PM John 18:28-40 "What is Truth?"

[0:00] Tonight is taken from St. John's Gospel, chapter 18, and we'll read from verses 28 to 40.

[0:11] John chapter 18, verse 38 to 40. This morning we had a preview as to Christmas coming up.

[0:28] And this reading tonight will look more like a preview to Easter coming up, but it is far from that, let me tell you.

[0:40] So we'll read from John chapter 18, and reading from verse 28. Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters.

[1:02] It was early morning. They themselves did not enter into the governor's headquarters, so that it would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover.

[1:15] So Pilate went outside to them and said, What accusation do you bring against this man? They answered, If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.

[1:35] Pilate said to them, Take him yourself and judge him by your own law. The Jews said to him, It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.

[1:48] This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken, to show by what kind of death he was going to die. So Pilate entered the headquarters again, and called Jesus and said to him, Are you the king of the Jews?

[2:10] Jesus answered, Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew?

[2:25] Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world.

[2:39] If my kingdom were of this world, my servant would have been fighting that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.

[2:54] Then Pilate said unto him, So you are a king. Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born, and this purpose, and for this purpose, I have come into the world to bear witness to the truth.

[3:13] Everyone who is of the truth is listening to my voice. Pilate said unto him, What is truth? And after he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, I find no guilt in him.

[3:33] But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?

[3:46] They cried out again, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. May God indeed add his blessing to that reading of his precious and holy word.

[4:02] I forgot to give the intimations tonight. That right? I did. Sorry about that. I'll just give these intimations for the incoming week before we go to the word.

[4:20] On Wednesday evening at 7pm, it's a free church day of prayer and Bible study. In the lower church hall, entering by the side door, it will be led by the Reverend Robert Dale.

[4:35] After the services tonight, you are welcome to stay and have tea and coffee. Next Lord's Day at 11am at 6pm, Reverend Robert Dale.

[4:53] The drop-in is on Wednesday at 12 noon at 2pm and first steps meet on Thursday from 9.30 to 11am. Open air preaching on Friday at 8th December with Douglas Young of the Open Air Mission.

[5:11] All who are able to support the venture are encouraged to meet with us at 11am in the lower church hall and then we will head out to the high street at 12 noon for two hours.

[5:26] Caral service on Saturday on 9th December at 4.30 in the lower hall. Please use invitation cards on the side table.

[5:38] There's two other further, one or two other further notices which you'll see as you turn over the page of the intimations.

[5:49] Thank you. Sorry about that. There's a tremendous question asked here by Pilate as he faces Jesus Christ in Christ's trial.

[6:09] What is truth? What is truth? Where does truth come from? Where do we get truth from?

[6:21] And what is the applications of truth? What results are there is from truth? So, what is truth?

[6:32] Where do you find it? This is an age old question. As old as Eden's garden.

[6:44] What is truth? truth? It's as old as Eden's garden. A question that has been faced up to as regards and has to be faced up to as regards our spiritual and physical existence.

[7:03] We live in an age of ever seeking, of searching for answers to one thing or another. who is God?

[7:15] How did creation begin? The arrival of mankind, how will it end? And so on and on. Forever goes these questions answered or sometimes unanswered.

[7:34] But the Bible here leaves us without doubt to such answers and to our searching and to our seeking as to what truth is and where to find it.

[7:50] We know that truth is the opposite of lies. Truth is the opposite of lies. And alas today we have in the past and still more so today, we have in our world many, many claimants to hold such a thing as the truth.

[8:17] Many claimants and claiming to have this truth and words to support their claims or so they think and their beliefs.

[8:35] An old cry for Jehovah witnesses when they come to your door and knock on your door and say do you know the truth and the truth will make you free.

[8:50] That's a famous old quote of theirs. To know the truth and the truth will make you free. But there's that watch tower of freedom.

[9:04] as they quote it and misquote the scriptures. And along comes one Herbert Armstrong with the plain truth.

[9:17] He talks about the plain truth and then he turns round and he dies that Jesus Christ rose on the first day of the week.

[9:32] The plain truth that Jesus denies the arrival and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

[9:46] The plain truth. He declares that Christ did not rise on that first day of the week. How do you answer that?

[9:56] How do you answer that question? Well let's ask Mr. Armstrong this. Where in scripture do we read where Jesus risen was not discovered except on the first day of the week?

[10:18] Where did Mary find him? She found him on the first day of the week nearby the tomb. these two men on the road to Emmaus where did they find Jesus?

[10:32] What day did they find him? It was on the first day of the week. Thomas the doubter said except I see I will not believe unless I thrust my hands into his side I will not believe.

[10:52] And at last Thomas got the shock of his life for in came Jesus and said behold my hands and my side be not faithless but believing.

[11:08] Where was that that was in the first day of the week? I said to someone recently of the same belief I said if you were walking the streets of Jerusalem on the day before the first on the Saturday the day before the Jewish Sabbath I said would you have met Jesus Christ on the streets of Jerusalem that day?

[11:37] And they refused to answer my question. No they wouldn't because it was the first day of the week. Those who seek to divert the word of God from the truth.

[11:52] And there we have another lot who say that truth was lost. Truth was lost. That this who shall be nameless with two magical spectacles discovered and found the truth in Hill Camorra and truth was restored.

[12:17] And was truth lost? Has truth ever been lost? What did Jesus say to his disciples when he was taken up?

[12:32] He said behold I am with you always even unto the end of the age. Was there any hint of the loss of truth there when Jesus said these words lo I am with you always even unto the end of the age.

[12:54] Was he speaking the truth or was he telling a lie? he no this we have had people and still have people throughout all our generations seeking and searching for truth in one form or another.

[13:24] And we see by these statements from scripture that heresy is denounced. Heresy is denounced.

[13:37] And God does some fierce words of condemnation in the Bible against liars and those who fail to speak the truth.

[13:48] some fierce words to declare even threatened with hell that still and speak lies.

[14:03] And again God's word leaves us in no doubt as to the origin of lies. Where did lies come from in the first place? way back in the perfection of Eden's garden comes this form of a serpent turned the devil Satan.

[14:27] And if we listen to Jesus' words answer to the Pharisees in John 8 and verse 44 what does Jesus say to them?

[14:39] He says ye are of your father the devil and the lusts of your father ye will do as he was as a murderer from the beginning and abide not in the truth because there is no truth in him.

[15:01] So when he speaketh a lie he speaketh for his own for he is a liar and the father of it. And that's because I tell you the truth you believe me not.

[15:18] So there is the founder and the author of lies is Satan himself even in that garden of Eden coming as a form of a serpent to tempt Eve Eve.

[15:35] There is the source of all lies and liars in Psalm 101 verse 7 we read he that work of deceit lies shall not dwell within my house says God.

[15:54] Proverbs 6 verse 16 and 17 it speaks there of there are six things that the Lord hates yea seven a proud look a lying tongue and verse 19 he goes on a false witness that speaketh lies.

[16:17] lust in these two quotes we have also not only lies but lust as well and God says a false witness shall not go unpunished and he that speaks lies shall perish so woe betide me tonight if I stand here and tell you a bunch of lies woe is me because the flames of hell itself would be surrounding me to tell you anything else but the truth of God's word.

[17:05] In Zechariah as well we read in 13 3 the father and mother punishment to those who speak lies in the Lord's name and here their son was just doing this and what happened to him he was thrust through by his own father and mother was told to thrust him through for telling a lie you see Satan's lie to Eve was very very subtle indeed Satan was saying to Eve has God really said that has God really said that if you eat of that tree you'll die did God really say or mean to say what he said and God as much as say God has just created you God has just created you in his own image do you expect him to go and destroy you in these few moments for disobedience and eating of this tree has God really gone to destroy you he's only immediately created you in his image what a lie that was whatever that was a lie and that was the subtlety of Satan and that was behind his cousin of Eve in the garden of

[18:41] Eden Jeremiah speaking to the people says in chapter 16 verse 15 he accuses the fathers of inheriting lies he accuses the people there of inheriting lies and vanities he said that's what your father has accepted as to the truth well this is all these are absolutely opposition and abhorrent to our God because the Bible distinctly declares and teaches that God is truth God is truth truth has come from God and I'm sure it will be an utter and utmost fool in this world which would seek to accuse God of Jesus

[19:50] Christ of telling a lie just think of that someone accusing God and Jesus Christ of telling a lie and coming up into the New Testament the night Jesus was betrayed and his trial before Pilate here in the midst of the closest chosen followers of our Lord Jesus Christ Jesus says to them in Mark 14 27 ye shall be offended because of me this night for it is written I will smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered scattered as he is speaking the truth here and the sheep shall be scattered and verse 29 we find Peter bold as ever bold Peter says although all shall be offended yet will not die and in verse 31 he speaks more vehemently to Jesus and he said if I should die with you if I should die with you

[21:11] I will not deny you but listen to this we read further down in that chapter we read further down that all they all said this they all said went with Peter they would not deny him either the whole group of them said they would not deny him and the last we read further in the end they all forsook him and fled what do you call a statement like that likewise said they all they would not flee their lord and here they are fled all fled before him in his trial so what do you turn that as but a lie and you know have we not at all at times ourselves when life has been marvellous and there is no cloud in our sky no crisis or anything in particular and suddenly something has happened in our lives some great crisis some temptation some loss some disappointment have you and I not said to ourselves well in the midst of these we found ourselves driven to God driven to seek after God as we never sought him before and I'm sure most of us have been guilty of that when the clouds our skies are beclouded and there's no light at the end of the tunnel that you and I have been driven to search

[23:13] God in such a way as we never searched him before just like these men on that night in the sea of Galilee they were driven with fear and tempest and sought the Lord as I never sought him before and these occurrences have come to you and I and has caused us to seek God in a way that we never sought them before to pray to even pray with more fervency than ever before that prayer has become more real and effective as ever we have thought before and God has answered the prayer and we've had a relapse and things are taken again more easily again the sun shines over us and again we take for granted that all is well and we forget we forget how

[24:28] God has led us through that tunnel of darkness just like the disciples in the storm but Christ comes walking to them or you think of that rich man soul take your ease he says all is well and that very night his soul is taken from him what is truth then and where is it to be found we are told in Acts 17 verse 4 of a group of believers called Bereans and these Bereans not only accepted the truth but looked with great zeal searching daily it says that that word might be true that they have heard that these things were true and how they challenge us to our reading of the scriptures and our looking into these things that we are given as a truth in

[25:39] God's world they challenge us as to our reading and searching for Bible and truths and these things that have to be faced up to in our life our physical life and our Christian life there is truth that people love and wait to hear sometimes people can't wait to hear the truth the arrival of a new baby how to wait excitingly for the truth of its arrival and there are others who don't like to hear the truth it's not the truth they want to hear and show fear they fear the truth that they are going to hear what is truth where do we find it the full and total truth and the results from it these are the supreme questions that many are asking today here we have a man whose opportunity was unique if ever a unique opportunity of finding and grasping the truth in that very moment was

[27:11] Pontius Pilate here we have this man Pilate then before Jesus Christ faced with the utmost truth in all its reality what does he do he walks away from it he says I find no fault in this man and if he found no fault in Jesus Christ why with that conviction did he send him to be whipped and then handed him over to be crucified he was physically face to face with the ultimate truth in the person of Jesus Christ and walked away from it and in spite of his wife's plea don't have anything to do with this man because by dreams

[28:15] I have seen these things about him and she pleaded with her husband Pilate to have nothing to do with it but instead of that he had him crucified the Bible tells the Bible tells us the truth of God of Jesus and of ourselves it tells us of our sin our righteousness and judgment and without apology whatsoever it says all have sinned and come short of the knowledge of God truth so many today don't like or want to hear you see we live too in an age when everyone everyone is going to heaven I'd love to believe that everyone is going to heaven one way or another irrespective of religion or any other thing everyone is going to heaven there's a time when you could have fooled me with such a hope as well and a promise no says

[29:38] God except you repent you shall all likewise perish it doesn't seem everybody's going to heaven there does it except you repent you shall all likewise perish perish what did the thief see at Calvary Calvary what did the thief see at Calvary when he saw that man in the center cross being crucified I believe he saw the truth and as he saw it in the crucified Christ on that cross he repented and realized that Jesus Christ was the answer that he was truth indeed being crucified and yet you hope is the resurrection of the Lord remember me he says when

[30:39] I comest in to thy kingdom yes I believe he saw on that center cross the very perfection and personality of the truth and the centurion also smote himself on the breast and he said surely this was the son of God what might have been saying surely this is the truth manifest in this dying man on the center cross at Calvary the ever living Lord I am the truth said Jesus I am the way the truth and the life I am the truth Jesus was a man like us he bore our temptations carried our sons to the cross rose that we might be justified he said

[31:49] I am the truth but one who made and uttered the most life giving statements any man has ever made for time and for eternity no man remember when they went to arrest Jesus they came back and said where is he he said oh couldn't arrest him this man no man speak like this man and they were arrested by the words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ he is the one indeed and still is the one we need to know we need to know for life and for death for time and for eternity and here what is he but in the truth he is the truth so far as he tells us that we are all sinners he is the truth for our salvation it is accomplished in him and through receiving him and repentance and faith and confession of our sins concerned he is the truth in these matters he is the truth of our total forgiveness by his cross and death and glorious resurrection and shed blood he is the truth of his resurrection and our eternal life even now and the hope of heaven he is the truth to his coming again who is going to heaven but all those who have repented and trust it in him where is truth found then where is truth found where is the answer to truth well it comes all in and through our

[34:08] Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ one has put it this way if he is not the truth then the whole of Christendom has framed its life on a false issue and is met at death by blank disappointment has Christ reverently in all those martyrs who died in the name of Christ are you going to tell me that he and them has died for a lie if that is the case it's the biggest lie that has ever been told into the heart of surging humanity so if you are here tonight my friends seeking truth if you are seeking well not only the truth in Christ it says in him is the fullness the fullness of truth all truth everything concerning truth is in him and him alone so if you are here tonight seeking the truth if you are trusting the

[35:25] Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour then you have found the truth you have found the answer to the truth and forthcoming from that truth we are told to walk in that truth and to obey the truth and to keep that truth there is no other summit of truth but but in Jesus Christ that that that is that we are trusting in Christ tonight then we have found not only God's summit of truth but we have found the supremeness in God himself so of all truth you will find it in Jesus Christ no other that is the summit of it all you and I find him we find truth we find

[36:25] God's utmost standing to and in our Christian faith in him we stand in truth supreme what's the result of it that we ever seek and walk in that truth and in him who is the truth and walk with it and keep it until that day all of it shall be truly revealed and the fullness of it all will be open to our eyes you will not find this truth you will not find this truth in philosophy or science or human reason even you will not even find it in religion you will only find it in Jesus Christ who is the truth and God's finding

[37:25] Christ finding the truth in him as I say finding God's ultimate what is truth where is it to be found what is the response to it it is answered in the one eternal and everlasting personality Jesus Christ may we another not to another or to short more than God let then I should add to let people can just to tell what I said