Does It Matter What Truth You Believe?

Many of us here today grew up in a world that was fairly simple. The things that we saw on television, read in the paper, or were taught in school were real facts and events that were happening or had happened in history.

The world we live in today is a lot different. We're given little tidbits of information and then left to decide whether it's true or not. When we are left to decipher what's true or what's not, we tend to give more credibility to the information if we like the source it came from. Who said that? What branch of the news reported that?

The reality is that there are some things that we've been led to believe in today's world that simply aren't true. Unless, of course, you read it on the Internet or on Facebook. We all know that everything you read on the Internet or on Facebook is true, right? As believers, it's important that we know the truth of Jesus Christ and know that truth is the only way we can experience true freedom. The truth we believe really does matter.

Last Sunday, Bro. Dan talked about the truth of Scripture that tells us about the day when Jesus returns. The Rapture. It’s not if, but when the rapture comes, it will be in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. Are you ready? It will happen something like this. SHOW VIDEO ON THE RAPTURE. That, my friends, is the truth and that’s where we’re going today. Before we get into the Scripture let's pray. PRAYER

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In the Gospel of John 3, we're introduced to a Pharisee by the name of Nicodemus. Nicodemus is the one who came to Jesus one night to ask Him what it took to be saved. Nicodemus was confused because he was trying to interpret Jesus's teachings based on an understanding of a truth that was different from what Jesus was actually teaching. Nicodemus believed that salvation could be attained by simply keeping the Jewish law. Since he was struggling to understand, Jesus explained it a little more deeply.

John 3:19-20 – “This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed.”

So, Jesus tries to explain to Nicodemus by using light and darkness. Jesus is the light of the world. He brings the light of truth into every situation. But still people love to live their own lives, believing what they want to believe. They would rather continue to live in the darkness of the world as truth, instead of believing in the truth that only Jesus can bring.

Why do people avoid hearing the truth? Because they don't want to change. It's not our problems that keep us from coming to Jesus and trusting in Him, it's the lies that the world has convinced us are true that make us blind to the light of Christ.

I read about a church that put together an alternative to a haunted house. They called it Revelation House--Where Your Scariest Nightmare Becomes Reality. One of the rooms was called the Abyss. It was literally just a giant, totally dark room where people would have to find a way out. As the people entered the room, there was a light at the far end that attracted the attention of some. But most people ignored the light and just wandered around in the dark. When the people were asked what they thought about the house, many said that the abyss was their favorite room. When asked why, they said it was just a lot of fun to wander around in the dark.

That's what Jesus was saying to Nicodemus in this passage. He told him that people love to stay in darkness rather than come to the light that only He can offer. That is what a lot of people still do today. They stay in the darkness because their way of life stands in direct opposition to the light and the truth of Jesus. So, in a sense, they remain in darkness because sin is fun to them. It's easier to continue living in sin and doing the things that go against the ways of God than to accept the truth of their wickedness and come to acknowledge God's truth. That's what the light of Christ does; it exposes people's lifestyle and sin.

Have you ever been in total darkness? Where it is so dark that you can't see your hand in front of your face? You can get lost very easily. But the light of the day allows us to see things that we can't see in the dark. In the same way, the light of Jesus allows us to see the darkness of sin in our lives.