Truth
John 18:28-38
How many of you like to be told the truth?
We may like to be told the truth when it favors us, but what about when it does not?
How many of you ladies have said, “Do I look fat in this?” What do you want to hear?
When we hear the truth from God, it is not always what we would like to hear. When Jesus came to us, he came as the truth, but he came with grace and truth. When we look at this word truth in John we discover that he uses this word more than any other gospel. Over 90 times this word occurs in John.
John 1:14 The word became flesh and dwelt among us and we have seen his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of GRACE AND TRUTH.
John 1.17 The law came through Moses, GRACE AND TRUTH came through Jesus Christ.
John 3:21 He who practices the TRUTH comes into the light that what he has done may be clearly seen that they have been done through God.
Those who live by truth come to Jesus, but those who wish to live by their own desires do not want to come to Jesus Christ. They prefer illusions to the truth.
John 4:23-24 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and TRUTH, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in TRUTH."
John 5:33 You have sent to John and he has testified to the TRUTH.
What was John’s testimony? It was that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus is the Son of God who was anointed by the Holy Spirit.
John 8:31-32 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the TRUTH, and the TRUTH will make you free."
Truth has a freeing quality to it, and the only way to know the truth is to know Jesus Christ and follow in his teachings.
John 8:44-45 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no TRUTH in him Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I speak the TRUTH, you do not believe Me.
Why is it so easy to listen to and believe lies? Why is the truth of God so difficult for so many to accept and embrace? Jesus goes on…
John 8:46-47 Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak TRUTH, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God."
Jesus asks his audience to reveal any sin in his life… any sin! But they can not. Then he reveals a terrible TRUTH. When people reject the word of God it is because they are not of God. Those who are not of God live in the comfort of their own illusions and lies and resist the words of TRUTH.
Why do people not believe in Jesus today? Is it because Jesus is a liar? Is he a lunatic? Is he simply a legend? No, Jesus IS the TRUTH. To reject Jesus is to reject reality. The TRUTH became flesh and dwelt among us! Grace and TRUTH personified. The TRUTH was born in Bethlehem. The TRUTH grew up and spoke every word of God to us. Jesus said, “I have kept them in thy word… Thy word is TRUTH.” He came here and lived here and said to us, “I am the way, and the TRUTH, and the life! No one comes to the Father except by me.
What proof could be given that Jesus is indeed the TRUTH of God? How about if he was crucified and resurrected from the dead? Would that suffice? Only to those who believe the witnesses that saw him. One day, every eye will see him, even those that pierced his side. One day every knee will bow and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. The TRUTH will eventually become universally confessed… but for those who resist it until it is forced upon them, there will be no reward, only a fearful judgment of fire.
Jesus’ disciples who saw him and listened to him understood who he was and is and they began to follow him. Did they understand him fully? No. Did they enjoy everything he said to them? No. But did they commit their lives to him? Yes! When you commit your life to Jesus you are committing your life to love and truth and reality! Truth, faithfulness and love all go together in scripture.
Jesus told the disciples, I am going away and when I go I will send the Comforter to you, that is the Spirit of TRUTH. He will guide you into all TRUTH. The world does not see him or know him. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to abide in us. All who are his are given the Holy Spirit and He who is in us testifies to the TRUTH. Jesus said, “He will testify about me!” If we have the Spirit of God in us we will testify about Jesus Christ. This is what Jesus said the Holy Spirit will do.
Do you know sometimes want to say something about Jesus? Do you ever resist the urge to speak up for the TRUTH?
Don’t you know that when you are moved to speak of Jesus… do you know who is doing that? It is the Holy Spirit within you! Do not resist Him! When you resist Him, when you hold back, you are wanting a lie more than you are wanting truth to be revealed. Or… you are unwilling to accept the consequence of having that testimony within you.
Isn’t it tragic that the greatest treasure of heaven, Jesus Christ, God’s TRUTH, which is ours by faith, is also the greatest threat to the world? The world will hate you for holding it in your heart and speaking the TRUTH with your mouth. It hated Jesus. It will hate you too. TRUTH is not of this world. This evil world is lead by a liar! He tells you things you WANT to hear, not the truth that you NEED to hear. He tells you that you can not help yourself when you do wrong. He lies! He is the father of lies and a murderer. All about him is death.
All that is about TRUTH is life and peace. Jesus came to give us TRUTH. Jesus prayed, “Father, sanctify them in the TRUTH, your word is TRUTH.”
In John 18 the gospel joins Matthew, Mark and Luke again in telling the story of Jesus death, burial and resurrection. There are differences in these accounts that help fill out the event for us. It is like several snapshots of Jesus life all put together with comments.
All the characters of this story have a contribution to make that helps us see more clearly who Jesus is. Peter… he speaks a lie. I don’t know Jesus! Three times. Jesus turns and looks at Peter says Luke. What must that have been like? The truth crashes in and Peter faces what lies will do. Truth is reality. It is not like lies which are unreal, wishes that can not exist.
Reality is like the walls in this building. Run at this rock wall telling yourself it isn’t there, wishing will all your being that it isn’t there and when you hit it (which you will) you will learn the lesson of truth. TRUTH is.
Look at Pilate’s denial of the truth. John 18:33-38.
Pilate: Are you a king?
Jesus: Are you asking this for yourself or did others tell this about me?
Pilate: Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you to me. What have you done?
Jesus: My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world my servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now my kingdom is not from here.
Pilate: Are you a king then?
Jesus: You are right in saying that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the TRUTH. Everyone who is of the TRUTH hears my voice.
Pilate: What is TRUTH?
Where does this put Pilate?
Jesus basically appeals to Pilate’s sense of reality. He knows Pilate. He knows what is in his heart. But Pilate still has this amazing opportunity. Standing in the presence of the One who is TRUTH, Pilate is issued an invitation to hear from God and recognize ultimate reality. Instead, Pilate reveals his own confusion as he remains in the illusion of the lier’s grasp.
What is truth?
No Pilate… WHO is TRUTH? He stands right there face to face with the one who said, “If you have seen me you have seen the Father.” God made flesh. Truth personified.
If you would know TRUTH you must accept Jesus. If you resist Jesus and his words, you will follow a lie.
So many people today want a truth of their own making. A truth that isn’t Jesus.
Be one of the chosen few who listens to Jesus and commits to Jesus and follows Jesus with all your heart. Cry out to him and seek his help to know him as the TRUTH! Father, clear away all that is lie and illusion in my life! Let me see and know Jesus Christ as the WAY, TRUTH and LIFE!
What kept Pilate from seeing Jesus as the truth?
It was his pride, which he nursed
It was his power, which he protected
It was his fear, which he was controlled by
Don’t be like Pilate. Don’t close your eyes to the TRUTH and remain in confusion of lies and illusion. Look to Jesus and believe in him.
Now is the time, this is the place, Jesus is the answer.
