WEBVTT 00:00:00.720 --> 00:00:07.960 Today I have the privilege of continuing our incredibly erratic series that I've been doing on the 00:00:08.020 --> 00:00:09.350 10 commandments. 00:00:11.190 --> 00:00:18.220 I think I've done this twice in the past year, and I'm really excited about 00:00:18.220 --> 00:00:20.120 going about it. 00:00:20.440 --> 00:00:24.180 I apologize for the complete just... 00:00:24.500 --> 00:00:26.430 I haven't gone in order at all. 00:00:26.660 --> 00:00:29.340 I've been jumping around, and you guys have been patient. 00:00:29.720 --> 00:00:33.660 I know everyone's favorite passage of scripture is the 10 commandments. 00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:37.160 Everyone loves rules. 00:00:37.420 --> 00:00:40.160 So I picked this because I knew you guys would love it. 00:00:41.760 --> 00:00:51.840 Now, I want to start out this time by asking us all a question that I hope we think about is, how 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:55.280 do you know who God is? 00:00:57.900 --> 00:00:58.570 How do we know? 00:00:59.800 --> 00:01:07.060 We gather every Sunday together to worship God, to draw 00:01:07.060 --> 00:01:09.320 near to Him, to worship Him. 00:01:09.440 --> 00:01:12.400 But how do we know who He is? 00:01:14.860 --> 00:01:18.870 Well, I'd like to ask this question, too, to kind of illuminate that. 00:01:19.180 --> 00:01:21.280 How do we know who anyone is? 00:01:23.260 --> 00:01:31.080 By spending time with, by being alongside of, by seeing their actions and 00:01:31.080 --> 00:01:32.660 their behavior, yes. 00:01:34.460 --> 00:01:39.460 These are all witnesses to someone's character and their personality. 00:01:40.220 --> 00:01:47.660 But if you really want to know someone, if you want to know what is inside them, how they are feeling, you must first 00:01:47.660 --> 00:01:54.760 listen because words reveal the heart more than anything 00:01:54.760 --> 00:02:01.320 else ever could, whether it is written, spoken, or signed. 00:02:03.400 --> 00:02:10.789 Have you ever had someone ask you or you ask someone how someone's doing and they respond with, 00:02:11.420 --> 00:02:18.480 "Actually, I haven't talked with them in a while, I haven't heard from them in a while?" Even if 00:02:18.480 --> 00:02:26.020 it's a good friend, like a brother or sister, even if you know them well, if you haven't listened to them recently, you 00:02:26.100 --> 00:02:33.460 won't really know what's going on in their life, even if social media paints their life as perfect. 00:02:34.720 --> 00:02:39.340 You may think right now, "Duh, this is obvious. 00:02:39.380 --> 00:02:44.240 We all know this." But it's something I believe we need reminding of. 00:02:45.700 --> 00:02:52.960 For in the same way we know people, know others, we learn who God 00:02:52.960 --> 00:02:53.540 is. 00:02:54.700 --> 00:02:57.000 To know His heart is by knowing His Word. 00:02:58.180 --> 00:03:01.390 It's how He has always interacted with His creation. 00:03:02.240 --> 00:03:09.380 In the very beginning, Genesis 1 says, "And God said, let there be light," and so on and so forth until 00:03:09.380 --> 00:03:11.640 He created everything by His Word. 00:03:13.400 --> 00:03:20.740 And then He spoke through the prophets and His Word has always been interacting with His creation, which brings us to 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:21.900 scriptures. 00:03:26.340 --> 00:03:33.640 What the Bible says about it in 2 Timothy 3:16 is, "All scripture is God breathed," 00:03:35.040 --> 00:03:42.300 meaning the intimate Word of God, "and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training 00:03:42.920 --> 00:03:50.340 in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." The Bible, 00:03:50.420 --> 00:03:57.480 the Word of God that we have is God's heart revealed to us, but remarkably so is 00:03:57.480 --> 00:03:58.060 Jesus. 00:03:58.460 --> 00:04:00.800 Jesus is also the Word of God. 00:04:01.040 --> 00:04:06.300 John writes in John 1:14-18 saying this. 00:04:06.300 --> 00:04:13.520 "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, 00:04:14.040 --> 00:04:15.260 full of grace and truth. 00:04:16.060 --> 00:04:23.080 John testified about Him and cried out saying, 'This was He whom I said, He who comes after me has a higher rank than 00:04:23.080 --> 00:04:30.180 I, for He existed before me.' For of His fullness, we've all received grace upon grace, for the 00:04:30.180 --> 00:04:31.560 law was given through Moses. 00:04:32.020 --> 00:04:35.180 Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. 00:04:35.840 --> 00:04:38.020 No one has seen God at any time. 00:04:38.740 --> 00:04:47.300 The only begotten God who is in the bosom of the father, He has explained Him." Jesus 00:04:47.300 --> 00:04:51.320 explains who God the father is. 00:04:52.520 --> 00:04:53.060 How? 00:04:54.440 --> 00:04:55.640 Because He is the Word of God made flesh. 00:04:57.040 --> 00:05:02.030 His Word reveals His heart, His character, His personhood of our Creator. 00:05:03.900 --> 00:05:04.440 Why? 00:05:04.440 --> 00:05:06.620 So that we may know Him. 00:05:06.900 --> 00:05:14.340 John 17:3, Jesus says this, "Now this is eternal life, that they may know you, the 00:05:14.340 --> 00:05:22.060 only true God in Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." How 00:05:22.180 --> 00:05:25.840 precious, how beautiful, how important is His Word? 00:05:27.180 --> 00:05:35.480 Well, I frankly do not have enough time that I've been given to really demonstrate or 00:05:35.480 --> 00:05:38.900 show you guys how important His Word is. 00:05:38.920 --> 00:05:40.320 So I will just encourage you. 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:48.020 If you want to know the Maker of heaven and earth who came down and died on your behalf, know 00:05:48.020 --> 00:05:49.680 His Word. 00:05:50.360 --> 00:05:50.760 Listen. 00:05:51.560 --> 00:05:51.820 Read it. 00:05:53.380 --> 00:05:57.540 Now I'm going to say something that might be a little uncomfortable. 00:05:58.200 --> 00:05:58.780 You guys ready? 00:06:00.220 --> 00:06:00.880 Okay, cool. 00:06:01.160 --> 00:06:02.460 You guys gave me a great reaction. 00:06:04.600 --> 00:06:11.800 I want to say, if we know God by His Word and other people 00:06:11.800 --> 00:06:16.320 by their words, what do others know about you? 00:06:18.340 --> 00:06:20.680 Another way to put it, what is coming out of your mouth? 00:06:20.680 --> 00:06:26.210 What is the picture that you're painting with the words you use? 00:06:27.380 --> 00:06:30.660 Now, I want to make this clear, this isn't just a challenge for you. 00:06:30.660 --> 00:06:35.180 This is a challenge for me as well, because this is not what I'm saying. 00:06:35.200 --> 00:06:36.710 This is what Jesus says. 00:06:36.900 --> 00:06:40.480 In Matthew 15:17:18, He says this. 00:06:41.820 --> 00:06:48.480 "Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is eliminated. 00:06:49.580 --> 00:06:58.480 But the things that which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart and those defile the man." Listen, 00:06:59.420 --> 00:07:06.160 our words reveal our intentions, our plans, our feelings to others who would otherwise be in the dark. 00:07:07.180 --> 00:07:11.970 For through words, we catch glimpses of who someone really is at their core. 00:07:12.100 --> 00:07:18.180 Words are revelations, not just about others, but also of our own hearts and where we're at. 00:07:19.320 --> 00:07:25.780 Words illuminate what is underneath, and your tongue acts as a gateway of your heart. 00:07:27.260 --> 00:07:31.460 For what is in your heart is the only thing that can come out of your mouth. 00:07:33.240 --> 00:07:35.040 Don't just take my word for it. 00:07:35.380 --> 00:07:36.660 Take Jesus' word for it. 00:07:37.340 --> 00:07:40.300 In Luke 6:45, He says this. 00:07:40.920 --> 00:07:44.400 "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good. 00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:52.120 And the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil, for his mouth speaks from that which fills his 00:07:52.120 --> 00:07:59.880 heart." All that said, I hope we've gotten a small measure 00:07:59.880 --> 00:08:07.300 of the importance of and power and meaning that words have in our lives and 00:08:07.300 --> 00:08:08.580 how God views them. 00:08:10.080 --> 00:08:17.260 Because there is a mindset that is alive and well today that perhaps has always been around throughout 00:08:17.260 --> 00:08:25.580 history that underestimates the weight and force that words have, that 00:08:25.580 --> 00:08:30.380 they don't really have true impact on anything, that they can't really harm anyone. 00:08:32.179 --> 00:08:39.740 We've all heard the saying, sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt 00:08:39.740 --> 00:08:39.840 me. 00:08:40.960 --> 00:08:42.240 We've all heard that before. 00:08:42.620 --> 00:08:45.860 Disclosure, I agree with the heart of this saying. 00:08:46.980 --> 00:08:49.760 But I believe that it can be grossly misinterpreted. 00:08:51.600 --> 00:08:58.620 What I think it's saying is if you constantly take the worst-faith interpretation on what people say to 00:08:58.620 --> 00:09:06.360 you and personalize criticism or what strangers say to you, especially on the internet, you're 00:09:06.360 --> 00:09:07.740 not going to be able to function. 00:09:09.640 --> 00:09:16.920 You will have a perpetual pity party that you will live in, and you won't be able to form lasting relationships because 00:09:16.920 --> 00:09:19.320 you're going to take it all as personal. 00:09:21.380 --> 00:09:22.580 But let's be real. 00:09:24.360 --> 00:09:31.720 There is nothing that cuts deeper, sticks in the mind more clear, or 00:09:31.720 --> 00:09:40.080 torments us than the words of a loved one who reject us, who 00:09:40.080 --> 00:09:45.020 insults us, who lies about us or lies to us. 00:09:47.100 --> 00:09:54.360 Words, whether we like it or not, possess the most potent force that we can wield, and God's Word has plenty 00:09:54.360 --> 00:09:57.340 to say on the power of the tongue. 00:09:58.300 --> 00:10:05.300 Listen to what James says in James 3:6-12, now 00:10:05.300 --> 00:10:09.640 quoting, "And the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness. 00:10:10.280 --> 00:10:17.280 The tongue is set among our body parts as that which defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of life and is set on 00:10:17.280 --> 00:10:18.360 fire by hell. 00:10:19.040 --> 00:10:25.900 For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. 00:10:26.340 --> 00:10:29.000 But no one among mankind can tame the tongue. 00:10:29.680 --> 00:10:36.800 It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison, whether with it we bless our Lord and Father, with it we curse people 00:10:37.020 --> 00:10:38.940 who've been made in the likeness of God. 00:10:39.860 --> 00:10:43.760 From the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. 00:10:43.760 --> 00:10:48.020 My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. 00:10:49.160 --> 00:10:53.200 Does a spring send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? 00:10:53.580 --> 00:10:59.180 Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, bear olives or a vine bear figs? 00:10:59.780 --> 00:11:07.340 Nor salt water produce fresh." We should 00:11:07.340 --> 00:11:14.560 not be fooled by the illusion that our words are harmless, for they're everything but. 00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:22.620 For our words bear testimony to our hearts, which finally brings us, 00:11:23.120 --> 00:11:30.420 I know you guys were waiting for this because it's been a long introduction, but it finally brings us to the commandment that we are talking about today. 00:11:31.300 --> 00:11:32.080 You guessed it. 00:11:32.120 --> 00:11:33.680 It has to do with our words. 00:11:34.620 --> 00:11:40.500 The commandment is found in Exodus 20:16, which reads this way. 00:11:42.280 --> 00:11:49.340 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor." Now, that is 00:11:49.340 --> 00:11:56.640 a very short, concise statement, but let's remember a 00:11:56.660 --> 00:11:57.400 couple things. 00:11:57.420 --> 00:12:02.900 Let's remember what we just talked about, that God's Word reveals His heart, and His law unveils His character. 00:12:04.740 --> 00:12:10.500 So what do we learn about God through this short, concise statement? 00:12:12.330 --> 00:12:19.460 Well, if we think on this verse, it's clear that there are two things that God 00:12:19.460 --> 00:12:20.960 is against, possibly more. 00:12:20.980 --> 00:12:23.290 I can think of maybe one more, but I want to focus. 00:12:25.100 --> 00:12:32.200 We see demonstrated in this passage, as well as the rest of scripture, that there are two transgressions that 00:12:32.200 --> 00:12:35.280 come from bearing false witness, two. 00:12:36.200 --> 00:12:37.080 What do I mean by that? 00:12:38.560 --> 00:12:43.240 Well, there are two ways that this falls short of God's character. 00:12:46.320 --> 00:12:54.140 Sin or transgression, as we mentioned months ago, is anything that goes against the nature of 00:12:54.220 --> 00:12:55.040 who God is. 00:12:55.940 --> 00:12:58.440 Sin means to miss the mark. 00:12:59.780 --> 00:13:02.300 Transgression means to cross the line. 00:13:02.940 --> 00:13:03.640 They are synonyms. 00:13:05.400 --> 00:13:12.960 The mark or target that we are aiming at, as people, is what we were created to be, which 00:13:12.960 --> 00:13:15.120 is image bearers of God. 00:13:15.920 --> 00:13:19.100 Read Genesis 1, which tells us that. 00:13:19.100 --> 00:13:22.860 Sinning is hitting anything else apart from that. 00:13:24.600 --> 00:13:31.860 So what are the two ways that God's character, the image that He gave us, is violated or crossed 00:13:31.860 --> 00:13:33.740 with the bringing of false testimony? 00:13:35.980 --> 00:13:41.700 Well, it has to do with two offices that God holds by extensions of who He is. 00:13:41.820 --> 00:13:46.020 The first one is that He is the Creator of the heavens and the Earth. 00:13:47.060 --> 00:13:54.600 God said, "Let there be light," and there was light and so on and so forth until heaven 00:13:54.600 --> 00:13:56.060 and Earth were filled. 00:13:58.420 --> 00:14:02.780 As Creator, He is the maker of reality, He is the author of truth. 00:14:05.000 --> 00:14:12.080 Thus, when we lie, we are missing the mark because we are misrepresenting the reality that God has 00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:12.360 made. 00:14:13.800 --> 00:14:15.040 God is truth. 00:14:15.060 --> 00:14:21.100 The Bible tells us that God cannot lie, and He is the creator of all truth. 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:24.600 Therefore, when we lie, we miss the mark. 00:14:25.900 --> 00:14:27.910 But He is not just the Creator. 00:14:28.140 --> 00:14:31.030 The Bible also tells us that He is judge. 00:14:33.440 --> 00:14:38.720 Many places in His Word bring up the idea, but we'll just bring up one verse for right now. 00:14:39.060 --> 00:14:42.960 Psalm 98:7-9 says this. 00:14:43.740 --> 00:14:47.540 "May the sea roar and all it contains, the world and those who dwell in it. 00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:49.220 May the rivers clap their hands. 00:14:49.620 --> 00:14:54.840 May the mountains sing together for joy before the Lord, for He is coming to judge the Earth. 00:14:55.880 --> 00:15:03.240 He will judge the world with righteousness and the people with equity." Bearing 00:15:03.240 --> 00:15:10.280 false witness, which we call perjury today in our legal system, is a 00:15:10.280 --> 00:15:17.420 twisting of the truth which leads to a perversion of justice that inevitably brings about 00:15:17.420 --> 00:15:24.280 the guilty being found innocent and the innocent being found guilty. 00:15:26.420 --> 00:15:29.820 God is truth, and He is just. 00:15:30.380 --> 00:15:34.380 So He despises falsehood and injustice. 00:15:35.660 --> 00:15:40.380 Proverbs 6:16-19 displays this so well. 00:15:41.080 --> 00:15:41.640 It says this. 00:15:41.700 --> 00:15:48.940 "There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to Him, haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent 00:15:48.940 --> 00:15:56.210 blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who declares wise, 00:15:56.700 --> 00:16:03.700 and one who spreads strife among brothers." God's 00:16:03.780 --> 00:16:10.800 heart is for truth and justice, and it is 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:12.710 revealed through His Word. 00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:19.780 This is why you shall not bear false witness. 00:16:21.240 --> 00:16:21.460 All right. 00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:25.700 How many of you guys grew up with siblings? 00:16:27.320 --> 00:16:27.620 All right. 00:16:28.280 --> 00:16:29.020 A few of us. 00:16:30.400 --> 00:16:35.040 Some of us were blessed by being an only child, but I didn't. 00:16:35.040 --> 00:16:37.290 I grew up with three other brothers. 00:16:37.660 --> 00:16:38.710 I had two older brothers. 00:16:38.900 --> 00:16:43.900 I had one younger brother, and I feel like I got the worst end of the deal. 00:16:45.380 --> 00:16:45.840 All right. 00:16:46.050 --> 00:16:53.100 As is expected with such an arrangement, there were many conflicts, and I was usually the weaker 00:16:53.100 --> 00:16:53.580 one. 00:16:54.380 --> 00:17:01.980 These conflicts led to wrestling matches to punches to bruises to tears to concussions 00:17:01.980 --> 00:17:06.760 to broken bones and destroyed property. 00:17:07.980 --> 00:17:12.530 I know it sounds really bad, putting all those together. 00:17:13.500 --> 00:17:20.960 But, fortunately, for us, me and my brothers had two judges who 00:17:21.099 --> 00:17:25.220 reigned and operated the courtroom known as our house. 00:17:26.839 --> 00:17:28.600 They were fair, and they were loving. 00:17:29.380 --> 00:17:36.880 They desired to raise us with love and respect for one another, although we failed time and 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:37.360 time again. 00:17:40.360 --> 00:17:47.840 This system worked really well, for there was love and justice and, no matter how rough things got, we knew that, 00:17:47.860 --> 00:17:55.480 in the long run, the judges would give proper justice and judgment resulting 00:17:55.480 --> 00:17:58.120 in peace for a time. 00:17:59.520 --> 00:18:06.760 Now, this state of affairs was more delicate than I thought growing up, for 00:18:06.760 --> 00:18:08.700 it all rested on the truth. 00:18:10.100 --> 00:18:17.140 A lie from my brother convicting me of instigating a fight or breaking a window or whatever it was would result in unjust 00:18:17.140 --> 00:18:24.200 punishment and an untried perpetrator, quickly tearing down any peace and justice, building instead 00:18:24.200 --> 00:18:31.380 a house of resentment with blueprints for revenge, a cycle that once begun is 00:18:31.380 --> 00:18:33.820 almost impossible to stop. 00:18:36.040 --> 00:18:38.020 For a family, it is damaging. 00:18:39.340 --> 00:18:45.320 For a society, it is devastating because lies breed injustice. 00:18:45.660 --> 00:18:47.300 Injustice breeds resentment. 00:18:47.760 --> 00:18:51.460 When resentment is fully grown, hate and death are what is left. 00:18:51.940 --> 00:18:59.480 People get killed and vengeance replaces justice, which is partly why this 00:18:59.480 --> 00:19:04.060 commandment, thou shall not bear false testimony, is in the big 10. 00:19:05.860 --> 00:19:10.670 I'm not talking about the football conference, the big 10 being the 10 commandments. 00:19:11.620 --> 00:19:19.160 I think we all realize how important this is because it has been so applicable to 00:19:19.160 --> 00:19:26.400 what has been happening in America for the past few years and even previously, that 00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:33.820 there is a battle for what is true, what our story is, where we come from. 00:19:34.340 --> 00:19:41.720 The main reason for that is establishing a justice system that is based on 00:19:41.720 --> 00:19:42.080 the truth. 00:19:44.020 --> 00:19:51.580 This war has been made knowing the truth difficult to see because all the different narratives and spin that 00:19:51.580 --> 00:19:54.600 is used to support whatever truth people want. 00:19:55.640 --> 00:20:02.760 Many people, no matter what political persuasion, left or right, are becoming far more resentful 00:20:02.760 --> 00:20:07.080 and embittered because of lies that have proceeded in justice. 00:20:08.300 --> 00:20:15.520 We've seen a few very public trials in the past few years that have led to riots and 00:20:15.520 --> 00:20:16.280 to violence. 00:20:16.980 --> 00:20:23.380 This should inform us that no matter where we stand without truth, there can be no justice. 00:20:24.180 --> 00:20:31.380 That is why this commandment and God's character has to do with both and how God's nature 00:20:31.380 --> 00:20:37.860 and His justice work together and how interlinked and necessary they are. 00:20:39.280 --> 00:20:46.420 Even people who reject the idea that they are created in the image of God are still bound 00:20:46.980 --> 00:20:54.160 by their nature being made in His likeness to desire both truth and justice even though they 00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:56.140 might not believe that there is such a thing. 00:20:58.200 --> 00:21:04.180 Inversely though, when truth is known, justice can be done and peace in life will follow. 00:21:05.440 --> 00:21:12.790 The ninth commandment that Moses received, you shall not give false testimony, 00:21:13.260 --> 00:21:20.690 is a linchpin in which the Israelite nation in its ability to live at peace with one another rests. 00:21:21.520 --> 00:21:28.520 Because without obeying this commandment and a dedication to truth, justice becomes a cynical 00:21:28.520 --> 00:21:31.440 joke and belief is lost. 00:21:33.020 --> 00:21:35.200 It has always been this way. 00:21:36.460 --> 00:21:43.220 1 Samuel 8, Samuel appoints his sons as the new judges in Israel. 00:21:44.900 --> 00:21:47.010 Samuel has gotten too old. 00:21:47.340 --> 00:21:51.130 He's been a just judge, but now he's retiring. 00:21:51.300 --> 00:21:58.840 So he sends his sons to judge Israel, and they end up taking 00:21:58.840 --> 00:22:00.400 bribes. 00:22:00.500 --> 00:22:07.740 They end up abusing their power, directly resulting in false testimony, and truth is distorted and injustice 00:22:07.740 --> 00:22:15.660 happens, leading to the Israelite people to reject God as their king and 00:22:15.660 --> 00:22:22.980 asking for Samuel to instead anoint a king for Israel so that he may be judge over them. 00:22:23.160 --> 00:22:25.760 1 Samuel 8:6-7 says this. 00:22:27.240 --> 00:22:33.900 "But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, 'Give us a king to judge us.' And Samuel prayed to the Lord. 00:22:34.420 --> 00:22:41.560 The Lord said to Samuel, 'Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected 00:22:41.560 --> 00:22:49.260 you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.'" Did 00:22:49.260 --> 00:22:51.300 God fail? 00:22:52.780 --> 00:22:53.380 Did He fail them? 00:22:54.820 --> 00:22:55.040 No. 00:22:56.980 --> 00:23:03.360 They had made a covenant with God where they swore not to bear false testimony. 00:23:05.120 --> 00:23:09.560 Question, who was bribing the judges of Israel? 00:23:11.560 --> 00:23:13.460 Who was distorting the truth? 00:23:15.180 --> 00:23:15.630 It was Israelites. 00:23:18.520 --> 00:23:25.640 Yet they rejected God and chose for themselves a king, one of themselves 00:23:25.640 --> 00:23:27.100 to be their judge. 00:23:27.760 --> 00:23:29.020 Why did they do such a thing? 00:23:30.740 --> 00:23:37.860 Well, they, like us, have a hunger and thirst for justice, for the truth 00:23:37.860 --> 00:23:38.790 to prevail. 00:23:39.360 --> 00:23:46.380 But if we're to be honest with ourselves, and I mean truly honest, we often only desire justice 00:23:46.380 --> 00:23:48.760 when it's others who are doing the wrong. 00:23:50.580 --> 00:23:57.770 When we're the ones who fail, we all too often reject the responsibility 00:23:58.900 --> 00:24:03.670 of our failings and of the punishment that we deserve. 00:24:05.360 --> 00:24:10.020 We all desire mercy for ourselves and justice for others. 00:24:11.680 --> 00:24:12.100 Why? 00:24:12.660 --> 00:24:13.730 I mean it's really simple. 00:24:13.900 --> 00:24:14.490 We're all biased. 00:24:16.980 --> 00:24:24.540 We can justify white lies, exaggerations of truth, or just straight-up lying to others as well as ourselves 00:24:26.110 --> 00:24:33.380 because of our great capacity to justify what we do, to justify 00:24:33.380 --> 00:24:34.420 our own sin. 00:24:35.180 --> 00:24:40.800 But when others are guilty of doing such a thing, we are appalled and can get angry and wrathful. 00:24:41.320 --> 00:24:48.900 If it's against us or our people, we truly desire justice or 00:24:48.900 --> 00:24:49.400 wrath. 00:24:51.500 --> 00:24:58.620 This is one of the reasons why I believe that some people are comfortable with a God that would send someone like Hitler 00:24:58.620 --> 00:25:02.640 to hell, but would never send anyone to hell. 00:25:05.060 --> 00:25:09.680 The contradicting belief exists because for God to be good, He must be just. 00:25:13.800 --> 00:25:17.460 Evil must be dealt with, otherwise God could not be good. 00:25:18.600 --> 00:25:25.720 Yet we refuse to accept any part of our own 00:25:25.720 --> 00:25:27.240 wrongdoing before God. 00:25:27.300 --> 00:25:30.600 We all easily justify our actions and minimize our sin. 00:25:32.100 --> 00:25:39.540 But, fortunately, for us, and simultaneously unfortunate, God is truth, 00:25:40.520 --> 00:25:43.720 and no truth is hidden from Him. 00:25:44.040 --> 00:25:46.890 He is just and has no bias. 00:25:47.100 --> 00:25:54.240 He is an impartial judge who judges based solely on the truth, which is terrifying and beautiful. 00:25:55.660 --> 00:26:02.690 For He is as much just as He is love, as He is truth, as He is faithful, as He is gracious, and they all work together. 00:26:04.960 --> 00:26:07.240 His Word proclaims it. 00:26:07.240 --> 00:26:14.500 Psalm 89:14 says, "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. 00:26:14.600 --> 00:26:20.920 Loving kindness and truth go before you." Psalm 111:7 says, "The works of His hands are truth and justice. 00:26:21.220 --> 00:26:28.020 All of His precepts are sure." Psalm 101:1, "I will sing of loving kindness and justice to you, oh Lord. 00:26:28.020 --> 00:26:35.160 I will sing praises." Perhaps the scariest and most beautiful passage in 00:26:35.160 --> 00:26:38.620 the Bible, Galatians 6:7, "Do not be fooled. 00:26:39.220 --> 00:26:40.160 God cannot be mocked. 00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:47.840 What a man sows, he shall reap." Here's the truth 00:26:49.300 --> 00:26:53.780 that so blatantly confronts us when we read God's Word. 00:26:57.580 --> 00:27:05.320 We desire the worst of humanity, those who have committed genocide or unspeakable 00:27:05.320 --> 00:27:09.200 acts, to be the standard of which we're judged against. 00:27:11.460 --> 00:27:21.600 But the truth is we're all judged by the standard of the character of God, therefore, 00:27:22.820 --> 00:27:26.140 we all stand guilty before a holy God. 00:27:27.440 --> 00:27:30.340 Romans 3:23 says this. 00:27:33.200 --> 00:27:40.720 "We've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." We've all missed the standard, 00:27:41.420 --> 00:27:44.820 for we are created in His image, to bear His image rightly. 00:27:46.320 --> 00:27:53.340 But truthfully, we've all missed the mark and instead of displaying who God is, when we sin, we, 00:27:53.440 --> 00:28:00.960 in fact, bear false testimony to the nature of our Creator by bearing His image wrongfully 00:28:00.960 --> 00:28:05.400 or sinfully missing the mark in His world. 00:28:06.620 --> 00:28:14.960 Romans 6:23 tells us of the consequences for breaking His 00:28:14.960 --> 00:28:17.940 law, His nature, His character. 00:28:17.940 --> 00:28:24.730 It says, "For the wages of sin is death." Now, I have lied before. 00:28:25.980 --> 00:28:28.760 I'm guessing, but I'm guessing you guys have as well. 00:28:30.240 --> 00:28:32.360 Lies breed injustice. 00:28:33.320 --> 00:28:38.340 God is just and He doesn't put up with injustice, and we wouldn't want him to. 00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:45.180 For He desires people to love justice, Micah 6:8. 00:28:45.320 --> 00:28:50.520 What is the consequences for rebelling against an eternal God and breaking His law? 00:28:51.900 --> 00:28:58.140 Death, to be separated from Him and His presence forever, for He is holy. 00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:09.080 But the amazing thing is, the awesome thing is, it's the end of Romans 6:23, "For 00:29:09.080 --> 00:29:16.380 the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord." For He 00:29:16.380 --> 00:29:20.100 is not just, but He is also love. 00:29:21.960 --> 00:29:29.140 We ultimately see the culmination of God's love and justice on the cross when God became flesh and 00:29:29.140 --> 00:29:36.660 dwelt among us, taking the form of a servant and becoming the perfect sacrificial lamb so that we could receive the love of God and 00:29:36.660 --> 00:29:44.020 become a part of His fold, a part of His kingdom and become His child, all 00:29:44.020 --> 00:29:51.160 the while He still delivers His justice by receiving the punishment that 00:29:51.160 --> 00:29:57.870 was for us upon Himself, by dying on the cross in our place. 00:29:59.020 --> 00:30:02.860 2 Corinthians 5:21 puts it this way. 00:30:04.080 --> 00:30:11.320 "For our sake, He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness 00:30:11.320 --> 00:30:18.480 of God." Sin separates, but righteousness means a right standing, 00:30:18.480 --> 00:30:27.200 a right relationship with God, no longer separated by sin by the penalty of 00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:27.600 death. 00:30:28.920 --> 00:30:36.280 This is why the gospel is such good news because where there was no hope, 00:30:37.140 --> 00:30:37.600 there is hope. 00:30:39.260 --> 00:30:41.580 That hope is found in Christ. 00:30:42.920 --> 00:30:48.430 Which brings me to one of, if not my favorite word in all of scripture. 00:30:49.660 --> 00:30:55.980 Maybe this is a word you've heard of, maybe it's not because a lot of modern translations don't use this word. 00:30:55.980 --> 00:30:59.480 it only appears a couple times in the Bible, but I love it. 00:31:00.260 --> 00:31:01.880 The word is called propitiation. 00:31:04.460 --> 00:31:10.780 Propitiation means the complete satisfaction of the wrath of God. 00:31:13.980 --> 00:31:22.640 1 John 4:10 summarizes why I love this word so 00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:22.920 much. 00:31:26.730 --> 00:31:29.130 Oh man, did I not put that? 00:31:29.540 --> 00:31:29.820 Oh, shoot. 00:31:30.060 --> 00:31:30.880 Oh, it's right there. 00:31:32.680 --> 00:31:33.310 All right, sorry. 00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:37.400 1 John 4:10 says this. 00:31:38.060 --> 00:31:45.080 "And this is love, not that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the 00:31:45.080 --> 00:31:52.680 propitiation for our sins." God's wrath, His justice is satisfied 00:31:52.680 --> 00:31:59.820 completely in the work of Jesus on the cross, where love and justice, instead of being separate 00:31:59.820 --> 00:32:03.220 things, are made perfect in Christ. 00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:12.040 We, as believers, become recipients of the mercy of God and are forgiven, not because what we have done, 00:32:12.820 --> 00:32:16.320 but solely based on what Christ has accomplished for us. 00:32:18.020 --> 00:32:19.530 This is the gospel. 00:32:20.340 --> 00:32:24.600 But what does this all have to do with thou shall not bear false witness? 00:32:25.520 --> 00:32:32.580 Well, Jesus, while He was on Earth, told His disciples that He came not to abolish the law, 00:32:33.160 --> 00:32:34.220 but to fulfill the law. 00:32:35.800 --> 00:32:39.670 How He did that was in a way that we could never do. 00:32:41.880 --> 00:32:44.220 He fulfilled because we couldn't fulfill the law. 00:32:44.680 --> 00:32:47.320 He bore witness of the truth. 00:32:48.740 --> 00:32:49.160 What truth? 00:32:50.460 --> 00:32:52.040 The truth of who God was. 00:32:52.900 --> 00:33:00.000 Colossians 1:15 states, "He is the image of the invisible God." Where we 00:33:00.000 --> 00:33:02.090 have failed, Jesus has succeeded. 00:33:05.880 --> 00:33:09.660 He even says it is the reason for His coming. 00:33:11.020 --> 00:33:14.600 Read John 18:37 with me. 00:33:14.640 --> 00:33:21.020 It says, "For this, I've been born and, for this, I've come into the world," this is Jesus speaking, "to testify to the truth. 00:33:21.740 --> 00:33:29.000 Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice." That ultimate truth that Jesus is displaying and testifying to 00:33:29.000 --> 00:33:32.960 is the very nature and character of who God is. 00:33:33.340 --> 00:33:34.820 He explains Him. 00:33:36.120 --> 00:33:43.380 Jesus proclaims this truth, and our response to it is what separates us to those who know 00:33:43.380 --> 00:33:50.500 Christ from those who don't, those who accept the testimony that He brought into the world and those who 00:33:50.500 --> 00:33:52.140 reject His testimony. 00:33:54.900 --> 00:33:58.380 John 10:27-28 says, "My sheep hear my voice. 00:33:58.440 --> 00:33:59.740 I know them and they follow me. 00:33:59.740 --> 00:34:02.840 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. 00:34:03.240 --> 00:34:10.540 And no one will snatch them out of my hand." Colossians 1:13-14 states, "For 00:34:10.540 --> 00:34:18.179 He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son in whom we have redemption, the 00:34:18.420 --> 00:34:25.500 forgiveness of sins." His truth and justice have everything to do with the 00:34:25.500 --> 00:34:25.699 gospel. 00:34:28.120 --> 00:34:33.960 The Bible right here says that there are two kingdoms. 00:34:36.280 --> 00:34:40.880 One kingdom is Christ, who bears witness to the truth. 00:34:41.960 --> 00:34:42.500 What truth? 00:34:42.500 --> 00:34:43.860 The truth of who God is. 00:34:45.320 --> 00:34:50.820 The second mention is the domain of darkness, who also has a king. 00:34:51.780 --> 00:34:53.239 You guys know who I'm talking about. 00:34:54.179 --> 00:34:56.679 The ruler of the domain of darkness is Satan. 00:34:58.120 --> 00:35:05.260 He goes by many names in the Bible, but some of them, and some of the ones that we 00:35:05.260 --> 00:35:11.680 know really well and the strongest are the ones that fits with what we're talking about right now. 00:35:13.780 --> 00:35:20.840 For he is known in scripture as the father of lies, the accuser, and the 00:35:20.840 --> 00:35:21.140 devil. 00:35:23.000 --> 00:35:30.300 Now, do you know what devil translated as 00:35:30.300 --> 00:35:31.520 means? 00:35:33.560 --> 00:35:35.920 It means slanderer. 00:35:38.980 --> 00:35:46.220 It's an apt name, for he bore false witness to Eve in the garden by slandering the character of God, by 00:35:46.220 --> 00:35:49.240 saying, "God lied to you. 00:35:49.960 --> 00:35:58.040 God doesn't have your best interests at heart, but is instead holding out on you." He 00:35:58.040 --> 00:36:05.040 directly opposes the truth and seeks to see as many possible become guilty before God as 00:36:05.040 --> 00:36:05.820 the accuser. 00:36:06.900 --> 00:36:14.320 His most effective strategy that he still uses today is not to convince people that there is no God, but 00:36:14.320 --> 00:36:20.920 to slander God's character and to get us to question His goodness, His justice, His love, and His mercy. 00:36:24.280 --> 00:36:32.540 Which begs the question, what witnesses are we listening to when 00:36:32.540 --> 00:36:34.020 it comes to who God is? 00:36:35.220 --> 00:36:42.340 Is it His Word, which bears witness to the truth of His heart or to the world and the devil who 00:36:42.500 --> 00:36:43.420 constantly slanders Him? 00:36:46.320 --> 00:36:47.750 Here's the thing as well. 00:36:48.100 --> 00:36:55.100 Not only are we called to believe the truth of the witness of Christ, but we are also called as followers of Christ 00:36:55.100 --> 00:37:02.140 to bear true testimony to who He is in the world who 00:37:02.240 --> 00:37:02.840 doesn't know Him. 00:37:04.740 --> 00:37:11.940 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 clarifies and summarizes this in a way that I never could. 00:37:13.480 --> 00:37:14.360 It says this. 00:37:15.320 --> 00:37:20.180 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature, the old things passed away. 00:37:20.280 --> 00:37:22.160 Behold, the new things have come. 00:37:22.220 --> 00:37:29.660 Now, all these things are from God who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, 00:37:29.740 --> 00:37:34.940 that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them. 00:37:35.300 --> 00:37:39.300 And He has committed to us this word of reconciliation. 00:37:40.520 --> 00:37:47.420 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us. 00:37:48.020 --> 00:37:51.280 We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 00:37:52.440 --> 00:38:00.100 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God." 00:38:02.880 --> 00:38:09.900 We have been reconciled by Christ to be ambassadors, to be representatives, to be witnesses 00:38:09.900 --> 00:38:12.540 to the world for the gospel. 00:38:14.440 --> 00:38:21.980 The gospel so profoundly demonstrates the gracious, merciful, loving, 00:38:22.400 --> 00:38:28.460 and just nature of who God is, that has made salvation possible. 00:38:30.060 --> 00:38:38.700 The call that He gives us is to proclaim this truth wholeheartedly, 00:38:39.940 --> 00:38:47.320 truthfully, in word and deed, as though God was making His appeal to the world through us. 00:38:49.940 --> 00:38:52.280 Jesus never broke a law. 00:38:52.280 --> 00:38:55.940 He didn't break the law, for He never bore false testimony. 00:38:57.360 --> 00:38:59.890 But ultimately, He did so much more than that. 00:39:01.760 --> 00:39:09.840 He fulfilled the law by living out the truth and bearing witness to the truth of 00:39:09.860 --> 00:39:16.740 who God is, which is what we, as followers of Christ, are now called to do. 00:39:18.540 --> 00:39:25.680 Peter in 1 Peter 2:9 says this, "But you 00:39:25.680 --> 00:39:33.300 are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession so 00:39:33.300 --> 00:39:40.460 that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of the darkness and 00:39:40.460 --> 00:39:47.460 into His marvelous light." This message has been brought to you by Alpine 00:39:47.460 --> 00:39:49.100 Bible Church in Lehi, Utah. 00:39:49.660 --> 00:39:53.660 If you'd like more information, please visit us online at alpinebible.com.