Romans 15:4 "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
33 Pilate went back into the palace. He summoned Jesus and asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own or have others spoken to you about me?”
35 Pilate responded, “I’m not a Jew, am I? Your nation and its chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”
36 Jesus replied, “My kingdom doesn’t originate from this world. If it did, my guards would fight so that I wouldn’t have been arrested by the Jewish leaders. My kingdom isn’t from here.”
37 “So you are a king?” Pilate said.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. I was born and came into the world for this reason: to testify to the truth. Whoever accepts the truth listens to my voice.”
38 “What is truth?” Pilate asked.
Release of Barabbas
After Pilate said this, he returned to the Jewish leaders and said, “I find no grounds for any charge against him.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Jesus’ statement here about truth is in line with everything he has taught. Jesus stands before Pilate “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). He is the bread of life; the living water; the way, the truth, and the life; the only way to know God the Father (John 6:35; 7:38; 14:6).
As he stands before this Roman governor, Jesus offers Pilate the chance to experience the truth and enter into a relationship with him—like one of his disciples.
But doing that would be very costly for Pilate. If Pilate were to accept what Jesus has to say, he would have to make the truth more important than Rome. Or political power. Or wealth. If Pilate accepted Jesus’ claims and set Jesus free, he would be throwing away his credibility with the Jews, if not his entire career.
In this book John has been helping us to understand that all we possess on this earth—all our power, influence, and wealth—pales in comparison to the truth of Jesus. The offer Jesus extends is the chance to experience life with God the way we are created to live it. Nothing is more important than that.
Sadly, Pilate rejects Jesus’ offer.
By nature, we rigorously, vigorously believe we have the absolute right to rule and control every last facet of our own lives.
Like Pilate we think that absolutely nobody has the authority to tell us what to do or to rule over us. We legislate our own laws, make all of our own rules, we alone will decide for ourselves, define who we are, and mold our own future.
Yet this is a dreadful path, and it leads only to despair.
For when we let down our guards, look within ourselves, and decide we have to absolutely know what this thing called truth is, against however much we have been told to think positively and to believe in ourselves, we are still confronted by our true needs, our failure, our finite selves, our frailty, and our inadequacy.
And when we look without, we see a divided culture and flawed institutions.
To what, then, should we look?
The Old Testament records Israel’s repeated rebellion against God’s rule.
In an attempt to look just like the nations around them, the Israelites demanded an earthly king (1 Samuel 8:5).
Tragically, all of Israel’s kings eventually crumbled to dust: the mighty Saul, the great David, and the wisest of the wise Solomon, all had failed politically, morally, ethically, religiously and any and all other ways we corrupt our lives.
Surely, the people in the streets were making the same complaints that we hear today: “This is not what we were led to believe, nor to expect, when this person became our leader! There must be someone, anyone who is better than this!”
What about you?
Who or whom makes, legislates, enacts, enforces the rules of your life?
Your “Way, your Truth and your life” means what to you or anyone else?
What might you need to let go of in order to embrace the truth of Jesus?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Praying …
Psalm 8 Living Bible
8 O Lord our God, the majesty and glory of your name fills all the earth and overflows the heavens. 2 You have taught the little children to praise you perfectly. May their example shame and silence your enemies!
3 When I look up into the night skies and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you have made— 4 I cannot understand how you can bother with mere puny man, to pay any attention to him!
5 And yet you have made him only a little lower than the angels[a] and placed a crown of glory and honor upon his head.
6 You have put him in charge of everything you made; everything is put under his authority: 7 all sheep and oxen, and wild animals too, 8 the birds and fish, and all the life in the sea. 9 O Jehovah, our Lord, the majesty and glory of your name fills the earth.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
14 Keep reminding people of this, and charge them solemnly before the Lord not to engage in word-battles. They accomplish nothing useful and are a catastrophe for the hearers! 15 Do all you can to present yourself to God as someone worthy of his approval, as a worker with no need to be ashamed, because he deals straight forwardly with the Word of the Truth. 16 But keep away from godless babbling, for those who engage in it will only become more ungodly, 17 and their teaching will eat away at people like gangrene. Hymenaeus and Philetus are among these; 18 they have missed the mark, as far as the truth is concerned, by saying that our resurrection has already taken place; and they are overturning some people’s faith.19 Nevertheless, God’s firm foundation stands, stamped with these words:
“Let everyone who claims he belongs to the Lord stand apart from wrongdoing.”[b]
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
A recent blog I read celebrated the idea of a “never-ending vacation.”
Faced with the prospects of an unfulfilling rehabilitation from open heart surgery and the constant demands of everyday life, many people (me) dream of simply “leaving it all behind” and heading for a place with no responsibilities.
While it can definitely be good to have a change of pace in life, the temptation to run away from all our responsibilities will inevitably lead into so much trouble and will damage the relationships in our lives.
In 2 Timothy 2 the apostle Paul mentions two individuals who ran away from home spiritually. Apparently they got caught up in false teachings about the resurrection and undermined the hope that believers had in Christ.
The false teachers had painted an erroneous picture that misled the people to wander from the good news of Jesus—that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ, who died for our sins and rose again so we can live forever with him.
2 Timothy 2:11-15 Disciples’ Literal New Testament
If We Endure, We Will Reign With Him. He Will Be Faithful To Us
11 The saying is trustworthy— for if we died-with Him, we will also live-with Him; 12 if we are enduring, we will also reign-with Him; if we shall deny Him, that One also will deny us; 13 if we are faithless[a], that One remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. 14 Be reminding them of these things, solemnly-warning in the sight of God not to battle-about-words for nothing useful[b], to[c] the overthrow [d] of the ones hearing.
Be Diligent To Present Yourself As an Approved Worker of The Word of Truth
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker not-needing-to-be-ashamed, cutting-straight[e] the word of truth.
No matter how much we might enjoy learning new things in life, we need the “solid unshakeable indelible foundation” of truth through Jesus Christ that we can 100% depend on to provide us with our spiritual home. We need a place where we are known, accepted in grace. And that’s what God gives us in Christ.
Let’s be careful about the stories we tell and the “chatter” we might engage in.
In all that we say and do, we should rigorously ask ourselves, “Does it line up with the truth as revealed by the Word of God “Does it point people to Christ?”
How to Use the Bible to Discover What Is Truth?
We live in a world that increasingly values subjectivity over objective truth.
The World preaches and teaches in academia what is true for one person, may not be true for someone else.
Culture encourages people to discover their own truth, make conclusions solely based on their own personal experiences, promotes the message each person is empowered, entitled to create and envision, then make and take significantly transformational (irreversible) actions upon their bodies minds and spirits to go forth, live by their own set of truths.
The world in its current vast departure from what we have always been taught to be truth by our parents, of male and female, reproduction, offers very little guidance on finding real, lasting truth, but the Bible has much to say about it.
Believers, therefore, are given a most precious gift through God’s word that leads, guides, directs us to discover God’s truth in the midst of dishonesty, miscommunication, and confusion in the broken world in which we reside.
John 14:6 Amplified Bible
6 Jesus said to him, “[a]I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
The world is constantly changing, but God remains the same. His truth has endured the history of humanity and is still true and valid. The Bible says that Jesus is the truth, and that truth is found in who God is, the ways of God, and the rhythms of the world around us which declare the glory of God.
What Is Truth?
There are many proven scientific and social facts that have been passed along throughout the history of humankind. Information is gained and shared. Truth, however, is far richer than facts or knowledge which the secular world values.
Scripture declares boldly that truth is tightly bound to God.
God is the God of truth (see Psalm 31:5), Jesus is the truth (see John 14:6), and the Holy Spirit is described as the Spirit of truth that was sent to guide believers (see John 16:13).
Truth is found within all three persons of the Trinity, and truth is found in the Word of God.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 Amplified Bible
16 All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; 17 so that the [a]man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.
John 17:15-18 Amplified Bible
15 I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but that You keep them and protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth. 18 Just as You commissioned and sent Me into the world, I also have commissioned and sent them (believers) into the world.
Truth sanctifies us; making us holy and set apart. Truth sets us free; no longer bound by sin, death, and lies. Biblical truth does not change over time, it does not trend, and it cannot become less true.
Biblical truth is not dependent on anyone believing it to be the truth. Truth is what we find in Scripture, truth is who God is, truth is the way of God, and truth is ultimately that which aligns with who God is and what He does.
What Does the Bible Say Is True?
John 3:31-36 Amplified Bible
31 “He who comes from [heaven] above is above all others; he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks [about things] of the earth [his viewpoint and experience are earthly]. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 What He has [actually] seen and heard, of that He testifies; and yet no one accepts His testimony [as true]. 33 Whoever receives His testimony has set his seal [of approval] to this: God is true [and he knows that God cannot lie]. 34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God [proclaiming the Father’s own message]; for God gives the [gift of the] Spirit without measure [generously and boundlessly]! 35 The Father loves the Son and has given and entrusted all things into His hand. 36 He who believes and trusts in the Son and accepts Him [as Savior] has eternal life [that is, already possesses it]; but he who does not believe the Son and chooses to reject Him, [disobeying Him and denying Him as Savior] will not see [eternal] life, but [instead] the wrath of God hangs over him continually.”
God himself is true.
There is nothing false or deceitful about God.
His very nature is truthful.
God is faithful, God is pure, and God is honest.
God is good in every way possible.
It is the very nature of God that makes Him trustworthy and worthy of all honor and praise.
Scripture teaches that God is true.
All God does is true. Just as God himself is true, so too are the works of His hands. All that God has done, is doing, and will do is true. The works of His hands, all of creation, and His continued involvement in humanity is true.
God’s ways are true.
Throughout Scripture, the ways and commands of the Lord are taught as they are woven into the narratives of God and His people. God invites us to set our heart on His truth. The Lord’s path is true and should be what guides believers in how we live, think, and act. God’s way of truth determines our steps when we set the fullness of our hearts on His laws rather than following our own desires.
The word of the Lord is true.
All Scripture is God-inspired (see 2 Timothy 3:16) and therefore, fully true.
We have full confidence that what we read in the Bible is true and reliable as it teaches us all about a wide variety of aspects in relation to God and humanity.
We can read the Bible knowing that it is a dependable source and entirely true.
How Can We Use the Bible to Determine What Is True?
The Bible teaches us that God is true, and that the word of the Lord and His ways are true. The Bible helps us to discern what is true when something is consistent with who God is, the ways of God, and what the Bible teaches.
“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free’” (John 8:31-32).
The sobering reality is we have an enemy who is the father of lies, and there is no truth in him (see John 8:44).
The enemy tries to distract people with his lies and attempts at distorting the truth to lead people away from God and what is true. In Jesus we find truth.
When we face situations in life, have decisions to make, or are trying to find clarity, we can use Scripture to determine if something is true when it aligns with the teachings, ways, and works of the Lord as He laid out in the Bible.
We Follow a God of Truth
God is not the God of confusion, rather, He is the God of truth.
Followers of Jesus are to live truthfully and honestly, and aligning their lives, thoughts, and actions with the ways of God.
Jesus invites us to know Him, and to know the God of truth.
In the world around us, we are tempted to believe truth is something each of us can construct, or that truth is somehow unattainable.
The Bible, however, demonstrates that truth is found in God alone.
We cannot know truth apart from knowing God.
When one finds and knows Jesus, they have indeed found truth.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 111 Amplified Bible
The Lord Praised for His Goodness.
111 Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart, In the company of the upright and in the congregation. 2 Great are the works of the Lord, Studied by all those who delight in them. 3 Splendid and majestic is His work, And His righteousness endures forever. 4 He has made His wonderful acts to be remembered; The Lord is gracious and merciful and full of loving compassion. 5 He has given food to those who fear Him [with awe-inspired reverence]; He will remember His covenant forever. 6 He has declared and made known to His people the power of His works, In giving them the heritage of the nations.
7 The works of His hands are truth and [absolute] justice; All His precepts are sure (established, reliable, trustworthy). 8 They are upheld forever and ever; They are done in [absolute] truth and uprightness. 9 He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; Holy and awesome is His name—[inspiring reverence and godly fear]. 10 The [reverent] fear of the Lord is the beginning (the prerequisite, the absolute essential, the alphabet) of wisdom; A good understanding and a teachable heart are possessed by all those who do the will of the Lord; His praise endures forever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
31 So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word [continually obeying My teachings and living in accordance with them, then] you are truly My disciples. 32 And you will know the truth [regarding salvation], and the truth will set you free [from the penalty of sin].”
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Sometimes the Bible is described as a telescope. A telescope is not something to look at but an instrument to look through, to bring that which is too distant for us to see closer. When we do what is far away, hard to see becomes clearer to us.
When we look at our life and history through the lens of the Bible, what once seemed distant, hard to understand – God – slowly comes into focus. Through Scripture we are brought close to God. Through Scripture we are brought near to events that happened thousands of years ago. We zoom in, for example, on the life of Christ, who became human and came to live among us (John 1:14).
John 1:14 The Message
14 The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.
God, unexpectedly, abruptly but gently, intruded into mankind’s experience.
Jesus walked among us. Jesus wanted the people of his day to believe in him as the One who reveals the truth about God and what God is doing in this world.
But instead they were slow to catch on, they wanted to hang on to old legalisms, refusing to admit to anyone that they were slaves to sin and could not keep the law perfectly. Jesus urged them to accept him as the eternal truth and life who could bring them out of this slavery and give them new life forever with God.
Are we any different?
As we daily encounter the Word of God, how challenging, how utterly complex is to accept God on his terms, not ours, moving from our world to His Kingdom?
Even those who profess hardcore belief, are we fully relying on the Spirit’s help?
Are we authentically listening, are we authentically hearing, as God speaks to us and breathes into us his life and truth? And believing the truth sets us free-free to serve him in our daily work, play, relationships, and every other facet of life?
Why is the Truth of Jesus even .01% Relevant Today?
The Book of John remains profoundly relevant today, offering readers profound insights into the deeper nature of faith, of hope and love, and eternal life also.
Its emphasis on the divinity of Christ and the transformative power of belief provides a foundation for personal spiritual growth. In a world seeking truth and meaning, John’s Gospel invites us readers to encounter Jesus in a deeply personal way, encouraging them to live out their faith with love and integrity.
John 8:31 New American Standard Bible 1995
The Truth Will Make You Free
31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
In this moment, Jesus speaks to those who have already shown belief in Him, urging them to deepen their faith through committing to actual visible action.
He underscores that true discipleship is characterized by our adherence to His teachings. This means that belief is not merely an intellectual agreement but a transformative process that involves living out His words in our everyday life.
The call to “hold to my teaching” suggests that Jesus had in mind a continuous, active effort to align one’s life with the principles that Jesus was teaching, such as love, mercy, forgiveness, a life grounded in genuine sacrifice and humility.
This passage from John invites believers to reflect on the nature of their faith.
In that moment, it is quite the confrontational statement, challenging them to consider whether their transitional actions now reflect the teachings of Jesus.
By doing so, by trying to shift their mindsets from their world to the Kingdom, they not only affirm their transitioning, transforming identity as His disciples but also committing themselves to experience a deeper relationship with Him.
This commitment to His teachings is a journey of growth and transformation, prayerfully leading to a more profound understanding of His truth and love.
John 8:32 New American Standard Bible 1995
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
The idea of truth in this context is deeply connected to the teachings of Jesus and the gospel.
It implies that through reading, studying and understanding and accepting these teachings, one can move towards achieving a profound sense of freedom.
This sense of freedom is not merely physical or political but is spiritual and emotional, liberating individuals from the chains of sin, guilt, and ignorance.
The truth referred to here by Jesus is the truth of God’s love, grace, and the salvation offered exclusively through their confession of Jesus Christ Savior.
By embracing this truth, by bear hugging this truth, believers are then set free from the burdens that would otherwise hang a thousand pound millstone on their necks, weigh them down, such as fear, doubt, the pressures of the world.
This freedom allows for a life lived in alignment with God’s will, characterized by hope, peace, joy, and a sense of purpose. Moreover, it invites believers to live authentically, in harmony with their true selves as originally created by God.
The verse calls for a sure commitment to seeking and living by the truth, which in turn guides, leads, to a transformative experience of liberation, fulfillment.
Job 9:1-13 The Message
Job Continues
How Can Mere Mortals Get Right with God?
9 1-13 Job continued by saying:
“So what’s new? I know all this. The question is, ‘How can mere mortals get right with God?’ If we wanted to bring our case before him, what chance would we have? Not one in a thousand! God’s wisdom is so deep, God’s power so immense, who could take him on and come out in one piece? He moves mountains before they know what’s happened, flips them on their heads on a whim. He gives the earth a good shaking up, rocks it down to its very foundations. He tells the sun, ‘Don’t shine,’ and it doesn’t; he pulls the blinds on the stars. All by himself he stretches out the heavens and strides on the waves of the sea. He designed the Big Dipper and Orion, the Pleiades and Alpha Centauri. We’ll never comprehend all the great things he does; his miracle-surprises can’t be counted. Somehow, though he moves right in front of me, I don’t see him; quietly but surely he’s active, and I miss it. If he steals you blind, who can stop him? Who’s going to say, ‘Hey, what are you doing?’ God doesn’t hold back on his anger; even dragon-bred monsters cringe before him.
Psalm 31:3-5 New American Standard Bible 1995
3 For You are my [a]rock and my fortress; For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me. 4 You will pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, For You are my strength. 5 Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have ransomed me, O Lord, God of [b]truth.
Psalm 40:9-11 New American Standard Bible 1995
9 I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation; Behold, I will not restrain my lips, O Lord, You know. 10 I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.
11 You, O Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me; [a]Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.
Psalm 51:5-11 New American Standard Bible 1995
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. 6 Behold, You desire truth in the [a]innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. 7 [b]Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; [c]Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 [d]Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which You have broken rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins And blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create [e]in me a clean heart, O God, And renew [f]a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
What or who is “the truth” that “will set you free” (John 8:32)?
What is the condition for being set free by “the truth”?
What qualifies as “the truth?”
What do you understand about the phrase “will set you free?”
When you see that word “freedom” what thoughts, feelings arise?
What qualifies people as Jesus’ disciples?
What is the flip side of what Jesus said in John 8:31?
What does John 8 32 us teach about?
What does it mean to worship him in spirit and truth?
What did Jesus mean when he said “I am the truth”?
What is the meaning of truth biblically?
Christ Jesus said, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). That’s a wonderful promise that can be taken seriously, especially when you and I feel the need for some sort of healing – whether the difficulty is injury, illness, financial hardship, a troubled relationship, or anything else.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
25 (0) By David:
(1) I lift my inner being to you, Adonai; 2 I trust you, my God. Don’t let me be disgraced, don’t let my enemies gloat over me. 3 No one waiting for you will be disgraced; disgrace awaits those who break faith for no reason.
4 Make me know your ways, Adonai, teach me your paths. 5 Guide me in your truth, and teach me; for you are the God who saves me, my hope is in you all day long. 6 Remember your compassion and grace, Adonai; for these are ages old. 7 Don’t remember my youthful sins or transgressions; but remember me according to your grace for the sake of your goodness, Adonai.
8 Adonai is good, and he is fair; this is why he teaches sinners the way [to live], 9 leads the humble to do what is right and teaches the humble [to live] his way. 10 All Adonai’s paths are grace and truth to those who keep his covenant and instructions. 11 For the sake of your name, Adonai, forgive my wickedness, great though it is.
12 Who is the person who fears Adonai? He will teach him the way to choose. 13 He will remain prosperous, and his descendants will inherit the land. 14 Adonai relates intimately with those who fear him; he makes them know his covenant.
15 My eyes are always directed toward Adonai, for he will free my feet from the net. 16 Turn to me, and show me your favor; for I am alone and oppressed. 17 The troubles of my heart are growing and growing; bring me out of my distress. 18 See my affliction and suffering, and take all my sins away.
19 Consider my enemies, how many there are and how cruelly they hate me. 20 Protect me and rescue me; don’t let me be disgraced, for I take refuge in you. 21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, because my hope is in you.
22 God! Redeem Isra’el from all their troubles!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
33 Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Are you saying this [a]on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?” 35 Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom [b]is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not [c]of this realm.” 37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” 38 Pilate *said to Him, “What is truth?”
And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and *said to them, “I find no guilt in Him.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Being On One Side of the Truth or the Other …
John 18:37-38 Amplified Bible
37 So Pilate said to Him, “Then You are a King?” Jesus answered, “You say [correctly] that I am a King. This is why I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth [who is a friend of the truth and belongs to the truth] hears and listens carefully to My voice.” 38 Pilate said to Him [scornfully], “What is truth?”
And when he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no guilt in Him [no crime, no cause for an accusation].
Jesus’ statement here about truth is in line with everything he has taught.
Jesus stands before Pilate “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
He is the bread of life; the living water; the Good Shepherd, the way, the truth, and the life; the only way to know God the Father (John 6:35; 7:38; 10:11, 14:6).
As he stands in judgement before this Roman governor, face to face, eye to eye, voice to voice, word to Word, thought to thought, Jesus offers Pilate the chance to experience the truth into a relationship with him—like one of his disciples.
But doing that would be very costly for Pilate. If Pilate were to accept what Jesus has to say, he would have to make the truth more important than Rome. Or political power. Or wealth. If Pilate accepted Jesus’ claims and set Jesus free, he would be throwing away his credibility with the Jews, if not his entire career.
Throughout this Gospel Narrative, John has been helping us to understand that all we possess on this earth—all our power, our influence, and wealth—pales in comparison to the incomparable truth of Jesus.
“… Everyone who is of the truth [who is a friend of the truth and belongs to the truth] hears and listens carefully to My voice.”
The offer Jesus extends goes far beyond Pilate, to our chance to experience life with God the way we are created to live it. Nothing is more important than that.
Sadly, Pilate rejects Jesus’ offer.
What about you and me?
What might we need to let go of in order to embrace the truth of Jesus?
What about the church?
What might the church need to let go of in order to embrace the truth of Jesus?
A Prayer to Pick Truth Over say … Crowd Pleasing
John 18:37-40 The Message
37 Then Pilate said, “So, are you a king or not?”
Jesus answered, “You tell me. Because I am King, I was born and entered the world so that I could witness to the truth. Everyone who cares for truth, who has any feeling for the truth, recognizes my voice.”
38-39 Pilate said, “What is truth?”
Then he went back out to the Jews and told them, “I find nothing wrong in this man. It’s your custom that I pardon one prisoner at Passover. Do you want me to pardon the ‘King of the Jews’?”
40 They shouted back, “Not this one, but Barabbas!” Barabbas was a Jewish freedom fighter.
Without even waiting for an answer from Jesus, in all likelihood not even really desiring one, nor prepared to hear one or have to listen to one and think twice about the course of his coming actions and have to entertain the possibility he will have to alter it, Pilate leaves the presence of Jesus and returns to the crowd.
It can be hard to change course, from the truth the crowd prefers to side with God’s Truth, especially if you and your choice could be dangerously unpopular.
Perhaps, like me, you have found your faith tested when standing firm to the voice of Jesus against a persuasive crowd. It’s human nature to want to be liked, but sometimes, this pressure leads us to make choices that don’t glorify God.
Pontius Pilate is well remembered for his display of crowd-pleasing weakness.
As a Roman governor as Caesar’s representative, Pilate routinely presided from his Jerusalem headquarters to ensure law, order during Jewish festival times.
During this particular Passover in John’s narrative, he found himself standing before a large crowd growing ever larger and crying out for Jesus’s crucifixion.
Roman law prohibited the Sanhedrin from carrying out capital punishment, so they demanded that Pilate issue the death sentence.
Luke 23:2 captures the nature of their manipulation:
Luke 23:1-5 The Message
Pilate
23 1-2 Then they all took Jesus to Pilate and began to bring up charges against him. They said, “We found this man undermining our law and order, forbidding taxes to be paid to Caesar, setting himself up as Messiah-King.”
3 Pilate asked him, “Is this true that you’re ‘King of the Jews’?”
“Those are your words, not mine,” Jesus replied.
4 Pilate told the high priests and the accompanying crowd, “I find nothing wrong here. He seems harmless enough to me.”
5 But they were vehement. “He’s stirring up unrest among the people with his teaching, disturbing the peace everywhere, starting in Galilee and now all through Judea. He’s a dangerous man, endangering the peace.”
Read again the protesting crowds interpretation of their “truth” …
“We found this man misleading, undermining the law and order of our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”
Does this have a familiar ring of truth for us today?
History repeating itself all over again?
Words, actions, behaviors, deeds all guided by the alleged truth of “the crowd?”
Who ever has the majority, who ever can shout the loudest, exerts the greatest measure and degree of influence, becomes the bigger bully, gets their “truth?”
Jesus came to bear witness to the truth, yet Pontius Pilate refused to listen to the Messiah. After much questioning, he could find no lies or fault with Him.
Instead, in a moment of great irony, Pilate responded to Truth Himself with the question, “What is truth?” (John 18:37-38).
Despite Pilate’s investigation, Herod’s findings, and even his wife’s report of a troubling dream warning of Jesus’ innocence, Pilate remained unsettled by the mob (Matthew 27:19).
In hopes of appeasing everyone, Pilate offered to free Jesus under the Passover tradition of a prisoner release.
Sadly, the crowd demanded the release of Barabbas. They traded a murderer whose name in Greek (barr-abbas) means “son of the father” for Jesus, the True Son of the Father–how they all (including us?) missed the message!
Although Pilate continued to look for ways to release Jesus, a final blow of peer pressure broke him as the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar” (John 19:12).
At this he freed Barabbas, had Jesus beaten beyond recognition, humiliated Him with a purple robe and crown of thorns, and handed Him over for crucifixion.
The trouble with crowd-pleasing is that it often requires us to compromise what we know to be true.
Christians are not immune to this “follow the crowd” temptation, yet God will help us when we seek discernment and strength through scripture and prayer.
Each day is full of opportunities to unhinge ourselves from the “vocal will of the crowds to honor our Lord, Savior and King as we strive to sort through the vast, deceiving amounts of “crowd truths,” glorify God, through our daily decisions.
How are you, me, the church, being challenged to be a witness to God’s truth today rather than give in to the pressure of popularity? Like Pilate, have you found yourself tempted to follow the crowd despite what you know is right?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Father God, it is hard to hear your Truth when the voices around me are loud. Whether it’s my kids, friends, or workplace, I confess I want to be liked, and it is often unpopular to go against the group. Even though it’s human nature to want to fit in, remind me daily that you have given me a new and better nature in Christ. Forgive me when I have given into people-pleasing or made choices to gain acceptance or approval of others even when I knew it was wrong. Forgive me for the times I did not stand up for you, Jesus, and the times I complied rather than speaking your truth and light into a situation. Holy Spirit, bring to mind instances that need your forgiveness and wash me with fresh new boldness and strength to reflect your glory in my words and actions. Help me speak your name with love and grace, and give me wisdom and discernment to make Truth-honoring choices today and always. In Jesus’ Name …
Psalm 118 The Message
118 1-4 Thank God because he’s good, because his love never quits. Tell the world, Israel, “His love never quits.” And you, clan of Aaron, tell the world, “His love never quits.” And you who fear God, join in, “His love never quits.”
5-16 Pushed to the wall, I called to God; from the wide open spaces, he answered. God’s now at my side and I’m not afraid; who would dare lay a hand on me? God’s my strong champion; I flick off my enemies like flies. Far better to take refuge in God than trust in people; Far better to take refuge in God than trust in celebrities. Hemmed in by barbarians, in God’s name I rubbed their faces in the dirt; Hemmed in and with no way out, in God’s name I rubbed their faces in the dirt; Like swarming bees, like wild prairie fire, they hemmed me in; in God’s name I rubbed their faces in the dirt. I was right on the cliff-edge, ready to fall, when God grabbed and held me. God’s my strength, he’s also my song, and now he’s my salvation. Hear the shouts, hear the triumph songs in the camp of the saved? “The hand of God has turned the tide! The hand of God is raised in victory! The hand of God has turned the tide!”
17-20 I didn’t die. I lived! And now I’m telling the world what God did. God tested me, he pushed me hard, but he didn’t hand me over to Death. Swing wide the city gates—the righteous gates! I’ll walk right through and thank God! This Temple Gate belongs to God, so the victors can enter and praise.
21-25 Thank you for responding to me; you’ve truly become my salvation! The stone the masons discarded as flawed is now the capstone! This is God’s work. We rub our eyes—we can hardly believe it! This is the very day God acted— let’s celebrate and be festive! Salvation now, God. Salvation now! Oh yes, God—a free and full life!
26-29 Blessed are you who enter in God’s name— from God’s house we bless you! God is God, he has bathed us in light. Adorn the shrine with garlands, hang colored banners above the altar! You’re my God, and I thank you. O my God, I lift high your praise. Thank God—he’s so good. His love never quits!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
44 “God’s kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidentally found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic—what a find!—and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field.
45-46 “Or, God’s kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for exquisite pearls. Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it.
47-50 “Or, God’s kingdom is like a fishnet cast into the sea, catching all kinds of fish. When it is full, it is hauled onto the beach. The good fish are picked out and put in a tub; those unfit to eat are thrown away. That’s how it will be when the curtain comes down on history. The angels will come and cull the bad fish and throw them in the garbage. There will be a lot of desperate complaining, but it won’t do any good.”
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
We Will All One Day Somehow End Up Worship Someone, Something, Somewhere, Anywhere
Isaiah 42:14-17 New American Standard Bible 1995
The Blindness of the People
14 “I have kept silent for a long time, I have kept still and restrained Myself. Now like a woman in labor I will groan, I will both gasp and pant. 15 “I will lay waste the mountains and hills And wither all their vegetation; I will make the rivers into coastlands And dry up the ponds. 16 “I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, In paths they do not know I will guide them. I will make darkness into light before them And rugged places into plains. These are the things I will do, And I will not leave them undone.” 17 They will be turned back and be utterly put to shame, Who trust in [a]idols, Who say to molten images, “You are our gods.”
In the words of singer songwriter Bob Dylan, you gotta serve somebody.[1]
It’s true—we will all somehow end up worshiping something, somewhere.
The only question is what and where and when.
Too often in our human futility, we end up leaning on and ultimately serving crafty little creations of our own invention.
Throughout history, mankind’s fundamental problem has been that we keep creating false gods to whom we go seeking false salvation.
These idols are simply heart-level and soul deep substitutes for the real God.
Rather than single-mindedly looking to the Lord as the object of our devotion and the source of our satisfaction, we single-handedly take the good things that He created for our enjoyment and we turn them into vain replacements for Him.
C.S. Lewis puts it this way:
“We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”[2]
2 “The Weight of Glory,” in The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses (Harper Collins, 2001), p 26.
Whichever heart-level substitutes we may rely on, these idols are powerless.
Whichever soul deep substitutes we may look upon in our mirrors, they will be an empty soulless reflection bearing absolutely no resemblance to God’s reality.
They cannot help us.
As Isaiah makes clear, they’ve never been able to tell us the future or even help us reflect on the past; neither can they give counsel. They meet our questions with mere silence and 100% unfulfilled expectations (Isaiah 41:22-23, 28-29).
Only the true and living God knows everything from beginning to end.
At creation He broke through the chaos, silence, foretelling what was to come.
He overwhelms darkness with His light. He replaces the “rough places” of wickedness with the “level ground” of righteousness. Although we once turned our backs on Him, He still sent His only Son, Jesus, our Wonderful Counselor.
You and I are constantly confronted by idols that call out for our attention and entice us to find fulfillment in them rather than God.
What are the ones that call out the loudest to you?
Dare to confront them, dare to challenge their faces, name them one by one.
Know that they are lying (though of course they don’t tell you that).
God’s word repeatedly warns us of the shame that lies in worshiping them and leads us on a better way: to find fulfillment in serving and being served by Him.
“You gotta serve somebody today.”
Psalm 103:13-16 New American Standard Bible 1995
13 Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the Lord has compassion on those who [a]fear Him. 14 For He Himself knows [b]our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.
15 As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. 16 When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, And its place acknowledges it no longer.
God only knows; We always gotta worship someone, something, somewhere, at some time in this, the brief temporal existence our God affords us on this earth.
Isaiah 40:7-9 New American Standard Bible 1995
7 The grass withers, the flower fades, [a]When the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.
9 Get yourself up on a high mountain, O Zion, bearer of good news, Lift up your voice mightily, O Jerusalem, bearer of good news; Lift it up, do not fear. Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!”
Here it is because here HE IS! Be sure to make it the living, loving God.
Worshipping the Ground We, Someone Else Walks or Crawls on or Works Their Fingers To The Bone On
Matthew 13:44-50 The Message
44 “God’s kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidentally found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic—what a find!—and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field.
45-46 “Or, God’s kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for exquisite pearls. Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it.
47-50 “Or, God’s kingdom is like a fishnet cast into the sea, catching all kinds of fish. When it is full, it is hauled onto the beach. The good fish are picked out and put in a tub; those unfit to eat are thrown away. That’s how it will be when the curtain comes down on history. The angels will come, and cull the bad fish and throw them in the garbage. There will be a lot of desperate complaining, but it won’t do any good.”
If you could only have one thing in life, what would it be?
Take an honest and serious look at your heart for a minute, even an hour today.
What do you love most?
Who or What would you quite literally give up everything else for?
Would you believe your heavenly Father’s answer to those questions is you?
That the Creator of the universe loves you most?
Would you believe he would give up everything to have relationship with you?
Because He really and actually did!
By looking at Genesis 2, God’s single greatest desire is relationship with us.
After God creates Adam in his own image, God says, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him” (Genesis 2:18).
God brings every created animal before Adam to see if he deems any of them suitable as a helper, and Genesis 2:20 says, “But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.”
Then without consulting Adam, God puts him into a deep sleep and forms a woman out of his rib.
Seeing the woman upon waking, Adam says, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (Genesis 2:23).
How did God know Adam would want a woman as his helper?
How did God know she would be the desire of his heart?
God knew Adam most longed for a bride because Adam was made in God’s image, and God’s single greatest desire is for relationship with us, whom the Bible calls his Bride.
Let the truth of God’s heart sink in for a minute.
Out of everything else God has created or could have created, he most desires relationship with you.
And he so longed for you to know him fully that he sent Jesus to die to make restored relationship possible.
God calls us to himself daily with his love. He stands at the door of our heart and knocks, beckoning us with his loving-kindness to simply come and know him.
Once we truly grasp the depth of God’s desire for us, the only true response is to give up everything for him.
He laid the foundation for our commitment to him with the greatest single act of love, and he simply waits, beckoning us to respond, living our lives with him as our highest priority. And he doesn’t do so selfishly, but because the absolute best way for us to live in the fullness of our lives is in total commitment to him.
In Matthew 13:44-46, Jesus tells a parable explaining this response to God’s unending love.
He says, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
The kingdom of God is the greatest treasure, the pearl of greatest value.
Relationship with him is worth our entire lives.
Pursuing him with all our heart is the absolute greatest ambition we could have.
Paul described this pursuit in Philippians 3:8 when he said,
“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”
Philippians 3:7-11 The Message
7-9 The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I’m tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn’t want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God’s righteousness.
10-11 I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.
So again, reflect on your own heart.
What do you value above all else? WHY?
Who do you value above all else? WHY?
God’s not angry with you if it truly isn’t him.
John 14:1-7 The Message
The Road
14 1-4 “Don’t let this rattle you. You trust God, don’t you? Trust me. There is plenty of room for you in my Father’s home. If that weren’t so, would I have told you that I’m on my way to get a room ready for you? And if I’m on my way to get your room ready, I’ll come back and get you so you can live where I live. And you already know the road I’m taking.”
5 Thomas said, “Master, we have no idea where you’re going. How do you expect us to know the road?”
6-7 Jesus said, “I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him. You’ve even seen him!”
You see, the way, the truth and also the life is that our single-minded pursuit of God will only ever match our over zealous longing, revelation of his goodness.
God knows that if he isn’t truly the greatest desire of your heart, it’s because you don’t fully know how good he is.
If you had the full revelation of his love for you, living totally for him wouldn’t even be a choice. So undeniably great is the worth of knowing Jesus that as you see the real Gospel him, you’ll naturally give up everything to know him more.
So, today as you enter into prayer, know the first baby steps in growing in your pursuit of God is acknowledging the posture of your own heart and your soul.
How strongly do you desire deeper relationship with him?
How much would you 100% give up to know him?
What do you seek fulfillment in during your free time?
The second step is receiving a fresh revelation of his incredible love for you.
Spend time daily simply encountering his heart.
Meditate on the truth that he desires relationship with you above all else.
He so greatly enjoys you that he pursues you with all of his focus and energy.
Last, respond to a revelation of his love with your own love.
Worship him, adore him, and live for him with your life.
John 4:21-24 The Message
21-23 “Believe me, woman, the time is coming when you Samaritans will worship the Father neither here at this mountain nor there in Jerusalem. You worship guessing in the dark; we Jews worship in the clear light of day. God’s way of salvation is made available through the Jews. But the time is coming—it has, in fact, come—when what you’re called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter.
23-24 “It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.”
You will encounter him in anything you truthfully do as worship.
He will pour out his presence, favor, and blessing in any area you live out of love for him.
Colossians 1:13-14 says, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
And Luke 12:31 promises us, “Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.”
Pursue a deeper relationship with your heavenly Father today through prayer.
Pursue a truthful relationship with your heavenly Father today through study.
As you single-mindedly live for him, seek his kingdom first, you’ll inevitably discover all the fullness and all the abundance he has longed to add to your life.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Psalm 46 The Message
46 1-3 God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him. We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom, courageous in seastorm and earthquake, Before the rush and roar of oceans, the tremors that shift mountains.
Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.
4-6 River fountains splash joy, cooling God’s city, this sacred haunt of the Most High. God lives here, the streets are safe, God at your service from crack of dawn. Godless nations rant and rave, kings and kingdoms threaten, but Earth does anything he says.
7 Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.
8-10 Attention, all! See the marvels of God! He plants flowers and trees all over the earth, Bans war from pole to pole, breaks all the weapons across his knee. “Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything.”
11 Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.
Guided Prayer:
1. Reflect on your own life.
How strongly do you desire deeper relationship with him? How much would you give up to know him? What do you seek fulfillment in during your free time?
“The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.” Psalm 14:2
2. Meditate on the depth of God’s love for you.
Receive a fresh revelation of how greatly he enjoys you. Think about the story in Genesis of how God’s greatest desire was relationship with his Bride.
“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” Hebrews 12:2-3
“O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the crannies of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.” Song of Solomon 2:14
3. Respond to God’s love with your own.
Spend time simply adoring him.
Spend time in solitude sitting with him, encountering his heart, and giving him your own because He single-mindedly paid the highest price for you just to be able have a relationship with him. So take time, be the reward of his sacrifice.
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13
May we answer the call to live for love with our lives today.
May we live in response to this benediction found in Hebrews 12:28:
“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.”
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom [a]is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not [b]of this realm.” 37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Jesus is standing in Pilate’s hall— Friendless, forsaken, betrayed by all: Hearken! what meaneth the sudden call? What will you do with Jesus?
What will you do with Jesus? Neutral you cannot be; Some day your heart will be asking, “What will He do with me?”
2
Jesus is standing on trial still, You can be false to Him if you will, You can be faithful through good or ill: What will you do with Jesus?
3
Will you evade Him as Pilate tried? Or will you choose Him, whate’er betide? Vainly you struggle from Him to hide: What will you do with Jesus?
4
Will you, like Peter, your Lord deny? Or will you scorn from His foes to fly, Daring for Jesus to live or die? What will you do with Jesus?
5
“Jesus, I give Thee my heart today! Jesus, I’ll follow Thee all the way, Gladly obeying Thee!” will you say: “This will I do with Jesus!”
What will you, would you do with Jesus?
What will I, would I do with Jesus?
What will the church, would the church do with Jesus?
Who is the King of Truth …
On the morning of what is today known as the first Good Friday, the Jewish religious authorities took Jesus to continue His trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor.
We can see in the details of the Gospel accounts how God sovereignly orchestrated all of these events.
The Jews’ determination to secure Christ’s death by crucifixion would actually fulfill God’s plan from eternity.
God had also planned Christ’s interaction with Pilate.
As they stood before one another, Pilate asked significant questions about Jesus’ identity and authority.
These questions formed an examination with eternal ramifications—an examination we all must make. Consider how the hymn writer puts it:
Jesus is standing in Pilate’s hall— Friendless, forsaken, betrayed by all; Hearken! What meaneth the sudden call? What will you do with Jesus?
Pilate from his position of high authority, as representative of the Emperor, believed he was holding an examination on a purely intellectual, natural level.
But anyone answering the question “Who is this Jesus standing as prisoner before all these decision makers, those with the power to decide life and decide death?” is always going to be confronted by a spiritual, supernatural matter.
Jesus wasn’t any political king, as Pilate believed, but he was the heavenly King.
He essentially told Pilate,
My kingdom doesn’t find its origin in this world. The concern of My kingdom is the spiritual transformation that is brought about in the hearts of My people. The very reason why I was sent by my Father, born as a King, was to testify to God’s truth.
But Pilate, blind in his unbelief, did not grasp that, had already made up his mind – after all, he had the positions of authority, he was conquering Roman and therefore, in that exact moment he was all the truth that ever mattered.
Jaded and disdainful, he sought to avoid the fundamental question we all must ask: “What will I do with Jesus?”
But in trying not to answer, he nevertheless gave his answer: I shall reject His claim on me and His authority, rule over me, and therefore His offer to rescue me.
What will you do with Jesus? Neutral you cannot be; Someday your heart will be asking, “What will He do with me?” [1]
1 Albert B. Simpson, “What Will You Do with Jesus?” (1905).
Neutral you cannot ever dare to be!
Neutral I cannot ever dare to be!
Neutral the church cannot ever dare to be!
You and I and the church will either live under Jesus’ rule or we will not.
So do not close your Bible in the morning and then live out your day as though this world and its changing concerns and kings are all that is or all that matters.
Do not proceed as though Jesus has no place or interest in your life in this world.
The King of Truth stood friendless and forsaken before the Temple Authorities, Pilate, so that we all might be welcomed as His friend into His eternal kingdom.
There is no option of neutrality—but why would we want there to be?
What Jesus Did had nothing to do with being Neutral!
John 18:36-37 Amplified Bible
36 Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not of this world [nor does it have its origin in this world]. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would be fighting [hard] to keep Me from being handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this world.” 37 So Pilate said to Him, “Then You are a King?” Jesus answered, “You say [correctly] that I am a King. This is why I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth [who is a friend of the truth and belongs to the truth] hears and listens carefully to My voice.”
Jesus came as King.
He did not come as a king in robes of royalty or with a fine palace and a royal court.
Instead, Jesus came as the King of Truth in simplicity and with a band of everyday folks called apostles.
His mission was not to conquer the political landscape, but for God’s truth to win the hearts of the people — all people, not just the Jewish people.
Truth, however, is extraordinarily dangerous for some people to hear, listen to.
Every pretender to a powerful position and those who misuse the power that they have are threatened by one who is genuinely qualified and powerful in ways that they don’t understand.
Pretenders fear the truth.
So the true King was murdered so that they could feel secure in the power that they had.
The only problem was that once the truth was out there, no political pretender and no earthly power could keep truth from triumphing.
Where is Pilate’s power today?
Where would Pilate’s power be today?
What’s left of Herod’s thirst for royal recognition?
And Caesar’s rule?
And the Roman Empire?
All are gone, even those who actually had royal and powerful positions.
Hebrews 13:5-9 Amplified Bible
5 Let your character [your moral essence, your inner nature] be free from the love of money [shun greed—be financially ethical], being content with what you have; for He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!” 6 So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently say,
“The Lord is my Helper [in time of need], I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”
7 Remember your leaders [for it was they] who brought you the word of God; and consider the result of their conduct [the outcome of their godly lives], and imitate their faith [their conviction that God exists and is the Creator and Ruler of all things, the Provider of eternal salvation through Christ, and imitate their reliance on God with absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness]. 8 Jesus Christ is [eternally changeless, always] the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be carried away by diverse and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be established and strengthened by grace and not by foods [rules of diet and ritualistic meals], which bring no benefit or spiritual growth to those who observe them.
On the other hand, one TRUTH always remains inviolable: one King still reigns over the hearts of all men and women of all races — Jesus, the King of Truth!
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Father, thank you for the blessing of an everlasting Kingdom and a triumphant King — your Son and my Savior, Jesus. May his inviolable truth and his Kingdom come to complete triumph in my life and the life of Your church in these ever changing days.
Psalm 24 New American Standard Bible 1995
The King of Glory Entering Zion.
A Psalm of David.
24 The earth is the Lord’s, and [a]all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it. 2 For He has founded it upon the seas And established it upon the rivers. 3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul [b]to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive a blessing from the Lord And [c]righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 [d]This is the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face—even Jacob. [e]Selah.
7 Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, O [f]ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! 8 Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O gates, And lift them up, O [g]ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! 10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Sometimes the Bible is described as a long range telescope.
A telescope is not something to look at but an instrument to look through.
When we do, what is far away or hard to see becomes clearer, focused, to us.
When we look at life, time and history through the lens of the Bible, what once seemed distant and hard to understand comes into focus.
Through Scripture we are brought close to God.
Through Scripture we are brought near to events that happened thousands of years ago.
We zoom in, for example, on the life of Christ, who became human and came to live among us (John 1:14).
John 1:14 The Message
14 The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.
Jesus wanted the people of his day to believe in him as the One who reveals the truth about God and what God is doing in this world.
But instead they wanted to hang on to old legalisms, refusing to admit that they were slaves to sin and could not keep the law perfectly.
Jesus repeatedly urged them to accept him as the eternal truth and life who could bring them out of this slavery and give them new life forever with God.
Are we any different?
As we daily encounter the Word of God, we must accept God on his terms, not ours.
By relying on the Spirit’s help, God speaks to us and breathes into us his life and truth.
That truth sets us free-free to serve him in our daily work, play, relationships, and every other facet of life.
Liberated by Truth: The Path to True Freedom
John 8:31-32 English Standard Version
The Truth Will Set You Free
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
In the words of Jesus found in John 8:31-32, we discover a profound invitation to true freedom—a freedom rooted in the transformative power of His truth.
Let us embark on a journey to understand the liberating truth that sets us free and transforms our lives.
Point 1: Abiding in Truth
John 8:31 (NLT)“Jesus said to the people who believed in him, ‘You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.'”
Jesus establishes the foundational principle for true discipleship—abiding in His teachings.
The transformative truth is that genuine discipleship involves a continuous commitment to live according to the truth revealed by Christ.
It’s not merely hearing the words but faithfully practicing them, allowing the truth to permeate every aspect of our lives.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the transformative nature of abiding in truth, saying,
“The truth is not something outside of us. It is written in our hearts. The truth is in the inward parts. It is in our hearts.”
James 1:22 (NLT) – “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”
Point 2: Discovering True Freedom
John 8:32 (NLT) “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Jesus declares a profound promise—that knowing the truth leads to genuine freedom.
The transformative truth is that the freedom He speaks of goes beyond external circumstances; it’s a liberation of the soul.
True freedom is found in understanding and embracing the reality of Christ’s teachings, which transcends the limitations imposed by sin and falsehood.
J.I. Packer reflects on the transformative power of truth, stating, “There is no change of heart without a change of mind.”
Galatians 5:1 (NLT) – “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.”
Point 3: Walking in the Light of Truth
Scripture: John 8:12 (NLT)
“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, ‘I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.'”
Jesus identifies Himself as the light of the world, and following Him means walking in the light of truth.
The transformative truth is that Christ’s teachings illuminate the path of life, dispelling the darkness of ignorance and sin.
Walking in this light not only brings freedom but also leads to the fullness of life found in Him.
John Piper emphasizes the transformative impact of walking in Christ’s light, saying,
“Following Jesus means we abide in His word, and in His word, we find the light that leads to eternal life.”
Psalm 119:105 (NLT) – “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”
John 8:31-32 reveals the transformative truth that leads us to true freedom—abiding in Christ’s teachings, discovering freedom through truth, and walking in the light of His word.
As we embrace this truth, may we experience the liberating power that sets us free and transforms us into disciples who faithfully follow the path of Christ.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ continually lead us into the freedom that comes from walking in His truth. Amen.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 119:9-16 New American Standard Bible 1995
Beth.
9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. 10 With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. 11 Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You. 12 Blessed are You, O Lord; Teach me Your statutes. 13 With my lips I have told of All the ordinances of Your mouth. 14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, [a]As much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on Your precepts And [b]regard Your ways. 16 I shall [c]delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
17 He came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the leaders of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?” 18 Then he took up his [a]discourse and said,
“Arise, O Balak, and hear; Give ear to me, O son of Zippor! 19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? 20 “Behold, I have received a command to bless; When He has blessed, then I cannot revoke it.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Today we’ll spend some quality time simply stirring up our affections for God.
God has designed us to see him, to know his character and to let the truth of his goodness lead us into deeper relationship with him.
Augustine wrote, “Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.”
In seeing God for who he is our hearts are naturally stirred to find rest in his goodness.
Today, may your heart be stirred at a revelation of God’s wonderful character.
Numbers 23:19 Amplified Bible
19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken and will He not make it goodand fulfill it?
Numbers 23:19 describes a foundational aspect of God’s character, being his faithfulness.
Scripture says,
“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”
As believers, we constantly, need a continuous revelation of God’s faithfulness.
Being able to fully trust God is the beginning of living an abundant life.
If you don’t fully believe that God is faithful to lead you into the best possible life you could live, then you surely won’t seek out his will, trust him with your possessions, or be able to fully enjoy his presence.
God’s word promises us in Numbers 23:19 that God is perfectly faithful, steadfast, and true.
Philippians 1:6 says, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:3-6 Amplified Bible
3 I thank my God in every remembrance of you, 4 always offering every prayer of mine with joy [and with specific requests] for all of you, 5 [thanking God] for your participation and partnership [both your comforting fellowship and gracious contributions] in [advancing] the good news [regarding salvation] from the first day [you heard it] until now. 6 I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].
Romans 8:28 promises, “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
God is wholly faithful to you.
No matter what you do, he will be there for you.
His faithfulness isn’t dependent upon your works.
All he requires is a willing heart to bring about the incredible fruit of the Spirit in your life.
You aren’t meant to live life apart from the knowledge of God’s faithfulness.
You aren’t meant to live with the weight of doing life on your own.
Man may fail you, but your God will not.
Family and friends may not be there when you need them, but your God will always be there for you.
Where do you feel on your own?
In what ways do you need a fresh revelation of God’s faithfulness?
God is unchangeable and unchanging.
Unlike men who can do an about-face, alter their opinions, break their promises, modify their plans, and speak lies with the twisted tongue of the serpent, the Lord our God is immutable.
God is perfect in all His thoughts and trustworthy in all His ways, unlike men who often distort the facts, twist the truth, and are easily tossed about like waves on the sea, God’s counsel is steadfast, His promises are sure, His Word is dependable, and His Truth lasts from one generation to another.
With God, there is no vacillation and no shadow of turning.
The book of Numbers clearly states the unalterable truth: “God is not a man. He does not lie, and does not change his mind.”
The passage then continues with a series of rhetorical questions which demand NO as an answer:
“Has He ever spoken and failed to act?” NO!
“Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” NO!
Malachi also addresses this issue by stating: “I am the Lord, and I change NOT.”
If God has said it, He will certainly do it.
God has set out His plan of the ages within the pages of Scripture, and God’s purposes for those that trust in Jesus Christ as Savior are steadfast and sure.
We have the assurance of God Himself, that His Word is to be trusted, for God has placed His Word above His holy Name.
The Lord of truth will never go back on His Word, for He is the God Who does not change and Whose Word is worthy of all acceptance.
There can be no shadow of change in His decrees, for God is merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness; and the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Praise God despite the instabilities and uncertainties of this world, and in spite of the faults and failings of men, the Word of the Lord is sure, His decrees are unalterable, all His promises are all ‘yes’ and ‘amen’ in Christ Jesus our Savior.
Heaven and earth may pass away, but the Word of the Lord stands fast forever, for God is not a man He should lie, nor is he the son of a man He should change His mind.
He is the Son of the unchangeable and unchanging God.
Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
He promises to be absolutely true to you.
He promises to absolutely see you through any situation you find yourself in.
Isaiah 54:10 says, “‘For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
Faithfulness is foundational to the very character of God.
God’s steadfast love for you is more sure than the very ground you walk on.
So respond to God’s faithfulness today.
Let his promises steady the parts of your life that feel unsure.
As you step outside today, take time to look at the world around you.
Think about the things you’ve put your trust in.
And remember, God promises that his faithfulness will outlast anything your eyes can see.
May your affections for him be stirred today.
May you respond to his faithfulness with your own.
And may you experience the love and joy of a Father who loves you perfectly and completely.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Guided Prayer:
1. Meditate on God’s promise to be faithful to you.
“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” Numbers 23:19
“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23
2. Now reflect on your own life.
Where in your life do you feel unsure?
What situations seem to toss your emotions around like a boat in the middle of a storm?
Where do you need a firmer foundation today? Matthew 7:24-29
3. Ask the Spirit for a revelation of God’s faithfulness in those areas.
Ask God to help you trust in his promise of faithfulness.
Ask him how he plans on bringing peace to those areas that are disturbing you today.
Listen to him as he speaks.
Not only does God promise you his faithfulness, but he will actually reveal to you how he is working in your life.
You can ask him for his plans, and he will show you!
You can ask him how he feels about you and your life, and he will tell you!
Within his promise of faithfulness is the promise of his voice.
You will hear him speak today if you open your heart, listen to the Spirit and be alert for God to speak through whatever avenue he chooses.
Your heavenly Father loves you.
Spend your day establishing the foundation of his faithfulness in your own life.
And experience a life lived in the abundance of God’s assurance and peace.
I praise You, O Lord, for You are our trustworthy God and never-changing Savior. Thank You for the truth of Scripture and for the assurance that Your Word will stand fast for ever. Thank You that You will never let me down, despite my own faults and failings. In the name of Jesus, I pray that I may become more and more like Him, as I submit to the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit in my life. Alleluia! AMEN.
25 There are so many other things Jesus did. If they were all written down, each of them, one by one, I can’t imagine a world big enough to hold such a library of books.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
It’s called hyperbole.
That’s the literary device John uses here to express his thoughts about the astonishing signs and wonders of Jesus.
In these closing words from his Gospel narrative, John is using wonder and imagination to say that the sum total of Jesus’ life and teachings and all the amazing things he did were so great the world could barely contain them all.
Hyperbole is a literary tool that helps us express the inexpressible, to say, to try and communicate, express, the depths of what one’s words cannot fully say.
John’s words clue us in to the fact that no human agent can fully capture the divine.
The sum total of who Jesus is and the sum of what he has done cannot ever be adequately transcribed by human hands and truly grasped by human minds.
The sum total of Jesus is infinitely more than what can be expressed in words.
“Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer’s praise,” says one of the great church’s hymns – yet even that many is so very woefully insufficient.
Sometimes we may think we have Jesus completely figured out. But that’s impossible. Jesus is always more than what we can wrap our minds around.
Thankfully, Jesus wants to be known, and he reveals himself to us.
He reveals to all that He is God, that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
In receiving his love and forgiveness, Jesus becomes our brother, friend, and Savior – In the words of another church song, “Jesus is all the world to me”!
And even singing that great hymn a million times comes up indescribably short of what my Lord, Savior, Jesus Christ has truly come to mean to me personally!
I Believe There Is Always More Truth To Be Learned!
John 21:25 Amplified Bible
25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were recorded [a]one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
In these words closing out this Gospel narrative, we uncover a profound truth about our Lord and Savior – a truth that calls us to pursue lifelong learning.
There is always more to learn about Jesus!
“I do not know it all!”
“I cannot know it all!”
“I will never know it all!”
“But, that does not stop my desire from trying to learn more of my Jesus!”
The Gospel of John features many inspirational revelations about Jesus.
However, the closing verse should intrigue us, reminds us that the recorded accounts are only a glimpse into what Jesus did during his earthly life – not even considering the far innumerable things that Jesus has done in heaven!
This verse is an intriguing invitation for us to embark on a journey of discovery, to dive deeper into the depths, mysteries of God, to be inspired with wonder.
Why is this pursuit of lifelong learning and wonder so important?
It’s because our faith is not stagnant; it’s a living, breathing relationship with a God whose depth surpasses our understanding – every verse, every story, every revelation is another opportunity to encounter profound truths about Jesus.
Ecclesiastes 12:9-10 English Standard Version
Fear God and Keep His Commandments
9 Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. 10 The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
By actively engaging with the Bible, by actively disciplining ourselves to read God’s Word, we open our hearts to the transformative power of God’s Word.
Luke 24:28-35 New King James Version
The Disciples’ Eyes Opened
28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He [a] indicated that He would have gone farther. 29 But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.
30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.
32 And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was [b]known to them in the breaking of bread.
Just as the disciples experienced Jesus in countless ways during their time with him, we too can encounter him in fresh ways through the pages of the Bible.
There’s always something more to learn, a new facet of God’s character to uncover, and a deeper, infinitely richer understanding of his will for our lives.
As we read and study God’s Word, let’s approach it with a sense of wonder and anticipation – may we be like children, eager to discover the hidden treasures within each passage, knowing that the more we seek, the more we will find.
God promises us in Jeremiah 29:13: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
When we wholeheartedly seek God, we all should always be about the Father’s business of listening to Jesus, always learning something wonderful about him.
Luke 2:43-50 New King James Version
43 When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And [a]Joseph and His mother did not know it;44 but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45 So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. 46 Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. 48 So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”
49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” 50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.
In a world that often emphasizes instant gratification and quick truths, the pursuit of lifelong learning and wonder seems like a countercultural virtue.
Pray, it encourages each of us to approach our faith journey with a curiosity that spans a lifetime, acknowledging that we’re always students inside God’s school.
It’s an invitation to a transformative journey of the heart.
The more we read, study, learn, and the more our discoveries inspire us with truest awe, the more we can fall in love with the God who loves us completely.
Pursuing learning and wonder every day God gives us to live is an important way to gain wisdom – but even more than that, it’s a soul-stirring adventure, soul stirring time of the deepest of discoveries that draws us into God’s heart.
Psalm 119:9-16 New King James Version
ב BETH
9 How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. 10 With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! 11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. 12 Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me Your statutes. 13 With my lips I have declared All the judgments of Your mouth. 14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on Your precepts, And [a]contemplate Your ways. 16 I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
The acknowledgment in John 21:25 that the world could not contain the books if every knowable deed of Jesus were recorded, should righteously humble us.
It reminds us of the limitations of language and severe limitations of human expression when attempting to even minimally encapsulate God’s majesty.
It calls us to approach Jesus with reverent awe, recognizing that our own finite minds can only finitely grasp a fraction of his infinite glory as the Son of God.
By embracing the endless wonder of our knowing Jesus, we position ourselves for spiritual growth – our lifelong learning becomes a rhythm of discipleship.
The more we learn, the more we love.
The more we love, the more we are transformed into his likeness and the more we grow in holiness.
Romans 12:1-2 The Message
Place Your Life Before God
12 1-2 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
So, let’s dare ourselves to take our lives on a sacred pilgrimage into God’s heart.
Let’s dare ourselves to look forward to what Jesus will teach us day by day, and further dare ourselves to allow those discoveries to spark wonder in our souls.
The more we dare ourselves to seek, the more God will reveal, and we will find, and the more we find, the closer our relationships with our Savior can become.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Dear Lord, as I read these passages of scripture, show me Your truth, what you want me to learn. Pinpoint the things in my thinking and my life that aren’t right. Help me to remember that Your word is life and always true, whereas my ideas are too often fleeting. Use the truth of Your Word to transform my limited thinking and behavior. Let Your truth, your wisdom, inform my faith, let my faith guide my actions. Amen.
O God, your love is much greater than we can imagine. Thank you for your salvation, revealed, offered to us in Christ Jesus. May our hearts and lives overflow with thanks.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant[a] of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Luke 1:37cNew International Version
37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
This verse allows us to know the authority of God’s word.
God is as good as His word, and His word shall be accomplished, and that which is accomplished lasts forever.
For example, God used His word to create the heavens and earth and all things; He promised to give Sarah over childbearing age a child and blessed Abraham; and His word also made the blind see, the lame walk and Lazarus come alive.
Plenty of historical facts bore witness to the authority and power of God’s word.
And even more, God’s word can change us, can save us and can bring us the light and hope.
When in these times and seasons of max celebration and unspeakable joy we are pained in failures and setbacks, God’s word can comfort us, help us regain faith.
When we are confused about life and unable to find direction, God’s word will guide us forward.
When we live in sin and cannot free ourselves, God’s word can show us the way of practice so that we can break free from the shackles of sin.
The Lord Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”
From this we can each see that God’s word practically gives us the supply of life.
Therefore, it’s so important to read God’s word and we can put it into practice.
What if we were asked why God’s Word is Important?
Luke 1:37 New International Version
37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
When the angel Gabriel visited the unsuspecting Mary with news of her being highly favored and chosen to carry and give birth to God’s only son on earth, he left her with a spoken promise that we can all hold onto (Luke 1:37).
In our socially and politically engineered world today, where countless people are rewriting God’s Word to say things He isn’t saying and to support causes that go against His will, we need to remember that God’s Word will never fail.
Especially now with the weight of socially, politically, globally changing times, there are individuals and groups are believing God’s Word needs a new spin on it and updating, a cultural modernization to keep up with the changing times.
But these are foolish, untrue thoughts, attitudes because they are dead wrong.
2 Corinthians 4:4 explains the source behind their ideas. “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 The Message
3-4 If our Message is obscure to anyone, it’s not because we’re holding back in any way. No, it’s because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention. All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won’t have to bother believing a Truth they can’t see. They’re stone-blind to the dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we’ll ever get.
When people so arrogantly or so naively think they can rewrite what God said and meant, they are only revealing their lack of knowledge and faith in Him and exposing their underlying uninformed, or badly educated unbelief in His Word.
As John 8:47 explains, “Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
John 8:42-47 The Message
42-47 “If God were your father,” said Jesus, “you would love me, for I came from God and arrived here. I didn’t come on my own. He sent me. Why can’t you understand one word I say? Here’s why: You can’t handle it. You’re from your father, the Devil, and all you want to do is please him. He was a killer from the very start. He couldn’t stand the truth because there wasn’t a shred of truth in him. When the Liar speaks, he makes it up out of his lying nature and fills the world with lies. I arrive on the scene, tell you the plain truth, and you refuse to have a thing to do with me. Can any one of you convict me of a single misleading word, a single sinful act? But if I’m telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? Anyone on God’s side listens to God’s words. This is why you’re not listening—because you’re not on God’s side.”
Still, God’s Word cannot really ever be changed, rewritten, or torn down.
In fact, it can’t even be touched, damaged, or modified in any way that lasts.
Humans do not have any of the power or authority to make His word void.
Matthew 5:17-19 English Standard Version
Christ Came to Fulfill the Law
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Whether people are being deceived, really believe what they are promoting is true or knowingly determined to tear down God’s Word, all their efforts are in vain As Psalm 119:89 confirms,
“Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.”
Psalm 119:89-96 The Message
89-96 What you say goes, God, and stays, as permanent as the heavens. Your truth never goes out of fashion; it’s as relevant as the earth when the sun comes up. Your Word and truth are dependable as ever; that’s what you ordered—you set the earth going. If your revelation hadn’t delighted me so, I would have given up when the hard times came. But I’ll never forget the advice you gave me; you saved my life with those wise words. Save me! I’m all yours. I look high and low for your words of wisdom. The wicked lie in ambush to destroy me, but I’m only concerned with your plans for me. I see the limits to everything human, but the horizons can’t contain your commands!
God’s Unchanging Word
Although some individuals, groups may think they can rewrite and reword what God is saying to us, they are actually powerless to do so because His word comes with an everlasting promise, to stand eternally (1 Peter 1:25) to never, ever fail.
1 Peter 1:22-25 The Message
22-25 Now that you’ve cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your lives depended on it. Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God’s living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself! That’s why the prophet said,
The old life is a grass life, its beauty as short-lived as wildflowers; Grass dries up, flowers wilt, God’s Word goes on and on forever.
This is the Word that conceived the new life in you.
To help us in understanding how God’s word is lasting and never changes, Isaiah 40:8 describes, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”
Isaiah 40:6-8 The Message
6-8 A voice says, “Shout!” I said, “What shall I shout?”
“These people are nothing but grass, their love fragile as wildflowers. The grass withers, the wildflowers fade, if God so much as puffs on them. Aren’t these people just so much grass? True, the grass withers and the wildflowers fade, but our God’s Word stands firm and forever.”
Likewise, we read and diligently ponder the admonition from these words …
Spoken by Jesus Himself …
Matthew 24:32-35 The Message
32-35 “Take a lesson from the fig tree. From the moment you notice its buds form, the merest hint of green, you know summer’s just around the corner. So it is with you: When you see all these things, you’ll know he’s at the door. Don’t take this lightly. I’m not just saying this for some future generation, but for all of you. This age continues until all these things take place. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won’t wear out.
The Living Word
God’s Word is not like human words written in the past.
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart”(Hebrews 4:12).
Because God’s Word is living, it is timeless, untouched by changing times, and able to speak to hearts through all generations.
“So is my word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).
Isaiah 55:8-11 The Message
8-11 “I don’t think the way you think. The way you work isn’t the way I work.” God’s Decree. “For as the sky soars high above earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think. Just as rain and snow descend from the skies and don’t go back until they’ve watered the earth, Doing their work of making things grow and blossom, producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry, So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them.
In ordering priorities, organizing our thoughts, choosing our words, let us all speak, write, share God’s Word over our own whenever given the opportunity.
Whereas our own words may at times fall flat, become outdated, or fail to have a good lasting effect, God’s Word is never void or falls short of its divine purpose.
A Sure Foundation
Because God’s Word is, from beginning to end, sure, solid and steadfast, we can count on it being a strong unbreakable foundation for us to build our lives upon.
We can have absolute assurance, maximum confidence in God’s Word because it doesn’t change with the times, or politics, or culture – it will not fail us, ever.
We can ground ourselves, base every day of our lives, on its principles because modern-day thoughts and opinions do not change the 100% truth of His word.
As 1 Corinthians 3:11 reminds us, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 3:11-15 The Message
5-9 Who do you think Paul is, anyway? Or Apollos, for that matter? Servants, both of us—servants who waited on you as you gradually learned to entrust your lives to our mutual Master. We each carried out our servant assignment. I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plants, but God made you grow. It’s not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow. Planting and watering are menial servant jobs at minimum wages. What makes them worth doing is the God we are serving. You happen to be God’s field in which we are working.
9-15 Or, to put it another way, you are God’s house. Using the gift God gave me as a good architect, I designed blueprints; Apollos is putting up the walls. Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation! Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ. Take particular care in picking out your building materials. Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you’ll be found out. The inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won’t get by with a thing. If your work passes inspection, fine; if it doesn’t, your part of the building will be torn out and started over. But you won’t be torn out; you’ll survive—but just barely.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
John 1:1-5 GOD’S WORD Translation
The Word Becomes Human
1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was already with God in the beginning.
3 Everything came into existence through him. Not one thing that exists was made without him.
4 He was the source of life, and that life was the light for humanity.
5 The light shines in the dark, and the dark has never extinguished it.
John 14:1-7 English Standard Version
I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life
14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God;[a] believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?[b]3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”[c]5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.[d] From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Jesus said; “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me”
Jesus said to him, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Take time in these next coming weeks to commit to truly reading God’s Word.
At Christmas, make a gift of a study Bible, In the New Year, resolve to ask God alone to reveal His truth to you and show you how to apply it to your daily life.
Develop the habit in the coming year, if you’re uncertain what God’s Word says about a situation, resolve to check His Word first before making any decision.
When sorely tempted to choose what the world tells you to do over what God says is right, commit to following and trusting His Word over worldly advice.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 119:9-16 GOD’S WORD Translation
9 How can a young person keep his life pure? ⌞He can do it⌟ by holding on to your word. 10 I wholeheartedly searched for you. Do not let me wander away from your commandments. 11 I have treasured your promise in my heart so that I may not sin against you. 12 Thanks be to you, O Lord. Teach me your laws. 13 With my lips I have repeated every regulation that ⌞comes⌟ from your mouth. 14 I find joy in the way ⌞shown by⌟ your written instructions more than I find joy in all kinds of riches. 15 I want to reflect on your guiding principles and study your ways. 16 Your laws make me happy. I never forget your word.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Refrain: Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills, and ev’rywhere; go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.
1 While shepherds kept their watching o’er silent flocks by night, behold, throughout the heavens there shone a holy light. [Refrain]
2 The shepherds feared and trembled when lo, above the earth rang out the angel chorus that hailed our Savior’s birth. [Refrain]
3 Down in a lowly manger the humble Christ was born, and God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn. [Refrain]
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 