Two Sabbath emails that correspond to this sermon message

The Father Gives the Spirit of Truth - 12.29.23

The Father and the Son never compromise on the Truth.  They are Truth.  Jesus is described as full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6). 

The disciples of Jesus Christ, the members of the body of Christ, are set apart by the truth and are to walk in the truth.  (John 17:17, 3 John 1:3)

Let’s then ask how we come to the truth, stay in the truth, and continue to walk in the truth.   One significant part of the answer is through God’s Word.

17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. (John 17:17, NKJV)

Jesus identifies truth in how his disciples are differentiated.  Christ’s disciples believe and do God’s Word and walk in the truth. 

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  (John 8:31-32, NKJV)

Knowing God’s Holy Scriptures brings us to the truth about salvation, doctrine, and righteousness and reveals where we may need to correct our course to walk with God.

15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, (2 Tim 3:15 – 16, NKJV)

God’s word is one side of the equation to walk in the truth. Something else is required, and that is God’s Spirit.   Jesus referred to God’s Spirit as the Spirit of Truth given by the Father that guides and leads the disciples into all Truth.

However, when it, the Spirit of truth, has come, it will guide you into all truth; for it will not speak on Its own authority, but whatever it hears it will speak; and it will tell you things to come.  (John 16:13, NKJV)

God’s Spirit is the spiritual power that opens the minds to receive and understand the spiritual truth of God’s words.

63 It is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.  (John 6:63, NKJV).

God’s Spirit works in us, allowing us to begin to comprehend the Truth of God, what Paul describes as the deep things of God.  

Let’s cherish the Truth and how we came to know, believe, and love the Truth. Let’s consider the Apostle John’s written thoughts to the church in his greeting in his 2nd epistle.

To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth, 2 because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever: (2 John 1:1-2, NKJV)

This is an amazing truth of God, the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever.

I hope everyone has a spiritually rich and peaceful Sabbath.

The Truth Will Set You Free - Dec 22, 2023

In last week’s Sabbath message, we reviewed that the Father seeks those who will worship Him in Spirit and Truth.   Let’s build on the significance that God puts on truth and the love of the truth.  Many in Western culture have a skeptical view of truth, similar to Pilot's attitude when he said to Jesus: "What is truth?" after hearing Jesus stating to him “that everyone who is of the truth hears My voice and that He came to bear witness to the truth.” (John 18:37-38, NKJV)  

Let's review another key statement from Jesus about the truth. 

Jesus stressed the importance of abiding by His teachings, which He linked to the truth that would set people free. 

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  (John 8:31-32, NKJV)  

"What did Jesus mean when he said, 'the truth shall make you free'? Some of those who heard Jesus arrogantly interpreted it as being free from bondage to anyone, while conveniently ignoring their own history of being under Babylonian rule and their current situation under the Romans".  

Those to whom Jesus spoke were unaware of the truth and the bondage they were under to sin. 

34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. (John 8:34-36, NKJV)  

In this statement, Jesus is expressing a truth they were not comprehending regarding their limited future and how they could be a son that abides forever. 

Those Jesus spoke to were confident as physical descendants of Abraham and blind to their reality.  Jesus, in very direct language, tells them the truth about the source of their motivations and their deceptive view of themselves. 

43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”  (John 8:43-47, NKJV)  

Hearing God’s words and believing God’s words sets us free from the deception, the bondage of the lies and limitations that currently have sway over this world, The truth is unmeasurably and infinitely beyond what even the best human mind could imagine. 

9 But as it is written:  

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”  

10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.  (1 Cor 2:9-10, NKJV)  

Let’s appreciate the truth in God’s Word!  Have a productive, safe, and full Sabbath Rest.