The Fountain of Knowledge

Introduction:

The passage of scripture that we have selected this morning begins with these words...

John 17:1 KJV 1900

These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

What was communicated between the Father and the Son in this passage is called Jesus’ high priestly prayer. It is a prayer for our benefit, and is a foretaste of the work that Jesus does for us now in heaven. Jesus prayed this prayer during the short trip between the upper room and the garden of Gethsemane, and considering that it consists of some of the last words that he would speak, we should recognize that its contents must be very important. As I read through this chapter, I noticed several important concepts. It contains a prayer for future believers, a promise of future protection, and a promotion of unity. But the thing that struck me most was the fact that all of these things are centered around, are contingent upon a knowledge of the truth. We need to know God…vs. 3. Our knowledge in Him is key to the protection and sanctification of the saints, and it is the basis for unity. So I want to speak this morning about the Fountain of Truth.

Note, there is a big difference between information and knowledge. Someone in our congregation pointed that out last week. I agree with a guy named Josh Billings was once said, “It’s better not to know so much than to know so many things that ain’t so.”

Nor is truth relative: Chuck Swindoll tells the story of two wealthy but wicked brothers: Punch line...”This man was an ungodly sinner, wicked to the core. He was unfaithful to his wife, hot-tempered with his children, ruthless in his business and a hypocrite at church…but compared to his brother, he was a saint.”

1. The Fountain’s Source

vs. 14

A. We find the Source of all truth in God

  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Jesus is the “Logos” - the word or the truth...

B. We find the methods God uses to Show us the truth are many.

His Creation - General revelation (touched on it last week). General revelation is limited, gets our attention, prepares our hearts to receive the special revelation of God. This includes the heavens and earth, the laws of nature and the mind of man.

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

This includes the heavens and earth, the laws of nature and the mind of man.

  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

His People - God’s people, who have received the truth have the responsibility to share what they know with the world. God uses the witness of man, including pastors, evangelists and teachers, to proclaim his truth. This is a wonderful opportunity and a wondrous responsibility for us! But no man’s knowledge should ultimately be based upon the testimony of man.

  Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

His Holy Spirit - The Holy Spirit teaches us truth.

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teachyou: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Special revelation is now complete. The Holy Spirit limits his direction to the dictates of the Word of God.

C. We find that God has Subordinated all these methods to His Word!

God has even exalted his Word above his own name, which includes the ideas of reputation, praise...It is more important that we understand what God has to say to us, than that we express our hearts to him. This is why we emphasize the preaching and teaching of the Word of God at our church. The Word of God has been the inspiration for many great men down through history. Most importantly, it tells us things that we could not know otherwise.

It is more important that we understand what God has to say to us, than that we express our hearts to him.

This is why we emphasize the preaching and teaching of the Word of God at our church

The Source

  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

  And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

  I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

2. The Fountain’s Supply

vs. 23

A. It’s Chartless

A. It’s Chartless

Is Free to all

Like the chartless regions of space, the breadth of which are unknown, their depths unfathomable, the supply of knowledge in God is beyond our our comprehension. Some people think that when we get to heaven, we will know all things, but my friend, I am here to tell you that we will never know all that there is to know in God. It was a lie of Satan in the garden, and it is a lie today. We might learn all we want for all of eternity, and standing at that boundless shore we will have grasped but a thimble of the knowledge compared to its boundless supply. It has all that you need.

  Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.

  O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.

  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

B. It’s Changeless

It seems like every time we turn around today, that the things we thought we knew are not true anymore. Give some illustrations from Health (Coconut Oil, eggs, coffee), Science (flat earth, paths of the seas), and History (flood, chariot wheels in the Red Sea, etc.)...

God’s knowledge, is changeless. We can stake our lives upon it with full assurance that it will never change. the supply is changeless.

  The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

  LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

C. It’s Chargeless

Now, I’m just getting to the best part. True, God’s supply of knowledge is chartless and changeless, but it is also chargeless! We will never ever have to pay to know God…its all free in Christ.

I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:

That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;

Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:

3. The Fountain’s Stipulations

vs. 17

A. Forsaking everything but the truth.

Those who would drink at its waters must reject all other false, so-called primary sources for truth, and they are many. Wrong ways of determining the truth might include... Friends, Family, Feelings, Fashion, False Mentors, and False Religion… these are all things that we must stop depending upon in order to know the truth.

Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

-46 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

Friends, Family, Feelings, Fashion, False Mentors, and False Religion are all things we must stop depending upon to know the truth.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Family

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Feelings

  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Fashion

False Mentors

False Religion

B. Finding time to seek the truth.

How is your quiet time? I know that I can improve in this area. It seems that in the hustle and bustle of the day, it can be so hard to get alone with God. But there is no other way. If you would know the truth, then you must make time to spend with God’s Word in God’s presence.

  Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

C. Filling your mind with truth.

When it comes to truth combating error, we need to “flood the zone.” For those of us who are not sports fans, or at least not American Football fans, it means to throw extra men toward one area or “zone” of the field in order to overwhelm the opponent’s defenses. When we think of all the ways that our minds are influenced during a given day, it should cause us to realize how important it is to fill our minds with God’s Word. (the multi-faceted media) We do this by reading, memorizing and meditating regularly.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:27 KJV 1900

I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.

King James Version Chapter 4

1 Timothy 4:13

13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to mexhortation, to ndoctrine.

  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Reading

1 Timothy 4:13 KJV 1900

Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

“Till I come, give attendance to reading...”

There are many places in the Bible where we are commanded to read God’s Word. This should not be just public reading like we are doing here today, but private reading as well. And it should be extensive and thorough and regular. Once we give attendance to reading...

Memorizing

13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

King James Version Psalm 119

Psalm 119:11

11  iThy word have I hid in mine heart,

That I might not sin against thee.

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

Psalm 119:11 KJV 1900

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, That I might not sin against thee.

11  iThy word have I hid in mine heart,

Hiding God’s Word in our hearts is a painstaking but important habit to develop. When we memorize something it becomes ours in a way that we do not otherwise know. I still recall many of the verses that I memorized as a child. Dedicate some time to memorizing God’s word each day. One of the passages that I memorized as a 6 year old was ...

Meditating

That I might not sin against thee.

Some have said that meditating is speaking God’s Word back to him. Others understand it as praying through God’s Word, others yet repeat a passage over and over while emphasizing different words in order to understand the full meaning of what God is saying. Certainly meditation requires making application to our lives. David, the sweet psalmist and noble king put it this way...

King James Version Psalm 63

5  hMy soul shall be satisfied as with †marrow and fatness;

And my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:

6  When iI remember thee upon my bed,

And meditate on thee in jthe night watches.

King James Version Psalm 63

5  hMy soul shall be satisfied as with †marrow and fatness;

And my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:

6  When iI remember thee upon my bed,

And meditate on thee in jthe night watches.

Psalm 63:5–6 KJV 1900

My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; And my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed, And meditate on thee in the night watches.