March 22, 2009

I usually get to preach 3 times a year, for my birthday in February, on Mothers'day and during Men's retreat. This week, Pastor Art was sick, so I took the Mothers' day sermon I've sort of been working on, and delivered part of it today. We just finished working through the "Truth Project" so that we can use it as a follow up to Passion Play, so rather than the typical "mother's day" sermon, I thought I'd do something like this. There weren't too any in Church this week, and since Mother's day isn't for a couple of months, it won't hurt if I "preach it" twice...any way, to preserve it I am posting it here now. Your comments or suggestions would be appreciated. God bless you, God bless us everyone!

Truth

“…your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but made Himself nothing taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:5-8

Why?
Why did Yashua, (Jesus - the second person of the Blessed Trinity) come to this world He, Himself, created (John 1:3) and humble Himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross?
Why?
To teach us what God is really like, and really expects? To glorify God? To die for our sins?
Why?
Why did the LORD of lords and Prince of Peace - the Living Son of the Living God - choose to become the sacrificial Lamb of God?
To save us? To redeem us? To take away the sins of the world?
Actually, Jesus Himself gives us the answer to that question.

“…In fact, for this reason I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (John 18:37) Jesus’ words to Pilot - just hours before His bloody death on a cross of shame. And Pilots response… “What is truth?”

What is truth? In our day and age many people declare that Truth is relative. Everyone has their own “truths.” Even in “Christian” circles it seems that truth varies - no real absolutes. It seems that everything from methods of baptism to the clothes we wear, from the music we worship with to the definition of sin is “relative.” And one can find some “church” somewhere that teaches what we want taught and makes us feel good. A “gospel” that gives our itching ears what they want to hear. It’s ok. Your ok. We’re ok.

But we’ve been warned:
“The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the TRUTH and turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Jesus testified to the TRUTH by coming to earth as one of us and by dying on the cross.
And His Resurrection from the dead proved that what He taught was in fact TRUE. He’s Alive!”

If you were to look up how many times Jesus mentioned the Truth - or began a teaching with “Verily, Verily” which means Truly, Truly…you’d begin to realize just how important the Truth is to Him.
So what is truth? Is the Bible true? All of it?

2 Timothy 3:16 -17 “All scripture is God-Breathed, and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

A serious pastor, minister of the Gospel, takes to heart the message of 2 Timothy 4:2-4 “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the TRUTH…”

Truth is important. Vitally, eternally important! But the question “what is truth” can not be answered in one sermon, on one Sunday morning. Pastors are compelled to teach the Truth - you - we - the people also have our instructions: be like the Bereans in Act 17.

“Now the Bereans were of …noble character for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was TRUE.”

A long time ago, I came up with the little saying, “Truth is not a concept, it’s a person - Jesus Christ” That’s not scripture. But this is, “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Pilot asked, “what is truth?” And he was looking Him straight in the eyes.

In conclusion, I want to look at four more scriptures, with very little commentary on my part. Let the living Word of God speak to your hearts.

John 5:46
If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.

Matthew 5:18
18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Deuteronomy 30:10-15 (the Law of Moses)
10 … obey the LORD your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
11 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.

And finally, on how to be saved ?

Romans 10:8-10 (New International Version)
But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 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. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

And now back where we began:

Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:5-11

Come, Now is the time to worship…
And once you have believed in your heart and declared with your lips that Jesus Christ is LORD - may you continue to grow in knowledge of the TRUTH.