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.
We live in a world that avoids the light of Christ because people want to live their lives in a way that pleases them instead of allowing their lives to be pleasing to God. It comes down to a choice. Will we choose to continue living in darkness or will we come to the light of Christ?
Sometimes I wonder if people stay in the darkness because they don't want to be changed. The light of Christ will change you. Let me explain it this way.
One of the amazing masterpieces of art is the painted ceiling of the Royal Naval Academy just outside of London. One man explains it this way. He said his group was there when a team was restoring the artwork after 100 years of dust had collected on it. The tour led them up several flights of scaffolding that brought them within a foot of the high vaulted ceiling where the work was being done. He said there was an amazing difference between the sections that had been cleaned and the sections that hadn't. What was most amazing was how they positioned the lights to bring out the detail of this masterpiece.
That is what the light of Jesus Christ does in the life of a person who decides to step out of the darkness into His light and truth. At the end of Jesus's conversation with Nicodemus, He pointed out that even though the light exposes our sin, we can welcome the exposure in the same way the work of art was made clean. Jesus's light in us cleans out the darkness of any sin in our life.
John 3:21 – “But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”
That is what is meant when we say we give our life to Christ. We repent of our sin and in faith begin to walk in the light of Christ. Because we're made clean by the light of Jesus Christ, we have a renewed power to live by. That is when we are changed. Our goals and interests change and the masterpiece that God created in us now brings glory to Him. The truth of Jesus will surely set you free.
John 8:31-32 – “Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples. 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
The truth will set you free, but free from what? Our scene changes. In this scene, Jesus was teaching in the Temple. He was speaking directly to the Jews who believed in Him. He told them that to become a true disciple, they needed to do more than just receive and believe in His truth. It was going to require them to live out that truth in their daily lives. They must receive His truth, love His truth, and live His truth.
It's only when we obey God's teachings that we grow in our knowledge of Him. And when we grow in our knowledge of God, we discover what it means to grow in freedom from sin. Our whole outlook on life is changed. Jesus is the only truth that can genuinely set us free from our sin.
Do you see it? When the truth of Jesus sets us free from sin, we then have the freedom to live. Jesus says that if we are really His disciples, we will continue to live out what He has taught us. Look at verse 31 again. Jesus said, "If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples." The word " disciple" means to put yourself under a teacher or leader with the intention of becoming like him or her.
I read a post on Facebook the other day where a young lady posted, "I'm a Christian. I'm not a very good example of one. I cuss. I drink. I'm not always in a good place." But Jesus says to continue to be His disciple, we need to continue in His word. We need to continue to be as much like Him as we can. Jesus didn't cuss. Jesus didn't drink. A Christian is a Christ-follower, a person who does their best to be as much like Jesus as they can. So, what is the truth? I ask, are you really a Christian?
These Jews that Jesus was speaking to were new in their faith. Jesus wanted to clarify for them that there was more to their faith than just believing in Him. They needed to know Him as truth and knowing Him as truth would set them free.
In our culture today many are asking the question, “What is truth?” Does truth really exist? We've been led to believe that truth is whatever we make it to be. To say that something is right or wrong is a personal choice. Truth is important because what we believe to be true will determine how we view life and as a result, how we live it out. That's why Jesus said you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
In October 2021, a poll was conducted and 2,000 adults were asked what they believed about the truth. The majority said that truth was a personal decision. They said they believed that the truth was subjective, and that there are no moral absolutes. The problem with believing that truth is subjective is that it changes from person to person. Real truth can only come from an outside standard of truth. That's why Jesus said He is the truth. Not a truth, but the truth, and if we come to know Him, we'll also know the truth. He's the One who sets the standard for truth, not the world's opinion of what truth is.
John 8:33-36 – “We are descendants of Abraham,” they answered him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 A slave does not remain in the household forever, but a son does remain forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.”
The Pharisees twisted Jesus's words to make them mean something entirely different from what He meant. As Abraham's descendants, they said that they were already free because they had never been slaves. The truth is that the Jewish people had a long history of being dominated, even enslaved. Even at the time of this conversation they were under Roman rule. They viewed themselves as having an inner freedom simply because they were related to Abraham.
Jesus quickly pointed out to them that if a person sins, that person isn't free because he or she is living under the power and authority of that sin.
Does this describe you? You feel like you live a good life. You come to church. You look at your Bible every now and then. You do your best to be a good person. You feel as though you are spiritually free. But Jesus is telling us that there is much more to being truly free. To be truly free, we need to be free of whatever sin is holding us back.
So the question is, how do we live free from being slaves to sin? The first thing we need to realize is that the freedom that Jesus is speaking of isn't defined by what our culture says freedom is. Freedom is not doing whatever we want based on our feelings or sinful desires. That's not freedom. True freedom, real freedom, can only come when we decide to live like Jesus lived.
So why do you come to church? Maybe we come to church so that we can see the difference between living a life focused on sinful habits and living a life focused on the habits of someone who knows Jesus. Maybe we come to church hoping that someone's Jesus-ness will rub off on us. But in the end, ultimately, we have to choose for ourselves to either be free in Christ or be bound to sin. Again I ask, what is the truth to you? Does what you believe is truth really matter?
Let's apply all of this to our lives today. Here is what it boils down to. In 2016 there were 33,000 distinct denominations? It is estimated by 2025 there will be 55,000 denominations? Wow! You can’t get along with others? Just go out and start your own?
Charles Spurgeon wrote the words: The time will come when instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the church will have CLOWNS entertaining the goats. How close are we to that today?
Do you realize, as a Christian, you were chosen? All of us at one point in our lives were chosen for something. Maybe it was a role in a school play or a solo in a choir performance. Maybe you were chosen to play on a baseball or football team. The cool kids were always chosen to be the captains and the rest of us wanted to be picked, hoping we wouldn't be the last one chosen.
I don't think I was ever chosen first. But I can imagine that if I had been chosen first, I would have had to step up and be as good as the captain who chose me. If I had been chosen first, it would have meant that the captain believed that I could help lead that team to victory. Look what Peter said.
1 Peter 2:9 – “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
Peter tells us that as believers and followers of Christ, we are chosen. We are chosen by God for a purpose and that purpose is "to proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." Now that's the truth!
Before you came to know Christ in a personal way you were living in darkness. The darkness you lived in was sin, living life your way, on your terms. The term "chosen" used to only apply to Israel, but because of God's grace, it now applies to anyone who trusts in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile.
When we were called out of darkness, out of living life our own way, we were called into His marvelous light. Being called into His light means that we're now to let the light of Christ shine in and through us so all who are around us will see His light. People will just know that you are a Christian.
Just like being called or chosen for the team and wanting to be like the captain, we are called to be like Christ, who is the Light of the World.
If you are going to call yourself a Christian, then live a life that is worthy of being chosen. Let Jesus's light shine through you. Let others see Jesus in you.
If you have never asked Jesus to be your personal Savior, then, simply put, you are not a Christian. You are not a child of God. Why not come to the real truth? Why not give your life to Jesus today and see the change that it makes in you?
