Honesty & Hospitality

What does it mean to be live honestly? To protect the vulnerable? To treat others with dignity, even when it costs us something? This message challenges us to examine the gap between claimed love and lived-out truth--and invites us to become people who speak truth and extend hospitality with courage and care.

Whether you've struggled with being honest in hard moments, or you've been tempted to ignore the needs of others because of busyness or burnout, this sermon will gently confront and compassionately call you forward.

We continue our Love Thy Neighbor series by looking at Leviticus 19:11-14 and rediscover how holiness is more than personal piety--it's about relational integrity and compassion in action.

Other Episodes in this series:

1. Leftover & Left Behind
2. Honesty & Hospitality
3. Love & Loyalty (coming July 28)
4. Sin & Slavery (coming August 11)
5. Foreign & Friend (coming August 18)

Linkoln shares his story on why he started coming to Ravenna Church of the Nazarene and shares why you should consider doing the same.

Ravenna Church of the Nazarene
530 Main Street, Ravenna, KY 40472

Ravenna Church of the Nazarene
530 Main Street, Ravenna, KY 40472

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Chapters

• 0:00 Trailer [linktree link]
• 0:22 Theme song--"The Dirt Path" by Jeremy Edwards
• 1:25 Podcast Greeting
• 2:32 Introduction: Where truth is twisted
• 10:23 Reading of the Passage: Leviticus 19:11-14
• 11:13 v11-12 God forbids stealing, deceiving, and lying
• 16:41 v13 God condemns economic injustice
• 18:44 V14 God brings the vulnerable into focus
• 21:26 What does this teach us?
• 27:11 How should we apply this?
• 35:53 Bottom line: Because live before a holy God, we tell the truth and protect the vulnerable--this is what love looks like.
• 38:54 Closing prayer
• 40:32 Outro

Transcript

*not a word for word transcript, but the sermon manuscript*

LOVE THY NEIGHBOR

#2 HONESTY & HOSPITALITY

     We are continuing in our “Love Thy Neighbor” series, where we are discovering that holiness is not rule keeping, it is love in action.

     When Jesus commanded us to “Love God” and “Love others”, He was revealing God’s vision for us. That vision is for us to live in holy community with Him and one another. A community that seeks perfection in holy love, built on protection and integrity.

     But here is the truth: we live in a culture where truth is twisted and the vulnerable are often ignored. We are told to look out for number one. And even in the Church, we are attempted to blur truth if it keeps the peace, or ignores those who might be “in the way.”

     What does God say about honesty and how we treat the most vulnerable? That is where Leviticus 19 takes us.

Leviticus 19:11-14 (CEB)

11 You must not steal nor deceive nor lie to each other. 12 You must not swear falsely by my name, desecrating your God’s name in doing so; I am the LORD. 13 You must no oppress your neighbors or rob them. Do not withhold a hired laborer’s pay overnight. 14 You must not insult a deaf person or put some obstacle in front of a blind person that would cause them to trip. Instead, fear your God; I am the LORD.

This is the word of God

For the people of God

Thanks be to God

     Verses 11 and 12 shared some commands that are familiar to us. “Do not steal.” “Do not deceive or lie.” We may think “deceive” and “lie” are the same thing. But lying is intentional sharing a falsehood. Deception can use falsehoods, or simply withhold truth without outright lying. These are relational sins, not just personal. They destroy trust, and a community cannot thrive without trust. And verse 12 highlights that when we speak a lie and combine it with “swear to God”, this is invoking God’s name to justify sin. It is not just dishonest, it is descecration.

     The next verse takes dishonesty and applies it to economic practices. During this period, hired workers were paid at the end of the work day. Their families depended upon that income for their survival that day. To withhold payment to them was an act of oppression. Verse 13 reminds us: your neighbor’s dignity is your spiritual responsibility.

     Our last verse brings the most vulnerable into focus. “You must not insult a deaf person or put an obstacle in front of a blind person that would cause them to trip.” This is more than God saying “be nice.” He is commanding their protection.

     It is easy for us to see the literal reading, but this verse pushes past physical disabilities to anyone who is disadvantaged. God is saying do not take advantage of those who cannot see what is coming.

     These are not some random rules. They show us a God who wants His people to live with truth and compassion. A holy community.

     What does this teach us? Holiness is not just what you avoid, it is how you treat people with truth and care. God’s people reflect His holiness when they tell the truth and protect those who could be harmed.

     The gospels are filled with stories of Jesus doing this. He was not just telling the truth, Jesus is the truth. In John 8, religious leaders drag a woman caught in adultery before Jesus, but not the man. The religious leaders were not interested in holiness, they were trying to trap Jesus. Instead, Jesus called out the injustice by saying, “You who are without sin cast the first stone.” And Jesus confronts the woman in sin by saying “Woman, where are your accusers? Go sin no more.”

     Telling the truth and defending the vulnberable are not separate duties. They are two sides of the same love.  This is not about being politically correct, it is about being spiritual consistent. Not bending God’s law to suit our needs,instead it is bending our knees to His ways.

     How do we do this? Tell the truth. No exaggerations. No spin. No withholding. Value trust by being someone who is trustworthy. Also, protect others. Speak up when someone is mistreated. And refuse to benefit from someone else’s loss. If you and I fear God, then our reverence for God should shape our relationships.

     I remember when I was selling cars, I had a young guy right out of college come in to buy a car. And there is a rule when buying a car, never take the first pencil. The first offer the dealership makes you is one that is highly favored to their benefit. Most folks know this, but this young man did not. He went to agree on the first pencil, while I knew it was not a good deal. I would have made a lot of money. But I knew I would be taking advantage of the situation. After making sure my manager was not watching, I told him “No, this is what you are going to do.”

     As followers of Jesus, we need to ask ourselves some tough questions. Do my words build trust or protect an image? Am I using my position, power, or privilege to help others or as a shield for myself? Jesus was the God in the flesh, and He did not use His position, power, or privilege to shield Himself. How am I reflecting that Jesus in my everyday relationships?

     Maybe you have been careless with truth. Maybe you have stayed silent when someone needed protection. Maybe you have used spiritual words to defend selfish choices. But here is the hope: God does not just call us to truth—He gives us grace to live it. Come and ask God for courage to speak truth in love. Ask Him for a heart that sees and protects the vulnerable.

     Perhaps you are here today and you have been a victim of all the things I just mentioned. You have been wounded by dishonesty or abuse. God sees you. The same grace that can help transform us is also available to bring you healing.

     Because we live before a holy God, we tell the truth and protect the vulnerable—this is what love looks like.