To respond to the call of Christ
By announcing the good news,
The gospel of peace.
Song "Longing for Light” https://youtu.be/5g0c4YeABTs
Reflection on John 18v 29-38 What is truth?
Can you remember the first time you realized someone was lying?
Pilate Jesus interrogator, the Governor, was not a Jew, not a believer in God. He didn’t care about these religious disputes. But he knows that he is dealing with the issue of truth. Is Jesus who he says he is?
As events followed they demonstrated to some that he was the Jewish Messiah and to others that he was not! That seems to be the nature of truth, you can dispute it!
At present we have big problems with truth or epistemology!
Some people believe that the world was created 6000 years ago. This creates problem with archeology, paleontology and cosmology which states the universe was created 10-20 billion years ago. And what about dinosaurs around 199-251 million years ago?
The majority of scientists believe we are in era of climate warming due to manmade activity that could destroy the earth as we know it. Some people dispute this. Is this because they might lose out if we change to renewables? Why do people ignore such evidence?
People refuse to accept evidence to the contrary because to do so would change their world view and effect them personally and or financially.
To really accept the figures of child abuse, sexual harassment , and knife crime in my country, would mean that we would have to accept we need to drastically change as a society. And it would cost money!
Those convicted of crime in general waste hours of judicial time and money denying they have done anything wrong. Their honesty would save us all.
In our families we often cannot talk about abuse that has happened because it was a relative. So we are silenced. The truth hurts.
In society we cannot talk about the negative impacts of public policy and its effect on vast numbers of people be it in our schools, hospital waiting times or care for the disabled because it strikes to the root of a society that favours the rich over the poor.
But Jesus was the Way, the truth and the Light! And he spoke truth into people and situations and both healed, saved and gave hope. However the flip side was that he upset people because the truth upsets us whether it’s a personal truth or a public one.
Can your family talk honestly and truthfully about the past to you? Can you bear the truth? Or do we shut our ears because its too disturbing?
Can we talk honestly about the effects of climate change on our children and grandchildren?
Can we talk honestly about the refugee crisis which we have helped to create and the over 60 million people who are homeless, stateless?
Too often the truth requires us to lose out. Our reputation is at stake. If we share our resources someone will get less. Personal agendas affect our decision making. Some powerful people benefit from hiding the truth.
As Christians truth is or should be our calling card. If we lie, it diminishes us.
Jesus showed us that truth whether it was about powerful elites, the treatment of the vulnerable and marginalized, the sick and the dying was his business. And it should be ours. But some people will not like the truth! Amen.
Song “A touching place”
The Peace of God
Be upon everything our eyes see
Be upon all we hear
Be on our bodies that come from the earth
Be on our souls that come from heaven
For ever and ever. Amen
