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[Is there any such thing as absolute truth.  Even little children understand that there are some things you had better get right in life.]

["Great truths about life that little children have learned." ] 

• [No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats. ]

• [When your mom is mad at your dad, don't let her brush your hair. ]

• [If your sister hits you don't hit her back; they always catch the second person.]

• [Never ask your three-year-old brother to hold a tomato. ]

• [You can't trust dogs to watch your food. ]

• [Puppies still have bad breath even after eating a tic tac. ]

• [Never hold a dust buster and a cat at the same time. ]

• [You cannot hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk. ]

• [Don't wear polka dot underwear under white shorts.]

[Our world is seeking for truth.  People are asking the question that Pontius Pilate asked Jesus just before he crucified Him, "What is truth?"(John 18.38)  Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)] 

[Adrian Rogers in preaching on this passage states that this passage presents "The Secret to Fulfillment."  Fulfillment is found, not in the absence of trials and testing, but in the knowledge that in the midst of your trials you know you are right.  Knowing you are right can only be based on an absolute assurance of an absolute truth.] 

[In our text Jesus addresses the source of absolute truth.] 

You Win In Life When: 

A.  You Hold God's Word (vs 17-18) [- Matthew 5:17-18 ¹⁷ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. ¹⁸ For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. ] 

1.   The Identity of the Word of God (vs 17) [- ¹⁷ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. - Jesus came to fulfill God's Word and He did.  Jesus fulfilled 70 major and specific Old Testament prophecies and 270 prophetic ramifications.  Jesus also fulfilled the types of the Old Testament and every requirement of the ceremonial law so that Jesus became the one eternal sacrifice removing the need for any present or future sacrifice as explained in the book of Hebrews and in other select New Testament passages.] 

a.   [Jesus refers to the Law and the Prophets.  These represent the Bible Jesus held and read.] 

1)   [The Law - The first five books of the Old Testament.] 

2)   [The Prophets - The remainder of the Old Testament.] 

a)   [Substantiated by Jesus Christ.] 

b)   [The content and substance of the Old Testament Scriptures are not contended by Bible Scholars in our day.  The Masoretic (Hebrew) text is firmly rooted as the Old Testament Jesus affirmed as the Word of God.  Yet, they make bold changes in the Old Testaments of modern translations.] 

b.   [Our Bible today - The Old and New Testaments. Contains Sixty-six books.  ] 

a)   [Thirty-Nine Old Testament.]

b)   [Twenty-Seven New Testament.]

c)   [1,189 Chapters]

d)   [31,101 Verses (Authorized Version)]

e)   [628,652 Words (Authorized Version).] 

c.   [Its Composure.] 

a)   [Penned by Thirty-Five Penmen.]

b)   [Authored by one author, Almighty-God through inspiration.] 

2.   The Infallibility of the Word of God (vs 18; Rev 22.18-19; Deut 4.2; Psalm 119.89; Isa 40.8; Matt 24.35; 1 Pet 1.25) [- ¹⁸ For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. – This deals with the inerrancy and infallibility of the Word of God.]   

a.   [Jesus testified of the veracity and endurance of God's Word.] 

1)   [The Jot is the smallest letter of the Greek alphabet.] 

2)   [The Tittle is the smallest accent of the Hebrew alphabet.] 

b.  [The level of the preservation of God’s Word (vs 18) – Today we find various types of translations in our book stores.  There are:] 

1. [Literal Translations – The King James Version – Word for Word translations.] 

2. [Dynamic Equivalencies – The NIV – Thought for thought.] 

3. [Paraphrase Translations – The Living Bible, The Message – Nothing more than a commentary, some mans thoughts about the Bible.] 

4. [MOV’s – My Own Versions – Complete manipulations of the Word of God.] 

5. [God’s counsel to you is use the Word of God.] 

c.  [Every spot of ink – In saying this Jesus is saying that no dot on an “i” or cross on a “t” will be lost or dropped from the Word of God.] 

[Revelation 22:18-19 ¹⁸ For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: ¹⁹ And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. ]

[Deuteronomy 4:2 ² Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. ]

d.   [The Bible testifies for its own veracity and endurance.] 

1)[ Psalm 119:89 For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. ] 

2) [Isaiah 40:8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. ] 

3)   [Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. ] 

4) [1 Peter 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. ] 

3.   The Importance of the Word of God (Rom 10.17; 1 Pet 2.2; 2 Tim 3.16-17)

a.   [It is good for Faith (Rom 10.17) - So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. – Faith is taking God at His Word, therefore to have biblical faith you must have the Word of God.  Without the Word of God there can be no biblical faith.] 

b.   [It is good for Growth (1 Pet 2.2) – As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: -  The Bible indicates that there are two levels of nourishment to be received from the Word of God; the milk of the Word and the Meat of the Word.  Each passages have two possible levels of spiritual enrichments woven by the hand of God into their text.  If you use anything other than a literal translation then you will receive either only the milk, only the meat, or neither the milk or the meat because you are receiving from someone else opinion of the word rather than learn from the inspired Word of God.  You need the Word of God not someone’s opinion of the Word of God.] 

c.   [It is good for Christian living (2 Tim 3.16-17) - All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. – Many people demand to be comforted and confirmed by the Word of God.  When you are down or in trouble the Word of God indeed gives us comfort and confirmation.  However, the Word of God is designed by God to bring life change upon us as well.  The Word of God does this through confrontation and conviction.  So there will be, must be, times when God’s Word aggressively challenges who we are and what we think.  Our Heavenly Father seeks to mature us and grow us through the confrontation and conviction we experienced as we examine His precious written Word. ] 

 ["Beware of People who Deny God's Word" - James Merritt]

B.  You Heed God's Word (vs 19; John 14.26; 1 Cor 2.9-12) [- ¹⁹ Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. – A wise Christian has learned to fully trust and obey the Word of God.  Even when it comes to a decision between one’s own desires and God’s direction a child of God will always win in the long run by obeying God and trusting in the love and direction of their Heavenly Father.] 

[Spiritual Illumination – Your Heavenly Father loves you so much that He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell inside of you to remind you, comfort you, teach you, and illuminate you.]  

[John 14:26 ²⁶ But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. ]

[1 Corinthians 2:9-12 ⁹ But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. ¹⁰ But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. ¹¹ For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. ¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.]

[The Holy Spirit within you teaches you the deep things of God.  But there is another spiritual voice in your presence trying to cause you to doubt God’s Word.  Your adversary the devil.]

1.   Satan's Devices (Gen 3.1-4; Matt 4; cf. Luke 4) 

a.       [Satan Deceived Eve (Gen 3.1-4) - Satan mutilated God's Word and instilled doubt.] 

[Genesis 3:1-4 ¹ Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? ² And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: ³ But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. ⁴ And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: ]

b.   [Satan Distracted Christ (Matt 4; Luke 4) - Satan attempted to deceive Christ by mutilating the Word of God.] 

c.   [Satan Disturbs the Church today - Satan instills doubt about God's Word through the Church of Jesus Christ.] 

[In 1962 a Gallup poll revealed that 84% of Americans believed in absolute truth. Thirty years later, a 1992 Gallup poll revealed that only 30% of Americans believed in absolute truth. That goes as well for our view of the Bible. In 1960 65% of Americans said they believed the Bible was true. Today, only 32% believe the Bible is true. The name of the game today is relativism; your idea is just as good as mine; my idea is no better than yours; one religion is just as good as another; there's no such thing as truth, only personal opinion.] [Pastorlife.net/ "You had better get it right", James Merritt] 

2.   The Savior's Direction ( James 2.10) [- Whosoever shall break and teach.] 

a.   [Word studies.] 

1)   [Break - luo (gk) - To loose as one would loose a shoe. In the Aorist, Active, Subjunctive it indicates the slightest act even if just an act of emotion or mood.  The sense of wishing one had the courage to step into the desired path.] 

2)   [Teach - didasko (gk) Aroist, Active, Subjunctive - Again the teaching of the will rather than the actions.] 

b.   [Don't break the smallest commandment (James 2.10) - Even a small infraction makes one a law breaker.] 

[James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. ] 

c.   [Don't cause your brother to stumble (1 Cor 8.9-13)] 

[1 Cor. 8:9-13 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. 10For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; 11And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. 13Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.]  

["Greatness in God's kingdom is going to be determined not by your gifts, your abilities, your success, your popularity, your reputation, or even the size of your ministry; greatness is going to be determined by how you perceived the Bible, how you practiced the Bible, and how you promoted the Bible."] [Pastorlife.net/ "You had better get it right", James Merritt] 

3.   The Saints Determination (vs 19) [-but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven - Great in the Kingdom of heaven.] 

["Beware of People Who Disobey God's Word" - James Merritt] 

C.  You Honor God's Word (vs 20) 

Matthew 5:20 ²⁰ For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.  

1.   The Pharisees Misunderstanding - Religion. 

a.   [The Pharisees thought that righteousness was a matter of what you do.] 

b.   [In addition to the ten commandments they added 284 commands, 365 prohibitions, 1,521 amendments.] 

2.   The Saints Manifestation - Relationship. 

a.   [Righteousness is a matter of what you are.  Ye must be Born-Again.] 

["Beware of People Who Distort God's Word"] [James Merritt]

CrossRoads Baptist Chruch, May 18, 2008