“TESTIFY TO THE TRUTH” – Monday June 19, 2017

REWIND… The CONTINENTALS OPENING NIGHT, June 2000

TESTIFY 2 TRUTH         

                                              

We had just finished a new album in 2000, our program and record were both called, “Testify 2 Truth”.  Delivering the truth of the Gospel, and wanting people to believe it, has never been a slam dunk. Armed with some great truth songs like, “Take You at Your Word”, “All in Favor”, “Can’t Live a Day”, and even one called, “Testify the Truth”, we still knew The Continentals needed more than just the songs to be the “Truth Deliverers” we wanted them to be.  Here is my simple, Biblical message to them that opening night:

I am going to give you five statements, all starting with “YOU”, and all based on the Bible, that will identify you as a “Continental” who is a “Truth Deliverer”.

FIRST, YOU CAN TESTIFY THE TRUTH WITH CONFIDENCE about Jesus because the Bible says, in the Gospel of John, Chapter One, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He, Jesus, was with God in the beginning.” A little later it says, this “Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us…the One and only Who came from the Father, full of grace and TRUTH”.

Everything about Jesus is the Truth. The problem is that a lot of the people you will sing to this summer will not believe you. But, it’s not your responsibility to make people believe.  You just get to deliver the truth.  That same chapter says that though He created the world, He came to His own creation and they did not recognize Him. But, in verse 12 it says, “Yet to all those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become Children of God.”  That’s the truth message we are singing and talking about. People can become Children of God by believing and receiving Christ.

SECOND, YOU WILL SET PEOPLE FREE by telling this truth.  Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then, you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

Fantastic! You are His musical disciples and at the same you will be setting people free. How good is that!!

THIRD, YOU WILL SHOW PEOPLE THE WAY to eternal life.  Jesus said, “I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  After the music is over, and you have earned the right to share with people one on one, whether right there after the concert or in a hosts home or some other location, you will get a chance to show people that Jesus really is the only way.  You will learn how to share and pray with people who will want to know the truth and pray to receive Christ.

FOURTH, YOU WILL BE ON THE SIDE OF TRUTH.   People say there are many sides and many truths, but just before He was crucified, Jesus said to Pilot, when asked if He was a king, “… for this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world, to TESTIFY TO THE TRUTH.  Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me.”  Good to know whose side you are on!  Good idea to listen to what Jesus said.

LASTLY, YOU ARE IN A BATTLE FOR THE TRUTH.  The Bible says that you are more than conquerors through Jesus.  The dark enemy is a liar and will refute you at every turn.  But, we are told in Ephesians 6, to “Put on the full armor of God so that we can take our stand against the Devil’s schemes.  Our command is to “Stand firm, then, with the Belt of Truth buckled around your waist.”

The Belt of Truth buckled around you will do more than keep your Continental outfit on you.  It will be your strength, it is your power, and through the Holy Spirit, will make your message of truth clear and strong.

It’s the best message of all, and each of you will get to be a Deliverer of the Truth as a Continental this summer.  It has to be exciting to know you get to perform your music and TESTIFY TO THE TRUTH at the same time.