Easter 7

Easter 7 (John 17:6-19) Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”

What is truth?

Pontus Pilate once asked this question. He wasn’t the first; nor will he be the last. Philosophers, scientists and college students throughout history have asked this question. As with Pilate, many ask this question with a certain world weary cynicism.

Generals of all armies in all cultures know that the first casualty of war is truth. Lewis Carroll satirized politicians when he has his character the Red Queen blithely state: a word means whatever I intend it to mean at that time.

What is truth?

College students throughout history have been seduced into self-indulgence, cynicism, pride and despair by this question. As the human brain develops it acquires the ability to analyze data. To analyze is to break down some object or some concept into its component parts.

That is certainly one path to knowledge. But, on its own it is not a path to understanding or wisdom.

Our Heavenly Father designed rational analytical capability as one small and introductory step for human growth and development. Tragically, most people most of the time choose to remain stuck in that developmental stage.

Most people most of the time choose not to accept the challenge and the promise of the post-adolescent life task. That stage of human development is called “synthesis”.

There is a pattern and a purpose to the development of the human brain. That pattern and purpose is not the random interactions of molecules formed by natural selection. That pattern and purpose is the Logos, the co-eternal Word of God. The logos is the rational, active, dynamic, spontaneous, creative eternal self-expression of the infinite God. The logos is the Beloved Son. The Logos, the Word of God, became flesh in Jesus Christ.

Truth is an unfolding pattern. Truth is a developing and maturing purpose. Truth is a person: Jesus Christ.

As the Logos, the Beloved Son, is the pattern, plan and purpose for the entire universe including the human species collectively and each of us individually, so the Truth can only emerge fully and joyfully in a personal relationship with the Beloved Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus knew this about himself. In his high priestly prayer he offers himself to the Father as the one pure perfect and final sacrifice for sin. As the human embodiment of the Pattern of the universe the pattern for humanity he offers himself to restore to humanity what we chose to reject.

Jesus completes the revelation the Holy Spirit began to bring into the world through Moses and the Prophets. Moses and the prophets could only glimpse the truth embedded in the creation and in human nature. Jesus is that truth.

Moses and the prophets for the most part held the assignment to observe and analyze the problem confronting humanity. Jesus is the solution to that problem.
Philosophy asks wonderful questions. Jesus is the origin and answer to those questions.

Science is very good at taking things apart through rational analysis. Jesus is the pattern who holds the parts together in a plan and for a purpose.

Humanity has exercised a limited form of reason to justify separation from God, meaning and purpose. Jesus restores to humanity what we abandoned.

Truth is a person: Jesus Christ. That person is the infinite and eternal Word of God. We can never exhaust the potential for knowledge, understanding or wisdom as we enter into a personal relationship with the eternal Word.

Jesus prayed for his apostles and he prays for us to be sanctified in the truth. To be sanctified is to be made holy, to be restored to wholeness, health and happiness. Sanctification is a process that proceeds from a relationship.

Jesus, the Beloved Son, prays to the Father for each of us. He prays that we may know him through the personal relationship of a forever friendship. As with all personal relationships it is a process. Truth is absolute. Human beings are not absolute. We can only grow into truth.

In his humanity, Jesus made a real choice to abide in the love of the Father. His constant prayer was: Heavenly Father, not my will but your will be done. Jesus did not just submit to the Divine Will. Jesus surrendered and embraced the divine will through love.

The pattern of truth is the acknowledgement of God’s plan and purpose for the Creation, for our species, and for each of us individually. There cannot be truth without love. There cannot be love without truth.

Be careful when you bend the truth. That choice enters into the world of cause and effect to produce a result.

Be fearful when you break the truth by telling a lie or even carelessly repeating a lie.

Truth sets us free to love. A lie enslaves us to self-will, fear, pride and ultimately to despair.

All human beings lie to each other. All human beings lie to ourselves. These lies diminish us. These lies keep us lost in separation from God, nature, other people and our real identity.

Jesus knows this about us. He knows this because he lived among us for 33 years. He knows this and he offers his friendship to rescue us from the pattern of deceit that is destroying the Creation, eroding our civilization and decaying our souls.
The solution is a personal relationship with the one who is the very pattern, plan and purpose of truth.

As we enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ it is the love that Jesus pours into our minds, and hearts and wills that will begin to set us free from the lies we tell ourselves and each other about God, nature and humanity.

As we grow and develop and mature in the personal relationship Jesus offers, we can ask the question Pilate asked from a new place and for a new purpose. We can ask: “what is truth?” from the solid rock foundation that underlies supports and makes possible all truth.

Jesus will make us whole, healthy and happy in the friendship he offers us, Jesus will set us free from the lies humanity tells itself in order to assert its will to power. That is his purpose. That is his high priestly prayer for us today, tomorrow and forever.

Heavenly Father, sanctify them in your truth, Your word, your co-eternal Word, is truth.