Intro: We are starting a new sermon series this month called “Truths that Make a Difference.” This morning I want to talk about the truth about truth.
Please turn in your Bibles to John 18:28-38. (READ) I want to focus on a few of these verses. Read verse 38. Pilate asked, “What is truth?” Pilate asked the question that so many are wondering about and confused about. We are actually living in a world that is waging war on truth!
A few years ago, a major Multinational company was looking for a new Marketing Director. After much advertising and many application, three candidates entered the final selection process. A mathematician, a statistician and a solicitor. The first to be invited in for the final interview was the mathematician and the Managing Director asked him a simple question: What is 2+2. The mathematician was surprised, thought about it for a bit, wondered if it might be a trick question and then simply answered 4. The Managing Director looked at the Board, shook his head and thanked him for coming, but he wasn’t the candidate they were looking for.
The statistician was the next in and and the Managing Director asked him too the simple question: What is 2+2. He paused, thought about it for a bit and then replied that statistically it was a number between 3 and 5. The Managing Director smiled and Board were quite impressed. The candidate was thanked and ushered out. The last candidate, the solicitor was then invited in to the interview and the Managing Director asked him too the simple question: What is 2+2. Without batting an eyelid he replied: “What do you want it to be”. And was promptly hired on the spot. (Sermon Central.com)
What do you want truth to be? This is a prevailing question today.
STATISTIC: 72% of American people believe that there is no absolute truth. If that is not shocking enough listen to this: 67% of conservative, Bible believing believers do not believe that there is absolute truth. (Chuck Colson—“Being the Body”)
When we talk about truth we are saying this: That which is right for everyone, at all times and at all places. (Josh Mcdowell)
TRANS: There are basically two models for understanding truth.
#1). Truth is defined by God for everyone, it is objective and absolute. (Josh McDowell—“Right from Wrong)
Objective means something defined outside ourselves (meaning Creator God). Absolute means that which is true for all people, for all times for all places.
#2). Truth is defined by the individual, it is subjective and situational.
Your view of truth is either shaped by objectivity or by self.
Let me try and illustrate this. If your parents tell you that your curfew is 10 p.m. on the week days and 11 p.m. on the weekends is that absolute? No, someone else’s curfew might be at midnight. But if you say Sex is reserved only for marriage—that is absolute. Why? Because God (who is objective and makes the rules) says so.
How about this….You have a final exam today. But you were up until 4 a.m. with a migraine headache so you weren’t able to study. You have great grades and you want to keep up your GPA. So, you create a cheat sheet thinking (just this one time…I would make a good grade anyway). You use the cheat sheet and come out with an A. What helped shaped your decision? Your understanding of truth. Line that up against our definition of truth now.
How many of you have ever swam against a strong current? It’s tough. It’s hard. You can’t give up. It’s a struggle. If you are not careful the current can easily sweep you away. There are all kinds of currents that influence our view of God. Here are just two of them.
A). The influence of culture and the media.
Most of us know the names Phil Donahue and Oprah Winfrey. These names are synonymous with pop culture. Their voices and so many others have introduced ideas and perspectives in to our homes that present a stark contrast to biblical worldviews. (Chuck Colson) Believe it or not, some people view Oprah as their “spiritual advisor.” One woman replied, “I always say I am a member of the church of Oprah, and Dr. Phil is my Higher Power.”
Listen to Oprah long enough and you will begin to understand her philosophy on truth. I quote, “One of the biggest mistakes we make is to believe that there is only one way. There are many diverse paths leading to God.” She also consistently preaches that the truth, key to happiness is not found anywhere else but INSIDE.
We need to be very aware of these things. IF we are not careful the more we get immersed in this culture we don’t see what it is actually doing to us. Now, I’m not saying we go buy a compound and all move into it….but be aware that the Lord wants believers to influence the culture not the culture influence believers.
B). The other current I want to talk about is the inability to pass on strong biblical values to our children.
Read with me Judges 2:8-13. This is a generation whose parents and grandparents were a part of seeing some incredible activity from God. They parted the Red Sea. They had the pillar of fire to guide them by night and a cloud by day. They had the 10 commandments given to them. And yet the scripture teaches us that thy all went their own way. They didn’t know anything about God. Why is that? What did that happen? Well, parents neglected to tell their children the stories of how God had led them out of Egypt and had given them victory over their enemies. Now, I can preach about television and media and movies until I’m blue in the face. They do influence our culture but not nearly as much as a parent does.
STATISTIC: 72% of teens who reported having sexual intercourse said they did it in the homes of their parents or their partners parents. Six out of ten of those having sex in homes believe their parents know about their sexual behavior. When parents say nothing about wrong doing, in effect they condone wrong doing. (750 Engaging Illustrations, Baker Books, P. 507)
Parents, it’s your responsibility to teach. It’s your responsibility to help filter what your child is listening to and watching. It’s your responsibility to pray for them and teach them in the way of the Lord.
And so, when we do not pass on Biblical values to our children, other certain worldviews form: (Don’t worry about memorizing these words just understand the concepts.)
• Secularism. This world-view places an emphasis on the here and now. It demands and lives for instant gratification. Life is linear (from point a to b). This is all there is!
ILLUSTRATION: City Slickers movie (Show clip where he is in his son’s classroom during career day.)
• Utopianism. This world view says that we are basically good people and get better over time. Our society will get better as we improve education and improve ourselves. This world-view leads a person to point the blame on something/someone else for your problems.
• Utilitarianism. This means that one does the greatest good for the greatest # of people. The whole debate of stem cell research is a good illustration of this. Kill some fetuses for the greater good of healing those with specific diseases and conditions.
We have to get back to a Biblical world-view! We have to capture that. We’ve got to keep swimming against the current of the idea that there is no absolute truth. What is the core or the foundation to a Biblical world view? Let’s read the following Scriptures together:
Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ dies for us.”
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Romans 10:13 “for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
God is the Creator of man. God gave man a free choice. In the garden man chose to rebel against God’s authority and direction. From that moment on we have been a fallen people. Every single one of us suffers from sin. We are capable of hurting one another and hurting the heart of God. Our only hope is to trust in Jesus Christ who was sent to earth to save his people from their sin. He died on a cross to rescue humanity. Apart from him we are nothing. With him we have everything. Anyone can come to him if they truly repent of their sins!
Friends, this is THE TRUTH that Jesus came to testify about! Look at John 18:37—“You are right in saying I am King. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.”
To break it down more simply—
• God is
He is real. He is near.
• He has created us
We were made in his image.
• He has spoken
Through history. Through creation. Through Jesus.)
• His word is clear
Jesus is the way, the truth the life! It is an exclusive claim!
TRANS: This truth that Jesus testified to is the truth we are to be living out and the truth we are to bear witness to as well.
Paul said to Timothy in 1 Timothy 3:15 “that the church is the pillar and foundation of the truth.” But before we can teach and model truth to others we must know the truth ourselves. We must be convinced that there is truth. So, how do we be effective bearers of truth?
1). Understand the gospel message. Take the (Romans) verses that we read above and commit them to memory. Use them as a starting point to teach your children. That’s the foundation. This is absolute. You must understand it first.
Unless we know the difference between flowers and weeds, we are not fit to take care of a garden. It is not enough to have truth planted in our minds. We must learn and labor to keep the ground clear of thorns and briars, follies and perversities, which have a wicked propensity to choke the word of life.
— Clyde Francis Lytle (SermonCentral.com)
2). Understand the culture.
In order to effectively connect with those in our culture we have to understand how they tick. So let me encourage you to be observant. Don’t be nosey! Be observant. Watch the news but be careful. Don’t use this as an excuse to sin! In other words, don’t say, “I need to understand the world of someone who goes on all night drinking binges so I’m going to act that part tonight.” Or don’t say, “I have to understand what it feels like to be an impulsive shopper.”
3). Engage the culture
We are to speak the truth in love. Truth is not popular. Truth is exclusive so be ready for opposition. But whatever you do…be ready! “But in your hearts set part Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” 1Peter 3:15-16
The reality is that many believers if they were in a situation where an opportunity was there to share the gospel, they couldn’t do it! It’s not just because they don’t know all the right verses but because they don’t have the confidence and the boldness.
QUOTE: Madalyn Murray O’hair was asked why so many people were afraid of her. “I’ll tell you why some Christians are,” she replied. “They are not sure what they say they believe is true. If they were, I wouldn’t be a threat to them.”
God has called us, the people of God, the church to be a bastion of hope, light and truth. The current is tough. But with God’s help we can swim through it and influence others in the process.
CONCLUSION: Look back again to John 18:37b. “Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” The next verse Pilate says “What is truth” and then just walks away. What happened? He wasn’t on the side of truth therefore, he didn’t listen. Which side of truth are YOU on this morning? Are you listening to Jesus? Are you going to leave here a “Pilate” or are you going to leave here embracing the fact that truth is real.
(As a way to conclude my sermon I passed out a baton to every person in the church. The baton had the word “truth” written on it. I told them that the baton of truth was now passed on to them. What are you going to do with it now? I encouraged them to put it on their television sets for a week to remind them to live for the truth.)
