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Matt 5:33-37 Yes be Yes

• Here’s what was going on- at the time- Jews were making oaths based on certain things- the temple, the earth, gold, God, Jerusalem, a body part etc. They would take oaths based on something that was less valuable, so they could go against their oaths
• If you took an oath towards God, you had to keep it- if it was for Jerusalem, however so valuable- you didn’t have to keep it- or at least there was an expectation that you didn’t have to keep it or change it
• Jesus says- just say yes or no. Don’t be a liar, and don’t allow lying- just say what you mean and mean what you say
• 37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one..  FROM THE EVIL ONE. 
• For clarification- some Christians use this as a defense to say that we shouldn’t take oaths for anything- but that’s not the point. This isn’t a scripture about not taking an oath to do something, its about being a man of your word and not making promises that you try to get out of because of how you made the promise- Its about being a person of truth
• Can you imagine living in a time when telling the truth had to be explained? A time where people would say one thing and do another? What a weird time to live in for sure
• As I was preparing this sermon- I was drawn to Jeremiah chapter 9
• In chapter nine- Jeremiah is lamenting about the exile of Judah- they are no longer occupying their land they are no longer prospering- their  society is in ruins. Why? Many reasons- but one of the major ones is that they had become a bunch of liars. 

• READ Jeremiah 9:3-6
• they have bent their tongues for lies, They are not valiant for the truth, every neighbor will walk with slanderers. Everyone will deceive his neighbor, And will not speak the truth; They have taught their tongue to speak lies; They weary themselves to commit iniquity.
• Here’s what is true- is that our God does not change. We are not Israel- but we are a nation. how God dealt with any nation in the past can give us indication of how he deals with nations. 
• America was founded on the principles of Christianity. We have prospered as a nation because we held to Christian ideals.. We are no longer a Christian nation or society- we just arent
• Even when I was in Egypt in 2001 talking to Muslims they perceived us a Christian nation- then they would see our movies and tv shows and call us infidels based on how they saw us live when they considered us Christians
• That was 20 years ago- gallup1938-98 70% attendance. Now 50%. 20% decline in past 20 years
• So what is God going to do? READ Jeremiah 9:7-9 
• Behold, I will refine them and try them; 9 Shall I not punish them for these things?” says the Lord. “Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?”
• Again- we’re not Israel- but God doesn’t bless any nation that doesn’t bless him. don’t see it
• Nations and persons cannot live lives against the truth and expect that God will bless them
• Living a life of lies- being a liar- not keeping your word- changing your words- not speaking truth
• How did they becoming a bunch of liars under judgement? Jeremiah 9:13-14
• Forsaken my law- walked according to the [f]dictates of their own heart
• Turned away from God and followed whatever their heart wanted
• We are, as Americans living under God’s judgment. We have leaders who tell lies- Presidents, Governors, mayors.  All of them.  Local officials, federal officials, lies after lies
• We have forsaken his law and turned away. Evil is celebrated. Lies are accepted. 
• Now some would say “Pastor matt- seems like you’ve been talking a lot more about politics than you have in the past” things have changed. Society at large, not just politicians are trying to fundamentally change how you think about life and I’m trying to empower you to stay
• And I’m not being conspiratorial. Something that’s simple that doesn’t need to be lie is lied about and they want us to go along with their lies.  Bush, Obama, Trump, Biden all of them
• in the truth of God’s word. It’s not enough to just tell funny stories during this season. Its not
• Your children, friends and family are being indoctrinated against God and if you’re not prepared you are going to eventually find yourself no longer believing God’s word is true
• Many churches have already succumbed, but I wont let that happen on my watch. 
•  “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.” Joseph Goebbels- Adolf Hitlers manager of Propaganda
• There are lies that are being told to you through news, movies, television, books, school and education. And what are these lies? ANYTHING that’s contrary to the word of God- 

• Barna did a study years ago Do absolute moral truths exist?, Is absolute truth defined by the Bible? Did Jesus Christ live a sinless life? Is God the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe, and does He still rule it today? Is salvation a gift from God that cannot be earned? Is Satan real? Does a Christian have a responsibility to share his or her faith in Christ with other people? Is the Bible accurate in all of its teachings? Only 9% born again said yes to all of them
• Do not capitulate to these lies. Do not acquiesce to their repeated attempts to sway you. 
• Standards of morality against the Bible. Undermining the truth of God’s word. Changing basic principles of humanity that have stood for thousands of years- A boy is a boy, thievery is wrong, criminals deserve to be punished, equal treatment under the law, innocent until proven guilty, free speech etc. it’s a war for your mind and soul and you must resist it. 
• How do we fight it? 1.We don’t become liars ourselves. 2.We don’t stop speaking the truth

1. We do not forsake God’s law and turn from him if we keep our word

• It seems simple- but in today’s society its hard to let your yes be yes and your no be no
• And it’s the big stuff- I will be faithful to my spouse, pay my bills, work for my wage
• And the small stuff- I’ll be there, you can count on me, trust me, I’d never do that
• If you say you are going to do something- you do it and you don’t look for a way out of it
• At home, church, work, life. Be a person that can be counted on by your simple word
• James 5:12  But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment.
• This challenge of the scriptures is a challenge for us today! If we can’t be people of our word, how will people believe anything else we say? Truth keeping and telling starts in the church
• I’ve known some pretty good liars in my day. From the men in my life that said they’d be there for me to the person that said they’d show up that never did. Not drunk, faithful to spouse etc
• I’ve never understood the liars. why not just say the truth? Why not say what you mean?
• And even when caught in a lie- they’ll double down to save face of some sort
• Why? Used to lying. Gives a rush. Covers inadequacies. Tries to get people to like them
• “if I can hold onto this person long enough I’ll move on from this lie” 
• Used to be a guy that attended this church a few years ago- started doing some business- people assumed because he went to the church he was solid- never asked me til too late-gone
• Left employees without paychecks- jobs undone- no call no answer no nothing. 
• There are Christian people who attend this church you can trust to do biz with. Should be all
• Colossians 3:9  Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
• This applies in business as well- on your prices, timelines, productivity- Bad Christian biz does God wrong- whether you’re an owner or not- what you say at work matters- give JC bad name. 
• Long time Leviticus 19:11 ‘You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.
• Here’s what happens when you live a life of lies- 1 Timothy 4:2  speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,
• You can no longer tell good from bad- you can no longer distinguish sin from truth. Its all truth 
• You are turning away from God and not keeping his laws- contributing to the judgment

2. We do not forsake God’s law and turn from him  if we Keep our vows to God

• Our yes should be yes to our fellow man and Christian- but also to GOD- even MORE SO
• Deuteronomy 23:21-23 READ
• I know there have been times when I have told God I wasn’t going to do something and then I did it again. Its wrong. God is not pleased with it. Its an abomination
• I’m guessing he gets tired of hearing empty promises that aren’t backed with action. 
• If you believe God, and believe his word, keeping your promises should be easy
• You don’t go back on them, you don’t adjust them- you just keep on with them
• Proverbs 12:22  Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.
• There’s special kinds of liars- typically its those who lie to others and take the Lords name in vain
• These are  the people who will change their yes to no under some hyperspiritual talk that “God told me to do this” and inevitably its always an easier, comfier, shinier road
• Man, I don’t know God that well apparently- because whenever I try to adjust my plans God always gives me crystal clear memory of what I said, a scripture to put me in place and plan of how I can die to myself, swallow my pride and live up to the vow I made to him
• Maybe its just me. I never get the ‘you are freed from this’ talk from God. I get the ‘you made a vow you better stick to it if you expect me to bless you’ talk. 
• Is that what you get? 
• Here’s what I think
• Maybe we can’t keep our vows because we try to do it on our strength instead of the HS
• John 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth;
• If you would rely more on the HS and receive the HS you would be more in the truth
• Are you baptized in the Holy Spirit? Have you received the spirit as they did in the book of Acts?
• Cause when a lie comes across my lips or I try to break a vow I am HAMMERED by the spirit of truth- he wont let me sleep until I repent or change my way or apologize or whatever
• You cant do it on your own strength. You just cant! You will fail. It wont work. 
• He IS truth- that’s who he is and what he does! 
• Proverbs 12:17  He who speaks truth declares righteousness, But a false witness, deceit

3. We do not forsake God’s law and turn from him  Speak truth

• Now speaking truth isn’t going around telling everyone their breath stinks- but its not believing a lie or allowing a lie to be told in your presence
• Ask my kids- we raised them to understand consequence and told them the truth
• If you didn’t make the team- didn’t practice hard enough. Woke up late? Didn’t go to be early enough. We didn’t blame teachers and circumstance- we laid it at their feet. Only way to win
• Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.
• In spiritual growth- people will blame the devil when you’re the one who set up to fail. 
• You can’t get to spiritual growth without truth telling- you can’t. honest with yourself and others
• So Holing a biblical world view means that you stand of the the truth- 
• It’s the truth that absolute moral truths exist- I DON’T agree with your divorce. 
• absolute truth defined by the Bible- people ARE sinners who need a savior
•  Jesus Christ lived a sinless life- Jesus Christ IS sinless and a perfect sacrifice for sin
•  God is the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe, and He still rules it today
•  Salvation is a gift from God that cannot be earned- You must repent and be born again
•  Satan is real- and you better be prepared to meet him or God- make a choice
• Christians do have a responsibility to share their faith in Christ with other people
• The Bible accurate in all of its teachings- all of them. ALL- I am not going to chagne
• Ephesians 4:15  but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
• Zechariah 8:16 These are the things you shall do: Speak each man the truth to his neighbor; Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace;
• And its lies you hear around your kitchen table, break table, and family table 
• Years ago at a Thanksgiving couldn’t handle it any longer “we didn’t discover” 
• Proverbs 8:7  For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 
• The world can do whatever it wants- I am going to keep speaking God’s truth until they kill me
• I’m not going to agree against the Bible- what it teaches and what God says- I’m not TRUTH 
• Revelation 22:15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

SO

Keep your word to others

Keep your vows to God

Speak Gods truth

Invitation

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