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Truth

By: Rich Puckett

This lesson is geared for a young youth class

Truth, What is truth?

The teacher should go around the class at this time giving each person a few minutes to define truth in there own words. Not everyone will wish to give a thought but try to get as many ideals as you can.

TRUTH That which is reliable and can be trusted. The Bible uses truth in the general "factual" sense. Truth may designate the actual fact over against appearance, pretense, or assertion. In Zechariah 8:16 (NRSV) the Lord of hosts declared: "These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace." When Jesus asked, "Who touched my garments?" the woman who had been healed through touching Jesus’ garments "fell down before him, and told him all the truth" (Mark 5:32-33). In 1 and 2 Timothy, truth is correct knowledge or doctrine. Certain individuals had departed from proper doctrine. Some "forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth" (1 Tim. 4:3 NRSV.) Some have "swerved from the truth by claiming that the resurrection has already taken place (2 Tim. 2:18 NRSV.)

Let use a illustration and discuss it.

The Sunday school teacher took three boys into the store with her, while she was busy shopping one boy x went to the candy counter, y went to the toys about ten feet away, and z went to the chip isle about ten feet away also. As x looked at candy bars a Lady leaving the store had just bought a handful of the same candy x had chosen. She stopped and handed x one remarking he was such a cute little guy and left the store.

Later as they got in the car to leave the teacher noticed x had the candy and asked him where he had got it. He told her bout the woman and her eyes flew up in surprise. Z being a little jealous said, I didn’t see any woman and I know he didn’t pay for it. Y said I saw a woman but I didn’t see her give x any candy.

Now what is the truth?

Now is the time to get the class really talking, ask questions, and bring up different examples.

Why should you believe x? Did x do anything wrong? Did y or z do anything wrong? If so what.

Now is a good place to take the talk into just because we do not see something does not mean what we hear is not the truth. Faith and truth go hand in hand.

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith--Faith involves absolute confidence in God's historical saving acts. The nature of faith leads to deep involvement in the historical world not isolation and escape into a life of meditation. I often point out that faith is knowing something. We base faith in people not on what other say but what we know. Even if someone says x stole the candy before the teacher should jump to a conclusion she has to know a little bout x. Has he been known to steal in the past, even if so did he this time? If his conduct in the past has been one of honesty then she should have faith him. In like manner we should not doubt others just because someone else says something, but we should have faith in them till we know we have been lied to.

Serving God is all about truth and faith, the bible says.

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

Titus 1:3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

So does anyone think God ever lies?

If we must know truth to be free from sin, then isn’t God word the truth?

At this point depending on how much time you have left and on how deep you chose to go, ask more questions. Are bringing the end with a summary like this one.

All of us live in a changing world, today you only four feet tall next week you are four feet and one inch. Today you will learn new things and new truths. Learn to seek after facts and accept Gods word as the one fact you can depend on. You may not always see it the same as ever one else you talk to but God Spirit will teach you if you are will to study. People will learn to trust you if you tell the truth, even when things may not look good, because of your past habits of being honest they will at least have enough doubt in their mind to want to believe you.

God expects truth from us, (you can talk bout the following story and how the serpent told half-truths. Are just close out the class with remember honesty is always the best policy.

Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle 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?

Gen 3:2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

Gen 3:3 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.

Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Gen 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Gen 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Gen 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

Gen 3:9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

Gen 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

Gen 3:11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

Gen 3:12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

Gen 3:13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

Gen 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Gen 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

Gen 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

Gen 3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Gen 3:20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

Gen 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

Gen 3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.