June 21, 2010 Monday Message:

Three things this week. Thing one:
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” John 14:6a and, “The truth will set you free.” John 8:32b Therefore, Jesus will set you free, and “Truth” is a person. Think about that one!

Thing two:
How do we find truth nowadays? We are told to ask, seek and knock, and we will find truth. Truth won’t just fall out of the sky and hit you on the head. Seeking requires effort, and thorough seeking requires diligence. In 2010, we have more options for seeking than ever before. Because of the Internet, we have worldwide access to the teaching of trusted experts. Podcasts are just a mouse-click away. You can watch on YouTube, or follow the action on Facebook or Twitter. My television channels number over 200. The point is that the local school/university/seminary/church no longer has a monopoly on the truth. People will be fact-checking what they have been told, because it’s surprisingly easy to do. When the church deviated from the truth 500 years ago, Martin Luther read his own Bible and discovered the truth by seeking, just as Jesus recommended. What is said in the pulpit nowadays had better be the truth; people will be checking. It’s a Lutheran thing to do!

Thing three:
Does your church teach a Christian Worldview? When you hear a story on the news, do you run it through your Christian “filter” to form an instant opinion? If Christians have tied their personal character to God’s unchanging character in the Bible, you already know the answer before asking the question. Examples: 1. Is it OK for the Presbyterian Church USA to chide Israel for their “Palestinian resistance?” The Bible says we will be judged on how we treat Israel. 2. If the Qur’an says, “All will worship Allah or die by the sword,” what is the Christian position on Islam? We should love our neighbors and pray for them, but defending ourselves is Biblical too. 3. Should the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania be in harmony with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America? One would think so. See, you already know some of the right answers!

The world is shrinking, or so it seems. More and more, the things we stand for will matter not only in our little local church in our little local neighborhood. We will find ourselves members of an international body of believers joined by our love of the truth, the truth that will set us free. Our love of Jesus is our worldwide bond. Truth is a person.

For Him!

Norton Lawellin