Living A Lie

Introduction

Well, what excellent singing today. Jesse has done his job well, but it’s also nice to have so many great voices. Good to have those of you who are visiting with us today, and we have a good number of you present. Thank you for coming our way. This morning’s lesson actually issues from a sermon that I preached here back in February, that I preached since that time at Campbell Road and Garland and again on Tuesday night in Crosby, of all men most to be pitied. In that sermon, if you’ll recall, those of you that were here, we looked at pretty much the entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 15. And I’ll just go ahead and tell you right now, circle that chapter. There are so much relevant teaching and instruction about living, about how to answer false arguments that are made in 1 Corinthians chapter 15.

Besides that, it really strengthens and bolsters our faith. The conclusion of his whole treatise on the resurrection is be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. As much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. And that really has a lot to do with where I’m going with this lesson this morning. But we were looking at that particular phrase in verse 19. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. Or as the King James Version says, most miserable. And we question, what does that phrase say ye? Is it saying because the Christian life is so otherwise unrewarding? It’s so much commitment and so demanding, poor, pitiful us.

We would be fools to sign on to this resurrection and all of its implications, if what it means is so much work on our part. Poor pitiful us, if indeed it is not true that Jesus is raised from the dead. Well, I really don’t think that’s the main idea. There’s an element of that at the end of verse 32 that we’ll get to in a moment. Let us eat and drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. We certainly shouldn’t sign on to the principles of the New Testament and all of its instruction, if indeed it’s a lie. But more on that in a moment. But the point I think he’s making is poor pitiful us is that we’re suffering for this. And that’s why we are of all men most to be pitied.

I think that’s the overriding point that’s being made here. He says, Well, why are we in danger every hour? If Jesus Christ is not raised, and that doesn’t mean that we’re going to be raised one day unto immortality, then why are we putting ourselves at such risk? Why are we in danger? I carry about in my body the dying of Jesus daily for this. And he says, if for human motives, if I only have this world’s emphasis as my reason for doing this, if from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? I mean, really? I’m going to sign up, even though it’s all fabrication, it’s not true. Jesus Christ is not raised from the dead, but I’m going to say I believe that, and I’m going to fight the wild beast at Ephesus.

1. We Are Not Living a Lie

I’ll be in the arena fighting these wild beasts. He says, What does it profit me if the dead are not raised? Then let us eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die. Well, I preached the sermon on Tuesday night. And David Osteen, who is my good friend who preaches in Port Arthur, he was there, and we were talking about the lesson afterwards. And I think really there’s another point here that I’ve already alluded to that is another part of this statement, and really this whole section of verses 12 through 19, and that is the real senselessness of it is it’s all a lie. You’re living your life on a lie. And so I would tell you right now, if Jesus Christ is not raised from the dead, and if you do not have a hope of a future resurrection, what we’re doing here today is a lie.

And we ought to just walk out the door and go home. Go eat first at some restaurant. Pull back in third gear on a recliner and watch television all day. Or whatever it is that makes you happy. For tomorrow we die. And not only that, in this context, he says, look, if Christ is not raised, there’s no resurrection of the dead. Your faith is vain. Our preaching is vain. There is no solution to sin. And we’re found false witnesses before God. And all of that is saying we’re living a lie. And going on from that, if you look over in 2 Corinthians, when we get just a little snapshot of some of the suffering Paul endures, he says, Look at this, I’ll just give you one verse of this.

I have been in labor and hardship through many sleepless nights in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure, not to mention all the suffering and persecution that he mentions in this section. He says, All of that for a lie. How foolish is that? You should pity me. But folks, it’s not a lie. What we are doing here today is not based on a lie, but sober truth. It’s wise, it’s real, it’s sensible, and it’s valuable. Because we are laying up for ourselves treasures in heaven. And there’s nothing on earth that can touch that. If we don’t allow it. We are laying up for ourselves treasures in heaven, and it’s not going to decay. Moth and rust are not going to affect it. But if you lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, all of those things will ultimately decay, and ultimately you will not have a part of what goes on under the sun.

That’s what Ecclesiastes is telling us. And so, despite all of the criticisms that are hurled our way, despite all of the opposition, we are confident in the risen king. And that’s why we should present our bodies unto God as a living sacrifice. Holy and acceptable, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world. Do not fashion your mind and your life after this world. That’s passing away, John would say in 1 John chapter 2. Do not be conformed to this world. Oh, that’s such a temptation for us, as we’ll talk about in a moment. So conform to this world, he says, Don’t do that, but be transformed. Changed. Let the metamorphos take place, metamorphosis. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

You’ve got to change the way you think about things. That you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. I love that phrase in Romans 12 and verse 2. It’s not that we’ve got to somehow prove God’s word is correct because it is correct, it is true. But when we are transformed by the renewing of our minds, the person that we prove it to is ourselves. We see the wisdom and the benefit and the value and the blessing that doing God’s word and living it and embracing it, that it’s good, that it’s acceptable, and that it’s perfect in every relationship, in every circumstance, with every attitude that it commends. God’s word is good and acceptable and perfect. And I’ll tell you why I know that’s true.

The previous verse that I harp on a lot, which has become my favorite verse in the New Testament. For from him and through him and to him are all things. That verse blows me away. Based upon the previous statements about how unsearchable his mind is and all of that. From him, through him, and to him are all things. Therefore, that makes sense. I beseech you, therefore, but I please with you, brethren. By the mercy of our God, present your bodies. A living sacrifice. Know what that is good, acceptable, and perfect will of God is. I’m going to tell you, serving God, doing what we’re doing here today, it makes perfect sense. Purity of thought, excellency of speech, blameless behavior, a God-fearing, other serving life. It makes perfect sense.

Well, I’m getting ahead of myself. Go back. Philippians 2, 15 and 16. That’s what Paul is referring to. When he tells the church at Philippi, prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world. That’s how we do it. Among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life. Based on the resurrection of Jesus, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may have caused the glory that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain. Make sure that what we do in this place and the teaching that is done by me and so many others, that it is not the result of laboring and toiling in vain, but see the sense of what we’re called to be, how we’re called to think, how we’re called to speak, how we’re called to live, how we are to shine as lights in the world.

Take that seriously.

We are not living a lie. And that gets me to the question that you might have already seen a portion of.

Who really is living a lie? It’s not us. What about those who reject God’s will? They are the ones that are living the life. Because they are under the control and domination of Satan, who is the father of all lies. John chapter 8 and verse 44. And yet there’s so many who are embracing the lie and living the light. It makes such perfect sense to them. It makes a lot more sense than what you’re trying to do. But it’s a lie. As Paul would say in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, as he talks about that lawless one who would be revealed. And I don’t know whether he’s talking about a specific individual, or if he’s talking about the nature of an individual, the kind of person who is opposed to God.

And I sort of think he’s speaking more in terms of a general mindset than a specific individual. Who, it says that lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will slay with the breath of his mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of his coming. You know, anyone who’s opposed to God, he will destroy at the appearance of his coming. That’s what the book of Revelation is telling us as well. And that one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all powers and signs and false wonders, seems to be a religious slant on this mindset. And with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish. Notice that those who are perished, and those that are lost, those who reject the teaching of Scripture, it says, it’s the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they do not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.

And for this reason, the deception will grow even worse, he says. And for this reason, God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged, who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. That’s not us. We should not be that person. We should always give thanks. As Paul did, we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren, the love by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. And it was for this he called you through our gospel that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So the people who reject the message of the resurrection, and in so doing, the whole message of the New Testament.

2. Our Stuff Will Be Enough

Those who reject this as the words of life, the words of wisdom and goodness, the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Those who don’t embrace that, they’re believing a lie. Let me tell you what those lies are, at least some of them. People who reject this, what kind of lies have they embraced? Anyone who leaves the Lord, who quits responding in faith, as we’ve just read, who starts believing these lies, who will not gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ because they have forsaken this way. What are some of the lies they believe? If there’s anyone in this audience who leaves the Lord at some ultimate time in his or her life, what will be the lie that gets you there? One of those lies that is so prevalent in our culture is that our stuff will be enough.

I can just keep turning to pleasurable event after pleasurable event, the accumulation of this thing and that thing and this pursuit that brings me moments of joy, that I can keep pursuing thing after thing and ignore the soul, ignore my creator. I’m just going to focus on this world and get the most out of it with the most money that I can provide for myself, the proliferation of stuff that sparks my interest, no matter how temporary and unfulfilling. I’m just going to flitter about one thing to the next.

Stuff a good thing. Now, intellectually, we’re all sitting there going, that’s pretty bullish. This audience knows that’s a lie. But it’s still tempting. And it can be debunked with a single verse. What is a man profit in? If he gains the whole world and loses his own soul. Stuff ain’t going to be enough. I don’t care how much stuff you have. I don’t care how much you like it from time to time or how much fun you have with it. And so many times God is set on the back burner because the stuff is so very important to us and so very valuable to us. And that right now makes more sense to me than sitting in another assembly with God’s people or spending time in preparation for my Bible class or meditating on spiritual things or thinking about how I can improve myself and bring myself more in the likeness of Christ.

Again, doing all of that for little for me.

I’m going to focus on my stuff. But it’s also debunked. I had so many verses I could choose from. It was a plumber. I was in a garden. I chose Luke 12. Where Jesus says, this life does not consist in the abundance of a thing which a person possesses. It says it again. That’s Mark 836 in another verse. That’s not what it’s about. Who gets the most stuff wins? Who has the best stuff wins? Who has the biggest stuff? Wins. Who has the most fun stuff? They win.

3. I Don't Need God

And he illustrates that with terrible suddenly after he makes that statement. And it’s all based on a conversation about the inheritance the two brothers are struggling to divide. And he says, beware of covetousness. You’re longing inordinately for this world. Stop. That’s not what life is about. He tells the story about the guy who had all of his stuff. And he said, Man, I don’t have enough room for all my stuff. So I’m going to build bigger bones to store my stuff. And then he dies in the midst of all of that. You fool. You are not rich toward God. This mentality actually arises. I had a hard time not saying this in the point. Actually, that mentality is preceded by another, and that is, I don’t need God.

You see, I got all this stuff. All these things I want to pursue. And God is acts with interfering. And so I’m going to remove God for the equation because he interferes because I really don’t need him. Now think about this lie. Now, why are you here again? Oh, that’s right. Because God wonderfully fashioned you. He made you. He gave you life and breath. He is infinite in knowledge. Hmm. He might know what’s best for the one he put here. The one he marvelously designed in his infinite wisdom. And this plan that he brought about through centuries of preparation and careful work and instruction. And he brings about this plan of redemption through Jesus Christ. He’s pretty smart. And yet people all the time say, I don’t need what God has to offer.

It’s almost like, you know, God wanted to punish me with this righteousness business. He’s out to get me. He doesn’t care about me. Remember Deuteronomy 6 and verse 24. When Moses is talking about the law, it says, These things are written for our good and for our survival. I love that. Deuteronomy 6 and verse 24. These things are written for our good and for our survival, as we saw a few weeks ago. It has promise of the life that now is and the life that is to come. 1 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 8. And you know. When you are staring a crisis in the face that is larger than you can handle. You might just be reminded. When you face your mortality in the face, you might just get the point.

I do need someone outside of myself. And my stuff will not make me happy. You know, you can kick against it all you want. But the truth is the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man that walks to direct his own steps. And I think one thing we do with this passage, we because it’s an isolated passage in Jeremiah, we don’t think a lot about the times in which Jeremiah spoke the words. Babylonian destruction of the city of Jerusalem is imminent. His people are in a very severe, sinful state. They’re all doing what I’m talking about. We don’t really need God’s righteousness. They’re focused on their lives and their stuff. And they’re saying, I don’t need God. The way of man is not in himself, Jeremiah.

4. It's Too Hard

It is not a man that walks to direct his own steps. Don’t believe that lie. Line number three. And I think this is where it becomes a little bit more difficult even for us. The devil’s got to find a way to make inroads into our thinking. And one of the ways that he does this, he says, look, following God is we it’s which really ties us into the point that we began with. That the Christian life is so unrewarding otherwise. But, you know, I can’t do it. You can’t do it. It’s so hard. It’s so difficult, it’s impossible. And we’ve all experienced moments of failure.

Even since we were baptized into Christ, and we should know better. But we start thinking, it’s just too hard. And especially when you look on the heels of the rich young ruler story. Because all these commandments I’ve kept from my youth up. And he says, one thing you lack, go and sell all that you possess and give it to the poor. Come and follow me. And really the demands of discipleship are that extreme. Everything the Lord wants has to come before everything else. Go and sell all that you have. Could you liquidate everything? If Jesus came to you and said, You know, I only need one more thing from you. There’s something I see in your heart that’s lacking. I want you to go empty out your bank account and give it to the poor.

I want you to go down to zero. And I want you to trust me. The rich young ruler went away. He was too concerned about that stuff that he had. But notice Jesus didn’t stop there. He says, You will have what? Treasure in heaven. You’re going to get more than an ample reward for such a choice. And then, as a result of him walking away, he turns and looks at his disciples and says, What? How hard it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. And again, that passage is so frightening to me because we’re rich. This audience, we’re rich people. And he says it again. How hard it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven is easier for a camel to go through the eye of an eel than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

And so it’s difficult, not impossible, but it’s difficult. And so the disciples realize how difficult it is. And I love this. They said, Well, then who can be saved?

And the answer is with men, it is impossible. Don’t you think about that? Jesus’ answer, with men it is impossible, but with God, all things are possible. We’re going to need God in the equation. Tonight we’re going to sing about our infinite redeemer. And we’re going to make these points of God’s involvement. We need divine assistance. The people in this audience this morning, we can go to heaven, but we’re going to need divine assistance to get it done. We are going to have to invoke his help. We’re going to have to depend upon him. That’s what the book of Hebrews is talking about that we’re going to sing about tonight. Me on my own, by myself. No, I cannot. And some people don’t ever come into Christ.

They think, you know, boy, this is such a commitment. I don’t think I can live this kind of righteous moral commitment to which Jesus calls me. And by not coming into Christ, they never get the divine assistance that’s offered. I know it looks impossible. It looks hard sometimes, even for those of us that are in Christ. But when it does, that’s when we need to pray. More than ever. God, I need your assistance. God, I need your help. He’s the one who will supply an eternal entrance into his kingdom. Look, your eternal salvation. I’m not talking about your initial salvation, though it’s true there also. Your eternal salvation is going to be dependent upon your trust in God. I’m going to need him to finish the job as I continue to walk by faith.

5. I'm Okay as Long as the Good Outweighs the Bad

And faith works, as we talked about in our Bible class in James 2 and verse 20. I continue to pursue my part, and I’m going to trust in God to finish it. So many give up. Because it seems too hard along the way. With men, it is impossible, but with God, all things are possible, thus. You are the word. You are the song that I am singing. You are the mighty God. You are the King of kings. I’m singing back the song that you gave to me. Beautiful little hymn, isn’t it? You are the words and the music. And finally, another lie. Who’s really living a lie? I’m okay as long as the good outweighs the bad in my life. This is a wrong approach to perseverance.

Okay, I’m having some struggles along the way, but maybe I can do enough good to make up for it. The story of Ananias and Sapphira tell us this approach is wrong, by the way. They did a good thing. They laid money at the apostles’ feet, but the hypocrisy within their hearts caused them to be struck dead. And so you can’t take this apart. And this is the way many people approach the religion. And you go to funerals, and that’s really what’s being said at the funeral. They did so much good in their life. This isn’t about me being better than someone else. And I’ll tell you, there’s some people who are outside of Christ who are extremely compassionate and kind and giving and model some of the principles of the New Testament.

In fact, if we start comparing some who are religiously lost, who have not believed the truth, who have not come into Christ, we might look at them and measure that they’re better than some people I know in the body of Christ. Amen. Yes. And perhaps in some ways better than me. Yes.

But it’s not about being better. Because none of us are good enough. It’s about receiving forgiveness. It’s about, as Jesus says in Mark chapter 3. When his family’s standing outside, they think Jesus has lost his mind. And they’re demanding an audience with him. And they say, hey, your family’s outside want to talk with you. And he says what? Everyone who does the word of God is my mother, sister, and brother. Let me tell you what the bottom line of this is. And I’ll tell you what makes the people in this room different than a lot of the people out there. Who may have some qualities that are better than ours. But I’ll tell you this. What we’re all about is submission to God in every respect.

Doing the will of God, submitting to Him. That’s what He’s looking for. We can’t just take this approach, well, I’ve got this vice over here that I don’t really want to give up, don’t really want to deal with. It’s just, I can’t defeat it. Again, that gets us back to here. God can help you defeat it. But I can’t deal with this. But I’m doing all these other good things to make up for it. That’s not how the salvation thing works. We sign on to conformity to the will of God. Being transformed by the renewing of our minds. And we can be, we can make progress toward the goal. I must constantly see myself as a debtor. I could never repay my Lord with 10,000 assemblies, with hundreds of sermons and Bible classes endured, and yes, even zealously engaged.

6. Maybe God Will Make an Exception

A million hymns of praise could not atone. But I must strive to be a listener of the word of God. One who submits to the will of God and trusts in God for eternal salvation. And it’s a lifelong series of steps, progress, perseverance. Now, as I talk about how salvation works, there is yet one more lie that I want to address. And that is, well, maybe God will make an exception.

Play golf with a fellow on Tuesday. And as usual, when this happens, I’ve mentioned this before. We’re not even to the second hole, and I’ve heard about seven words of profanity. It’s like, what is it? Is it God getting when they play golf, they just cuss a blue streak or what? But before I get to the second hole, so we’re on the second tea box, and I said, Yeah, I’m playing with my father-in-law, and I’m a preacher, and he’s an elder. And I thought that would take care of it. That usually does. Not with this guy. And so we get on the 15th hole, and he says, He asked me this question. You know, this is this is the field like he has a brother who’s in a priest or something, and he says, He says, who is the man who went to heaven without dying?

I guess he thought that was going to stump us or something. And we said, Well, I think Enoch and maybe Elijah. And that was the end of that discussion. And he says, this is amazing. He says, I know I’m going to hell. Can you imagine? At least he was honest. But we said, you don’t have to go to hell. We started explaining, you know, how he could get here to worship with us. He lives closer to climate. That’s the only way he can get there.

Conclusion

But at least he understands that I can’t live the life I’m living. And God approve of me, somehow provide an exception. The choice of masters, the choice of faith in God or love of this world, can be reduced to the choice of a truth or a lie. Are you going to embrace what is true, or will you embrace what is a lie? Choose truth. Jesus says, if you abide in my word, then you are disciples of mine, and you shall know the truth. And the truth shall make you free.

And that’s the message of the gospel. And it’s all true because Jesus Christ rose from the dead. And we can trust that. So you need to embrace that to the saving of your soul and the hope of immortality and the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Can you walk out of here today and say, You are the song that I sing? You are the words and the music. And can we help you to do that? Let’s stand and sing together.