Does Truth Matter Anymore?

 

Jesus was speaking to Jewish believers in John 8:31-32 where he said, “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." 

Many times just verse 32 is quoted with no reference to verse 31.  It is important for us to consider verse 31 –“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples…Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free…

We are to obey…then we will know the truth; and the truth will set us free.  Jesus is the truth; He sets us free from the bondage of sin.  Something to think about:  if truth sets us free, do lies lead us into bondage?

Andy Andrews has written a book entitled, “How Do You Kill 11 Million People?”  It is the story of how the Nazi German regime killed 11 million people between 1933 and 1945.  The simple answer to the question is, you tell them a lie.  Yes, brothers and sisters, the truth matters!  What is the problem in America today?  We love telling ourselves lies.  Only one example—we continue to go into debt as a nation at an alarming rate.  We know that we cannot continue to accumulate more and more personal debt and survive; at some time we must pay the piper.  No matter how uncomfortable the truth may be, we must address it.

Any good politician wants a balanced budget but it never happens does it?  I visited with two politicians from different political parties at the Renville County Fair recently and asked them what is on the hearts of the people.  They both said the same thing—people are concerned for the future of our country. 

In closing, I share with you an excerpt from Andy Andrews’ book.   

In at least one German town the railroad tracks ran behind the church.  An eyewitness stated:

"We heard stories of what was happening to the Jews, but we tried to distance ourselves from it, because we felt, what could anyone do to stop it?

"Each Sunday morning, we would hear the train whistle blowing in the distance, then the wheels coming over the tracks.  We became disturbed when we heard cries coming from the train as it passed by.  We realized that is was carrying Jews like cattle in the cars!

"Week after week the whistle would blow.  We dreaded to hear the sounds of those wheels because we knew that we would hear the cries of the Jews en route to a death camp.  Their screams tormented us. 

"We knew the time the train was coming and when we heard the whistle blow we began singing hymns.  By the time the train came past our church, we were singing at the top of our voices.  If we heard the screams, we sang more loudly and soon we heard them no more.

"Years have passed and no one talks about it now, but I still hear that train whistle in my sleep.”

 

Are we, as citizens, concerned for America or are we concerned for the truth?  What is being told to us is this—the Government knows what is best for us.  We want the Government to take care of us.  They can’t. They are lying—look at history. Do we in the church care or will we just sing our hymns louder as our country goes to hell in our presence?