November 22, 2009: "The Truth is Out There"

Christ the King Sunday
John 18:33-37
November 22, 2009
Pastor Erik Sevig

For my first illustration this morning, I’d like ya to listen to a portion of a song by the Christian Band “DC Talk.” Some of you may already know about DC Talk, some of you may not, but they happen to be a long-time favorite of mine…in fact, some of their music has played a part in my own faithlife. For example, the sermon title for today comes from their 1998 album, “Supernatural.” The song we’ll be listening to is called , “The Truth.” Please follow along with the lyrics on the screens…
[SLIDES 2 & 3]

“The Truth” by DC Talk
Say what you want, mean what you say
Remember the deepest seeds still find the light of day
Do as you please, and be who you be
I’m telling you, this thing’s gonna bring you to your knees
(chorus)
The truth is what we need, it is the end of mystery
You know the truth will set you free
The truth is out there, the truth is out there

I’m living proof that the spirit moves
It’s a holy interceding absolute
Say what you want, but you’ve got to believe
There’s a dimension that the eyes haven’t seen
The secret is out and people are coming clean
(chorus)
The truth is what we need, it is the end of mystery
You know the truth will set you free
The truth is out there, the truth is out there

As I said, this is only a portion of the song, but I think it helps to set the stage for our message today – we heard the song declare, “The truth is what we need it is the end of MYSTERY…You know the truth will set you free…the truth is out there.”

To start with, I think it’s especially significant that the song talks about the TRUTH being “the end of MYSTERY.” Ya see, MYSTERY means something that’s “unknown”… MYSTERY assumes ambiguity and therefore leaves all kinds of room for different theories and explanations. The TRUTH being talked about in the song marks the END of any such MYSTERIES…and the song proclaims “The TRUTH is out there…and people are coming clean.”

In our Gospel reading for this morning Jesus told Pilate, “For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the TRUTH.” Elsewhere in Scripture Jesus says that he IS the TRUTH. This is good news that even though our world may be filled with mysteries and unknowns…there may be things in our own families and lives that we can’t always understand or comprehend, but when it comes to our relationship with God…[the CREATOR of our World and the one who watches over us and gives us life], Jesus reassures us…there are no mysteries – “The Truth is Out There.”

Ya see, today is Christ the King Sunday…this day serves as an opportunity for Christians like you and me to re-examine our lives according to God’s TRUTH. Jesus [SLIDE 5] said, “Everyone who belongs to the TRUTH listens to my voice.” Today we must ask ourselves…have [SLIDE 6] we been listening to Jesus’ voice? Is your life in line with the TRUTH or have you been hiding from God among the illusion of some MYSTERY? Who or what is your ruler / your king? To whom or what do you swear your allegiance? In whom or what do you place your trust?

Maybe you’re like the rich man who was so worried about his eventual death that he began converting his assets into gold bars. The man put the gold bars into a big bag on his bed, which he slept next to every night, until that night when he breathed his last. When he awoke from that final night, he found himself at the gate of Heaven.

Saint Peter met him at the gate and with a concerned look on his face said, “Well, I see you actually managed to get here with something from earth! But unfortunately, you can’t bring that in.”

The man pleaded with Saint Peter, “Oh please, sir. I must have it. It means everything to me.”

But Saint Peter replied, “Sorry my friend, if you want to keep that bag, then I’m afraid you’ll have to go to, you know, the OTHER place. But trust me, you don’t want to go there.”

“Well,” the man said, “I won’t part with this bag.”

“Have it your way,” replied Saint Peter. “But before ya go, would you mind if I looked in the bag to see what it is that you’re willing to trade for eternal life?”

“Sure” the man said. “You’ll see. I could never part with this.”

Saint Peter looked in the bag and with a puzzled look on his face said to the man, “You’re willing to go to hell for PAVEMENT?!?”

Who or what is your ruler / your king? To whom or what do you swear your allegiance? In whom or what do you place your trust? “The Truth is out There” – Have you been listening?

Our Gospel reading for today reminds us that Jesus isn’t the king of a certain parcel of land or of a particular population of people, BUT of TRUTH. There’s no mystery here…the truth is the very gospel of which Christ’s life bears witness. Jesus said, “I testify to the TRUTH.” As [SLIDE 7] one pastor put it, “That doesn’t mean that his words are simply in ‘conformity with reality,’ but that his very words are the manifestation of God himself, that sovereign event that approaches us to expose the lie within us…that we do not listen to God. Ya see, Jesus and his kingship, calls everyone to submit to God, and thus find life [SLIDE 8] and truth…When we’re confronted by God we must submit, finding the truth and the life. Truth is the grace which frees us from our sin.”[1] And “The Truth is Out There.”

There once were two church members who had a loud argument during a potluck lunch with many other church members as witnesses. The pastor, as peace-maker called the two aside and asked if they’d be willing to air out their differences in a more private setting?

Sitting uncomfortably across form one another in the pastor’s office, the pastor invited one to tell their side of the story. After a short pause to digest what was said, the pastor observed, “Ya know, I think you’re right.” Then the pastor invited the other one to tell their side of the story. Again, after a thoughtful pause the pastor remarked, “Ya know, I think you’re right, too.”

One of the combatants blurted out, “Now wait just a minute there, Preacher! We can’t BOTH be right”

To which the pastor replied, “You’re right!”

Now the moral of the story in terms of our message for today is: You can’t serve two kings. It’s like the old saying that “sometimes the only thing you get from riding the fence is SLIVERS!” Jesus says, “Everyone who belongs to the TRUTH listens to my voice.” Today we must ask ourselves…have we been listening to Jesus’ voice? As I said earlier, is your life in line with the TRUTH or have you been hiding from God among the illusion of some MYSTERY? Who or what is your ruler / your king? To whom or what do you swear your allegiance? In whom or what do you place your trust?

[SLIDE 9] “True faith in God does not allow us to compartmentalize faith from life or faith from earthly matters of daily living. True faith proclaims that ‘Christ is the King’ over ALL life.”[2]

In the words of the song that started out my message for this morning, “The TRUTH is what we need, it is the end of MYSTERY…The TRUTH is Out There…and people are coming clean.” So, how ‘bout you?

[SLIDE 10] I’d like to leave you with a word from one of my favorite Christian authors and preachers named Bo Giertz, who writes, “When one thinks he has failed in being a Christian one should therefore not seek feelings or wait for victories or look for successes to believe in and to witness about. Nor should one dig about in one’s heart for the discovery of a strong and victorious faith. A [person] must be steadfast in prayer, constantly go to Jesus anew, await the word from his lips, and humble himself under the mighty hand of God, ‘that in due time he may exalt you.’ Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”[3] AMEN.

[1] Warren A. Sorteberg, “Our Vulnerability & the King of Truth,” Augsburg Sermons: Gospels B. (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1975) pg 260.
[2] Sorteberg, pg 262.
[3] Giertz, Bo, “A Great Faith,” Preaching from the Whole Bible. (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1967) pg 27.