Weekly Sermons

God Reveals His Norming Norm

We are often arbitrary in how we evaluate ourselves and others – But God has a perfect standard we are evaluated by – the Truth He has revealed to us in His holy word.    

Read Exodus 34:1-9

Dictionary.com defines truth as the actual state of a matter; conformity with fact or reality.

What is the opposite of truth?

Falsehood, or lies.

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolators, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.               -Rev. 22:14-15

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.              -2 Timothy 3:16-17

Every biblical command God gives is based on His truth and is to help you flourish as His child. Every sin listed in the Bible has built in consequences that will be experienced when you reject God’s truth for you and engage in that sin.

Precept, Principle, Person (Josh McDowell).

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.       -John 1:14

Jesus said to him, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me.”        -John 14:6

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My Word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”      -John 8:32, 36

The one who rejects Me and does not receive My words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.                       -John 12:48

The word for truth in Exodus 34:6 is the Hebrew word emet (H571), which occurs 125 times in the O.T. It is usually translated truth or faithfulness.

The sum of Your word is truth (emet), and every one of Your righteous rules endures forever.                     -Psalm 119:160

The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth (emet).                                                                                                       -Psalm 145:18

Let the (lying) prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully (emet).                    -Jeremiah 23:28

Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness (emet) or steadfast love (hesed), and no knowledge of God in the land; there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.                          -Hosea 4:1-2  

Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy (emet) and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.                      -Ex. 18:21

Now therefore fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and in faithfulness (emet). Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.                 -Joshua 24:14

Teach me Your way, O LORD, that I may walk in Yout truth (emet); Unite my heart to fear (Yare) your name.              -Psalm 86:11

How was Israel to respond to their God, who is abounding in truth?

They were to keep the covenant they had made with Him by observing His commands, and NOT make covenant with the godless peoples around them.

They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.   -Romans 9:4-5

Do not be arrogant toward the branches (i.e, currently unbelieving Jews). If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.                               -Romans 11:18

For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. -Romans 15:27b     

We believe the God who says He is the truth and cannot lie will literally keep all the unconditional promises He made to Israel, not just spiritualize them away. That also gives us confidence that He will keep His unconditional promises to us!

If our souls were properly ordered, we would love our limits, not despise them.”                                                                                                             -Ken Meyers

My little children, I writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.             -1 John 2:2