We continue on our series called Getting Along, where we are exploring our faith journey with the Lord. Today we explore truth in that journey.

Our sermon text today comes from Proverbs 23:23

Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding. —Proverbs 23:23

Buy Truth! You could pay twice as much for truth as you might pay for anything else and it would still be worth it, because truth has such a great value that it’s a bargain.

You’d think that because we rely so heavily on truth… that truth would be highly valued in our society. But – too often - it’s not!
Does anybody really NOT know what the truth is anymore? Well, when “experts” say a MAN can get pregnant - they might not know what the truth is anymore.

Or when sports authorities won’t tell men (who identify as “women”) that they can’t compete in women’s sports - they might not know what the truth is anymore.

Paul said there would be people like this

Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. —Romans 1:22-23

For Bible believing Christians this kind of thinking is absolute nonsense. Bible believing Christians believe the Bible… THIS IS TRUTH! Jesus prayed

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. —John 17:17

The Bible expresses the will of God in written form, and in it you find TRUTH. Let me be clear, not YOUR truth…OR truth for Others…not partial truth…BUT the WHOLE and ABSOLUTE TRUTH!

Some ask, How is it possible for the Bible to help us live a happier and better life? That’s because the Bible points us to Jesus, who is identified as TRUTH. Jesus said of Himself

“I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life. No one comes unto the Father except through me.” —John 14:6

Everything we know about Jesus is in the Bible. In the Bible we read all we know about how Jesus lived; and what Jesus taught; and how He cared for people; and we learn about the miracles He performed.
The Bible says He was crucified on a Cross…was buried… then arose from that grave! The grave couldn’t hold Him because… He defeated Death!

The Bible can change our lives, not only because it can give us guidance in how we ought to live our lives, but because it tells us about the ONLY ONE who has the power to change our lives and to heal the damage that sin does to us.

Jesus is the ONLY ONE who can fix what’s broken in our lives. And the Bible tells us all about Him.

concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. —Romans 1:3-4

So buy truth - buy God’s truth, and it’ll change your life forever.
But, too often people only want truth on their terms, and because God’s truth doesn’t always tell them what they want to hear they don’t want to BUY INTO God’s truth. They want truth on their terms.

And one place we see this is in our university professors. They wanted to be the ones who’d decide what was moral and what wasn’t.

They rejected God’s Absolute truth and replaced it with THEIR TRUTH. But the Bible tells us – that’s a fool’s game.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. —Jeremiah 17:9

Even as believers, we must guard our minds and hearts, because my TRUTH will only reflect the deceitfulness of my heart!

And away from God;s word, my flesh will want to justify what I want to do… rather than what I know I ought to do. And that’s where I’ll end up getting in trouble. Paul said it this way in his letter to the church in Rome

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. —Romans 1:21

We hear a lot about “FACTS” and “FIGURES” from many different sources, from many people who want many things from us. Can I ask, what filter do you use to discern TRUTH in those moments?

Do you filter the “facts” with your emotions and with your heart? Or do you use God’s truth? Jesus said

If you abide in My word you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” —John 8:31-32

If you rely on Jesus’ words, you can filter out the bad stuff. The point is: Jesus and His Word change people. When we abide in HIS WORD, we’ll know the truth… and the truth will set us free.

This morning the question is: have you bought God’s truth? Have you allowed His truth to change your life? Or are you embracing truth from your childhood that may not be God’s truth?

Truth from social groups, or political parties…truth from a friend or from people who want to “help you”

A great starting place if you’re looking for truth is this proverb

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. —Proverbs 9:10

The way you begin is believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

-You need to accept that you’ve sinned and fall short of God’s glory and you need to change - you need to repent.
-You need to confess that Jesus will now be your Lord and Master and you give Him permission to run your life

And you need to allow yourself to be buried in the waters of Christian baptism and rise a new creation in Christ.