Christ Church (Moscow, ID)

<p>Please enjoy this talk from the Grace Agenda 2023 Women's Seminar by Rachel Jankovic.</p><p><br></p><p>Christian parents are tasked by God to raise their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This is not confined to simply making sure they have a roof over their head and get their nose wiped. Rather, this task is the all encompassing instruction of children. They are to be taught about this world in light of the fact that God Almighty has created and redeemed this world. Children are to grow up rejoicing in the way in which God has done all this.</p><p><br></p><p>But modern parents have been coaxed into lending the blessing that is their children to the carnal appetites of godless activists for 12 years. We live in a wasteland of education. Public spending on education skyrockets, while academic scores plummet. If that weren’t enough, there is a rising tide of marred and mangled bodies, pervertedminds, and clouded thinking. Mix all this together and you end up with children who grow up with a godless worldview.</p><p><br></p><p>Join us for Grace Agenda 2023 as we look to encourage Christian parents in the glorious task of raising their children to love and worship the Lord, to lead in their generation, and to be the sort of faithful saints that can do the same for their own children.</p>

<p>Please enjoy this talk from the Grace Agenda 2023 Women's Seminar by Nancy Wilson.</p><p><br></p><p>Christian parents are tasked by God to raise their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This is not confined to simply making sure they have a roof over their head and get their nose wiped. Rather, this task is the all encompassing instruction of children. They are to be taught about this world in light of the fact that God Almighty has created and redeemed this world. Children are to grow up rejoicing in the way in which God has done all this.</p><p><br></p><p>But modern parents have been coaxed into lending the blessing that is their children to the carnal appetites of godless activists for 12 years. We live in a wasteland of education. Public spending on education skyrockets, while academic scores plummet. If that weren’t enough, there is a rising tide of marred and mangled bodies, pervertedminds, and clouded thinking. Mix all this together and you end up with children who grow up with a godless worldview.</p><p><br></p><p>Join us for Grace Agenda 2023 as we look to encourage Christian parents in the glorious task of raising their children to love and worship the Lord, to lead in their generation, and to be the sort of faithful saints that can do the same for their own children.</p>

<p>Please enjoy this talk from the Grace Agenda 2023 Men's Seminar by N. D. Wilson.</p><p><br></p><p>Christian parents are tasked by God to raise their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This is not confined to simply making sure they have a roof over their head and get their nose wiped. Rather, this task is the all encompassing instruction of children. They are to be taught about this world in light of the fact that God Almighty has created and redeemed this world. Children are to grow up rejoicing in the way in which God has done all this.</p><p><br></p><p>But modern parents have been coaxed into lending the blessing that is their children to the carnal appetites of godless activists for 12 years. We live in a wasteland of education. Public spending on education skyrockets, while academic scores plummet. If that weren’t enough, there is a rising tide of marred and mangled bodies, pervertedminds, and clouded thinking. Mix all this together and you end up with children who grow up with a godless worldview.</p><p><br></p><p>Join us for Grace Agenda 2023 as we look to encourage Christian parents in the glorious task of raising their children to love and worship the Lord, to lead in their generation, and to be the sort of faithful saints that can do the same for their own children.</p>

<p>Please enjoy this talk from the Grace Agenda 2023 Teen's Seminar by Dr. Joe Rigney.</p><p><br></p><p>Christian parents are tasked by God to raise their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This is not confined to simply making sure they have a roof over their head and get their nose wiped. Rather, this task is the all encompassing instruction of children. They are to be taught about this world in light of the fact that God Almighty has created and redeemed this world. Children are to grow up rejoicing in the way in which God has done all this.</p><p><br></p><p>But modern parents have been coaxed into lending the blessing that is their children to the carnal appetites of godless activists for 12 years. We live in a wasteland of education. Public spending on education skyrockets, while academic scores plummet. If that weren’t enough, there is a rising tide of marred and mangled bodies, pervertedminds, and clouded thinking. Mix all this together and you end up with children who grow up with a godless worldview.</p><p><br></p><p>Join us for Grace Agenda 2023 as we look to encourage Christian parents in the glorious task of raising their children to love and worship the Lord, to lead in their generation, and to be the sort of faithful saints that can do the same for their own children.</p>

<p>Please enjoy this talk from Grace Agenda 2023 by Dr. Ben Merkle.</p><p><br></p><p>Christian parents are tasked by God to raise their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This is not confined to simply making sure they have a roof over their head and get their nose wiped. Rather, this task is the all encompassing instruction of children. They are to be taught about this world in light of the fact that God Almighty has created and redeemed this world. Children are to grow up rejoicing in the way in which God has done all this.</p><p><br></p><p>But modern parents have been coaxed into lending the blessing that is their children to the carnal appetites of godless activists for 12 years. We live in a wasteland of education. Public spending on education skyrockets, while academic scores plummet. If that weren’t enough, there is a rising tide of marred and mangled bodies, pervertedminds, and clouded thinking. Mix all this together and you end up with children who grow up with a godless worldview.</p><p><br></p><p>Join us for Grace Agenda 2023 as we look to encourage Christian parents in the glorious task of raising their children to love and worship the Lord, to lead in their generation, and to be the sort of faithful saints that can do the same for their own children.</p>

<p>Please enjoy this talk from the Grace Agenda 2023 Teen's Seminar by Pastor Joshua Appel.</p><p><br></p><p>Christian parents are tasked by God to raise their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This is not confined to simply making sure they have a roof over their head and get their nose wiped. Rather, this task is the all encompassing instruction of children. They are to be taught about this world in light of the fact that God Almighty has created and redeemed this world. Children are to grow up rejoicing in the way in which God has done all this.</p><p><br></p><p>But modern parents have been coaxed into lending the blessing that is their children to the carnal appetites of godless activists for 12 years. We live in a wasteland of education. Public spending on education skyrockets, while academic scores plummet. If that weren’t enough, there is a rising tide of marred and mangled bodies, pervertedminds, and clouded thinking. Mix all this together and you end up with children who grow up with a godless worldview.</p><p><br></p><p>Join us for Grace Agenda 2023 as we look to encourage Christian parents in the glorious task of raising their children to love and worship the Lord, to lead in their generation, and to be the sort of faithful saints that can do the same for their own children.</p>

<p>Please enjoy this talk from the Grace Agenda 2023 Men's Seminar by Pastor Doug Wilson.</p><p><br></p><p>Christian parents are tasked by God to raise their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This is not confined to simply making sure they have a roof over their head and get their nose wiped. Rather, this task is the all encompassing instruction of children. They are to be taught about this world in light of the fact that God Almighty has created and redeemed this world. Children are to grow up rejoicing in the way in which God has done all this.</p><p><br></p><p>But modern parents have been coaxed into lending the blessing that is their children to the carnal appetites of godless activists for 12 years. We live in a wasteland of education. Public spending on education skyrockets, while academic scores plummet. If that weren’t enough, there is a rising tide of marred and mangled bodies, pervertedminds, and clouded thinking. Mix all this together and you end up with children who grow up with a godless worldview.</p><p><br></p><p>Join us for Grace Agenda 2023 as we look to encourage Christian parents in the glorious task of raising their children to love and worship the Lord, to lead in their generation, and to be the sort of faithful saints that can do the same for their own children.</p>

<p>Please enjoy this Q&A session from the Grace Agenda 2023 Women's Seminar.</p><p><br></p><p>Christian parents are tasked by God to raise their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This is not confined to simply making sure they have a roof over their head and get their nose wiped. Rather, this task is the all encompassing instruction of children. They are to be taught about this world in light of the fact that God Almighty has created and redeemed this world. Children are to grow up rejoicing in the way in which God has done all this.</p><p><br></p><p>But modern parents have been coaxed into lending the blessing that is their children to the carnal appetites of godless activists for 12 years. We live in a wasteland of education. Public spending on education skyrockets, while academic scores plummet. If that weren’t enough, there is a rising tide of marred and mangled bodies, pervertedminds, and clouded thinking. Mix all this together and you end up with children who grow up with a godless worldview.</p><p><br></p><p>Join us for Grace Agenda 2023 as we look to encourage Christian parents in the glorious task of raising their children to love and worship the Lord, to lead in their generation, and to be the sort of faithful saints that can do the same for their own children.</p>

<p>Please enjoy this talk from the Grace Agenda 2023 Women's Seminar by Rebekah Merkle.</p><p><br></p><p>Christian parents are tasked by God to raise their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This is not confined to simply making sure they have a roof over their head and get their nose wiped. Rather, this task is the all encompassing instruction of children. They are to be taught about this world in light of the fact that God Almighty has created and redeemed this world. Children are to grow up rejoicing in the way in which God has done all this.</p><p><br></p><p>But modern parents have been coaxed into lending the blessing that is their children to the carnal appetites of godless activists for 12 years. We live in a wasteland of education. Public spending on education skyrockets, while academic scores plummet. If that weren’t enough, there is a rising tide of marred and mangled bodies, pervertedminds, and clouded thinking. Mix all this together and you end up with children who grow up with a godless worldview.</p><p><br></p><p>Join us for Grace Agenda 2023 as we look to encourage Christian parents in the glorious task of raising their children to love and worship the Lord, to lead in their generation, and to be the sort of faithful saints that can do the same for their own children.</p>

<p>Please enjoy this Q&A session from Grace Agenda 2023.</p><p><br></p><p>Christian parents are tasked by God to raise their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This is not confined to simply making sure they have a roof over their head and get their nose wiped. Rather, this task is the all encompassing instruction of children. They are to be taught about this world in light of the fact that God Almighty has created and redeemed this world. Children are to grow up rejoicing in the way in which God has done all this.</p><p><br></p><p>But modern parents have been coaxed into lending the blessing that is their children to the carnal appetites of godless activists for 12 years. We live in a wasteland of education. Public spending on education skyrockets, while academic scores plummet. If that weren’t enough, there is a rising tide of marred and mangled bodies, pervertedminds, and clouded thinking. Mix all this together and you end up with children who grow up with a godless worldview.</p><p><br></p><p>Join us for Grace Agenda 2023 as we look to encourage Christian parents in the glorious task of raising their children to love and worship the Lord, to lead in their generation, and to be the sort of faithful saints that can do the same for their own children.</p>

<p>Please enjoy this talk from the Grace Agenda 2023 Teen's Seminar by Dr. David Erb.</p><p><br></p><p>Christian parents are tasked by God to raise their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This is not confined to simply making sure they have a roof over their head and get their nose wiped. Rather, this task is the all encompassing instruction of children. They are to be taught about this world in light of the fact that God Almighty has created and redeemed this world. Children are to grow up rejoicing in the way in which God has done all this.</p><p><br></p><p>But modern parents have been coaxed into lending the blessing that is their children to the carnal appetites of godless activists for 12 years. We live in a wasteland of education. Public spending on education skyrockets, while academic scores plummet. If that weren’t enough, there is a rising tide of marred and mangled bodies, pervertedminds, and clouded thinking. Mix all this together and you end up with children who grow up with a godless worldview.</p><p><br></p><p>Join us for Grace Agenda 2023 as we look to encourage Christian parents in the glorious task of raising their children to love and worship the Lord, to lead in their generation, and to be the sort of faithful saints that can do the same for their own children.</p>

<p>We’ll be taking this week & next to look a little more closely at the two signs & seals of the Covenant which our God has made with us. There are two common mistakes when it comes to these signs. On one hand, Christians have come to attribute to them a sort of superstitious magical potency, while other Christians have robbed them of their potency making them little more than spiritual sticky notes. Our aim is to accompany the sacraments with the Word preached. After all, that is what the church is: those who have heard and believed His Word preached, and are marked out by these signs as His people.</p>

<p>There is a progression in the story, the initial effect of the sin is low, but it ramps up, more people get involved, it becomes harder and harder to stop the momentum. As the wave of sin gathers more strength and increases in amplitude, it gets so out of control that, eventually, an innocent man is murdered. So for our outline, we will take the progression of sin as it ramps up, pause it along the way and ask the question, what could’ve been done at this point to squelch the forward motion of sin. And as we will see, the effort required to stop the momentum is proportional to the extent of which, that sin that has been able to grow unchecked.</p>

<p>Scripture says that we Christians are more than conquerors. And that is one of our beloved verses. But, if we are conquerors, that means there are things standing in our way. This truth, the one about looming obstacles, can weigh down the spirit if we let it. But, there really is no need for soul troubles. We are victors after all. And what good are victors if they have nothing to vanquish?</p>

<p>“Growing up Christian” is a process that revolves around a relationship between people. In most cases, you have the parents on the one hand, and you have the child or the children on the other. And, as the Scriptures plainly teach, growing up Christian is a cooperative effort. It is something that the parents are actively engaged in doing, but it is also something that calls for godly and intelligent responses from the child. And so it is that we are going to spend a few Sundays on how to be a Christian kid.</p>

<p>The Text: Isaiah 7</p>

<p>THE TEXT:</p><p>1 Samuel 4:1-12</p>

<p>We come now to the conclusion of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. The theme of this passage is the importance of contentment, in the context Paul’s gratitude for the financial support that the Philippians contributed. Because the kingdom of God does not run on air, the Scriptures do talk about finances and financing kingdom work. But there is a striking difference between how Scripture addresses it and how worldly professionals do. </p>

<p>The Text: Isaiah 7</p>

<p>The Text: Judges 5</p>

<p>THE TEXT: Judges 4</p>

<p>This sermon is cut short due to a technical error. We apologize for the inconvenience.</p><p><br></p><p>The Text: Isaiah 6:8-13</p>

<p>Paul is following his typical pattern here. He loves to conclude his epistles with a set of rapid-fire exhortations, which is what he is doing here in our passage. The two larger themes to take away from this would be peace and purity—the peace of God, and purity of heart. These are the two main points to take away with us today. God wants His people protected from anxiety, and He wants them to cultivate purity of mind.</p>

<p>The Text: Isaiah 6</p>

<p>The first two Psalms form a sort of introduction to the Psalter. Where Psalm 1 introduces us to the contrast between the blessed life of walking with God and the miserable life of walking with the scoffers and evildoers, Psalm 2 presents an eschatological vision. The first Psalm tells us how to live in the here and now, and the second Psalm goes on to lay before us the glorious future under the global reign of the Messiah.</p>

<p>Text: Psalm 62</p>

<p>Meditating on the character of God usually falls into particular grooves. We think about his love, how he shelters us under the shadow of his wings, how he walks up and down the vine—pruning branches here, grafting branches in there, providing support in one area, and providing cover to protect against frost. We think about his grace, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor so that you, by his poverty, might become rich. We think about his mercy, how our debt piled high. Our balance sheet was covered in red. And yet he zeroes it out, hands it back to us and says, “Now you go practice this same forgiveness.” We think about his goodness. And doing that, generally leads to pondering our own badness. That God would save a wretch like me? We ponder about his glory. What does the Father look like? My mind goes to a pure unadulterated light. A light that emanates so purely from his visage, that seeing through it, to the true form from which the light transmits is impossible. We think about his peace, and we imagine tranquil scenes of still waters, slight breezes, and a warm sun. We find ourselves at ease despite living in a world that’s falling down around us. He prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies. His great patience comes to mind. How can he see the evil in this world and not stamp it out right now? Because The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. </p>

<p>After the Lord’s resurrection from the dead, He established to His disciples that He was in fact alive forever, and then He ascended into the heavens for His coronation. When He did this, He was received by the Ancient of Days, and was given universal authority over all the nations of men. Earth now has a new capital city—located in the heavens—and we are called to learn how to live in terms of this. And as we learn, we are to teach.</p>

<p>By the grace of God, we live in an industrious community of Christians, and it has to be said that this has had a very predictable result. We are also a community that contains more than its share of well-to-do believers. This presents dangers, and temptations, and opportunities.</p><p><br></p><p>As I am fond of saying, “You can’t keep money from doing what money always does.” What was once said of the Puritans who came to New England? It was said that they came to do good, and ended up doing well. Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked (Dt. 32:15). Cotton Mather once said that faithfulness begat prosperity and the daughter devoured the mother. Beware, when you have eaten and are full, and have built goodly houses, and your gold is multiplied, that your “heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God” (Dt. 8:10-14).</p>

<p>The Text: Isaiah 5:18-30</p>

<p>It is a great misfortune that many evangelicals view spiritual growth in a very inorganic way. If a little boy wants to grow to be a great warrior, he needs to do three things: eat, sleep, & breathe. Many view spiritual growth in a very mechanistic way; as if to become more godly they need to add more hardware to themselves. But true growth in godliness comes through a few acts of obedience which spring from evangelical faith: read your Bible, say your prayers, and above all, worship the Triune God.</p>

<p>Satan is the “father of lies,” and this why those under his sway speak lies and murder with their words and deeds (<a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=Jn.+8.44&t=NKJV" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Jn. 8:44</a>). This is also why Christians are frequently attacked here by the Devil, just like the woman in the Garden in the beginning. The fundamental lie is about the goodness of God and His Word. But if we repudiate that lie, we will hate all other lies and love the truth. </p><p>The Text: “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members of one another” (<a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/preSearch.cfm?Criteria=Eph.+4.25&t=NKJV" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Eph. 4:25</a>). </p><p>WSC Q. 77 What is required in the Ninth Commandment? The ninth commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbors’ good name, especially in witness-bearing.</p><p>WSC Q. 78 What is forbidden in the ninth commandment? The ninth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbor’s good name. </p><p>Heidelberg. Q 112 What is required in the ninth commandment? That I do not bear false witness against anyone, twist anyone’s words, be a gossip or a slanderer, or condemn anyone lightly without a hearing. Rather I am required to avoid, under penalty of God’s wrath, all lying and deceit as the works of the devil himself. In judicial and all other matters I am to love the truth, and to speak and confess it honestly. Indeed, insofar as I am able, I am to defend and promote my neighbor’s good name.</p>

<p>I don’t remember a time when I did not love Jesus. One of my earliest memories is being interviewed for membership in an OPC church by a couple of elders when I was four years old. I was baptized and became a communicant member shortly thereafter. I’ve always loved singing worship songs and hymns. Part of how I’ve always known the presence of the Holy Spirit is through the many times I’ve been convicted of sin.</p><p><br></p><p>One of the first times I remember sharing the gospel with someone was a neighborhood boy in Alaska who prayed with me and my brother to receive Christ. I was probably nine years old; he was probably around seven. My dad, an OPC minister, often took me around with him knocking on doors or walking through the park to share the gospel. Sometimes we would do a literature table at the local shopping mall. </p><p><br></p><p>Why do I begin here? Because “by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:10). This, in part, is my testimony of God’s grace in me, and if you have met Jesus, you have a story to tell as well – you have a story of God’s grace toward you. This is my gospel, my testimony of the gospel of free grace, the gospel of blood-bought forgiveness and freedom and unending goodness, through Jesus. This is also your gospel. It’s the same Jesus, the same grace, but you have a different story of the same grace that has not been in vain. This is why you need to learn to say, “this is my gospel.” This is your testimony. </p>

<p>The Text: Hebrews 12:14-15</p>

<p>Martin Luther once said that a man needs to be converted twice. The first conversion is that of his heart, and the second one is of his wallet. What we are going to be addressing here is the nature of that wallet conversion. How should we go about honoring God in our personal financial dealings?</p>

<p>The Text: Isaiah 5:1-17</p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

<p>One of the hallmarks of Christianity which bolsters it as the one true religion is its penchant for balance. Religions derived by men are hard nosed and they will categorically define certain actions as forbidden. From Sahih al-Bukhari, Muhammed says, “Allah has cursed wine, its drinker, its server, its seller, its buyer, its presser, the one for whom it is pressed, the one who conveys it, and the one to whom it is conveyed.” Joseph Smith says in Doctrine and Covenants Section 89, “Tobacco is not for the body, neither for the belly, and is not good for man…And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly.” But when the Bible speaks about behaviors that are verboten, it will often do so by contextualizing the prohibition. Drinking alcohol in and of itself is not evil, but drinking it to the point of drunkenness is evil. Sex is not inherently evil, but it quickly can become evil if it is not framed within the covenant of marriage. Similarly, raw desire cannot be flagged as good or evil without context. And this too, requires biblical balance to rightly discern it. This morning’s sermon will be about prayer, but since our text this morning is addressing the particular issue of covetousness, let’s take a moment in the introduction to discuss the concept of desire. </p>

<p>Our elders recently decided that at the beginning of this academic year, we were going to have a three-week series of messages on practical Christian living, with different messages preached at King’s Cross, CCD, and here. These nine messages will then be bundled together for broader circulation. And so it is that we are taking a brief break from our series through Philippians.</p><p><br></p><p>The topic of our message this morning is going to be “hard work and the sabbath.” Because we are living in the time of the new covenant, we will begin with the Lord’s Day—in the old covenant, it was six days of labor followed by a day of rest. In the new covenant, the day of rest is foundational—it is on the first day, and the six days of labor follow after, and are built on the foundation of gospel rest.</p>

<p>We live in a land that has no fear of God before their eyes, and right on schedule, neither do we honor our parents. If it is not going well for us in the land, this is one of the main things we must recover: the fifth commandment is the first command with a promise of blessing. The fear of the Lord and true justice go together (Ps. 19:9). </p>

<p>The Text: Psalm 32</p><p><br></p>

<p>One of the great things I learned from my father is that “God takes you from where you are, and not from where you should have been.” All of us are sinners, and so none of us are where we should have been. The glory of forgiveness is that God can bring glory out of a shapeless ruin, and in the gospel, this is precisely what He has done. He provides the glory. We contribute the shapeless ruin.</p>

<p>THE TEXT: Judges 3</p>

<p>The Text: Isaiah 4</p>

<p>We come now to a particular gospel “turn” that is extremely troublesome to the carnal mind. The square peg of “alien righteousness” goes not go into the round hole of any “righteousness of my own.” Consequently, a great deal of ingenuity has been expended on trying to make it fit. We might even go so far as to say that this problem, this tension, is the driving engine of almost all new developments in theology. And that is not a good thing. The challenge always comes down to the unvarnished gospel versus the “cold clatter of morality.”</p>

<p>THE TEXT: Isaiah 3:13-26</p>

<p>In the short space of this letter, John gives us a vital tutorial in the contrast between friends & enemies of the Gospel. Many modern Christians have no category for what Jesus meant when He commanded us to love our enemies. Broadly speaking, we have no clue we have enemies, we fail to recognize those enemies, and we have no clue that loving them requires us to confront their errors (Cf. Eph. 5:11, 2 Jn. 11).</p>

<p>This brief letter from John shouldn’t be perceived as a loose page of Apostolic records which got stapled into the back of the Bible. It is no afterthought. Rather, the sense which this book of the Bible gives is that of a well loved uncle slipping silver dollars to his nieces & nephews. It is both personal and pastoral in its tone, while its content is simple, succinct, and robust.</p>

<p>The Text: Psalm 32</p>

<p>Everyone here has an inner life and an external life. If there had been no fall, no rebellion, there would have been a true unity between the two. But the entry of sin into the world made it possible for us to dissemble and to play the hypocrite. When this happens, a person takes advantage of the separation—he can now present one appearance to the world, a holy appearance, and he can keep a lozenge of diseased unholiness under his tongue.</p>

<p>What is truth? There is no other moment in history that could possibly trump this display of irony. Pontius Pilate, looks truth dead in the eyes. Truth incarnate stands before him, bruised and beaten from the previous night. He asks, “What is truth?”, like a sculptor staring at his finished work and wondering, “What is clay?” I do not fault the man the question; it is a good question. But the contrast of the scene is striking. Both men have authority, but only one recognizes where it comes from. One man exhibits courage, facing an imminent death. The other, conflicted about the situation, finds no fault in Jesus, but chooses appeasement and succumbs to political pressure instead of doing the right thing. One man is meek, knowing full well that he could invoke twelve legions of angels at a moment’s notice to rescue him from the Jews. But purpose, justice, and the fulfillment of all righteousness is what motivated his restraint. Pilate is motivated by a desire to be rid of the upheaval. He says, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” In other words, “Why are you involving me? I don’t care what you do with him.” And then in exasperation, he looks at Jesus and says, “What is truth?” Jesus could have responded, “You’re looking at him.” A few chapters earlier Jesus says, “I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.” We certainly could explore Jesus as The Way. And there is also much to say about Jesus as The Life. But this morning we will focus on Jesus as the embodiment of truth.</p>