Opening Reading – Psalms 85:7 thru 11
It is important for us to be as loving, caring and concerned people we can be. This is the example that Jesus portrayed. That is, for the most part. There is one particular teaching that Christ gave us that has proven throughout history to have been offensive to many people.
And yet, this particular teaching should draw us ever closer to a better relationship with the Lord.
Text: John 14:1 thru 6
Prayer:
I want us to notice that Jesus did not say to the disciples that:
· He was one of the great truths to life.
· “I only say things that are true…”
· “I know what I am talking about, so listen to me…”
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”
When the world considers the teachings of Christ, for the most part most people agree with what He had to say.
All through history, philosophers and teachers have given respect to Jesus to one degree or another.
With the exception of this one statement declared by Christ, when the world has to consider Jesus saying He is the Truth, they can’t agree.
Because Jesus is telling us that there is no other Truth.
Consider in the Old Testament that people were happy with the beliefs of Judaism. That is, until prophets like Ezekiel and Elijah came against the gods that claimed to be have the truth.
Consider the events of the New Testament. The early N.T. believer didn’t have problems with anyone until they realized they could no longer acknowledge the false gods of Rome.
The governments didn’t have a problem with Christianity until they saw that the Christians were not going to worship and bow down to Caesar, Zeus, and Mars…
When the Christians stood in defiance to having anything to do with the more acceptable gods, they were thrown to the lions, beaten with rocks, tortured and even crucified.
These Christians declared that Jesus was the only Truth.
This became an offense to everyone.
Consider the reformation that took place in the early 1500’s. Those who embraced the new revelation of grace and faith were the only ones persecuted and thrown into prison by the church.
These Christians didn’t have problems until they decided not to worship the Pope and his Papacey (Roman church government).
Consider the day and time we live in today. It is no different.
People don’t have a problem with Christians until they make the claim that without Jesus they will spend eternity in Hell.
Then they are called “born-again bigots”.
As we read in Psalms 85:10, Mercy and Truth are met together. They co-habitate with one another. That is the way God has intended it to be, but many people only look to the Lord for his Mercy. Many times, people do not want to accept the absolute Truth that Jesus is the only Truth.
Perhaps this is why many churches do not experience revivals, great healings, signs and wonders. Because we only want the sweet non offensive side of Jesus taught. Meanwhile, Jesus is declaring to be the only Truth. HE said, “I am the Truth…”
Perhaps this is why people do not attend church, because they want to see only the real thing. The real Jesus. The real Truth.
Many churches send mixed signals to their communities by agreeing with only half truths, and mediocrity.
I am convinced that there are folks looking for other folks who are genuine in their beliefs.
Can I ask ourselves a question?
How convinced are we that Jesus is the only Truth?
Read John 17:17
What does that mean? “Sanctify them” is “Make them Holy”.
What does that mean? We must separate ourselves from the things of this world that we have added to the only Truth.
We often find ourselves relying on other half-truths. That will only bring idolatry to our lives. Half-truths can confuse us and cause us to get off track with where God would have us to be.
Let me give you some examples how this has happened.
SLAVERY
In our country this was sanctioned by well meaning (but ignorant) Christians. Christians took half-truths and justified their actions of greed. Sad but true.
Today we realize that slavery is wrong and inhumane. We don’t accept it in our country, but what made this thinking change in the last 150 years? A civil war that cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of lives. This war nearly destroyed our nation.
As a result of ignorance in the early American churches, over four million African Americans were sold into slavery.
We know this to have been a church problem, in that the SBC split from the Baptist churches solely on the slavery issue.
That is facts we cannot deny. The SBC repented of their practicing half-truths in the south.
Even 150 years later, we still have extremist that claim to be Christians that practice this belief and have not repented.
You and I know them as the KKK.
None of us have to be an extremist to live and practice half-truths. All we have to do is pick up other false beliefs and try to mix them with the Truths of Jesus Christ.
If we do, we will pollute our Christian heritage when we do.
False teachings from false prophets that pervert our liberty in Christ is really a common thing in churches nowadays.
They come in the form of religious legalism, spiritual isolation, bigotry and heresy. These lies are a threat to any congregation.
These half-truths are formed from the opinions of well meaning people who are not focused on the absolute Truth of Jesus Christ.
FEMINISM
In the past 100 years there has been a growing ideology that claims that Christianity puts women into bondage from men. But early New Testament churches found quite the opposite to be the case. The women were set free in the liberty and freedom of Jesus Christ.
Since then there have been a few legalistic denominations that have caused women to slip into more and more demands on how they live. These half-truths are misunderstandings about the gospel and how the women of the Bible lived.
PROSPERITY
There are many Bible teachers who are wooing the masses with promises of wealth if they practice their formulas for success. Some of these teachings are well founded, while others have taken on half-truths to give a false hope to their followers.
There are other examples we could consider, but I hope you can see the tendencies for people to pick up idols from false teachings. Apart from the absolute Truth of the Gospel of Christ, you will easily see idolatry.
We must return to the core values and principles of the Word of God.
Question: Is Jesus Christ your only Truth?
It is shocking how many Christians proclaim Jesus is Lord and yet consult their horoscopes for direction in their lives.
Many people claim to be Christians and justify their sinful actions with half-truths from the Bible.
Many Christians are involved in all kinds of idolatry and do not know it.
Read II Peter 1:3 (NIV)
Many Christians will try Jesus in one or more areas of their life and if that works they will use Him again in that area the next time. If Jesus doesn’t seem like He came through for them, they will go back to their old ways that worked for them before.
This is idolatry. It is not living in the Truth of Jesus Christ.
II Peter 1:3 tells us that His divine power has given us everything we need.
Many times we only want Jesus to be involved in certain areas of our lives that we know will work for us. We are use to handling the more important and personal matters in our life on our own.
Without the Lord’s help.
This is idolatry. This is when we pick and choose what and where we want Jesus to stand and wait till we need Him.
Through the years of counseling, I have met many people who were so disappointed because they just couldn’t let Jesus have that one area that meant so much to them.
An old hurt, an old grudge, an old memory can easily become an idol in our lives when we don’t believe that Jesus is the only Way, and the only Truth.
We may choose to categorize Jesus as being one of the different choices we have to look to for a fix in a situation.
Idolatry means we have other sources for our hope.
Whereas, knowing the real and only Truth means you have an exclusive dependence on Jesus for every need in your life.
