What is truth
John 18:38-40
In the court of law before a person testifies they place their hand into the air and swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God. And it is assumed that fallen man by saying that oath will tell the truth when they stand before the judge. But day in and day out judges throughout the world hear testimony from plaintiffs and defendants that contradicts one another.
A boy of the age of twelve was an important witness in a lawsuit. One lawyer, who was cross-examining him, said, "Your father has been telling you how to testify, hasn’t he?" "Yes," said the boy. "Now just tell us how your father told you to testify," the lawyer remarked. "Well," replied the boy, "Father told me the lawyers would try to tangle me in my testimony; but if I would just be careful and tell the truth, I could tell the same thing every time."
In this passage today Pilate asked the question that has the power to not only change the world but change you life
He ask, “What is truth?”
no doubt truth is under attack today. In the religious world there are many people who are saying that no one is wrong in what they believe and everyone is right as long as they are sincere. The trouble with such thinking is that it would mean that the Bible and Koran would both have to be truth along with the book of Mormon and any other religious book you throw into the mix and yet they contradict one another.
In a magazine from a university in Ohio, a professor is quoted as saying, “We want to prepare students on how to think, not tell them what to think.” On the surface that may sound good, but the philosophy behind it is: “Truth is something you discover in your own mind. There are no facts, no absolute truths, no rights or wrongs, it is up to you to come up with your own truth.
That's why it is so important for us today to answer the question “What is truth?” because the answer to this question is one of eternal importance. If the Bible is truth than there is life after the grave. If the Bible is true than there is only one way to get to heaven.” If the Bible is true than those who reject Jesus Christ will spend eternity regretting their decision.
When we last looked at this passage Jesus was arrested and taken to Pilate
he is going through his trials in a rush because the religious leaders are done with him and want him put to death.
The Jews had no legal rights to kill a person because they were under Roman law and Rome had taken over the execution of criminals.
Johns purpose in writing was to show us the deity of Jesus, that he was God in flesh
throughout this trial Jesus was innocent of all charges
Even when Pilate asked the Jews what accusation they had against Christ they just responded and said, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.”
We know that God was the one in charge of the events that took place this night because it was Gods will to bring salvation to the entire world. And his death would have to be through crucification in order to fulfill the Old testament prophets and Psalms.
The gospel of Matthew tells us that the night before this trial that Pilates wife had a dream
Mat 27:19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.
This morning I want to focus on the question that Pilate ask in verse 38, “What is truth?”
Pilate at this point was guiniely seeking the truth as any good judge would. Yet he failed to acknowledge that he was standing in front of truth
The Bible proclaims that there is only one truth in the world. That truth is Jesus Christ, revealed to us in scripture
Jhn 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Jhn 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Notice that these two verses do not say that Jesus points the way to truth or that the Bible references truth but simply says thy word is truth and Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.
Yet just because Jesus claimed to be truth and the Bible claims to be true, the claim alone does not make them truth.
In order for something to be true it must conform to reality and be confirmed by logical evidence
the opposite of truth is not a lie, but error. Truth is not error, its not deception, it is not self contradictory and its not based on emotions
something is not true because you believe it is or it feels right
something is not true because you were taught it in school or even in college
something is not true if it is self contradictory, you can't say I like pie and I hate pie at the same time
yet there are many today who try to appease all religions by saying the Bible is true and the Koran is true. They both can't be true because the contradict one another.
Jesus told us not to just believe him just because of what he claimed about himself, instead he said
Jhn 14:11 Believe me that I [am] in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
In other words, confirm what I have said by looking at the evidence I have given, my works.
Jesus turned the water into wine, fed five thousand with one boys lunch, healed the lepers, raised the widows son back to life, raised Lazarus from the dead
and if all that wasn't enough he was born where the prophets said he would be, died the death like they prophesied he would, was raised back to life on the first day of the week. Walked for 40 days on the earth after his resurrection and was seen by over 500 eyewitnesses at one time.
The works of Christ confirm his testimony that He is truth
Truth is not Mohammad, not Buddha, Not the Dali lama, not Joseph Smith, but only Jesus Christ
Then look at the Bible. It is scientifically accurate before its time, and its historically accurate/
Peter said, “For the prophecy came not in old Time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. “ 2 peter 1:21
Paul wrote to Timothy and said
2Ti 3:16 All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That explains why before the invention of the telescope the Bible said there were too many stars to number in Genesis 22:17 and Jeremiah 33:22 and that every star is unique in 1 Corinthians 15:41
or that Job said the earth is floating in space Job 26:7. Solomon explained the water cycle in ecc 1:7 and Isaiah defined the shape of the earth as a circle in 40:22
That explains why in the Chinese language one of the oldest written languages in existence today that is still being used the word boat is written by putting together the symbol for person and eight. And the first time the Bible mentions a boat is the ark in which eight souls were saved from the flood
Its also why when the bible mentions cities such as Jericho and Sodom and Gomorrah that they are found by archaeologist exactly as the Bible mentioned and why records of kings that are discovered line up exactly with the way they are recorded in scripture. Men such as Josiah, Hezekiah, Uriah, Nebuchadnezzar, and even Elijah's worse enemy Jezebel, and the list goes on and on
So the overwhelming evidence supports what Jesus said, “ I am truth, thy word is truth
because his statements are not in error, they are not deceptive, they are not self contradictory, they are based on evidence and not emotion
which means that his statements correspond with reality This can not be said of other religious leaders or other religious books.
now lets quickly break down this passage today and see the truth of Gods word
First, it is true that many religious people do not know Jesus
it was the religious leaders who brought Jesus to Pilate. Remember he first was taken to the house of Annas and the Caiaphas who were high priest. They were over the House of God but they wanted to kill the Son of God and failed to acknowledge him as the messiah that the Old testament prophets wrote about
what defines a religious person? A religious person is one who follows rules traditions and rules above what thus says the Lord. As a matter of fact they are so stuck on following rules that it hinders them from having a relationship with the Lord
don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with traditions
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 2Th 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
The trouble comes when the tradition gets in the way
Mat 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with [their] lips; but their heart is far from me.
Mat 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.
Notice that it takes a relationship from the heart to know Jesus. Its the same in human relationships we have your husband or wife has a relationship with you not based on rules or traditions but based on love. And sometimes those traditions may change but the relationship does not change
Look at what is going to happen in the last day
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
These are religious people standing before God claiming to have done great work in the name of the Lord but he says to them I never knew you
It was hard for the people to accept Jesus' teachings about God and how God desires relationship with us because they had grown so accustom to living by strict rules that it was natural to them. Its the same way today. It is hard for us to understand how a good person, who attends church, maybe even works in the church, and gives to the poor and helps the orphans might not be saved. It all boils down to the fact that there is only one way to heaven and that is through the blood of Jesus Christ
Jesus even said that someone who tries to get into heaven any other way is a thief and a robber
before the Apostle Paul came to Christ he was a very religious person, yet he was as lost as the worse sinner. But listen to what he said about his religious life
Phl 3:8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
Phl 3:9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith--
Paul had to loose his religion before he could come to know Christ
It is true that many religious people do not know Jesus. Even in the book of Revelation our Lord calls the church of Ephesus to repent because they had left their first love,. They had what appeared to be good works but they had lost the relationship, the reason that they were doing it all to begin with
That's why if we want revival to happen its going to begin at the house of God and flow to the rest of the world, but only when Gods people come to accept the truth that there are a lot of religious folk that aren't saved.
Nothing new under the sun
Billy Graham is quoted as saying the greatest mission field in America is found in the church pews
If you find yourself growing cold and just going through the motions of religion, it might just be that you need to return to the relationship like the church in Ephesus was called to do
Second, It is true that everything happened as Jesus said it would
Jesus didn't just claim to be truth but his statement conformed with reality. In other words the things that Jesus said would happen, came to past just like he said they would
Remember as the disciples were observing the passover with Jesus that he told Peter that he would deny him three times before sunrise and it came to past just as Jesus said
Not only that but he told his disciples the method in which he would be put to death
Jhn 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all [men] unto me.
Jhn 12:33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
Now all of us know that some day we will face death if the Lord tarries, but not one of us here could predict how we will die. I have known people who have fought illnesses that I would have bet the bank they would die from and then they died from something else
There was a man in the first church I pastored had a lot of health problems and his condition continued to worsen over the years I knew him. He had to carry an oxygen tank and struggled to walk the aisle of the church. On day he asked the church to pray for his healing and it wasn't two months after that, he was mowing his yard and his mower turned over on him and he died as a result of that accident. I could have never predicted that in a million years.
But Jesus told his disciples that in his death he would be lifted up, and his body was lifted up on a cruel cross where he hung between heaven and earth as he died for the sins of humanity.
Not only did Jesus predicted the way he would die, but he also predicted his resurrection.
Jhn 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
Jhn 2:20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
Jhn 2:21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
C.S. Lewis said for Jesus to make these types of comments about himself he was either Lord, Liar or Luntaic or we might say today he was either mad, bad or God
in other words for someone to say how he was going to die and then rise again
If he knew it wasn't true than he was a liar
if he just thought that it was true but it didn't happen then he was crazy
but if he predicted his death and resurrection and then it happened just like he said he must have been God
see the things that Jesus said were not the types of things that people said about themselves everyday.
and that's the whole message that John is trying to reach us with from the Gospel of John, that Jesus is God in Flesh at least believe that based on his works sake
Third it is true that the world loves darkness
Pilate thought for sure that he found a way to let Jesus go. Remember Pilate could not find any guilt in Jesus.
There was a tradition that Rome had in releasing one prisoner a year. Pilate wanted to release Jesus and just forget the matter all together.
But listen to what the mob said,”
Jhn 18:39 ΒΆ But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews
Jhn 18:40 Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.
John says that Barabbas was a robber but that wasn't the only crime that he was held in prison for
Mar 15:7 And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas.
Under the Old Testament law Barabbas was suffering justly for his crime and according to the Word of God should have received a death sentence for being a murderer but the people wanted Barbabas to be set free if it meant that Pilate would put Jesus to death
remember that nothing takes God the Father by surprise. Heaven was not in a panic by what was taking place on the earth during this trial. This was all the plan of God. That Jesus the sinless one would take the place of the worse sinner and die in his place. That both the jews and gentiles would be responsible for his death indicating that it was the sins of all men that Jesus died for
Barbabas is symbolic of everyone of us who have broken the laws of God. Those of us born into sin and destined for hell
If this were a movie we would be on the edge of our seat as Pilate offered Barabbas to the crowd because if they chose Jesus to be set free all of scripture would be in error and the whole ministry of Jesus would have been a fraud and as C.S. Lewis said said Jesus would have been a liar
even though the events that day baffled Pilate God was not surprised because it was all the predestined plan for Jesus the sinless one to die for the sins of man.
Its shocking that the crowd chose to let a murderer go free and put to death the giver of life, the one who raised the dead and done nothing but good
yet every single day people choose the way of darkness over the way of light. When people are faced with a decision to accept Jesus or to continue living in sin many choose the pleasures of sin over the freedom that Christ offers
Jhn 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Jhn 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Jhn 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Fourth, it is true that we are controlled by something
Every single one of us here today are controlled by something.
The crowd of Jesus this day that wanted Barabas to be released were controlled by their own sinful desires and they chose the path of darkness over the path of light
Pilate was controlled by the crowd. He wanted to keep his job
Sometimes you hear people say I want to live life my way just leave me alone. But the truth is you are either a follower of satan, darkness or a follower of light, christ
Jesus said
Jhn 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free
you see by this verse that truth is something you can know, its not something you think, or something you feel but its something you know
and the truth that you are able to know has the power to set you free
If you want to be free from your sin, from from darkness free from the clutches of satan it is necessary to know the truth and obey the truth
Know that man in his original state is fallen by nature
know that God loves us and because of that great love he sent his son Jesus into the world to save us from our sin
know that the Holy Spirit came over the virgin Mary and she conceived and had a son who was not mere man but was God in flesh
Know that Jesus lived and died and was resurrected for our salvation
know that today man can be free from all sin gulit and shame by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and all that he has done for you
