What is Truth

of isolation in different parts of the world, cooking has become a popular thing to do.

And so with this picture, what impression does this picture of food give you?

How do you decide if this food tastes good?

And how do we know if this is good for us to eat?

So that is something that you bear in mind.

Afterwards, during the discussion, we talk about this.

So in 1984, Time Magazine made a feature report on the bad effects of cholesterol.

But then 30 years later, Time Magazine changed its mind and advised its readers to eat butter.

So that is the change in opinion.

And last year, the United States Department of Agriculture released a list of foods that

are most likely to meet our daily nutrition needs.

So they tested a thousand different types of foods.

And they selected the top 100 most nutritious food.

So we can look at the bottom three of the first 100.

There are sweet potato, figs and ginger.

And then we go to the top three.

So these are almond, surimoyah, there's custard apple and ocean perch.

Now, interestingly, if we go to number 10 to eight, they are snapper, beet greens and pork fat.

Can you believe that pork fat ranks number eight out of 1000 most nutritious foods?

It is more nutritious than snapper.

Now I'm not making a statement about what we should eat.

This is just a simple exercise to help us to think how we usually form our opinions.

We make up our minds usually based on experiential truth and traditional truth.

So experience truth is what we learn by experience and what we see, what we hear, what we touch.

Traditional truth is what we learn from our cultures and social norms, what our parents told us,

what our teachers told us, our friends and our society.

Okay.

So these two aspects of truth, how we learn how to form our opinions about things,

but they're not necessarily accurate if we rely on them only.

We would know that and I know that from my own experience.

As I see patients and make decisions day to day,

and I just find that when I judge people just on the surface,

it's so often that I make mistakes in what I see or presume to be.

So we need a third aspect of truth to help us.

That is the revealed truth.

Truth that is not because we experience or been taught to us or from society,

but from even a higher authority.

That is just like this, just now about the pop facts that we would not learn from our own experience or

our culture, but the scientists somehow found that.

Okay.

So that is the revealed truth.

So first of all, I would like to consider about experiential truth.

So experiential truth, traditional truth, and revealed truth.

So experiential truth, we consider about what Pilate think or thought about Jesus.

So when Pilate asked the question whether Jesus was the king of the Jews,

he wasn't asking because he wanted to verify Jesus' pedigree, whether he was already a king.

Actually, I'm sure Pilate would have make up his mind the moment he saw Jesus,

about who Jesus was.

So he would have heard about Jesus before then, that Jesus was born outside of a wet log,

into a carpenter's home family, this poor family, growing up in the insignificant town of Lazarus.

And he, Jesus had a band of uneducated and uncultured followers from the north.

And also he would have heard that Jesus was not in a good term with the Jewish leadership.

So that's what he heard.

But what did he see now when Jesus appeared before him?

When Jesus would be disheveled or unkempt, because Jesus had spent the whole night without sleeping,

and no washing up.

And Jesus' hands were bound.

And also from the Bible, we know that Jesus had no form or majesty that Pilate would even care to look at him,

or had no beauty that Pilate would esteem him.

So just from what Pilate hear and see about Jesus, he already make up his mind who Jesus was.

So why did Pilate ask the question then?

I think Pilate just did not know what to do with Jesus.

His experience with Jesus told him that Jesus was a nobody.

This could be the most ridiculous case that Pilate was asked to make a ruling on.

Pilate, do you know how he would explain to Caesar why he would crucify a nobody?

However, Pilate's experience with the Jewish leaders told him that if he did not cooperate with them,

he would lose their support.

So in his reply to Pilate, Jesus was neither angry nor fearful.

Jesus wanted Pilate to think about his question.

Did Pilate somehow perceive the kingship of Jesus?

Or did he just repeat what other people told him?

Pilate's opinion about Jesus?

The way we consider pork fat is like the way Pilate was considering Jesus.

Once we have decided, we make our mind pork fat is bad for our health,

it is very difficult to change his opinion.

And we all know that if we are aware of how we make our minds about things.

And it's very difficult for us to change.

Even if the circumstances tell us that we could be wrong, sometimes we are so stubborn,

we just don't want to change.

So unless the Holy Spirit convict Pilate's opinion about Jesus based on his experience

would remain unchanged regardless of what Jesus said.

So now this may be a good time for us to pause and think about our own opinions about God,

about other people, about ourselves.

Is it possible that we could be wrong all these years about things?

And I think it is always a good thing for us to think about this, about how we form our opinions.

So the next aspect of truth, I would like us to consider a traditional truth.

Pilate did not ask Jesus, sorry, Pilate did not answer Jesus' question kindly.

Jesus asked him how he formed his opinion.

He was a bit annoying.

So he said, how I form my opinion is not the point.

I'm not one of you people and I don't care what the Jews believe.

The point is that your people have handed you over to me.

What have you done to upset the Jewish traditions?

And in his kindness, Jesus explained to Pilate that he,

Jesus did not conform to the traditions of the world.

Jesus said, my kingdom is not of this world.

If my kingdom were of the world, my servants would have been fighting that I might not be delivered to the Jews.

I was born and come to this world for this purpose, to bear witness to the truth.

I think if I could paraphrase it, this is what Jesus was telling Pilate.

He said, Pilate, my kingdom is nothing like yours.

Your kingdom is a kingdom of poverty, a kingdom without glory.

In your kingdom, everyone craves for richness and glory.

In your kingdom, you compete with one another for richness and glory.

Your self-esteem is based on your achievements and appearance.

You are a governor, yet your heart is still restless.

You fear Caesar may remove you from this position if you do not cooperate with the Jewish leaders.

You fear your lieutenants, lieutenants may betray you.

My kingdom is not like this.

My kingdom is rich and glorious.

I do not need to wear impressive clothes.

I do not even need to have an attractive face.

All the external appearance will not add to my richness and glory.

I am rich and glorious.

I do not need my people to fight for me.

In fact, I fight for my people.

And my people will be given this richness and glory that they would no longer compete with one another,

but would love one another.

So Jesus was explaining that his kingdom is nothing like the kingdom of this world.

Remember during the time of Samuel in the Old Testament,

God was very angry when the Israelites asked to have a king like the nations around them.

God did promise the Israelites that they would have a king.

Then why did God become so angry when the Israelites asked for it?

It's just because they wanted a king like the nations around them.

And that's exactly what God didn't want to have.

They want to have a kingdom like the rest of the world.

God set aside the Israelites to have a kingdom that is different.

And so God was angry at the time when they asked for that king.

So if we integrate life based on traditions and cultures, we want to be strong and powerful so as to live comfortably.

Just like the Israelites, they want to be strong.

They want to be strong.

They want to have army, the armed force and to be well known.

So when we do that, we want to be strong and powerful.

So when we do that, we will compete for supporters and resources.

The Jewish leaders plotted to get rid of Jesus because of the fear of losing supporters.

Pilate is now cooperating with the Jewish leaders to crucify an innocent person because of his fear of losing their support.

So what are you going to do?

Wilk defend on idea from define someone that these world is important orfor their teachers do?

That's a great tip for us to learn how toson and flourish.

I can talk on

do it and it's good to

think about that.

So we

can now, we'll come

back to the original question, what is

true? So Pilate

then asked Jesus, what is true?

So without

waiting for Jesus to reply,

he walked away.

Pilate was not

asking if there is such a thing as true.

Pilate was saying, who

cares if there is such a thing as true?

Pilate was

telling Jesus, I know you're innocent,

I know you're framed

by the Jews,

but it is in my own interest

that I cooperate with the Jews.

I have the power to decide

your life and death. How can truth

help you?

We do live in a world where

truth is not important.

Though we said it's

important, but when

you come to

things that

will give us

benefits,

or we would

then sacrifice

this truth,

children

would quickly learn that

you do not usually get what

you want by telling the truth.

Sometimes it's our

good intention

that we do not tell the truth,

as we

think that

some truth

may hurt

the hearer.

So because of the

manipulation

of truth

and cover up truth,

it is difficult for

the court to communicate.

We just

second guess one another

and see whether people are

actually

telling the truth.

So if someone tells you,

you look

handsome or pretty

today,

you may respond

with thank you,

but in

your heart,

you might be

thinking something else.

We all do that

because of

the way

we treat the truth.

In a way,

Pilot was right.

Some truth

in the end

may not matter.

However,

Pilot

thought that power

was what would matter.

He was wrong here.

What matters

is the truth,

is the truth,

the truth

with a capital T.

So once you know

the truth,

you will be free

as what

David read

just now

from John 8,

31-32.

Jesus said

to the Jews

who had believed him,

if you abide

in my word,

you are truly

my disciples

and you

will know

the truth

and the truth

will set you free.

This truth

was why

Jesus came

to the world.

This truth

is not something

we can learn

from experience

or traditions.

it can only

be revealed

to us.

So we

now come

to this part

of considering

what the

revealed truth is.

So this truth

is the one

that will set us free

and it's written

in the pages

of the Bible.

That's why

Jesus said

if you abide

in my word,

you will be free.

So I will mention

just three important

points of

the truth.

So point one

is that God

reigns.

That is from

Isaiah

Isaiah 52:7

chapter 52

verse 7.

How beautiful

upon the mountains

are the feet

of him

who brings

good news,

who publishes

salvation,

who says to

Zion,

your God

reigns.

And as we

are reading

this story

of Jesus,

he is the one

who brings

this good news.

He lives

up this good news.

Your God

reigns.

Point two,

Jesus has

overcome the

world.

John 16

33.

I have

said these

things to

you,

to the

disciples,

that in

me you

may have

peace.

In the

world you

will have

tribulation,

but take

heart,

I have

overcome

the

world.

Point three,

God loves

the world.

John 3

16,

for God so

loved the

world that

he gave

his only

son,

that whoever

believed in

him should

not perish

but have

eternal life.

So I'll

come back

to those

three points.

Point one,

God

reigns.

God is

ruling his

creation.

Looking at

the way

Jesus was

being treated

by the

Jews and

Pilate,

it does

not seem

God was

in charge.

But we

see again

in the

story,

who was

calm and

composed,

and who

was frantic

and irritated.

Even

without

going deeper

into it,

looking at

how different

people react

to the

situation,

you can

see that

Jesus was

in charge.

Throughout

the book

of John,

Apostle

John takes

pain to

point out

the fact

that God

is working

out his

purpose in

the life

of Jesus.

So in

a way,

Jesus was

proclaiming

the truth

even louder

when he

was bound

than when

he was

free,

because of

how he

responded to

the whole

situation.

So because

the good

and great

God is

in charge,

Jesus did

not need

to worry

and he

did not

need to

take charge

of the

situation.

The same

thing as

well for

us.

I don't

need to

be in

charge.

God is

in charge.

I do

not need

to win

every

argument,

even though

I think

my opinion

is more

valid.

I do

not need

to

vindicate

myself,

even though

I believe

that I

misunderstood

and

overlooked.

That's

exactly

what

Jesus

didn't

do.

He

didn't

need

to

do.

If

Pilate

knew

and

believed

in

this

truth,

he

would

have

behaved

differently.

The

second

point is

Jesus

has

overcome

the

world.

So

we

can

consider

that

the

world

is

proud

and

self-centered.

Jesus

has

overcome

this

world.

How

did

Jesus

overcome

the

world?

Jesus

did

not

fight

hatred

with

hatred.

Jesus

did

not

fight

self-centeredness

with

self-centeredness.

Jesus

overcome the

world by

bearing the

hatred of

the world

and the

wrath of

God on

the cross.

Sometimes I

have reservation

with telling

our children

that Jesus

is like the

superhero

in the

mobis.

Jesus

is not

neither

superheroes

who

use

their

superpower

to

overcome

their

enemies.

Jesus

overcomes

his

super

weakness.

Because

Jesus

has

overcome

the

world,

I

no

longer

need

to

conform

to

the

ways

of

this

world.

I

don't

need

to

follow

what

the

world

does

or

tell

me

to

do.

I'm

free

from

needing

to

seek

fairness

for

myself.

I'm

free

from

needing

to

show

others

how

strong

I

am.

It

doesn't

matter

anymore.

Point

three,

God

loves

the

world.

In

response

to

the

world's

hatred

towards

him,

God

loves

the

world.

God

did

not

command

Jesus

to

come

and

conquer

the

world.

God

did

not

send

Jesus

to

negotiate

with

the

world.

God

gave

Jesus.

He

gave

Jesus

as

a

worthy

sacrifice

to

fulfill

the

righteousness

of

God

Pilate

asked

the

Jews

whom

he

should

release

from

prison

as

a

sign

of

good

will

for

their

Passover.

The

Jews

chose

Barabbas

who

was

guilty

of

robbery

and

insurrection

and

led

Jesus

the

innocent

one

to

take

his

place.

And

this

is

the

meaning

of

Passover

that

the

innocent

Lamb

of

God

died

to

shed

his

blood

so

that

the

guilty

ones

could

be

set

free

and

live.

When

we

can

understand

why

Jesus

was

crucified

and

believe

in

him

we

start

to

understand

life

is not

about

winning.

We are

then free

to lose.

We are

free to

lose our

faith.

We are

free to

lose our

health.

We are

free to

lose our

properties.

We are

then

perishing

in the

fears and

worries of

this world

but a

life that

is anchored

on the

truth

that God

reigns

that

Jesus

overcome

the

world

that

God

loves

the

world.

For

those of

us who

are old

enough

we will

still

remember

the

epidemic

of

smallpox.

The

smallpox

virus

could have

killed up

to a

billion

people

over

his

2,000

years

of

existence

in the

world.

The

way to

prevent

smallpox

was

recognized

about

500

years

ago.

Most

people

rejected

the

vaccination

until

about

100

years

ago.

It took

another

70

years

before

smallpox

was

eradicated.

It took

smallpox

a lot

more

worse

than

the

COVID-19.

It took

a long

time to

stop

this

disease

because

people

thought

it was

foolish

to

inflict

yourself

with

the

cowpox

virus

and

the

medical

establishment

then

rejected

this

method

until

those

who

promoted

vaccination

vaccinated

themselves

and

showed

people

that

they

were

okay.

That's

why it

took a

long

time

for

this

to

happen.

So

would

you

eat

pork

fat?

If

you

see

the

scientists

who

published

this

finding

and

they

started

to eat

pork

fat

for many

years

and didn't

have

any

problem

then we

might

start

eating

pork

fat.

So

the

same

way

it is

difficult

to believe

that Jesus

will achieve

much

by

subjecting

himself

to

these

kangaroo

courts

and

also the

shameful

and painful

death

on the

cross.

Even

Peter

changed

his mind

about

Jesus

and denied

that he

was one

of the

followers

of Jesus

when

it came

to the

point.

But

exactly

because

Jesus

was willing

to die

for what

he stands

for,

we know

that Jesus

was telling

the truth.

Later,

all his

disciples

who deserted

him at that

time,

they were

also willing

to die

for this

truth,

for which

purpose

came to

the world.

Jesus

is the

highest

authority

who has

revealed

to us

that

he has

a kingdom

and this

kingdom

is nothing

like that

of this

world.

He came

to tell

us what

life is

about.

Will we

listen to

his voice?

Pilate

asked,

so you

are king?

Jesus

answered,

you say

that I

am a

king.

Jesus

implied that

if you

admit that

I am

a king,

you will

also recognize

that I

am your

king.

if you

understand

that Jesus

is the

king of

the kingdom

of truth,

why we

will not

submit to

him as

your

king?

I will

pray now

and after

I pray,

we will

sing the

song,

Behold

Our

God.

Father

God,

we

thank you

for

Jesus

being the

light in

this dark

world.

Thank you

for

helping us

to see

this

light.

Father,

may you

help us

those that

have seen

the light

to be

like the

broken

vessel that

would leak

out this

light to

other

people,

that many

more may

see your

glory in

the face

of our

Lord Jesus

Christ.

We want

to worship

you as

our king

and our

God,

the one

who freed

us from

the bondage

of this

world.

may you

help us

to live

a life

that is

worthy of

your

calling

in the

way we

make our

decisions,

we form

opinions about

things and

people.

Lord,

help us

that we

might be

willing to

lose,

willing to

die for

the truth.

Thank you,

Lord,

for we

pray in

Jesus'

name.

Amen.