I’ve Found the Truth

March 13, 2011

John 4:16

“Jesus said I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:6)

In the musical The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy follows the yellow brick road trying to get home. Along the way she encountered a number of people, tin man, scarecrow, etc. The wizard controlled the various situations she encountered. He was able to do so because he had a booming voice and they never saw him. If they had, they wouldn’t have been afraid because the wizard was really a small, puny person. We, like Dorothy, are trying to find our way home – our eternal home. God could have hidden like the Wizard of Oz, but God sent Jesus.

Jesus said: I am the way. The way home – to my Father. God wants us to see Him, so He sent His Son Jesus. Jesus came to this earth, lived among us and said, if you have seen Me, you have seen the Father (John 14:9)

Jesus said: I am the Truth. To say this, you have to be flawless in your life. He spoke the Word of God with the authority of His Father to us.

Jesus said: I am the Life. I can give you eternal life. In other words, I will show you the way, I will tell you the truth, I will give you eternal life.

In John 17 Jesus prays before He dies in the Garden of Gethsemane. In verse 17 he says “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” God’s word is absolutely true. Take God’s word, read it, study it, meditate on it, apply it to your life and it will set you apart – sanctify you. For example if you become a student of one of the ancient philosophers, you spent time listening to them, reading their writing, thinking about what they said and after a while, you begin to sound like, act like the one you are following.

We all believe in god. The question is which god do you believe in? Is it the God of the Bible? The Bible points us to the Word of God. In II Timothy 3:16, what does the Bible say about the Word of God and us? All scripture is God breathed – inspiration and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and training in righteousness.

Cults indoctrinate those who join them to the point that we often say they are brainwashed. God does not brainwash you and I. He gives us His Word, tells us what it is good for and invites us to read it and study it.

Doctrine (teaching) – the way of God – so we can know the way of the Lord.
Reproof (rebuke) – shows us when I am off track (not walking in the way of the Lord)
Correction – shows us how to get back on track (to get back on the way of the Lord)
Training – So that in my personal life I can walk upright before God.

II Peter 1:20, 21 tells us how the Bible was written. God moved on men by the Holy Spirit. Man did not think up the scriptures. God made sure His word was accurate. God by His Holy Spirit makes sure His Word is accurate. God speaks, men wrote it as guided by the Holy Spirit.

The truth is in God’s Word. God says in His Word; “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” I Timothy 2:5. All roads do not lead to God. Jesus is the only road to God. The Christian way is narrow.

Romans 3: 10 – 18 has God’s description of man. It is not pretty. No one is righteous, no one seeks God, our lips speak lies, no fear of God. We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s standard of right.

God has made a way out of this situation. He has offered us salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. John 3:16, Acts 4:12, Romans 5:8, I Tim 2:5
This is God’s Truth

We all want to go to heaven – but we have to be willing to follow the way that leads to heaven – Jesus Christ, the only Son of the true and living God. God loves the world and has expressed His love by sending His son as a payment for the sins of every individual in the world. But only those who accept Jesus Christ as savior can and will experience God’s love.

Yes, God loves the world – He sent His Son. But those who experience His love must embrace His Son. John 8:32 says “And you will know the truth and the truth shall set you free". It is your obedience to God’s truth that will give you spiritual freedom. Seek the truth, find the truth, settle in it and live.

Have you found the truth?

Pastor Pete

In Search of Truth

March 6, 2011

John 18:28-38

In this passage of scripture Jesus has been brought before Pilate (the Roman governor) by Jewish religious leaders. Because of the Sabbath, the leaders can’t go into the palace to Pilate so he goes out to them and asks “What charges are you bringing against this man?”

They don’t spell out the specific charges but say he is a criminal which is why they have brought him to Pilate.
Pilate tells them to judge him by their law but they respond that they don’t have the right to execute anyone.
Pilate then goes back inside and summons who is now before him and asks him,

“Are you the king of the Jews?”

Jesus answers Pilate with a question, (v 34) “Is that your own idea, or did others talk to you about me?” Jesus’ question highlights that salvation in Jesus Christ is not about the group, it is about you – what you think.

Pilate’s response is interesting. He sidesteps the question by asking another one, “Am I a Jew?” (v.35), and making a statement “It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it that you have done?”

Jesus responds (v36), I am a king but my kingdom is not from here (this world). If it was I would have fought to prevent the Jews from arresting me. His disciples and even the angels would have helped him. “My kingdom is from another place” It is not about over-throwing you or the Jews is about establishing my kingdom – the Kingdom of God.

Pilate then says, “You are a king then!” Jesus answers, you are right in saying I am a king. In fact (v37), for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

Pilate then asks the key question. “What is truth?”

A search of the dictionary provided two definitions

1. “Truth is in accordance with facts or actualities.” For example, if I hit a drum it will make a sound, so I hit the drum and it makes a sound 
2. “A statement proven to be or accepted as truth.” This definition is problematic. For example truth is supposed to be established in court, but there is little truth in court. It is who argues the case better, wins. Truth is factual and actual and so we have people serving sentences for crimes they did not commit until exonerated by DNA evidence. Truth is not what you make it. Truth is actual and factual as God has said it.

Psalm 119:142 – God’s Righteousness is everlasting. God’s law is truth. We live in a world where everyone wants to make up their own truth. God’s Word is truth. God is righteous means – God is right all the time. God’s law is truth means – God’s truth is absolute.

Psalm 91:4 God’s truth is our protection – “Our Shield and Buckler.” It is in the knowing and obedience to God’s Word (Truth) that protection comes. For example, Proverbs tells us to be careful of the company we keep. If you follow God’s word when choosing your friends or when you are challenged to do wrong, obedience to Biblical truth will cause you to separate yourself, because you realize you are going in two different directions. We get into trouble because we don’t know or obey the truth of God’s word.

What are the benefits of truth? Freedom

John 8:31,32 – to those who believe and who abide in my teaching – rest in, stay in, obey the word of God, the truth will set you free.

If you want to know the truth how do we find it? The Bible.

How do we find the truth? Jesus said in John 14:6, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.

So if you are searching for the truth, find it in JESUS.

Pastor Pete