First Baptist Church Litchfield
chapel 10/29

      • Proverbs 1:7ESV

  • Sovereign One
  • W-I-S-D-O-M
  • Walk in His Ways (Psalm 128:1)

      • 2 Corinthians 7:1ESV

  • Out of the Mud
  • Where It All Begins

  • The Nutella Jar and the Problem with Promises

    Have you ever told a lie to stay out of trouble?
    When my kids were little, one of them was caught red-handed eating out of the Nutella jar. I asked, “Are you eating Nutella?” They looked right at me, face covered in chocolate, spoon in hand, and said, “No, Daddy!”
    We laughed later, but that moment taught me something important: No one has to teach children how to lie. It just happens. Why? Because our hearts were broken in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve believed the serpent’s lie. Since then, lying comes naturally to all of us.
    We also make promises we can’t keep. One of my daughters once told me, “Daddy, I promise I’ll never grow up!” I smiled and said, “Sweetheart, that’s a promise you can’t keep.” Sure enough—she grew!
    Kids and adults both make promises we can’t keep. We say things like, “I promise I’ll call,” “I promise I’ll be there,” or “I promise I’ll never do that again.” But we don’t always follow through.
    So what’s Jesus teaching us about the truth? That a life that flourishes in God’s kingdom is a life that tells the truth—always.
    Transition: Let’s see what Jesus says about promises and truth in Matthew 5:33–37
    “33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.”

    1. Jesus Wants Us to Tell the Truth from the Heart

    Jesus said, “Let your ‘yes’ mean yes and your ‘no’ mean no” (Matthew 5:37). In other words, when you speak, always tell the truth. You shouldn’t have to add, “I swear!” or “I promise!” for people to believe you.
    In Jesus’ day, people tried to sound more serious by making fancy promises. They would say things like, “I swear by heaven,” or “I promise by Jerusalem.” They thought that if they didn’t use God’s name directly, it didn’t really count when they broke their word. But Jesus saw right through that! He told them to stop pretending and just be truthful.
    The Bible says, “Do not swear by heaven, for it is God’s throne, or by the earth, for it is His footstool” (Matthew 5:34–35). Everything belongs to God, so every promise we make is in His sight.
    Have you ever heard someone say, “Cross my heart and hope to die”? People say that when they’re afraid no one will believe them. But Jesus wants His followers to be so honest that people trust their words without needing any extra promises.
    The Bible reminds us, “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are His delight” (Proverbs 12:22). When you tell the truth, you honor God—because God never lies. “God is not a man, that He should lie” (Numbers 23:19).
    So let your “yes” always mean yes, and your “no” always mean no—because Jesus tells the truth, and He wants His followers to be like Him.
    Transition: So, why do we make oaths and promises in the first place?

    2. Why We Feel the Need to Promise

    We live in a world where people don’t always tell the truth. That’s why we make promises and oaths—to try to prove that we really mean what we say. When someone asks, “Do you promise?” they’re really saying, “I’m not sure I can trust you.”
    Dr. Daniel Doriani puts it this way: “The request for a promise is a testimony against us.” In other words, when someone asks us to promise, it shows that our “yes” hasn’t always been “yes,” and our “no” hasn’t always been “no.” That’s exactly what Jesus warned about when He said, “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil” (Matthew 5:37).
    The Bible reminds us that “God is not a man, that He should lie” (Numbers 23:19). But ever since sin entered the world, people have struggled to be truthful like God. Kids feel this too. Maybe your teacher promised extra recess—but then it rained. Or maybe your parents said they’d be home at five—but something came up. They didn’t mean to break their promise, but it still hurt. Broken promises remind us that only God keeps every word He says. “The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace” (Psalm 12:6).
    Transition: But Jesus says there’s a better way—the way of the Kingdom.

    3. Jesus Teaches Us to Be Truth-Tellers Like God

    When we tell the truth, we are acting like our Father in heaven. God never lies—ever.
    He promised Abraham that he would have a son, and even though it seemed impossible, “the Lord visited Sarah as He had said” (Genesis 21:1). He promised Noah that He would never flood the earth again, and He sealed that promise with a rainbow (Genesis 9:13–17). He promised to send a Savior—and He did! God kept His promise by sending His own Son, Jesus Christ.
    The Bible says, “God is not a man, that He should lie” (Numbers 23:19). Isaiah also calls Him “the God of truth” (Isaiah 65:16). That means every word God speaks is trustworthy. If we belong to Jesus, we should tell the truth because He is the Truth. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6). So when you speak the truth, you’re showing that your heart belongs to the God who always keeps His promises.
    Illustration: When you give your word, imagine God standing beside you. He hears every word you say. Would you lie if you knew Jesus was listening? (He is!)
    Transition: So how can we live this out? What does a truth-telling heart look like in real life?

    4. Living as a Truth-Teller Every Day

    Here are four ways to live what Jesus taught:

    A. Tell the Truth, Even When It’s Hard

    It’s easier to lie and say, “I didn’t do it,” or “It wasn’t me.” But lies hurt others and break trust. When you tell the truth, even if it means getting in trouble, you honor God.

    B. Keep Your Word

    If you say you’ll help a friend, do it. If you say you’ll pray for someone, really pray. When people know you keep your word, they’ll trust your heart.

    C. Don’t Make Empty Promises

    Sometimes we promise things to get what we want—“I promise I’ll clean my room if you give me ice cream.” Jesus says, “Don’t do that.” Mean what you say. Be honest without using promises to get your way.

    D. Be Like Jesus—God’s Kept Promise

    Every promise God made points to Jesus. He is the proof that God always keeps His word. When Jesus died and rose again, God kept His promise to save sinners like you and me.
    Transition: So, when we speak the truth, we look like Jesus—the world’s greatest Promise Keeper.

    5. The Good Life: Let Your “Yes” Be “Yes”

    Jesus said, “Let your ‘Yes’ be Yes, and your ‘No’ be No.” It’s simple but powerful.
    You don’t need to swear or promise if you always tell the truth. You don’t need to say, “I swear to God!” or “Cross my heart!” Just be honest—because truth-telling is what life in God’s kingdom looks like.

    Back to the Nutella Jar

    Let’s go back to that story about the Nutella jar. That moment wasn’t really about chocolate—it was about the heart. When we hide the truth, even about small things, it shows how much we need Jesus to make us new inside.
    Jesus is the Promise Keeper who came to fix our lying hearts. He told the truth every time. He kept every promise, even when it cost Him His life on the cross. Because Jesus kept His promises, we can keep ours too. We can live honest lives at home, at school, and in the world—lives that show the truth of God’s kingdom.
    So, when you say “yes,” mean it. When you say “no,” mean it. And when people look at you, may they see the truth of Jesus shining through.

    Closing Prayer

    “Father in heaven, thank You for always keeping Your promises. Help us to be truth-tellers who honor You. Teach us to let our ‘yes’ be yes and our ‘no’ be no. Make us like Jesus—the greatest Promise Keeper of all. In His name we pray, amen.”

  • Empowered by the Spirit, Guided by the Word

      • Colossians 3:16–17ESV

First Baptist Church Litchfield
pastorjason.fbcl@gmail.com
217-324-4232
http://www.firstbaptistlitchfield.org/
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