“Holding to the Truth” 10-16-22
Overview
Holding to the Truth
When Pilate stood face-to-face with Jesus and asked, "What is truth?" John 18:38, he voiced a question that sounds startlingly contemporary. In a sense, Pilate was a man ahead of his time. His cynical dismissal anticipates the dominant moods of our own era: the modern confidence that human reason alone can settle truth apart from God; the postmodern shrug that says "you have your truth, I have mine"; and the post-truth impulse that elevates feelings and ideology above facts and revelation. We may not be ahead of our time, but we can grow far too comfortable in it—abandoning the absolute truth of God's Word, or bringing our ideas to Scripture rather than submitting our ideas to Scripture.
Notice how Jesus engages Pilate. When Pilate asks, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus responds, "Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?" John 18:33-34. The definite article matters—"the King of the Jews" was the language of messianic hope, the King of salvation. Even on trial, Jesus is witnessing, pressing Pilate to consider whether he is parroting the political charges leveled against Him (see Luke 23:2) or genuinely asking after the Messiah. Jesus then declares, "My kingdom is not from this world… For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to bear witness to the truth" John 18:36-37.
Jesus is far more than a teacher whose ideas were ahead of His time. "When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law" Galatians 4:4-5. He is God in the flesh, truth personified—"I am the way, and the truth, and the life" John 14:6—who prayed for His own, "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth" John 17:17. He testifies to the truth about God, about us, about the cross, and about the empty tomb.
So, parents, do not lose heart as you proclaim God's Word to your children—"it shall not return to me empty" Isaiah 55:11. People of God, do not lose heart in a dark world of falsehoods—His Word is "a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" Psalm 119:105. You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world Matthew 5:13-14, and one of the chief ways we shine is by holding fast to the inerrant, infallible Word of God—inerrant because it is God-breathed, infallible because its Author is God Himself. Whatever cultural moment we find ourselves in, the One who is truth holds you—and He holds you for all time.
Transcript
What you're open your Bibles, please, with me today, to John the 18th chapter, if you're 3s
using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find the 18th chapter of John 9s
on page 99 in the New Testament. 13s
John the 18th chapter for our study today. 16s
There are those people that are just ahead of their time, ahead of their time. 21s
I think of Leonardo da Vinci, the master, master, artist. 32s
But did you know that many credit him for the invention of the parachute? 37s
He was ahead of his time. 44s
Then there was this fellow by the name of Hero of Alexandria. 50s
He was born in 10 AD. 53s
He came up with the concept of a steam-powered jet engine. 57s
In the spare time, he also invented the modern day vending machine. 70s
I could not put the coin in and you would get the water. 76s
Hero of Alexandria, he was ahead of his time. 83s
Charles Babbage, mid-1800s. 91s
Babbage came up with the idea of a programmable computer. 97s
He ran out of funds to bring his idea into fruition. 104s
But in 1991, there was a bunch of computer folk that got together and said, let's put 109s
his concepts, let's put his plan to test and they did just that. 115s
You know what they discovered? 120s
It worked. 123s
It worked. 126s
Babbage, mid-1800s. 127s
Saying, you know, we could invent a programmable computer. 132s
People that are just ahead of their time. 140s
Well, I'd like to add another to our list for consideration this morning. 144s
Another of one who was just ahead of the time. 150s
I'd like to add this person to the list. 155s
Pilot. 161s
Pilot. 164s
Let's study. 167s
In the 18th chapter of the Gospel of John, we come across this one by 168s
the name of Pilot. 174s
And the scripture tells us in verse 33, then pilot entered the headquarters again. 176s
Some in Jesus and asked him, are you the king of the Jews? 182s
Never remember. 188s
Pilot was the ruthless Roman governor. 189s
He asked Jesus, are you the king of the Jews? 194s
Now, Luke 23 tells us that there were three charges that were brought against Jesus. 197s
One that he was subverting the nation that was alive. 203s
The second charge that was brought against Jesus is that he was opposed to the 208s
paying of taxes to Caesar. 212s
That was alive. 216s
The third charge was that he was a political leader who wanted the Jews to rule over the 218s
Romans. 226s
That was alive. 229s
So, after pilot asked a question, are you the king of the Jews? 231s
Jesus has a very interesting response. 237s
Verse 34, Jesus answered, do you ask this on your own or did others tell you about me? 240s
What's Jesus doing there? 248s
Jesus is witnessing. 250s
How do we know that? 252s
The use of the definitive article there, the king of the Jews, that was a phrase. 254s
That was the anticipation of the people for the true Messiah and the king of salvation. 262s
And so when pilot uses the definitive article there, Jesus picks right up on it. 273s
And when he asks, do you ask this on your own? 281s
He's asking, are you asking me if I am the true Messiah, the king of salvation? 283s
Or did others tell you about me? 293s
Or are you believing what you're being told that I'm the political leader? 296s
What's he doing there? 302s
He's witnessing. 305s
Next verse, pilot replied, I'm not a Jew. 307s
Am I? 311s
Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. 313s
What have you done? 317s
Jesus answered, my kingdom is not from this world. 320s
If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being 324s
handed over to the Jews. 331s
But as it is. 333s
My kingdom is not from here. 335s
Pilot asked him, so you are a king. 338s
Jesus answered, you say that I am a king. 341s
For this I was born and for this I came into the world to testify to the truth. 344s
Everyone who belongs to the truth, 354s
listens to my voice. 358s
And then pilot says, pilot asked him, what is truth? 365s
What is truth? 378s
And pilot is a man who is ahead of his time. 385s
It's interesting how historians are classifying periods of history. 400s
It's interesting how they're classifying relatively modern history. 408s
They put it into three different fields. 414s
The first field that they put it in is what they call the modern period of history. 420s
They argued that that started at the end of the 19th century and early 20th century. 427s
It was mainly characteristics about the modern period. 433s
One I highlight just a couple, especially around the issue of truth. 436s
The historians are saying that during this period of history, 441s
one of the things that we see is a rejection of God, number one. 445s
Then they also say that it's an elevation in the modern period of reason, 452s
in a particular reason that has put into play in order to discern truth. 459s
The historians will say, what you see in the modern period is that there is a belief in absolute truth, 471s
not rooted in God, but in absolute truth that reason across cultures can then determine. 478s
The modern period, rejection of God, reason elevated to determine a set of truth that stand apart from us, 488s
that are independent upon us, that are discerned by reason, modern period. 505s
The historians are arguing that the next period that came was what's called the postmodern period, 515s
the postmodern period. 523s
The argument is that that started really after World War II and chiefly after 1968. 526s
What they maintain is in the postmodern period that truth is relative. 536s
Truth is relative. 547s
There was in the modern period, there was an absolute truth discerned by reason that could cross cultures. 549s
Remember God was left out of the equation there, but absolute truth that could be determined by reason. 555s
Postmodern thought is the understanding that truth is relative. 563s
Have you ever heard the phrase, you've got your truth, I've got my truth. 572s
Have you ever heard the phrase, we all need to speak our own truth. 576s
Those are really postmodern phrases. 583s
The modern period, postmodern period, and then beginning several decades ago, about three decades ago. 589s
The argument is made that we're no longer in the postmodern period, but we're in what is called a post-truth. 602s
Historians say this is what is manifested now in this post-truth period that we are in. 614s
That facts, they're relevant. 624s
Evidence, it's irrelevant. 630s
What matters is how you feel. 637s
If you feel a certain way, then it must be true. 642s
Why? 650s
Well, because I feel it. 652s
It's the elevation of feeling to determine truth and it's the elevation of ideology to determine truth. 656s
Facts are relevant. Evidence, irrelevant. Does it fit the ideology? 665s
And if it fits the ideas that one has, therefore, it must be true. 674s
Because I feel it. 688s
Because I feel it. 691s
Here's the point. So, when pilot in verse 38, he asks, 697s
what is truth? What is truth? 707s
That is such a modern postmodern and post-truth question to ask. 714s
Pilot? 724s
He was a head of his time. 727s
We may not be a people ahead of our time, but we can be certainly a people that are comfortable 738s
with the times. 750s
We may no longer be in the modern period, but we can certainly be comfortable. 755s
We can certainly be at home with the thoughts of the modern period 761s
where God's truth is abandoned. And we can reason out our own truth and even put our own absolute label on it. 767s
We may not be in the modern period anymore, but we can certainly be at home with its expression. 777s
We may not be in the postmodern period anymore. 786s
But we can certainly be at home in its expressions, 795s
where we can abandon the absolute truth of God revealed in his holy word. 799s
We can abandon that and by into the, let's just all get along, 807s
you've got your truth, I've got my truth, and we'll just all agree to speak our own truth. 816s
We may not be in the postmodern period anymore, but we can be at home in the times of its expression. 823s
We may be in the post-truth period. 838s
And we can find ourselves at home there too, right? 845s
We're instead of turning to God's word and having God give us the truth. We can turn inward 850s
to ourselves and even start to rationalize and say, well, I know what God's word says, 857s
but I just feel this way. And of course, if we feel that way, then it must be true. 865s
We can feel at home in the post-truth period. 875s
Feel quite at home where we bring our ideas, we bring our ideology to the word of God, 881s
instead of submitting our ideas to the word of God. We can bring our ideas to the word of God, 888s
and if our ideas square with the things, then it must be true. 894s
Instead of critically examining our ideas in light of the word, 903s
we may not be, we may not be in the modern period in the postmodern period. 913s
We may be in a post-truth period. We may not be at people 920s
that are ahead of the time, but we can certainly be at people 929s
that are comfortable with the times, right? 937s
The philosopher, the cart, born 1596. The cart invented the first contact lens. 948s
He got it to where the lens could be put in a person's eye and that person could see 2020. 963s
This is at the end of the 1500s that that is invented. The only problem is 971s
is that the contact lens he invented, the person couldn't blink. 979s
So it never really took off too well. 984s
A lady by the name of Victoria Catlin wordhole. She was ahead of her time. 990s
She ran for president of the United States. The first woman to ever run for president 998s
of the United States, and she ran at a time when women didn't even have the right to vote. 1003s
And as I was dabbling in this, looking at various articles and books about 1016s
authors that would maintain about people that were ahead of their time. 1020s
One author had another name on the list and said, you know who was really ahead of his time. 1026s
Jesus. Jesus. He said, quote, 1036s
Jesus was a moral and spiritual teacher who's teachings wound up going around the world 1042s
and the benefits of Jesus. His teachings weren't really discovered until many years later. 1051s
He said, he was a man ahead of his time. 1064s
Paul writes in the fourth chapter of Galatians. 1072s
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his son, born of a woman, born under the law, 1078s
in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. 1088s
But when the fullness of time had come, that's a phrase that means, when the perfect time 1097s
for the Messiah to come, had come, the Father sent the Son, born of a woman, to redeem us, 1106s
to buy us back. And the Lord Jesus Christ is more than a teacher. He is the second member of the 1113s
Trinity, God in flesh. He is not one who's benefits are only discovered because years have passed. 1123s
No, he's one who has won for us, the benefits of forgiveness and life eternal because he went to the 1135s
God and sinful humanity. Giving rise now for eternal life because of his victory of the cross and the 1152s
empty tomb. And we understand the glorious blessings that come with the Lord Jesus Christ through the eyes 1162s
of faith that are given to us. And we see he is not just a man who was ahead of the time. 1171s
He's the God man, God in flesh, who has reconciled us and redeemed us and graciously 1182s
called us his own. We see that the Lord Jesus Christ is truth personified because he is God in the flesh. 1190s
He is the one who said, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 1204s
He is the one who prayed, sanctify them, set them apart, praying for us, sanctify them in the 1222s
truth. Thy word is truth. He is the one who says in verse 37 of our text, for this I was born 1232s
and for this I came into the world to testify to the truth. What truth, the truth about God, 1245s
the truth about us, the truth about what He will do at the cross, the truth of the meaning of the 1256s
resurrection, He testifies to the truth of who God is and who we are. He is truth personified. 1265s
God in the flesh. 1277s
Parents do not lose heart, do not lose heart when you proclaim the word of truth to your 1285s
children. Do not lose heart. For Isaiah 55 says that God's word will not return to him empty. 1300s
It will accomplish exactly what God wants to accomplish through your proclamation. Parents do not lose heart. 1315s
People of God do not lose heart as we live in a dark world filled with falsehoods and lies. 1328s
Do not lose heart because Psalm 19 says that his word, his word of truth, is a lamp on to our feet 1341s
and a light on to our path. The love it do not lose heart because the Lord Jesus says, 1354s
you are the salt of the earth. Will love it do not lose heart because Jesus says, you are the light 1366s
of the world. And a way by God's grace for us to be salt and light in the world is to hold fast 1379s
to the inerrant, infallible word of Almighty God. Inerrant it contains no errors because it is 1391s
God breathed. Infallible it is incapable of error because it's author is of God. Do not lose heart. 1403s
For we are salt and light in the world and a way to be salt and light is to proclaim and hold fast. 1418s
To the truth of God's word, whatever time period we find ourselves in. 1433s
For the one who is truth, personified, Jesus Christ holds you and he holds you for all time. 1448s