When Jesus stood before Pilate at his sentencing, Pilate asked him, what is truth?
Many people have asked that same question. For the Christian, the ultimate expression of truth is found in the Bible, in Jesus who said, I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).
It is true that everything Jesus said would happen, did, and for that reason we should believe him.
When someone asks me how I know that the Bible is true and that the words of Jesus are true, I ask them to consider what Jesus said. And if Jesus predicted His death and resurrection only to not have it come true, you could safely throw out everything else that Jesus had to say.
For instance, Jesus predicts his death. Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.
“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected.
This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die (John 18:31-32), as predicted by Jesus in Matthew 20:17-19. Jesus predicts His death.
If Jesus had said when he and his disciples were caught in a violent storm, “Quiet! Be still!” (Mark 4:39) and the storm continued to rage, I wouldn’t have to listen to him.
If Jesus had said to the paralytic, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” (John 5:8) and the man’s legs had remained lifeless, I wouldn’t have to listen to him. But the fact is that all these things happened just as Jesus said.
If Jesus had said to the dead corpse that had lain in the grave for four days, Lazarus, come out! (John 11:43) only to have Lazarus stay in the grave; I wouldn’t have to listen to him.
If Jesus had said that he would die and rise from the dead 3 days later and didn’t, then we could reject him. But that is exactly what he did. He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again (Mark 8:31).
His enemies remembered these words and said to Pilate, “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ (Matthew 27:63). After three days, Jesus did indeed rise again.
So when Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6), I had better pay attention. There is no other way. He is the Truth. People may think I am narrow and bigoted but I know that everything Jesus said would happen, did.
Therefore I had better listen when the Bible says he will come again. The angels spoke after his ascension, 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11).
Since everything Jesus said would happen, did, I had better listen when His Word says, Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows (Galatians 6:7) we better listen. It will come true.
Harry Loewen is pastor of East Ridge Community Fellowship.