TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES: WHO

This week, we begin a new sermon series entitled, Truth or Consequences. Depending on your generation, you may recognize that this was taken from a long running radio game show, then it continued on TV. The radio program ran from 1940 to 1949, then the television show from 1950 till 1975. The contestants, who were usually taken from the audience, would be challenged with a variety of “consequences” to accomplish. One of its longest running hosts was Bob Barker, who went on to host The Price is Right. You may or may not remember the program, but the title is fitting for today. We cannot deny that the truth we believe will lead to consequences in our lives. The truth for our world and society has become relative, flexible, and changeable. There are a growing number of people who claim that the Christian faith is a myth and should be considered a “fairy tale” rather than a truth. This is not new. In the earliest days of Christianity, the new believers had the challenge of confronting the worship of Greek and Roman gods, as well as the hostility of the Jewish leaders. How were they able to maintain their faith? They had found THE truth, not simply a truth. This week, we turn to John 1:5-18. John begins his gospel by talking about the first witness to the light of Christ, John the Baptist. John the Apostle makes a bold and unparalleled statement based on witness of John the Baptist and his own experience; the light of Christ is the genuine light of God for the world!  How are we to know? In the sermon simply entitled, Who, the Apostle John helps us to understand that truth is not just a rule or principle, but the person of Jesus Christ.  He also shares how this truth can continue to lead us and strengthen us for our living today, regardless of the voices that say it is fantasy!  As you read John 1:5-18, we pray that you will be lifted into the light, peace, and power of God!  John 1:5-18: ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. ⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. ⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God– ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. ¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. ¹⁵ (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) ¹⁶ Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. (NIV)