It seems that more and more today people speak without thinking. Hurtful words are hurled across the internet, the television, and in person. We expect people to lie, or as some put it, “shade the truth.” There is no surprise when someone is found out to have done things that he has publicly decried. There is only so much “do as I say, not as I do” that we can take. But the good news is that in a world filled with falsehood and hypocrisy, Christians have an excellent opportunity to show what a difference the gospel makes in our lives. We can show that although we are not perfect, we are striving to follow Jesus as He commands us to trust the Lord, and not to try and “game the system” with false words. We are not called to defend and to protect ourselves with falsehoods, but to speak “True Words” (Luke 12:1-12)

I. Temptation to Falsehood
A. How Hypocrisy Starts
B. How Hypocrisy Spreads
C. How Hypocrisy Fails

II. What Do We Have to Fear?
A. Not What We Think
B. Not Being Forgotten

III. Need for True Words
A. When Faced with Jesus
B. When Faced with the Gospel
C. When Faced with Attack

Questions for consideration: (1) In what areas of your life are you tempted to try to look better than you really are? What does that do to you? (2) How do your fears affect your relationships? Your hopes? Your character? (3) What is the hope that Jesus gives to us in spite of our hypocrisy and fear?