“‘You are a king, then!’ said Pilate. Jesus answered, ‘You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.’” (John 18:37, NIV84)

This morning we look at one of the most significant verses on truth. Jesus is in a conversation with Pontius Pilate about who He is. Pilate asks Jesus whether He is a king. Jesus responds that He is and goes on to say: “For this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” So, Jesus was a king — a king who had come to reveal and testify to the truth. More than that, Jesus said that “everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” Now this is a challenging statement. It raised the question for Pilate and does so for us today–whose side are you on? Are you on the side of truth or not?

Pilate leaves the dialogue asking Jesus, “What is truth?” Pilate had lost the virtue of truth a long time earlier. How about you? Are you on the side of truth? Are you listening to the voice of Jesus? These are important questions. Jesus tells us that this is the very reason He came into the world. Pilate was in the presence of truth itself and was lost to see and understand. Let’s not make the same mistake. Let’s see and understand who Jesus is and why He came. Let’s make sure we get to know Him and His truth. He was born into the world so we might know Him. He has truth that is vital to us and to our existence. Belief in His truth causes us to become one of His disciples and a member of His kingdom.

One may not think to give much thought to the ramblings of a radical teacher who is just hours away from His death. Certainly Pilate did not. But this radical teacher was the only religious leader to ever fulfill hundreds of prophecies concerning His life and death. He was also the only religious teacher to predict His rising and then actually rise from the dead. Jesus victoriously rose from the dead just like he promised. When Jesus speaks, we and the world need to listen, because it is the truth.

Peace!

Pastor Tom

www.firmlyrooted.church