(Clip) The Love of the Truth
Art Katz emphasizes the urgent and costly necessity of loving and vigilantly guarding the truth in the last days to avoid spiritual emptiness and ineffectiveness.
This sermon emphasizes the necessity of vigilance for the truth, especially in the last days where it is crucial moment by moment. It highlights the high cost of maintaining this vigilance but stresses that losing this sense results in emptiness and ineffectiveness in impacting society. The speaker laments the tragic outcome of a church that becomes self-absorbed, merely going through the motions without truly conveying the seriousness of their faith to the next generation or the world.
Full Transcript
The love of the truth requires a vigilance for the truth. And that is daily. And in the last days, I would say hourly and moment by moment.
That's expensive, but there's no cheap way. Because if we lose that sense, we've lost everything. We're hollow, we're gongs and And we have no effect on the society about us.
What a melancholy, pathetic end for the church that has turned in on itself, and whose last existence is mere succession of services, who have not even impressed our own children with the seriousness of what we are about, let alone the world.
Sermon Outline
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I
- The necessity of loving the truth
- The costliness of maintaining truth
- The urgency in the last days
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II
- Consequences of losing the truth
- Spiritual emptiness and ineffectiveness
- The church’s failure to impact society
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III
- The danger of inward focus in the church
- The loss of seriousness about the gospel
- The need for a renewed commitment to truth
Key Quotes
“The love of the truth requires a vigilance for the truth. And that is daily. And in the last days, I would say hourly and moment by moment.” — Art Katz
“If we lose that sense, we've lost everything. We're hollow, we're gongs and we have no effect on the society about us.” — Art Katz
“What a melancholy, pathetic end for the church that has turned in on itself, and whose last existence is mere succession of services.” — Art Katz
Application Points
- Commit daily to seeking and upholding the truth in every aspect of life.
- Guard against spiritual complacency by actively engaging with God's word and community.
- Encourage the church to move beyond routine and impact society with the gospel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Art Katz mean by 'love of the truth'?
He means a deep, vigilant commitment to uphold and live by God's truth daily, especially in challenging times.
Why is vigilance for the truth described as costly?
Because maintaining truth requires constant effort and sacrifice, with no shortcuts or compromises.
What are the consequences of losing the love of truth?
Spiritual hollowness, ineffectiveness in society, and a church that merely goes through the motions without impact.
How does this message apply to the church today?
It calls the church to move beyond routine services and to seriously engage with and proclaim the truth to the world.