Religion #fail

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Religion #fail The Necessity of Truth May 15, 2011 Text: Mark 12:18-27 (p.1005)

Jesus came full of both _________ and ________. If we abandon one of those words – or focus too much on one at the expense of the other – we will actually miss what it means to __________ ______________. Jesus told the Sadducees that the _________________ of how they were approaching life was messed up because of two things: 

You do not know the ________________.



You do not know the ___________ of God.

What we truly ___________ is massively important. As followers of Jesus, we are to be always ________________ but not judgmental. (Mt. 7:1; 1 Cor. 2:14-15) We are commanded to walk in discernment. Discernment is determining whether something is _________ or __________, whether it is from God or is some form of deception. Judgment is discernment without _________ or ______________. In the name of not being judgmental we cannot _____________ discernment. (Phil. 1:9-10) In the name of grace we cannot make light of truth. Honestly, without truth there is no grace. If there is no absolute truth, then there can be no ___________.

__________ by definition is missing the mark. It is the violation of God’s perfect will and way. _________ assumes there is a mark – an absolute standard. If there is no sin, Jesus’ death is not an act of _________ ___________. He was a lunatic who committed suicide and we as His followers are utter fools. What we believe – what we hold to be true and false – will ultimately determine _________ we live our lives. (Rm. 12:2)

_________ we conduct our lives matters immensely. God has so much grace He doesn’t want us to die. He doesn’t want us to face the consequences of our foolishness while on this earth; He doesn’t want us to spend forever apart from Him in ___________. He wants us to live. Abundant life doesn’t come as we, in the name of grace, do what we want. Abundant life comes by the ____________ of God. (Pr. 14:12; Jn. 10:10)

When we become a follower of Jesus, God changes us and gives us Himself. He gives us the __________ __________. The Christian life is ___________ ______ ___________ with God’s Spirit and all that entails. (Gal. 5:25) Too many times I would rather lead and live poorly rather than let God Himself be in the lead and live abundantly. And too often I do that in the name of grace - and that may be the epitome of utter _________________. (Gal. 5:25) In the name of grace we cannot abandon the concept of truth or the application of truth in our lives. It is a form of ____________, and _____________ doesn’t work. (Jn. 8:31-32)