All the Truth

Jesus said an answered. I am the way and the truth and the life and no one comes to the father except through me. This can be and is 4 many people in our culture a divisive text. But first they they are frustrated with it and those who are not Christian who are angry with this calls us exclusives where it were making the the gospel exclusive. That's an unloving statement and I want to suggest to you that it's probably the most loving statement that anyone could have offered to us and to do that. We're going to ask three questions. Today. We're going to ask what life am I seeking what truth am I believing and what truth am I following? So first, let's talk about what life. Am I seeking when I was a little when I was young. I wanted to be I wanted to be almost anything Superman to Cowboy. You name it? I played it and it was fun and even want to be a baseball player at one time believe it or not. Talk about Miracle miracles.

I have a great Fantasy Life and I had this all worked out how I live. My life is going to be like and then when I got the junior high school, I realized I was made a choral director and I know what my life was going to be like to be like my dad's is going to die was going to teach like my dad fact. I was hoping that if he hadn't retired by then that maybe I would end up being in a school with a man at all these dreams about what my life would be. It didn't turn out that way. In fact, it was very very frustrating. It didn't turn out that way and I tried everything I could to keep moving in that direction finally gave up and every time I tried to get away from music and try to get away from that job and gotten try to change majors in college. I fell flat on my face. I couldn't get out of what I was doing. It was it was really tough. We all desire stuff. We all desire of a life. We all want that perfect bait. We all desired of the the white picket. I'm not literally but figuratively the white picket fence with the welding house with a lovely yard that by the way, Moe's itself and a tree and then and the front yard with a lovely swing hanging up underneath it with the shade and a picnic tables there for the family gatherings and the Beautiful Beautiful tables for Thanksgiving. We have all these dreams and it doesn't seem to end up looking that way. Our desire is even more for just peace and fullness and joy and happiness. That's what we're looking for. Isn't what we're seeking for life. Who taught at the same time we're finding ourselves. So conflicted in all of these things. We're we're we're wondering why it's not achieving. The trouble with a lot of our understanding of life is is it we're actually many people are actually taking life like cattle do they take a little grass here a little grass there a little grass there than not really paying that much attention to anything in the next thing. I heard it down in the Ravine and they're lost. And for many individuals that's what our school was likely when we took one will try here and that felt good and we did something else that felt good and that felt good that felt good and who cares what Mom and Dad says because this is I'm getting all my my kicks in its am feeling good doing this stuff and why not and then we wonder why we're in the predicament. We're in later on. It's not the life that we planned. We're taking a weave taking on habits that that are positive. We have some obviously some positive habits that we're still alive today. And but we also have negative habits that we are that really are in a sense underline our own destruction. We live in the most free the most free and Wealthy society and yet we as a whole or the most lonely conflicted unhappy depressed and Confused people. All we have to do is just look outside. All we have to do is go on Facebook. All we have to do is go on Twitter. All we have to do is dial up the news. All we have to do is hear about the next divorce in our family. All we have to do is to see all of this the stuff that's supposed to be so good and yet it's falling apart.

It seems like the more we try to attain the good life the more it seems to elude us.

We see all the time wanting this great life and it's not happening. I mean the one thing you can say, it's good about Facebook as we can hear the stories about all the Bridezillas we hear the stories we can we can hear those. We watch those we kind of laugh at some of them cuz they're so literacy. Why would they get so upset about someone wearing not wearing someone wearing glasses and they're part of the part of the wedding party because it hurts the the image trying to get. Why are we spending all that money on weddings? Anyway, I figured that one out. You know all of that seems so weird, but we do it try to get that life that we want that picture of the perfect life that we want and it eludes us. So you have to ask the question really honestly, what kind of Life are we really seeking? Do we want just to have the home in the family the perfect kids the perfect house the perfect husband we want all those things and isn't happening. Do we have the perfect job and we have all those things that we want. We have all the things that make us happy. Are we getting our adrenalinn Russians out of it? And for many, I think it's not true. We are feeling like in some cases we're settling for second-best putting up with what we could get rather than what we really wanted. It's no wonder some of the least expensive and the most prevalent drug in the United States are antidepressants. So the next question starts to handle some of this is what so what truth am I really believing what truth am I really believing? Pilot asked that question. It's not it. It's not an issue just comes to us in the 21st century and something pilate asked that Jesus trial. What is truth? the word used here in the in the New Testament is Elijah and Elisha really comes with long with the idea of to to to be seen as it is. It really is to be seen as it really is it it's true and genuine it's reality the meaning it really means an understanding of seeing something of revealing and something that's being can you know what Sunday is non concealment? It's it's it's beans visible. It's it's what you actually can touch and taste the reality. That is the foundation of all that is real really real that which truly is much more time. I went about truth that which truly is Is and always will be. When Jesus said in John 18:12, he says I am the light of the world when when Jesus was referred to as the light he wasn't just saying I'm a sticker flashlight that sticks in here. He's saying that what he is doing when he steps in I am the reality that demonstrates what's really real and it is in contrast to the unreality that is around and for the first time reality steps in and you see a contrast You see what is real when you see Jesus by the opposite of truth is eidolon. We get that word Idol and idle means a reflection. It means an appearance. It looks like but it's not. You might want to think in terms of this at least when I when I think of it. Anyway, I see as the lightest. I think I see truth is being where the camera is taking a picture and the the main item is in Chris Chris Pocus. And everything around it is subdued or out of focus. And that's the difference cuz reality is something that is actually there where everything else is is faded away is untruth as idols. It's the reason why God forbid the idea of worshipping idols and other words don't worship things that aren't real. Don't worship things that appear to be real but are not that's why in Exodus 20:20 verse for it says you shall not make for yourself any image in the form of anything in Heaven above or on Earth beneath or in the waters below. so what is the underlined foundational truth that directs your choices and my choices for our lives? today today we are we are being overwhelmed by different truths plurals Oprah Winfrey encourages us to ask people to follow the truth. That's within you the real truth. That's within you only you know the truth. It's what you say. It is others won't say it that way. They'll say something similar but it really means the same thing as it means follow your heart. follow your heart and we've seen this now since the 60s this this idea of just simply Everyone's an individual do whatever you feel is right for you. And when there is conflict. I'm right you're wrong. You have to respect my truth, and when I choose not to respect your truth to take me to court. Then I have to pay a tremendous amount of money for damaging your self-image.

You say we we we we don't necessarily follow our hearts. We don't necessarily follow our true is because they're both formed by the hormones in our body and all our body chemistry. Just like the cattle that's going along nibbling on The Good the good grass just keeps going off in a direction in the direction. We as individuals have been given a body by God that the has these chemicals inside of us and they're all there for a great purpose, but we do a great job of abusing. those thanks. The idea feeling good, you know, there's nothing like having a nice warm bowl of soup on a very cold day. It feels good. When you get depressed you go to the freezer and pull out the ice cream, or maybe you guys aren't ice cream people. Maybe your doughnut people. Whatever it might be when you get depressed you go out and shop because you can those chemicals start coming back into you and you start to feel good. The next thing you know that feeling good keeps at you. Why is it and I'm only a stereotyped with boys. Why is it that boy stay up till 2 and 3 in the morning right with the video game? They can't let go of that video game it goes so fast. Why do because the chemicals in their systems are all out. It's going like crazy. It feels so good. They're addicted. Let me come addicted.

God created us but we abused all the things that God has created to do sex is as a wonderful thing. But we abused the very gift that God has given us for good.

God's truth tells us we were made in His image. We were designed in a specific way for a specific purpose. If we step outside the boundaries of our design, we don't do very well.

People are saying we're going to go colonize Mars cuz we're getting too populated here. We're going to look for other planets to be on. I don't have to go so far as to say that is far as I'm concerned that's outside our design parameters. No. We're in a we're not designed to go in and swim in the water and go down and stay down in the water. Are we? What are we designed to fly, but we accommodate all of that cuz we are been given a gift creativity we can we can come up with mechanisms and Machinery to Keep Us Alive for a. Of time under water, but window air runs out we better surface. We could go up in space and spend time and space but we dare not leave the castle or we bare not leave our suit and our suit better not rip, and the capsule better not leak. We were never designed to be up there naturally. We were never designed to abused our bodies with chemicals. And when we do it use them if all we weave you suffer the consequences. In fact, we are suffering the consequences in so many ways by the environment and by all these other things we have no idea understanding but there's so much going on in our in our surrounding us that we are being bombarded by all of these things that are having impacts on us. They're outside our design parameters.

I can only run so fast.

I can only sleep so long.

And every time I step outside of those parameters, I do my self harm.

I going to live so much. I have a bad back.

We step outside those parameters God created for us to live of a specific kind of left life with a specific kind of Lifestyle. We were just not we were never designed for premarital sex. . We weren't we weren't designed for divorce.

But yet we still do them. We weren't designed to be rebellious. We were designed to be with God. And to be in love with him.

We were given as part of his image free choice. that means that there would be opportunity for us to have competitive trues to make our choices from

are we first see this happening? With Adam and Eve in the garden and the first the first competitive truth that came out was this God says eat the fruit of the knowledge of Good and Evil and you will die truth. What a competitive truth came along. Eat the fruit and be like God knowing the difference between Good and Evil.

Which one did which one did he take?

Each day, we are confronted. Every single day continually confronted from the time. We're a little babies. We are confronted with with competitive truths. It's knocking on our doors all the time. Why does it say where our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the evil forces of this world. There is a constant barrage of things that we're told that as an opposition to what the truth. That is God's truth God's only real truth the reality of the world that went that created. He created in a certain way and now we have these competitions coming in and it is destroying us snow wondering happy. Continue Israel continued accepting idolatry rather than listening and obeying God's truth to worship him and him alone. We're confronted with this over and over again and we are the combination of picking this truth and this truth and this truth and this truth and in many ways in a Christian environment many ways. What we've done it as Christians is we've taken a lot of these out-of-focus idolatrous trues and we kind of somehow move them into our Theology and Lee create a theology that works for us. So it becomes Our Truth

Jesus Temptations within Matthew for ask this question and it is this do you do you trust God's truth?

We are bombarded Everyday by Satan who's coming along side of insane. It will feel good. You will be accepted You Will Be Loved You will have plenty you will make money. You will be able to have your dream. You'll be able to live the life that you want to dream. Over and over and over again and overtime. Habits begin to form it in November if you ever seen people who are addicted to drugs. I have talked to families whose food. The parents in the end of parents that you know before those drunks. My child was was wonderful. Listen to us laughed could wood would always look to do try to do the right thing and and was was wonderful personality always thought about others they got hooked on drugs. And it's only thinks about butts only cares about and now he's a liar. He steals he abuses. Give manipulates is exactly the opposite. Why because he believed the LIE? I believe the friend the friend who said don't worry about it. You won't get hooked. It just feels good. It's Satan in the garden. Don't believe God believe believe believe this friend because he'll make you feel good after all. God want you to feel good.

Over and over and over again.

so question is what truth? Am I bleeding? This is the whole the whole Hallmark of discipleship, isn't it? It's reason why we have Bible study. It's the reason why we have a church. It's the reason why we gather together is not it's a hammer doctor in into our heads. It's the Discover the truth that's around the table in a discussion group. That's what that's very poor Bible study. it's opening up ourselves and making ourselves vulnerable so that we can discover the trews that have been faults in our lives so that we can let them go because you see the Christian life isn't about getting something because when you accept Jesus Christ as Lord, you get it all I guess you were being a Christian is what you let go of.

Remember a writer told me one day you said. Most of my time is not spent. writing the initial article vast majority of my time is cutting out all the stuff that holds back from making the article good. Editing and rewriting and editing and rewriting and editing. And who we are as broken people is not the idea of of okay, how much more of God can I get in my life and it presupposes? I don't have to change. It's instead. It's how much can I get out of bed. Get out of the way so God can work in me. That's the essence of discipleship. It's Peter discovers by his actions and realizes that he was being really a little over the edge when he says to Jesus will watch all my body. Or wait a minute. You want me to eat those thing? You know that that's not correct food. That's not kosher.

SPH Paul, the challenge is Peter to say Peter don't you realize that you act totally differently when you're with there's when you're with the Jews and then with the Gentiles.

It's learning to let go of the garbage that we have accepted from the time that we were infants. Over and over again hearing those choices and making the choices that everybody else makes and therefore not hearing and listening to the truth. We are at church needs needs over and over again to get into and discover the truth not our truth, but his truth and the way that's done is in conversation and by study That's why we talked about worship and prayer and study and service and fellowship. These are mechanisms not just to simply be busy body things and just simply to do them in Rotan, maybe put a time card in the slot and click it and say, okay did my Bible study for the day? I did buy worship for the day. I did my service for the day. I showed up at church and Community for the day, but this is a life experience of commitment to a lifestyle that opens us up to the opportunity to see ourselves and to see others and to be able to help a firm and build each other up and for me to let go of the garbage that I've kept hold off for 73 years 17 my goodness. I feel older already seventy-one years.

So that the last question is what truth am I following?

This is what prayer is. Prayer is really coming to God and and being open with him enough so that he can speak into you. and you can say where's your something needs change? Her something is different from what I had planned for you the way I designed you.

God offers us his Truth for the life for which we were designed.

He let Jesus pay for our sins on the cross.

He paid that price so that we could live a perfect life you see. In our culture, we have this idea of being good enough.

God isn't interested in us being good enough. CS Lewis's the goal of a Christian is not being good enough the goal of a Christian perfection. And the only way we can reach that is not by our means but by the only means possible is by Jesus and he paid that on the cross for us. That's why we're children of God citizens of the Kingdom in his Priestly Priestly ambassadors.

This image of being good enough doesn't work. All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and his design for us. Before our birth we were already condemned to Eternity outside of his presence is he this is the way the culture gets all confused as they say, how can you say that that there's only one way to God? There's only one y That's wrong. I'm a good man. I'm a good woman. I'm a good person. How dare you be. So exclusive. But there's an assumption behind that statement. The assumption is I'm a good person. I was born into the world with a blank slate. I'm a good guy. I'm a good person and I'm better than the other person. So I'm a good person and I'm already on the way to heaven. I already have a relationship with what god. Well, it's obviously the truth and soothe in them and it's their truth and their understanding of a god small G. And then they get upset with us. This is reason why it's called the gospel. Before you came out of the womb we were already destined for hell. This is a life and this world is already on the way to destruction. It's already away from God. It's already out of communication with God our life ends and the grave and it's forever without god without life. And the eternal life that is said to us to have the outside of Heaven is one of being in hell. That is all of Mankind's punishment. forever Jesus came to offer us life-saving eternity. and Jesus He's the Savior. That's why it's called a savior. That's why he is the king. This isn't something we make up. It isn't because we are special people and we've got a hornet over review. I made it you didn't. Is I'm broken. I'm I don't have any other choice. I have to accept that I have accepted the the the the rope that he's given me. Or I'm going to spend the rest of my eternal life living out in the misery. It's even worse than it is now. I have a rope to hang onto and he offers that rope to me. I am the way. the contains the truth for the life that you were meant to live.

It's hard. It's hard to talk to non-christians about it. No one comes to the father except me because he is the ultimate path. To that which we all want desperately. Can we believe his truth enough to follow him? Are we committed are we willing to do the work and it is work this idea? Just once I got saved. It's all over with I sign my contract with the insurance agency called Jesus and he's he's made it possible. I'm going on to heaven.

It's work. Its commitment.

So well, but someone would say. How do you know it's all true?

obviously It's called The Resurrection. Either Jesus was crazy.

Are you telling the truth?

It was on his mind.

Or he's a liar. He's telling the truth. Because he is the truth. Here's the truth for you and me. And that truth lives in each one of us both accepted him as Lord and savior of Our Lives. This is the best news that anyone could ever have.

But it's also the hardest news. Because it demands something from us.

Possibly we in this country are experiencing. What the what the Hebrews experienced on their downside? Is it the last couple of generations? I just gotten comfortable with having having the the ethics of the Kingdom without the relationship. It got in the norms and the rules all codified and the government laws so that we can have a government that was focused on the underbelly in the under currying of scripture. Can we take it for it? We taking it for granted so long that now we just we just kind of go with the flow of it. And now we're all this stuff is coming into our lives and we're beginning to embrace them in ways. We wouldn't have done a century ago.

Are we really following the truth? The truth that tells us that we are uniquely made that we're uniquely Made In His Image that he has a purpose for us and it's up to us to discover that which is already in us through our faith and trust in Jesus as Lord and Life Of Our Lives. It is a challenge for each one of us. But it is a challenge that God has promised he will help us. As she comes along and lives with us, that's what the spirit is doing in each one of us they lives in us and then inviting us into a into a way into onto a path in a journey to move from our Brokenness to healing and love to move from our confusion and conflict and world that were living in families that were in to a peace in the midst of the storm. He gives us. Hope. Beyond any other kind of thinking imaginable and it's in this world no other religion has this answer. No other philosophy can hold a candle to the truth that comes from Jesus. It's all God that calls us to a new way of life. new challenges but with new opportunities A New Hope and we can grab hold of and walk through the valley of the shadow of death. I know that he's with us. Challenge of giving up rather than hoarding. A challenge that is true freedom. You will know the truth and the truth shall make us truly free.

Freedom to be able to see the difference between idols. and the truth the difference to be able to see the difference and then be able to say I will follow the truth.

And not the LIE. The ability to have the courage to step out of our comfort zones and to start stepping out and just enjoying his presence to see I don't mind the cow that goes along and just kind of eats the grass. That image doesn't bother me so much when I think if the grass is Jesus. And I just pick up a little nibble here and I pick up a little nibble here and he tells me go over there is none of them in the blue hair. I'll get that little nibble there. Watch out. There's a weed there. Don't eat that one going to eat this one. And you just keep walking and walking and walking. The cow doesn't care. What tomorrow is going to be it's just cares about what's happening in front of them with more feed. A child doesn't care about anything else going on around him. He just cares about what thing Jesus he cares about that little blade of grass the next one and the next one and the next one. Is she we don't and shouldn't have to worry about what's going on around it because God is already told us that peace I give you so we can focus on him. We take one blade and one blade and one more dorsal and one more norcel morsel and one more thing and one more thing and over a. Of time. Our lives are rat wearing a different place. Elijah totally different when you ask what the difference is you say, I don't know. But your friends will know. Your friends will see it. Your spouse will see it your children will see it your co-workers will see it not because you sat there and say okay today. I'm going to learn the four spiritual laws so I can evangelize. But they're going to see instead is all of a sudden you're becoming more sensitive to who they are. You're listening better. having more empathy you're humbled. quieter and more relaxed all of these what we call the Fruit of the Spirit. The fruit is what you can't make the fruit happen. You can't grow the fruit of love joy peace, patience kindness and goodness. It is a reflection of taking one nibble a little nibble and a little nibble and a little nibble and focusing on Jesus and him alone. What is history? What is his Direction? What do I have to give up today? What do I have to let go of today? What I did to get left to get let go of yesterday. I have to continue to work to get rid of that which is causing me. To realize that not following the truth. Commit yourself as I have tried and it's hard.

To be to listen and to step way and start changing. not the way you think cuz the way you think is screwed up. the way God thinks and that's hard work. But it is our Salvation. Is it not amen?