Almost Right | Rich Wilkerson Jr. | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

Almost Right

Rich Wilkerson Jr.

VOUS Church • Apr 13, 2026 • 52 min

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Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

In this foundational sermon, Pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr. addresses how subtle distortions of truth can lead believers away from God's design. The enemy rarely uses outright denial of God's word; instead, he uses subtle revisions that sound 'almost right.' Believers are encouraged to recognize that true discernment means choosing God's ultimate truth over cultural trends, surrender over debate, and Jesus Christ as the living embodiment of Truth.

Themes

DiscernmentBiblical Truth vs. CultureNature of GodIdentity in ChristSpiritual Warfare

Key Points

1.
The enemy's primary strategy is not open rebellion or an outright denial of scripture, but subtle distortion through questions like 'Did God really say?'
2.
True spiritual discernment is not merely choosing between right and wrong, but recognizing the difference between what is right and what is almost right.
3.
Culture often reverses scripture to claim 'love is God,' which elevates personal feelings, but 1 John 4:8 teaches that 'God is love,' meaning God alone defines love.
4.
Jesus did not present truth as an abstract concept or philosophy to debate, but as a person—Himself—whom we are called to follow.
5.
Telling subtle lies and exaggerations chips away at personal integrity and forces a person to manage a fabricated identity rather than living in freedom.
6.
The fires and trials of life inevitably reveal our internal spiritual ingredients, showing whether our foundation is built on scripture or subtle cultural lies.
7.
Spiritual indecision is still a decision, and claiming confusion is often just a cover-up for avoiding conviction.
8.
Every lie traces back to the devil as its father, but believers are born again into God's family and called to reflect their Heavenly Father's truth.

Sermon Moments

“"Discernment is not simply a matter of telling the difference between right and wrong, rather it is telling the difference between right and almost right."”

“"The first heresy in history was not denying God's word. It was distorting God's word."”

“"Culture says 'love is God,' but scripture says 'God is love.' If God is love, God defines love."”

“"Truth is not a philosophy to study, it's a person to follow."”

“"The fire does not lie about what's going on inside of you. The fire reveals the ingredients you have been putting in."”

“"Confusion is often a cover-up for conviction."”

“"Indecision is a decision. You don't have to choose wrong to be wrong. You just have to refuse to choose right."”

“"If you live for the approval of man, you will die by their opinion."”

This Week

Filter cultural slogans, media, and personal feelings through the exact word of God rather than accepting claims that merely sound good on the surface.

Eliminate "white lies" and exaggerations from your daily speech to protect your integrity and live in absolute truth.

Respond to spiritual conviction immediately rather than retreating into spiritual confusion or indecision.

Study the Bible consistently to know God's true character and definitions instead of reshaping faith to fit personal preferences.

Remind yourself daily of your identity as a born-again child of God, rejecting the lies the enemy tries to speak over your life.

Be courageous and speak up about your faith in Jesus rather than remaining silent to seek human approval.

Examine the inputs of your heart during difficult trials, using God's word as a scalpel to remove subtle compromises.

Remember This

Truth is not a cultural philosophy to edit or debate, but a person named Jesus Christ whom we are called to follow completely.

A Challenge for You

"Quit asking questions, Pilate, and start following Jesus. Because truth is not a philosophy to study, it's a person to follow."

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.