Sermon Tone Analysis

*A Passion for Truth, Part II*

*March 13, 2005

* *

Video Illustration: /“Unshakable Word”/ Sermon Illustrators, vol.

2, no. 4, Worship Films.com.

Have you ever heard the expression, “God said it, I believe it, and that settles it?”

The monologue you just watched about the veracity of God’s Holy Word is the foundation for such a statement.

ILLUS: Someone once wrote about “The Bible”:

 

Indeed, God’s Word is truth.

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”

(Joh 17:17 NivUS)

 

He has revealed it throughout the generations of his people.

It is amazingly cohesive over time.

Time always proves it out.

And Jesus embodied it, lived it out, and proclaimed it boldly.

That was the subject of a message about a month ago – that Jesus had a passion for truth.

But we only got through part of it.

Today’s message is the rest of it – Part II of “A Passion for Truth.”

What does Jesus want us to know about truth?

What is it that he claims we need to know beyond a shadow of doubt?

Where does he want his passion for truth to take us?

You might recall from the previous message that although the synoptic gospels have a number of truth statements by Jesus, mainly in Matthew, only John uses the double truth statement amhn amhn legw umin implying that behind the statement is the authority of the very “Amen” of God the Father.

“"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.”

(Re 3:14 NivUS)

 

It is a strong affirmation of what is declared, “Truly indeed, it is true I tell you,” a prefix to a significant statement.

The words are uttered as before God, indeed are uttered by the Son of God himself.

This is truth that transforms.

I will quickly reiterate the first several points we covered in the last message.

We learned that Jesus tells us the truth about his heavenly origin, approval and vindication.

He is the bridge between heaven and earth (Jn.

14:6), the only mediator between God and man (1Tim.

2:5).

*1.

Joh 1:51  He then added, "**I** **tell** **you** **the** **truth**, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."*

 

Jesus tells us the truth about our darkened human condition needing rebirth.

There is nothing short of a heavenly infusion, a divine miracle, that can change it.

It is the work of God, not the work of man, that saves us.

We are naturally resistant.

*2.

Joh 3:3  In reply Jesus declared, "**I** **tell** **you** **the** **truth**, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."*

*3.

Joh 3:5  Jesus answered, "**I** **tell** **you** **the** **truth**, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.*

*4.

Joh 3:11  **I** **tell** **you** **the** **truth**, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.*

This is why Scripture tells us to take whatever opportunity of faith in Christ that presents itself.

“7 ¶  So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear his voice, 8  do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert,” (Heb 3:7-8 NivUS)

 

“1 ¶  As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2  For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you."

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”

(2Co 6:1-2 NivUS)

 

Jesus tells us the truth about his unity with God the Father and his ability to grant eternal life.

*5.

Joh 5:19  Jesus gave them this answer: "**I** **tell** **you** **the** **truth**, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.*

*6.

Joh 5:24  "**I** **tell** **you** **the** **truth**, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.*

*7.

Joh 5:25  **I** **tell** **you** **the** **truth**, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.*

And Jesus tells us the truth that he himself is the source of eternal life.

The people were looking to him as a kind of “meals on wheels” to meet their daily needs, but Jesus was much more.

I will expound a little more fully on this last point from the previous message and then we will proceed on to the rest of Jesus’ truth statements in John.

*8.

Joh 6:26  Jesus answered, "**I** **tell** **you** **the** **truth**, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.*

*9.

Joh 6:32  Jesus said to them, "**I** **tell** **you** **the** **truth**, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.*

*10.

Joh 6:47  **I** **tell** **you** **the** **truth**, he who believes has everlasting life.*

*11.

Joh 6:53  Jesus said to them, "**I** **tell** **you** **the** **truth**, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.*

The true bread from heaven was not the manna from heaven in the time of Moses.

Jesus is greater than Moses because Jesus himself becomes the manna from heaven that gives eternal life.

But how is Jesus like the manna in the desert?

“16  This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Each one is to gather as much as he needs.

Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.’" 17  The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little.

18  And when they measured it by the omer, he who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.

Each one gathered as much as he needed.”

(Ex 16:16-18 NivUS)

 

“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

(1Jo 2:2 NivUS)

 

The sacrifice of Jesus is sufficient for all mankind, but each one must “gather him” in to his heart.

There is individual responsibility, but enough “manna” of him to go around.

“19  Then Moses said to them, "No one is to keep any of it until morning."

20  However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell.

So Moses was angry with them.

21  Each morning everyone gathered as much as he needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away.”

(Ex 16:19-21 NivUS)

 

 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.

Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

(Mt 6:34 NivUS)

 

 “Give us each day our daily bread.”

(Lu 11:3 NivUS)

 

Taking Jesus in cannot be just a one-time hoarding as if you are ‘at once’ done with him.

Our need is more serious than that.

We must come each day for a fresh supply.

The manna itself is like salvation (it continued for the forty years they were in the desert), but we must come each day to its provision.

“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

(Php 4:19 NivUS)

 

But we find a special provision for the Sabbath.

“22 ¶  On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much— two omers for each person— and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses.

23  He said to them, "This is what the LORD commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD.

So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil.

Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’"

24  So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it.

25  "Eat it today," Moses said, "because today is a Sabbath to the LORD.

You will not find any of it on the ground today.

26  Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any."

27  Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none.

28  Then the LORD said to Moses, "How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions?

29  Bear in mind that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days.

Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day; no one is to go out."

30  So the people rested on the seventh day.”

(Ex 16:22-30 NivUS)

 

On that day we don’t go out to gather, but come in to receive.

That is the day of rejoicing in the double measure.

That is the day of worship.