10-15-2014

Good Morning All,

         John 18:38; “Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.” 

      “What is truth?” That was the question that Pilate asked Jesus.  There are many ways to interpret that question.  It would seem that this one is somewhat rhetorical and cynical.  It reminds me of “Reality TV”.  Just where is the reality on these TV shows?  I have only watched a couple of episodes and have never met anyone who spoke or acted like these people do and yet we call it “reality TV”.

    Why do we call it that?  Do we think that there are people who believe that life is like this?  Do the makers of these shows have strange dreams and then come up with these stories?  Or do they think this is reality?  I suspect the answer is that the makers of the show see reality as whatever makes a profit.  If they can make money, they put it on and smile all the way to the bank.  It is funny how we can distort reality so that it is what they want it to be.  The makers of the show have their motives and then call it reality.

    Pilate does the same thing.  First he asks Jesus what is truth, and then he announces that he finds no guilt in him.  Pilate knows the truth; he knows that Jesus is innocent of all the charges made against him.  Yet he has Jesus beaten and whipped; apparently being innocent had a different meaning to him.  He then allows himself to be bullied into letting Jesus be crucified.  What is truth? Apparently to Pilate it was whatever was convenient at the time.

    How often do we do the same thing?  We take the easy or convenient way out.  Everyone else is gossiping about someone else, so we join in.  Everyone around us is advocating some form of sinful action and we acquiesce.  Everyone around us espouses some form of greedy or selfish stance and we agree, even when we know it goes against our faith and our understanding of Scriptures.  What is truth? The world tells us that truth is whatever works at the time we need it.  “Truth” depends on the situation; it is relative to what is around us.  The world wants you to believe that “reality TV” is truth even when we know it is not.

    This is what Jesus is talking about when he told his followers that “the truth will set you free.”  When you have no truth, only imaginations, you are always tied up in the lies.  You have to figure out why the current “false truth” exists.  Who has the power, who has the influence, who thinks they decide what truth is.  Believers in Christ know the truth.  Jesus came as the truth.  In him, and in him alone, do we have salvation; that is the truth.  God and God alone is truth.  He alone determines the truth.

    In Christ we have the truth of God’s love.  In Christ we have the certainty of God’s mercy in our life.  In Christ we have the truth of our salvation.  In Christ we know truth.  

Father, you sent Jesus to be our truth.  Give us the courage to cling to you and to your truth.  Be with those who are being led astray by the world’s twisting of truth.  Bring them home to your eternal truth and love.  In the precious name of Jesus, our Risen Savior, we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret