Best Gifts Ever - Week 4 - St. Peter - Pastor Tim Glende
Best Gifts Ever
Week 4 - St. Peter
Pastor Tim Glende
,
Week four best gifts ever. So thankful, that we have had a chance to unpack. All that up to date, the Glory. Grace and today…Truth. Which is what I want you to think about today with this question.
True or false in your world: There's still a lot left to do before Christmas by a show of hands? How many you have a lot left to do? Like, raise them high. Now, look around at all the people around you, who aren't raising their hand and get really angry, that's the truth. Like, those people who still have a lot on their list are looking at you going.
Like you are those people? Like the truth is, even if you didn't raise your hand, there's probably a lot to do this week. Like for me, there's a sermon, still to write, there's some cards and gifts to pass out. There's some things to pack before we head off to visit our kids after Christmas this year and spend a week in Georgia. My wife's list is probably longer than mine. Some of you have a list longer than both of ours, put together with all the holiday celebrations. You have the gifts you're waiting for still from Amazon, the food. You have to make the food, you have to buy like everything that's going on. It is a crazy busy time of year truth.
Which is why I don't want you to waste your time searching for the truth about Christmas. Like literally do not Google “the truth about Christmas” like it is a minefield.
Like if you're a Christian and you search that you will find a whole lot of websites that want to undermine, or push buttons about the truth of Christmas. Like they want to get to question: What really is the truth of Christmas?
And so, the questions that are out there are “Was Jesus really born on December 25th? Is it true? “
And if he wasn't, Should Christian celebrate Christmas on December 25th?
And then there's just the question. You know, the way Christmas has gone. The way Christmas is today, how secular it is. Like should Christians celebrate Christmas the way that the world celebrates Christmas? Or should we even celebrate it all? Like, should people put up blow up Snowmen in front of their house, if they're Christians?
Then, if you have seen the one across the road in Pastor Bill's front yard,
Truth.
And what about all the details of it?
Like when did it happen?
What was the stable? Like, like there's all sorts of debates about the truth.
And if you read up on it and if you wrestle with those questions, a lot of that might frustrate you. If you're a Christian.
But, it's good to, to want to know the truth.
Like the odds are pretty good, most people believe most theologians and experts on climate and history would tell you that. Jesus was probably not born on December 25th.
Like the Shepherd's, keeping their flocks in the field that time of year in Israel, was not a time when they would have been probably doing that.
And the odds are pretty good because the Bible never tells us what day it was specifically on the calendar and probably for a reason. That because there's 365 days in a year and that was only one of them and maybe fell on a different one.
But the question social Christians, even celebrate it. Well Christians for 1600 years have chosen that day and mark that day as a celebration of the arrival of the king and so for good reason. So Christians, even celebrate Christmas at all. Because did the early Christian Church? Celebrate it.
I don't know if they did or didn't.
But you know who did like Christmas, Jesus birth and his arrival was celebrated the day of his arrival by Shepherds.
Now, the eight days later in the temple by Simeon and Anna. At some point, wise men who came from afar to worship, the king came to celebrate his birth, like they started their journey to to honor him and celebrate it. So yes, Christians celebrate Christmas. Is something we've done and Christians have done since the day he arrived.
And so, as you consider all that wrestling mesh the Minefield, that it is, it really got me to thinking about what is the underlying issue behind this gift and the importance of it?
Like what makes truth one of the best gifts ever?
Well, all that conversation that I just had with you kind of reinforces that. Because it highlights for you and for me, the problems that we have with truth. Like, I really think it's important for us because today, “Best Gifts Ever” is going to help answer two important questions, it's going to help us address the two problems that people have with the truth. If you're taking notes today, here are the two big problems that we face in regards to the truth. The first one is figuring out the truth.
Like in our world today, we struggle and wrestle with figuring out the truth, don't we? In a world where there are tons of different news outlets with different truths in a, in a world where people who are the victors in history have kind of Rewritten. Some of the truth, when we live in a world where there's bias and opinions and people are on different sides and there's polarization, like figuring out the truth is really hard, isn't it? Like, if you go to school. Like you'll have some teachers in a secular world. Tell you blank about the world in which we live is the truth and others go know that isn't the truth and like it's hard to figure out the truth from a worldly perspective.
It's also hard to figure out the truth from a spiritual perspective, in a world with so many world religions.
I mean, just take different world religions, whether it's Christianity, or any others. Jesus and a lot of those religions play a certain role. Is a name that is identified, but he's not the same thing. He's not the same person for some, he's a great teacher, but merely a man for some he's a great role model but he's not a Savior for some, he's a Savior but he's not quite enough. Like there's all sorts of different beliefs in different world religions. And people are in our world today, trying to figure out the truth, right?
Don't begin to mention Christianity, where there are all sorts of different synods. There are all sorts of different church bodies. There are all sorts of different beliefs. And, and that church teaches, that is the truth on that topic. But our church teaches that's the truth on that topic. Figuring out the truth. Like how many of you don't say it's hard? It's a challenge in a world. It's definitely a problem.
And then, there's problem number two: Facing the truth.
Like the truth is hard to handle at times, sometimes we can't handle it.
The truth sometimes, we don't like it. Like facing it that it might be true about us or that might be true, it has to and we might have to change. Like facing the truth is hard.
It's why in today's world instead of figuring out the truth and facing the truth. Our world today has developed my truth.
Like you don't have to take the time to figure out what the truth is, about how everything came to be, how you get to heaven, what the truth is about your purpose. In life, just come up with your own personal truth, my truth and live that truth. You don't have to figure it out and then you know what? You also don't have to do? Face it.
Because like, I'm not going to create a truth that makes my life harder, challenging.
Like, those are two big problems when it comes to the truth.
Figuring it out and facing it. The day, I pray.
But I can help you answer it. I believe this gift is one of the best gifts ever because it helps us figure out the truth. Who is what are you, what it is. And also helps us face the truth because that's important in our life of faith. That's why it's one of the best gifts ever.
And here's why this topic is so important. By this, best gift ever is necessarily about just worldly truth. But most importantly, spiritual truth because in this world when it comes to figuring out the truth and facing the truth, it's not always a matter of life or death.
You know how I know.
Because of this.
Like on Wednesday. I got an email on Tuesday that said, our 922 moms are having a big event downtown. It's both groups coming together as one. They're inviting their friends, like staff. Stay out of the parking lot and Pastor Tim wanting to be a “you first” pastor parked on the street, by the pizza place across the road. I saved all the ones around the block, so people wouldn't have to cross the street for other people. I'm and I looked up at the sign and it said to our parking 7 A.M to 7 P.M. And I'm like,
I can't think the Appleton would actually police that.
I'm going to figure out if it's true.
And at 11 30, this little beauty got put on my dashboard.
At which point I had to face the truth.
I had to face the truth about my frustration like that's not right? That's not fair. I was doing the right thing by all those ladies and there were open spots behind my car in front of my car all day like I was not stealing parking from other people like give me a break. How about the Christmas spirit?
And then I open it up and it says 23 bucks.
Like seriously Appleton? The new library cost that much?
And then I looked at the bottom and I better face the truth because if I don't pay it within a month's time, it triples.
Like this isn't a matter of life or death. It's simply a hit to my checkbook and a lesson learned like, figure out the truth. They monitor it, face the truth. If you don't obey the law, you pay the price.
It's all pay it.
Not so, with today's topic on truth.
If we don't figure out the truth about Jesus, the truth that is one of God's best gifts ever. It's a matter of life or death. If we don't face the truth, The truth that's found in God's word, the truth that Jesus will speak of and talks about in the Gospel of John about our life with God. Like it's a matter of life and death. And so, I pray that we can find answers to these two questions, the problems that we have and figure out the truth of what this gift is and face the truth. Of why it's no matter why it matters so much for us in Life of Faith in our relationship with God. Now, go back to John chapter 1, let’s unwrap the gift one more time. All the truths that we found in this verse, all the gifts that we've talked about so far are found right in these words. One verse first, John as John chapter 1 is John's, introducing us to Jesus himself the word John's name for Jesus, became flesh and made as dwelling among us. We have seen as glory, the glory of the one and only son.
Who came from the Father, full of grace and full of truth. We've talked about the word, we've celebrated glory, as one of God's best gifts ever last week, we talked about Grace. God's Next Level undeserved love for you and for me and all that it means. And today we're going to see truth, John identifies, Jesus as the word, he points us in the direction of seeing his glory. He tells us what he came full of was Grace, next level love and truth.
Focus in on those last few words again. Jesus came from the Father full of truth.
When you think of Truth by definition, it's that. Define this way the state of being true. Correct. Or factual like true is correct. True is factual when you talk about truth, it's the state of being correct, it's the state of being factual, it's the state of being true. And when John introduces us to Jesus, he says he came full of Truth. The state of being correct all the time he was full of Truth. Each and every time he spoke he was full of facts each and every time he encountered a group who asked him questions about God, he was full of Truth, the state of being true in each and every moment of honoring God and obeying God and speaking From the very truths of God.
And when we talk about truth being one of the best gifts ever, we're talking about it from God's perspective. The state of being true or correct, per factual, according to God. Which means the standard is His word.
And the standard is this word is because the one full of truth, who came full of truth, who always spoke the truth the night before he died said, make them holy. Impact them spiritually through your word, which is the truth. Sanctify them through your word. Your word is truth. Jesus said it.
That's why we're going to let him define and that's why we're going to celebrate by. It's one of the best gifts ever.
But in him, we see the example of what The truth is.
And how the truth plays out.
And the truth is they one of the best gifts ever for you and for me, but it was experienced by the people in his life.
Then people who wanted to figure out the truth, like Thomas did when he raised the question. We don't know where you're going. Jesus. Spoke the truth.
To people who are hurting, who are dealing with the loss of loved ones, Jesus spoke. The truth that needed to be heard in those moments.
Like Jesus, spoke the truth time and time again throughout his ministry, because the truth matters. In fact, John, above all the writers of scripture in his gospel, uses the word more than two times of any other book.
Like if you read through the pages of John John by inspiration of God talks about truth 36 times the next largest total I think is the Book of Psalms with many more chapters and a few more verses the Book of Psalms hasn't only 14 times. So John wanted you to understand the importance of the truth. Why? It's one of the best gifts ever Jesus over and over again, spoke words of truth that are important for your life and and my life. So that we know them so that we're not confused on what the truth is so that we can face the truth when we need to. It's why John's gospel uh is such a unique gospel for us because it's filled with specific words from the lips of Jesus. That’s our truth. It's the only gospel that contains the seven statements of Jesus.
Like clear-cut messages him declaring boldly, proudly recorded on the page of scripture for 2000 years. So you and I know the truth. Extra credit. If you know, all of them, I am the bread of life. I'm the gate. I'm the Good Shepherd. I'm the resurrection & the life. I'm the way, the truth and the life. I'm the light of the world.
I'm divine, like,
The pages of John are chocked full of Jesus truth. The state of being correct and factual on who he is.
And he did some what you and I to miss the mark.
Sometimes, we don't like to face the truth. But thankfully, John, God inspired him to reveal Jesus full of Truth. And Jesus was full of truth over and over and over again.
Like, full of truth that he spoke to his disciples.
When he knew that Lazarus was going to die, and he told them in advance, it's good that he dies because it'll be for God's glory and it was
He was full of Truth in the upper room.
Peter, you're going to deny me. Judas, you're going to betray me.
All the rest of you are going to run and forsake me.
And you know, in those moments when Jesus spoke the truth, you know what they did? They didn't want to face it.
They said, no, absolutely not. We won't do it. You just hid from it. Like all those things are true. Like Jesus was full of Truth.
Which is really important to see. Which is really what this gift is all about. Because it helps us understand the significance of the truth.
Because for you, and for me, Jesus is not here to speak the truth but the Bible For 66 books, of the Bible from beginning to end are the inspired truth of God. The things he wants you and me to know about God. The things he wants you and me to apply to our life of Faith. Because he's God. He's the one who sets the standard. He's the one who declares them to be true.
And that's why he sent Jesus full of truth.
In fact, there's a little bit more, a few verses later, when you look at John chapter 1 verse 17. The law was given through Moses.
Like, there's a difference about the law and what we're talking about with Jesus in the truth. Like the law is the inspired word of God, the law, the Old Testament, and New Testament contains the law, the commands of God, the do's, and don'ts of God. The law came through Moses.
God gave it to him. He recorded it, he shared it with God's people.
But Jesus came to give us both Grace and Truth. He came full of grace and Truth. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Jesus is what God wants you and me to see, His words, God wants you and all of us to hear. Because they are truth.
In a world where we have a problem, figuring it out. Jesus leaves. No doubt about his identity. Jesus leaves, no doubt about God, Jesus leaves. No doubt about the way to heaven. Jesus leaves. No doubt about who we are on our own. And who God?
And all that awaits us. Like that's God, that's Jesus full of Truth. And full of grace.
I want you to see what the gift is, the truth.
You're taking notes fill in the blank. We might set up this way. Based on this verse if you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. The word of God, the teachings of God, all the things contained on the pages of scripture are the truth of God, which sanctifies us. And when you hold to my teaching, then you will know the truth. God wants you and and me and all people to know the truth to understand what is right and wrong to understand how we get to heaven, to understand the need we have for a savior then you will know the truth and the truth brothers and sisters. The truth will set you free.
Like, God's truths bring freedom.
God's truths. Help us with the things that we struggle with God's truth. Reveals the things he longs for us to know when we hold to them. That truth sets us free.
So, here's the truth.
And here's the gift: the truth. Why it is one of the best gifts ever. Is always.
Always good for our souls.
The truth is always good for our spiritual lives.
Whether it's the truth about who God is and what God demands? Or the truth about who God is and what God has done.
The truth about who we are on our own but who we are as a result of God, like all of those truths, no matter what the truth is that comes from God, the state of being factual and correct. Those truths from God, are always good for our souls. Like the, what of this gift is the truth, the facts, the things about God, the things he wants us to know he wants us to figure it out. But just as important as the, why this gift is one of the best gifts ever.
Like, if the truth is always good for our souls, there's got to be a. Why behind that? Well, here's why number one, Jesus, displayed it. The word of God reveals it. Here's why this gift is one of the best gifts ever, because the truth confronts
Like this is one of the things that a lot of people don't like about the truth. It's confrontational.
Like, we live in a society where my truth is acceptable truth. For truth is a social construct, and it kind of gets moved around here, there, everywhere in society. Even Pilate 2000 years ago said, what is truth?
Like, here's the thing about the truth. When you haven't figured out, that this is God when you have what God says, as fact being true, that his word is the truth. It trumps, everything it does not change. It is good for your soul. That truth will confront us. Time, and time and time again.
And Jesus used the truth to confront time and time again.
Like Jesus confronted the Pharisees with the truth.
He called them a brood of Vipers. He called them, whitewashed tombs.
Jesus used the truth to confront his disciples time and time again. When they were in moments of weakness of Faith, Like, oh, you have little faith.
Like Jesus, confronted. Those same disciples in the upper room as I mentioned before with the truth about what they were going to do.
She is confronted with the truth, over and over, and over again, for a reason because
Stood. That if we didn't get it right. If we didn't figure out the truth, we would miss out on the ultimate Gift. In fact, Jesus own message, His own preaching is summarized in Matthew 4 when he began preaching after his baptism and temptation. He began to preach and said, repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is near. Get your heart with God, right? Deal with your sin.
Like you know what? Version of Jesus all of us like
Cuddly, warm. Jesus? Who holds the little children in his arms.
Like the Jesus.
Who has compassion? And love for people who are hurting,
And broken and have lost, loved ones. And and he steps up and does Miracles like We love the Jesus who looked at the crowd. And understood their need and he gave him food. We love that Jesus. Don't we?
But sometimes we want to face this Jesus.
Repent.
Jesus.
The truth.
You are sinful human beings. Who on your own? Can't make it into heaven. Jesus.
Like to face the truth about some of the things that God says, means that there will have to be change in your life and change in your heart. Like your actions go against God. And if you continue to rationalize minimize or justify your behavior, you are endangering your soul. Like the truth is good for our soul all the time from a spiritual perspective because it identifies the need that we have, it calls out the sin that we have committed and it points Us in the only direction where there is hope and help our savior.
And Jesus did that day after day, three years of ministry, he confronted with the truth.
That's why I'm thankful he's given us the book, The inspired word that reveals the truths from God, that tells us of his life and his message, all of which line up so that you and I get confronted. So that you and I get our hearts in the right place. So that when you and I have blind spots, God has blessed us with people in our life. Pastors, teachers, Sunday school teachers family, friends, people are life group who are willing to confront us with the word of God. It's not a matter of opinion. It's not my bias. This is what God says and it is true.
That kind of truth, my friends, is good for you and for me and for our soul
And the fact that Jesus came full of it. So that we don't have to figure it out what the truth is.
As a gift from God. Celebrate the truth.
That God uses the word of Truth that confronts.
And you know why? God confronts you and me. You want the truth? The Apostle Paul knew it. The Apostle Paul said this is good and pleases God our Savior who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. God's truth confronts because God and his truth is that he wants each and every person, every last human, being every person who has ever been born into this planet, God wants all people to be saved. God wants all people to end up with him for eternity. And therefore, that truth, the truth of God is good. Always for our soul because God wants all of us to be saved.
Which leads into point number two.
If you look at the last part of that verse and can go back to it for a second.
For there's one, meditate God and one media between God and man. The man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.
Like why is the truth always good for us all? Because it confronts it shows us our need it points us in the only direction where there, where we can find help and it shows us our savior.
See the truth. Not only confronts but it also comforts.
Like the truth comforts, the law confronts.
Uh, call up Appleton and I could try and fight this. And you know what? They're going to tell me.
No, no Grace for you.
That's the amazing thing of why Jesus full of grace, and Truth is so important.
Because the truth of God's word is not only one that confronts but it Comforts
Like Jesus knew the importance of comforting sinful human beings. Here's Jesus comforting, in action, in Luke chapter 19 on his way into Jerusalem, right before Holy Week. He finds this man on the road, Zacchaeus and he said, does Zacchaeus today, salvation has come to this house because this man, too is a son of Abraham for the son of man came to seek and to save the lost He came to call to repentance to confront, but he also came to comfort because he came to save
And time and time. Again, Jesus used his words the words that he spoke to comfort people
Like, think about the comfort, he offered to Martha and to Mary as they were mourning the loss of their brother. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection in the life. Whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” And that truth, those very words of Jesus, that gave comfort to them. You know what they do for us still today? Comfort. Like when you lose a loved one who believes in Jesus the pain is real. The heartache is real. The empty place in your heart is real.
But their Joy in heaven is also real.
They moved from life to life with God. That truth Comforts.
Jesus comforted Peter. The denier when he said feed my sheep. Because you are forgiven.
And Hoovers doesn't need to hear the message of Peace found in the Forgiveness of God. For sins that we commit.
Or how about all the promises that Jesus gives when you feel like you are in this world and there is no one. Jesus. Words of Truth and comfort are. I will be with you always to the very end of the age. Jesus words of the disciples and that Upper Room. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will take you there to be with me. When, when doubt hits, when death, nears the promises of God, the truth of God as much as they confront over and over and over again. From beginning to end the word of God. Even though there are confronting words of truth, there are comforting words That are the truth for you, and for me,
And Jesus, the one who is full of truth, displayed it and God's word, which you and I have still today, which he inspired. Reveals it.
And that's why it's one of the best gifts ever.
Like, it's what we need to hear.
To make sure we're right with God.
Is what we need to hear. So that we know. And always remember there's hope. And help.
In a future with God.
And you know, how we can rely on Jesus words and John's words as truth.
Like if the Bible is true, if the Bible is the inspired word of God, if Jesus, as God himself, Jesus, who declares the Word to be the truth.
But here's his claim.
And his truth which is what makes what we're going to celebrate next week one of the best gifts ever. Jesus said, I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the father except for me.
You see, that's what makes Christmas, like at the end of the day, people can argue about the truth of Christmas. When it happened.
Biting the church celebrating it sooner or why did they start celebrating on that day? Should we celebrate it in this way? Or another way at the end of the day? All those things can be discussed and debated but they just don't matter in my opinion.
Because at the end of the day, the truth that matters. Because that he came and he lived and he died and he rose.
And by God's grace, through faith. We know that to be true.
At the end of the day, that truth, sets you and me free.
So, brother and sisters in the week ahead, there might be a lot of things to do.
But I pray in the midst of all that we don't forget the ultimate gift that's found in the truth.
The truth that God gives to us in His word, that comforts and confronts. The truth that is our savior Jesus.
