no filthiness or foolish talk or crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 00:00:54.479 --> 00:01:04.239 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous, that is an idolater, has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ in God. 00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:12.480 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 00:01:12.480 --> 00:01:15.439 That's Johnny. 00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:18.000 We'll ignore that's my one of my boys. 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:24.239 Therefore, do not become partners with them, for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. 00:01:24.239 --> 00:01:33.280 Walk as children of light, for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true, and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 00:01:33.280 --> 00:01:41.840 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them, for it's shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 00:01:41.840 --> 00:01:47.840 But when anything is exposed by the light it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. 00:01:47.840 --> 00:01:53.599 Therefore it says, Well wake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. 00:01:53.599 --> 00:02:02.719 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 00:02:02.719 --> 00:02:27.439 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is, and do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. 00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:32.319 Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord. 00:02:32.319 --> 00:02:39.039 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 00:02:39.039 --> 00:02:43.520 Are you going to text him and uh yeah, find out what's going on? 00:02:43.520 --> 00:02:48.800 Now, as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 00:02:48.800 --> 00:03:07.599 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of the water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 00:03:07.599 --> 00:03:11.199 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. 00:03:11.199 --> 00:03:20.159 He who loves his wife loves himself, for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes it and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church. 00:03:20.159 --> 00:03:22.879 Because we are members of his body. 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:29.599 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. 00:03:29.599 --> 00:03:33.919 This mystery is profound, and I'm saying it refers to Christ and the church. 00:03:33.919 --> 00:03:40.639 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. 00:03:40.639 --> 00:03:44.240 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 00:03:44.240 --> 00:03:52.319 Honor your father and mother, and this is the first commandment with a promise, that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land. 00:03:52.319 --> 00:03:58.159 Fathers do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. 00:03:58.159 --> 00:04:23.680 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and with trembling, with a sincere heart as you would Christ, not by way of eye service as people pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he's a bondservant or is free. 00:04:23.680 --> 00:04:35.199 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their master and yours is in heaven, and that there's no partiality with him. 00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:37.759 So I'll just stop there. 00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:40.480 We're going to jump then next to the whole armor of God. 00:04:40.480 --> 00:04:43.600 But you and I live in all kinds of relationships. 00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:47.839 Parents, children, bosses, employees. 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:51.279 I think those relationships are hard. 00:04:51.279 --> 00:04:56.000 And it would be great if everybody treated you super nicely, but but they don't. 00:04:56.000 --> 00:04:59.040 And that is why now you need some help. 00:04:59.040 --> 00:05:02.800 Now you need something beyond just the list of how things should be. 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:07.600 In fact, you need some spiritual help, and that's what's coming next in this passage. 00:05:07.600 --> 00:05:09.839 So um so verse 11. 00:05:09.839 --> 00:05:13.439 Well, let me just finish up to the section that we're doing here. 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:21.439 Um So finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might, and put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 00:05:21.439 --> 00:05:35.120 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavy places, heavenly places. 00:05:35.120 --> 00:05:43.279 Therefore, take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:48.560 Stand, therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth. 00:05:48.560 --> 00:05:53.040 Thoughts or comments on that whole section. 00:05:53.040 --> 00:05:56.879 Could we say bosses and employees, for example? 00:05:56.879 --> 00:05:57.279 Yeah. 00:05:57.279 --> 00:05:59.120 Yeah, what else did you see? 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:01.519 Lots of relationships. 00:06:01.519 --> 00:06:04.720 D is it um the present continuous? 00:06:04.720 --> 00:06:07.680 Do you know the and we could actually look that up, but that is intriguing. 00:06:07.680 --> 00:06:10.000 That that these are this is the way you should live, though. 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:14.319 That's a that's a current and ongoing struggle. 00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:17.040 But not so easy to do, is it? 00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:27.199 And so it seems to me important that um he's given us this long list of of relationships to keep going well, and then he's gives us the tools. 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:29.920 So he says, therefore, you need to stand firm. 00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:34.000 And you need to do that by putting on the belt of truth. 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:35.519 But what is truth? 00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:37.040 He is truth. 00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:38.560 Okay, he is truth. 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:40.800 Well, who who's the guy that said that? 00:06:40.800 --> 00:06:41.759 What is truth? 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:42.560 I don't know. 00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:44.079 Do you remember the context? 00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:45.199 What's going on? 00:06:45.199 --> 00:06:46.800 John 18. 00:06:46.800 --> 00:06:48.480 Yeah. 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:53.120 Somebody want to read uh verses 37 and 38. 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:56.160 If you got it, just read it out. 00:06:56.879 --> 00:06:57.839 You said 37. 00:06:58.160 --> 00:06:58.399 Uh-huh. 00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:00.079 Uh 37 and 38. 00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:01.759 37 and 38. 00:07:01.759 --> 00:07:06.639 Then Pilate said to him, So you are a king. 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:10.959 Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. 00:07:10.959 --> 00:07:19.680 For this purpose, I was born, and for this purpose I have come into the world to bear witness to the truth. 00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:23.839 Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice. 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:36.560 After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, I find no guilt in him. 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:38.399 Alright, picture this in your head. 00:07:38.399 --> 00:07:39.519 Uh, I don't know what you're seeing. 00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:40.959 You're seeing the two of them talking. 00:07:40.959 --> 00:07:43.360 Pilate says, What is truth, then what? 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:46.959 Jesus said, Oh, I'm glad you asked. 00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:49.360 Let me what happens? 00:07:49.360 --> 00:07:52.720 Looks like he just walked away. 00:07:52.720 --> 00:07:56.560 What do you sub- Have you ever wondered what was going on in Pilate's head? 00:07:56.560 --> 00:07:58.879 What an interesting thing to say. 00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:00.959 Why did he say it? 00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:03.839 I think he was wrestling with who he really was. 00:08:04.160 --> 00:08:04.480 Okay. 00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:14.319 Do you think a more appropriate question might have been than are you who they who who they are saying you are? 00:08:14.319 --> 00:08:16.480 That's what John's disciples asked. 00:08:16.480 --> 00:08:20.480 It's a very intriguing question. 00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:22.720 Why do you suppose he said that? 00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:23.920 Yeah, we're speculating. 00:08:23.920 --> 00:08:24.800 That's how I read it. 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:25.920 Yeah, that's one way to read it. 00:08:25.920 --> 00:08:28.399 Yeah, we're speculating, we don't really know what was going on in his heart. 00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:30.319 But I think, well, he's a politician. 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:31.439 Right? 00:08:31.439 --> 00:08:32.399 Yeah. 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:36.960 And how many of the people in line for execution are saying, I'm innocent, I'm innocent. 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:39.840 You don't really know who to believe at some point. 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:40.879 You're just like, pfft. 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:42.720 He's just trying to keep the peace. 00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:43.919 That's what I wonder. 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:51.360 I think, I think what happens with all of us, and maybe more now than ever, is we get what some have called truth fatigue. 00:08:51.360 --> 00:08:53.120 Have you heard that term before? 00:08:53.120 --> 00:08:57.600 Maybe you're old enough to remember the good old days of the three networks. 00:08:57.600 --> 00:08:58.480 Remember what they were? 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:02.639 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:09:02.639 --> 00:09:11.279 And maybe there was some random guy like on Channel 42, the community college or something at 11 o'clock at night who would be spouting some random conspiracy theory, right? 00:09:11.279 --> 00:09:14.399 But you kind of felt like you knew what was going on. 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:16.080 Now I don't know that you did. 00:09:16.080 --> 00:09:22.799 You just, you know, you were hearing the main narrative, but I think there's so many voices now we don't really know what to think. 00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:24.159 Isn't that true? 00:09:24.159 --> 00:09:28.240 And sometimes it's easier just to say, pff, what is truth? 00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:30.240 And and not to press in. 00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:33.440 It's kind of a dangerous place to be. 00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:35.440 I think that's where our culture is at. 00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:37.519 And a lot of times it's just an excuse. 00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:42.159 Well, I don't I don't want to hear from you, especially that God stuff, because then I'd have to change. 00:09:42.159 --> 00:09:43.919 So you can have your truth. 00:09:43.919 --> 00:09:58.320 You know, we hear a lot of those lines about uh um moral relativism and absolute truth, and uh I I had in some notes here, maybe we'd go off on a brief tangent about uh the effects of postmodernism and how people think. 00:09:58.320 --> 00:09:59.919 I think we'll skip that actually. 00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:03.279 Um, but it is an intriguing thing that philosophers wrestle with. 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:04.480 How do we know what's true? 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:06.799 How do you know what you know? 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:11.279 And it turns out there's not a whole lot that we really can know, is there? 00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:17.600 Well, right now, what sources can you trust speaking of the truth? 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:19.200 There aren't many. 00:10:19.200 --> 00:10:21.759 Can you think of a good solid news source? 00:10:21.759 --> 00:10:25.360 Have any of you got an unbiased news source? 00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:27.279 Unbiased. 00:10:27.279 --> 00:10:30.320 Everybody's biased one way or another. 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:32.799 Well, it turns out we are. 00:10:32.799 --> 00:10:34.000 Isn't that the truth? 00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:48.080 And and and and so when the postmodernists say, I'll just touch in there, but when they say that every claim to truth is a will to power, what they mean is that if you're claiming you have the truth, you just want to control something. 00:10:48.080 --> 00:10:50.399 Maybe just the narrative, maybe a little bit more. 00:10:50.399 --> 00:10:52.480 But we tend to varnish the truth. 00:10:52.480 --> 00:10:53.840 That's what we do. 00:10:53.840 --> 00:10:55.039 We varnish it. 00:10:55.039 --> 00:10:57.840 We make our truth the sweet-smelling one. 00:10:57.840 --> 00:11:02.480 Now I've got five boys, uh, so I won't tell you which one this is, but his name is Ian. 00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:07.440 And one time uh Ian was about eight years old or so, I can't remember. 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:09.279 And he had a little brother screaming. 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:10.960 I don't even remember which little brother it was. 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:12.480 It was at Evan, the next one down. 00:11:12.480 --> 00:11:12.960 Okay. 00:11:12.960 --> 00:11:16.240 Uh and and he and Evan's like, he punched me, he punched me. 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:25.200 And Ian is really wrestling with his conscience because he wants to tell the truth, but he's also got that can of varnish in his hand ready to start shellacking it a little bit. 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:29.840 He said, I I I didn't punch him, I just I just pushed him. 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:35.440 And he's quiet really hard with with my fist. 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:40.559 And you see the the battle in his conscience there. 00:11:40.559 --> 00:11:46.000 He he he wants to tell the truth, but he wants to, he doesn't want to get in trouble, that's for sure. 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:48.559 And so he's varnishing the truth. 00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:50.960 I think I think we all do that. 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:59.120 And now you see more clearly than ever that everybody's got a side and they want their side to win, and it doesn't matter what what really is true. 00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:10.399 We're a long uh long ways away from those network days, and these days, honestly, I I feel like do you do you think you have your head around really what's going on in the Ukraine war? 00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:12.240 Just as one example. 00:12:12.240 --> 00:12:23.679 Now it's only been a few years, but do you remember the entire country is on board with yay for Ukraine and all wearing like the the flags painted on their faces and Facebook had little signs everywhere. 00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:26.879 Do you wonder if maybe it's a little more complicated? 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:30.320 Because there's multiple sides to a story. 00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:37.039 In fact, there's a proverb about truth that says that one speaks and seems right until another comes along and questions him. 00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:38.559 Because that's the way it is. 00:12:38.559 --> 00:12:42.480 It's very hard for you and I to know, to know what's actually true. 00:12:42.480 --> 00:12:48.399 So um so where is truth? 00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:58.320 How can we find truth in the word, in the word, and faith comes by hearing and hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 00:13:00.559 --> 00:13:06.000 I uh I've been pondering uh Romans chapter 3, verse 4. 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:14.240 And um and it has to do with uh in this particular case, I've been pondering how do I untangle the problem of Israel? 00:13:14.240 --> 00:13:18.639 You know, because there are a variety of opinions, even here in the church, about what about those Jews? 00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:21.039 And are they behind every bad thing in the world? 00:13:21.039 --> 00:13:23.840 Or, you know, there's all kinds of stuff flying around. 00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:28.720 And if you go looking, you can find every opinion there is, right? 00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:32.240 So I've been pondering this verse, Romans 3, 4. 00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:37.279 Uh it's the phrase in there, let God be true and every man a liar. 00:13:37.279 --> 00:13:39.840 Now the context is not exactly right here. 00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:47.279 The context is more on uh it's the context of human unfaithfulness against God's faithfulness, right? 00:13:47.279 --> 00:13:48.720 But it is a great phrase. 00:13:48.720 --> 00:14:04.399 There is a sense in which, okay, I don't know what's going on, I don't know what's true, but let God be true, and let I'll just count every other man a liar because I lie, the people that I know lie, those guys are definitely lying. 00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:06.399 I need I need a source of truth. 00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:08.639 And then that takes us right back to the word. 00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:12.320 We really like uh Al Moeller has this thing called the briefing. 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:14.399 He's the president of a Southern Seminary. 00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:16.720 Um does he have a bias? 00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:18.639 Absolutely, it's a Christian bias. 00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:27.759 And so well, you know that he's a and he's a Baptist, so every once in a while, like if it's an episode on Christmas, and should Christians have Christmas, you know, the Baptist view might poke out. 00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:32.399 Um but he's man, he's a careful thinker, and he's he lays out here's all the implications. 00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:38.080 And and we really uh Al Moeller, M-O-H-L-E R, it's called the briefing. 00:14:38.080 --> 00:14:39.519 It's like 25, 30 minutes. 00:14:39.519 --> 00:14:40.320 Yeah. 00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:41.200 Or 20 minutes. 00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:42.080 20 minutes. 00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:44.720 Okay. 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:45.519 Yes. 00:14:47.039 --> 00:14:52.320 Now I think it's very important to have your head on uh the world news, as if you and I could do anything. 00:14:52.320 --> 00:14:56.559 But even more importantly, is uh is to look at the word, right? 00:14:56.559 --> 00:15:00.799 So um I brought him John, you're in construction, right? 00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:02.080 Can you check this out for me? 00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:04.639 I just need to know if this is accurate or not. 00:15:04.639 --> 00:15:08.000 Check it out if it's accurate? 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:09.279 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:13.600 And uh based on so the ticks are all in the right place. 00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:14.000 Yeah. 00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:14.399 Yeah. 00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:17.600 Oh, that's a that's a good point. 00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:19.200 Um we're moving, by the way. 00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:26.240 Uh I think I think uh I think you have seven years to be saying we're moving, um, because I still don't know where things are, right? 00:15:26.240 --> 00:15:30.960 Um and the thing I thought I knew exactly where it was was a measuring tape I got from her brother. 00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:38.159 Uh he had been uh a missionary in Japan and and he had this toolbox and he was moving, and so he gave me some stuff out of the including a tape measure. 00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:42.080 Uh it was this blue and white one that was in my drawer, and I don't know where it is now. 00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:45.600 But I remember taking it out and trying to build something. 00:15:45.600 --> 00:15:49.600 I don't remember what I was working on, something with wood and cutting, and I was like, this is wrong. 00:15:49.600 --> 00:15:50.879 Things just didn't fit. 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:54.080 And finally I thought maybe I should check the tape measure. 00:15:54.080 --> 00:15:57.039 It was a made in Japan, but it had inches on it. 00:15:57.039 --> 00:16:02.960 I think what they did is they took the meter and just I don't really know what it was, but it was way off. 00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:06.720 And until I checked it, I had no idea. 00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:08.720 And that's the same with this one. 00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:11.279 You don't, we we need to check it against a standard. 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:24.320 And it seems to me like, and this is another whole topic, that uh if there is a God, and if God spoke, then the word becomes probably like the things we really ought to know. 00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:24.799 Yeah? 00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:26.799 You ought to be reading the book. 00:16:26.799 --> 00:16:28.480 There's my catchphrase. 00:16:28.480 --> 00:16:30.960 Gotta read the book, and you gotta be in the word. 00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:33.039 And so I really like the one-year Bible. 00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:34.639 There's a lot of ways to do that. 00:16:34.639 --> 00:16:36.559 Um, but you gotta know what God says. 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:38.399 What does Scripture say about truth? 00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:40.159 Just toss out some verses. 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:41.840 Anything come to mind? 00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:49.919 Yeah, it's almost it's almost like the word becomes a mirror to who we are, and then it is a measuring, you know, tape that we check against. 00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:51.120 It becomes the standard. 00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:52.720 Have sense and discernment. 00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:53.519 Yeah, yeah. 00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:55.279 I I like the phrase uh under the book. 00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:56.320 Have you heard that phrase? 00:16:56.320 --> 00:17:00.000 That you put yourself under the book uh and you let it judge you. 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:04.480 And it seems like a really bad idea to put yourself over the book and you judge it. 00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:07.359 When we do that, we tend to mess things up. 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:09.599 And and so here's a couple other verses. 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:11.920 You got uh uh 1 John 1 8. 00:17:11.920 --> 00:17:16.400 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 00:17:16.400 --> 00:17:19.680 Uh a lying tongue hates its victims. 00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:21.759 What an interesting phrase that is. 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:24.160 That when you lie, you're actually hating someone. 00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:30.160 Uh Psalm 25, 5, lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation. 00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:37.519 John 8, if you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:41.200 Uh John 14, I am the way, the truth, and the life. 00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:48.319 1 John 3, 18, little children, let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and in truth. 00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:49.200 Yeah. 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:58.319 So I've uh been married, what is it now, 33 years and about six months exactly, if today's the ninth. 00:17:58.319 --> 00:17:59.599 Yeah. 00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:02.720 Uh, and so I've learned a couple things about accessorizing. 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:07.759 Um I know that I know that the right belt can sort of tie a whole outfit together. 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:09.599 And uh and it's really important. 00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:14.640 Is that the way we're looking at this belt of truth as a really nice accessory? 00:18:14.640 --> 00:18:17.359 Or is there another way to describe this belt? 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:18.640 I want your pants up. 00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:19.519 Well, okay. 00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:20.559 Hold you together. 00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:21.839 Hold you together. 00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:24.000 You can put tools on it. 00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:27.920 You need a place to hang your sword of the spirit, right? 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:32.640 Is it intriguing at all that the very first piece of armor described is truth? 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:37.119 That you start by putting on that you just gird yourselves with truth. 00:18:37.119 --> 00:18:38.880 What would that truth be about? 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:40.079 Yeah, right, right. 00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:47.119 Imagine uh uh an almost righteous breastplate or a mostly pretty good sword. 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:50.880 It'd have a fatal crack in it, wouldn't it, if it wasn't wasn't true. 00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:52.319 Absolutely, yeah. 00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:53.200 I think so. 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:56.079 And so when you think about truth, here's a contrast. 00:18:56.079 --> 00:19:01.279 And and uh I'll just read uh 1 John 8, 46. 00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:11.359 Um Well let me just say this that that so we've uh touched upon this briefly, that when I asked Gabby that question, you know, are we talking truth like facts? 00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:13.599 And there's a there's two layers, aren't there? 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:18.799 There's the truth, as in all of the factual details, but there's also truth as a person. 00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:24.480 And the amazing thing for you and I is that we get that belt on um by knowing that person. 00:19:24.480 --> 00:19:34.559 And so this passage in in uh John 8, verse 46, which one of you, this is Jesus asking the question, which one of you convicts me of sin? 00:19:34.559 --> 00:19:37.680 If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:40.880 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. 00:19:40.880 --> 00:19:44.400 The reason you do not hear me is that you are not of God. 00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:50.640 If you knew me, you would know what truth is. 00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:53.039 Now here's the contrast. 00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:56.240 If you're not of God, that's a nice way of saying what? 00:19:56.240 --> 00:19:59.519 You are of the devil, yes. 00:19:59.519 --> 00:20:06.960 And so uh verse 44 says, You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. 00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:08.880 He was a murderer from the beginning. 00:20:08.880 --> 00:20:12.000 He does not stand in the truth because there's no truth in him. 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:18.960 When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:23.279 So, real quickly, then, who who does Satan lie to? 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:25.839 Everybody? 00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:34.079 Can you think of some lies that uh maybe Satan's told that affect maybe just our culture broadly? 00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:44.400 You know that verse that says uh that that, and it's talking about end times and really hard things, but that uh even the elect would be deceived if it were possible. 00:20:44.400 --> 00:20:53.759 So to maybe another way to phrase this is what are some of the lies that Satan tells the culture that that you, if it weren't for God's grace, would probably be going oh by that? 00:20:53.759 --> 00:20:55.279 Okay, I can't change. 00:20:55.279 --> 00:20:55.759 Yeah? 00:20:55.759 --> 00:20:57.680 There's a lot of lies, aren't there? 00:20:57.680 --> 00:20:59.599 There's lots and lots and lots. 00:20:59.599 --> 00:21:03.920 Well, it turns out the only way you really know what's a lie is you gotta be reading the truth. 00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:05.279 You gotta know the word. 00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:06.160 You gotta be in the word. 00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:08.799 It's good to be around other believers and to talk through. 00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:11.039 All right, you're starting out by putting the belt of truth on. 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:11.759 What does that look like?