rewind (part 1)

The season of Lent is often meant to be a time when people of faith focus attention on the cross of Jesus. It is a time for people to examine our own lives and be reminded again of our own need for a savior. Lent is a forty-day journey towards Easter that invites us into the story of God’s redemption of a broken and sinful world.

Here is how we are going to do that together over the coming weeks from now until Easter. We are going to work backwards through the gospel of John in a series that I am calling “rewind.” This is a take on John’s gospel that allows us to see the way that Jesus himself was pointing in the direction of redemption and salvation. We get the sense in the gospel stories that even Jesus’ closest followers did not understand the reason for Jesus to submit himself to execution on the cross. There may be many among us here who know the story and have learned the Sunday school answer—Jesus died to save us from our sin. But I cannot help but wonder if our own understanding of the cross might be just as clouded and confused as the disciples’ understanding of the cross. After all, those stories are recorded in scripture not only to show us who God is, but also to reveal to us something about who we are. Do we fully know the reason for the cross.

And so, as Jesus came closer and closer to the cross in the story of the gospel, he dropped more and more hints to his followers about the reason for his sacrifice. As people today looking back on those events, let’s trace those stories backwards from the cross to see how Jesus laid the groundwork for his followers to understand what God is doing. We will begin that today by looking at the passage in John’s gospel that comes right before Jesus is taken and nailed to the cross.

John 18:28–40 (NIV)

John 18:28–40 NIV

Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?” “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.” Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” “But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die. Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.

John 19:1–6 (NIV)

John 19:1–6 NIV

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face. Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!” But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”

What a strange conversation here between Jesus and Pilate. You can pretty clearly see that Pilate is just looking for a way to get out of the middle of this dispute. He doesn’t seem to understand why the Jewish religious leaders are so upset with Jesus—angry enough that they demand the death penalty. Pilate doesn’t see that Jesus poses any kind of threat to him or his position of power in the Roman government. The only thing that seems to be causing trouble to Pilate is the unruly stubbornness of the Jewish leaders.

Pilate doesn’t understand the reason for Jesus to be on the path that he has chosen. The closest we get to that in this story is in verse 37 where Jesus turns the question about being a king into a statement about truth.

John 18:37 (NIV)

John 18:37 NIV

“You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

The reason Jesus came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everything that Jesus says and does is a testimony. It is not the first time that the apostle John has made reference to Jesus being about truth. In fact, John gives a nod towards this all the way back in the opening of his gospel when he says in chapter 1,

John 1:14 (NIV)

John 1:14 NIV

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus came into the world to testify to the truth

Pilate’s response: “what is truth?”

Maybe we could argue that the apostle John sets up a theme of Jesus providing a testimony of truth from the very beginning. Pilate’s response to Jesus is revealing in verse 38. “’What is truth?’ retorted Pilate.” Retorted is a strong word—too strong I would say. Most English Bibles translate it as “Pilate said” which is more accurate to the meaning of the original Greek. It is not that Pilate is being snarky or argumentative. It is left more as an open question from Pilate. Perhaps he is honestly wondering to himself, how do I know what the truth is here? After all, Pilate cannot seem to find the basis for a charge against Jesus so severe that it warrants execution, even though the Jewish leaders are convinced Jesus must die. Perhaps Pilate asks this question because he is confused and doesn’t understand the reason for any of this to be happening.

understanding the truth of Jesus helps for understanding the reason for the cross

people claim whatever they want to claim and call it truth

For today, then, let’s use this short exchange between Jesus and Pilate as our launching point to consider for us in our world today what it means for Jesus to give a testimony of the truth. Because if we understand what it means for Jesus to testify to the truth, then we should also be able to understand something about the reason for the cross—those things go hand-in-hand. I would say that this is actually very important for our world right now. The idea of truth itself is something that has gotten lost in our world. People claim whatever they want to claim and call it the truth. Let’s be honest, I am convinced that even among the people right here in this room today there is disagreement about certain areas of truth (depending on what cable network you use to get your news). Pilate’s observation and response to Jesus is just as relevant for our world today as it was for him back in that time.

what is the truth to which Jesus testifies?

What does it mean for Jesus to testify to the truth? After all, Jesus says that everyone who is on the side of truth listens to him. It would be pretty hard to be on the side of truth if we cannot answer the question of what it means for Jesus to testify to the truth. And I want to challenge us here today to pause and spend a moment with this question. Here is the reason why. I imagine that for those who have been believers for quite some time, we all assume that we already know the answer to that question. Of course I know the truth to which Jesus testifies. Jesus died on the cross to save me from my sin. And if there is anyone here today that has been trying and trying in your own life to fix your own brokenness by yourself, I pray that this truth of Jesus lifts a weight off the shoulders of your soul and you come to accept the truth that only Jesus can wipe away the guilt of our sin.

do I know the truth? do I believe the truth? am I on the side of truth?

But don’t let it stop there. For those of us here who have maybe accepted that truth long ago there is more going on in this conversation to pull us a little deeper into what it means that Jesus testifies to the truth. Consider again what Jesus gives as a response to Pilate. “Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” There may be plenty of us here who would acknowledge right now that we know the truth of Jesus. There may be plenty of us here who would acknowledge right now that we believe the truth of Jesus. But let me push the question all the way to where Jesus takes it. What does it mean to be on the side of truth? This is why it is so worth us taking a moment to pause and contemplate on the reason for the cross. It is not just something to know; it is not just something to believe. By calling us to be on the side of truth, Jesus implies that there is a real life response which ought to take shape.

to be on the side of truth means that our lives move forward a bit differently than they otherwise would have

Let me put it this way. If the weather forecast is for rain and you have to go out and do a significant amount of walking outdoors for a commute; and if the weather radar shows a massive line of showers coming your way, you do more than just know it and believe it. If you have to go walking outdoors on a day like that, you take an umbrella with you. Your action is impacted and influenced by what you see and know and believe is true of the weather coming your way. For Jesus to call us to be on the side of truth means that our lives move forward a bit differently than they otherwise would have.

not easy to be on the side of truth — disciples and early church struggled to do this

call from Jesus to be on the side of truth is a call that should leave us over and over again in surrender to Jesus

This is not as easy as we might like—to be on the side of truth as Jesus calls us to be. Just look at all the ways that the disciples struggled to do this and get this right. Look at all the letters that the apostle Paul wrote to correct these new churches trying to figure out how to get this right. It would be pretty arrogant of us to just assume that of course I am always on the side of truth and I always get that right and I never misstep along the way. No. The call from Jesus to be on the side of truth is a call that should leave us over and over again in surrender to Jesus. It is a call that acknowledges I can only find freedom and redemption in Jesus alone.

am I allowing the Holy Spirit to surrender my life to God’s side? or am I trying to get God to surrender to my side?

Be honest about the way this plays itself out. Because what was it that really kept the disciples and the early church making mistakes over and over again when becoming misaligned with the truth of Jesus. Here is the mistake they made over and over—and it is the same mistake we make over and over as well. Instead of surrendering themselves to be moved by the Holy Spirit on the side of Jesus’ truth, they were seeking to bring Jesus over onto their own side of “truth” (whatever that might mean for them—overthrow the Roman Empire, make gentiles obey Jewish cultural customs…fill in the blank). We do the same thing yet today. We are people who seek to surrender Jesus to our side of “truth” rather than surrendering ourselves to Jesus’ side of truth.

my identity in Christ begins at the cross

don’t just know about God’s love for the world; don’t just believe in God’s love for the world; be on the side of God’s love for the world

Here is the step to take for today, then. Surrender to the truth that your identity in Christ begins at the cross and what Jesus did for you at the cross. The truth to which Jesus testifies is a testimony of grace—that being undeserved favor. Don’t just know what grace is; don’t just believe in the grace of God; be on the side of grace. Let your life be a testimony of grace just as Christ’s life is a testimony of grace. The truth to which Jesus testifies is a testimony of love—an unconditional love that gives without thought of return. Don’t just know what love is; don’t just believe in the love of God; be on the side of love. Let your life be a testimony of love just as Christ’s life is a testimony of love. Start there and here is what happens. Instead of the tension and struggle and battle of always trying to get Jesus to be on my side of my truth, a life of deep and abiding peace is right there in front of you by surrendering to cross of Jesus.