INTRODUCTION

Last week, we discussed Jesus being “the way”. Scripture indicates that there are TWO ways known in the world: the first is the many other ways to God – and ultimately they are all on the “way of death.” That’s pretty simple when you think about it. All cults. All non-religions. All nice people. They are all on the way of death.

The SECOND way is the ONLY true way – the way of the Lord! It encompasses the way of life, righteousness, faithfulness, wisdom, insight, holiness, peace, love, and truth! Are you SURE you are on the way of the Lord? Aren’t you glad you are? Don’t you wish everyone would be?

TODAY we are going to look at the phrase, “the Truth”. The Lord Jesus said, “I AM the truth”. The phrase “I AM” which introduces it is a phrase marking eternity. It is identifying Himself with the God of eternity Who said to Moses, “I AM has sent you”. The God Who sent Moses, and the Lord Jesus, are One and the Same! He is eternally “the truth”.

The phrase “the truth” is found 88 times in our NIV. The first time is in Genesis 42:16 where Joseph was encountering his brothers in Egypt with “the truth”. The last usage is in 3 John 1:12 where John tells us that Demetrius is a man of “the truth”. [could John say that of us? That’s a good testimony!’].

But I found it interesting that the phrase is used 9 times in the gospel of John, 5 times in chapter 8 alone! Using only the gospel of John as our foundation, we will find that “the truth” is involved in EVERY part of the life of the believer.

Open in Prayer

Follow along in your Bibles in the Gospel of John:

THE HEART OF THE SAVIOR (John 18:33-38)

Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” (John 18:37-38a)

He knew that “the truth” was His mission, and the dividing line separating all from God!

II. THE HEART OF SALVATION (John 3:16-21)

But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” John 3:21

v. 16 “one and only”. When “begotten” is referring to humans = “child of the one who gave me life”; but when referring to Jesus, it is an expression of eternal Sonship!

vs. 18-21 how we respond to “the truth” is the basis of our salvation. The foundation of faith is this Book!

III. THE HEART OF SANCTIFICATION (John 17:14-19)

As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. John 17:18-19

If you were to define your mission, your one purpose in life, what would you say it is? Verse 18 is Jesus’ purpose for us.

In order to accomplish that, He prays for us concerning 2 things:

#1 our focus: not of this world

#2 our help: the Word enables us to live in accordance with God’s home and purposes

IV. THE HEART OF THE BELIEVER’S STATEMENT OF FAITH (John 19:34-36)

And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true;

and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe John 19:35

The foundation of OUR faith is the fact that there were those before us who based their testimony on “the truth”.

Now we are to live by “the truth” as giving evidence to the death, burial, and resurrection of our Savior and the change He can make in our hearts and in our lives.

John understood that – do we?

CONCL USION

• Jesus mission: the truth
• Our help: the truth
• Salvation’s purpose: the truth
• Our heart: the truth

Got it?

CLOSE IN PRAYER