Teach The Truth

2 Timothy 4:1-5

Last week we looked at the principle of truth.

           We looked at how important it is for us to first believe the truth.

                      We will not build on, or proclaim, what we don’t believe in.

           This week we are going to look at a second issue involving the principle of truth.

                      Teaching the truth in love.
 

As I said last week, there is a real truth vacuum in the world and in the church.

           The church has lost a lot of influence in the world,

                      because we do not seem to believe things much different than what the world believes.

                      There does not seem to be a lot of conviction concerning teaching the truth.

We must be careful not to sacrifice the truth, because we think the truth will repel people.

           Many times the problem is not with the truth,

                      it is with the messenger and how the truth is presented.

           It’s one thing to believe the truth, the next step is for us to teach and preach the truth.

Today we are going to look at the basis of our teaching,

           the goal of our teaching and the spirit in which we are to teach.

1. THE BASIS OF OUR TEACHING. THE TRUTH!

A. The church is to be the home of the truth.

1 Timothy 3:14-15 Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, 15 if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

Have you ever gone to someone’s house, expecting a big meal, only to get there and find you get to eat little finger foods.

           You try to fill your self with the cute little food items, but they just will not do.

                      After you leave, you are still hungry so you head to the local fast food restaurant,

                                 to get something to fill you up.

           Many people leave churches on Sunday morning hungry,

                      because they were not fed the word of God, the word of truth.

The church should be a place where the truth is proclaimed.

           The truth should be the basis of ALL of what we teach.

           There are too many sermons, that just give you the latest pop psychology,

                      instead of the truth of God’s word.

Our teaching is to be rooted in the truth of God’s Word!
Everything we teach, should line up against the word of God.

                      I don’t care what John Wesley said about something,

                                 if what he said does not line up with God’s word.

                      I don’t care what John Calvin said about something,

                                 if what he said does not line up with God’s word.

           Too many people today, are basing their theology,

                      on interpretations that happened 400 years ago, instead of God’s word.

The world is confused because the church has not been the home of the truth.

           I believe when a person walks through our doors, they expect to find the truth.

           Most people are not going to walk out the door, and complain about getting fed the truth,

                      especially if it is served up in the right way.

I like Chinese food.

           Now, if we go and get at a Chinese restaurant, you get a menu and what do you see?

                      Chinese food!

           Do you complain?

                      NO! Because you went to a Chinese restaurant and you expected Chinese food!

                      You did not come for a hamburger and pizza.

When people come to church, we owe it to them to teach them the truth, nothing more, nothing less.

           IF people want Dr. Phil, they will tune in Dr.Phil!
           Later we will look at why this is so important.

           When Paul and Silas were having trouble in Thessalonica, they left for Berea.

Acts 17:10-11 says, As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

           We are called to examine things, to see if they are true.

2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

B. The world needs to hear the truth even if the truth is not popular.

What will happen if you let your child eat nothing but candy, cookies, cake, and ice cream?

           What if they told you, when you try to feed them some vegetables, fruit and meat,

                      all they would eat is junk food.

           Sometimes green food is not popular, but it’s necessary.

2 Timothy 4:1-5 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

We must be bold and unafraid.

           We must not be afraid to teach the truth.

           People throughout history have DIED,

                       because they were not willing to back down from the truth.

                      Remember that next time you are worried that someone might be mean to you.

           The world needs to know it is lost without Jesus.

                      The church needs to carry that message to a dying world.

C. The truth prepares us to serve Jesus.

2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Word of God can equip us to be ready for every good work.

           Does some of our lack of desire to serve the Lord, come from not being raised on the truth?

This passage tells us the Word is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness.

           Maybe we are not prepared, because we have not been trained in the word of God?

           Our desire to serve Jesus, increases as we allow the Word to penetrate our lives.

                      The Word of God is our training manual!

2. THE GOAL OF OUR TEACHING. CHANGED LIVES!

A. Lives cannot be changed unless we connect people with the truth.

           Bob Russell states the following in his book, “When God Builds A Church”:
The Word of God has tremendous power when the preacher or teacher applies it in a way that builds a bridge to the daily lives of the listeners.

HEBREWS 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

If the message we teach is anything but the word of God, it will not change lives.

           The Koran, The Book Of Mormon, books from some of the greatest authors to ever live,

                      do not have the power to divide the soul and spirit,

                                 they do not have the power, to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

                      Dr. Phil, Dr. Laura, Judge Judy, Opra, cannot do this either.

           I have listen to these people from time to time.

                      Some of what they say is good, but they have no power to change people,

                                 only the Word of God can do that.

1 Thessalonians 1:5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.

Pop psychology will not change people’s lives, only God’s word can do that.

           The church is all about connecting people with Jesus.

           If the world cannot understand what we are teaching,

                      if it does not connect with them, it will not help them.

           Drama is a great teaching method.

                      Drama connects with people.

                                 Drama is great when drama illustrates the truth to people.

           Music is a great teaching method as well.

                      Music really moves and touches people in a wonderful way.

           Whatever method we use, it must connect the people with the truth.

B. The truth can change our hearts.

1 Timothy 1:5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

We are not in the business of numbers;

           we are in the business of changed lives.

           For the person to change, the heart needs to change.

Luke 6:45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

           For the heart to change, people need to hear the truth, the word of God!

Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

C. The truth frees us from the bonds of sin so that we can experience real change.
John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

           Notice, it’s knowing the truth, that will make you free!

           If the church tries to win people to anything but the truth,

                      we are not truly freeing them to be new creations in Christ!

D. The truth helps us to mature in our faith.

Ephesians 4:11-15 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

           Unless we are grounded in the truth,

                      we will be tossed about by the next current popular wave of teaching.

           We are open to being deceived and tricked by deceitful people.

3. THE SPIRIT IN WHICH WE ARE TO TEACH: GRACE AND LOVE!

A. There is a difference between teaching the truth in love and loving to teach the truth.

History has seen too many Christians who proclaim truth, but do it in a hateful spirit.

           It’s easy to pound the pulpit and snort fire.

                      There is a difference between being passionate about something

                                 and being rude, mean, and angry.

           Now, there are times when preaching the truth will break our hearts,

                      because of what that truth will mean in the life of the person

                                 who will not abide by it.

           Which gives us even more reason to teach the truth with love.

When Jesus was approached by the rich young ruler,

           we are told that Jesus felt love in His heart for the young man

                      with whom He knew would not give up his wealth to follow Him.

Mark 10:21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

           Jesus did not yell insults to him as he left, Jesus was brokenhearted,

                      yet Jesus did not change His message, to win this potential convert.

B. Jesus was full of grace and truth.

Mark 10:14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

We ALL have issues we struggle with.

           Remember, to God, sin is sin no matter what sin it is.

           So we must be gracious when we teach.

                      We must let people know that God wants them to succeed, that God loves them,

                                 but also that God loves them too much to leave them the way they are.

           People need to know it’s natural to struggle,

                      they need to know we are not perfect, but we are try the best we can to live for Jesus.

           People need to know they are not a failure when they stumble,

                      they need to be taught the truth, and have grace extended to them so they will try again.

People need the truth, but they also need encouragement.

           People need to be told that what they are doing, how they are living is wrong,

                      but they also need the encouragement that they can chance,

                                 that they can do better, much better.

           What do you think happens when people teach truth without grace and love?

                      People give up!

C. We are called to teach the truth in love.

Ephesians 4:15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

           People will listen to you if they know you care.

           I have seen street preachers that will stand on the corner and tell people they were sinners,

                      they were going to hell.

                      They speak the truth, but there is never a smile on their face.

Do people listen?

                                 Not really.

           People do not care what you know until they know that you care.

CONCLUSION

Believe the truth, teach the truth in love.

           Truth spoken outside of the context of love, is not the message of the gospel.

Can we get tough with people and still teach them in love?

           Yes, we do it all the time with our children.

Jesus taught the truth in love.

           I hope you will take the time to study Jesus to see how He reached people with the truth.