Thursday, December 19, 2013

December 20, 2013

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:1-6

This is the Season of concentrating and celebrating the events surrounding the birth of Jesus, the Son of God. Rightly so!

I want to do that by fast forwarding from the time of His birth to a significant statement He made in the days leading up to His death.

Jesus identifies Himself as "THE TRUTH".

Interesting! Truth is not just a concept or a theory or an opinion - "TRUTH IS A PERSON!" Jesus is truth! He defines it, He demonstrates it, and He demands it of His followers.

Since truth is a Person, entering into truth requires a relationship with that Person! While truth may lead you to Jesus, only entering into a faith relationship with Jesus, can you know truth.

A bold statement like this had better be well documented! The claim of truth is only as valid as the evidence supporting the claim and the evidence behind Jesus' statement is 350+ fulfilled prophecies! Over 40 prophecies were fulfilled just in the events surrounding His birth! The other 300+ were validated by His life, His ministry, His death and His resurrection.

Think about it! If 350+ predictions are made by dozens of godly people under the inspiration of God's Spirit between 1,000 to 400 years ahead of time are all perfectly fulfilled in the life of one person, shouldn't you take that Person's claims seriously? And if that person predicts His death AND His resurrection and then pulls it off, doesn't that give Him serious credibility?

I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and He defines truth for me. Whatever lines up with His life and teachings is true and anything that contradicts them is untrue.

Those last two statements will offend many people because it will challenge their notions of truth. There is no better example of this than what has happened to Duck Dynasty founder, Phil Robertson.

By giving honest Biblical answers to questions posed to him by a journalist, he has come under heavy criticism and the loss of his TV job. Many claim to be offended by Phil's expression of what he believes to be true.

So, for those who are offended by Phil's sincerely held beliefs, what do they hold as truth and what support do they offer for their claims? What they believe is based on their opinions, perhaps recent opinion polls, their emotions, their values, and their worldview. In other words, their version of truth is based on human wisdom. 

So, now his expression of truth has been punished, Phil will have to decide if he will continue to hold to that truth or conform to the pressure of worldly wisdom.


What does this have to do with Christmas?


Everything!


The arrival of God's Son on planet earth, and all the credibility that lends to the Word of God, confronts you with the decision of choosing your personal standard for truth.


If you, like Phil, hold with Jesus for your definition of Truth you can be sure your "Phil Robertson moment of truth" is coming.


Are you ready?