Reality check

what is truth?

we know these famous words from Pontius Pilate, but what is behind them? I mean, we must ask ourselves, what is truth? what is reality?

if I say to you, unicorns are real, is that reality? you would hopefully ask yourselves, is it true? because reality is based in truth.

the definition of reality is “the world or state of things as they actually exist” sounds like truth, right? obviously opposite of a lie since a lie is not something that actually happened, it is simply the telling of untruth. the lie is false reality, not true reality.

I will tell you the truth right now. If you listen to what is said today, and have already believed it, your are radically changed already, if you are first believing it today, your life will change from this day forward. But if you just listen with out believing today, you will walk out of here completely unchanged and unaffected. I promise you, that this message will be confronting to everyone sitting here that is alive today....... so the question I have is do you now believe or will you by the end of the morning, believe what is said today? take notes so you keep in step with me and I will come back to our question at the end. go ahead and write down, will I believe?

Remember the definition of reality, the state of things that actually exist.

So, what is truth? Pilate said the question before Jesus, and throughout Jesus’s life, Jesus answered that question.

do you remember how Pilate was living? He was a ruler, he thought he needed to keep his power and position, so he lied and killed to keep what he had in this world. Now christian, was Pilate living in the reality that God was present? How could he be, right? He was living like he himself was on the throne. and in his heart, he was on his own throne. Christians, true Christians live different. they live a life that another is on their throne. they do not live in lies and deceit but in truth and love.

So, what does your life look like? Are you living like Pilate today? on your own throne? living in a lie?

or, Jesus is on the throne and has all the say in your life? this is pictured in scripture as light and darkness as well. so, are you living in the light?

as a Christian, a true Christian lives in the truth of God because they have been dethroned and God takes His rightful place in our hearts.

A true Christian has had an experience of trusting, or faith with God that Jesus has taken all of their sin onto Himself, like Jesus taking a coat full of your sin and putting it on and taking the physical and spiritual death for it. that is our Jesus! and more, He handed over His coat of righteousness so we could wear it, so we look like Jesus and His perfect righteousness in the very presence of the Father of Heaven! God sees us as He sees His Sons life on earth, which He did every action and thought right. You stand righteous before the living God! Christian. So, you live with joy! unspeakable joy! and in the presence of God without fear.

this is the big idea.....Reality equals the continual presence of God.

question. do you live in reality? We are meant to, and the truth is, listen to this, write this down, everyone lives completely in the presence of God, but not ever person knows this… do you?

if God is self existent, everywhere all the time, it does not depend on us believing that for it to be true and real. it just comes down to if we live like it is true or not...... CHURCH, let’s really get this now!

listen to Psalm 139

Psalm 139:1–12 ESV

O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.

Oh God help us to fully receive this truth that you are fully present here right now and always. May we live before you in uprightness and integrity, surrendering our hearts completely to You, Trusting You completely God! God, help us to wake up! Change us Lord, so we are not the same, and it is ok!

Psalm 139:

Big idea today

Reality = the continual presence of God.

You know what, people living in darkness don’t even know that they are living life with themselves on the throne.

When someone lives in the true reality, their life reveals it....Church, does a Christian live in lies or the truth? in God’s will or their own will?

If you are listening to my voice right now.....how are you living? in the light or in the darkness? the answer is in your actions.

Church, let me be brutally honest.....If we are not living in the light, the truth, in God’s reality, we are living in darkness, our own will. we are in sin. Much like David with Bathsheba, the adultery and murder, and David needed to be confronted, called out so he could come back to the light, David needed to confess his sin. maybe you are here today and need to get back to the light, you need to confess and repent. last week we talked about being a confessional church. confess daily.... how is it going with that church? your actions will tell me. my actions will tell you how i am doing with it. it will show who is in charge of the heart! that is who is in charge of the life.

if you are searching for direction today.....Jesus tells us in John which is the right direction....

this is Jesus’s answer from the question about direction.

John 14:6 ESV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

this statement is the most confronting, most challenging text for people trying to discredit our Lord that there is. What is Jesus really saying here?

God made a way, one way, and it is Jesus. there is no other way. Did God need to make more than one way?

Jesus shows us who He is. He uses I am. He is.

in other verses Jesus says

I am the bread of life

I am the living bread

I am the light of the world

I am the door

I am the good Shepherd

I am the resurrection and the life

I am the true vine

If there were one person to say this about themselves and they were not God but just human, we would cast them out. these words, these descriptions, tell the story of who He is to us.

He is the one who created reality!

the big idea, reality equals God’s continual presence

if we live in the Light church, in His continual presence, what does our life look like?

We trust He is sovereign, completely.

He has all the power over everything. even the enemy!

we are no longer controlled by fear but

all fears subside in God’s sovereign protection.

We are now controlled by love.

CHURCH, who could stop a person who is sold out to God and has determined that they will love and forgive everyone in their life because of the power of God. they cannot be stopped!!!

this is VICTORIOUS living. this is what God has called His people to live in.

the life of walking with God is walking in His will.

Are you living that way today? If you are then Praise God! If you are not, is it now time to walk this way?

we have two songs to finish today....the first one causes you to declare that you are no longer a slave to sin......sing it only if it is true for you.

the next is “the cross has the final word” and may that song be confirmed in your heart forever because it his true.

I asked you at the beginning of this message, Will you believe? Now it is your time to answer. You can write it down if you want to, but you found out today that your live, how you live will speak your answer loud and clear! You will all know my answer as well. no one can hide from revealing their answer.

if today has hit you in a way that you want prayer, or to talk about it, I will stay up here for you......

I would also like to ask, if anyone would like to come to the altar for these last two songs, come on up.. I would love to see everyone that can walk, to come up and worship together like we are in heaven together! come!

Fundamental to Jesus’ response to Thomas’ question was that Jesus himself is the way—that he is the truth and the life are supporting statements. Jesus is the way to the Father primarily because his death made access to the Father’s presence possible for sinful human beings. He is also the way to God because he is the truth: he brought the truth of God into the world (1:14, 17; 8:32, 40, 45–46; 14:6; 18:37), proclaiming it and embodying it. Therefore, when people come to Jesus, they come to the one in whom the truth about the Father is found.