Bible Studies
Things Are Not Always What They Seem
Series: Additional StudiesIntroduction:
1. Things are not always what they seem. 2. I would like to share with you two illustrations, three biblical truths, and one conclusion that might change your life—and all of them are about your faith.Discussion:
I. Things are not always what they seem (the two illustrations).A. The mask. Whether we are looking at the front of the mask or the concave reverse side our brain always processes the shape so we see a protruding face.
B. The ballet dancer.
1. If you think the dancer is going clockwise keep your eyes open. Everyone else close your eyes. Show counter-clockwise. Then turn off.
2. If you think the dancer is going counter-clockwise keep your eyes open. Everyone else close your eyes. Show clockwise. Then turn off.
3. Everyone with open eyes. Turn on both.
4. Silhouettes are ambiguous in that the same silhouette can be produced by 2 different poses. If you take the one on the left and reflect her and rotate that reflection 180 degrees you get the one on the right. Both produce the same silhouette.
5. Which way you see it depends on which way you imagine the dancer to be facing.
C. Things are not always what they seem.
II. Three biblical truths.A. The devil is a liar and a deceiver (John 8:44).
1. Eve’s explanation for her sin was “the serpent deceived me” (Gen. 3:13). He made that which was deadly appear good.
2. That’s what he is in the business of doing. Jesus said, “He was a murderer from the beginning” (John 8:44). Then added, “He does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.”
3. He deceives in order to destroy. “He prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).
B. God is truth and He cannot lie.
1. 2 Sam. 7:28 says, “You are God, and Your words are truth.”
2. Psa. 31:5 describes Him as the “God of truth.”
3. Jesus said, “Thy word is truth” (Jn. 17:17).
4. Heb. 6:18 says, “It is impossible for God to lie.”
C. It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. This is stated in various ways in Scripture.
1. Prov. 14:12 says, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its ends is the way of death.”
2. Jer. 10:23 says, “I know, O Lord, that a man’s way is not in himself, nor is it in man who walks to direct his steps.”
3. Prov. 21:2 says, “Every man’s way is right in his own eyes.”
4. Psa. 86:11 prays, “Teach me Thy way O Lord.”
III. One conclusion: We must trust in the message that God has revealed and not lean on our own understanding (Prov. 3:5).A. Since things are not always what they seem we must listen to the God of truth and trust in what He says. It is a matter of faith.
1. Jesus said, “The truth will make you free” (Jn. 8:32).
2. It is not about what you think or feel, but about what is true.
3. There are all kinds of false messages out there.
a. But we must place our trust in the prophetic message (2 Pet. 1:19-2:3).
b. Paul wrote to the Ephesian elders, “After my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert” (Acts 20:29-31).
B. You must do what He calls on you to do.
1. This is difficult when what God says is different than what you think or feel is correct.
2. Remember, the devil is a deceiver.
3. Eve observed the fruit and “saw that it was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise” and Satan had said, “You surely will not die” (Gen. 3:6, 4).
4. The momentary pleasures of sin are attractive. But they lead to death.
a. Moses chose to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward (Heb. 11:25-26).
b. We can be deceived and tripped up so that we sin, but once we know the truth we must make a conscious deliberate decision to do it. If we know the right thing to do and still do wrong such can reveal weakness or stubbornness. Sometimes we know what to do and do not want to do it.
c. If we are weak we need to accept strengthening. If we are stubborn we need to accept reproof and rebuke (2 Tim. 4:2-4), but some will turn away from the truth and will turn aside to myths. May we not be in that number.
C. You must give control to God in order to get control of your life.
1. A fighter pilot can become disoriented in the sky. He can actually believe that he is flying right side up when he is upside down. He must trust his instruments, even if he feels he’s right side up, he should listen to the instrument panel and turn the plane right side up, no matter how he feels. The instrument panel is not hampered by “feelings,” nor is it blinded by clouds and fog. The instrument panel cannot be fooled and it does not lie.
2. So it is with God’s word. You must give Him control.
Conclusion:
1. Things are not always as they seem. 2. The devil is a liar and a deceiver, but God is truth and He cannot lie. It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. 3. Therefore we must trust the message of God and not lean on our own understanding.
