What is Truth?

Let me start are time together by asking you a question and that is What is truth and does it exist?

For most of us listening tonight if not all, this seems like a silly question. We would say, of course there is absolute truth. But the question, what is truth has been asked by many for centuries.

You see some 2000 years ago this very question was put on trial. But it did not just have one trial but rather multiple trials in one day. But sadly after going through multiple trials very few people could answer the question what is truth?

In order to be put on trial truth had to be arrested. After being arrested the truth was led through multiple court rooms were the prosecutors tried to induce self-accusations against the truth because when it came right down to it the truth had done nothing wrong.

Eventually the Truth stood before a governor, at this point the prosecutors wanted to impose the death penalty on the Truth who was innocent. In order to prove that the truth was guilty the prosecutors claimed that he was a liar and a thief because he would not pay taxes and he was claiming to be someone he was not.

After hearing these arguments the prosecuting governor asked the Truth some pretty interesting questions. If you haven’t figured out by now the truth I am referring to is Jesus.

As Christians we understand that Jesus is the truth because he took claim to the name truth in John 14:6 when he says...

In John 18 & 19 we read about the trials that I referenced a moment ago. Let’s pick up were I left off in the story and see what questions this governor, who we know to be Pilate has for Jesus who is the truth.

John 18:37–38 ESV

Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.

Pilate ask Jesus if he was in fact a king and Jesus responds by telling him that he did not come to earth to be an earthly king but he came to earth for a different reason.

You see it is in this passage that Jesus explains his purpose for coming to earth. It was not to become king of this earth but it was to bear witness to the truth.

After hearing Jesus response, I believe somewhat tongue and cheek, Pilate asks Jesus the question what is truth?

Because we understand that Jesus is the truth, isn’t it interesting that Pilate asked the very truth the question what is truth? Unfortunately, Pilate the one charged with finding out the truth dismisses the truth in the very presence of the truth. And unfortunately this very same thing continues to happen in today’s society.

Because our world so desperately needs truth and needs to come to know and understand the truth, as I read this encounter with Jesus and Pilate I find it interesting how it fits so well with the season we find ourselves in. Many people are remembering the birth of Jesus and asking the question why was he born. Here at the end of Jesus life he gives us the answer as to why he was born. John 18:37.

John 18:37 ESV

Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

In verse 37 Jesus says for this I was born. And we can add for this I was born in a manger to bear witness to the truth.

Because Jesus is the truth, as Christians we understand that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in a manger, to bear witness about himself and God.

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.

Because Jesus is truth one of the wonderful thing about the season of Christmas and more importantly the birth of Jesus is that his birth reveals to the World that there is such a thing as truth and that Jesus is the embodiment of that truth.

Church as we celebrate Christmas one of the things that most if not all of us do is give gifts. What greater gift is there to give than the gift of truth.

Let me encourage you rather than talking to your family and friends about the birth of Jesus share with them the truth of Jesus because that is why he was born.

Talk to your friends about how we cannot change the truth in this word, but the truth that is not of this world can change us.

The truth that was born is a manger can change our lives forever. The truth is that we were all destined to die but because the truth came we have the opportunity to live forever. John 3:16.

That’s the message and gift that I hope you will share with those you love this Christmas. Jesus came to bear witness to the truth. Will you do the same this holiday season?