Video
What Is Truth? – Aaron Viscichini
Sermon Preached on March 30, 2014
Notes & Scriptures
Introduction
In A Few Good Men, Tom Cruise demands of Jack Nicholson, “I WANT THE TRUTH!”
Jack Nicholson’s character replies, “YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH!”
As humans, we always want to know the truth!
- Why am I here?
- What is my purpose in life?
- Does God exist?
- What will happen after I die?
- Do I have a soul?
- Do I have a soul mate?
- What is right?
- What is wrong?
- Is there even such a thing as right and wrong?
Where do we go to look for these answers?
- Our own hearts!? NO (Jeremiah 17:9) (“heart is deceitful”)
- Our own minds!? NO (Psalm 139:6) (“such knowledge is…too lofty… to attain”)
Some people believe our EMOTIONS tell us what is true:
- Our feelings change all the time
- They even change according to the songs we listen to!
- “What’s wrong feels right”
- “What’s right feels wrong”
Some people believe SCIENCE tells us what is true:
- How many of these questions are answered by Science? ZERO!
- (Re-read the questions)
- We only have 5 senses
- The most trusted is “sight”
- The human eye only detects a VERY small percentage of the full light spectrum
- Translation: we are EXTREMELY limited in what we can know
THE ANSWER
- The TRUTH must come from the one, true GOD (“I AM WHO I AM”)
- In John 8:58, Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I AM”
- In fact, Jesus says, “I tell you the truth…” seventy-eight (78) times in the gospels
- He told Pontius Pilate “everyone on the side of truth listens to me”
- He told the people “I am the way, the truth, and the life”
- He said, “If you hold to MY teachings…you will know and the truth will set you free!”
- Jesus was God
- Jesus has the answers
- Jesus is the TRUTH!
Points about Truth
- THE TRUTH IS RADICAL
- THE TRUTH IS RESOLUTE
- THE TRUTH IS RIGHTEOUS
THE TRUTH IS RADICAL
Point: The TRUTH is so radical that it will shake you to the very core of who you are!
Scripture: Genesis 22:1-18, Hebrews 11:17-19
Explanation:
- God requires everything
- Even the most valuable, most precious things in your life
- There was nothing more valuable to Abraham then Isaac
- Most likely, Abraham valued Isaac even more than his own life
- Yet, he didn’t even hesitate to respond to God’s calling (got up early, v. 3)
- He didn’t even question God’s command
- He had complete faith in God, true and radical faith (expected God to provide, v. 8)
- He never turned back
- Saw God’s calling through to completion
- Why was Abraham so radical?
- READ: Hebrews
- He understood the power of God
- He knew that even if Isaac died, God could bring him back to life!
- He had a true faith!
Illustration:
- Russell Crowe in Noah was RADICAL!
- But, even he wasn’t as radical as Abraham!
- Sharmayne (very young!), moving TWICE in two years but not doubting God
- Persecution from her family
Questions:
- Are you willing to give up everything?
- Even the most valuable, most precious things in your life?
- Even your closest relationships?
- When you read something in the Bible that challenges you in the core of who you are do you hesitate? Do you question?
- Or, do you repent?
- Do you understand God’s power?
- Do you really believe that God will provide for you as you respond to his call?
- Do you believe you know better than God?
- Do you think your plan makes more sense?
- Does it really make more sense? Or is it just easier and more comfortable?
- Do your fears keep you from answering God’s calling?
- Do you believe that God can give back to you and even multiply anything you give up?
THE TRUTH IS RESOLUTE
Point: The TRUTH never changes! (If it was true in the time of Abraham; it’s true now!)
Scripture: John 3:1-21, 1 John 2:3-6
Explanation:
- God’s test of Abraham was a foreshadowing of the sacrifice of Jesus
- God is radical because he killed his own son (Mercy & Justice)
- He was radical in the time of Abraham, and in the time of Jesus, and he’s radical today
- Jesus’ call FOR US is radical TODAY because we must be born again
- This means we must DIE to our old life
- This means we must live a completely NEW life
- This means we are willing to give up anything and everything!
- The truth is uncompromising!
- Being born again is a requirement!
- Total faith in Jesus is a requirement!
- Walking in the light is a requirement! (Read 1 John 2 for true faith)
- If we are born again, we live in the LIGHT
- What keeps us from coming into the light? Either: (love sin) or (slave of fear)
- We love evil
- We’re afraid of people
- We’re afraid of who we really are
- NOTE: the focus on VISION
- Cannot “see” the Kingdom of God unless Born Again (v. 3)
- Walking in the “light” versus walking in the “darkness” (v. 19)
- Non-disciples: this means we need to believe, repent, and get baptized
- Disciples: this means we have to CONTINUE to walk in the light
- Sometimes this means we need to RESTORE our hearts and our minds to God’s calling
- Walking with Jesus means we have GOD’S VISION for our life (not just transparency)
Illustration:
- TRUTH NEVER CHANGES (we’re arrogant): G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy Introduction
- RADICAL FAITH: Peter (willing to do whatever it takes for God) (ex-gf) (move) (calls)
Questions:
- Are you still holding on to your life?
- Are you afraid of completely surrendering?
- What are you holding on to?
- What are you afraid of?
- Do you REALLY trust and believe in God?
- Do you love sin more than your creator, your savior?
- If you’re in the light, then what is your vision?
- What vision has God put on your heart for his Kingdom?
- Are you holding back your vision because you’re afraid?
- Have you lost faith because your past visions failed?
- Do you believe God can restore your vision?
- Or, have you given up on your vision because you’ve given up on God in your heart?
THE TRUTH IS RIGHTEOUS
Point: The TRUTH is the most righteous movement in the history of the world!
Scripture: John 8:28-41
Explanation:
- Jesus started a radical and righteous movement
- It wasn’t just a movement to FORGIVE sin
- It was a movement to ABOLISH sin and give us the POWER to overcome it
- REFERENCE: Acts 2:38, 1 John 3, Galatians 5, Romans 6 and 8 and 12
- Jesus sets people free from sin!
- Forgiveness is just one piece of salvation
- A disciple of Jesus, through obedience, is set FREE from sin entirely
- That it will no longer control their lives and their actions
- That disciple because a freedom fighter for righteousness
- Freeing more and more people from evil, sin, and wickedness
- WHO DID JESUS WIN TO THE MOVEMENT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS?
Scripture: Acts 26:12-29
Explanation:
- Paul – freed by Jesus – became a soldier for righteousness
- He proclaimed the Gospel to the known world in a generation’s time
- He’s just one example of the impact of a true disciple
- A true disciple goes into the world and delivers spiritual freedom from sin and wickedness!
- Just like Paul!
- Through people like Paul, Jesus changed the world for righteousness!
- He’s still doing it today
- Disciples everywhere have the same mission as Jesus
- Proclaim freedom to the world!
Illustration:
- Melvin Tolson in The Great Debaters
- One of his debate students tricks Tolson into a debate
- Tolson tells him the story of Willie Lynch
- Lynch’s methods were meant to “Keep the body; take the mind”
- “I, and every other professor on this campus, are here to help you to find, to take back, and to keep your righteous mind – because obviously you have lost it”
Questions:
- Are you still mentally enslaved to sin?
- For non-disciples, what are you waiting for? FREE YOUR MIND
- For the disciples, are you giving up your God-given right to be free?
- Did you know that sin is NOT your master?
- Or, are you giving in out faithlessness or pure selfishness?
- Who are you fighting to free from the bondage of spiritual slavery?
- Are you grateful for your freedom? Or, would you rather be in chains again?
