"What Is Truth About Easter?”

In Jesus Holy Name April 9, 2023

Text: Luke 24:1-3,5b-6 Redeemer

“What is Truth About Easter?”

I’m so glad you are here this morning to enjoy the experience of Easter worship. The spring flowers bloom in the sunshine. The music renews our soul. Easter shouts a truth every human soul longs to hear. He is Risen!

Philip Yancy wrote: “Christianity has two great symbols to offer the world, a cross and an empty tomb.” The Easter event is the ultimate test of faith. The one great watershed that ultimately divides believers from unbelievers is the resurrection of Jesus from death….after His crucifixion.

The Easter event challenges the American culture where truth has been muddled. On this Easter morning we and our culture must once again ask “What is the truth about Easter?”

There is a man 2000 years ago who asked the question: “What is truth?” Here is man I’d like to meet. He is a man caught in a terrible dilemma. No matter how many times we read his story, it is still not fully clear what he really thought and how he really felt. His name is Pontius Pilate. He is the man who handed Jesus over to be crucified. Pilate was the fifth prefect of Judea. He had been personally appointed by the Emperor Tiberius in A.D. 26. He would travel to Jerusalem during each Passover to make sure everything stayed under control.

That was the main job of the Roman provincial governors: To keep things under control, to collect taxes and keep the peace.

Exactly how much Pilate knew about Jesus is a question I cannot answer for certain. I’m sure he knew something. After all, that’s a governor’s job. He must have known of Jesus’ popularity with the people. He certainly saw the crowds on Palm Sunday. He must have known that the chief priests and scribes had no use for him. He must have heard the rumors flying across the countryside. It is the job of a politician to know these things and, as we shall see, Pilate was a smart politician. He always knew which way the wind was blowing.

All four gospels agree on the first question Pilate asks—”Are you the king of the Jews?” The problem was that to Pilate the title “King of the Jews” implied a military ruler, but to the Jews it meant the Messiah. The chief priests meant to confuse Pilate into thinking Jesus was some kind of revolutionary leader, and thus a threat to Rome. It didn’t work because Jesus told him, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” (John 18:36)

It is at this point that Pilate asks the question that earned him a place in history. When Jesus said, “Everyone on the side of truth listens to me,” Pilate replied, “What is truth?”

Surely Pilate was a troubled man. From the vantage point of 2,000 years, it is hard not to feel sorry for him. He never asked for this terrible situation. He never meant to set a murderer free. In his mind, he knows Jesus is innocent. He knows it. His wife has given him God’s message. But the people have asked for the murderer. One more time he tries. “What shall I do, then, with Jesus?” It is the act of a desperate man. He knows what he should do but is afraid to do it.

The human heart and mind needs truth. We need truth regarding the love of our spouse. We need truth regarding the security of our bank. We need truth regarding the doctors diagnosis. We need truth regarding what happens when our heart stops beating. When there is “no” truth chaos reigns and human life has no foundation.

As proof, I hold up Adam and Eve. In the Garden they were surrounded by God's faultless, flawless creation. Their world had no room for pain, or tears, or hurt, or illness, death, or sorrow. Perfection was the truth which had been given to them by their loving Creator. Still, it was a truth they could not receive without questioning.

All too easily Adm and Eve believed Satan when the evil one slyly suggested, “Maybe God is holding out on you? Is it not possible that there is more... so much more for you to enjoy? Here, look at this fruit. Is it not tempting to the eye? No doubt it would be pleasant to the palate. Please, help yourself. What harm could it do?" Apparently a great deal of harm. Death came into our world.

Truth is needed if we are to have security. It is to Pilate's credit that he could recognize truth when he saw it; it is to his shame that once he found it, he could so easily ignore it. History has judged the judge of Jesus and found him wanting. When the time came for Pilate to stand up for the truth, he faltered and failed.