[The following is a full manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 20th of May, 2018. Look for the video of the service on our Vimeo channel: http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]
I recently concluded a little series on how Jesus described Himself using “I am” statements He made and how those descriptions can be applied to us in our daily walk. And then I summed it all up with a couple of “you are” statements Jesus made that tells us more of what He expects of us.
Now if we consider our Bible as God’s word – holy, inerrant, and true – then we should be able to believe what it tells us, and specifically what Jesus tells us. So I am going to spend a few weeks looking at points Jesus made that were important enough to Him that He proclaimed them right up front to be solemn truths.
I normally prefer to use the New King James Version of our Bible, but for this series, the main scripture will come from the New English Translation, because in it Jesus clearly states these to be solemn truths that He shares with us. So please listen and follow along as I read from the 1st chapter of the Apostle John’s Gospel account, verses 43 through 51…
Now if we consider our Bible as God’s word – holy, inerrant, and true – then we should be able to believe what it tells us, and specifically what Jesus tells us. So I am going to spend a few weeks looking at points Jesus made that were important enough to Him that He proclaimed them right up front to be solemn truths.
I normally prefer to use the New King James Version of our Bible, but for this series, the main scripture will come from the New English Translation, because in it Jesus clearly states these to be solemn truths that He shares with us. So please listen and follow along as I read from the 1st chapter of the Apostle John’s Gospel account, verses 43 through 51…
43 On the next day Jesus wanted to set out for Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” 44 (Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter.) 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about — Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael replied, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip replied, “Come and see.”
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him and exclaimed, “Look, a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael asked Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus said to him, “Because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 He continued, “I tell all of you the solemn truth — you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
--John 1:43-51 (NET)
Let us pray… Father God, Your Son Jesus always spoke the truth. We can believe in everything He said, in all that He told us, about Himself and about what we should be. Help us recognize and understand the solemn truths He shared with us. Speak to us now with the message we need to hear this morning. Help us to be more like what Jesus wants us to be. In the blessed name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Writing letters of recommendation can be hazardous--tell the truth and you might get sued if the contents are negative. Robert Thornton, a professor at Lehigh University, has a collection of "virtually litigation-proof" phrases called the Lexicon of Intentionally Ambiguous Recommendations, or L.I.A.R.
Here are some examples:
- To describe an inept person: "I enthusiastically recommend this candidate with no qualifications whatsoever."
- To describe an ex-employee who had problems getting along with fellow workers: "I am pleased to say that this candidate is a former colleague of mine."
- To describe an unproductive candidate: "I can assure you that no person would be better for the job."
- To describe an applicant not worth consideration: "I would urge you to waste no time in making this candidate an offer of employment."
What’s the old expression – the devil’s in the details? In this case, the real meaning is a bit hidden. To describe someone by saying that “no person would be better for the job”, could be taken to mean that the applicant is the ideal candidate for the job. Or, as is more likely in this context, it could mean that it would be better to hire no one, no person at all, rather than have this applicant fill the position. An intentionally ambiguous recommendation such as this would be deceitful and untruthful, wouldn’t it? It would not be relaying the whole truth.
One of my brother pastors shared some updated statistics recently that deal primarily with ministers and some of the struggles they face. One of those statistics held that an average American will tell 23 lies a day. 23 times a day, the average person tells an untruth. How average are we?
One thing we can be sure of is that Jesus always told the truth. We can be sure of that because everything He ever said, everything God ever said, everything our Bibles says has come to pass or been proven true time after time, every time.
In our scripture reading, Jesus says, “I tell all of you the solemn truth”. The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Even those people who intended Him harm recognized that Jesus spoke only the truth. One time the Pharisees sent their underlings to Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth”. And indeed, Jesus tried His best to get them, and us, to fully see and understand the truth – the truth about God, the truth about salvation, the truth about Himself. He knew how important it is for us to grasp the truth. Further on in John’s Gospel account, we read in chapter 8, verses 31 and 32…
And the first part of that solemn truth that sets us free may seem a little difficult to understand. Jesus told Nathanael, “You will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man”. First we need to remember that Jesus referred to Himself as the “Son of Man”. So He is saying that God’s angel ascend and descend to and from heaven on Him. This gives us the image of Jesus as a stairway, a stairway to heaven.
This emphasizes one of the “I am” statements we looked at recently, where Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” The truth is, the only way to heaven is Jesus, by His blood sacrifice, through our belief in Him and accepting Him as Lord. Understanding this indeed sets us free.
Now if we accept that Jesus always told the truth, in all He said, what do you think He would expect of us? Do you suppose that 23 lies a day, on average, would be acceptable to Him? King David tells us what our Lord expects of those who would live with Him in heaven, in verses 1 and 2 of Psalm 15…
If we want to take advantage of the way to heaven, through Jesus, we must walk uprightly, work righteousness, and speak the truth, not only with our mouths but also in our hearts! Sometimes it’s easier to give someone lip service than to actually speak the truth that is in our heart. But then we’re not telling the whole truth, nothing but the truth. And if it’s not the whole truth, then it’s a lie.
Jesus tried to get across to us just how important the truth really is, to Him and to God as well as to us. In chapter 4 of John’s Gospel account, verses 23 and 24, Jesus says…
Our spirit is that which gives our flesh life. It is strengthened by God’s Holy Spirit to help us through this life on earth. It is the very core of our living being. It is from that very center that we must worship our Father God, with everything that makes us alive.
And we must worship in truth, in the truth that we are, our being, our essence. We can’t just say the words and hope to fool God. He sees straight through to our core. He knows if we are truthful – in our thoughts, in our words, in our worship, in our lives.
Jesus spoke the truth. He expects no less of us. If we are His disciples we will abide in His word, we will live His truth, we will worship in truth. I tell you all the solemn truth. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray… Father God, You are righteous and holy, and want us to be righteous and holy too. You are truthful, and expect us to be truthful, not only in our words but in our thoughts, in our feelings, in our hearts. You gave us Your own Son Jesus as our way into heaven by His cleansing blood. Forgive us, please Father, when we fail to honor You by not being fully truthful. Please help us to understand all of Your truths. And help us to share Your truth with others who desperately need to see it.
Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, thanking You for Your many blessings, promising to turn from our sin, and asking for Your help as we do so…
Lord Jesus, You always told the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth. We have, saved for us in our Bible, a number of times when You told us that there is only one way to eternal life in heaven, and that one way is only through You. You knew how extremely important it is for us to understand this, so You repeated it more than once and in many different ways. Help us, please Lord, to fully grasp this truth. And please help us to share this truth with others, that they too might understand and be saved.
This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith. Amen.
Writing letters of recommendation can be hazardous--tell the truth and you might get sued if the contents are negative. Robert Thornton, a professor at Lehigh University, has a collection of "virtually litigation-proof" phrases called the Lexicon of Intentionally Ambiguous Recommendations, or L.I.A.R.
Here are some examples:
- To describe an inept person: "I enthusiastically recommend this candidate with no qualifications whatsoever."
- To describe an ex-employee who had problems getting along with fellow workers: "I am pleased to say that this candidate is a former colleague of mine."
- To describe an unproductive candidate: "I can assure you that no person would be better for the job."
- To describe an applicant not worth consideration: "I would urge you to waste no time in making this candidate an offer of employment."
What’s the old expression – the devil’s in the details? In this case, the real meaning is a bit hidden. To describe someone by saying that “no person would be better for the job”, could be taken to mean that the applicant is the ideal candidate for the job. Or, as is more likely in this context, it could mean that it would be better to hire no one, no person at all, rather than have this applicant fill the position. An intentionally ambiguous recommendation such as this would be deceitful and untruthful, wouldn’t it? It would not be relaying the whole truth.
One of my brother pastors shared some updated statistics recently that deal primarily with ministers and some of the struggles they face. One of those statistics held that an average American will tell 23 lies a day. 23 times a day, the average person tells an untruth. How average are we?
One thing we can be sure of is that Jesus always told the truth. We can be sure of that because everything He ever said, everything God ever said, everything our Bibles says has come to pass or been proven true time after time, every time.
In our scripture reading, Jesus says, “I tell all of you the solemn truth”. The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Even those people who intended Him harm recognized that Jesus spoke only the truth. One time the Pharisees sent their underlings to Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth”. And indeed, Jesus tried His best to get them, and us, to fully see and understand the truth – the truth about God, the truth about salvation, the truth about Himself. He knew how important it is for us to grasp the truth. Further on in John’s Gospel account, we read in chapter 8, verses 31 and 32…
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
--John 8:31-32 (NKJV)
This emphasizes one of the “I am” statements we looked at recently, where Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” The truth is, the only way to heaven is Jesus, by His blood sacrifice, through our belief in Him and accepting Him as Lord. Understanding this indeed sets us free.
Now if we accept that Jesus always told the truth, in all He said, what do you think He would expect of us? Do you suppose that 23 lies a day, on average, would be acceptable to Him? King David tells us what our Lord expects of those who would live with Him in heaven, in verses 1 and 2 of Psalm 15…
1 Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
2 He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the truth in his heart.
--Psalm 15:1-2 (NKJV)
Jesus tried to get across to us just how important the truth really is, to Him and to God as well as to us. In chapter 4 of John’s Gospel account, verses 23 and 24, Jesus says…
23 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
--John 4:23-24 (NKJV)
Our spirit is that which gives our flesh life. It is strengthened by God’s Holy Spirit to help us through this life on earth. It is the very core of our living being. It is from that very center that we must worship our Father God, with everything that makes us alive.
And we must worship in truth, in the truth that we are, our being, our essence. We can’t just say the words and hope to fool God. He sees straight through to our core. He knows if we are truthful – in our thoughts, in our words, in our worship, in our lives.
Jesus spoke the truth. He expects no less of us. If we are His disciples we will abide in His word, we will live His truth, we will worship in truth. I tell you all the solemn truth. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray… Father God, You are righteous and holy, and want us to be righteous and holy too. You are truthful, and expect us to be truthful, not only in our words but in our thoughts, in our feelings, in our hearts. You gave us Your own Son Jesus as our way into heaven by His cleansing blood. Forgive us, please Father, when we fail to honor You by not being fully truthful. Please help us to understand all of Your truths. And help us to share Your truth with others who desperately need to see it.
Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, thanking You for Your many blessings, promising to turn from our sin, and asking for Your help as we do so…
Lord Jesus, You always told the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth. We have, saved for us in our Bible, a number of times when You told us that there is only one way to eternal life in heaven, and that one way is only through You. You knew how extremely important it is for us to understand this, so You repeated it more than once and in many different ways. Help us, please Lord, to fully grasp this truth. And please help us to share this truth with others, that they too might understand and be saved.
This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment