The Truth about Deception

Harris III was our guest speaker on Sunday, January 28. Named “one of America’s most influential young people” by Catalyst Conference, Harris engaged and wowed the congregation with some creative sleight-of-hand tricks, then spoke from 2 Corinthians 4:1-18 on the notion of truth, deception and walking by faith.
 
Key Thoughts

• Illusion is not magic; it is the application of principles of persuasion and deception that are rooted in basic sensory perception and psychology.
• So much of the world operates in this arena of persuasion and deception – e.g., marketing, politics, inspirational speakers.
• The goodness or evil of these influences goes to motive. Are we being stirred toward good, helpful, enriching things or toward selfish, unhealthy, destructive things?
• One of the chief tactics of illusion, persuasion and deception is misdirection.
• Misdirection is simply causing you to focus on what the presenter wants you to see and hiding what he or she doesn’t want you to see.
• We are vulnerable to misdirection (deception) because there is so much going on around us and in our heads that we are easily distracted.
• There are so many lies and distortions that promise life, but they are a mirage – a false and empty oasis.
• The American dream of “making it” is a myth rooted in the illusion of MORE.
• Jesus declares, “I am the living water; whoever drinks of me will never thirst” (John 4:13-14).
• We are distracted from God’s true purpose and life for us by the noise and enticements of the world, but when we see (know) the truth, the truth sets us free (John 8:31-31).
• The truth is found in Jesus. HE is the truth, and in Him, we come to see what is really true.
• Misdirection happens when I focus on what is seen (shown by the persuader, such as an illusionist or a commercial, or more dangerously, our enemy, the deceiver) rather than what is unseen (hidden by him).
• We are freed from misdirection and deception, when we walk by faith (in Jesus, the Truth) and focus on the unseen, eternal things.

 
Truths from 2 Corinthians 4 and 5

• “We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, we set forth the truth plainly.”
•  “The god of this age (the devil) has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel.”
• “He made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ”
• “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed … so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.”
• “We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”
• “We fix our eyes, not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
•  “Our light and momentary troubles [what is seen] are achieving for us an eternal glory [what is unseen] that far outweighs them all.”
• “We live by faith and not by sight.”

 
Consider:

1. What are ways we, in American culture, fall victim to misdirection and deception?
2. Do you find yourself focusing more on “seen” things rather than “unseen” things. How does this show in your life?
3. Brainstorm together all the “unseen” things that are ours in Christ.
4. Can you share an experience when you didfocus on such unseen things in the face of difficult “troubles” that perhaps did not feel so light and momentary?  How did this make a difference?
5. How are you being challenged to live by faith and not by sight in your life these days?

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