By David Sylvester, Executive Pastor of Operations
Have you heard the phrase, “I would much rather see a sermon than hear one?”
In our strange and ever-changing cultural landscape, truth is often presented as elusive, impossible to claim, and defined by Americans who claim equal authority and validity to their respective truth claims. Perhaps theologian Oprah Winfrey says it best when she encourages her guests to boldly “speak your truth” as if truth is whatever we claim it to be.
If two plus two really is four, who can argue with mathematical truth? If buckets of lard and fatty foods negatively affect my heart, who can argue with medical discovery about how the body works or doesn’t work? If laughter brings joy to the bones, as the scripture teaches, what believer is in a position to dispute the claim?
Yet truth, or true truth as some refer to it, is wrapped up and personified in a person, the son of God, who was fully God. And God is truth. When we see and hear Jesus, we see and hear true truth, a truth not subject to opinion polls, the whims of a corrupted culture, or a democratic vote. Jesus is Truth - was, is, and always will be. Truth is alive and breathing and not merely an academic exercise in mastering the facts.
A missionary couple spent their lives sharing the gospel with tribes in the outback of Australia, where the name of Jesus had never been heard. They shared the life and claims of Christ through interpreters and, at the appropriate moment, gently nudged the tribe to receive Christ. The old tribal chief responded to their offer and essentially said, “We have heard what you have said about this man, Jesus - now we will wait and watch to see how you treat each other!” Ouch.
Yes, we can speak and teach truth, yet Truth is in a person who lives in us, and the way we live our lives as followers of Jesus may be the most effective sermon ever given!
An old Jesus Movement song lyric reads, My life is a Bible for some folks to read, I wonder just what they are reading in me?
