June 10, 2001

Gospel John 16: 12 – 15 On the way to all the truth.

Today’s theme is "On the way to all the truth."

Maybe it is too much to speak about "all the truth"?

But I am also saying "On the way to".

Recently I saw an interview with a Norwegian celebrity who said; I do hope that I never will find all the truth, it is much more exciting to try to find it. If I happen to find it, what shall I do? I am very comfortable with not knowing all the truth.

That is typical for our time. It is in to be on the way. I am seeking. We should not speak loudly about having already found the truth, that is arrogance and nobody likes to be considered arrogant. In our time it is more popular to communicate about doubt than confess the faith.

But in the Christian Church we are allowed to express both of them as we confess our faith. We are seeking more insight.

Did you notice what Jesus said about this: "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth."

This is a promise.

This is for Him to work out, not ourselves.

Many things Jesus knew he could not at that moment tell his disciples, because they were not able to receive them. It is only possible to tell a man as much as he can understand. A teacher does not start in primary school to teach advanced mathematics. The pupil has to understand the basics first and approach gradually. A music teacher does not expect the newcomer to perform a big piano concert the first day. We always start with the easy and simple things.

God’s revelation to men is like that. He teaches men what they are able to learn.

This is how we can think about The Old Testament. It is something temporary. In a way this is how we also might understand The New Testament and Jesus himself. He brought something new.

Considered in this perspective, God’s revelation is endless. He always has something more to teach to us. About salvation, Jesus is God’s final message, but Christ has not fulfilled his task yet and our knowledge and understanding is like a growing process in faith and insight. Therefore we have the possibility to develop and grow in our spiritual life. Nobody needs to park. The Gospel for today invites us to make progress. All the time we can learn more about God’s truth and Jesus Christ.

What happened in Church History often was presented as God’s truth, but later on the Church changed her stand. This is true with regard to some ethical and moral issues and items related to science, culture and politics. One current example is the debate about Creation in the Bible and the doctrine of evolution. Many times Science has discovered new results and changed its points of views.

One of the standards frequently referred to have been that " all truth is God’s truth". The scientific truth also is God’s truth.

Jesus said "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth".

Let me give you three points:

1. The Outside truth is not all the truth.

It is always an outside truth. That is what we see with regard to people, organizations and what is going on in the society. That is what we realize in religion and politics. What we see is not untruth but it is only a small part of the picture. We do not see the whole thing.

Sure it was true what Jesus said about his departure and the disciples could not follow him, but this was just a part of the truth. Behind was a greater reality and something more.

Sometimes we do accept the outside truth as all the truth.

When the Gospel talks about the "Truth" it is not the outside, the truth that is obvious to all, but it is about something behind or underneath. It is possible to call it the "inside truth".

2. The Inside truth is a step toward all the truth.

The inside truth is invisible to most of us, but it is a reality. It is only ourselves who know about our inside reality, because we are able to hide it from insight. Sometimes we do want other people only to know our outside, not our inside. Sometimes people share from their inside and inspiration. A poet shares through his poems. A composer creates from his inspiration. When H.L.Lyte wrote the words of "Abide with me" this was not a kind of hand carving, he wrote them as to dictation. G.F.Handel, telling of how he wrote The Hallelujah Chorus, said: "I saw the heavens opened, and the Great White God sitting on his Throne".

God’s Spirit inspires!

And the Same Spirit discloses! He discloses what is in our hearts.

David knew about his inside: "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me". (Psalms 51:3)

"While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. – Then I acknowledged my sin to you and I did not hide my iniquity; I said "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord", and you forgave the guilt of my sin". (Psalms 32: 3 and 5)

It is so important to know our inside reality. Sometimes it is proper to tell to our spouse, a close friend, a Pastor, to go to Confession, and to take everything to God in prayer.

This may be an important step toward to get to know all the truth. Then we will experience what Jesus said, "and the truth will make you free" John 8:32.

On the way into all the truth is the way further toward the inner reality. The Spirit of the truth will guide us that way to make us acknowledge the true spiritual reality.

The Spirit of truth reveals the depths of men and God. (1 Cor 2: 10 etc.)

The Spirit is working to clarify both to us. The inner truth about myself is even a relationship to God.

3. The Inner truth does offer all the truth.

The Spirit of truth will guide us to this reality. This is how he continues Jesus’ ministry on earth. He will guide us to the inside truth about ourselves and to the inner truth about God. The inner truth applies men to God’s love and the work of reconciliation of Jesus Christ, to the Cross, to the grace and forgiveness and to the justice he offers to all who believe. This is according to the second reading today "Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings". (Rom 5: 1-3)

This is the inner truth about our lives and about God: The truth that will make us free.

For this reason the Christian is the most free person in the world and he is at the same time humble and rejoices in God's service by doing good works and serving our fellow human beings.

Dear congregation, on the way to all the truth leads always toward the inside and inner reality, back to Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth and the life. (Joh 14:6) He is Alpha and Omega, the first one and the last one, the beginning and the end. In His name are all the wisdom and the truth.

Amen.

The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church ·  924 E. 21st St, Minneapolis, MN 55404-2952 ·  (612)874-0716