The Truth and The End
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Truth and The End
Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
Psalm 93
Revelation 1:4b-8
John 18:33-37
If you have not had a chance yet to see the new God’s not Dead movie it is something that I encourage everyone to see. Each movie displays an attack upon the Christian faith. There are some in this world that just want to shut out God from their lives. Unfortunately, our world has given all kinds of events and material to use to keep continuing this series of movies. The most recent addition tells a story of an attack upon homeschooling all over the United States. Some concerned parents and Pastor Dave are asked to appear before a committee in congress and defend their right to homeschool their children. At one point Pastor Dave points out how the Bible is truth. The committee chair person responds by saying that it might be the pastor’s truth but it is not his truth. The problem with that statement as Pastor Dave points out is that truth cannot be decided upon what we want or desire to be true. The truth is truth regardless of what we believe or want to believe. It is constant and absolute and there is nothing that we can do about that. No matter how hard someone may try to hide or push away the truth, it still comes through. 1+1=2 and merely saying that it equals 3 or 4 does not change the fact that it will always equal 2. The only real exception to this rule is withing the context of marriage. In a marriage 1+1=1 and that is by God’s design however society has been trying to change and cover up that truth too.
Our lectionary has been taking us into the direction of eschatology which is the study of the end times. Given some of our current events it seems to be appropriate that we would be looking into area of scripture so that we can be prepared for what is to come. Daniel reveals to us a vision of God sitting on his thrown and his glory shining forth from him as fire. He sees one in the appearance of a human who is given authority over all. Daniel sees a vision of Christ in his glory and with all authority as a king to the nations. His kingship and authority will never end.
Revelation 1 paints us a vision just like Daniel of Jesus coming with the clouds and descending upon us. Both Daniel and John reveal to us his second coming. All those who pierced him and put him on the cross will weep and wail. All of those who called him a fake and just some other trouble maker, they will now see him coming and will bow before him. He is the Alpha and the Omega. He was there at the beginning of creation and creation will end with him as well. It is important for us to then be prepared for when he returns as it can be at any moment. He is the truth and he is life.
When brought before Pilot he was questioned about his kingship as to see whether he was a threat to Rome. There can be only one king in the Roman Empire and that is Caesar. Therefore, the question is whether Jesus is one to rise up as a king to the Jews and therefore, lead a rebellion against Rome. Jesus explains that his kingdom is not of this world. Pilot then asks “So you are a king then?” Jesus then reveals to us the reason for why he was born and has come into the world. He is here to testify to the truth and whoever is on the side of truth listens to his voice. His word and everything he speaks is truth. Pilot then asks the question, “what is truth?”
When I read this passage, I often wonder to myself if Pilot was really so dull that he did not realize that his final question about Jesus is kind of silly. Jesus just answered the question for him and he doesn’t seem to get it. Jesus is the truth. Unfortunately, this appears to be a question that is constantly up in the air in our world today. What is truth? Well, if you ask society today, the truth is whatever you wish it to be. We see to treat truth as an object or a possession that can be obtained, held and shaped to what we want it to be. We live in a society in which it is believed that the truth is all relative to whatever we individually see fit. In fact, you can believe what ever you want to believe and you are encouraged to do so as long as it is not that Christian faith that you believe then you are praised. People are praised and encouraged to walk away from God and a faith in him. It has come to the point that the truth is no longer truthful. We see that in our court systems today. Where justice is delivered unfairly based upon one’s political affiliation. Who cares about right and wrong and what is truthful or not? As long as you are following the mainstream political narrative then anything you say or do will not be held against you in a court of law. However, even so those who are in authority to decide what is truth in society today have no authority over the Son of God. His authority is supreme and his word is truly true.
Truth is not an object that can be obtained or possessed. It is something that man cannot explain and many times not even understand. It is what it is regardless of what we desire and want it to be. I would really like to defy the laws of gravity and float and fly where ever I want to go. However, the truth is that gravity exists and though we can suspend ourselves in the air with a flying machine, it is still being pulled to the ground. It is there whether we want it to be there or not. The truth is the same way. There are those who do not want God to exist and do not want Jesus to exist or have ever existed in our history. However, that does not change the fact that God is real and so is Jesus.
We may not want there to be and end of the age but the truth is that we cannot do anything to change that. The only thing we can do is warn as many people as possible that it is coming and that they need to be prepared. Just like our opening song for the service. We can say that God does not exist but that don’t change the truth. We can say that Jesus never rose from the dead but that don’t change the truth. We can say that he is gone and never coming again but that don’t change the truth. We can say that there is no hell but that don’t change the truth. We can say that we don’t need a savior but that don’t change the truth. Because the truth is that God is in control, The truth is that he will return and he is coming soon. The truth is that there is a prison called hell that lasts for all eternity. The truth is that all will bow before Jesus in the end and face judgment. The truth is there is only one truth and not many. The truth is that the truth is not some object that we can posses and make whatever we want. The truth is that the truth is not in our control. The truth is what it is just as God said “I am who I am.” Are you prepared for the truth?