06-04-2023 What is Truth? (John 18:28-38)

Three Theories for the Nature of Truth 1) The Correspondence Theory- A statement is true if it corresponds to the way the world is 2) The Coherence Theory- A statement is true if it is consistent with other statements we take to be true. • The coherence theory is put under pressure when other truths are questioned. 3) The Pragmatic Theory- A statement is true if it works. • The pragmatic theory values power over principle. John 18:33-38 33 Then Pilate went back into the headquarters, summoned Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Are you asking this on your own, or have others told you about me?” 35 “I’m not a Jew, am I?” Pilate replied. “Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” 36 “My kingdom is not of this world,” said Jesus. “If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” 37 “You are a king then?” Pilate asked. “You say that I’m a king,” Jesus replied. “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 “What is truth?” said Pilate. After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no grounds for charging him. John 14:1-7 1 “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; 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 am going to prepare a place for you? 3 If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also. 4 You know the way to where I am going.” 5 “Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” The Church is the people of God. If you know Jesus, you know the Father. Bearing witness to Jesus as Lord is the central calling of the Church. Central to our call is proclaiming Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life. John 18:37  Beth Moore Story: Years ago at an event during a Q&A, a woman asked, Beth, what’s the knot in your rope? I thought it was the best question. In other words, what do I hold onto when I’m sliding down a rope, palms burning & blistering & all my formulas failing? I didn’t even have to think about it. The words of Jesus in John 15:9. “As the Father has loved me, so I love you. Now abide in my love.” Jesus follower, try to grasp the magnitude of what he is saying about you. In the same way God loves Jesus, Jesus loves you. Then he says, LIVE IN THIS TRUTH. IT’S HOME TO YOU. This is how I think of it: no matter what is happening in my life, this truth must be firmly rooted and grounded, as Paul said in Eph 3, as the deepest belief and reality in my entire existence. In the whole of my day in and day out living. This way, come what may, in all the losses & gains & tears & doubts & bewilderments & betrayals, & when my body aches with the pain of aging or I’m sick or depressed or worse yet, one of my loved ones is, I know this with all my being, none of this is because I’m unloved by God. Jesus loves me like God loves him. And, man oh man, does God love Jesus. Let that sink down into the deepest part of you. Let that root deep into the soil of your consciousness and unconsciousness. Jesus loves you like God loves him. Live in it. Don’t leave it for a minute. What's the knot in your rope? In a world that says there is no truth, what do we hold on to? John 18:38 What is truth? We believe that Truth has a name, a face, a mother, a birthdate, a death date, and a resurrection date.